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HEALTHCARE SPENDING DOUBLE { Page 02 } www.dailypioneer.com Govt raises For every rupee ITR filing not mandatory import duty on in govt kitty, 53 for senior citizens above parts of mobile paise to come 75 years, banks phones, chargers from taxes Full reports inside to deduct TDS 2020-COVID

2021-COVID CESS WHAT IS CHEAPER,WHAT IS COSTLIER NOW Gold and silver Imported auto Imported gems Leather goods parts Imported air- Govt imposes cess on petrol, diesel, gold, other items Nylon clothes Solar cells conditioner Iron, steel and Mobile phones and fridge PNS n NEW DELHI CHEAPER litre has been imposed on copper items COSTLIER and chargers compressors petrol and Rs 4 per litre on In a bid to boost agriculture diesel. infrastructure, the govern- Consequently, unbranded Rs 35K crore for ment on Monday announced petrol and diesel will attract a cess on certain items, basic excise duty of Rs 1.4, including petrol, diesel, gold and Rs 1.8 per litre, respec- and some imported agricul- tively. The SAED on Budget 2021: tural products. unbranded petrol and diesel Covid vaccine While proposing the shall be Rs 11 and Rs 8 per Agriculture Infrastructure litre, respectively. Similar PNS n NEW DELHI vaccine in the upcoming and Development Cess changes have also been made fiscal. The winners (AIDC), Finance Minister agricultural output efficient- for branded petrol and The government on Presenting the budget, Nirmala Sitharaman also ly, the minister said in her diesel. Monday proposed a bud- Finance Minister Nirmala said that care has been taken Budget Speech in Lok Sabha. The cess on import of 'gold get outlay of Rs 2,23,846 Sitharaman positioned not to put additional burden "To earmark resources for and silver' will be 2.5 per crore for health and well health and well being as and losers on consumers on most this purpose, I propose an cent, alcoholic beverages (100 being in 2021-2022, an one of the 6 crucial pillars items. Agriculture Infrastructure per cent), crude palm oil increase of 137 per cent of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' There is an immediate and Development Cess (17.5 per cent), apples (35 per from the previous year, (Self-reliant India). Hospitals need to improve agricultural (AIDC) on a small number cent), 'coal, lignite and peat' with Rs 35,000 crore ear- IT Firms LOSERS

infrastructure so that we of items. (1.5 per cent), fertilizers, marked for COVID-19 4 WINNERS Real estate & Bonds produce more, while also As per the Budget docu- including urea (5 per cent), Construction Exporters conserving and processing ments, AIDC of Rs 2.5 per and cotton (5 per cent). Metal makers Farmers/Rural State-run banks India Textiles Following are the highlights of the 2021-22 Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Monday FISCAL POSITION AND HEALTH OUTLAY 22,217 CRORE FOR 42 * Spending on healthcare hiked by 137 pc to over Rs 2.23 lakh crore URBAN CENTRES WITH * Rs 35,000 cr outlay for COVID vaccine in fiscal beginning April 1 MILLION PLUS * Today India has 2 vaccines available, 2 more vaccines are expected soon POPULATION, * Sharp increase in capital expenditure for next fiscal to TO TACKLE BURGEONING Rs 5.54 lakh cr, up from Rs 4.39 lakh cr of last fiscal PROBLEM OF AIR * Fiscal deficit for current fiscal at 9.5 pc, against 3.5 pc budgeted POLLUTION * Fiscal deficit for next fiscal pegged at 6.8 pc, govt to borrow Rs 12 lakh cr * Committed to bring down fiscal deficit below 4.5 pc of GDP by 2025-26 - NIRMALA SITHARAMAN ‘National ALLOCATION AND REFORMS Monetization * FDI in insurance increased to 74 pc from 49 pc Pipeline launched’ * Disinvestment target pegged at Rs 1.75 lakh crore PNS n NEW DELHI * BPCL, IDBI Bank, two more PSU banks, one insurance company Expressing commitment to augment the country's to be privatised among others infrastructure, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday proposed to significantly enhance capi- * PSU Bank recapitalisation pegged at Rs 20,000 crore next fiscal tal expenditure to Rs 5.54 lakh crore in the next * Aatmanirbhar health programme with an outlay of Rs 64,180 cr to be introduced fiscal, besides creating institutional structures and giving a big thrust to monetizing assets to * Budget proposals rest on 6 pillars-- health and well-being, achieve the goals of the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP). physical and financial capital and infra, inclusive development for aspirational India, Sitharaman said NIP, that was human capital, innovation and R&D, Minimum Government and Maximum Governance launched in December 2019 with 6,835 projects, has now been expand- * Govt to introduce a bill to set up development financial institution with an outlay of Rs 20,000 cr ed to 7,400 projects and around 217 * Voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old vehicles; fitness tests after yrs for personal vehicles projects worth Rs 1.10 lakh crore 20 under some key infrastructure min- * National monetisation pipeline for potential brownfield infrastructure assets istries have been completed. "For 2021-22, I propose a sharp * Rs 3,726 cr for forthcoming Census which will be the first digital census. increase in capital expenditure and thus have provided Rs 5.54 lakh crores which is 34.5% more than the BE of 2020-21," the finance minister said. NEW DELHI reliance) and addresses culture sector and and has a sense of real- Budget has all sections of the soci- boosting farmers' ity as well as a confi- Prime Minister ety, while keeping income. Villages and dence of development vision of Narendra Modi on farmers and villages at farmers are at its in it. It has the vision Monday hailed the its heart. heart," Modi said. of Aatmanirbharta' Voluntary vehicle self-reliance: Union Budget, saying "This Budget has a the Budget has been and addresses all sec- it has the vision of special focus on presented in extraordi- tions of the society, he PM Modi 'Aatmanirbharta' (self strengthening the agri- nary circumstances asserted. scrapping policy PNS n NEW DELHI

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman AP gets raw deal in on Monday announced the much- awaited voluntary vehicle scrapping policy to phase out old and polluting vehicles. Union Budget 2021-22 Presenting the Budget for 2021-22 SNV SUDHIR parliament, there were almost no allo- in Parliament, Ms Sitharaman said n VIJAYAWADA cations to Andhra Pradesh in the that under voluntary vehicle scrap- Union Budget announced by the Govt handing over ongress leader Rahul India's assets to ping policy, personal vehicles would In a huge letdown the Centre has Union finance minister, Nirmala CGandhi hit out at the crony capitalists. undergo fitness test after 20 years meted out a raw deal to Andhra Sitharaman on Monday. India's assets to Centre on Monday following "Forget putting cash while commercial vehicles would Pradesh in the just-announced Union the presentation of the 2021- in the hands of people, Modi require it after completion of 15 years. Budget for 2021-22. Despite the rul- crony capitalists: 22 Union Budget, alleging government plans to han- said after the "It is to be notified, and will come ing YSRCP MPs helping the BJP-led 4 that the Narendra Modi gov- dover India's assets to his presentation of the Union into effect from 1st April, 2022," the NDA in passing key legislation in the Rahul ernment plans to handover crony capitalist friends," he Budget. statement had said. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 BUDGET 2021-22 vijayawada 02 TRIVIA TRIVIA ¬ Morarji Desai has presented 10 Union Budgets in Parliament which is the highest by a single finance ¬ Railway and union budget was presented separately till 2017 minister followed by P Chidambaram with nine after which they merged into a single presentation. budgets ¬ In 2001, the then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha changed it ¬ The word BUDGET is derived from 'bougette' which to 11 am. Until 2000, the budget was presented at 5 pm on means small bag in French. the last working day of February. ¬ The first ever Indian budget was presented by James ¬ In 2014, Arun Jaitley delivered the longest budget speech- 2.5 Wilson, a Scottish economist and politician in 1860. hours- in 2014. ¬ The first independent budget of India was presented ¬ Indira Gandhi was the first woman finance minister to present by RK Shanmukhan Chetty on November 26, 1947. the Budget in 1970

HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY WELCOMES INCREASED BUDGET ALLOCATION

The healthcare industry welcomed the government's increased allocation for the healthcare sector and said that the move will provide access to medical care for all in the country, fuel job creation and boost economic momentum. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed Rs 2,23,846 crore budget outlay for health and well-being for 2021-22, compared to Rs 94,452 crore in the current fiscal, registering an increase of 137 per cent. Sitharaman has also proposed Rs 35,000 crore outlay for COVID-19 vaccines for the next fiscal and announced the rollout of pneumococcal vaccines across the country to help save over 50,000 deaths annually. "I have provided Rs 35,000 crore for COVID vaccines for 2021-22. I commit to provide further funds if required," the Finance Minister said while presenting the Budget for 2021- beverages, coal and agri products ranging March 31, 2022. To remove hardship faced next 2021-22 fiscal. The current year was scrap, aircraft components, gold and silver 22. Commenting on the budget, from apple to lentil. by NRIs in respect of their income accrued expected to end with a deficit of 9.5 per cent was reduced. Apollo Hospitals Chairman Prathap But to reduce the burden on consumer, on foreign retirement benefits account due to as against a target of 3.5 per cent. With about She also allocated Rs 20,000 crore to C Reddy said, the ground- The Finance customs or import duty on these items was mismatch in taxation, new rules for align- 1 per cent spending of GDP on health, she recapitalise state-run banks that are saddled breaking focus on health Minister on cut. ment will be notified. proposed raising of the spending to Rs 2.2 with bad loans and have been a drag on which will provide access Monday pro- A cess of Rs 2.5 per litre on petrol and Rs Foreign direct investment (FDI) limit in lakh crore to help improve health systems as growth. to medical care for all in posed more than 4 per litre on diesel was also slapped but this insurance was proposed to be raised to 74 well as fund vaccination drive against coron- The revenue target from privatisation of our country, fuel job doubling of health- was offset by a reduction of an equivalent per cent from the current 49 per cent. avirus. PSUs was put at Rs 1.75 lakh crore with a creation and boost care spending while amount in the excise duty - making it price In order to provide relief to taxpayers, By the end of the current fiscal on March planned initial public offering (IPO) of Life economic imposing a new agri neutral for consumers. advance-tax liability on dividend income 31, the government would spend Rs 94,452 Insurance Corporation (LIC) among the momentum. cess on certain imported Also, a tax shall arise only after the declaration/payment crore. state-run companies that will goods and raising customs deducted at of dividend. "The investment on health infrastructure be sold in the next duty on items ranging from source The dividend paid to Real Estate in this budget has increased substan- fiscal. cotton to electronics in a bid to Infrastructure Trusts or tially," she said. pull the economy out of the (TDS) Infrastructure Investment Trusts Customs duty on cotton, silk, trough. of 0.1 per cent will (REIT/InvIT) shall be exempt maize bran, certain gems and In her Budget for the fiscal be levied on purchase of from TDS. jewellery, specified auto year beginning April 1, she goods exceeding Rs 50 lakh in Tax holiday for parts, screws and nuts was restricted tax-free interest a year. The responsibility of start-ups has also been hiked. on retirement fund to Rs deduction shall lie only on the per- extended by one year to To promote value 2.5 lakh annually but gave sons whose turnover exceeds Rs 10 March 31, 2022. The addition in the elec- tax exemption on Leave crore. time-limit for re-opening tronics sector, the Travel Concession In a relief to senior citizens, those of income tax assessment has same for printed cir- subject to above 75 years of age with only pension been reduced to 3 years from the cuit board assembly, incurring of and interest income would no longer have current 6 years. Re-opening up to 10 wires and cables, specified to file income tax returns. years is proposed to be allowed only if there solar inverters and expenditure. In order to incentivise the purchase of is evidence of undisclosed income of Rs 50 solar lamps were A new Agriculture affordable house, the finance minister pro- lakh or more for a year. also raised. Infrastructure and Develo- posed to extend the period for claiming an In her budget speech in the Lok Sabha, The import duty pment Cess will be imposed from Tuesday additional deduction for the interest of Rs Sitharaman projected a fiscal deficit of 6.8 on naphtha, iron on customs duty levied on bullion, alcoholic 1.5 lakh paid for home loans by one year to per cent of gross domestic product for the and steel melting

