Page 180 - Social Issues
Defence budget pegged at Rs 3.05 lakh crore
An outlay of Rs 3.05 lakh crore was Friday set aside for the defence budget for 2019-20 which was a hike of around Rs 20,000 crore compared to allocation of Rs 2.85 lakh crore in the current fiscal. Presenting an interim budget for 2019-20 in Parliament, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Piyush Goyal said additional funds, if necessary, would be provided to secure the country's borders and maintain defence preparedness. "Our defence budget will be crossing Rs 3,00,000 crore for the first time in 2019-20. For securing our borders and to maintain preparedness of the highest order, if necessary, additional funds would be provided," he said. Referring to strengthening defence and national security, Goyal said the soldiers protect India's borders in tough conditions and that due care has been taken for them. He said the issue of One Rank One Pension (OROP) which was pending for the last 40 years has been resolved. "The previous governments announced it in three budgets but ..
US immigration authorities force-feed detainees from India, Cuba
At least six immigrant detainees, including Indians, have been force-fed through nasal tubes by immigration authorities in the US after they went on a hunger strike to protest conditions at a processing centre in Texas, drawing a strong reaction from Indian-American groups which described it as violation of human rights. In a statement, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said that as of Wednesday night, 11 detainees in El Paso had refused to eat; four other individuals at different ICE detention centres across the country were also on hunger strike, officials said. Of the 11 people starving themselves in El Paso, six were being hydrated and force-fed under court orders issued by a federal judge in mid-January about two weeks after those detainees stopped eating, ICE said. Two of the 11 people began their hunger strike on Wednesday, officials added. "The ICE Health Services Corps is medically monitoring the detainees' health and regularly updating ICE of their medical status," .
Goyal explains key Budget announcements in Hindi
Presenting the Interim Budget, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal Friday explained some of the key proposals in Hindi, eliciting thumping response from ruling members. Finance ministers traditionally stick to their written speech in English. During the 100-minute speech, Goyal spoke in Hindi on various occasions. A smiling Goyal, the interim finance minister in the absence of Arun Jaitley who is in the US for treatment, peppered his speech with references to Hindi movie "Uri" and BJP's victory in Haryana bypolls, among others. Whether it was about tax sops for middle class or budget allocation for defence, Goyal also explained them in Hindi that saw his party members thumping their desks. The government has decided to dole out tax sops to middle class, including doubling of income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh, raising standard deduction to Rs 50,000 and provided concessions on interest income from bank deposits and rent. At one point of time when an Opposition member ...
I-T exemption limit hiked to Rs 5 lakh
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday doled out tax sops to middle class including doubling of income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh, raising standard deduction to Rs 50,000 and provided concessions on interest income from bank deposits and rent. "Individuals with income up to Rs 5 lakh will not be required to pay any tax," Goyal said while presenting Interim Budget for 2019-20 in Lok Sabha. He said with this, individuals who are earning gross income of Rs 6.5 lakh per year and have made investments in savings instruments, will be exempt from paying income tax. "This will provide benefit of Rs 18,500 to 3 crore middle class taxpayers self employed, senior citizens," he said, adding the number of beneficiaries will go up for those who have made investments in mediclaim and pension. No tax will be deducted on interest earned on bank and post office deposits of up to Rs 40,000 annually, up from Rs 10,000 currently. The Budget also proposed to exempt tax on notional rent
Govt proposes to raise TDS on interest income to Rs 40,000
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal Friday proposed to increase the limit for tax deduction at source (TDS) on interest income from Rs 10,000 to Rs 40,000 per annum. The proposal will benefit senior citizens and small depositors who depend upon income from interest on deposits in banks and post offices, he said while presenting Budget 2019-20. Under the current norms, they are required to seek refund on tax deducted on interest income beyond Rs 10,000 per annum.
Defence budget increased to over Rs 3 lakh crore in 2019-20: FM
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal Friday announced an increase in defence budget to over Rs 3 lakh crore in 2019-20. Presenting the Budget for 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha, Goyal also said Rs 35,000 crore has been given under OROP in the last three years. Announcing substantial hike in military service pay, the finance minister said defence budget has been increased to over Rs 3 lakh crore in 2019-20. He also said the government will launch a mega pension yojna for 42 crore unorganised sector workers and assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 after reaching age of 60 years. On railways, he said its capital expenditure programme will be at an all-time high of Rs 1.58 lakh crore in the next fiscal. "We have eliminated all unmanned railway crossings in the country," he added The finance minister also said the Vande Bharat Express will provide speed, service and safety to citizens and will give boost to Make In India. Commenting on construction of rural roads, he said it has tripled road ...
No tax for individual incomes up to Rs 5 lakh
In a bonanza for the country's middle class in an election year, the government on Friday proposed tax exemption for individual annual incomes of Rs 5 lakh.
Govt doubles tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh
In a major relief to the middle-class, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal Friday proposed to double the threshold tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh and increased the standard deduction to Rs 50,000 from Rs 40,000. The proposal will benefit 3 crore middle-class tax payers, Goyal said while unveiling the Budget proposals for 2019-20. Doubling the threshold exemption limit will increase the burden on the exchequer by Rs 18,500 crore. If an individual invests in the specified tax saving schemes of the government, the effective tax-free income limit will be Rs 6.5 lakh a year, while it may go further up with additional avenues like NPS, medical insurance and home loan interest payment.
Nude protest against Citizenship Bill
Three men on Friday staged a nude protest near the Secretariat here in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
Citizenship Bill stir: 3 KMSS activists protest naked in Assam
Three activists of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) staged a nude protest outside the secretariat building here, adjacent to the assembly, on Friday against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Security personnel were caught off guard when the protesters got down from a car near the secretariat and stripped, a police officer said. They raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, he said. Policemen rushed to cover the protesters with blankets and took them into custody before whisking them away from the high-security area, the officer said. "The main gate leading to the secretariat has been shut for the time being to prevent protesters from entering the premises and security arrangements have been intensified in the area," he added. DCP Amanjit Kaur told reporters that all three protesters have been arrested and necessary measures taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The
Goyal announces mega pension scheme for unorganised sector workers
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal on Friday announced the "Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Mandhan", a scheme to provide an assured monthly pension of Rs 3,000 per month for workers in the unorganised sector who earn up to Rs 15,000 per month.
Defence budget crosses Rs 3 lakh crore: Goyal
The defence budget for 2019-20 has crossed Rs 3 lakh crore, the highest in any year so far, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said in the Lok Sabha on Friday.
Andhra CM wears black shirt to protest against Centre
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday wore a black shirt to protest against the Centre's "step motherly" treatment to the state and for not fulfilling its promises including granting special category status.
Congress' Manish Tewari claims Budget leak
Minutes before the Interim Budget was to be tabled by Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, Congress National spokesperson Manish Tewari on Friday alleged the Budget has been "leaked".Tewari alleged that major points of the Interim Budget were being circulated to the media by "government sources".On Twitter, Tewari posted images of the pointers, and wrote: "These pointers are being Circulated to Media people by Govt Sources . If all this or substantive amount of these proposals find reflection in the budget would it not tantamount to a BUDGET LEAK ?.".
Finance Minister Piyush Goyal to present Interim Budget today
With the Lok Sabha elections only a few months away, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal will present NDA government's Interim Budget on Friday amidst a lot of hopes and expectations from across the spectrum of society-right from the common people to industries.The Interim Budget or a vote-on-account for 2019-20, the last financial exercise by Prime Minister Narendra Modi led Central government before the General Elections, will be presented in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Goyal on Friday at 11 am.If some relief in income tax exemption to the salaried and middle-class people is expected, there is a hope that the Central government may come out with some 'concrete' measures to combat the problem of unemployment, which rose to 45-year high during 2017-18 as per the assessment of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO).At present, there is an exemption from paying personal tax on an income up to Rs 2.5 lakh, while income between Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh attracts five per cent tax. A 20 .
AASU holds candlelight protest against Citizenship Amendment Bill
All Assam Students' Union (AASU) held a massive candlelight protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, here on Thursday."We are not in favour of this bill. Thousands of students from AASU have gathered here to tell the government that we don't want this bill as it will create problems for us. Assam's peace will be at stake if this bill is passed," a protester said. The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016, was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8.The bill will facilitate citizenship of six identified minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who came to India before 31 December 2014.The proposed amendment in the Bill will make these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for citizenship. Under the proposed amendment, the minimum residency period for citizenship is being reduced from the existing 12 years under the present law to seven years. However, citizenship will be given to them only after ...
Sexual assaults rise at US military academies: report
The number of sexual assaults at America's military academies rose by almost 50 per cent over the past two years, despite extensive efforts to combat the problem, a Pentagon report said Thursday. About 12,900 cadets attend the Army, Navy and Air Force academies that train future officers to lead America's vast military. Every other year, they are given the chance to fill in an anonymous survey about unwanted sexual contact or sexual assaults. According to the figures from 2018, 747 people reported some sort of sexual assault -- up from 507 in 2016, an increase of more than 47 per cent. "We find these results to be frustrating, disheartening and unacceptable," said Elise Van Winkle, who heads a Pentagon personnel and readiness department. The biggest increase was noted at the Army's West Point Academy in New York, where 16.5 per cent of women reported some sort of sexual assault, up from 10.2 per cent previously. In a statement, the Army's senior leaders said the report was "troubling .
Big rise in rape complaints in France in 2018: interior ministry
The number of rape and sexual offence complaints made to French police "rose sharply" in 2018, according to figures published Thursday by the interior ministry. Rape complaints increased almost 17 per cent while sexual assault complaints jumped by around 20 per cent, the statistics showed. The figures came against a background of "collective awareness of violence towards women born out of the (Harvey) Weinstein affair... and the MeToo movement that followed", a report by the ministry's statistical service said. "The higher number of victims... probably comes from increased reporting of such crimes and a reduction in tolerance for this type of violence," it added. The global "MeToo" movement that followed the Weinstein case encouraged victims to speak out with sexual allegations surfacing against a raft of well-known figures in the media and entertainment industries. Political figures and aid group chiefs have also faced allegations.
Sri Lanka plans 1st death sentence executions since 1976
Sri Lanka's president has said people who have been sentenced to death for drug crimes but were not executed because of a 43-year moratorium on capital punishment will soon have the sentences carried out. The government's official web site says in a statement that President Maithripala Sirisena will order the executions soon but did not say how the prisoners would be executed. Sri Lanka last executed a prisoner in 1976. At the time, prisoners were hanged. Sri Lanka has 1,299 people in prison who face death sentences and 48 of them have been convicted of drug offenses. The statement says Sirisena believes the move is justified because he says other countries execute prisoners for drug crimes.
Meghalaya BJP legislator threatens to quit party over Citizenship Bill
Meghalaya's Bharatiya Janata Party legislator, Sanbor Shullai, on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and threatened to quit the party if the Bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha.
