Weekly PIB Capsule 6th May 2019 to 12th May 2019

MOU signed between Ministry of AYUSH and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

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Weekly PIB Capsule 6th May 2019 to 12th May 2019

India and U.S. Hold Bilateral Trade Meeting

and the United States held the India-U.S. Bilateral Trade meeting in on 6th May 2019.  Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, and Mr. Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Commerce, United States of America co-chaired the bilateral meeting.  Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress during the year 2018, with bilateral trade in Goods and Services registering a growth of 12.6% from $ 126 billion in 2017 to $142 billion in 2018.  India appreciated the US Trade Winds Indo-Pacific Business Forum and Mission initiative 2019, being held at New Delhi. The forum will bring together distributors, representatives and partners and enable them to increase sales by taking part in business-to-business meetings from 8-10thMay, 2019, across India.  Both co-chairs also complimented the new bilateral private sector led Small Business Interaction initiative, the US - India SME Forum, held on the same day in the forenoon in New Delhi.  This is the first event of its kind and would pave the way for collaboration and partnership between the U.S. and Indian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the areas of manufacturing and services.  Both sides also discussed various outstanding trade issues. Both sides agreed to engage regularly at various levels to resolve outstanding trade issues by exploring suitable solutions, which are mutually beneficial and promote economic development and prosperity in both countries.  Both sides agreed to deepen economic cooperation and bilateral trade by ensuring greater cooperation amongst stakeholders, including Government, businesses and entrepreneurs.

INS Ranjit Sails into Sunset Culminating 36 years of Glorious Era

 INS Ranjit, a Rajput class destroyer was decommissioned at a solemn yet grand ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam culminating a glorious era on 06 May 19.  The ship commissioned on 15 September 1983 by Captain Vishnu Bhagwat in erstwhile USSR has rendered service to the nation for 36 years. The ship has been helmed by 27 commanding officers and the last commanding officer, Captain Vikram C Mehra has been in command since 06 Jun 17.

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 The ship since her commissioning has sailed for 2190 days covering a distance of over 7,43,000 nautical miles which is equivalent to navigating around the world 35 times and 3.5 times the distance from earth to moon.  Apart from various naval operations like Op Talwar and various multinational exercises, the ship has also been a flag bearer of the Indian Navy`s benign role by participating in relief operations post Tsunami in 2004 and cyclone Hud-hud in 2014.  In recognition of the service rendered by the ship to the nation, the ship was awarded Unit Citations by the Chief of Naval Staff in 2003-04 and in 2009-10.  Whilst the Ranjit era has come to an end in the Indian Navy, the spirit of Ranjit will continue to live in the hearts of every officer and sailor who has served onboard and her motto of Sada Rane Jayat or Ever Victorious in Battle will continue to inspire generations of Sea Warriors today and in the future.

Launch of Fourth Scorpene Class Submarine - VELA

 Vela, the fourth Scorpene class submarine being constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited for the Indian Navy, was launched today, on 06 May 2019, by Mrs Veena Ajay Kumar, wife of Dr Ajay Kumar, IAS, Secretary Defence Production, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion.  This event reaffirms the steps taken by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in the ongoing ‘Make In India’ programme, which is being actively implemented by the Department of Defence Production (MoD).  The submarine was towed to Mumbai Port Trust, for separation from the pontoon, after which she will undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in harbour and at sea before delivery to the Indian Navy.  The contract for the construction and Transfer-of-Technology for six Scorpene class submarines in series, has M/s Naval Group (formerly DCNS) of France as ‘Collaborator’ and are being built by MDL.  CMDE Rakesh Anand, Chairman and Managing Director, MDL said on the occasion that with the launching of the P15 B Destroyer ‘Imphal’ on 20 April 2019 and the, launching of Vela on 06 May 2019, were indeed some of the major events for MDL so far this year.