Anti-corruption ombudsman Department of Space CBI, which is probing high Defence sector allocation Ministry of Home Affairs Lokpal gets nearly Rs 40 cr allocated Rs 13,949 cr ticket cases gets Rs 835 cr up to Rs 4.78 lakh crore gets over Rs 1.66 lakh cr Anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal After a steep cut last year, the Department The Central Bureau of The defence budget, including The Centre has allocated about Rs has got an allocation of nearly Rs of Space has been allocated Rs 13,949 Investigation, which is probing outlay for payment 1,66,547 crore to the Ministry of 40 crore for 2021-22 to meet its crore in this Budget, of which Rs 8,228 high-ticket corruption cases of pensions, was Home Affairs for the 2021-22 establishment and construction crore have been earmarked for capital and has registered over Rs increased to Rs 4.78 fiscal with a majority of the funds related expenditures, expenditure. Rs 700 crore has been 67,000 crore of bank fraud lakh crore for 2021- going to the police forces and a according to the Union allocated for the NSIL, a newly formed cases last year, received Rs 22 as against last year's substantial amount for census Budget presented on public sector undertaking under the 835.39 crore in the Union Rs 4.71 lakh crore. related works. According to the Monday. The Lokpal Department of Space."The New Space Budget on Monday, a Excluding the pension outgo, the allocation in the Union budget, presented by Finance was given Rs 74.7 crore India Limited, a PSU under the nominal cut from Rs 835.75 Budget for the armed forces stands at Rs 3.62 lakh Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Rs for the ongoing fiscal, which ends Department of Space, will execute the crore it received as per revised crore. Out of total allocation, Rs 1.35 lakh crore has 30,757 crore has been allocated to in March. This has now been PSLV-CS51 launch, carrying the estimates for 2020-21. The agency has to pool been set aside for capital outlay to purchase new Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 5,958 crore for revised to Rs 29.67 crore for 2020-21, Amazonia Satellite from Brazil, along human resources with burgeoning bank fraud weapons, aircraft, warships and other military Ladakh. The MHA has been allocated Rs it said.A total of Rs 39.67 crore has been allocated to with a few smaller Indian satellites," cases, extradition cases abroad, besides special hardware, according to the Union Budget presented in 1,66,546.94 crore for the next fiscal with Rs the Lokpal for the next fiscal, according to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her budget crime cases handed over to it by various high Lok Sabha by Finance Minister. The capital outlay in the 1,03,802.52 crore for the central armed police Budget 2021-22 presented by Finance Minister speech.In Budget 2020-21, the Department of Space courts and the Supreme Court. The CBI had defence budget 2020-21 was Rs 1.13 lakh crore. The forces like the CRPF, BSF, CISF etc. and Rs Nirmala Sitharaman.The provision is for has been allocated Rs 13,949.09 crore, of which Rs received Rs 802.19 crore initially in the last budget total revenue expenditure, which includes expenses on 3,768.28 crore for census operations. The work for establishment and construction related charged 8,228.63 crore has been earmarked for capital and it was increased to Rs 835.75 crore in the payment of salaries and maintenance of establishments, the census 2021 has been postponed due to the expenditure for the Lokpal, it said. expenditure. revised estimates for 2020-21. has been pegged at Rs 3.37 lakh crore. coronavirus pandemic. ‘Mission Poshan 2.0’ launched Over Rs 257 crore for training babus to improve nutritional outcomes Rs 1.10 L-cr ver Rs 257 crore has September last year given nod been allocated to the to the Mission Karmayogi, he supplementary nutri- improve nutritional outcomes OPersonnel Ministry for dubbed as the biggest bureau- tion programme and the across 112 aspirational dis- the next financial year for cratic reform initiative, aimed TPoshan Abhiyaan has tricts," Finance Minister for Railways domestic and foreign training at capacity building to make been merged to launch Nirmala Sitharaman of bureaucrats and augmenting government employees more Mission Pos-han 2.0 said. inance Minister Nir- Gomoh section of 263 km necessary infrastructure, "creative, proactive, profes- to strengthen nutr- Out of Rs 24,435 mala Sitharaman ann- on EDFC will be taken up according to the Budget 2021- sional and technology- itional content, crore allocated to Founced on Monday a in PPP mode this year 22 presented by Finance enabled". delivery, outreach, the Women Child record sum of Rs 1.10 lakh itself. Gomoh-Dankuni Minister Nirmala Sitharaman A total of Rs 79.03 crore has and outcome, Development crore for the Railways, out section of 274.3 km will on Monday. been provided for to the min- according to the Ministry, an amount of which Rs 1.07 lakh crore also be taken up shortly in Of the total allocation of Rs istry for 2021-22 to meet estab- Union Budget of Rs 20,105 crore has is for capital expenditure, short succession," she said. 257.35 crore for 2021-22, Rs lishment-related expenditure announced on Monday. been assigned to Saksham and said the national trans- The finance minister 178.32 crore has been ear- of the ISTM, the LBSNAA “To strengthen nutrition- Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0. porter would monetise the said the Railways would marked for upgradation of the Secretariat Training and programmes for Indian and training division of the al content, delivery, outreach, Poshan 2.0 scheme in an dedicated freight corridors take up the future dedicat- Lal Bahadur Shastri National Management (ISTM), and the Administrative Service (IAS) Department of Personnel and and outcome, we will merge umbrella scheme covering the after its commissioning. ed freight corridor pro- Academy of Administration National Programme for Civil officers and all other levels of Training (DoPT). the Supplementary Nutrition Integrated Child Development Presenting the Union jects -- East Coast Corridor (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie to a Services & Capacity Building - secretarial functionaries with A sum of Rs 136.69 crore has Programme and the Poshan Services, Ang-anwadi Services, Budget 2021-22, Sithara- from Kharagpur to Vijay- centre of excellence, augmen- - Mission Karmayogi, among exposure to rules, regulations been allocated under the Abhiyaan and launch the Poshan Abhiyaan, Scheme For man also applauded the wada, East-West Corridor tation of training facilities at others. The LBSNAA and the and aptitude. "autonomous bodies of DoPT" Mission Poshan 2.0. We shall Adolescent Girls, National services provided by the from Bhusawal to Kharag- the Delhi-based Institute of ISTM conduct several training The Union Cabinet had in head. adopt an intensified strategy to Creche Scheme). Railways to transport pur to Dankuni and North- essential goods across the South Corridor from Itarsi country during the coron- to Vijaywada. avirus lockdown. “I am Sitharaman said the announcing a record sum detailed project report of Rs 1,10,055 crore for rail- would be undertaken in the ways of which Rs 1,07,100 first phase. She said broad Budget turns paperless crore is for capital expen- gauge route electrification diture only," she said. was expected to reach “Indian Railways have pre- 46,000 route kilometres, Finance Minister reads out speech from tablet for the first time pared a National Rail Plan which is 72 per cent by the for India 2030. The plan is end of 2021 from 41,548 rom Finance Minister coloured 'bahi khata'. Only utes and in 2020, it went on for made certain remarks during to create a future ready rail- km from October 1, 2020, Nirmala Sitharaman read- that this time around, tablet more than 160 minutes and the speech. way system by 2030 bring- adding that 100 per cent Fing out her 110-minute replaced papers in the red bag. was cut short after she felt Many of the Budget ing down the logistic cost electrification of such speech from a tablet to seating Unlike earlier occasions, the unwell. announcements, including for industry is at the core of routes would be completed arrangements in tune with minister stood in the second With seats demarcated to some related to taxation, were the strategy to enable Make by December pandemic times, there were row of the Treasury benches as ensure adequate social dis- greeted with thumping of desk In India," Sitharaman said. 2023. quite a few firsts during the she read out the speech from a tancing among members, some by the ruling party members. She said it was expe-cted presentation of the 2021-22 tablet placed on a short lectern. of the Union ministers, includ- After the presentation of that the eastern and west- Union Budget in the Lok Sabha During the 110-minute long ing Railway Minister Piyush Budget, Prime Minister isterial colleague Pralhad Joshi. Beniwal sought to raise the ern dedicated freight on Monday. speech, she paused a few times Goyal, were sitting in Rajya Narendra Modi, who was wear- Apart from Prime Minister matter. They were seen holding corridors would be Also, for the first time, the to sip water and a plate with Sabha during the Budget ing a blue mask, went to the Modi, Union ministers Amit posters demanding that the commissioned by Budget went paperless and candies were kept near the speech. minister and congratulated her. Shah and Rajnath Singh were Centre take back the 'black' June 2022. “The fol- members were provided soft lectern. Reading out her third Many other members were also seated in the front row. laws. All of them, who were till lowing additional copies of the speech and doc- It was also the shortest straight Union Budget speech also seen chatting with Amid the ongoing farmers' recently part of the ruling initiatives are also uments. speech by Sitharaman, who from a tablet, the minister Sitharaman after completion of protests against the three new NDA, stood in the aisle for a proposed. The Clad in a red and cream- had delivered the longest quoted from works of her speech. farm laws, Shiromani Akali Dal few minutes and later walked Sonenagar- hued saree with patterns, speech last year. Her first Rabindranath Tagore and Next to Sitharaman was leaders -- Harsimrat Kaur out of the House soon after the Sitharaman continued with the Budget speech in July 2019 Tamil classic Thirukkural while Union Minister Harsh Vardhan Badal and Sukhbir Singh Badal finance minister started her practice of carrying the red- went on for around 137 min- some Opposition members and on the same row was min- -- along with RLP's Hanuman speech. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 vijayawada 03 Nimmagadda may land in trouble Speaker refers notices against SEC to Privileges Committee for ‘witness in CBI' remarks PNS n VIJAYAWADA SNV SUDHIR Assembly speaker Tammineni n VIJAYAWADA Sitaram is said to have forward- Govt appoints Hari Naryanan ed the privilege motion notices More trouble appears to be in filed by senior cabinet ministers the offing for State Election as Chittoor collector Peddireddy Ramachandra Commissioner (SEC) Nimma- Reddy and Botsa Satyanarayana gadda Ramesh Kumar, against Vijayawada: The state gov- District duly relieving D against SEC Nimmgadda whom two senior cabinet min- ernment on Monday had Markandeyulu from Full Ramesh Kumar to Committee isters Botsa Satyanarayana and appointed 2011 batch IAS Additional Charge. of Privileges headed by MLA Peddireddy Ramachandra official M Hari Narayanan as It may be worth mention- from Nellore district Kakani Reddy had served Privilege the collector of Chittoor dis- ing here that SEC had sent a Govardhan Reddy recom- Motion notices. Ministers in the trict. On the request of the missive to the Chief mending action. Two days ago, notice have accused the SEC of State Election Commission, Secretary on Sunday object- the ministers in the notices breaching their privileges by Government of Andhra ing to sending same set of accused the SEC of breaching making libellous remarks with Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan suggesting not to oppose his Pradesh sent panels for the panel names without any their privileges by making libel- intimidating approach. Reddy's quid pro quo cases said unconstitutional and arbitrary post of collectors for Guntur modifications for the lous remarks and intimidating HC defers contempt SEC may face the conse- he had been a witness in those way of snatching the rights of and Chittoor Districts. appointment of collectors approach. The Committee of quences that arise out of the cases and he will not hesitate to the cabinet and the government Currently, Hari Narayanan for Chittoor and Guntur dis- Privileges may soon sit and privilege motion moved by the again depose without any fear. or else he will wrongly depose serves as Vice-Chairman & tricts. decide on the action to be taken ministers. Both SEC and Jagan Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar against the leader? He gives ser- Managing Director of The SEC also recom- against the SEC as per laid case hearing to Feb 15 government have been at logger- also said that he will again mons about Constitution etc Andhra Pradesh Mineral mended the names of Hari down procedures and rules. heads since March last year on appear in the court as witness from day in to day out but how Development Corporation. Naraayanan and another IAS As per Rule 257 of the Rules VIJAYAWADA: Andhra at elections. holding polls to local bodies. in those CBI cases in future. can he talk such things openly His services were withdrawn Official P Basant Kumar as of Procedure and Conduct of Pradesh High Court on Earlier, the names of the Fresh trouble possibly YSRCP cadres and leaders in public when the cases are in from the Industries and the collectors for both the Business in the Andhra Monday deferred the hearing then CS Neelam Sahney, Nimmgadda Ramesh Kumar who are seething with anger are court. Doesn't these comments Commerce Department and districts. However, govern- Pradesh Legislative Assembly of contempt petition file by Panchayat Raj Principal sec- may land in is contempt of looking at those comments as attract contempt of court?," a posted as Collector and ment on Monday had only the Committee will examine the State Election retary Gopalakrishna Diwedi court for his 'witness in CBI a deliberate attempt to intim- senior YSRCP functionary told District Magistrate, Chittoor appointed Chittoor collector. every question referred to it Commission against the YS and now the court permitted cases' remarks during his idate and blackmail their Chief The Pioneer. and determine with reference Jagan-led government. to include the name of CS recent visit to Kadapa district Minister leader who is fighting Ramesh Kumar had been several cabinet decisions dur- booked by CBI despite he to the facts of each case The SEC Nimmagadda Adityanath Das as respon- to inspect the preparedness for those cases in court. finance secretary during Jagan's ing the period when signed various files, there were whether breach of Privilege is Ramesh Kumar filed a con- dent. The Court postponed panchayat polls. "Undoubtedly the witness father YS Rajasekhar Reddy's Nimmagadda Ramesh Kumar no cases against Nimmgadda involved and if so, the nature tempt plea in the High Court the further hearing to Ramesh Kumar, addressing comment is a deliberate attempt regime as the Chief Minister was the finance secretary. Ramesh Kumar, which he of the breach, the circum- on December 18 stating that February 15. The HC also a press conference, in Kadapa to blackmail and intimidate the for almost three years. CBI later While several IAS officials referred with a sense of stances leading to it and make the Andhra Pradesh govern- dismissed all lunch motion on Jan 30, had categorically but government led by our leader booked several quid pro quo who worked in the AP govern- achievement in the Kadapa such recommendations as it ment was not supporting the petitions filed against con- in an obvious reference to YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Is he cases against Jagan basing on ment during 2004-2009 were press conference. may deem fit. SEC in conducting panchay- ducting local body polls. Chairmen, TDP-backed Lady cop carries unidentified directors can't YSRCP unleashing terror in candidate's body on shoulders, wins hearts use govt villages, alleges Naidu husband PNS n VISAKHAPATNAM help of Lalita Charitable Trust facilities: SEC found dead members on a makeshift PNS n VIJAYAWADA the TDP camp was also PNS n VIJAYAWADA In an exemplary humanitarian stretcher. She took the body to PNS n VIJAYAWADA attacked, he demanded strin- act, going beyond the call of her vehicle parked one kilome- TDP chief N Chandrababu gent action against the culprits. The husband of TDP-sup- duty, a woman Sub- Inspector tre away from the spot in half- AP State Election Commissi- Naidu on Monday accused Referring to the attack on ported candidate died under of Police, Kasibugga Police an-hour and this was cap- oner (SEC) Nimmagadda the ruling YSRCP leaders of Dorababu's vehicle, Naidu suspicious conditions in Station, in Srikakulam dis- tured on camera by a local. Ramesh Kumar has written a spreading terror in Nimmada alleged that the YSRCP cadre Gollalakunta village of trict, K Sirisha, along with two After seeing her carrying the letter to the Chief Secretary village in Srikakulam district in was resorting to such attacks Jaggampeta mandal in East others carried an unidenti- dead body, few villagers came Aditya Nath Das on Sunday. order to disturb the election out of frustration. Godavari district on Monday. fied dead body for over 2 km forward and extended help. In his letter, the SEC has said process and prevent the peo- Condemning the abduc- The deceased was identi- from Adavi Kothur on her The video is now going viral that the chairmen of corpo- ple from casting their votes. tion of Eeranna, the husband fied as Srinivas Reddy, the shoulders and helped in per- and netizens are hailing the rations and directors should Naidu alleged that YSRCP of BN Halli grama sarpanch husband of one Pushpavathi, forming his last rites on timely work done by a woman not use the government vehi- Srikakulam LS member was candidate's in Rayadurgam, who filed nomination for Monday. police officer from Andhra cles as it was a violation of the behind the tensions at he said that the YSRCP lead- panchayat polls, on Sunday. The woman police officer Pradesh to ensure that the Model Code of Conduct. Nimmada now. "The ruling ers kidnapped him and Srinivas Reddy commit- won the hearts of thousands of homeless man is given digni- He said advisers to the party miscreants were bran- for the elections, to take imme- threatened to kill him if his ted suicide by hanging him- people as the video of the S-I Kasibugga S-I K Sirisha carrying the ty and respectful last rites. Government should not be to dishing rods, knives and axes to diate action against the atroc- wife filed her nomination. self to a tree in the village. body of an unidentified on her carrying the body went viral shoulders on a makeshift stretcher. Andhra Pradesh top cop also allowed use government create fear among the common ities of YSRCP leader Duvvada The TDP candidates Some unidentified persons on social media. hailed the lady police. "AP vehicles to go to party offices public. These gangsters were Srinivas. should not be afraid of kidnapped Srinivas Reddy According to reports, with constables. Police cares: DGP Gautam during the election period instigated by the YSRCP lead- Naidu also complained such threats and they when the couple was return- Kasibugga police received Since it was difficult to get Sawang lauds the humanitarian and they should not use gov- ers there," he said. about the attack in which TDP should file nomination ing home after filing nomina- information about the death of the body to the vehicle as it was gesture of a Woman SI, K. ernment facilities. He said In a statement here, the MLC Dorababu's vehicle was without fail, he said and tion on Sunday. They later an unidentified person in the located in the farm fields, she Sirisha of Kasibugga PS, even if they use private vehi- TDP chief requested the damaged at Periyambadi in assured that the party released him tying his hands farm fields in Adavi Kotturu at requested villagers to help but @POLICESRIKAKULM as she cles, they should not use Additional DGP, the in-charge Chittoor district. Stating that would stand by their side. and legs in nearby forest area. Sampangi Puram, Kasibugga- they refused. carried the unknown dead body their name boards. He visit- Palasa area on Monday morn- Without waiting for anyone, for 2 km from Adavi Kothur on ed Srikakulam district collec- ing. Sub-Inspector Kotturu the lady SI came forward and her shoulders & helped in per- tor's office to review the elec- Sirisha reached the place along carried the dead body with the forming his last rites." tion arrangements for polls. CBI summons Aamanchi for 10 seers to discuss attacks Primary schools Economic, N-S Corridors will posts on reopen after judiciary on temples on Feb 3 MARTHI SUBRAHMANYAM 10 months give a fillip to AP growth: CII PNS n VIJAYAWADA n VIJAYAWADA PNS n VISAKHAPATNAM PNS n VIJAYAWADA The Central Bureau of As many as 10 seers will partic- After closure of over 10 Investigation (CBI) has issued ipate in a spiritual meeting that months in view of Covid-19 CII Andhra Pradesh Chairman notices to YSRCP leader will be held in Tirupati on pandemic, primary schools in D Ramakrishna said that the Aamanchi Wednesday to discuss the ongo- Andhra Pradesh reopened Union Budget has laid clear Krishna ing attacks on Hindu temples, their gates for face-to-face roadmap for accelerating Mohan, religious conversions and other classes from February 1. The growth in the coming days. the for- issues. Notably, Visakhapatnam- schools were asked to imple- Government focussing on mer MLA based Sarada Peeth seer Swamy kamalananda bharathi ment the Covid-19 guidelines. developing infrastructure is from Swaroopanandendra Saraswati On the first day, there was certainly a welcome move to Chirala, on Swamy, who is regarded as the low turnout of students put the growth on track, he said. Monday. Guru of Chief Minister YS meetings, they seers have Swamy has not been invited to across AP schools as major- Addressing a press confer- drive growth in post Covid-19 shared his perspective from The CBI issued Jaganmohan Reddy, is unlikely decided to meet at Tirupati on the meeting as he considered ity of the parents wanted to ence after the announcement of scenario. MSME point of view. He said notice to the ruling party to attend the meeting. February 3. The meeting pro-government. Extending observe the situation for Union Budget by the Union CII AP Primary Sector Panel that production-linked incen- leader for posting inappropri- Moreover, the meeting will would also discuss building invitation to him would defeat some days and take a decision Finance Minister Nirmala convener G Venkateswara Rao tives would greatly help the ate posts on the judiciary on be held without taking into temples in Dalit colonies and the very purpose of the meet- later. There was reportedly Sitaraman, he said that the opined that aqua hubs would MSME and drive growth in social media platforms. The consideration either the Vishwa conducting religious activities ing, say seers. about 40 per cent attendance Economic Corridor from help creating the required value pandemic situation. Govern- CBI has sought explanation Hindu Parishad or the RSS, for there to prevent conversions. Swaroopanandendra in schools, according to Kharagpur to Vijayawada and addition in farming sector. ment spending on infrastruc- from him regarding his posts the first time. Responding to In fact, there is a plan to hold Saraswati had not condemned school teachers. The class North-South corridor from Water Taskforce convener ture would create business on social media. people's criticism that the seers Save Hindu Religion meet- the attacks on Hindu temple time has been fixed from 9 Itarsi to Vijayawada would Dr M Lakshmi Prasad said that opportunities for MSMEs, he The CBI in their notice are not responding to attacks ings in 13 districts to contact but remarked that it was a con- am to 3.45 pm with seven greatly benefit Andhra Pradesh. Budget has allocated required added. asked Krishna Mohan to on temple, seers of various reli- over one-crore devotees. The spiracy against the govern- periods. Visakhapatnam CII Vijayawada zone chair- funds for vaccine in the coun- CII Vijayawada Zone former attend the CBI office in gious bodies have convened the meeting would decide whether ment to malign its image. District Education officials man V Venkateswara Rao felt try. The allocations made in chairman M Venugopal shared Visakhapatnam on February 6. meeting. the seers should discuss attacks The Hindu religious organ- said the turnout would that Union Finance Minister the Budget would improve his views from infrastructure It is also alleged that After the desecration of Lord on temples with the govern- isations in general and Hindus increase slowly as parents Nirmala Sitharaman has com- health infrastructure in the perspective. The Government Krishna Mohan had posted Rama's idol at Ramateertham ment or alternatively discuss it in particular are angry at his would send their kids after prehensively addressed the country, he added. spending on infrastructure inappropriate posts on judges temple, several seers came with government's representa- remarks. Extending an invita- observing the situation for concerns of growth and CII Water Taskforce Co- would lead to formalisation of and the judiciary on social together and decided on an tive at their place. Interestingly, tion to him would send wrong one or two days. announced a clear roadmap to Convenor Y V Krishnamohan economy, he said. media. action plan. After a series of Swaroopanandendra Saraswati signals to people, it was felt. In a first, SEC introduces After AP's road cess, Centre's agri cess scares people Intermediate exams from May 5 PNS n VISAKHAPATNAM tively. more than 30 per cent on NOTA in panchayat polls Similarly, the BED on fuel PNS n VISAKHAPATNAM Though the Union Finance unbranded diesel has been Apart from 31 per cent PNS n VIJAYAWADA Court had already issued Minister, Nirmala cut from Rs 4.83 to Rs 1.8 VAT, AP government is now The intermediate examina- directions to all state govern- Sitharaman, claimed that the and the SAED on it from Rs levying a fixed amount of Rs tions in Andhra Pradesh will For the first time in panchay- ments that the NOTA option Agriculture Infrastructure 9 to Rs 8 per litre. So, the 4 and on top of it Rs 1 as start from May 5. The at elections in Andhra must be introduced in pan- and Development Cess overall excise incidence on road development cess.On Intermediate Board on Pradesh, the State Election chayat elections. The ongoing (AIDC) imposed on petrol petrol (BED+SAEC+AIDC) diesel, it imposes 22.25 per Monday issued a statement Commission (SEC) has decid- feud and the war of words and diesel will not impact will now be Rs 14.9/litre as cent VAT, Rs 4 per litre and releasing the examination ed to introduce NOTA (None between the Jaganmohan the rates, the people from as against the previous Rs road cess of Rs 1. schedule. of the above) option. Earlier, Reddy government and the Andhra Pradesh feared that 14.98, while on diesel, the YSRCP government issued The first and second year the Election Commission of SEC have heated up the polit- this may further increase overall excise incidence will an ordinance providing for examinations will be held India had introduced NOTA ical scenario in the state. the fuel prices as the state be Rs 13.8 (previous Rs levy of a Road Development till May 23. option in Lok Sabha and As the nominations for the government is already levy- 13.83). Cess of Re 1 each per litre on Intermediate exams will Assembly elections. The SEC first phase concluded on Sunday, ing several local charges. AP continues to be one of petrol and high-speed diesel be held from May 5 to 23. has now decided to introduce the political parties are also The constant increase in the few states with high that would net around Rs Among them, first year stu- this option in panchayat polls. exerting pressure on their oppo- the fuel prices has badly hit per litre on diesel. a basic excise duty (BED) of taxes on fuel. According to 500 crore annually. The cess dents will appear for the The NOTA option will be nents to withdraw nominations. the consumers and general However, the government Rs 2.98 and a special addi- the latest report of amount would be transferred exams from May 5 to 22 and introduced in the elections to CPM state leader Ch Babu public. has assured that the move tional excise duty (SAED) of Petroleum Planning & to the Andhra Pradesh Road secondary students from May local bodies as per the direc- Rao said that was is a good ini- The Union Budget 2021 would not impact the con- Rs 12 per litre. These have Analysis Cell, AP, Telangana, Development Corporation 6 to 23. However, practical tions of the Supreme Court. It tiative to introduce NOTA has imposed AIDC of Rs 2.5 sumers because unbranded now been reduced to Rs 1.4 Karnataka, Rajasthan and for exclusive use in develop- exams will be conducted is learned that the Supreme option in panchayat polls. per litre on petrol and Rs 4 petrol was earlier attracting and Rs 11 per litre, respec- Assam are imposing VAT of ing road infrastructure. from March 31 to April 24. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 BUDGET 2021-22 vijayawada 04 BUDGET PRESENTATIONS HAVE BUDGET PRESENTATIONS HAVE MANY LITERARY GEMS MANY LITERARY GEMS It is not uncommon for finance budget speeches to It is true – while Morarji Desai has the unique distinction of include humorous quips, anecdotes, and references. presenting the budget a record ten times, there have been instances Moreover, our finance ministers bestow quite a few when a finance minister hasn’t presented the budget even once. Mr. literary gems while taking us through different financial HN Bahuguna and Mr. KC Neogy are the only two Finance Ministers policy changes. For example, in his budget speech in till date, who did not present any Union Budget, despite holding ¬ 2012, the then FM-Pranab Mukherjee quoted legendary reigns of the finance ministry. This happened because both these 16th-century playwright William Shakespeare’s famous gentlemen held office for such short durations, in between two ¬ lines from ‘Hamlet’ - "I must be cruel to be kind" to budget tenures that they had no opportunity to present one. Notably, justify the budget sanctions that were there to ensure while Neogy was the second Finance Minister of Independent India, long-term benefits. appointed in 1950, he held the office for just 35 days. ¬ ¬ Union Budget 2021-22: A new Dawn for the DISCOMs uring the past six years, ment programs, UDAY had to expenditure. Consequently, finance minister has Autonomy of state ERC is the central government The commitment of the government contend with a number of despite technological announced that "a revamped sine qua non for the sustain- D- working in coordina- to green energy has contributed to challenges, most notable advances in the distribution reforms-based result-linked ability of the DISCOM and tion with the state govern- being the unwillingness of the segment and availability of power distribution sector power sector. Mere privatisa- ments, private sector, and cit- 38% of country's installed electricity state government to part with central government grants scheme will be launched with tion or infrastructure izens - has electrified every vil- generation capacity is from the its stranglehold over the DIS- under Deen Dayal Gram an outlay of Rs 3,05,984 strengthening will not trans- lage and habitation across COMS, considering its pub- Jyothi Yojana (DDUGJY), crores over 5 years. This form the power distribution India, apart from connecting renewable sources, 136 GW out of lic importance by virtue of most of the DISCOMS failed scheme is expected to assist system unless the program 28.2 million households to the the total 375 GW. Further, national outreach to vevery commer- to invest in technological DISCOMS with the much incorporates a comprehensive power distribution network. electricity security has improved cial, industrial and domestic strengthening or governance needed investment in "infra- package of investment and The commitment of the gov- consumer; and through not- reform of the distribution structure, including pre-paid reform measures. The polit- ernment to green energy has significantly through creation of a so-subtle manipulation of the system. smart metering, feeder sepa- ical and bureaucratic leader- contributed to 38% of coun- single national power system. electricity regulatory com- In this background, the ration, upgradation of sys- ship of the states must realise try's installed electricity gen- mission's (ERC) autonomy. It proposal of the finance min- tems, etc." that economic growth is not eration capacity is from the nies (DISCOMs) have contin- panies. However, five years is instructive to observe that ister in the 2021-22 Union Revitalisation of DISCOMs possible without such a com- renewable sources, 136 GW ued to be the Achilles heel of later most of the DISCOMs unbundling of the State Budget "to provide choice to must include inter alia, invest- prehensive action and accord- out of the total 375 GW. the power sector. Recognising are in worse health with an Dr PV Ramesh Electricity Boards (SEBs) and the consumers by promoting ment in infrastructure, tech- ingly implement the program Further, national electricity this fact, the central govern- accumulated debt of Rs 2.6 Former Chairman and Managing subsequent corporatisation competition through a frame- nology, system automation, for sustainable rejuvenation of security has improved signif- ment launched Ujjwal Discom lakh crore, though some Director of REC Ltd. of their offspring in the first work that will be put in place governance reform, financial the DISCOMs. Without such icantly through creation of a Assurance Yojana (UDAY) in progress has been made in decade of this century was not to give consumers alternatives prudence, real competition, an action, the hope of a new single national power system. 2015 with the objective of reducing the Aggregate of Supply (ACS) and the accompanied by appropriate to choose from among more separation of content and the dawn (UDAY 2.0) envisioned Notwithstanding these 'improving the operational Technical and Commercial Average Revenue Realisation governance reform, which than one Distribution carrier, and above all, libera- by the union finance minis- achievements, the state-owned and financial efficiency of (AT&C) losses and reduced (ARR). burdened these entities with Company," is a welcome tion from the strangle hold of ter could very well end up as power distribution compa- state-owned distribution com- gap between the Average Cost Like several other govern- unsustainable operational proposition. Further, the government control. the dusk of darkness. AP gets raw... For every rupee in govt kitty, Continued from Page 1 Agriculture infra cess of Rs 2.5 YSRCP has sent 22 MPs to Lok Sabha and they have on petrol, Rs 4 on diesel been helping the BJP govern- 53 paise to come from taxes ment, in spite of not being PNS n NEW DELHI on petrol and diesel, basic part of the ruling NDA. excise duty and special PNS n NEW DELHI nent is interest payments at Barring a railway corridor, an A component to develop additional excise duty rates 20 paise for every rupee, fol- express highway that passes farm infrastructure has have been reduced on them For every rupee in the gov- lowed by the states' share of through Andhra Pradesh and been added to the cost of so that overall consumer ernment coffer, 53 paise will taxes and duties at 16 paise. sanction of a fish landing cen- petrol and diesel in the does not bear any addi- come from direct and indi- Allocation for the defence tre at Vizag, the Union Union Budget presented by tional burden," Ms rect taxes, 36 paise from stood at 8 paise. Budget had nothing to offer Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said. borrowings and other liabil- Expenditure on central to Andhra Pradesh. Sitharaman today. An agri- "Consequently, unbrand- ities, 6 paise from non-tax sector schemes will be 14 The YSRCP's main culture infrastructure and ed petrol and diesel will revenue like disinvestment paise, while the allocation demands - Special Category development cess of Rs 2.5 attract basic excise duty of and 5 paise from non-debt for centrally-sponsored Status (SCS) to the state, per litre on petrol and Rs 4 Re 1.4, and Re 1.8 per litre, capital receipts. schemes will be 9 paise. revised estimates to the pres- per litre on diesel have been on consumers as other respectively. The special According to the Union The expenditure on the tigious Polavaram multi-pur- added in the budget that duties and cess were revised additional excise duty on Budget 2021-22 presented in Finance Commission and pose project, to fill the rev- was made after months of before the new agriculture unbranded petrol and diesel Parliament by Finance other transfers is pegged at enue deficit caused by the turmoil in the economy due infrastructure cess was cal- shall be Rs 11 and Rs 8 per Minister Nirmala 10 paise. Subsidies and pen- state bifurcation, allocations to the Covid OVID-19 pan- culated, Sitharaman said. litre, respectively. Similar Sitharaman on Monday, sion would account for 8 to the proposed metro rail demic, which led to lost "Consequent to imposi- changes have also been goods and services tax will paise and 5 paise, respec- projects in Vijayawada and earnings and job cuts across tion of Agriculture made for branded petrol contribute 15 paise in every every rupee from Union The collection from bor- tively, in each rupee spend- Andhra Pradesh - were total- sectors. Infrastructure and and diesel," the Finance rupee revenue, while corpo- excise duty and 3 paise from rowings and other liabilities ing. ly ignored. There will be no pressure Development Cess (AIDC) Minister said. ration tax will contribute 13 customs duty. While, will be 36 paise, as per the The government will paise to each rupee earned. income tax will yield 14 Budget 2020-21. spend 10 paise in every The government is also paise to every rupee collec- On the expenditure side, rupee on other expendi- looking to earn 8 paise for tion. the biggest outlay compo- tures. Govt raises import duty on parts Rs 35K crore... TAX PROPOSALS Continued from Page 1 * ITR filing not dore * Tax deptt to affordable housing "Health and well being mandatory for senior bars; 35 pc on apples notify rules to remove extended by 1 yr of mobile phones, chargers have formed the topmost citizens above 75 * Agri infra cess of 30 hardships of double * Exemption from tax priority of the Union PNS n NEW DELHI Government during the years, banks to deduct pc on Kabuli chana, 10 taxation faced by NRIs audit limit doubled to ongoing COVID-19 health TDS pc on peas, 50 pc on * Tax holiday for Rs 10 cr turnover for The government on Monday crisis. It is the foremost of * Time bar for reopening Bengal gram/chickpeas, startups, capital gains companies doing most proposed to impose import the six crucial pillars that duty on components of mobile form foundation of the I-T assessment cases 20 pc on lentil exemption extended by of their business phones and chargers, to Underscoring the signifi- halved to 3 years, for (mosur); 5 pc on 1 yr through digital modes enhance local value addition, cant importance of health serious frauds it is 10 cotton * Tax exemption for * Proposes review of over a move that may marginally and well being for the impact handset prices. growth and development years * Rs 2.5 per litre agri aircraft leasing cos; tax 400 customs duty Finance Minister Nirmala of the country, the budget * Income tax return filers infra cess on petrol, Rs exemption for notified exemptions; to begin Sitharaman announced review allocation for the same increased to 6.48 cr 4 on diesel affordable housing for extensive consultation of 400 exemptions in customs has been increased to Rs in from * New Agri Infra migrant workers. from October duty including those applica- 2,23,846 crore in budget 2020 3.31 2021 ble on the mobile devices seg- estimate 2021-22 as cr in 2014. Development Cess to be * Rs 1.5 lakh tax * Customs duty on certain ment. a few exemptions on part of mobile rate will move from nil against this year's budget * Agri infra cess of 2.5 applicable from deduction on payment auto parts, solar "For greater domestic value chargers and sub-parts of rate to moderate 2.5 per cent," estimate of Rs 94,452 pc on gold, silver and February 2 of interest for equipment raised addition, we are withdrawing mobiles. Further, some parts of Sitharaman said. crore.

