24.06.21

Meghalaya nod to amend GST Act

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The state cabinet on Friday approvedamendmentto theMeghalaya Goodsand Services Tax Act, 2017 by issuance of an ordinance (Meghalaya Goods and Service Tax (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021.

“The central government has brought amendments to the CentralGST Act2017 and in view of this, amendments to the State Act was necessitated in order to effect the corresponding changes made by the central act and to simultaneously implement the changes made,” said chief ministerConrad K Sangma, who holds the finance portfolio.

The cabinet also approved the proposal to frame theMeghalayaForensic Science LaboratoryService Rules2021, which entails framing of service rules to govern the conditions of services of its officers. The cabinet also approved the retention of registration mark of old motor vehicles on a new vehicle after the sale or scrapping of the old vehicle.

Assam governor forms committee to empower autonomous colleges

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AssamGovernor Jagdish Mukhi constituted a three-member committee on Empowerment of autonomous colleges in Assam.

The three-member committee will be headed by the ‘s Education adviser Prof Mihir Kanti Chaudhuri as its Chairman, principal secretary higher education B. Kalyan Chakravarthy and principal, Jagannath Barooh College, Jorhat, Dr. Bimal Barah as its members, an official release said.

Moreover, the committee will also assess the Resources (monetary, manpower, material, academic, etc.) required for the purpose.

Further, the committee will also decide on the modus operandi to enable these autonomous colleges to award degrees on their own, besides creating adequate space for them to make progress in research and training as per NEP 2020.

Odisha government eyes 9,049 crore windfall from mining sector in Q1

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The expects huge revenue gain from themining sectorduring the 2021-22 financial year with most of the mines auctioned before the outbreak of Covid-19 having started production.

Sources in thestate steelandmines departmentsaidrevenue collectionfrom mining sector in the first quarter (April-June) is estimated at Rs 9,049 crore (as on June 28) compared to the Rs 2,735 crore collected in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal.
The collection is according to the initial estimate and may go up slightly after final audit by the department, said an official.

The premium (committed during auction of mineral block) is a Percentage on the sale of mineral which the lease pays to the state government as tax every month. It is over and above the royalty.

Mining sectors contributed Rs 13,600 crore during the 2020-21 financial year while the collection was over Rs 11,000 crore during the 2019-20 financial year. With revenue collection from several other sectors like GST, VAT, excise, stamp duty and registration fee are expected to fall in the first quarter of the fiscal because of Covid-induced lockdown and shutdown, Growth in collection of revenue from the mining sector should come as a breather for the state government.

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin opposes changes to Cinematograph Act

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Taking forward the debate over Federalism, Naduchief ministerM K Stalinon Tuesday opposed the Centres proposed amendment to the Cinematograph Act, 1952, charging that the amendment sought to restore the revisionary powers of the Union Government, which was struck down by theSupreme Courttwo decades ago.

Stalin was following up on a representation from theTamilfilm Industry in this regard. In letters sent to Union information and broadcasting minister,Prakash Javadekarand law and Justice, communications, electronics and information technology ministerRavishankar Prasad, the chief minister said, The draft Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2021, has given rise to serious apprehensions not only in the minds of the film Fraternity and film industry but also among all well-meaning sections of Society that cherish freedom of expression.

Kerala has highest dowry inflation in country, says World Bank blog

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Christians and Sikhs have shown a sharp increase in dowry leading to higher Average dowries than Hindus and Muslims while average net dowry in Muslim marriages is only slightly lower than among Hindus and has remained stable, a study of about 40,000 marriages that took place in rural India between 1960 and 2008 has shown.

The analysis is based on data from 2006 REDSthe most recent source of dowry data for Indiacovering 17 states that contain about 96% of Indias Population, according to a blog on the site.

The blog focuses on rural India, where it says dowry remains a widespread phenomenon despite being illegal since 1961. According to the 2006 Rural Economic and Demographic Survey (REDS), dowry was paid in 95% of marriages during 1960-2008, it said.