E-filing of Income Tax Returns registers an increase of 19%

 It is stated that during F.Y. 2017-18, out of a total of 6.74 crore ITRs which were e-filed, 5.47 crore ITRs were filed for Assessment Year(A.Y.) 2017-18 (the current year). In comparison,

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during F.Y. 2018-19, a total of 6.68 crore ITRs were e-filed which included 6.49 crore ITRs of current A.Y. 2018-19 marking an increase of almost 19%. This would imply that substantially larger number of taxpayers filed their ITRs electronically in the F.Y. 2018-19 as compared to F.Y. 2017-18.  The apparent decrease in the number of ITRs filed during F.Y. 2018-19 pertaining to earlier years was due to an amendment in Section 139(5) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 brought in vide Finance Act, 2017, w.e.f. 01.04.2018, which mandated that a revised return could be furnished only upto the end of the relevant Assessment Year.  As a result, only 0.14 crore ITRs pertaining to A.Y. 2017-18 were filed during F.Y. 2018-19 as these were the revised ITRs for the relevant A.Y. which could only be filed due to change in law and no other ITR of any earlier A.Y. could be filed in view of the amended provisions of law.  It is also stated that the number of paper ITRs for A.Y. 2017-18 was only 9.2 lakh (1.5% of total ITRs filed) and the number of paper ITRs for A.Y. 2018-19 is 4.8 lakh (0.6% of total ITRs filed). As per the above details, it is evident that most of the taxpayers have steadily switched to e-filing which is clear from the dwindling numbers of paper returns filed for A.Y. 2018-19 compared to earlier years.

Centre announces further assistance of One thousand crore rupees for Cyclone affected Odisha

 Continuing the coordination efforts and restoration measures in the areas of Odisha affected by cyclone FANI, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) under the Cabinet Secretary Sh. P. K. Sinha met again on 6th May for the seventh time in succession.  As announced by Prime Minister after his aerial survey and review of relief efforts with the Odisha Government, Ministry of Home Affairs has announced a further release of Rs 1,000 Crore for assistance to the State. Earlier Rs 341 crores had been provided to Odisha as an advance to its State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).  Ministries of Home Affairs, Defence, Railways, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Power, Telecommunications, Steel, Financial Services and NDMA attended the meeting to discuss about how their respective departments are being pressed into relief operations on priority basis.

Class X results of CBSE declared; Trivandrum region records highest pass percentage ; 13 students top the exam with 499 marks; Girls outclass boys in pass percentage

 The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) declared Class X results on 6thMay. 4 | P a g e

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 Trivandrum performed best amongst all regions with 99.85 % pass percentage followed by Chennai region with 99.00 % while Ajmer stands at third position with 95.89 % pass percentage.  Total 17,61,078students appeared in the exam out of which 16,04,428 students passed the exam. Overall pass percentage of this year is 91.10. Thirteen students have topped the exam with 499 total marks.

15th to hold meetings with RBI and Banks & Financial Institutions and Eminent Economists.

 The 15th Finance Commission has scheduled a two-days visit to Mumbai to hold meetings with the (RBI) and with the Banks and Financial Institutions on 8th and 9th May, 2019. The Commission will be headed by its Chairman, Shri N.K. Singh and include all its Members and senior officials.  In the meeting with the RBI, headed by Governor Shri , the Commission is likely to discuss the following issues:- o Views on key macro-economic assumptions for the Fifteenth Finance Commission (FCXV), keeping in view the key parameters central to macro-financial stability. o Views on the cost of borrowings of the Centre and the States during the award period of the FCXV. o Modalities for ensuring that the borrowing cost becomes increasingly market-driven. o Issues in quantifying contingent liabilities of States and off-budget transactions of States, and other issues of public financial management. o Views on possible debt trajectories of States and State-specific consolidation road map. o Requirements of recapitalisation of banks and their impact on the cost of borrowings of governments. o Possible scenarios of the Bimal Jalan Committee Report on surplus capital available with the RBI for transfer to the Government of India. o RBI’s own assessment of the dividends and surpluses that can be transferred to the Government of India during the award period of FCXV.