arvard alumnus and objectives and has been former Union achieving them, one after the HMinister P other. We should not forget Chidambaram often gives lec- how the Supreme Court tures on the Union govern- Modi government transforming lives of people passed adverse comments ment’s fiscal policies and crit- against the UPA icises the Modi government, the government ensured The Congress and Left parties feigned their Rs 33,874 crore spent during Manmohan Singh govern- Government for tonnes of accusing it of failure on all trickledown of the funds to concern for migrant workers and shed the UPA regime. ment’s policies favoured food grains rotting in ware- fronts. the poor, without giving any The Modi gov- the rich and accused houses on the one hand and When Chidambaram was room for corruption and crocodile tears over their travails during the ernment TRULY the UPA govern- thousands of people perish- Union Finance Minister, he leakages. Likewise, ‘The Covid-19-induced lockdown period. As the insisted on ment of breaking the ing in country due to starva- benefited INX Media through Scroll’ traced the develop- BJP won a majority of seats in Bihar, the payment of SPEAKING back of farmers. In tion. The same government money laundering, and ment of even the remotest vil- minimum the UPA regime, farm- once commented that pover- helped it transfer overseas lages in the regime to Cong and Left parties’ criticism has proved wages to workers ers were orphaned, she ty could be deemed to have funds so that his son received schemes like Pradhan Mantri to be wrong. under the ESI. Can said, while accusing the gov- been eliminated if every per- kickbacks. A pseudo expert Ujjwal Yojna, Jan-Dhan Chidambaram say which gov- ernment of giving package son earned Rs 22.50 per day! on finances, he endorses the Yojna, Ayushmaan Bharat, ernment could be called ‘pro- deals to major corporates. Can anyone survive with a Congress stance on the wel- and Awaas Yojna, among oth- people know about it? The Budget for this year, present- poor’ and ‘pro-farmer’: the The UN agency of WFC, meagre income of Rs 22.50 a fare of the poor and farmers, ers. Centre spent Rs 31,000 crore ed on Monday, scaled it up to UPA government or the BJP in its report of 2009, noted day? The BJP found fault though his party sheds only The Congress and Left par- for providing free rations Rs 16.5 lakh crore. The government? that rural poverty multiplied with the statistics then on the crocodile tears, with the Left ties feigned their concern for under the scheme. To create Union budget has paid atten- Y SATYA KUMAR The National Sample in the UPA regime and floor of the Lok Sabha. parties playing second fiddle migrant workers and shed assets under the MGNREGS, tion to development of ani- BJP National Secretary Survey reports indicate that attributed 50% of child Economists say that allo- to it. crocodile tears over their tra- the Centre allocated Rs mal husbandry, dairy and rural unemployment deaths to malnutrition. It cation of funds for creation The National Institute of vails during the Covid-19- 50,000 crore in its budget. fisheries on a large scale. The ing the MSP for various agri- increased manifold during pointed out that inflation of of infrastructure and making Public Finance and Policy, in induced lockdown period. ‘One nation, one ration card’ Infrastructural Development cultural products by one and the UPA regime. CPM leader food grains increased up to unprecedented allocations a study, has attributed people As the BJP won a majority of scheme is being implement- Fund for villages has been half times more than the cost Prakash Karat, while releas- 12 per cent in the UPA to the health sector in the voting Modi government to seats in Bihar, the Cong and ed in 32 states and Union increased by 33 per cent and of agricultural production ing the party manifesto at the regime. Agricultural scien- budget paved the way for power again in 2019 to the Left parties’ criticism has Territories. The Modi gov- put at Rs 40,000 crore. The goes to the Modi government. time of 2009 Lok Sabha elec- tists like Swaminathan advo- economic growth recovery. pro-poor welfare schemes of proved to be wrong. ernment took steps to elimi- allocations to the micro irri- In 2020-21, Modi govern- tions, criticised the UPA poli- cate that clean drinking But the notion of the Union government. On The Pradhan Mantri Garib nate middlemen to ensure gation fund have been dou- ment spent Rs 1,72,752 crore cies as pro-rich. He criticised water, hygienic surround- Chidambaram and Left party account of the schemes’ direct Kalyan Yojna announced by transparency in the Public bled to Rs 5,000 crore. Market to procure paddy from farm- the Manmohan Singh gov- ings, basic health care, and leaders is that the country is impact on lives of the poor, Modi in June last year bene- Distribution System. committees have been given ers, as against the Rs 63,928 ernment for weakening the food security comprising a passing through a dark era. the Modi government could fited migrant workers by pro- In the budget for last year, the benefit of availing crore paid by the Congress Public Distribution System. balanced diet are essential for They are not in a position to retain power, it analysed. viding free food grains to the Modi government allocat- Agriculture Infrastructure during the UPA regime in CPM politburo member every human being. appreciate the phenomenal The ‘The Print’ said that them for five months and ed more than Rs 13 lakh crore Development Fund to create 2013-14. The BJP govern- Brinda Karat, addressing a Since 2014, the Modi gov- change that the Modi-led the Modi government’s helped them find work under to allocate funds to the agri- infrastructural amenities in ment procured wheat at a cost public meeting at Guntur in ernment has set specific government has brought in schemes became successful as the MGNREGS. How many culture sector. The Union them. The credit for increas- of Rs 75,060 crore, as against 2010, said that the goals to achieve various the lives of people.

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VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 Military takes control of Myanmar Myanmar shuts down all flights yanmar's government Myanmar military television agency in charge of said Monday that the military It was not Mair travel says it has was taking control of the coun- stopped all passenger flights in try for one year, while reports possible to the country. The US Embassy said many of the country's in Myanmar said on its senior politicians including confirm who Facebook page that the road Aung San Suu Kyi had been posted the to the international airport in detained. Yangon, the country's s biggest An announcement read on message as city, had been closed Monday. military-owned Myawaddy TV On Twitter it said that cited a section of the military- NLD members reports indicate that all air- drafted constitution that allows were not ports in Myanmar are closed. the military to take control in The US Embassy also times of national emergency. answering issued a security alert saying it was alarmed by Monday's spokesman Wang Wenbin It said the reason for it was aware of the detention military takeover. said at a daily news briefing: takeover was in part due to the phone calls of Myanmar's leader Aung China said it was still gath- "We have noted what hap- government's failure to act on San Suu Kyi as well as the ering information about pened in Myanmar, and we the military's claims of voter shutdown of some Internet Monday's developments in are learning the further situ- fraud in last November's elec- service, including in Yangon. Myanmar. China is one of ation now, He added: China is tion and its failure to postpone already receiving internation- There is potential for civil and Myanmar's most important a friendly neighbour of the election because of the al condemnation. political unrest in Burma, and economic partners and has Myanmar. We hope that all coronavirus crisis. U.S. Secretary of State we will continue to monitor invested billions of dollars in parties in Myanmar will prop- The announcement and the Anthony Blinken issued a state- the situation, it said, using mines, infrastructure and gas erly handle their differences declaration of a state of emer- ment expressing grave concern Why military taking control? Myanmar's former name. pipelines in the Southeast under the constitutional and gency follows days of concern and alarm over the reported The US State Department Asian nation. legal framework and maintain about the threat of a military detentions. yanmar's military Parliament for the military, a The military takeover earlier issued a statement say Foreign Ministry political and social stability. coup and military denials that We call on Burmese military has taken control of portion that limits the power came on what was to be the it would stage one and came on leaders to release all govern- Mthe country under a of a civilian government and first day of the new the morning the country's new ment officials and civil society one-year state of emergency rules out amending the char- Parliament following the Parliament session was to leaders and respect the will of and reports say State ter without military support. elections. begin. the people of Burma as Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi Some experts expressed Instead, Suu Kyi and other US prez announces legal defence The takeover is a sharp expressed in democratic elec- and other government lead- puzzlement as to why the lawmakers who would have reversal of the partial yet sig- tions, he wrote, using ers have been detained. Here military would upset their been sworn into office were nificant progress toward Myanmar's former name. are some possible reasons powerful status quo, but oth- reported detained. team for Senate impeachment trial democracy Myanmar made in The office of the U.N. sec- why the military has taken ers noted the looming retire- A later announcement on recent years following five retary-general was also among over now: ment of Senior Gen. Min Myawaddy TV said the mil- ormer US president decades of military rule and those to issue a statement con- The announcement on Aung Hlaing, who has been itary would hold an election Donald Trump has international isolation that demning the developments as military-owned Myawaddy commander of the armed after the one-year emergency Fannounced his legal began in 1962. It would also be a serious blow to democratic TV cited Article 417 of the forces since 2011. ends and would turn over defence team for his Senate shocking fall from power for reforms. The detention of the country's constitution, which There's internal military power to the winner. impeachment trial which is Suu Kyi, who led the democ- politicians and cuts in televi- allows the military to take politics around that, which is WHAT'S HAPPENING scheduled to begin on racy struggle despite years sion signals and communica- over in times of emergency. very opaque, said Kim NOW February 8. under house arrest and and tion services on Monday were The announcer said the coro- Jolliffe, a researcher on Telecommunications came Trump became the first won a Nobel Peace Prize for the first signs that plans to seize navirus crisis and the gov- Myanmar civilian and mili- to a near halt in the morning president in the US history to her efforts. power were in motion. Phone ernment's failure to post- tary relations. This might be and early afternoon. In the be impeached twice when 10 Suu Kyi's National League and internet access to pone November elections reflecting those dynamics capital, internet and phone of his fellow Republican Cong- cy. This is for the second time legal team, bringing national for Democracy released a state- Naypyitaw was lost and Suu were reasons for the emer- and might be somewhat of a access appeared to be ressmen joined Democrats in in about a year that he is like- profiles and significant trial ment on one of its Facebook Kyi's party could not be gency. coup internally and his way blocked. Many people else- the House of Representatives ly to be acquitted by the Senate, experience in high-profile pages saying the military's reached. Phone service in other The military drafted the of maintaining power with- where in the country who on January 13 to charge him as the Democrats do not have cases to the effort, according to actions were unjustified and parts of the country was also constitution in 2008 and in the military. could still access the internet with inciting an unprecedent- enough votes. Currently, both a statement issued by the office went against the constitution reported down, though people retains power under the char- The military has assigned found their social media ed insurrection at the US the Dem-ocrats and the of former president Trump. and the will of voters. The were still able to use the inter- ter at the expense of democ- Vice President Myint Swe, a accounts had been tem- Capitol on January 6. Republicans have 50 mem- Notably, Schoen has already statement urged people to net in many areas. ratic, civilian rule. Human former military officer, as porarily suspended. The Democrats need two- bers each in the 100-seat been working with Trump and oppose Monday's coup and The Irrawaddy, an estab- Rights Watch has described head of the government for Barbed wire road blocks thirds of the vote for the Senate Senate. The Democrats need other advisors to prepare for any return to military dicta- lished online news service, the clause as a coup mecha- one year. were set up across Yangon, impeachment. If convicted, he the support of at least 17 the upcoming trial, and both torship. reported that Suu Kyi, who as nism in waiting. The consti- The election commission the largest city, and military could face being barred from Republican Senators to reach Schoen and Castor agree that It was not possible to con- state counsellor is the nation's tution also reserves key rejected the claims last week, units began to appear outside ever holding office again. the two-thirds majority mark. this impeachment is uncon- firm who posted the message top leader, and the country's Cabinet ministries and 25 per stating there was no evi- government buildings such Trump is the first US pres- Trial lawyers David Schoen stitutional - a fact 45 Senators as NLD members were not president, Win Myint, were cent of the seats in dence to support them. as City Hall. ident facing an impeachment and Bruce L Castor Jr will head voted in agreement last week, answering phone calls. both detained in the pre-dawn trial after he left the presiden- Trump's impeachment defence the statement said. The military's actions were hours. Bhavya Lal appointed Acting Gulf NRI businessmen hail Budget Budget office projects 4.6% Chief of Staff of NASA ulf-based Indian busi- gramme with an outlay of Rs. poration of One Person friendly,” Yusuffali said. growth in Biden's first year nessmen have hailed 64,180 cr. will go a long way Companies (OPC), by allow- Sudesh K Aggarwal – he Congressional Bud- tions, economic growth ndian-American Bhavya Policy Institute (STPI) from Gthe Union Budget in speeding up the econom- ing them to grow without any Chairman ITEC m.e. & Giant get Office expects the would be the strongest since Lal was on Monday 2005 to 2020. There, she led tabled by finance minister ic recovery. Further spending restrictions, to boost ease of Group of Companies, TUS economy will grow 1999. Iappointed by NASA as the analysis of space technology, Nirmala Sitharaman, saying on vaccinations is a great doing business in the coun- Chairman Emeritus – IBPC at a 4.6 per cent annual rate Congress has spent USD 4 Acting Chief of Staff of the US strategy, and policy for the it will boost India's economy. morale booster for both India try. Sharjah, said the first post- this year, with employment trillion to keep the economy space agency. White House Office of Science Yusuffali MA, prominent and Indians,” he said. Yusuffali also commended Covid budget has assured returning to pre-pandemic stable since the pandemic Lal served as a member of and Technology Policy and NRI businessman and “As an NRI businessman, I the increase in the tax thresh- that it cares for the health and levels in 2024. shuttered schools, offices, the Biden Presidential National Space Council, as Chairman of Lulu Group, am very glad to note that old for NRIs from Rs. 5 cr to well being of the people. The 10-year outlook restaurants, gyms and other Transition Agency Review well as federal space-oriented said this “magical budget is there are some very specific Rs. 10 cr and said rules to “There is a push on infra issued Monday said the eco- businesses, leading to Team for the agency and over- organisations, including sure to propel the Indian steps being taken to tap the eliminate double taxation are projects and economic activ- nomic recovery from the roughly 10 million job loss- saw the agency's transition NASA, the Department of economy despite the global NRI investments," he said. very welcome initiatives. ity, and I hope it shall lead to coronavirus has been boost- es and an economic decline under the administration of Defence, and the intelligence pandemic challenge.” "Announcement of “One “Kerala specific real-time employment gen- ed by an unprecedented of 3.5 per cent last year. President Joe Biden. community. Yusuffali said that the Person Companies” or OPCs announcements such as the eration,” Aggarwal said, wave of government spend- The CBO estimates fac- In a statement, NASA said Lal is an active member of finance minister has given a in India is going to be a development of major fishing adding that one-person com- ing to combat the outbreak, tored in the roughly USD Lal brings extensive experi- the space technology and pol- huge thrust to healthcare game-changer especially for harbours including Kochi, pany shall benefit NRI's. such that growth could pass 900 billion approved in ence in engineering and space icy community, having along with infrastructure, the start-up sectors and new- huge allocation to further Aggarwal, however, said that its maximum sustainable December, but they exclud- technology, serving as a mem- chaired, co-chaired, or served education, research and gen businesses,” he said. expand highway infrastruc- doubling the income of farm- level in early 2025 before ed President Joe Biden's ber of the research staff at the on five high-impact National development. Sitharaman on Monday ture and the Kochi Metro will ers is illusive. “MSME sector returning to a long-run USD 1.9 trillion plan Institute for Defence Analyses Academy of Science commit- “Introduction of said that the government will surely boost state's economy is not given enough push,” he average of 1.7 per cent. because the projections are Science and Technology tees. Aatmanirbhar health pro- be incentivising the incor- and make it more business- said. Based on the CBO's projec- based on current law.

