UP govt aims to develop MSME export hubs to compete in global markets

The MSME department is working on a plan to promote 75 districts as potential export hubs for local industries to create jobs and contribute to the Rs 1 trillion dollar economy goal.The state government will develop local export hubs and nudge the e-commerce sector to double micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) shipments to Rs 3 trillion in two-three years, according to sources. The sector contributes 60 per cent to UP’s annual industrial output and is the leading employment generator after agriculture and allied activities.The state will invest in the promotion and online marketing of MSMEs, especially under the One District One Product (ODOP) scheme, to compete in the global markets. The sector played a vital role in attracting private investment in the state, said Rakesh Sachan, the state’s MSME minister. The MSME department will send officials to Tamil Nadu and Odisha to study the mechanism of raw material banks set up in these states for possible replication.However, these industries faced impediments to working capital, lack of marketing support, etc. In this regard, the UP government launched the ODOP scheme to revive traditional handicrafts and indigenous industries. Addressing a recent MSME programme in Lucknow, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that when indigenous products gain traction, it is imperative to nurture and incentivise them with a robust platform to flourish in the market.  

States and Union Territories step on the gas to raise funds

Seventeen States & UTs are expected to cumulatively mop up ₹50,206 crore at an auction of State Government Securities (SGS) to be conducted by RBI on March 19 States & Union Territories (UTs) seem to be in a tearing hurry to raise monies before the close of FY24. This also comes in the backdrop of expectations that the Election Commission will announce general election dates shortly. Seventeen States & UTs are expected to cumulatively mop up ₹50,206 crore at an auction of State Government Securities (SGS) to be conducted by RBI on March 19. The amount that the States & UTs are collectively seeking to raise on March 19th is substantially higher than the ₹27,810 crore they had planned to mop up, going by the Indicative Calendar of Market borrowings. The amount that States and UTs are planning to raise on March 19th will also be the highest amount that they have raised at a weekly auction in FY24 so far. Twenty States and UTs had collectively raised ₹45,160 crore (the second highest amount raised in FY24) on February 27.Venkatakrishnan Srinivasan, Founder & Managing Partner, Rockfort Fincap LLP, said such a large weekly SGS auction size has not been witnessed before. States & UTs usually raise ₹35,000-Rs 37,000 crore, thereabouts at the weekly auctions conducted by RBI.The latest auction announcement also comes in the backdrop of the expected announcement of general election dates on Saturday. Meanwhile, the RBI conducted a variable rate repo (VRR) auction on Friday after a gap of eight days to infuse liquidity into the banking system amidst outflows expected due to direct and indirect tax payments. RBI received bids from Banks for drawing 7-day funds aggregating ₹76,560 crore against the notified amount of ₹75,000 crore. It allotted funds amounting to ₹75,001 crore at a weighted average rate of 6.65 per cent. Yield of the 10-year Government Security (7.18 per cent GS 2033) moved up about two basis points, with its price declining about 17 paise, in sync with rising US Treasury yields. Yield of this benchmark paper closed at 7.0644 per cent (previous close: 7.0401per cent), with its price closing at ₹100.775 (Rs 100.9425).  

Amazon working with govt agencies to push MSME exports in India

Amazon India’s Global Trade Director Bhupen Wakankar talks to businessline about the company’s growth trajectory, partnerships with government and support provided to MSMEs Amazon Global Selling, the e-commerce giant’s export platform for micro, small and medium enterprises, is collaborating with the Ministry of Commerce and Director General of Foreign Trade to further accelerate sales from districts that have good export potential. “What we have done over the last two years is specifically start forming partnerships at all levels,” Bhupen Wakankar, Director, Global Trade, Amazon India, told businessline. It is collaborating with the central and state government, trade bodies, export promotion councils, and industry bodies such as CII and FICCI as well as logistics, service providers, banks and VCs for funding. Amazon India recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the commerce ministry to deepen engagement in the top 75 districts in the country that account for 80 per cent of its exports. It is also engaging with the DGFT which has an on-the-ground presence and thorough tie-ups with local export promotion councils. “We want to specifically drive awareness, and education of E-commerce exports. So we’re going to go at a district level, and leverage the infrastructure…”, he added. Amazon Global Selling currently has over 1.25 lakh exporters on its platform which has surpassed $8 billion in revenue since its launch in 2015 and is rapidly approaching its target of $20 billion by 2025. Exporters have access to over 200 countries through Amazon’s 18 international websites.  