 In the meeting with the Banks and Financial Institutions the following issues are likely to be raised:- o Cost of borrowings of the Centre and the States during the award period of the FCXV. o Modalities for ensuring that the borrowing cost becomes increasingly market-driven. o Recapitalization of banks and their impact on the cost of borrowings of governments.

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 The meeting is to be attended by State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of Maharashtra, Central Bank of India, Union Bank of India, Axis Bank Ltd. HDFC Bank Ltd., ICICI Bank Ltd., IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Yes Bank Ltd, IDFC First Bank Ltd., IDBI Bank Limited.  The economists who will be attending the meeting include Ms. Rupa Rege Nitsure, Mr. Saugata Bhattacharya, Ms. Prachi Mishra, Mr. Sajjid Chenoy, Mr. Neelkanth Mishra, Dr. Samiran Chakraborty, Ms. Pranjul Bhandari, Ms. Ashu Suyash, Mr. Naresh Takkar, Mr. Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Mr. Ajit Ranade, Ms. Mala Lalvani, Dr. Mahendra Dev, Dr. Avadhoot Nadkarni, Dr. S.L. Shetty.

Initiatives by Commerce Ministry to Boost Trade with African Countries

 The Commerce Ministry and Indian High Commissions and Embassies of eleven African countries arranged an interaction over Digital Video Conference (DVC) over two days, on 3rd and 6th May 2019, with the Indian business community in Africa.  The interactions with Indian Diaspora were held in Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, and Mauritius, Nigeria, Mozambique, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, and Madagascar.  This initiative was held in order to build an effective engagement with the Indian Diaspora in Africa in order to further deepen and strengthen India-Africa trade ties.  India’s total trade with the African region during 2017-18 was USD 62.69 billion (8.15% of India’s total trade with the World).  India’s share of exports to African countries as a percentage of India’s total exports to the world was of the order of 8.21% in 2017-18. Africa region’s share in India’s total imports from the World accounted for 8.12% in 2017-18.  As per the latest available estimates, the current strength of the Indian Diaspora in the African countries is 2.8 million out of those 2.5 million are PIOs and rest 220967 are NRIs.  Total overseas Indians are 30.83 million of which 17.83 million are PIOs and 13 million are NRIs. (Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, 2016). Indian Diaspora in Africa constitutes 9.11% of the total Diaspora of India.  The major issues highlighted by the Indian Business Community in these 11 countries are: Improving the Line of Credit system and developing a facility for an affordable and competitive funding. o Setting up of Indian Banks/financial institutions in Africa o Enhanced Buyers’ Credit facility for promotion of trade between the two regions o Reviewing and liberalizing visa policies from both sides

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o Need for direct flights between the India and African countries o Exploring the possibility of rupee trade to address the issue of shortage of dollars in region. o Creation of common database of buyer-suppliers in the two regions for facilitating matchmaking for enhancement of bilateral trade. o Development of a robust trade dispute settlement mechanism o More frequent and structured country/sector specific trade exhibitions in Africa o Establishment of country chapters of FICCI or CII in Africa o Frequent visits of policy makers, chamber of commerce and investors for familiarization with local business and investment regime for informed decisions

59th BRO Raising Day

 Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is celebrating its 59th Raising Day on 7th May.  BRO is a leading road construction agency under the Ministry of Defence with a primary role of providing road connectivity in border areas.  It executes road construction and maintenance works along the Northern and Western frontiers primarily to meet the strategic requirements of the Army and is responsible for over 53,000 Km roads.  The BRO has also constructed roads in friendly foreign countries like Bhutan, Myanmar, Afghanistan etc. thus contributing towards our strategic objectives in the region.  In 2018-19, BRO executed 991 Km of Formation Cutting, 1965 Km Surfacing, Rs. 1518 Crores Permanent Works, 2817 M of Bridge construction and undertook resurfacing of 1778 Km roads along our Northern and Western Borders. The works done by BRO saw a jump of more than 12% in 2018-19 over the previous financial year.