Keraladisplayed stark and persistent dowry Inflation since the 1970s and has the highest average dowry in recent years. Other states with inflationary trends are Haryana, Punjab, and Gujarat.

Given Keralas religious composition26% Muslims, 18% Christians, and 55% Hindusthis trend is compatible with the differential trends by religion described earlier. Similarly, the inflationary trend in Punjaba majority Sikh stateis also consistent with the rise in Sikh dowries. On the other hand, average dowry decreased in Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra, according to the blog.

It said that average net dowry has been stable over time with some inflation before 1975 and after 2000.

Karnataka: Farmland registration up 67% after reforms

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For the longest time, the agricultural land market inKarnatakasaw little movement, archaic land ceiling laws being a major reason. But over the past six months, transactions have surged, resulting in a revenue mop-up for the government.

Farmland sales prices are up 5-15% in six months, with most of the increase coming since the new laws were introduced, said Bhaskar C, a land aggregator. The demand for good farmland is outstripping supply of farms for sale. The strong demand to own farmland is one of the main factors pushing prices higher.

Section 63 was also amended to raise the cap on ownership of farmland. Earlier, the ceiling for a family of four was 54 acres and for a larger family, it was 108 acres. The amendment made it 108 acres for a person or a family of four, and 216 acres for a larger family. This is higher than Kerala (42 acres), Nadu (60) and Andhra Pradesh (54 ).

Will use 50% of Krishna water, says Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao

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In a fresh salvo, chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday said theKrishnaRiver Management Board (KRMB) has no right to askTelanganato stop hydel power generation even as the demanded that the board cancel the July 9 meeting withAndhra Pradeshand Telangana on the ongoing tussle over Irrigation projects and sharing ofwaterbetween the twoTelugustates.

Urging the KRMB to conduct the meeting after July 20, Telangana also asked the board to include contentious issues like illegal projects constructed by AP in the agenda for the meeting. The CM, who chaired a high-level meeting with chief secretary Somesh Kumar and special chief secretary (Resources“>Water Resources) Rajat Kumar on Saturday, resolved to continue with hydel power generation at Srisailam, Jurala, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects.

Reminding the KRMB that there were no agreements between the two states on hydel power generation, KCR said: This year onwards, Telangana will utilise 50 per cent ofKrishna water(405.5 tmcft). Of the total 811 tmcft of water in Krishna, Telangana gets 299 tmcft and AP 512 tmcft. The meeting rejected the present 66:34 water sharing formula between AP and Telangana respectively.

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched the YSR Bima scheme with new guidelines, where the authorities itself will directly pay the insurance amount to the household of the deceased to make the insurance claims easier.

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In order to help 1.32 lakh households via the YSR Bima scheme, the State authorities allotted Rs 750 crores for the year 2021-22. In the last two years, the State authorities had spent Rs 1307 crore for YSR Bima.

Goa: Fitting of digital meters commences from July 1

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Scheduled fitments of digitalmetersin taxis have commenced from July 1 onwards. Until now, the devices installation was open for all irrespective of their registration number and jurisdictional RTO.

The total cost of adigitalmeter integrated with an automotive tracking device, emergency system and printer with one-year free maintenance and one-year data and online monitoring charges includingGSTis Rs 11,234.

Taxi owners can seek appointments to install these devices at any one of the four locationsBicholim, Merces,Navelimand Dabolim offered by the contractor Rosemerta Autotech Pvt ltd, prescribed by the transport department.

The transport department however intends to launch more centres in a bid to spread out the fitments and provide easier access to people of different areas.

TheMaharashtragovernment has set up a 24 member co-ordination committee under the chairmanship of CMUddhav Thackerayfor the conservation and maintenance of forts in the state.

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In the first phase, six forts have been chosen for conservation by the government which include—Shivneri, Rajgad,Vijaydurg,Sindhudurg, Sudhagad and Torna.
Besides having government officials as members, the committee also has avid mountaineers and fort lovers as members.

Apart from conservation, the committee will also look into development of tourism related around these forts and also ensure that locals are taken into confidence and the greenery and plantation around these forts are enhanced.