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The Hindu November 25, 2017 Faster exchange of information key’ National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Friday said all stakeholders, including States and the private sector, need to cooperate to mitigate the negative effects of cyberspace, especially amid emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence and internet of things. “The security agencies of geographies also need to have better cooperation and they should have very specific cybersecurity structure which are able to do faster exchange of information, identify the defaulters, to see against them give support to law enforcement agencies so that the cybernorms and laws are adhered to,” Mr. Doval said at the GCCS 2017. Artificial intelligence He warned that the situation would get more complex as “we are entering into domain of artificial intelligence, machine learning, IoTs, robotics… are going to create and compound these problems manifold.” “So we have got to... think of the structures, syst...

The Hindu November 24, 2017 To be located next to the Jaitapur nuclear project, the west coast refinery worries villagers Thousands of farmers from Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra have been on the roads for the last five days opposing joint land measurement exercise by government officials marking the beginning of yet another long-drawn protest in Konkan, this time against India’s biggest oil refinery proposed on the western coastline. Over 15,000 acres in and around Nanar in Rajapur tehsil of the district has been notified as an industrial area under Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) Act, instead of Land Acquisition Act, 2013. After going through the process of seeking objections from the villagers, the government has now begun the next step of joint measurement of land. People ignored “The Act under which land is to be acquired is draconian and gives no voice to the people, who were not consulted on the project,” said Satyajit Chavan, convener, Konkan...

Nov 25, 2017, 12.44 AM IST  The government plans to seek bids globally for 20 GW of solar generation capacity by companies ready to set up manufacturing facilities in India.  "Twenty GW will be auctioned with condition that only those companies can participate that will set up manufacturing here," RK Singh, minister of power and new and renewable energy, said at a conference on Friday.  "We have some aspirations... We want manufacturing in solar and when the fastest-growing installation is happening in India, there is no reason to import from other countries... so we are going to encourage manufacturing here," the minister added.  The government plans to install 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. While the government is confident of surpassing the target 'comfortably,' it is exploring ways to add incremental capacity through floating solar, solar manufacturing and offshore wind projects, among other measures.  "We are trying ...

The Economic Times November 25, 2017 The government doubled the incentive for exporters of garments and made-ups under the Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS) to support declining textile exports.  Under the programme, exporters are given duty exemption scrips that are pegged at a certain percentage of total value of their exports. These scrips can be used to pay duties on inputs including customs. Incentive rates for the two sectors have been enhanced to 4% of value of exports from 2% with effect from November 1to June 30, 2018.  "The estimated annual incentives will be Rs 1,143.15 crore for 2017-18 and.`685.89 crore for 2018-19," the commerce ministry said in a statement.  "This measure will incentivise the exports of labour intensive sectors of readymade garments and made ups and contribute to employ."  The measure comes amid a sharp fall in the export of labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems and jewellery, han...

The Telegraph November 23, 2017 The cabinet on Wednesday approved India's membership to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Steps will be initiated by the department of economic affairs to acquire the membership, finance minister Arun Jaitley said after the cabinet meeting. The membership will increase the scope of co-operation between India and multilateral institutions through co-financing opportunities in manufacturing, services, information technology and energy. "Initially, we will take 100 shares," Jaitley said, adding the finance ministry would decide to increase its shareholding through negotiations. An official statement said the membership will increase India's investment opportunities and enhance its international profile as well as promote its economic interest. "The bank's core operations pertain to private sector development in their countries of operation. The membership will help India leverage t...

The Telegraph November 24, 2017 The government on Thursday imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $850 per tonne on onion to increase its domestic supply and check rising prices. MEP is the minimum rate below which exports will not be allowed. Onion MEP was scrapped in December 2015. In a notification, the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said: "The export of onion...shall be permitted only on letter of credit (LC), subject to an MEP of $850 per tonne till December 31, 2017." Concerned over the rise in onion prices, consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan in August had sought that MEP be imposed on its exports by the commerce ministry. He also sought the removal of sops on onion export. Onion prices, which have shot up to Rs 50-65 per kg in most cities, have come under pressure because of tight domestic supplies. The government has asked state-run MMTC to import 2,000 tonnes of onion, while other agencies Nafed and SFAC have been as...

The Print November 24, 2017 Thousands of farmers marched in Delhi on Monday, demanding a one-time full loan waiver, fair crop prices and the fulfilment of the Centre’s promises to them. PM Narendra Modi had promised a minimum of 50% profits over the cost of production during the 2014 election, based on the recommendation of the National Commission of Farmers chaired by Prof. M S Swaminathan. In 2015, the Centre dropped the proposal stating it may lead to market distortion. The Print asks: Is the Swaminathan committee recommendation on MSP a practical solution to farmers grievances in India? The report has suggested a whole range of solutions to improve the foundations of sustainable agriculture, facilitate rural credit and boost farm economy. Unfortunately, from the whole report, the political class and the farmer’s leaders picked up the most convenient dimension of the increases in MSP because this does not need any serious planning and thinking. This was the easie...

By Sugata Ghosh Nov 25, 2017, 10.56 AM IST  MUMBAI: In the days after demonetisation, thousands handled their hidden cash by dumping the currency in banks, filing a revised income-tax return, and forking out a little over 30% tax for the extra cash that was deposited.  This, they believed, was a neat way to take care of the cash and keep tax officers at bay. But things may turn out differently. On Friday, the government told all tax offices to accept only those revised tax returns where there is a “bona fide inadvertent error” or “a mistake” on part of the assessee. If inquiries indicate any dubious manipulation to legitimise undisclosed cash deposit, then an assessee should be taxed at a much higher rate under the anti-abuse provisions of the law.  The law, however, gives taxpayers a greater latitude than the government’s internal communique suggests. According to the Income-Tax Act, a revised return is permitted when a taxpayer “discovers any omission or a...

24 November 2017, 22:20 IST The allegations that certain EVMs used in the recently concluded first phase of local bodies elections in Uttar Pradesh only allowed voters to vote for BJP have reached the UP High Court. Bahujan Samaj Party's mayor candidate from Lucknow Bulbul Godiyal moved the High Court seeking a speedy hearing into her plea for an investigation. Munqad Ali, a senior leader in the BSP and MP, confirmed that Godiyal has moved court and the party will campaign against this misuse of power. Samajwadi Party insiders also claim that they received as many as 80 complaints on the day of polling from different constituencies. These complaints have not been independently verified but Javed Ali Khan, a SP MP in the Rajya Sabha, says that party workers at several booths said that the machines were only voting for the BJP. ONLY 'KAMAL' Ashish Yadav, a SP functionary, says this time the whole episode was captured on camera. “Voters have become more...