Bangladesh Delegation meets I&B Ministry

 A Delegation from Bangladesh led by H.E. Dr. Gowher Rizvi, Adviser to Prime Minister of Bangladesh, including H.E. Mr. Syed Muazzem Ali, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India and other delegates met Shri Amit Khare, Secretary and other officials of I&B Ministry on 7th May.  The meeting focussed on various aspects of making of feature film on the life and works of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, co-production of which had earlier been announced by the Hon’ble Prime Ministers of both the countries.

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 The movie will be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Shri Shyam Benegal who, along with scriptwriter of the movie Shri Atul Tiwari, was also present during the meeting.  Co-production of documentary on Bangladesh Liberation War was also discussed in the meeting. It was mutually agreed that the director of the documentary would be from Bangladesh who would be assisted by a co-director from India.  It was also announced that Prasar Bharati has decided to not only carry Bangladesh TV on DD Free Dish platform, but also to waive carriage fees for the same.  As a reciprocal gesture, Bangladesh Delegation announced that a Doordarshan channel will be adopted on the soon to be launched DTH platform of Bangladesh.  A working agreement on cooperation between All India Radio and Bangladesh Betar was also agreed upon between the two countries, implementation of which would start from June, 2019.

India CEO forum organized to share best practices and facilitate cross-learning on climate change issues.

 India CEO Forum on Climate Change organized by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), as the pioneering initiative of the government, inviting industry representatives, exchanged views on climate change issues and discussed opportunities to collaborate in regard to fulfilling India’s national as well as international climate change commitments.  The Forum consisted of high-level discussions across several sessions covering topics from India’s Nationally Determined Contributions to discussions on the 2019 United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit, to be held on 23rd September, 2019 in New York, in which India along with Sweden will be leading the discussions on Industry Transition.  The sessions voiced deliberations from the government on India’s international commitments to fighting climate change as well as deliberations from businesses on private sector actions around climate change and future visions for a low-carbon trajectory.  From the government, Mr. Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, Mr. C.K. Mishra, Secretary, MoEFCC, Mr. Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary Ministry of Power, Mr. A.K. Jain, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC and Mr. Ravi S. Prasad, Additional Secretary, MoEFCC set the tone for the discussions.  A separate high-level CEO session was also organized exclusively for industry leaders. The Forum brought together more than 50 high-profile leaders from the Indian business world.

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Weekly PIB Capsule 6th May 2019 to 12th May 2019

CBIC organises meeting of Regional Heads of Customs Administration of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi

 Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is organising a meeting of the Regional Heads of Customs Administration of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi from 08thto 10th May, 2019.  India is hosting this meeting in its capacity as Vice Chair of the Asia Pacific region that it assumed on 1st July, 2018 for a two-year period.  The meeting will take stock of the progress being made in carrying forward the programmes and initiatives of WCO to promote, facilitate and secure the cross-border trade in the region and the capacity building and technical assistance required to achieve this goal.  This meeting is being chaired by Mr. Pranab Kumar Das, Chairman, CBIC. Reflecting the importance of the meeting, Customs delegations from more than twenty countries of the Asia Pacific region are participating, along with senior officials of the WCO and its regional bodies, i.e. Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) and Regional Intelligence Liaoning Office (RILO).  Recognising the importance of the collaborative approach between Customs and trade, a Trade Day was organised on 7th May, 2019 as a precursor to the meeting of the Regional Heads of Customs.  In this day-long deliberation, representatives from trade & industry and think-tanks shared their insights and experiences that are expected to shape the thinking of customs administrations of the region in adopting policies and measures to promote trade facilitation and secure global trade, and promote ethical leadership.