Global Indian Tributes paid to Gandhi in Houston India, US start discussions on F-15 Indian officer in US charged: Stages Diaspora ich floral tributes were fake drive-by shooting incident paid to Mahatma seeks repeal RGandhi in the US on his EX multi-role combat aircraft: Boeing 27-year-old Indian-ori- 73th death anniversary with he US and India have mation about the F-15EX,” nearly USD 23 billion in July gin law enforcement of farm laws India's mission in Houston held discussions on F- Maria H Laine, vice presi- 2020, she added. Aofficer in the US state of live streaming a virtual narra- T15EX fighter jets and dent, Boeing International "It certainly sends a power- California has been arrested xpressing solidarity with tion of “Mahatma Gandhi's the two respective air forces Sales and Industrial ful signal when the US gov- for allegedly faking a shocking agitating Indian farmers, Tryst with Peace”. have exchanged information Partnerships told PTI in a ernment makes a commit- drive-by shooting incident last Ean alliance of various Consul General of India in about it, a top Boeing official joint interview with Jeff ment to a platform like this year following which he was diaspora organisati-ons has Houston Aseem Mahajan Peace” by Dr Shobhana has said after the aerospace Shockey, vice president, Global that they're in it or the long hailed as a hero who had a demanded the repeal of the along with members of Eternal Radhakrishna was live major received approval from Sales and Marketing, Boeing haul and are showing faith and miraculous escape, authorities three agri laws. Gandhi Museum Houston streamed by Consul General of the American government to Defense, Space & Security and confidence in the capability have announced. appeared that he had been Global Indian Progressive (EGMH) paid floral tributes to India in Houston. At the virtual offer its latest multi-role com- Boeing Global Services. and price point of the F-15EX– Sukhdeep Gill, who held the shot only once on his body Alliance, which represents Gandhi at Hermann Park on "Shraddha-njali - A Memorial bat aircraft to the Indian Air "Since the US Government piques interest in the US and post of Deputy at Santa Clara camera, which was destroyed, more than a dozen and a half Saturday during an event Service” commemorating the Force. The F-15EX is the lat- approved our license request to around the world,” Shockey County Sheriff's Office, was the report said, citing a state- Diaspora organisations from organised by EGMH along 73rd anniversary of Gandhi's est and most advanced version offer F-15EX to India, we are said. In April 2019, the IAF arrested on Friday as he on ment issued by the district across the world, demanded with Arya Samaj Greater martyrdom for truth and non- of the multi-role, all-weather, starting to have more discus- issued an RFI (request for January 31, 2020 had report- attorney's office. that the government recognise Houston, Unity Church of violence, rich tributes were and day and night versions of sions about the platform,” information) or initial tender ed that he was shot from a Gill's report triggered a the right to peaceful protest, Houston, Ismaili Jamatkhana paid by city officials, Cong- the F-15 aircraft family. Laine said. to acquire 114 jets at a cost of passing car as he stood on a manhunt for the alleged shoot- and acknowledge the peaceful and Center Houston, Rothko ressmen, Indian-Americans "There have been discus- The US Air Force awarded around USD 18 billion, which dark rural road. Following er. Gill told officers that "he protests outside Delhi for the Chapel, Bahai's of Houston. and local Houstonians who sions between the two gov- Boeing an indefinite-deliv- is billed as one of the world's the incident when the officers had parked on the dirt shoul- last 60 plus days and of prior The virtual narration of adhere to his ideals of peace, ernments and the two Air ery/indefinite-quantity con- biggest military procurements responded, no serious injuries der to urinate during a routine protests across the country. “Mahatma Gandhi's Tryst with non-violence and humility. Forces have exchanged infor- tract with a ceiling value of in recent years. were found on Gill and it patrol.” Consignments of made-in-India Vax skepticism lurks in town famous for syphilis study ucenia Dunn spent the both the vaccines' safety and still segregated by race, gov- early days of the coron- efficacy. They have noted that ernment medical workers start- Lavirus pandemic encour- while the vaccines were devel- ing in 1932 withheld treat- vax reach Algeria, South Africa aging people to wear masks and oped with record-breaking ment for unsuspecting men keep a safe distance from each speed, they were based on infected with syphilis in onsignments of made- other in Tuskegee, a mostly decades of prior research. Tuskegee and surrounding in-India vaccines have Black city where the govern- Vaccines used in the U.S. have Macon County so physicians Creached Algeria and ment once used unsuspecting shown no signs of serious side could track the disease. The South Africa. African American men as effects in studies of tens of study, which involved about 600 "Arrival in Algeria. A trust- guinea pigs in a study of a sex- thousands of people. And with men, ended in 1972 only after ed partnership stands ually transmitted disease. more than 26 million vaccina- it was revealed by The renewed," External Affairs Now, the onetime mayor of tions administered in the U.S. Associated Press. Minister S Jaishankar tweeted the town immortalised as the I'm never going to do it. But I in this city of 8,500 have rela- alone so far, no red flags have A lawsuit filed on behalf of on Monday, using the hashtag home of the infamous know enough to withhold get- tives who were subjected to been reported. Tuskegee is not the men by Black Tuskegee 'Vaccine Maitri'. “Tuskegee syphilis study” is ting it until we see all that is unethical government experi- a complete outlier. A recent sur- attorney Fred Gray resulted in "In it together. Made in wary of getting inoculated involved,” said Dunn, who is mentation during the syphilis vey conducted by the commu- a $9 million settlement, and India vaccines land in against COVID-19. Among Black. study. nications firm Edelman then-President Bill Clinton for- Johannesburg, South Africa," other things, she's suspicious of The coronavirus immuni- “It does have an impact on revealed that as of November, mally apologized on behalf of he said in another tweet. increasing number of countries tered to frontline health work- the government promoting a sation campaign is off to a decisions. Being in this com- only 59% of people in the U.S. the U.S. government in 1997. India has already sent have already approached it for ers across the country. vaccine that was developed in shaky start in Tuskegee and munity, growing up in this were willing to get vaccinated But the damage left a legacy of COVID-19 vaccines to many procuring the coronavirus vac- While Oxford-AstraZen- record time when it can't seem other parts of Macon County. community, I would be very within a year with just 33% distrust that extends far beyond countries such as Bhutan, cines. India has already rolled eca's Covishield is being man- to conduct adequate virus test- Area leaders point to a resis- untruthful if I didn't say that,” happy to do so as soon as pos- Tuskegee: A December survey Maldives, Bangladesh, Brazil out a massive coronavirus vac- ufactured by the Serum ing or consistently provide tance among residents spurred said Frank Lee, emergency sible. showed 40 per cent of Black and Nepal, among others. cination drive under which Institute of India, and Covaxin quality rural health care. by a distrust of government management director in Macon But skepticism seems to run people nationwide said they India is one of the world's two vaccines, Covishield and is being produced by Bharat “I'm not doing this vaccine promises and decades of failed County. Lee is Black. deeper here. When Alabama wouldn't get the coronavirus biggest drugmakers, and an Covaxin, are being adminis- Biotech. right now. That doesn't mean health programs. Many people Health experts have stressed and the rest of the South were vaccine. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 06

www.dailypioneer.com facebook.com/dailypioneer | @TheDailyPioneer | instagram.com/dailypioneer/ PAPER WITH PASSION A decent Budget? Stop running How should we judge this year’s Union PRAKASH Budget by Nirmala Sitharaman? A SURYA he first thing everybody worries about in every Budget is how much their income India down taxes have been altered; will they end up paying the Government more? Well, on that Tfront the news is not bad as things have remained unchanged. But on all other fronts, It is unfortunate that leaders like Rahul Gandhi have failed to appreciate this was one of the most challenging Budgets in recent history, with the Government deal- ing with the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fiscal deficit is close to 10 simple truths and are undermining the efforts of the Centre and State Govts per cent for fiscal year 2021 and a projected percentage of 6.8 does not make for pretty orld Health reading. With a target of 4.5 per cent by 2025, an era of elevated deficits is upon us. Also, Organisation the Government does not appear to be going aggressively into disinvesting Public Sector (WHO) Director- Units with a reduced disinvestment target, although it is clearly saying that it will disinvest General Tedros WAdhanom Ghebreyesus has two Public Sector Banks and an insurance company thanked India and Prime and is almost certain to go ahead with the sale of the Minister Narendra Modi for the Life Insurance Corporation. And, of course, politics came country’s “continued support to into the picture with a major infrastructure push in poll- the global COVID-19 response”. In a recent tweet, he said: “Only bound States like Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West if we act together, including shar- Bengal. Major spending on the Railways was also ing of knowledge, can we stop this announced, the biggest ever allocation for the steel tracks virus and save lives and liveli- that criss-cross our country. Some even described the hoods.” The WHO chief was lauding India’s decision to Budget as Keynesian, using the major infrastructure push despatch COVID-19 vaccines to to generate jobs and demand. several neighbouring countries, Now, there are several major questions surround- including Bangladesh, Bhutan, ing announcements in the Budget. The first is the con- Myanmar and Nepal, besides Saudi Arabia, Brazil and others. cept of a ‘Bad Bank’ where distressed assets with non- This was the fourth time in performing loans can be put into an Asset Management Company and an Asset the past year that the WHO chief Reconstruction Company which, on the face of it, is a great idea. But the challenge here had hailed the Government’s might be one of human capital. Will the bankers in such a State-owned ‘bad bank’ be brave decisions to contain the pandem- ic. Last July, he praised India’s enough to take the haircuts needed to help distressed assets recover? There are positive efforts to contain the outbreak in supplying millions of doses of image. Looking at the plight of WHO Health Emergencies moves such as the announcement to put assets into Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvIT) Dharavi — considered the biggest COVID vaccines, manufac- these nations today, one won- Programme has submitted an such as transmission lines of the Power Grid and highways of the National Highways Authority slum in the world. He cited this tured in India, to its neighbours ders what he has to say now. interim report in which it has of India. This might allow companies like these to better deploy their capital onto new pro- as an example of how, even when and nations around the world.” Thus far, over 100 million criticised “the rising politicisa- the outbreak was very intense, it It is important for all citi- people have been affected glob- tion of the pandemic response”, jects. The tax breaks announced for foreigners, who invest in these InvIT and Real Estate could be brought under control. zens to know and digest these ally. India accounts for 10 mil- which means reckless attempts Investment Trusts (REIT), should give an innovative and fairly secure way for foreign investors, Last September, he again praised facts if only to ward off the neg- lion cases, but has managed bet- like the ones being made by particularly pension and sovereign funds, to invest into the India story. On the expenditure Modi for his speech to the UN ativity that is being spread ter control. It reported 13,044 Rahul are harming the cause. front, the most interesting spending is particularly in healthcare. If every country has learnt General Assembly in which he indiscriminately and irrespon- new cases a day on January 30 The WHO panel has right- anything from the pandemic, it is that public healthcare spending has to go up; there is said that as the largest vaccine- sibly by some politicians and, after touching a high of 97,894 ly observed that a successful producing country, India would in particular, by Congress cases per day on September 14, response “hinges on inter-con- no guarantee that this will be the last global pandemic to hit us. India might have recov- utilise this strength to distribute leader Rahul Gandhi. 2020. The last four months have nected global systems and net- ered from the worst but better healthcare is needed for the future. Sure, there are disap- it across the world and help the In fact, while developed WHILE DEVELOPED seen a steady decline in cases. works” and scientific expertise, pointments on the Defence and education fronts, although the former will probably have global community. In November nations like the US, the UK, Against this, the countries and contends that the WHO additional announcements made through the year and the latter also might be opened up 2020 when Modi spoke to the France and Spain are flounder- COUNTRIES LIKE Rahul was praising are in a real can’t succeed without unified WHO chief, the latter praised ing in their efforts, the Modi- THE US, FRANCE, mess. Currently, the UK and global political support during for more private (and foreign) investment. All in all, given how much her hands were tied, India’s efforts and the Ayushman led Union Government and the France have two million and 2.7 the next phases of the pandem- this is not a bad Budget from Nirmala Sitharaman. Bharat programme. In fact, way Governments in all States and THE UK AND SPAIN million active cases, respective- ic. It says the world is “at a crit- back in May 2020, the WHO rep- Union Territories, which are ARE FLOUNDERING ly, as against 1.78 lakh in India. ical juncture” and will “not resentative in India had described run by a variety of parties, have The US has reported 25 million defeat this virus without greater PICTALK India’s efforts as being “enormous, done remarkably well to join IN THEIR EFFORTS, cases, of which nearly 10 mil- global solidarity and stronger very impressive”. The WHO also hands and tackle the biggest THE UNION AND lion are active. multilateral cooperation”. lauded the Uttar Pradesh health crisis in centuries. Strangely, even as the cases It is tragic that the leader Government’s COVID manage- Rahul first criticised the ALL OF THE STATE are declining, Rahul again of India’s oldest political party ment and contract-tracing efforts lockdown imposed in March GOVERNMENTS attacked the Centre for its “fail- is consistently out to under- and said they are worthy of emu- 2020 and later ridiculed the ure” to tackle COVID-19. The mine the efforts of the Centre lation by other States. Modi Government for lifting it. HAVE DONE “unplanned lockdown” and all State Governments Many other international To buttress his argument, he put REMARKABLY WELL destroyed millions of lives, he and lakhs of health workers, entities are lauding India’s efforts. out graphs of COVID-19 preva- says, but the truth is that India who have staked their lives to The United States described India lence in countries like Germany, TO JOIN HANDS has one of the lowest death rates serve COVID patients. This is as a “true friend” for deploying its France and the UK to claim that AND TACKLE THE in the world during this pan- destructive politics at its worst. advantage in the pharma sector the virus incidence had come BIGGEST HEALTH demic. As against 10 million Fortunately, there are wiser to meet the vaccine needs of other down in those countries after patients, India has reported 1.53 men and women in his party, countries. The State Department they lifted the lockdown, but in CRISIS IN CENTURIES lakh deaths, accounting for including Chief Ministers, who said: “We applaud India’s role in India it had shot up. Thereafter, around 1.5 per cent fatalities. are not toeing his line and global health, sharing millions of he has been persistently criticis- Fortunately, most Chief working selflessly to rid the vaccine doses in South Asia.” ing India’s efforts to tackle Ministers are not toeing his line. country of this terrible scourge. Applauding India, Congressman COVID-19. What Rahul does Meanwhile, the (The writer is an author spe- Brad Sherman tweeted: “Great to not realise is that his petty Independent Oversight and cialising in democracy studies. The see our ally India purchasing and political attacks are hurting our Advisory Committee for the views expressed are personal.) LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SOUNDBITE Soldiers stand guard on a road in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on Monday AP EXERCISE CAUTION IN FILMMAKING High-density rail Sir — This refers to the editorial ‘No laugh- Teachers are the real victims networks and high- ing matter’ (February 1). Our nation is a ly utilised rail routes secular country where pluralism flourish- allowed to take any important or significant deci- will be provided with Booster for health sion on their own. They are paid less and indigenously devel- es and there is peaceful coexistence of peo- oped automatic train The Government has made a slew of big-ticket ple belonging to various religions, faiths, deployed for other purposes like making elec- protection system which will elim- regions, castes and creed. The age-old tra- toral roll, on election duty, collecting data, con- inate train collisions due to human announcements for the healthcare sector dition of peacefully living together for cen- ducting door-to-door survey and so on. Teachers error. turies has won India the ‘Unity in who have rarely been allowed to use computers hey say that every crisis hides within itself an opportunity and teaches us some in schools have managed to keep the classes Finance Minister Diversity’ epithet that it really merits. — Nirmala Sitharaman vital lessons. If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it is the need for However, the Indian Constitution going through online mode for nearly 10 self-reliance and the importance of having a robust healthcare infrastructure. provides no room for the laceration of reli- months during the COVID-19 pandemic and they The existing T would feel good to see their students back in the Obviously, the Government has taken these lessons to heart and, despite an ailing econ- gious sentiments of any individual or com- Opposition parties munity. As far as showing controversial real classroom. omy made sicker by the pandemic, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made some have failed to scenes in movies or serials is concerned, It is sad that neither the Government nor par- achieve the confi- big-ticket announcements for the healthcare sector in the Union Budget. The Minister it must be kept in mind that the huge unac- ents are bothered about the plight of teachers. dence and trust of Back to School For more than six months soon after 40 days of allocated `2,23,846 crore to the sector, which is an increase of 137 per cent over last counted money invested by the filmmak- his refers to the editorial ‘ ' the people due to lack of leadership. (February 1). The Government should take summer vacation, the teachers were being made year’s Budget. Of the amount, the focus of the spending will be vaccination, with a whop- ers and directors in their movies makes No doubt that a powerful Opposition them try every trick so as to attract the Teffective measures to increase the footfall of to attend school and take classes with very few is a must for democracy. ping `35,000 crore set aside for it. Strengthening healthcare institutions and capacity media and public attention. However, out students in schools. However, the condition of computers and with poor network. As a result, building will also get the lion’s share. Sitharaman also of apprehension that their efforts will not teachers, especially in Government schools, con- they were forced to use their personal mobile data. Bangladesh PM proposed an Aatmanirbhar Swastha Bharat Scheme pay them expected dividends at the box tinues to remain pitiable. The poor teachers are The safety of children is important, but what about —Sheikh Hasina office or when any controversy arises, they subjected to bullying and harassment not only those who make their future? We all must take with an outlay of `64,180 crore over the next six years Madhuri is like a willy-nilly render apologies given that their by the school management but also by the prin- care of teachers. and the main interventions under the scheme will sup- dream to work with. goal is achieved after all, even if the con- cipals. They are used as “puppets” who are not N Nagarajan | Secunderabad She is one of the port over 17,000 rural and 11,000 urban wellness cen- troversial scenes are cut. best co-stars I have tres. As the Government comes to terms with the real- The writers, producers and actors ever worked with ity that “we will have to live with the virus” as envi- should ideally be wary that their money, ing at Government-formation in these Nirmala Sitharaman has not been con- and she is such a nice human labour and precious time do not go in vain States, a far-fetched proposition. However, strained by self-imposed norms of fiscal being. I feel that most of her talent ronmental degradation, deforestation and a burgeon- following unwarranted controversies. a remote possibility of turning into king- deficit. The NDA Government has right- has still not been tapped. maker in at least one of these States can- ly surmised that the private sector will ing population will make zoonotic diseases and Corona Their intention should be to entertain their Actor and Zika-like pandemics a regular feature, it has realised fans and not to hurt the religious feelings not be ruled out. Time and power have not invest. They will keep going back to —Renuka Shahane that there is a need to focus on developing the capac- or sentiments of any community or soci- mellowed an argumentative Kejriwal, the Government for all kinds of support. ety at large. much to the glee of his supporters who The Government has taken the onus to It is always a plea- ity of primary, secondary and tertiary care systems, Azhar A Khan| Rampur were worried that he would throw away the put serious money into infrastructure, sure to play with strengthen national institutions and create new ones. hard-earned gains in politics. However, the health and wellness and generally into Dhoni. Have been With this in mind, the Centre has put curative and preventive health and well-being CHALLENGES FOR THE AAP AAP has already increased its activities in development. It has actually gone the playing with him for Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, which go to other way and is improving tax admin- the last three years. on the forefront. The proposals would make quality healthcare accessible and afford- Sir — Arvind Kejriwal’s national ambition polls early next year. istration to ensure better compliance. For me, he is a great, great human able, besides standardising infrastructure across the country. However, the Budget is silent to systematically make inroads into other In these States, the AAP will hard-sell Budget 2021 is pragmatic and com- being. He understands everybody, on the critical aspect of insurance. As health insurance premiums are increasing, rais- States is laudable. He has announced that its Delhi governance model. The party will mitted to the healthcare sector which respects everybody. the party would contest elections in six also have to increase its presence at the needed a deliberate boost after the ing the premium amount for tax exemption would have been a great initiative to bring States, including Uttar Pradesh, Cricketer ground-level politics in these States for COVID-19 outbreak last year. The —Imran Tahir more people under the cover. Increasing the Foreign Direct Investment limits in the sec- Uttarakhand, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, which it must increase the number of party announcement of a centrally funded tor and the proposed IPO of Life Insurance Corporation will surely strengthen the insur- Goa and Gujarat, which will go to polls in workers and volunteers. The AAP must not scheme—Aatmanirbhar Health Yojana— This time in the the next two years. ` Budget, the BJP ance sector. The Government also needs to prepare itself for the next crisis of non-com- forget that its fight is with regional satraps with an outlay of 64,180 crore over six Government must The AAP cadres can focus on the poll- and traditional parties like the Congress years in addition to the National Health municable diseases, which will be responsible for 80 per cent of deaths and cause a going States without having to bother about make provisions for and BJP. Mission is a welcome step. the restoration of the $3.8 trillion burden by 2030. Increased allocation for other social determinants like clean Delhi. Kejriwal is hoping that the “anti- Ganapathi Bhat| Akola CK Subramaniam | Mumbai incumbency” factors in all the election- nation's unity, social fuel, air and water will have a greater impact on health. If there is a silver lining in the harmony, respect of farmers and going States might benefit his party. The WONDERFUL UNION BUDGET dark cloud that is the pandemic, it is the realisation that solid healthcare infrastructure is Delhi Chief Minister is not a novice look- Send your feedback to: workers. SP leader key for a nation that harbours the ambitions of becoming a $5 trillion economy. Sir — For the first time Finance Minister [email protected] —Akhilesh Yadav VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 07 www.dailypioneer.com facebook.com/dailypioneer | @TheDailyPioneer | instagram.com/dailypioneer/ FIRSTCOLUMN Reinvigorating growth: HARNESSING NARI SHAKTI FOR SPORTS Where is the money? UTTAM GUPTA While only 86 women were part of the TOPS programme in 2018, today we have 190 girls The FM wants to boost growth, but it will be at the cost of fiscal de-stabilisation. One is not sure whether a sustained, rapid surge will come as a huge resource gap remains aking a cue from the prescription that the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA), TKrishnamurthy Subramanian gave in the Economic Survey: 2020-21 that “the Government KIREN RIJIJU should come up with more fiscal measures for rime Minister Narendra Modi’s simple mantra for the youth, “khel- short-term support to the economy and business- ega India toh khilega India”, has been the driving force behind es”, Finance Minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman has gone ahead with some “big bang” measures. She has Pthe transformation of the perception of sports in the last few years. not just attempted to give a boost to industries and Sports, once perceived as just an extracurricular activity in India, is businesses in the short-term but has also given an now taking centre stage. Strong schemes adopted by the Ministry of indication of her intent to put them on a high growth Youth Affairs and Sports, like ‘Khelo India’, ‘Target Olympic Podium trajectory in the medium to long-term. Scheme (TOPS)’ or ‘Fit India Movement’, have played a significant Apart from giving a boost to the healthcare role in motivating youngsters to pursue a career in sports and the num- infrastructure (`64,180 crore allocated for new ber of sportsmen/women is on a steady rise. Specifically for girl ath- health schemes besides `35,000 crore for the COVID vaccine) and education, this push is man- letes, empathy and inclusiveness have been key drivers for game-chang- ifested in big plans in the field of infrastructure such ing reforms. This is in line with the Government’s myriad initiatives to as roads, highways, railways, ports, gas pipelines and encourage the girl child’s emancipation. Over the years, sterling per- so on; production-linked incentive schemes (PLI) formances by women athletes have ensured them a place in the Indian for 13 sectors; launch of seven Mega Textile sporting world’s hall of fame and turned them into legends. Most impor- Investment Parks over the next three years and mea- tantly, they showed the global sporting community that “Bharat ki Mahila” sures to give a boost to start-ups and so on. is up for the challenge and can take on the world. These spirited per- Sitharaman has tried to demonstrate that the Government is really serious about pumping more formances, coupled with reforms led by the Ministry of Youth Affairs money into the economy. Hence, the Budget has Photo by Ranjan Dimri And Sports in recent years, have promoted inclusivity, created an ecosys- provided for capital expenditure of `5,54,000 crore tem of awareness towards women in sports and inspired a genera- during 2021-22 which is an increase of 35 per cent tion of young girls to actively take part in sports. I can proudly say over the Budget Estimate (BE) for 2020-21 at three times the Budget estimate of 3.5 mended by the NK Singh Committee bring in competition and give power that 43 per cent of the Indian athletes who have qualified for the forth- `4,12,000 crore. Unfortunately, even at this level, it per cent, which itself was 0.5 per cent on review of the FRBM. To legitimise to the consumer to choose his/her coming Tokyo Olympics are women. is minimal when compared to the mammoth higher than the three per cent thresh- this fiscal splurge, the Government suppliers does not inspire. The requirement of over `100 lakh crore over five years old required as per Fiscal will have to make further amend- Electricity Act (2003) also had pro- or `20 lakh crore per annum under the National Responsibility and Budget ments to the FRBM Act (it was last visions to empower consumers but Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP) project. Management (FRBM) and justified done through the Finance Bill 2018- it never worked. Further, the real For garnering resources, the FM has outlined by Sitharaman in terms of the “far- 19 prescribing a FD target for 2020- intent behind the `3,00,000 crore a detailed blueprint for asset monetisation — both reaching structural reforms with 21 as three per cent plus 0.5 per cent electricity distribution reform pro- greenfield projects as well as brownfield ones — cov- IN THE unanticipated fiscal implications.” for unanticipated events). gramme is to give money to the ering almost every infrastructure sector one could ECONOMIC At 9.5 per cent, FD is even high- The announcement of a policy beleaguered power distribution com- think of like roads, highways, railways, ports, power SURVEY, er than a widely expected figure of on divestment of the Government’s panies or discoms so that they can transmission lines, gas pipelines and so on. She has THE CEA around 7.5 per cent. This is largely shareholding in Central Public Sector clear dues to power generators and also mooted setting up of a new Development HAS because the Government has taken Undertakings (CPSUs) that aims at other suppliers; it has little to do with Financial Institution (DFI) termed the National ASKED on its balance sheet the so-called off- selling all CPSUs in “non-strategic” improving their efficiency, as stated. The crucial point in ensuring that India achieves sporting excel- Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development THE Budget liabilities or loans taken by sectors and restrict its presence in The FM has enumerated all that lence is to increase participation at the grassroots. A wide participa- (NaBFID) Bill, 2021. GOVERNMENT State agencies (on its behalf) includ- “strategic” sectors to the bare mini- is being done to help farmers; that tion base will ensure there are a good number of children who con- This is intended as a provider, enabler and cat- TO REMAIN ing from the Food Corporation of mum has been in the works for near- includes massive increase in buying tinue to play sports professionally. It is important to note that girls form alyst for infrastructure financing and as the main FOCUSED ON India (FCI). Since 2016-17, the FCI ly five years. It was started by NITI by State agencies at the MSP. But, 50 per cent of this participation base, and at no cost can they be left financial institution and development bank for PROPELLING has been borrowing from the Aayog who will now have to work on majority of small and marginal farm- building and sustaining a supportive ecosystem National Small Savings Fund (NSSF) the details. It does not instil confi- ers (they are 86.2 per cent) don’t ben- behind. The ‘Khelo India Scheme’, with the objective of infusing a sport- GROWTH across the life cycle of infrastructure projects. The EVEN to finance unpaid food subsidy dues dence as the current approach of link- efit from it. Likewise, agricultural ing culture and achieving sporting excellence in the country has played Government will infuse `20,000 crore in NaBFID from the Centre. ing divestment to the FD target sim- credit (now raised to `16.5 lakh a vital role in the last three years. An exclusive component of the ‘Khelo IF IT MEANS as budgetary support which will be leveraged to gen- THE FISCAL As on March 31, 2020, its cumu- ply won’t work. crore) is cornered mostly by large India Scheme’ focuses on barriers faced by girls/women in partici- erate a financing capability of over `5,00,000 DEFICIT lative borrowings from the NSSF Faced with a sharp increase in farmers i.e. those with farms over 10 pating in sporting activities and creating mechanisms to overcome crore. GETTING stood at `3,30,000 crore. All of this, Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) post- hectares. these and increase participation. We have had a 161 per cent increase Given the cumbersome processes involved in OUT OF plus the loans taken during 2020- pandemic (according to India On the taxation front, the Budget in women’s participation at the Khelo India Games from 2018 to 2020. undertaking sale of State assets as also lack of mar- 21get transferred to the Centre’s Ratings and Research, as proportion proposes minor changes such as ket appetite, it is unlikely that these would materi- CONTROL balance sheet. For the future also, the of the outstanding debt, NPAs will extension of tax holiday for start-ups From 657 identified female athletes being supported under the ‘Khelo alise soon. As regards raising resources via setting FCI will not have to borrow from the increase from 11.57 per cent to by one more year; exempts dividend India Scheme’ in 2018, the number has now gone up to 1,471. TOPS up of a DFI, the idea — abandoned decades ago NSSF. 18.21 per cent by the end of 2021-22), payments to Real Estate Investment focuses on high-performance sports where we provide international (then, we had IDBI and ICICI as institutions The FD for 2021-22 is put at 6.8 the Budget has resurrected the idea Trusts and Infrastructure Investment training exposure, world-class physical and mental conditioning, sci- involved in long-term lending) — is a welcome per cent of the GDP. Considering that of “bad bank” recommended in Trusts from tax deduction at source; entific research, day-to-day monitoring and counseling and ample finan- move, all the more because it is free from the kind the nominal growth of the GDP is 2018, by a committee headed by the deduction of tax on dividend income cial assistance to athletes who could potentially win Olympic gold of asset-liability mismatch which banks suffer from. projected to rebound to over 15 per former Chairman, Punjab National for Foreign Portfolio Investors at the medals. While only 86 women athletes were part of the TOPS pro- But it will take long before the NaBFID will be able cent and correspondingly the tax rev- Bank, Sunil Mehta. A “bad bank” lower treaty rate and so on. to contribute in a meaningful way. enue — both direct and indirect — buys the NPAs of other banks and To conclude, even as the FM gramme in September 2018, it is heartening to note that today we In the Economic Survey, the CEA has asked the will also increase sharply, this figure thereby helps clear their balance wants to go for the kill in terms of have 190 of them. Government to remain focused on propelling seems to be pretty high. With this, the sheets. It does not solve the problem reinvigorating growth, she wants to Promotion of girls/women in sports needs to deal heavily with growth even if it means the Fiscal Deficit (FD) get- FM has also drastically altered the but merely transfers the stress from do it at the cost of fiscal de-stabili- changing social mindsets. Allowing girls to participate in physical activ- ting out of control. The irony is that during 2020- The writer is a trajectory of fiscal consolidation by the latter to the former. sation; even then, one is not sure 21, despite the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) con- New Delhi-based policy targeting a FD of 4.5 per cent dur- The proposed Electricity whether the sustained rapid growth ity in a safe environment, with good quality coaching and infrastruc- analyst. The views ture, has to be a combined effort from both the Government and soci- tracting by 7.7 per cent, the FD has spiraled to a expressed are personal. ing 2025-26. Compare this with 2.5 (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to de- will come as a huge resource gap ety. Many women champions have taken proactive steps to establish whopping 9.5 per cent of the GDP. This is almost per cent for 2022-23 as recom- licence the distribution business, remains. sports academies with a focus on excellence and a number of such initiatives have been supported and fostered by the Sports Ministry under the National Sports Development Fund. The Usha School of POINTCOUNTERPOINT Athletics, Mary Kom Boxing Foundation, Ashwini Sports Foundation, Sarita Boxing Academy, Karnam Malleshwari Foundation and Anju Bobby THE GOVERNMENT IS A PHONE CALL AWAY AND THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD RELEASE OUR MEN AND George Sports Foundation, are all examples of such initiatives.Let us THE OFFER TO SUSPEND THE NEW AGRICULTURE PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE FOR TALKS. A all pledge to collectively work towards ensuring that girls play a lot LAWS UP TO 18 MONTHS STILL STANDS RESPECTFUL SOLUTION SHOULD BE REACHED. more sports, so that we as a country march ever nearer to the great Olympic ideal of ‘Citius, Altius, Fortius’ meaning ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger.’ —PRIME MINISTER —FARMER LEADER (The writer is Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of NARENDRA MODI NARESH TIKAIT Youth Affairs And Sports. The views expressed are personal.) Vital lessons learnt from the Corona contagion FOREIGNEYE India hasn’t fared as poorly as many had feared and the lessons learnt will go a long way in handling future health emergencies

