JK, Ladakh fully integrated into mainstream of India, govt tells Rajya Sabha

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation after the abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told Parliament on Wednesday. He told Rajya Sabha that as many as 613 separatists, overground workers and stone pelters were detained in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019 and 430 of them have been released so far.

Replying to another question, Reddy said after the constitutional changes and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh have been fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation. ”As a result, all the rights enshrined in the Constitution of India and benefits of all the central laws that were being enjoyed by other citizens of the country are now available to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.

Reddy said the change has brought about socio-economic development in both union territories, empowerment of people, removal of unjust laws, bringing in equity and fairness to those discriminated since ages who are now getting their due. These, along with comprehensive development, are a few of the important changes that are ushering both the new UTs towards the path of peace and progress. With the conduct of elections of Panchayati Raj Institutions such as Panches and Sarpanches, Block Development Councils and District Development Councils, the three-tier system of grassroots level democracy has now been established in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.

The minister said various measures were taken in the interest of security and public order which included preventive detention of certain persons. ”Since August 1, 2019, 613 persons including separatists, overground workers, stone pelters, etc. were detained at various points of time. Out of these, based on regular review and ground situation, 430 persons have been released till date, he said in written reply to a question.

The minister also said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration has further reported that no person is under house arrest in the UT. Reddy also said the Jammu and Kashmir administration has approved a business revival package of Rs 1,352.99 crore on September 25, 2020.

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An amount of Rs 434.08 crore was released up to December 31, 2020, out of which Rs 250 crore was as economic package and Rs 184.08 crore as COVID-19 relief. The amount of Rs 434.08 crore has been fully utilised by December 31, 2020, he said.

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Customs duty cut will curb gold smuggling, improve demand, says Senco’s Suvankar Sen

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Budget 2021-2022 announced customs duty cut for gold and silver, which analysts believe was necessary to contain the smuggling of the precious metals and increase retail demand.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18, Suvankar Sen, CEO of Senco Gold & Diamonds said that the customs duty cut was a very positive step.

“The government has realised that the duty cut was necessary to curb smuggling and other kinds of activities and the best part is that the consumers also will now feel that it is better time to buy gold and jewellery with the coming wedding season that is on the way.”

“Overall it has just been two days, we have seen volatility in the markets, gold prices have come down, silver prices went up and then it came down again. On overall basis January, February, March we are positive that we should be seeing good numbers and customers will be coming to the stores to buy the products,” he added.

On trends in purchases, he said, “The behaviour has been pretty much similar all across India, in spite of taste of consumers are different from state to state and zone to zone but the behaviour one what we have seen in south, north, west or east people across the country have been buying higher ticket size items compared to lower ticket size item.

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Aero India-2021: India invites global defence and aerospace companies to set up manufacturing units

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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India on Wednesday invited global defence and aerospace companies to set up manufacturing units in the country taking advantage of various initiatives taken by the government in the field. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India offers unlimited potential in defence and aerospace.

”Aero India is a wonderful platform for collaborations in these areas. The Government of India has brought futuristic reforms in these sectors, which will add impetus to our quest to become Aatmanirbhar,” Modi wrote on Twitter. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of Aero India-2021, the country’s premier defence and aerospace show, at Air Force Station at Yelahanka here, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh invited global companies in the field to set up manufacturing units in the country by taking advantage of various initiatives taken by the government.

Since 2014, Singh said, the central government has brought in many reforms in defence sector to create a conducive ecosystem for exports, Foreign Direct Investment and offset discharge. ”I have been informed that about 540 exhibitors including 80 foreign companies, Defence Ministers, Delegates, Service chiefs and officials from more than 55 nations are participating in the event. It reflects the growing optimism of the global community”, he said.

Despite the constraints posed by the global pandemic, Singh said he is pleased to see such a large number of participants in this year’s event. ”The Aero India 21 will display the vast potential of India, and the multifarious opportunities that our country offers in the field of defence and aerospace sector.

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It also promises to be the World’s First-Ever Hybrid Aero and Defence exhibition”, the Minister added on Twitter.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Continue to introduce new products, confident of maintaining margin levels, says Castrol India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Castrol India has delivered a robust financial performance in 2020 but also set the business for growth, said Sandeep Sangwan, Managing Director of Castrol India in an interview with CNBC-TV18 on Wednesday.

“We continue to introduce new products. We have introduced three new products in the second half of 2020. I am very buoyant on 2021 with the recovery that we are seeing and definitely we should have a good year ahead of ourselves in terms of growth,” he said.

The company is confident of maintaining the margin levels, Sangwan said.

He believes one has to look at 2020 in the context of the pandemic situation.

“If I look at Q3 and Q4, the way demand has come up, I am very confident of getting back to the same levels of profit and profitability that we have delivered to our shareholders,” Sangwan mentioned.

January 2021 has been better than January 2020 and January 2019, he said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Govt warns Twitter of action after platform reverses account suspensions

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a notice to Twitter, seeking compliance of its previous order to block accounts alleging farmer genocide. It has also warned the social media company of consequences like seven-year jail term and fine if the accounts are not taken down again.

Twitter is an intermediary bound by the directions of the government, and it will face penal actions in case of non-compliance, the notice said.

Twitter blocked accounts associated with farmers protest mongering against Indian government on Monday. Some 250 accounts and tweets were blacked out following the objections raised by the government. Under 61A of the IT code, the government had directed Twitter to block the accounts or face penal actions. Many blocked accounts were using the hashtag “Modi planning farmer genocide,” following the violence in Delhi on Republic Day.

The content posted online with inflammatory hashtag inflamed passions, hatred and stirred tensions in the society, and was factually incorrect, the government had said.

However, the social media firm unblocked the accounts late on Monday after its action drew widespread condemnation online. According to reports, Twitter executives met with Indian government officials to say that tweets constituted free speech and are newsworthy.

However, the government said, “Incitement to genocide is not freedom of speech but a threat to law and order.” It also highlighted more than half a dozen of Supreme Court judgements, defining public order and highlighting the rights of authorities. The government added that Twitter cannot assume the role of the court and justify non-compliance of legal directives.

Twitter cannot sit in judgment of rationality and proportionality of Govt directions and adjudicate constitutionality, the notice said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Bajaj Consumer Care Q3 profit rises 17.54% to Rs 57.29 crore

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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FMCG firm Bajaj Consumer Care on Wednesday reported a 17.54 percent rise in consolidated profit at Rs 57.29 crore for the third quarter ended December 2020. The company had posted a profit of Rs 48.74 crore in the October-December quarter a year ago.

The company’s total income during the quarter increased by 16.25 percent to Rs 257.61 crore as against Rs 221.60 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago, Bajaj Consumer Care said in a BSE filing. In a separate filing, Bajaj Consumer Care said its board has recommended an interim dividend of Rs 6 per equity share for the year 2020-21.

Shares of the company were trading 11.30 percent higher at Rs 237.40 apiece on the BSE.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

China to send 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses abroad

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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China on Wednesday announced a plan to provide 10 million coronavirus vaccine doses to developing nations through the global COVAX initiative.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said China is responding to a request from the World Health Organization as developing countries seek to fill shortages predicted to run through March.

Wang called it an important policy decision by China to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines and to promote international cooperation in efforts against the pandemic.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow