Sonia leads 7 CMs to take on govt over GST dues, exam row

Special GST Council meeting today

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

Two days after surviving a challenge to her leadership in the party, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was back in action today as she got chief ministers of seven states ruled by non-NDA parties to pledge unity against the Centre on issues of GST dues and the conduct of JEE (Main) and NEET-UG.

• Also read: Borrow from market amp; pay dues, states to insist

Refusal to pay dues amounts to betrayal

Centre hasn't paid the mandatory GST compensation of 14% to states. This refusal is nothing short of betrayal. — Sonia Gandhi, Congress Chief

Testing times: An NSUI member during a protest in New Delhi against the government decision to hold NEET, JEE and other exams. PTI

In stark contrast to Monday when she sat frigidly through a Congress Working Committee meeting that trashed a letter few leaders had earlier written seeking a "visible party chief", Sonia wore an effortless look today. She allowed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to conduct the virtual meeting even when the latter kept saying, "But you are the senior leader, you should conduct the meeting."

Punjab staring at Rs 25k crore deficit

We all must meet the Prime Minister. How will states run if the Centre does not pay us? — Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab CM

In the end, the CMs of Maharashtra (Uddhav Thackeray), Jharkhand (Hemant Soren) and four Congress-ruled states (Punjab's Capt Amarinder Singh, Rajasthan's Ashok Gehlot, Chhattisgarh's Bhupesh Baghel and Puducherry's V Narayanasamy) unanimously agreed to the need of filing a petition in the apex court for review of an earlier order rejecting the postponement of the JEE and NEET-UG.

Distribute disaster funds to states

Give states money from disaster funds — Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal CM

Mamata and Capt Amarinder led the demand for urgent legal recourse on exams after Sonia said the Centre was dealing with the issue "very uncaringly". Capt Amarinder cited the rising Covid infections in Punjab to argue that even UGC's exams should be postponed.

Sonia earlier slammed the Centre for not paying the mandatory GST compensation of 14 per cent for the current year to states, noting, "This refusal is nothing short of betrayal by the government." All CMs at the meet agreed to jointly petition the President and the PM on the issue and vociferously demand payment of dues in tomorrow's GST Council conference.

The meeting today helped lay ground for opposition unity with Sonia explaining its timing, "Parliament is expected to meet in three weeks. I thought we should have this interaction so that we have a coordinated approach."

The meeting happened in a relaxed environment with Sonia mostly listening except to say "I agree", when Mamata, Soren and Uddhav pressed for "opposition unity against the Centre and its agencies".

"We must meet more often and not just when there is a crisis. If we are united, even crisis will fear us. Let us decide whether we will fight the Centre or fear it," said Uddhav while Mamata earlier said the government was using its agencies to intimidate the Opposition.

Sonia earlier termed National Education Policy 2020 a "setback for progressive, secular and scientific values", saying "it should worry us".

The Punjab and Chhattisgarh governments have formed committees to study the NEP and its financial and general impact on the states.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3hKY1MV

Supreme Court to Centre: Can’t hide behind RBI on interest waiver during moratorium

New Delhi, August 26

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took note of the Centre's alleged inaction and asked it to clarify its stand within a week on interest waiver for deferred loan installments during the moratorium period announced due to Covid-19 lockdown.

A Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan said the Centre had not made its stand clear on the issue despite the fact that ample powers were available with it under the Disaster Management Act and was "hiding behind the RBI".

The apex court granted time to the government after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought a week to file a response. "My lordships may not say that. We are working in coordination with the RBI," Mehta said.

The Bench, also comprising Justices R Subhash Reddy and MR Shah, asked the Solicitor General to clarify stand on the Act and whether additional interest on existing interest could be accrued. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, told the Bench that the loan moratorium deadline would end on August 31 and sought its extension.

The apex court posted the matter for hearing on September 1.

The top court had earlier said there was "no merit in charging interest on interest" for deferred loan instalments.

The Bench was hearing a plea filed by Agra resident Gajendra Sharma, who has sought a direction to declare the portion of the RBI's March 27 notification "as ultra vires to the extent it charges interest on the loan amount during the moratorium period, which creates hindrance and obstruction in 'right to life' guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution". — PTI

'Clarify within 1 week'

• SC has asked Centre to clarify stand on interest waiver during loan moratorium
• The moratorium on loan instalments was announced during Covid lockdown
• SC has asked whether additional interest on existing interest could be accrued

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3aY3Fsa

Borrow from market pay dues, states to insist

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

Battle lines are drawn for the special GST Council meeting tomorrow. Seven Opposition CMs will press the Centre to borrow from the market to pay four months of revenue collection dues. Representatives of Kerala and Delhi are likely to join forces with them at the meeting.

The Opposition CMs attended a webinar with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and discussed plans to approach the Supreme Court as well as call on the President or PM to implement the Centre's obligation to pay states the promised GST compensation.