Vedanta to appeal against SEBI order levying ₹78 crore penalty

Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta has decided to contest the SEBI order of levying a penalty of ₹78 crore on delayed dividend payments to Cairn UK Holdings (now Capricorn UK Holdings) Ltd (CUHL).The dividend payment to CUHL was withheld due to a tax dispute between Cairn UK and the Indian Government, and the dividend of ₹667 crore was deposited in an “unpaid dividend account” as per law. When Cairn UK reached a settlement with the Government in its tax dispute, all dues were cleared including the said dividend amount. Moreover, as per the settlement with the government, Cairn UK undertook the process to surrender its rights to claim interest on tax refund (arising on account of this dividend), said Vedanta in a statement on Wednesday. “There was absolutely no intent on the part of Vedanta to withhold the dividend payment from CUHL. Vedanta has paid out dividend of over ₹84,000 crore to shareholders in the last ten years.” it said. The amount of ₹667 crore is a very small amount in the context of the amount of dividend Vedanta pays, said the company. Vedanta will appeal the SEBI order before the appropriate forum, it added. Besides levying a penalty, the SEBI on Tuesday barred the firm’s entire Board, including Anil Agarwal’s brother Navin and daughter Priya, from accessing the capital market. Interestingly, in 2019, SEBI closed the complaint by CUHL after Vedanta said that the dividend was withheld due to an IT attachment of assets. However, CUHL had moved the Supreme Court in 2019 against the SEBI order. In 2022, the Apex Court ordered SEBI to initiate an enquiry and complete the same within a specific time frame. SEBI started hearing the case afresh and has now levied the penalty on Vedanta.  

Election Commission Confirms Receipt of Electoral Bonds Data From SBI

The State Bank of India (SBI) has furnished information on electoral bonds purchased and encashed since 2019 to the Election Commission of India (ECI).In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the ECI has confirmed receipt of the data from the SBI. “In compliance of Hon’ble Supreme Court’s directions to the SBI, contained in its order dated Feb 15 & March 11, 2024 (in the matter of WPC NO.880 of 2017), data on electoral bonds has been supplied by State Bank of India to Election Commission of India, today, March 12, 2024,” the post reads. Yesterday, the Supreme Court rejected the bank’s plea for extra time till June 30 to furnish the details and asked it to do so by today, adding that it may proceed against the bank on grounds on wilful disobedience if the new deadline was not met. It also asked the ECI to make the details public on its website by Friday (March 15). When asked by reporters to confirm when it would upload the details onto its site, the ECI did not immediately offer a response.Electoral bonds are interest-free financial instruments that individuals or groups may use to make anonymous donations to political parties. But on February 15 this year, the Supreme Court said the bonds violated voters’ right to information and were thus unconstitutional. In its judgement, the top court gave the SBI time till March 6 to provide information to the ECI on the details of electoral bonds purchased since April 12, 2019. This data was to include the date the bonds were purchased on, their denominations and the names of who purchased them. The court also said ordered for data on every electoral bond encashed by political parties since that date to be furnished, including the date they were encashed on and the bonds’ denominations.Two days before the March 6 deadline, the SBI said it needed time till June 30 to furnish the data because it had to compile 44,434 sets of information from two ‘information silos’. However, the Supreme Court asked the bank what it had done since February 15 and pointed out that the bank already had the necessary information with it. Rs 16,518 crore worth of electoral bonds were sold from 2018 to the start of 2024, the government recently informed parliament. The ruling BJP has by far been the biggest beneficiary of the scheme.Of the total number of electoral bonds – worth Rs 12,008 crore – sold between 2017-2018 and 2022-2023, the BJP received nearly 55%, or Rs 6,564 crore.    

