(Current Affairs) National Events | February: 2015

National Events

Cannot ‘close doors’ to Telangana’s plea on Krishna water disputes says SC

  • The Supreme Court observed that it cannot “close its doors” on newly-formed Telangana’s plea for a fresh look at the inter-State sharing of Krishna river water, even as Karnataka, one of the beneficiary States, strongly objected to the re-opening of the five-decade-old dispute.

  • Telangana has filed a fresh petition in the Supreme Court, contending that its interests were not represented before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal – II. It sought total re-consideration of the Tribunal’s final award in December 2010 as it concerned only Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

  • It said Telangana, which came into existence only on June 2 this year, did not get an opportunity to raise its “independent grievances”.

  • In August this year, the Supreme Court had prima facie recognised Telangana’s status as an “affected” State with a voice of its own.

SC directed to complete Prosecution of account holders by March 31

  • The Supreme Court directed the Centre to complete prosecution of black money holders abroad under the Income Tax Act by March 31, 2015.

  • A Bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justices Madan B. Lokur and A.K. Sikri gave this direction to the Centre after senior counsel Anil Divan, appearing for petitioner Ram Jethmalani, said the defaulters and evaders whose names had been disclosed to the SIT would be off the hook if the income tax proceedings were not completed by then.

  • Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi said the Income Tax Act had been amended to extend the period of limitation for launching prosecution.

  • He said if prosecution could not be completed by the deadline, the law would be suitably amended or appropriate orders passed. He said some people had accepted that they had accounts in foreign banks and paid tax. Proceedings against others were pending.

India a moderate-performing country: report

  • India has been named a moderate-performing country in combating climate change with Australia being the worst, according to a report released at climate negotiations.

  • India was ranked 31. “India climbs five places and continues to profit from the very low level of per capita emissions, but overall CO2 emissions have risen constantly over the past five years to about 40 per cent,” said the Climate Change Performance Index 2015 report by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.

  • Australia was the worst performing industrial country in terms of climate change in 2014. The report by two NGOs said the poor ranking was due in part to policy changes made by the current coalition government.

N. Srinivasan must keep off BCCI meetings: SC

  • The Supreme Court questioned the “rationale” behind N. Srinivasan stepping aside as BCCI president but attending its meetings as Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president.
  • “You even attend the meeting of the working committee of the BCCI to delay the BCCI elections.
  • We understand your passion for the game, but don’t be so passionate,” Justice T.S. Thakur told Mr. Srinivasan’s counsel Kapil Sibal.

RS agree for 49% FDI in insurance

  • Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Select Committee Chandan Mitra tabled the report on the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008, recommending a hike in FDI in insurance sector from 26 to 49 per cent.
  • The report, carrying dissent notes from four of the 15 members, incorporated Congress party’s demand for a composite cap on such investments.
  • The dissenting parties include the Samajwadi Party, Trinamool Congress, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Janata Dal (United). These parties are opposed to further opening of the insurance sector to foreign investment.
  • The Union Cabinet that met late in the evening approved the incorporation of amendments suggested by a Parliamentary select panel in the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2008.
  • Following the Cabinet’s approval, the Bill is expected to come up for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha next week.

Modi talked with Putin, discussed defence, energy

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to further boost cooperation between the two strategic partners in crucial sectors like defence, energy and trade at a time when Russian economy was facing Western sanctions.
  • Mr. Putin, who arrived, is likely to push for enhancing supply of military hardware to India as well as expansion of bilateral economic engagement in a range of areas.
  • It is the first annual summit meeting between Mr. Putin and Mr. Modi. The two leaders had met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Brazil in July and during the G-20 summit in Australia last month.
  • “The bond between the people of Russia & India is very strong. Our nations have stood by each other through thick and thin,” the Prime Minister said in another tweet.
  • In his talks with Mr. Modi, both in restricted and delegation level formats, Mr. Putin is likely to seek deeper economic engagement with India with an aim to minimise impact of sanctions against Russia by the US and its Western allies over the Ukraine issue.

RS finalised its Draft report on Insurance Bill

  • The Rajya Sabha Select Committee finalised its draft report on the Insurance Bill. The report will be tabled in the House, committee chairman Chandan Mitra told.
  • The Bill seeks to raise foreign direct investment in insurance joint ventures from 26 to 49 per cent. The committee has given time for notes of dissent, if any, to be submitted.
  • The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Trinamool Congress are likely to oppose the report. The other two parties which may differ are the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal (United).
  • The Select Committee has 15 members. It is expected that with the three BJP members, three Congress and one member each from the AIADMK, Shiromani Akali Dal and Biju Janata Dal on board, the report will be adopted by majority vote.

States rejected Centre’s GST Bill

  • The States have rejected the draft Bill for the Goods and Services Tax (GST), dealing a major blow to the Centre’s resolve to roll it out at the earliest.
  • The Centre-States stalemate has put a question mark over whether the government will be able to introduce the GST Constitution Amendment Bill during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.
  • Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha last month that he would introduce this Bill during the session. The GST rollout has missed several deadlines in the absence of a Centre-States consensus.
  • At a meeting of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers, the States opposed the draft Bill and its proposal to extend the GST to petroleum goods and entry tax.
  • “Consensus eludes the Centre and the States on the three main issues of compensation, petrol tax and entry tax,” Empowered Committee Chairman Abdul Rahim Rather told presspersons.
  • He said the Empowered Committee would not support the Centre’s Bill unless it conceded the States’ three demands. The GST will subsume all excise and service taxes.
  • The States want compensation from the Centre for the revenues they will lose over five years from the shift to the GST regime. They want a clause on the compensation to be inserted into the Bill, Mr. Rather said.
  • The Centre’s proposed draft does not have such a provision at present. “We were surprised to know that the Centre has only agreed to one of our recommendations,” said Mr. Rather.

NGT stays MoEF clearance for phase 1 of mini-hydel project

  • The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) south zone has stayed the clearance given by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) for phase 1 of a mini-hydel power project.

  • The project was proposed by Sri Maruthi Power Gen (India) Pvt. Ltd., in the reserve forests of Kaginahare and Kenchanakumari in Sakleshpur taluk. The State government had forwarded the project proposal to the MoEF, despite clear opposition from the Forest Department in Karnataka.

  • Prashanth Y., a wildlife conservation enthusiast of Bengaluru, had moved the tribunal challenging the MoEF’s clearance for the controversial project.

  • The NGT, in its order dated November 20, stated, “The tribunal is satisfied that a prima facie case is made out for granting an order of interim stay of phase 1 clearance issued by MoEF”, and posted the next hearing on the matter for January 21, 2015. Justice M. Chockalingam and expert member R. Nagendran gave this ruling.

  • The Karnataka government had sent the proposal in February 2014 for diversion of 10.6897 ha of forest land in favour of the private company to generate 18.9 MW of power.

  • Dipak Sarmah, the then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, had recommended rejection of the proposal. However, Forest Minister B. Ramanath Rai and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are said to be in favour of the project.

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