Sources indicate that the Centre may ask the states to borrow from the market as per their requirement while it would backstop the loan with sovereign guarantees. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to point out that revenue collection is a collective responsibility and while the Centre would do its best, states should also share the burden.

This cooperative approach is a far cry from the early days of the pandemic when the Centre had sought to impose stiff conditionalities if the states wanted to borrow more. The Centre may point out that the impact of the pandemic was not anticipated when promising a 14 per cent increase in states'compensation. It may also suggest tweaking the GST to bring in additional revenue. But at the centre stage will be a discussion on who would shoulder the burden of borrowings to make up for the GST shortfall.

Figuring it out

Rs95,444 crore cess collection for financial year 2019-20

Rs1,65,302 crore transferred to states during the period

Rs2 lakh crore shortfall expected this fiscal year

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2EA3x6j

Indian, Chinese forces to exercise side by side

New Delhi, August 26

A combined tri-services contingent from India will take part in a 12-day military exercise in Russia. Two of India's edgy neighbours — China and Pakistan — will also be part of the exercise scheduled from September 15 to 26.

The Indian contingent of around 200 officers and troops will take part in the 'Kavkaz 2020' (Caucasus 2020), a "strategic command-post exercise" in the Astrakhan region.

Since early May, India and China are locked in a tense military standoff in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The two sides were involved in a skirmish in the Galwan valley, leading to casualties on both sides on June 15.

India's participation will be of a company-level strength (around 180 troops from an infantry battalion). Elements of the Indian Air Force and observers from the Indian Navy will also be going.

China is sending a large contingent along with three ships for the exercise. "Our troops are going for a multilateral exercise where 18 countries are participating. It's not an India-China-Pakistan event. In total, 13,000 troops will participate," said an official here. — TNS

Military drill in Russia

• Around 200 Indian troops will attend 'Kavkaz 2020' in Russia from September 15 to 26
• China is sending a large contingent besides three ships. Pakistan will take part too
• The exercise involves offensive and defensive ops against international terror outfits

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3jeRLNF

Udan 4.0 ready to go, 78 regional routes added

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said Udan 4.0 was ready for launch and 78 additional routes would be awarded in this phase to establish air connectivity to several unserved destinations.

The Udan scheme is framed to provide financial incentives from the Centre, state governments and airport operators to select airlines to encourage operations from unserved and underserved airports at affordable airfares.

"Udan 4.0 is ready to go. Seventy-eight additional routes have now been approved, taking the total number of sanctioned routes to 766," tweeted Puri. He said 18 unserved or underserved airports would be connected to major cities, including Delhi, Kolkata and Kochi.

The government launched the Udan scheme in 2016 to improve regional connectivity. At least half of the seats in Udan flights are offered at subsidised fares and the participating carriers are provided a certain amount of viability gap funding, an amount shared between the Centre and the state concerned.

Launched in 2016

• Launched in 2016, the Centre has awarded 766 routes under Udan scheme
• The aim is to improve regional connectivity to unserved or underserved airports
• The 78 routes will cause approximate monthly viability gap funding outflow of Rs15 crore

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3hAPL1C

NCB books Rhea for ‘dealing’ in drugs

New Delhi, August 26

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Wednesday filed a criminal case against Rhea Chakraborty and others to probe their alleged dealings in banned drugs, an instance emerging from an investigation being conducted into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, officials said.

They said Sections 20, 22, 27 and 29 of the NDPS have been pressed in the complaint filed by the federal anti-drugs agency on an official reference received from the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

These sections under the NDPS pertain to punishment for contravention in relation to cannabis plant and cannabis (20), punishment for contravention in relation to psychotropic substances (22), punishment for consumption of any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance (27) and punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy (29).

Officials said NCB Director General Rakesh Asthana held two rounds of meetings and after going through the evidence available and obtaining legal opinion, he directed his officials to file a case.

The ED, which is probing a money laundering, has questioned Rhea twice earlier and has obtained "deleted WhatsApp messages" after forensic examination of her phone. — PTI

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/2Qv9La2

Nadda calls meeting of BJP MPs from Bihar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 26

Gearing up to face electoral challenges in the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, BJP president JP Nadda has called a meeting of all party MPs from the state on Saturday to finalise its poll strategy, sources said today.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the party is actviely using virtual platforms to reach out to people and stay in touch with its cadre on the ground to prepare for the Assembly elections, expected to be held around October-November.

Sources said BJP general secretary and party's Bihar election in-charge Bhupender Yadav will also be present at the meet called by Nadda.

The BJP has involved former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in its preparations for the Bihar elections. Former Jharkhand CM Raghubar Das has held virtual meetings with party workers from the extremely backward classes.

from The Tribune https://ift.tt/3ll3jAI