Anti-CAA Protests Erupt In Assam After MHA Notification

No sooner did the news spread about the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) notifying the Citizenship (Amendment) Act – CAA – in Assam on Monday, March 11, protests erupted at several university campuses, including the Cotton University in Guwahati and the Dibrugarh University. According to news reports, students came out in dozens, shouting slogans to protest against the implementation of the CAA across the non-Sixth Scheduled areas of Assam. Student bodies like the All Assam Students Union (AASU) also came out on the streets in different parts of the state and burnt copies of the Act. AASU, which has been at the forefront of the anti-foreigner agitation since the 1980s which ended with the Assam Accord, announced a bandh in the state. AASU chief advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya told reporters, “The CAA is not acceptable to us. The BJP government has today delivered the biggest blow to the Assamese people, our identity, and our culture. Our protest will continue.” The CAA nullifies the citizenship cut-off date of March 1971 as per the Accord. As per the Act, a Bangladeshi Hindu who had entered the state till 2019 is eligible for citizenship and can settle permanently in the north-eastern state. The two political parties which were born of the movement against the legislation – the Raijor Dal and the Asam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) –  announced a ‘hartal’ and urged the Assamese people to come out of their homes to register protest. AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi called March 11 “a black day for Assam” and condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments both at the state and the Centre for not heeding the Assamese people’s opposition to implementation of the the Act in the state. “This Act will crush the identity, land and cultural rights of the community,” Gogoi said on social media platform X (previously called Twitter). Accusing the BJP of seeking the votes of the Assamese community to protect their rights but ending up giving it the biggest blow, he said, “BJP’s leaders from Assam like Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma failed to convince their central government to keep Assam out of the CAA … it is a black day for Assam … I urge people to get ready to fight this Act.”  

The Citizenship Law CAA is expected to become a reality today, four years after it was passed.

According to sources who spoke with NDTV on Monday afternoon, the Union Home Ministry may announce the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act later tonight. The CAA, which for the first time makes religion a citizenship test, was approved by Parliament in December 2019 in the midst of nationwide violent protests and strong opposition from opposition lawmakers and chief ministers of non-BJP states. These protests resulted in the deaths of over 100 people.Non-Muslim immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India prior to 2015 may be granted Indian nationality by the government once it is granted. News agency ANI was informed by an unidentified official that "the regulations are prepared and an online portal is already set up... applicants can disclose year of entry without travel documents". There will be no need for any further paperwork, the official stated.This occurs less than a month after Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that the CAA will be put into effect prior to the April/May Lok Sabha elections. "CAA is a national act; it will undoubtedly be informed. CAA will take effect prior to the election, so there's no need for confusion."Last month, Mr. Shah made an effort to downplay concerns that minority communities would be singled out by the combination of the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizens Act (CAA). "Muslim brothers of ours are being incited and misled." Citizenship by Assurance (CAA) is only intended for individuals who arrived in India as a result of persecution in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, or Pakistan. It's not intended to take away someone's citizenship."Along with passing resolutions against all three, the then-ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi of former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao called on the government to "remove all references to any religion, or to any foreign country" in Telangana, citing concerns voiced by thousands of people nationwide. A resolution was also passed by the Madhya Pradesh government, which was then ruled by the Congress. Interestingly, a number of state legislators and leaders of the BJP also opposed the legislation.

