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Our Bureau September 30, 2019 Incessant rains and inundated fields are likely to damage kharif crops in Gujarat and parts of Madhya Pradesh. Key kharif crops including oilseeds, cotton and pulses have sustained damages due to water-logged fields. The farmers are anxious about insurance companies clearing their damage claims. In the case of groundnut crop, with increased sowing at 15.52 lakh hectares this kharif season, against 14.67 lakh hectares last year, farmers had anticipated a higher output. Water-logged fields “There is water logging in most groundnut fields. And it still continues to rain. In such a scenario, we will have a poor quality output. The concern is that it may not qualify for MSP procurement. In such a situation, farmers are facing increased uncertainty about their kharif crop,” Vitthal Dudhatara, President - Gujarat region of the Bhartiya Kisan Sangh, told  BusinessLine . Also, oilseed crops in Madhya Pradesh, including soyabean, the main khari...

One India Vicky Nanjappa September 30, 2019 New Delhi, Sep 30: On August 20, 2019, following a thorough assessment, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had put out a report in which it said that Pakistan was planning a bloodbath in Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370. The reason for the recall of this Intelligence input is because it is exactly what the Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan went on to say during his speech at the UN. He said that there would be a bloodbath in the Valley. The August 20 input said that as part of its larger design, Pakistan is trying to push at least 100 terrorists in Kashmir from Afghanistan. With there being a lockdown in the Valley following the abrogation of Article 370, Pakistan would look for the curbs to ease out, before it tried and implements its larger design to push 100 terrorists into the Valley in a bid to cause havoc. In addition, around 15 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists are already waiting at the terror launch-pads in Lip...

The Indian Epress ENS Econiomic Bureau October 04, 2019 The August numbers mark the first contraction in core infrastructure output since April 2019, pointing to the continuing weakness in demand conditions. The growth of eight infrastructure sectors contracted 0.5 per cent in August following broad-based deterioration in output across as many as five sectors, including cement and electricity. But for a turnaround in refinery products — the largest constituent of the core sector — and an uptick in the growth of fertilisers, the contraction in numbers would have been sharper. Advertising The August numbers mark the first contraction in core infrastructure output since April 2019, pointing to the continuing weakness in demand conditions. While analysts expect the festival demand to push industrial growth, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) is likely to take note of weak demand conditions in its policy review on October 4 and cut rates. The eight core sector ...

ORF September 30, 2019 In the 21 st  century, engaging with Asia has both strategic as well as economic dimensions and therefore goes beyond the rise of the Indo-Pacific. India has a major role to play in this spectrum of connectivity. With these words from Dr. Nilanjan Ghosh, Director — ORF Kolkata, began the two day National Conference on “Engaging Asia: India’s Foreign Policy in the 21 st  Century” in collaboration with the Jadavpur Association of International Relations, Indian Council for Social Science Research (ICSSR), Indian Council of World Affairs and Jadavpur University. Chairing the inaugural session, Prof. Rakhahari Chatterji, Advisor — ORF Kolkata, pointed out that India’s relation with her neighbours had never been very smooth and mistrust prevails about the country’s intentions. However if India is to realise its aspiration of becoming a global power, it must first become a regional power and hence this atmosphere of wariness must be cleared. ...

Time AP, Niniek Karmini September 30, 2019 (JAKARTA, Indonesia) — Thousands of Indonesian students resumed protests on Monday against a new law they say has crippled the country’s anti-corruption agency, with some clashing with police. Authorities blocked streets leading to the Parliament building in Jakarta, where 560 members of the House of Representatives whose terms ended Monday held their last session. Clashes between rock-throwing students and riot police broke out in the evening when police tried to disperse the protesters, ranging from high school to university students, who attempted to reach Parliament after calm had largely returned to the country’s capital over the past four days. Protesters set fires to tires and pelted police with rocks, gasoline bombs and firecrackers near blocked streets. Riot police responded by firing tear gas and water cannons. Similar clashes also occurred in other Indonesian cities, including in West Java’s Bandung city and in Mak...

Hindustan Times Rajeev Jayswal October 01, 2019 The move comes after the government slashed corporate tax rates to boost investment and sentiment, and make Indian industry more competitive — a decision well received across the spectrum. The government is considering rationalising personal income tax rates in a move that will result in the increase of disposable incomes, especially among the middle class, and hopefully drive consumption and, therefore, growth, two government officials said on condition of anonymity. The move comes after the government slashed corporate tax rates to boost investment and sentiment, and make Indian industry more competitive — a decision well received across the spectrum. Government officials have been working on simplifying archaic income-tax laws and rationalising tax rates in line with recommendations of the task force on the Direct Tax Code (DTC), which submitted its report on August 19. The objective is to enhance compliance, expand th...

Hindustan Times Vijay Kumar Yadav Oct 01, 2019 Officials of PMC Bank allegedly allowed unlawful loans between 2008 and August 2019 and even when there were defaults on repayments for years, would not classify these loans as non-performing assets (NPAs). Mumbai Police’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Monday registered a first information report (FIR) in the case of financial irregularities of over Rs 4,355 crore at Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank on a complaint by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The FIR in this case was first filed with the Bhandup Police on the instruction of RBI-appointed administrator and branch manager at PMC Bank’s Bhandup (West) branch, Jasbir Singh Mattha. Later, the case was transferred to the EOW. “The accused bank officers, in connivance with [executives from] Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL), intentionally concealed information from the RBI on non-performing assets (NPAs). The accused also created false s...

The Quint PTI, September 30, 2019 In a major reshuffle of diplomats, Pakistan on Monday, 30 September removed Maleeha Lodhi and appointed Munir Akram as the country's permanent representative to the United Nations. The development came merely a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan returned from the US, where he raised the Kashmir issue in his maiden address to the UN General Assembly last week. “Ambassador Munir Akram has been appointed as the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations in New York, in place of Dr Maleeha Lodhi,” the Foreign Office said in a statement. However, it gave no reason for her removal. In his speech that went on for about 50 minutes, far exceeding the 15-minute limit for UN speeches during the General Debate, Khan devoted half of his address to the Kashmir issue, warning that if there's face-off between two nuclear-armed neighbours, the consequences would be far beyond their borders. His war rhetoric was in shar...

The Quint AFP September 30, 2019 Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed on Monday, 30 September, to uphold the "one country, two systems" principle in Hong Kong, after months of pro-democracy protests in the semi-autonomous city. Speaking at a reception in Beijing the night before celebrations to mark the country's 70th anniversary, Xi said the country would "continue to fully and faithfully implement the principles of 'one country, two systems'" and a "high degree of autonomy." Hong Kong has been plagued by months of unrest over what protesters say are eroding freedoms in the financial hub, which was handed back to China by Britain in 1997. “ We are confident that with the full backing of the motherland and the concerted efforts of our fellow Chinese in Hong Kong and Macau who love the motherland... (Hong Kong) will prosper and progress alongside the mainland.” Protesters in Hong Kong are hoping to upstage the event w...