Meeting of the 15th Finance Commission with the Reserve Bank of India

 The 15th Finance Commission headed by Chairman, Shri N.K. Singh held a detailed meeting with the Governor and Deputy Governors of RBI in Mumbai.  Key issues raised by RBI Governor, Shri Shaktikanta Das and Finance Commission Chairman, Shri N.K. Singh were discussed in detail at the meeting. These issues included the following:– o The necessity of setting up State Finance Commissions for respective State Governments. o Public Sector Borrowing Requirements. o Continuity of the Finance Commission. It was felt that this was required more in view of the fiscal management requirements of the States, especially given the absence of mid-

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term reviews of Awards granted by the Finance Commission, as it used to happen earlier with the Awards granted by the Planning Commission. o Need for Expenditure Codes, especially given that expenditure norms vary from state to state. o Role of States in Growth and Inflation, for instance, role of states in Ease of doing Business.  The RBI made a detailed presentation to the Finance Commission, on State Government Finances for 2019-20. The key takeaways are: o The importance of states in the economy has increased with the shift in composition of government finances. o Fiscal deficit of states is budgeted to be lower in 2019-20 BE, but RE and actuals deviate significantly (reflecting poor fiscal marksmanship). o Specific factors drive fiscal slippages: these factors include UDAY in the past and farm loan waivers and income support schemes in 2018-19 RE. o Outstanding debt as percentage of GDP rising despite moderation in interest payment as percentage of revenue receipts.  The RBI made another presentation on the issues and challenges of the market borrowings of state governments. The main issues raised in this presentation were the following: o Increasing orientation of state governments borrowing to markets. o Improving secondary market liquidity – re-issuances, non-standard issuances, widening investor base. o Risk Asymmetry- Phasing out of ADM, rating of SDLs, valuation of SDLs, more frequent disclosures. o Strengthening the corpus of CSF/GRF – incentive for increasing the corpus, indicative target of 5% of outstanding liabilities/ guarantees by all states. o Cash Management – States to improve their cash forecasting capabilities, states’ request to consider avenues for short term borrowings. o Disclosures – Disclosure of high frequency data; budget presentations and release of financial data may be in a) common format b) within narrow time frame. o Contingent liabilities – lack of reliable data, hence there is a need for standardization in compilation and reporting under FRBM and to enforce uniform ceiling for issue of guarantees.

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India and China sign protocol for Export of Indian Chilli Meal

 Commerce Secretary, Anup Wadhawan and Vice Minister, General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), Li Guo, held a meeting in New Delhi on 9th May to discuss trade related issues of pending Indian request for clearance of agricultural products.  Both sides appreciated each other’s concerns and agreed to resolve market access issues expeditiously in order to achieve the vision of the leaders of both India and China by promoting a more balanced trade.  At the end of the meeting a protocol was signed for export of chilli meal from India to China.

Protocols signed between India and China on Agricultural Commodities

Sl. No. Commodity Year if signing Remarks

1. Mango 2003 -

2. Bitter Gourd 11th April, 2005 -

3. Grapes 11th April, 2005 -

4. Rapeseed meal 15th May 2015 Finally agreed in 2018

5. Basmati Rice 21st November 2006 First Protocol was signed for Basmati Rice only.

6. Basmati Rice 9th June, 2018 For both varieties & Non-Basmati Rice

7. Fish meal/ Fish oil 28th November,2018 Protocol for hygiene and inspection requirements for export of fishmeal fish oil to China

8. Tobacco Leaves 21st January, 2019 First Protocol was signed on 14.01.2008 for a period of 4 years. It was renewed on 21stJanuary 2019.

9. Chilli Meal 9th May, 2019 SPS Protocol for export of Indian Chilli meal to China.

(Source: Department of Agriculture Cooperation/Export Inspection Council (EIC) 11 | P a g e

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IN Ships and Shakti undertake Group Sail with Naval Ships of Japan, Philippines and the USA

 IN Ships Kolkata and Shakti carried out Group Sail with naval ships of Japan, Philippines and the United States of America in the South China Sea from 03 May to 09 May 19.  The six-day long Group Sail had participation of six combatants from the four participating countries and included the o Guided Missile Destroyer INS Kolkata and Fleet Support Ship INS Shakti of India o Helicopter Carrier JMSDF Izumo and Guided Missile Destroyer JMSDF Murasame of Japan o Frigate BRP Andres Bonifacio of Philippines o Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer USS Williams P Lawrence of USA.  The Group Sail was aimed to deepen the existing partnership and foster mutual understanding among participating navies.

15th Finance Commission concludes its two-day visit to Mumbai

The 15th Finance Commission addressed the media in Mumbai today, briefing them about the discussions that took place in the Commission’s meetings with RBI, banks and eminent economists during the Commission’s two-day visit to the city during May 8 – 9, 2019.

Stating that the visit of the Commission was very productive, the Chairman said:

The meetings have sharpened the Commission’s understanding on some of the key things that need to be kept in mind for continued macroeconomic stability. A careful examination was made into the issues of debt, particularly as stated in the RBI’s Annual Report on State Debt Figures. The overall debt picture of the states and the way they have complied with the ingredients of the Macroeconomic Management Bill is being looked into closely. This is an area we have had very useful discussion.

Some states are financially well-managed, others financially poorly managed. What are the mechanisms by which the market makes its voice felt in terms of the cost of borrowing and differentiate between better-governed states and not-so-well-governed states, especially given that states are increasingly resorting to market borrowings? This was explored through possible mechanisms such as encouraging credit ratings by states. While doing this, we also explored, particularly in light of the FRBM Report, as to what mechanisms can be further strengthened so as to enable the Central Government to conform to the targets it has laid for itself. The last five years has witnessed a Government which was quite committed to adhering to the fiscal deficit targets.

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We also looked at more specific granular problems such as reconciliation of data, improving quality of statistics and data, and reliability and uniformity of data for enforcing greater fiscal discipline. Some very interesting ideas have come up, which we would deliberate upon.

What is the future of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSSs)? The Central Government spends 3.5 lakh crore rupees per annum on these schemes. Past attempts at rationalizing these schemes have met with modest success. Earlier, the lifecycle of CSSs was coterminous with that of the Five Year Plans; they were hence subject to the mid-term appraisal of the Plan. Now, since there are no Five Year Plans, and hence no mid-term appraisal, the Central Government decided that it will now make the lifecycle of all CSSs coterminous with that of every Finance Commission. This year is the last year of the existing CSSs, before which they will move to the new cycle which will kick in as a result of our recommendations. From the viewpoint of the Central Government and others, this is an excellent opportunity for rationalization and simplification of CSSs. This is one area which is being deliberated upon.

The Finance Commission receives 30 Memorandums, one from the Central Government and 29 from each of the 29 states/UTs. We are awaiting the Memorandum of the Central Government, which we hope to receive soon, after which we will see what can be the appropriate vertical distribution of revenues between the Centre and the states.

The Commission has already visited 20 out of the 29 states. Visits to the remaining states will commence after the Model Code of Conduct period is over.

Here are a few excerpts from the responses given by the Chairman to the questions posed by the media.

 The issue of RBI’s reserves dealt by Bimal Jalan Committee report was not and should not have been discussed in depth by the Finance Commission and the RBI. This is an in-house matter of the RBI. In passing, it was mentioned to us that the Bimal Jalan Committee is in a fairly advanced stage of its deliberations.  We will await a Memorandum of the Central Government as regards the recapitalization of PCA Public Sector Banks, since the obligation for recapitalization will rest with the Central Government, and it will be for them to project the likely expenditure for the relevant period, through a Memorandum to the Finance Commission.  We are closely looking at what kind of disaggregated growth, debt and fiscal deficit trajectory would be practical to attain the overall objective of the General Government’s debt and fiscal deficit being consistent with FRBM targets and yet within the bounds of practicality.  We would like to capture the debt figures, the public sector borrowing requirements and contingent liabilities so that we get a true and holistic picture of the debt scenario. We have had