Supreme Court to Hematochal Pradesh Rebel MLAs Case on Tuesday

On Tuesday, the six rebel Congress MLAs from Himachal Pradesh will present their case to the Supreme Court. The MLAs had contested the Speaker's disqualification after they cast cross-party votes in the most recent Rajya Sabha elections in Himachal Pradesh. The plea will be heard by a bench consisting of Justices Sanjiv Khanna, Dipankar Datta, and Prashant Kumar Mishra. They were disqualified on February 29 by Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania for "defying" the Congress whip's mandate that they be present in the House and cast votes on the budget.In the Rajya Sabha election on February 27, the rebels had cast their votes in support of BJP candidate Harsh Mahajan. Cross-voting was the reason senior Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi lost the Rajya Sabha election.Rajinder Rana, Sudhir Sharma, Inder Dutt Lakhanpal, Devinder Kumar Bhutoo, Ravi Thakur, and Chetanya Sharma are the disqualified MLAs. The Himachal Pradesh assembly's effective strength decreased from 68 to 62 after their disqualification, and the number of Congress MLAs decreased from 40 to 34.An MLA was disqualified for the first time in Himachal Pradesh for violating the anti-defection law, which was designed to prevent defections. The Speaker declared on February 29 that the six MLAs would be removed from office due to their disobedience of the party whip and the anti-defection law. He declared that they were no longer House members, effective right away. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister filed the petition to remove them from office. Representing the rebel Congress MLAs, senior attorney Satya Pal Jain had claimed that they had only received the show-cause notice and not the copy of the petition or the annexure. Additionally, he emphasized that while responding to the notice was required to be done within seven days.Any elected member who willingly resigns from their political party, votes in the House, or abstains from voting in defiance of directives from their political party faces disqualification under the anti-defection law. The Speaker said that although the rebel MLAs had signed the attendance register, they had not voted on the budget. They received emails and notices via WhatsApp for disobeying the whip, asking them to come to the hearing.

Electoral Bond Details Readily Available; SBI Has Made Up Excuse For Not Complying

Former finance secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, who was economic affairs secretary when electoral bonds were first introduced, says that the State Bank of India needs “not more than a day” to make available the electoral bond information the Supreme Court has asked the bank to give to the Election Commission. Garg says “this information is readily available”, adding, “it is available at the click of a button”.In an interview to The Wire, Garg says that the State Bank of India has either deliberately misconstrued or failed to understand the simple nature of the six bits of information that they are required to give to the Election Commission and, instead, the bank claims that it has been asked to collate different bits of information which it was not asked to do. In other words, the bank has made the simple things required of it seem more complicated and long drawn out than is the case. This has given the SBI the basis on which to argue that it needs three and a half months more, pushing the deadline to June 30. Garg explained that the Supreme Court simply asked for six simple bits of information: who purchased the bonds, the date and the amount and also which party received the bonds, when they were encashed and the amount. This information is readily available. The electoral bond guidelines of 2018 themselves require that it should be given to any court when demanded and Justice Deepak Gupta has revealed that he was part of a Supreme Court bench which in 2019 ordered the bank to maintain such records. Garg also said he believes that in 2019 details of electoral bonds sold up to that date were given to the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope. At the time the bank did not need or ask for extra time. Why do they need extra time to give similar details for the period post 2019? Garg believes that by failing to meet the March 6 deadline set up by the Supreme Court, the State Bank of India is already guilty of contempt of court. In fact, the Association for Democratic Reforms has today filed a contempt case against the SBI. Has this become a test case for the SBI’s image and integrity? How embarrassed will the management of the SBI be today? What would be the impact if the bank is found guilty of contempt? Those are some of the other issues touched upon in this interview.  

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Boost GI products as premium goods globally to boost exports: Experts