nniversaries are a day we hard nationwide lockdown on began much later than in other 117 crore people and urge ously activated scientists and look back and also look March 25. However, the lock- countries, our rate of vaccina- them to adhere to Coronavirus medical researchers. At one TIME FOR KHAN TO Ato the future. The world down was not without econom- tion has been higher. This is protocols like social distancing, point, almost a million Covid INTROSPECT remembered one year of the ic cost to the country. In line because India has learnt many hand washing and masking tests a day were being done.” COVID–19 outbreak on with global measures against important lessons from its polio up. The message was conveyed Telemedicine, too, received January 21, when the first case the virus, the Government immunisation drive and is one fast, even in rural areas. a boost and became the new Prime Minister Imran Khan of the Novel Coronavirus was banned domestic and interna- of the world’s most effective On the political front, Modi way of getting medical help. It may want to dwell more on reported in Wuhan. As it spread tional travel. It also ordered vaccine and drug makers. This rightly took all the Chief is good that this year’s Union factors that inhibit long- KALYANI SHANKAR to other countries, the World shutting up of shops, malls, cin- is why many countries have Ministers into confidence, held Budget has allocated more term planning in order to Health Organisation (WHO) ema halls, schools, colleges, already approached it for vac- over six meetings and funds for the Health Ministry get answers that fit more declared it a pandemic. The offices and all factories and con- cine supply. According to the addressed the nation more than and, for the first time, the neatly into the Novel Coronavirus was indeed struction activities. Millions of Health Minister, nearly two have been handled much bet- half a dozen times. The Prime Finance Commission also had constitutional structure of novel and scientists and doctors jobs were lost and the Gross million doses of Covishield ter. The handling of migrant Minister and Chief Ministers a separate chapter on health. cannot find the real reason for Domestic Product shrank, vaccine manufactured in India labour was another big mess up worked together, keeping aside Overall, India hasn’t fared Pakistan. If indeed we want its spread till today. Now mil- resulting in a massive econom- were dispatched to Brazil and that led to untold suffering for their political differences. After as poorly as many had feared at to benefit from continuity lions of people are getting vac- ic collapse. The Government another two million doses were lakhs of workers and embar- all, it is the States which imple- the start of the outbreak, and and longer-term vision for cinated amidst myths and truth started easing the hard lock- sent to Morocco last week. rassed the country. ment central regulations and the lessons learnt will go a long governance, we need to about the efficacy of various down in June and announced Half a dozen neighbouring However, as each crisis their support is very necessary. way in handling health emer- ensure that elections are vaccines doing the rounds of many booster doses for reviv- countries, including Nepal and teaches us something, the The Government strength- gencies in the future. Many doc- held regularly in a free, fair social media. ing the economy. The country Myanmar, were also supplied important lesson learnt this ened the medical staff, convert- tors say that we have to live with The Corona story in India recorded the highest number of with vaccines. time was the need to ramp up ed most hospitals to COVID the Coronavirus as we live and transparent manner so began last January with a stu- Coronavirus cases in the world As it happens during any the crumbling healthcare infra- facilities and spent more on the with other viruses. Avoiding a that stability and legitimacy dent who returned from after the US and India report- pandemic of this kind, some structure, become self-reliant healthcare sector. future pandemic, developing an are embedded in the Wuhan. Union Health Minister ed 10.7 million infections and things did not go right. It was and prepare the country to deal Harsh Vardhan says, “The effective vaccine and medica- democratic fabric of our Harsh Vardhan took many The writer is a senior 1,54,147 deaths. Fortunately, mostly due to poor administra- with future pandemics, which most important lesson we learnt tions as well as reliable data are electoral and governance measures to arrest the spread of journalist. The views India started its immunisation tive decisions or the lack of the Government did effective- is that you have to be vigilant some of the precautions for system. the virus. The Narendra Modi expressed are personal. programme on January 16. effective communication. For ly. The Government used tele- all the time and innovative. The India and the world in a post- (Dawn editorial) Government also imposed a Though the inoculation drive instance, the lockdown could phone messages to reach out to Government also simultane- Corona world. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 BUDGET 2021-22 vijayawada 08 FM CALLS ON PREZ NETIZENS FLOOD TWITTER Finance Minister Nirmala When Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister of Sitharaman was announcing her third State for Finance & Corporate consecutive budget, social media Affairs Anurag Thakur and users were busy doing what they do senior officials of the Ministry best -- make memes. of Finance, called on The Indian middle class was hooked President Kovind at Rashtrapati onto news channels. When the Finance Bhavan before presenting the Minister was presenting the annual Budget, Union Budget 2021-22. netizens came out with their own interpretations Sensex skyrockets 2,315 MONEY MATTERS Rupee tumbles 6 paise to close at 73.02 against USD pts; bank stocks sparkle MUMBAI: The rupee depreciated by 6 paise to close at 73.02 PNS n MUMBAI (provisional) against the US dollar on Monday, tracking a The BSE benchmark Sensex Govt to introduce rebound in the American skyrocketed 2,315 points on currency overseas. At the Monday, propelled by gains in single securities interbank forex market, the financial stocks, as market par- domestic unit opened at 72.89 ticipants cheered a growth-ori- market code against the USD and witnessed index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a ented Union Budget presented NEW DELHI: The government on an intra-day high of 72.84 and a Monday proposed to introduce a low of 73.15.The local unit finally basket of six currencies, rose by Finance Minister Nirmala 0.21 per cent to 90.78. On the Sitharaman. After touching an unified securities markets code, settled at 73.02, registering a fall a move that will help in boosting of 6 paise over its previous close, domestic equity market front, the intra-day high of 48,764.40, the BSE Sensex ended 2,314.84 30-share Sensex ended the ease of doing business in the even as the domestic equity country's financial markets. The market settled with significant points or 5 per cent higher at 2,314.84 points or 5 per cent 48,600.61, while the broader NSE higher at 48,600.61. proposed move would help in gains on Budget day. On Friday, cutting down compliance costs the rupee had closed at 72.96 Nifty advanced 646.60 points or The broader Nifty soared Disinvestment target at Rs 1.75 4.74 per cent to 14,281.20. 646.60 points or 4.74 per cent and reducing the friction against the dollar. The dollar to finish at 14,281.20. between rules enacted by capital lakh cr for financial year 2021-22 On the Sensex chart, markets watchdog Sebi, dep- IndusInd Bank was the top growth-oriented budget. According to Lav Chaturvedi, ositories and government, PNS n NEW DELHI been lowered to Rs 32,000 Gold tanks Rs 1,324; silver gainer, rallying over 14 per Absence of the much-feared ED and CEO at Reliance experts said. FM Nirmala crore in the Revised Estimates. cent, followed by ICICI Bank, COVID tax and the surcharges Securities, the single securities Sitharaman in her Budget speech The government on Monday For fiscal year 2021-22, out of Bajaj Finserv, SBI, L&T and on income tax is a great relief. market code announced in the for 2021-22 proposed to budgeted Rs 1.75 lakh crore the total Rs 1.75 lakh crore, Rs jumps Rs 3,461 HDFC. On the other hand, Dr Privatisation of two nation- Budget speech will bring about consolidate the provisions of from stake sale in public sec- 1 lakh crore is to come from NEW DELHI: Gold in the national capital on Reddy's, Tech Mahindra and alised banks and proposal of ease of doing business in the Sebi Act, Depositories Act, tor companies and financial selling government stake in Monday tumbled Rs 1,324 to Rs 47,520 per 10 HUL were the laggards. monetisation of assets like Indian financial markets. Securities Contracts (Regulation) institutions, including 2 PSU public sector banks and finan- gram on a day when the government Indian markets opened on land are clear positives," said V This, along with FDI regime Act and Government Securities banks and one general insur- cial institutions. Rs 75,000 announced cut in import duty on gold and a positive note tracking posi- K Vijayakumar, Chief and development financial Act into a rationalised single ance company, in the next fis- crore would come as CPSE silver, according to HDFC Securities. In tive global bourses. During Investment Strategist at Geojit institution, would be trans- securities markets code. cal year beginning April 1. The disinvestment receipts. the previous trade, the precious metal the afternoon session, the mar- Financial Services. forming for the financial mar- amount is lower than the Finance Minister Nirmala had closed at Rs 48,844 per 10 gram. Silver, in contrast, jumped Rs kets reacted positively to "Raising FDI in insurance kets, he added. tronics in a bid to pull the record Rs 2.10 lakh crore Sitharaman said four sectors - 3,461 to Rs 72,470 per kilogram from Rs 69,009 per kilogram in the the Union Budget, traders from 49 per cent to 74 per cent Sitharaman on Monday pro- economy out of the Covid- which was budgeted to be - Atomic energy, Space and previous trade. In the international market, gold was trading in the said.All the key market indices is welcome. Market response to posed more than doubling of induced trough. raised from CPSE disinvest- Defence; Transport and green at USD 1,871 per ounce and silver also quoted with gains at witnessed a sharp rise as the Budget reflects growth healthcare spending while She also allocated Rs 20,000 ment in the current fiscal year. Telecommunications; Power, USD 29.88 per ounce. The government on Monday announced a cut investors welcomed the big optimism. In brief, the FM has imposing a new agri cess on crore to recapitalise state-run However, the Covid pan- Petroleum, Coal and other in import duty on gold and silver, a move that will help bring down infrastructure and healthcare presented a pragmatic, bold certain imported goods and banks that are saddled with demic impacted the govern- minerals; and Banking, prices of these precious metals in the domestic market and boost boost provided in the Budget. and visionary budget in raising customs duty on items bad loans and have been a drag ment's CPSE stake sale pro- Insurance and financial services exports of gems and jewellery. "Gold and silver presently attract a "This is indeed a bold these difficult times," he added. ranging from cotton to elec- on growth. gramme, and the target has -- would be strategic sectors. basic customs duty of 12.5 per cent. Since the duty was raised from 10 per cent in July 2019, prices of precious metals have risen sharply. To bring it closer to previous levels, we are rationalising Debt access framework amendment for REITs, customs duty on gold and silver," Finance Minister Nirmala Insurance stocks Budget strikes Sitharaman. balance to boost InvITs to boost real estate, infra sectors: FM zoom up to 12 pc PNS n NEW DELHI structure investment trusts) of InVITs and REITs by foreign Nerolac Paints profit rises growth: Bankers are relatively new investment portfolio investors (FPIs) will be PNS n NEW DELHI The government on Monday instruments in the Indian con- enabled by making suitable 76.6% to Rs 204.5 cr in quarter PNS n NEW DELHI said debt financing of emerg- text but are extremely popular amendments in the relevant Shares of companies related to ing investment vehicles - REITs in global markets. While a legislations," Finance Minister NEW DELHI: Kansai Nerolac as against Rs 1,342.53 crore in the insurance sector jumped up The Budget strikes a right and InvITs - will be enabled by REIT comprises a portfolio of said while presenting the Union Paints on Monday reported a the year-ago period, Kansai to 12 per cent on Monday after balance to boost health making a suitable amendment commercial real assets, a major Budget 2021-22 in Parliament. 76.58 per cent jump in its Nerolac Paints said in a the government proposed to infrastructure as well as in order to attract more invest- portion of which are already This will further ease access consolidated profit to Rs 204.5 regulatory filing. Kansai Nerolac increase foreign direct invest- support the Covid-hit econ- ment in the real estate as well leased out, InvIT comprises a of finance to InvITS and REITs crore for the quarter ended Paints Vice-Chairman and MD H ment (FDI) limit in the insur- omy as there has been a as infrastructure sectors. portfolio of infrastructure assets thus augmenting funds for December 31, 2020. The M Bharuka said, "The quarter saw ance sector to 74 per cent. push for more spending, REITs (real estate invest- such as highways, power trans- infrastructure and real estate company had posted a profit of a strong bounce back in demand The New India Assurance Financial Services. The gov- bankers said on Monday. ment trusts) and InvITs (infra- mission assets. "Debt financing sectors, she added. Rs 115.81 crore during the on account of the festive season. Company zoomed 11.85 per ernment on Monday proposed Unveiling the Union corresponding period in the Both decorative and industrials previous financial year. Total witnessed high double-digit cent, General Insurance to increase FDI limit in the Budget 2021-22, that was income during October- volume growth in the quarter Corporation of India jumped insurance sector to 74 per cent, for the first time came in a ‘Agri cess will not impact TVS Motor sales December 2020 stood at Rs with demand recovery across all 8.78 per cent and ICICI a move aimed at attracting digital format, FM Nirmala 1,606.86 crore, up 19.68 per cent customer segments." Prudential Life Insurance overseas players. Sitharaman announced up by 31% in Jan Company gained 6 per cent on In the Union Budget 2021- capital infusion of Rs prices of imported dals’ BSE. Further, HDFC Life 2022, Finance Minister 20,000 crore into public PNS n NEW DELHI per cent, Kabuli chana at 40 PNS n NEW DELHI Insurance Company gained Nirmala Sitharaman also said sector banks in order to per cent and lentil masoor at Sonalika Tractors posts over 5.19 per cent, ICICI Lombard investor charter would be meet the regulatory norms. The government's decision to 30 per cent. TVS Motor Company on General Insurance Company introduced as a right of all In the fiscal 2020-21, the levy agriculture infrastructure "The impact is zero. We Monday reported a 31 per 40 pc jump in tractor sales gained 3.96 per cent and SBI financial investors across all Centre has made Rs 20,000 and development cess of 20-50 have not issues as the status cent increase in total sales in Life Insurance Company 3.74 financial products. crore provision for PSBs per cent on imported pulses quo remains. The amount of January at 3,07,149 units. MUMBAI: Sonalika Tractors on per cent. She proposed to amend the recapitalisation. She also pro- will not have any impact on cess introduced gets neu- The company had sold Monday posted a 40.69 per cent "Raising FDI in insurance Insurance Act 1938 to posed to double the country's prices as the rise in cess will be tralised with lowering of 2,34,920 units in January 2020, jump in total tractor sales to from 49 per cent to 74 per cent "increase the permissible FDI healthcare spending, impo- neutralised by lowering of import duty to a flat rate of TVS Motor Company said in 10,158 units in January 2021, over is welcome. Market response limit from 49 per cent to 74 sition of agricultural cess on customs duty, according to 10 per cent on four varieties a statement. Total two-wheel- the same period last year. to the budget reflects growth per cent in insurance compa- certain imported items as India Pulses and Grains of pulses," IPGA Vice- er sales during the month The company had sold 7,220 optimism," said VK nies and allow foreign owner- well as raise in import duties Association (IPGA). Chairman Bimal Kothari told stood at 2,94,596 units as tractors in January 2020, a release Vijayakumar, Chief ship and control with safe- on items ranging from cot- In Budget 2021, the govern- PTI. against 2,20,439 units in said. Domestic market sales in tractors. Investment Strategist at Geojit guards". ton to electronics. ment proposed to reduce The association wants the January 2020, up 34 per cent. January stood at 8,154 units, a "Sonalika Tractors has been import duty to 10 per cent on government to keep the Domestic two-wheeler growth of 46 per cent over aggressively spearheading peas, Kabuli chana, Bengal import duty on pulses higher sales stood at 2,05,216 units January 2020, when it sold 5,585 technology revolutions that not Govt cuts import gram and lentils. than the minimum support last month as compared to units, Sonalika Tractors said in the only drive farm mechanisation but Currently, the duty on price to check cheaper ship- 1,63,007 units in January release. "We have sold 8,154 also address farmer's needs in a Tax devolution to duty on gold, silver chana is 60 per cent, peas at 50 ments, he said. 2020, up 26 per cent, it added. tractors in the domestic market cost optimised way across the and clocked 46 per cent growth globe," said Raman Mittal, PNS n NEW DELHI over January'20 sales of 5,585 Executive Director, Sonalika Group. The government on Monday states at 42% announced cut in import Bizmen all praise Govt lowers loan limit for debt duty on gold and silver, a Tata Motors total sales increases PNS n NEW DELHI state financial move that will help bring for Budget recovery for NBFCs The 15th Finance relations. The down prices of these precious PNS n NEW DELHI "To improve credit by 25 pc; 59,959 units sold in Jan Commission has recom- report of the 15th metals in the domestic mar- NEW DELHI: FM Nirmala discipline while continuing to mended that the states be given Finance ket and boost exports of Sitharaman on Monday presented Finance Minister Nirmala protect the interest of small NEW DELHI: Tata Motors on 42 per cent of the divisible tax Commission gems and jewellery. The duty the Budget for 2021-22 in Sitharaman on Monday borrowers, for NBFCs with Monday reported a 25.27 per pool of the Centre during the was tabled in was reduced on other pre- Parliament. Following are the brought down the value of minimum asset size of Rs 100 cent increase in total sales at period 2021-22 to 2025-26. the LS by FM Nirmala cious metals including gold reactions of industrialists to loans that can be introduced crores, the minimum loan 59,959 units January. The The panel's report also pro- Sitharaman. In order to main- dore bar, silver dore bar, plat- budget proposals: Vedanta for debt recovery under the size eligible for debt recovery company had sold a total of vides a range for fiscal deficit tain predictability and stabil- inum, gold/silver findings, Resources Executive Chairman SARFAESI Act to Rs 20 lakh under the Securitisation and 47,862 units in the same month month stood at 26,978 units as and debt path of both the ity of resources, especially and precious metal coins. Anil Agarwal tweets: "Congratul- from Rs 50 lakh for NBFCs Reconstruction of Financial last year, Tata Motors said in a against 13,894 units in the same Union and states and also rec- during the pandemic, the 15th "Gold and silver presently ations to @narendramodi and FM having a minimum asset size Assets and Enforcement of statement. Total domestic sales month previous year, up 94 per ommended additional bor- Finance Commission has rec- attract a basic customs duty of @nsitharaman for a very reformist of Rs 100 crore. Security Interest (SARFAE- were up 28 per cent at 57,742 cent. However, the company #Budget2021 with many big ideas rowing room to states based on ommended "maintaining the 12.5 per cent. Since the duty Sitharaman, while present- SI) Act, 2002 is proposed to be units as compared to 45,242 reported 3 per cent decline in including strategic disinvestment units in January last year, it total commercial vehicle sales at performance in power sector vertical devolution at 41 per was raised from 10 per cent in of two public sector banks & one ing the budget for 2021-22, reduced from the existing reforms. Finance Commission cent – the same as in our July 2019, prices of precious said it will bring in credit dis- level of Rs 50 lakh to Rs 20 added. Passenger vehicle sales in 32,909 units as against 33,860 insurance company. Thrust on the domestic market during the units in the year-ago period. is a constitutional body that report for 2020-21," an official metals have risen sharply,” the infrastructure will boost growth." cipline and also protect the lakh," the finance minister gives suggestions on Centre- statement said. Finance Minister said. interest of small borrowers. said. Govt reduces Govt to amend Apprenticeship Act Over 15K schools to be strengthened PNS n NEW DELHI customs duty PNS n NEW DELHI Policy. They shall emerge as tem of schools in India estab- To enhance opportunities for youth, the gov- exemplar schools in their lished and managed by the on steel items ernment on Monday proposed to amend the Over 15,000 schools will be regions, handholding and Sainik Schools Society under NEW DELHI: The Centre on Apprenticeship Act and realign the National qualitatively strengthened as mentoring other schools to the Ministry of Defence. There Monday announced slashing of Apprenticeship Training Scheme for post- per reforms proposed in the achieve the ideals of the poli- are over 30 Sainik Schools in import duties on a number of education apprenticeship, training of graduates new National Education Policy cy," Finance Minister Nirmala the country at present. steel items in order to provide and diploma holders in engineering. (NEP), which will help in Sitharaman said in her budget The Ministry of Education's relief to MSME. Finance Presenting the Budget for 2021-22 in handholding and mentoring speech. Department of School Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament, Finance Minister Nirmala other schools, according to Making board exams easy, Education and Literacy will her Budget speech for 2021-22 Sitharaman said over Rs 3,000 crore will be set the Union Budget for 2021-22 reduction of curriculum to which was announced last receive Rs 54,873.66 crore for said the anti-dumping duty aside for this purpose. "In 2016, we had announced on Monday. core concepts, replacement of year. This is the first budget the upcoming financial year as (ADD) and countervailing duty launched the National Apprenticeship A total of 100 new Sainik 10+2 structure of school cur- after the notification of the new against Rs 59,845 crore last (CVD) have also been revoked Promotion Scheme. The government propos- Schools will also be set up in ricula with a 5+3+3+4 struc- NEP. year. on certain steel products. es to amend the Apprenticeship Act with a view partnership with NGOs, pri- ture and teaching up to at least "A total of 100 new Sainik The funds for the Kendriya "MSMEs and other user to further enhancing apprenticeship opportu- vate schools and states. class 5 in the mother tongue or Schools will be set up in part- Vidyalayas saw an increase as industries have been severely nities for our youth," Sitharaman said. "More than 15,000 schools a regional language, are among nership with NGOs, private the KVs have been issued Rs hit by a recent sharp rise in The National Apprenticeship Training holders in Engineering shall be realigned and will be qualitatively strength- the many school education schools and states," Sitharaman 6,800 crore for the upcoming iron and steel prices,” she said. Scheme for providing post-education appren- over Rs 3,000 crore will be provided for this pur- ened to include all components reforms outlined in the new said. financial year as compared to ticeship, training of graduates and diploma pose. of the National Education National Education Policy, The Sainik Schools are a sys- Rs 5,516 crore last year. VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 BUDGET 2021-22 vijayawada 09 MISSION POSHAN 2.0 LAUNCHED CENTRE MORE THAN DOUBLES The supplementary nutrition programme and the Poshan ALLOCATION TO SVAMITVA SCHEME Abhiyaan under the Women and Child Development The allocation to the Panchayati Raj Ministry for the year Ministry has been merged to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 2021-22 increased by more than 32 per cent to Rs 913.43 to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach, and crore in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister outcome, according to the Union Budget announced on Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday compared to the revised Monday. Women and Child Development Minister Smriti expenditure during the current financial year. The major Irani said Mission Poshan 2.0 will focus on overall jump in the allocation was seen in the Svamitva scheme, health-wellbeing of the beneficiary and integrated which more than doubled to Rs 200 crore from Rs 79.65 approach in delivery of nutrition services will reinforce crore in the current fiscal. the fight against malnutrition. Rs 4,071 cr Govt to set up Rs 20,000 cr Centre allocates announced for DFI to promote infra financing Rs 73K cr to MGNREGA n I&B Ministry PNS NEW DELHI The government for next fiscal Finance Minister Nirmala proposes PNS n NEW DELHI For all other major flag- PNS n NEW DELHI Sitharaman on Monday said the Rs 20,000 crore ship welfare schemes under government will set up a Rs The Centre has allocated Rs the Rural Development Union Finance Minister Nirmala 20,000 crore Development to capitalise this 73,000 crore to the rural Ministry, the allocation for Sitharaman on Monday Finance Institution (DFI) with institution and employment guarantee pro- the 2021-22 fiscal increased announced an outlay of Rs a view to mobilise Rs 111 lakh aims to have a gramme MGNREGA for from the revised estimate for 4071.23 crore for the Ministry of crore required for funding of the the next fiscal 2021-22, sub- the current 2020-21 fiscal. Information and Broadcasting in ambitious national infrastruc- lending portfolio stantially lower than the The allocation for the the 2021-2022 fiscal, a decrease ture pipeline. of at least Rs 5 actual expenditure of Rs rural roads scheme -- of Rs 303 crore from last year. Unveiling the Union Budget lakh crore in 1.11 lakh crore in the cur- Pradhan Mantri Gram The allocation to Prasar 2021-22, the Finance Minister rent fiscal which included an Sadak Yojana -- increased to Bharati has been reduced to Rs said that a professionally-man- three years, she additional Rs 40,000 crore Rs 15,000 crore from Rs 2640.11 crore from Rs 2889.36 aged DFI to be set up to provide, said for the scheme given by the 13,700 crore, whereas the crore allotted to it in the last fis- enable and catalyze infrastruc- government in the wake of funds allocated to the cal. However, the budget for ture financing. posed a study for setting up the financing role. the pandemic's impact on National Rural Livelihood other autonomous bodies like The government proposes DFIs for promoting infrastruc- Later speaking to media, the Even the country's oldest finan- the economy. Mission jumped by more Press Council of India and Films Rs 20,000 crore to capitalise this ture funding. About 7,000 pro- Finance Minister said DFI is cial institution IFCI Ltd acted as The Centre had allocated than 48 per cent to Rs and Television Institute of India institution and aims to have a jects have been identified under being brought in for funding the a DFI. Rs 40,000 crore to MGNRE- 13,677 crore from Rs 9,210 (FTII) went up, with the PCI get- lending portfolio of at least Rs the National Infrastructure infrastructure with all lessons In India, the first DFI was GA as part of the Pradhan crore in the period under ting Rs 20 crore this time com- services head has gone down 5 lakh crore in three years, she Pipeline (NIP) with projected learnt from IDBI which started operationalised in 1948 with the Mantri Garib Kalyan review. pared to Rs 8.9 crore in 2020-21 from Rs 3218.56 crore to Rs said. investment of a whopping Rs as a DFI and became commer- setting up of the Industrial Yojana. Talking about the budget, and FTII getting Rs 58.58 crore 2921.11 crore. A total of Rs "Accordingly, I shall intro- 111 lakh crore during 2020-25. cial bank in 2004. Finance Corporation (IFCI). As per a detailed financial Union Rural Development this time as compared to Rs 49.40 971.26 crore has been allocated duce a bill to set up a DFI. I have NIP, a first-of-its-kind initia- She also said even private sec- Subsequently, the Industrial statement, the budget pre- Minister Narendra Tomar crore last fiscal. For Indian for information and publicity. provided a sum of Rs 20,000 tive to provide world-class infra- tors can set up their own DFIs Credit and Investment sented by Finance Minister said it aims at making India Institute of Mass Information and Broadcasting crore to capitalise this institu- structure across the country as needs of infrastructure fund- Corporation of India (ICICI) Nirmala Sitharaman on a self-reliant nation. Communication, the govern- Minister Prakash Javadekar tion. The ambition is to have a and improve the quality of life ing is high. was set up with the backing of Monday has allocated Rs In terms of budgetary ment has earmarked Rs 65 crore, hailed the budget as "forward lending portfolio of at least Rs for all citizens, will be crucial for During the pre-liberalised the World Bank in 1955. 73,000 crore, over 34 per allocation, there has been an up from Rs 61.30 crore allocat- looking", saying India not only 5 lakh crore for this DFI in three attaining the target of becoming era, India had DFIs which were The Industrial Development cent less than the revised increase of Rs 11,500 crore ed for 2020-21. won the battle against COVID- years time," she said. a USD 5 trillion economy by FY primarily engaged in develop- Bank of India (IDBI) came into estimate of Rs 1,11,500 crore in allocation to MGNREGA In the budget, the allocation 19 but also headed towards In her Budget 2019-20 2025. ment of industry in the coun- existence in 1964 to promote for 2020-21. The budgetary to Rs 73,000 crore from Rs for broadcasting under the social prosperity. speech, Finance Minister The DFI will play a key try. ICICI and IDBI, in their long-term financing for infra- estimate for 2020-21 was Rs 61,500 crore during the Nirmala Sitharaman had pro- developmental role apart from previous avatars, were DFIs. structure projects and industry. 61,500 crore. period under review. Aircraft leasing companies India sets aside over Rs 7,100 crore as in GIFT city to get tax holiday development assistance to other countries PNS n NEW DELHI Remi Maillard, the president PNS n NEW DELHI at Rs 400 crore. and Afghanistan to boost trade and managing director of Both Bangladesh and Sri ties. Aircraft leasing companies Airbus India and South Asia, India on Monday set aside Lanka will get Rs 200 crore India on Sunday formally based out of GIFT city in called the finance minister's over Rs 7,100 crore in its bud- each, while an amount of Rs handed over two 140-tonne Gujarat's Gandhinagar would announcement a "significant" get for 2021-22 as development 250 crore has been set aside for mobile harbour cranes to the get a tax holiday on capital one as it would provide some assistance for countries in its the Maldives, Rs 900 crore for authorities of the Chabahar gains and rental income relief to the Indian carriers neighbourhood as well as in Mauritius and Rs 160 crore for port in Iran and both sides earned, Finance Minister who are bleeding cash due to Africa and Latin America, with Seychelles. reviewed their overall cooper- Nirmala Sitharaman the COVID-19 pandemic. Bhutan getting the maximum An amount of Rs 300 crore ation in developing the transit announced on Monday. Airbus is one the two largest allocation of Rs 3,004 crore has been allocated for African hub. At present, there are no air- aircraft manufacturers in the while Rs 100 crore will be given countries, Rs 100 crore for According to the budget craft leasing companies in world. Other one is Boeing. to Chabahar port project in Eurasian countries and an out- documents, additionally, an Gujarat International Finance "The proposal sits well with Iran. lay of Rs 40 crore was marked amount of Rs 476 crore has Tec (GIFT) city. India's desire to develop a Finance Minister Nirmala for Latin American nations. been set aside for 'support to "I propose to include, among local aircraft leasing and Sitharaman allocated Rs 18,154 Separately, Rs 130 crore has international training/pro- others, tax holiday for capital financing industry to acceler- crore to the Ministry of been allocated for assistance to grammes'. gains for aircraft leasing com- panies such as Avolon, ate the maturity and External Affairs (MEA) in the other developing countries. An enhanced allocation has panies, tax exemption for air- GECAS, BBAM, BOC 'Atmanirbharta' of the Indian union budget, out of which Rs tries accounted for 42 percent According to the budget In the budget, Sitharaman also been made for initiatives craft lease rentals paid to for- Aviation and Dubai Aerospace aviation industry," said 7,148 crore has been ear- of the total outlay. documents, Bhutan will get a also made an allocation of Rs related to the United Nations eign lessors... located in IFSC Enterprise Capital. Maillard, who is also the chair- marked as aid to countries. A significant share of the aid total of Rs 3,004 crore com- 100 crore for the development and other International (International Financial The government's budget man of Civil Aviation As per the revised estimates, portfolio in the budget is to pared to the revised estimate of of the Chabahar port. The Organisations as compared to Services Centre)," the minister announcement about tax hol- Committee of industry body India's development assistance cater to India's sustained Rs 2,261 crore in 2020-21. amount is the same as was allo- earlier years. said in her budget speech. iday is to attract these leasing FICCI. in 2020-21 was Rs 5,369 crore. COVID assistance to friendly The development assistance cated in 2020-21. The official said enhanced No major aircraft leasing companies to establish an Tax support for aircraft leas- The allocation of Rs 18,154 countries including the supply to Nepal has been increased to Located in the Sistan- allocation has been made com- companies are based in India. office in GIFT city so that the ing and rentals will help grow crore is the highest for the min- of coronavirus vaccines as Rs 992 crore from last year's Rs Balochistan province on the mensurate with India's expand- Majority of the aircraft fleet Indian airlines can do rental the fleet size in India as a vast istry till date and the overall grants under the 'Vaccine 880 crore while the amount for energy-rich Iran's southern ing diplomatic footprint, with with the Indian carriers have payment in rupees instead of majority of these aircraft will development portfolio includ- Maitri' initiative, said an offi- Afghanistan has been pegged coast, the Chabahar port is the opening of new missions in been leased from foreign com- USD. likely be leased, he added. ing the assistance to the coun- cial. at Rs 350 crore and Myanmar being developed by India, Iran several countries. Budget 2021: The winners and losers