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discussions with RBI regarding this, and this is one area into which the Commission will be giving some attention.  The projections given to us by the Department of Revenue suggest very healthy buoyancy in direct taxes. Projections of indirect tax collections, especially with regard to GST, have not been as healthy. We are going to have another round of discussions with Department of Revenue based on the latest figures of the improvements in GST behavior and what changes can be made to make it more buoyant, stable and predictable.  We ourselves are going to undertake a process of economic data reconciliation among the CAG, the RBI and the data which we have received from the Ministry of Finance and other sources, so that we can make conclusions based on what we would consider reliable data in public domain. This has nothing to do with the methodology or the computation of the data, but we are seeking reconciliation among the multiple sources of data. This reconciliation will be within the bounds of acceptable and appropriate prudence to be able to do so.

WTO Ministerial Meeting of Developing Countries in New Delhi

 A WTO Ministerial meeting of developing countries is being hosted by India in New Delhi on 13-14 May 2019. Sixteen developing countries, Six Least Developed Countries (LDC)(Argentina, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Brazil, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, China, Egypt, Guatemala, Guyana, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda)and DG, WTO are participating in the meeting.  The two-day meeting will be interactive in order to provide an opportunity to the Ministers to discuss various issues and the way forward. On the first day, there will be a meeting of senior officers of the participating countries followed by a dinner hosted by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry for the heads of delegations. On the 2nd day, the Ministerial Meeting will be held.  The deliberations will aim at getting a direction on how to constructively engage on various issues in the WTO, both institutional and negotiating, in the run up to the Twelfth Ministerial Conference of the WTO to be held in Kazakhstan in June 2020.

A high level team of ASI officials visits Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri and Sun Temple, Konark to assess the damage caused by cyclone Fani

 A high level team of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) officials led by DG ASI, Smt. Usha Sharma is on a visit to Odisha to assess the nature and quantum of damage caused by cyclone Fani to Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri and Sun Temple, Konark.

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 The team visited the Konark in forenoon on 10th May 2019. The team observed that by and large there is no structural damage to the Monument. The team has informed that there is some dislocation in the scaffolding provided for chemical cleaning at upper level which is being set right.  The team is now in the process of visiting Sri Jagannath Puri Temple to assess the damage. The state government had sought help from the ASI to assess the damage caused to these world heritage monuments. The team will also suggest restoration exercise needed for the monuments and the surrounding areas.

Change of Command at Air Force Station Faridabad

 Group Captain Chandra Shekhar Bhatt took over the command of Air Force Station Faridabad from Group Captain Kaushik Das. The change of command took place in a Ceremonial parade at Station Parade ground.  Group Captain Bhatt was commissioned in the Logistics branch of IAF in 1990.  During his career, the officer has held various appointments in Operational bases and Depots. For his distinguished service, the officer has been commended by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) and Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).

20th Conference of Regional Heads of Customs Administration (RHCA) of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) concludes in Kochi

 Three Day Conference took stock of the progress made in carrying forward the programmes and initiatives of WCO to promote, facilitate and secure cross-border trade in the Region and the capacity building and technical assistance required by Member Administrations to achieve these goals among others  The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) had organised a Conference of the Regional Heads of Customs Administration of Asia Pacific Region of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in Kochi from 08th to 10th May, 2019. India hosted this Conference in its capacity as Vice-Chair of the Asia Pacific Region of WCO which it assumed on 1st July, 2018 for a two-year period.  The Conference took stock of the progress made in carrying forward the programmes and initiatives of WCO to promote, facilitate and secure cross-border trade in the Region and the capacity building and technical assistance required by Member Administrations to achieve these goals.