The government should promote GI (Geographical Indications) products like Kala namak, rice, and Nagpur oranges as premium offerings on the global stage to boost exports of these items as they hold huge potential in different countries, according to experts.They said that a key weakness of Indian GI products compared to similar international goods is the lack of strong marketing and global brand recognition.Many Indian GI products, despite their unique quality and cultural significance, are not as well-known internationally, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivasatava said. He said that this is due to inadequate branding, promotional activities, and limited access to global markets.Additionally, issues related to consistent quality assurance and the efficient management of GI tags can also hinder the potential for Indian GI products to compete effectively on the international stage. "Strengthening these areas could significantly enhance the global presence and market value of Indian GI products," Srivastava said.Great Mission Group Society (GMGS), a non-government organisation that works on such goods, said there are thousands of products in India which can be categorised as GIs as they would benefit local communities and preserve the nation's heritage. Founder and Chairman of GMGS Ganesh Hingmire said the society has so far filed applications seeking GI tags for as many as 89 products and out of that 61 have been published or categorised. "I would like to suggest the government to take steps to fast track the process of granting GI tags to Indian goods," he said, adding that this would help increase the income of communities who are producing those items besides the country's boosting exports as such products hold huge potential in international markets.Measures that are there at present to promote GIs include promotional campaigns, participation in international fairs, quality enhancement measures, legal protection, and the exploration of e-commerce platforms to broaden market access. Financial and technical support is extended to GI producers for capacity building and marketing, fostering a conducive ecosystem for these goods.Srivastava said that steps like implementing strict quality control and establishing traceability systems to meet international standards; developing brand identities and targeted marketing strategies for specific markets; using online marketplaces for wider accessibility; and encouraging partnerships between the government, industry bodies, would help boost exports of these items.Once a product gets this tag, any person or company cannot sell a similar item under that name. This tag is valid for a period of 10 years following which it can be renewed. The other benefits of GI registration include legal protection for that item, prevention against unauthorised use by others, and promoting exports. A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or a manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.  

Scrap 5% Customs duty on newsprint to manage operation cost: INS to govt

The Indian Newspaper Society has urged the government to scrap the five per cent Customs duty on newsprint to allow publishers to manage their operational costs more effectively.In a statement, the INS said a combination of factors affecting the price and availability of newsprint -- geopolitical uncertainties, logistics, rupee depreciation and Customs duty -- have created a formidable burden for publishers in the country. The escalations in the conflict in West Asia, as well as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have significantly affected the global supply chain, including for newsprint, the organisation said in its statement issued here on Monday. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) urgently appealed to the government to reconsider the imposition of five per cent Customs duty on newsprint. "This measure, if withdrawn, would provide much-needed relief to the print media industry, allowing publishers to manage their operational costs more effectively and ensure the continued dissemination of credible news and information to the public," INS president Rakesh Sharma said in the statement. It said the Red Sea issue, where cargo ships are being continuously targeted, has further exacerbated the situation, leading to disruptions in the transportation of essential commodities, including newsprint. Resultant, the newsprint suppliers are cancelling the earlier confirmed orders of the publishers, the statement said.Many newsprint mills in India and across the world have either suspended or ceased their operations, causing concerns about the supply of newsprint in India.The declining value of the Indian rupee has compounded these challenges and added "pressure on import-dependent industries like the print media sector", it said. "The fluctuating currency exchange rates contribute to the rising costs of importing newsprint, thereby straining the financial viability of newspapers and publications," the INS statement said."It is pertinent to mention here that survival of print media industry is crucial for the largest democracy of the world, as we not only serve as a vital medium for disseminating knowledge and information at low and affordable costs to the common public but also contribute significantly to the Government's communication efforts, informing citizens about policies and social welfare programs," it said.The INS said in an era of widespread online misinformation, print media retains a commendable level of trust and credibility, distinguishing itself through reliable editorials, comprehensive reporting, and widespread readership.  