WINNERS Real estate & construction LOSERS Hospitals Real estate developers are set to benefit Bonds ing unrest on New Delhi's from plans for a new development finance A higher-than-expected borders, where thousands The Covid-19 pandemic prompted Sitharaman to boost institution to meet funding requirements $164-billion borrowing plan are protesting for the repeal healthcare spending by 137% this year, an improvement over for infrastructure projects. Godrej for the new fiscal year hit of new agriculture laws. the less than 2% of gross domestic product that India has tra- Properties Ltd., Oberoi Realty Ltd., and India's sovereign bonds, There were also no signifi- ditionally spent on health annually. The announcement DLF Ltd. and Prestige Estates Projects Ltd. which slid after the cant announcements on extended shares of hospital operators including Apollo are among those likely to gain. Key announcement. The govern- boosting consumption in the Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., Max Healthcare Institute Ltd. and infrastructure players like Larsen & ment also plans to raise an rural economy. The budget Narayana Hrudayalaya Ltd. Other companies likely to ben- Toubro Ltd. and KNR Constructions another 800 billion rupees by estimate for expenditure on efit may include Dr Lal Pathlabs Ltd., Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. and IRB Infrastructure Developers this fiscal year, on top of its the rural jobs scheme was Ltd. and Thyrocare Technologies Ltd. Ltd. also look set to benefit. projection of record 13.1 tril- 730 billion rupees for the lion rupees of debt sales. financial year 2022, com- pared to the 1.1 trillion expenditure in the revised Metal makers estimate for FY21. The announcement of an additional 11,000-km of high- IT Firms ways and metros, along with rapid rail transport projects for India's biggest services 27 cities ,and a long-awaited vehicle scrappage policy boost- export contributors received ed stocks of metal companies that will cater to added demand little attention in the budget. for steel and aluminum. These include Jindal Steel & Power There were no sops to boost Ltd., JSW Steel Ltd., Tata Steel Ltd., Hindalco Industries Ltd., the future of information Vedanta Ltd., Hindustan Zinc Ltd. and Hindustan Copper technology from Sitharaman Ltd. Exporters this year for companies India raised import tariffs including TCS Ltd., Infosys on solar and mobile-phone Ltd., Wipro, HCL equipment and auto parts, Technologies, Tech Textiles among others. Announced Mahindra, along with mid- with a view to boosting local sized firms like LTI, Sitharaman's manufacturing in line with Mindtree, Persistent and announcement of the the government's focus on Hexaware. establishment of seven self-reliance, the move may mega textile parks to raise further concerns about be launched in three State-run banks India's trade policies that are years could boost the The government announced it was forming an asset man- increasingly seen as protec- sector, benefiting com- agement company to take over stressed assets of banks in an tionist. panies including effort to clean up one of the world's worst pile of bad loans. Century Textiles Ltd., Banks, insurers rose on plans for setting up a bad-debt man- Farmers/Rural India Raymond Ltd., Trident ager. State Bank of India Ltd., Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, The farm sector received Ltd. and Arvind Ltd. Union Bank of India, Bank of India and Punjab National Bank attention but there were no among others. could be among the beneficiaries. major announcements that could help address the ongo- Follow us on @TheDailyPioneer facebook.com/ dailypioneer

Tuesday February 02, 2021 Notch up your An audio tryst style with Salil Acharya

eekend shows have some magic that lifts us up, don’t hosting and podcasting in a way they? Such magic is hard to that his unconventional method is what I am known for and I find in television dramas of hosting makes the entire set must continue it,’” he shares. Kapil Sharma, but if you put me game where the bahus are always of celebs look more like family W Being loved by the masses is in an event about the stock mar- crying because of their evil than just people working actually the pointer towards the ket today, I’ll be up for it, as I As we rest on weekend mother-in-laws! But what together. “I choose to stick to massive success that Salil has makes these weekend shows so believe I have sufficient television and radio despite the achieved all these years by don- about it,” he adds. gyaan evenings, taking the good? Great hosts! Hosts who booming emergence of new ning multiple hats. But has it not only make the audience Known for his gifted elo- arrivals like YouTube and ever led to a point where his quence, Salil is immune to the much-needed laugh but also bind the entire Podcasting because the old creativity had begun to dim show together with their fear of public speaking. He was refreshing break from delineation between television down? Nothing held him back always encouraged to be a boy antiques and energy. So is the and other mediums can’t disap- from reaching his true creative job of an actor who now turned who could express, express and the everyday drama in pear just like that! Not everyone potential. Focussing on what express more which led him to host and podcast-runner and can be an opening batsman like went right, whatever passion he has managed to impress the choose professions as such. And life, the shows and Sachin Tendulkar, televi- has taken up, he mastered it. “I even in the age of emojis, ani- audience with his great sense sion and radio will am not one of those people podcasts airing during of comic timing, high levels of mated GIFs and always remain an who’ll be a bait for memes interviewing is stillSnapchat the mostfilters, energy and the passion for extension of show this time are not only hosting. We’re talking about or crack jokes around. In effective way to inspire others business. We can fact, I don’t even do any- around you. With the introduc- none other than well-known always level up on good forms of VJ Salil Acharya who made thing that’s scripted! tion of podcasts in India and it as we did with Salil Acharya’s podcast trending entertainment after a his Bollywood debut in podcasting! And, Instead, I am one of the Mohit Suri’s film few emcees who doesn’t on number two across the what gave me a world, it only etches the fact hard day, but they are Awarapan sense of affirma- use a teleprompter . either, because I want to that sharing ideas is more also a source of hearty From working for tion was Spotify important than physical pres- coming to India ask- keep it organic. My movies to being an RJ expertise and creativity ence. “It’s more feasible and and now interviewing ing me to host a pops from the knowledge time-saving. Although, we still, laughter. In a show interviewing A-listers on his pod- I have gained after all as a country, aren’t too open to conversation with cast, he has made his people. It made hosting a podcast the way we mark since the advent me feel these years, I am no Sunil want to, as we are bound to cer- SHIKHA DUGGAL, of television and ‘okay tain rules and regulations, yet I everybody's favourite radio, when there this Grover was given a free hand. Being were no footprints or able to access a podcast some- weekend entertainer of anything called times in our native language is ‘YouTube’ or also a big win, isn’t it? The vari- Salil Acharya talks ‘Podcast’. The ety of content that we have in world of enter- the new audio industry is like about VJ-ing, acting, tainment wel- an untapped market altogeth- and remaining relevant comed the er. The chat shows have been wonder- wooing the audiences since and creative as he dons fully a very long time now, and earnest dd some bling to Gold strappy flat edge on we are just getting better your vacation casual days and at it,” he concludes. many hats! and slay that Featuring classic out and innov- beach outfit with strappy design in comfy everything ative the right shoes. leatherette, this is all else. Salil A Here are some cool girls’ warm-weath- into Pewter bling flats by Pazzion er essential. weaved which are comfortable Champagne bow slide san- while adding a state- glitter foldable dals ment to your vacay leather flats lookbook. Keep your Black diamante A comfortable option look refined in sandals to heels, elegant pumps a minimalist in a foldable format slide sandal Turn every day into a constructed in light with the wear- glamorous one with this genuine leather with a with-anything stunning style. This pointed silhouette for appeal. dazzling sandal features all-day comfort. A Featuring a a genuine leather upper, touch of glitter adds a woven metallic braided strap covered glamorous cinderel- strap over a with diamante detailing; laesque style with a flexible sole, A chic toe strap will unique twist. Discreetly this pair will keep your foot in place stash a backup pair of soon become while you are on the these foldable flats and your go-to footwear move, especially by the perfectly shine at every for running errands beachside. chic event or gain an or a brunch date.

stituted by artists, public as a whole relies on the Rise of digital art new dynamics have acted as museums, private art gal- broader economic situation, COVID-19 has been an a stimulus to the creativity of Art has leries, auction houses and majorly centred on elements event that has had unprece- artists as they are now witnessed private non-commercialised impacting the growth and dented ramifications for all exploring the virtual medi- art initiatives. This industry distribution of private of us and has forced us to um for connectivity. Even art many is the primary market that wealth. The concentration of rethink and reinvent in order lovers can now take more Craft through features new and relatively wealth in the hands of an to survive. Just like every time to browse through vari- transformations lesser-known artists along- increasing number of afflu- other industry, the pandemic ous catalogues and decide side more recognised con- ent Indians has been driving has seriously impacted the which one to buy as per their from the temporary artists. The sec- the growth of the visual arts lives of artists very deeply as convenience. Artists who ancient times to ondary market comprises industry in the past few it has taken away traditional were hesitant earlier are now auction houses that offer art- years, augmenting sales in platforms where they would proactively learning to use the digital age. works for resale once these the high-end market espe- showcase their creativity ear- social media platforms to the ages have acquired fame for their cially. lier. Due to social distancing, develop and sustain their Punit V Sood artistic value, historical sig- Visual arts industry also there are no new events, presence, and display their nificance and rarity. The has a tremendous potential exhibitions and public dis- work to the world. explains the gral elements of the Indian Tyeb Mehta. They were dri- and decorative art. Several artists are finding landscape and have laid the ven by the idea to paint with Collectively, all forms of ways to integrate technology evolution of the foundation for positioning no curtailment of freedom in visual arts help bind a into their work. Sculptors industry over various cities pan-India as content and technique. nation’s ethos and make up can now access a variety of major art destinations. Secondly, the process of an important medium for raw materials and mediums. the years Indian art heritage is a tes- globalisation in the early brand projection. Art installations via sophisti- tament to the changing face 1990s helped the art culture Traditionally, Indian artists cated electronic devices and of our society through the to develop and evolve fur- have always taken inspira- superior printing technology ages. The monumental vari- ther, empowering it to move tion from the philosophical provide first-class prints, ndian art and ety in styles, techniques, ahead without any baggage line of thought that holds which can be accessed by art culture are the themes and media point from its past. Hence, there ‘absolute cannot be created lovers from any part of the resilient means towards the richness of the was a gradual rise of aware- nor destroyed, instead it can world. Along with individu- that bind the art and lay out its evolution ness of Indian art’s global only be felt and compre- als buying art, even India I country into one trajectory. Earlier, art in relevance. hended’. Their finesse makes Inc. has become an art fabric. Art has India was relegated to the The Indian market is on our artists second to none. patron, either as owners of come a long way from its portals of the royalty and the brink of a major trans- Even the language of art or by sponsoring art initial origins. In the recent elite class in the times when formation as sales of con- abstractionism, popular uni- events. Art has been with us few years, India has been kings had extended royal temporary art are much like- versally, isn’t a new advent in since since time immemorial witnessing a rising desire for patronage to artists hailing ly to pick up, supported by India. Using traditional and has undergone various art amongst the people from diverse fields. its increasing popularity and abstract expressions on can- transformations from the owing to the advent of a Along the way, the art a diversified buyer base. vas is what has taken Indian ancient age to the digital age. growing number of cultural industry has witnessed vari- Visual arts — evolution & art on the global stage. Although our options to initiatives, such as city-based ous milestones. Out of these, trajectory Analysing the trends domi- recently emerged e-plat- to contribute to the Indian play, which has affected the experience it have become art festivals, gallery exhibi- two major ones stood out in The visual arts (VA) com- nating Indian art over the forms, which offer curated, economy by providing direct livelihood of millions of limited, art enthusiasts have tions and grand events like the post-Independence peri- prise art forms such as years, we find that the artists branded digital auctions of employment, skills develop- artists. been leveraging a multitude art biennales. Many non- od. Firstly, there was the ceramics, paintings, draw- have not only explored our an assortment of art and col- ment and by promoting cul- However, like the silver of forums where it can be commercial establishments emergence of the ‘progres- ings, sculpture, printmaking, own past but have also lectibles, also show immense tural tourism and nation’s lining to every adversity, the experienced with newer and artist-led initiatives have sive art group’ that com- crafts, photography, designs, delved deep into the expres- potential for the future of cultural identity. The global pandemic has opened up technologies, especially in also come out in support of prised the likes of veteran video, film making, and sions and symbols prevalent Indian art culture. turnover of the Indian art new opportunities and given real-time, experiential, virtu- developing the industry. artists like Francis Newton architecture. It also includes in our own culture to take Though different art seg- market has been gigantic as rise to newer perspectives. al reality etc. Businesses and events that Souza, S. H. Raza, M. F. applied arts like industrial their art to the international ments display different it clocked in close to Rs 1500 Since the stakeholders of the (The writer is the co- encompass art and culture Hussain, S. K. Bakre, Akbar designs, fashion design, inte- level. growth trajectories, the per- crore, including primary and art industry have now taken founder and director of an have gradually become inte- Padamsee, Manishi Dey, and rior design, graphic design, Visual arts industry is con- formance of the VA industry secondary sales. to the digital medium, the arts organisation.) vijayawada 11 VIJAYAWADA | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 2, 2021 BUDGET 2021-22 PPP MODE FOR COMPNAY TO MANAGE BAD PORTS OPERATIONS Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday DEBT FOR BANKS said major ports will move from managing operational The governmetn will set up a company to manage bad debt services on their own to a model where a private part- for banks, which is expected to reach record levels this year, ner will operate it for them. For the purpose, seven threatening financial stability in the world's second-most projects worth more than Rs 2,000 crore will be offered populous nation. The firm will hold problem loans for by the major ports on the public-private partnership banks, which can then be sold on to investors at a reduced mode in 2021-22, the finance minister said while pre- price, according to plans outlined by Finance Minister senting the Union Budget 2021 Nirmala Sitharaman in a budget speech on Monday.