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Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production and Use-Based Index for the Month of March, 2019 (BASE 2011-12=100)

 The Quick Estimates of Index of Industrial Production (IIP) with base 2011-12 for the month of March 2019stands at 140.2, which is 0.1 percent lower as compared to the level in the month of March 2018. The cumulative growth for the period April-March 2018-19 over the corresponding period of the previous year stands at 3.6 percent.  The Indices of Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors for the month of March 2019 stand at 132.6, 139.6 and 160.1 respectively, with the corresponding growth rates of 0.8 percent, (-) 0.4 percent and 2.2 percent as compared to March 2018.  The cumulative growth in these three sectors during April-March 2018-19 over the corresponding period of 2017-18 has been 2.9 percent, 3.5 percent and 5.2 percent respectively.

First Apache Helicopter formally handed over to The IAF

 First AH-64E (I) - Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force at Boeing production facility in Mesa, Arizona, USA on 10 May 19. Air Marshal AS Butola, represented the Indian Air Force and accepted the first Apache in a ceremony at Boeing production facility, representatives from US Government were also present.  IAF had signed a contract with US Government and M/s Boeing Ltd in Sep 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. The first batch of these helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by Jul this year. Selected aircrew and ground crew have undergone training at the training facilities at US Army base Fort Rucker, Alabama. These personnel will lead the operationalisation of the Apache fleet in the IAF.  The addition of AH-64 E (I) helicopter is a significant step towards modernisation of Indian Air Force’s helicopter fleet. The helicopter has been customized to suit IAF’s future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain.

Visit of VP of India to Vietnam on a four day long tour: Speech By VP

 On the penultimate day of his four-day official visit to Vietnam, the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu continued his high-level engagement by holding talks with Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc on a wide range of issues and underscored the importance of strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two nations to ensure peace and security in the region.

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Weekly PIB Capsule 6th May 2019 to 12th May 2019

 The Vice President, who is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the 16th UN Day of Vesak Celebrations on May 12, reiterated during his talks with the Prime Minister that cordial and friendly relations between India and Vietnam have been strengthened by bonds of Buddhism and Hinduism.  On bilateral trade, the Vice President expressed confidence of achieving the target of USD 15 billion by 2020.  Seeking Vietnam Prime Minister’s personal intervention in facilitating the entry of Indian pharmaceutical products into their country, the Vice President assured him that the Indian companies can provide high tech health systems and medicines for public health in Vietnam at an affordable cost. This will make health services more affordable and reduce the insurance burden on the Government of Vietnam, he added.  Regarding oil and gas exploration in Vietnam, Shri Naidu sought an extension of up to 10 years for OVL (ONGC Videsh Limited) contract, which is due to expire in 2023. He said that OVL has invested more than USD 530.00 million in exploration and exploitation of oil and gas in Vietnam and was exploring possibility of another gas discovery that may entail additional investment of around USD 136.00 million. He also wanted extension of Production Sharing Contract by Petro Vietnam by two years.  The Vice President also reiterated India’s support to Vietnam for the non-permanent membership of the UNSC for 2020-21 and thanked Vietnam for its support to India to be a permanent member of an expanded UNSC.  Shri Naidu said that India has strong interest in Indo-Pacific region. India’s approach and vision to Indo-Pacific is SAGAR – Security and Growth for All in the Region.  Earlier, inaugurating a ‘Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp’ held at the Indian Embassy under ‘India for Humanity’ programme to mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Vice President said the core philosophy of India from time immemorial has been to share and care and emphasized the need to pay attention to the deprived sections.  Stating that the iconic Jaipur Foot provided mobility, a sense of dignity and an ability to live life fully to the differently abled, Shri Naidu lauded Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, for providing the services free of charge.  Earlier in the morning, the Vice President visited Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and paid homage to the Vietnamese Revolutionary Leader, Ho Chi Minh.

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Weekly PIB Capsule 6th May 2019 to 12th May 2019

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