Education is considered pious in our culture, but has now become unaffordable: HC

Mumbai: Education, which is considered pious in the Indian culture, has now become unaffordable, the Bombay High Court has said noting it is the state's constitutional responsibility to ensure quality education reaches everyone. A division bench of Justices A S Chandurkar and Jitendra Jain made these observations while refusing to quash decisions taken by the Maharashtra government to grant permission to two organisations to set up educational institutions in Pune. The HC in its February 21 order said the court is not an expert in education policy matters and state government is the best authority to select the best and mere power to choose cannot be termed as arbitrary."Pune is known as the 'Oxford of the East' for decades and it has attracted students not only from India but other countries as well. This has resulted in Pune being a hub of educational institutions," the HC noted.With the passage of time and due to growth of the city, there has been a huge growth and competition in setting up of colleges and schools not only in the city of Pune but also around its periphery, it said. In such circumstances, it is the state's constitutional responsibility to ensure quality education reaches one and all to achieve growth and development of humanity, it added.The court dismissed the two petitions, filed by the Jagruti Foundation and the Sanjay Modak Education Society, challenging decisions taken by the state government last year refusing to grant them permission to set up educational institutions in Pune.    

TIPRA elated after signing tripartite agreement to address tribal issues in Tripura

The government of India, the government of Tripura, and the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) signed a tripartite agreement on March 2 to address the issues faced by the indigenous people of Tripura, who make up 33% of the population.  The signing ceremony was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others.The agreement contains the formation of a joint working committee to resolve issues related to the history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, and language of the indigenous people of the State. TIPRA, also known as TIPRA Motha, has agreed to refrain from any form of protest until a solution is reached in a timely manner. The agreement was signed by TIPRA founder and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, party President Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Animesh Debbarma on behalf of their party. Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and Additional Secretary (NE) of the Ministry of Home Affairs Piyush Goyal represented the Tripura government and the Central government in the agreement. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, and two tribal Ministers of his cabinet - Bikash Debbarma and Sukla Charan Noatia were present at the signing event. The Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues had travelled to New Delhi the previous evening following progress in talks between the TIPRA delegation and MHA officials.  

First technical team from India arrives in Maldives; Massive fire kills 43 in Dhaka, and more

The government has confirmed that a team of Indian technical personnel have landed in Maldives to replace military troops that have been operating aircraft there. The development indicates a compromise between the Modi government and the recently elected Muizzu government on the contentious issue of Indian troops stationed in the Maldives that had become the target of the “India Out” campaign run by the ruling party.  As the Manipur Assembly has passed a resolution to urge the Union Government to abrogate the suspension of operations (SoO) pact with Kuki-Zo insurgent groups, in effect since 2008, suspense prevailed over the extension of the agreement. The 10 Kuki-Zo-Hmar legislators in the 60-member Assembly were not present in the House when the resolution was passed. The slogan ‘Abki Baar, 400 Paar (This time, above 400)’ was not coined by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but by the public itself to bring back the current government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said. “Today, there is only one thing being heard everywhere: ‘Abki Baar, 400 Paar’. This has happened for the first time that the public itself has elevated a slogan like this to bring back its beloved government. It has not been given by the BJP,” he said, virtually addressing the ‘Viksit Bharat, Viksit Madhya Pradesh‘ programme, a part of the Centre’s Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Making a flurry of revisions in the economy’s growth estimates, the National Statistical Office (NSO) on Thursday raised India’s real GDP growth esimate for this year to 7.6% from the 7.3% projected last month. It also scaled down its 7.2% growth estimate for 2022-23 to 7%, and raised its 2021-22 estimate from 9.1% to 9.7%. The Gross Value Added (GVA) in the economy is projected to rise 6.9% this year, with the NSO downgrading last year’s GVA growth to 6.7% from 7%. GDP growth for the first two quarters of this year was raised to 8.2% and 8.1%, further rising to 8.4% for the the October to December 2023 quarter (Q3). A fire at a six-story commercial building in Dhaka killed at least 43 people and injured dozens of others, Bangladesh’s health minister said on March 1. The country’s Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen said the fire broke out late on February 29 in the building in Dhaka’s Bailey Road area. Firefighters rescued survivors and pulled out dead bodies, and by early Friday, at least 43 people died and at least 22 others were being treated, he said. Firefighters said the fire began in a popular restaurant on the first floor of the building, and that many people were trapped by the fire.  