Interest on PF Govt to to be taxed if it exceeds more borrow than Rs 2.5-L PNS n NEW DELHI

Individuals whose provident fund contribution is ? 2.5 Rs 12.05 lakh cr lakh or more in a financial year, will not be able to seek PNS n NEW DELHI a fairly steady decline tax exemption on the inter- over the period," Finance est earned from the next The government will bor- Minister Nirmala financial year. While pre- row Rs 12.05 lakh crore Sitharaman said while senting Budget 2021, Ms from the market in 2021- unveiling Budget 2021-22 Sitharaman said, "In order to 22, lower than the Rs in Lok Sabha on Monday. rationalise tax exemption 12.80 lakh crore estimat- Gross borrowing for the income earned by ed for the current finan- includes repayments of ern- high income employees, it is cial year. past loans. Repayment ment proposed to restrict tax According to the for past loans in the next in May exemption for the interest Govt to hike FDI cap in Revised Estimate, the financial year has been increased its income earned on the gross borrowing for the pegged at Rs 2.80 lakh market borrowing employees' contribution to current financial year was crore. programme for the cur- Sitharaman in the various provident funds to raised to Rs 12.8 lakh The government raises rent financial year by need another Rs 80,000 2020-21 Budget had the annual contribution of insurance sector to 74 pc crore as against the Budget money from the market more than 50 per cent to crores for which we would pegged the gross market Rs 2.5 lakh." Estimate of Rs 7.8 lakh to fund its fiscal deficit Rs 12 lakh crore. be approac hing the mar- borrowing - which is also Currently, interest earned crore, registering an through dated securities However, in view of the kets in these 2 months. To a reflection of fiscal deficit on provident fund is exempt- PNS n NEW DELHI panies and allow foreign own- Aatur Thakkar co- increase of 64 per cent. and treasury bills. impact of the lockdown ensure that the economy - for the current fiscal at ed from income tax. ership and control with safe- "The gross borrowing As a result, net borrow- on tax collection and the is given the required push, Rs 7.80 lakh crore. The "EPFO is for welfare of The government on Monday guards," she said while present- founder and Director from the market for the ing would come down to need to garner addition- our BE estimates for amount was up from Rs workers and workers will not proposed to increase foreign ing the Budget 2021-22. at Alliance Insurance next year would be Rs 9.24 lakh crore for the al resources to fight the expenditure in 2021-2022, 7.1 lakh crore in 2019-20. be affected by this move. It direct investment (FDI) limit She also said that for around Rs 12 lakh crores. next fiscal, while for the pandemic, the govern- are Rs 34.83 lakh crores. The Budget has pegged is only for big ticket money in the insurance sector to 74 investor protection, an investor said an additional We plan to continue with current fiscal it is estimat- ment decided to substan- This includes Rs 5.54 lakh fiscal deficit at 6.8 per cent which comes into EPFO per cent, a move aimed at charter would be introduced as infusion of capital will our path of fiscal consol- ed at Rs 10.52 lakh crore tially increase the market crores as capital expendi- for the next fiscal, down which has tax benefit and attracting greater overseas cap- a right of all financial investors idation, and intend to during 2020-21. borrowing programme ture, an increase of 34.5 from 9.5 per cent of the also assured 8 per cent ital inflows to help enhance across all financial products. enable growth and reach a fiscal deficit level Hard-pressed for funds for the current fiscal by per cent over the BE fig- GDP in the current finan- return," Ms Sitharaman said insurance penetration in the It was in 2015 when the gov- help insurance reach below 4.5 per cent of to combat rising coron- about 54 per cent or Rs 4.2 ure of 2020-2021," the cial year. while addressing the post- country. ernment hiked the FDI cap in GDP by 2025-2026 with avirus infections, the gov- lakh crore. "We would minister said. budget press conference. In the first paperless Union the insurance sector from 26 the last mile at the Budget, Finance Minister per cent to 49 per cent. Nirmala Sitharaman said Life insurance penetration grass-root level under the new structure, the in the country is 3.6 per cent Govt plans Rs 1,000 cr for tea majority of directors on the of the GDP, way below the Commenting on the pro- NRIs to be allowed to board and key management global average of 7.13 per cent, posal to hike FDI to 74 per workers’ welfare in Assam, WB persons would be resident and in case of general insur- cent, Russell Gaitonde, Partner, Indians, with at least 50 per ance, it is even worse at 0.94 Deloitte India, said the deci- float one-person companies PNS n NEW DELHI crores for the welfare of tea cent of directors being inde- per cent of GDP, as against the sion will help attract greater workers especially women and pendent directors, and speci- world average of 2.88 per cent. foreign investment and PNS n NEW DELHI The government on Monday their children in Assam and fied percentage of profits being The government has earlier strengthen the sector. proposed to provide Rs 1,000 West Bengal," she said while retained as a general reserve. allowed 100 per cent foreign Aatur Thakkar co-founder Seeking to further improve crore for the welfare of tea presenting the Union Budget "I propose to amend the direct investment in insur- and Director at Alliance the ease of doing business, workers in two poll-bound 2021-22. Insurance Act, 1938 to increase ance intermediaries. Insurance said an additional Finance Minister Nirmala states - Assam and West Bengal. West Bengal and Assam are the permissible FDI limit from Intermediary services infusion of capital will enable Sitharaman on Monday said In the first paperless Union the two big tea producing states 49 per cent to 74 per cent in include insurance brokers, growth and help insurance NRIs will be allowed to set up Budget, Finance Minister in the ountry. insurance com- reinsurance brokers, insur- reach the last mile at the grass- one person companies, defin- Nirmala Sitharaman said that a ance consultants, corporate root level. "This one move ition of small companies will be special scheme will be devised agents, third party adminis- will help create more jobs for revised and various provisions for the same. trators, surveyors and youth which is the need of the of the Limited Liability "I propose to KISHAN loss assessors. hour," Thakkar added. Partnership (LLP) Act will be provide Rs REDDY WELCOMES Further, Shailaja decriminalised. 1,000 SWASTHA BHARAT SCHEME Lall, Partner, Shardul The proposed relaxations to ments under the companies 'Rs 2 crore' to 'not exceeding Rs Amarchand Mangaldas & Co, rules governing One Person law. Sitharaman, who is also in 20 crore'. "This will benefit Finance Minister Nirmala said that a more liberal FDI Companies (OPCs) are expect- charge of the corporate affairs more than two lakh companies Sitharaman introduced the Atmanirbhar policy will certainly attract ed to benefit startups and inno- ministry, said the decriminalis- in easing their compliance Bharat ka Budget in Parliament to build a higher amounts of foreign vators. ing of the procedural and tech- requirements," she said. huge $ 5 trillion economy in line with the ideas capital, which will aid in Dedicating a separate portion nical compoundable offences Regarding OPCs, the BANDI of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said Union DIRECTIONLESS increasing insurance of her 2021-22 Budget speech to under the Companies Act, 2013, minister said she is SANJAY TERMS Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy. "I BUDGET, SAYS CONG penetration in India. company matters, Sitharaman is now complete, and that the proposing to "incen- BUDGET AS HISTORICAL welcome the announcement of Prime Minister Aatma Terming the Union Budget as "direction- said in the next fiscal year, MCA next step is to take up decrim- tivise" the incor- Nirbhar Swastha Bharat Scheme by the Finance less", the Congress on Monday said it was a 21 portal will be driven by data inalisation of the LLP Act, 2008. poration of such Karimnagar MP and Telangana BJP Minister. With focus on six pillars - Innovation capa- case of "wrong diagnosis and prescription", and analytics, artificial intelligence Further, she proposed revis- companies. chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar has termed the bility, leadership, human capital, information Finance Minister could have been "brave" by and machine learning features ing the definition of small com- Central budget as historical. In a statement here technology, financial resources and emphasis extending help to the poor, but chose to be as well as have additional mod- panies under the Companies on Monday, Sanjay Kumar said that the Telangana on health and wellbeing, the Finance "timid". The opposition also said that ules such as for e-adjudication Act, 2013 by increasing their BJP is welcoming the budget introduced by Minister is taking the right step Sitharaman's speech was oblivious to the and compliance management. thresholds for paid-up capital Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman. ahead in building a healthier declining GDP and alleged that the budget was MCA 21 portal is used for from 'not exceeding Rs 50 lakh' He said that the budget is in tune with the India,” he said. without a roadmap for accelerating growth submitting various documents to 'not exceeding Rs 2 crore' and aspirations and expectations of the peo- and revival of consumer demand. Congress as part of compliance require- turnover from 'not exceeding ple. The budget would enhance the peo- leader Shashi Tharoor took a dig at the Centre ple’s welfare, health, development and over the budget, saying "this government enhance the confidence of the poor reminds me of the garage mechanic who and middle class, he said. The bud- told his client, 'I couldn't fix your get allocations for Telangana are brakes, so I made your horn TS govt silent on Budget more than expected, he louder'." pointed out. RAW WORKING CLASS Softening of TRS’ stance against DEAL FOR TIRED OF PROMISES: TELANGANA, MAYAWATI Centre fails to benefit state SAYS UTTAM Reacting to the Union Budget on Monday, BSP states — West Bengal, The Union Budget presented by Finance supremo Mayawati said that crores of poor, farm- L VENKAT RAM REDDY Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Minister Nirmala Sitaraman was disappoint- ers and working class of the country are tired of attrac- n HYDERABAD Nadu — received consider- ing as Telangana remained neglected in fund tive promises and hollow claims. She said it would be able allocations and atten- allocations, said Telangana Pradesh Congress better if the government implemented its stated poli- Although the TRS government tion. Committee (TPCC) President and MP Capt N cies on the ground."Will the budget of the Central has softened its stance towards However, the TRS gov- Uttam Kumar Reddy. Speaking to media persons Government presented in Parliament today be able the BJP- led NDA government at ernment's modified on the premises of Parliament after the presen- to deal with poverty, unemploy- the Centre after the recent 'political strategy' tation of the budget, Uttam Kumar Reddy ment and inflation, etc?”. GHMC polls, the changed equa- of maintaining cordial rela- accused the BJP government of misusing Mayawati said in a tion did not result in any signif- tions with the Centre, espe- public exchequer for REACTIONS tweet in Hindi. icant, measurable benefits for cially in light of the outcome political gains. Telangana in the Union Budget. of GHMC polls, apparently Despite this, Chief K failed to appease BJP brass. Chandrasekhar Rao, Finance Post GHMC polls, KCR has Minister T Harish Rao and IT taken several decisions like ‘MEAGRE WILL INCREASE Minister KT Rama Rao chose to going soft on Modi's con- PROBLEMS OF maintain silence on Union troversial farm laws, Ayushman ALLOCATIONS FOR FARMERS: SP Budget. This has whetted the Bharat, EWS quota etc in MINORITIES’ WELFARE’ curiosity of TS watchers. Telangana, mainly to mend Former minister Mohammed Ali he Samajwadi Party on Monday slammed the There were absolutely no reac- fences with the Centre. Shabbir decried the BJP government for TUnion Budget, and said it will increase the prob- tions on the Union Budget from The BJP's political strat- reducing the allocations for minority welfare in lems of farmers and common man. The party further the state government – at least, egy on Telangana has also come the Union Budget 2021-22. In his reaction to the said that the Modi government has "lost its credibili- Finance Department, Ministers under lens, given the lack of any Union Budget presented by Finance Minister BUDGET ty" and accused the BJP of working for corporates. "Its or ruling party brass. significant TS-specific package in bud- Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Monday, WILL BE A (BJP's) every move is aimed at snatching away every- In their pre-Budget meetings the Union Budget. get Shabbir Ali said that the allocations for minority MILESTONE IN UPGRADING thing from the common man and giving it to the cor- convened by the Centre, Harish The BJP has projected itself as alloca- affairs have been reduced from Rs 5,029 crore in ECONOMY: UP CM porate groups. Its budget is also directly and indi- Rao had demanded that the a strong alternative to TRS in tion 2020-21 to Rs 4,810.77 crore in 2021-20. Shabbir rectly dedicated to corporate groups," Leader of al Centre should scrap the cess and Telangana and has unveiled made to Ali said that Prime Minister slogan of 'Sabka ttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly t surcharges being collected by the plans to capture power in Telangana in Saath, Sabka Vikas' has been proved hollow UAdityanath on Monday said the Union and senior SP leader, Ram Govind - Centre. Instead, the Centre has Telangana in the 2023 ssembly the Budget as his government has completely ignored Budget will prove to be a milestone in upgrad- Chowdhury, alleged in a state- e introduced one more cess in the polls. would have given the minorities' welfare ing India's economy and will ensure development ment here. - Budget. KTR had written sever- Going by the statements of opportunity for in the Union of all sections of society. "The general bud- s al letters to various Ministries BJP leaders on the saffron party’s Telangana BJP leaders Budget. get is in accordance with the expectation of - seeking funds from the Centre surge in south, particularly in to derive political public welfare, inclusive and 'Atmanirbhar s prior to the presentation of the Telangana, there were expecta- mileage. Bharat' (self-reliant India). The budget Budget. tions that the BJP would give Looking at the Union Budget has taken care of every class including The Union Budget clearly prominence to Telangana in the presented on Monday, even farmers, middle class, poor, women," reflects the 'political strat- Union Budget to achieve its Telangana BJP leaders are at a fix he said in a series of tweets in egy' of the BJP-led political goals, similar to that as they do not know what they Hindi. government at the Centre, given for the four poll-bound can highlight as that ‘given’ by considering that four poll-bound states. Any significant project or BJP to Telangana in the Budget. 12

Vijayawada Tuesday February 02, 2021 tollywood Zombie Reddy is a Nandini Reddy dream debut for any newcomer: Teja Sajja

fter a support- to direct Santosh ing turn in Oh Baby, Teja Sajja has now graduated to a ox-office success might have life feel-good romantic comedy with a lead role with eluded Santosh Sobhan despite strong emotions. Prasanth Varma’s Zombie his promising turns in Bangaru It will leave a smile on the faces Reddy, which opens this Kodipetta and Tanu Nenu but of the audience at the end of its Friday. The actor is a pic- After one look at his upcoming fil- run time. The whole team is ture of self-belief as he b mography is a pointer that his excited and pumped up speaks about the film. collaborating future looks bright. Besides a couple of about it. The muhurat “It’s a commercial action- projects with leading production house is around the corner, comedy and dream debut with UV UV Creations, the actor is also doing a while the principal for any newcomer who film with actor-writer Abhishek Maharshi. photography will comes from the industry. Concepts, Now, The Pioneer has exclusively learnt commence from It ticks all the boxes for a that he will be collaborating with another next month. The commercial film. It has which is UV top banner Swapna Cinema for his imme- pre-production is in action, comedy, dance diate next. Directing the project will be full-swing.”Nandini and drama. Additionally, Creations Nandini Reddy, whose last film Oh Baby is planning to wrap it has zombies as well,” was a super hit. it up in less than he says, breaking into a A highly-placed source close to the 60 days, with the smile. offshoot, development tells us, “Nandini committed majority of the The film’s plot follows to make a film for Swapna Dutt more than shooting set to a mad scientist's efforts Santosh five years ago and she is glad that it is hap- take place in to find a cure for coron- pening now. The project will be a slice of Hyderabad. avirus pandemic. But his Sobhan is efforts boomerang, resulting in the rise of now set to zombies. The zombie outbreak and its contain- work with ment, set in the backdrop of Kurnool, are narrated in a Mahanati hilarious fashion. “The film has shaped up more hilariously than what we envisaged. We producers went to floors last February and initially we wanted to do it as a Swapna and serious film but after a point we toned down the seriousness. Prasanth is aware of my Priyanka Post the lockdown; we felt it strengths and penned the was appropriate to make it as a Dutt for a full-length entertainer with script according to it. thrills, especially after what Likewise, I know what he new-age people had to go through (in wants from me. Very rarely the lockdown). There are a rom-com, couple of other undercurrent did he ask me to give a emotions as well which meet a shot in a different way proper closure in the end. So TEJA SAJJA finds the film is for everyone to enjoy,” the actor informs, sure ACTOR NAGARAJ that they have a good product in hand but his only worry is GOUD how well they will take it to the audience before release due to logistical reasons. The fact that he is good friends with Prasanth meant that their bond helped the film. “He is aware of my strengths Almost, all my shots were and penned the script accord- okayed instantly,” the actor ing to it. Likewise, I points out. Aadi ecstatic with the reception know what he Teja will be seen as a game wants from me. designer in the film and his Very rarely part doesn’t have a romantic did he ask track. me to give Isn’t it unusual for someone Oke Oka Lokam a shot in a popular who is making his to different debut as a lead actor? “You can way on expect me to romance zom- loca- bies,” he smiles. ctor Aadi Saikumar, who is Vennela Kishore, Jayaprakash tion. Teja Sajja’s next is a fantasy going through a lean patch and Thulasi in supporting love story, Adbutham, with at the box-office, is jubilant roles, is a joint produc- Naruda Donaruda director with the reception tion venture Mallik Ram. He says 95 percent Oke Oka Lokam song from between RP work on the film is over. — NG a Sashi garnered. Varma, C I am “A week ago, I went to dinner with Ramanjaneyulu my wife and I got down from my and C Srinivas car with my mask on, I spotted at Rao. least three guys having Oke Oka Lokam song as their ringtone. The very strict song reached 700k views at that time but I was sure that it would penetrate further into the people as days progressed. Today it stands with myself: at 21 million views and I extend my thanks to people for making it a super hit. I also thank Chandrabose for coming up Suriya with great lyrics. It’s for the first time I worked with him. The ctor lyrics are attracting a great Suriya deal of appreciation in the has been comments section of in the indus- YouTube,” the actor try for more exclaimed, while also a than two decades but somehow thanking singer Sid Sriram feels that he needs to push himself more. feel that I should have and composer Arun In fact, it is not easy for him to watch his done better,” he added. Chiluveru for their work. own films again and again. Meanwhile, his 2020 In the March 19th “I sometimes shy away from watching release Akasaam Nee release, a love story pep- my own films. There are times when I wait Haddhu Ra is still win- pered with action, Aadi for 100 days to complete since the film’s ning hearts. Recently, will be seen in a character release, and then I watch my film,” Suriya cricketer Ajinkya with multiple shades. said.Sometimes he doesn’t want to see cer- Rahane shared that he Directed by Srinivas tain parts of his films. “absolutely loved” the Naidu, the film, featuring “But when people give a lot of love to a film and found Rajeev Kanakala, Ajay, film, then I accept it and think that maybe Suriya’s work “bril- they are large-hearted and let go of my liant”. The film is a flaws. Then I say, ‘This is my favourite fictionalised account film now. I don’t see the errors now’. My of the life of Captain wife (Jyothika) and brother (Karthi) are GR Gopinath, who Ajith lauds Idhe Maa Katha teaser also actors, but are not like that. They founded the are very confident with what they do. low-cost airline, Air They like their work,” he said. Deccan. The teaser of Idhe and super positive things “Sometimes I get very critical with Maa Katha, which about our teaser coming my work. I feel like I have not was released by Dil from a superstar of such given my best and I should push a Raju last week, stature filled our whole team myself more. I am very strict received praise from with new energies and confi- with myself. I have been like none other Tamil superstar dence,” he said. this. It’s been more Ajith Kumar. Film’s director The film follows the 3,450 than 20 of photography C Ram kms bike journey of four dif- years Prasad showed the teaser to ferent personalities (played now. I the reclusive Tamil superstar by Srikanth, Ashwin, who said he “liked it very Bhumika and Tanya Hope) much”. “I really loved the from Hyderabad. “Their rea- visuals and the way the film son for the trip and the is shot. I too love bike riding, obstacles they face through- so I instantly got connected out the journey is what the to the teaser,” Thala, as Ajith film treads,” director Guru is fondly called in Tamil Pawan, who assisted Puri Nadu, said. He further hoped Jagannadh in the past, had to meet the film’s team per- said about the film last year. sonally sometime soon. Produced by G Mahesh Film’s director Guru Pawan under Gurappa Parameswara is over the moon with Ajith’s Productions, the film is a response. “To hear such nice Sunil Kashyap musical.