Government Employees Platform Plans Strike From May 1 Over OPS Demand

A group of Union and state government employees announced they will go on indefinite strike starting on Labour Day (May 1) this year to demand the restoration of the old pension scheme (OPS), The Hindu reported.The Joint Forum For Restoration of Old Pension Scheme (JFROPS), which was described as a platform of trade unions and associations working among Union and state government employees, said it had decided to serve strike notices starting March 19. Under the OPS, which was retired in 2004, retired government employees received half their last-drawn salary every month as a pension. The government concerned would foot the entire amount. The National Pension Scheme (NPS) replaced the OPS and involves the employee contributing 10% of their basic salary and the government contributing 14% into a corpus, which can be invested into different types of funds.How much an employee would receive upon retirement depends on the market return on these investments. Shiv Gopal Mishra, who is convenor of the JFROPS and is among the leaders of a railway workers’ union, told The Hindu that the decision to go on strike was taken after talks with the Union government had broken down. “We held several protests demanding restoration of OPS. We wrote letters to prime minister and finance minister urging them to restore the OPS. We have also been raising this issue in the JCM [joint consultative machinery] meetings, but the government ignored our demands and we are now forced to go on an indefinite strike,” Mishra was quoted as saying. The Hindu also cited government employees’ unions as claiming that ahead of the call for a strike, ballots conducted in various government departments suggested that nearly 100% of employees supported a strike.They have also argued that pensioners were worse off under the NPS because it does not hike pensions on a regular basis in order to correct for inflation. Some state governments have decided to restore the OPS for their employees.But the Reserve Bank of India has said that going back to the OPS would increase governments’ liabilities and put their financial security at risk.The Union government said in parliament in December that it does not plan on restoring the OPS. It has also warned its employees from going on strike before and argued that their right to form associations did not include a guaranteed right to go on strike.When Mishra was asked by The Hindu how the model code of conduct for the general elections would affect their planned strike, he said they wanted the issue to be discussed by the people. “This is an issue that involves lives of crores of people. Let the people discuss and decide on our demands. Even if the model code of conduct comes in picture, the Cabinet will be there, the Cabinet secretary will be there and they can take a decision on our demand,” he told the newspaper.Another employees’ union leader was cited as saying that ‘all unions’ except the pro-government Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh would take part in their planned strike.  

In Uttar Pradesh, Journalist Booked For Defamation For Posting Wrong Images on X

As Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath inaugurated a building in Ghaziabad on Wednesday, February 28, police booked a journalist for defamation after he allegedly posted wrong information on social media related to the construction of the premises, Times of India reported. According to the report, Adityanath inaugurated a building meant to house police personnel on the premises of Khora police station around noon. Meanwhile, Lokesh Rai, a Ghaziabad-based journalist working with a news channel, posted a a video of the inauguration along with photos that showed an under-construction building on social media platform X (previously called Twitter). Implying that the images were of the same building that was being inaugurated, Rai alleged that it was not ready yet. Subsequently, around 15 minutes later, a video of another building was posted from the official account of the Ghaziabad Police on X which they claimed that the chief minister was inaugurating. Rai deleted his post by 1pm. Speaking to Times of India, the journalist said that it was a “small mistake” and his post was “not intentionally” wrong. “Before registering an FIR, senior police officers called me and asked to delete the post because the information was wrong. A few minutes ago, I learnt that an FIR was registered in the matter. I am looking into it,” Rai informed the daily. “The accused had not checked the information and posted on X by tagging UP Police, DGP and other officials,” the DCP was quoted by Times of India. The police alleged that the post was an attempt to defame the Adityanath government and Ghaziabad police, as per the report. An FIR was registered against the journalist by Khora police station sub-inspector Lokesh Kumar under sections 500 (punishment for defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) of the IPC and relevant provisions of the IT Act. In 2023, India has slipped to the 161st rank in terms of press freedom out of 180 countries ranked, according to the World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF).  

AAP must leave its headquarters by June 15th, per a Supreme Court order.

The Aam Aadmi Party of Arvind Kejriwal will have to leave its headquarters, which are located on a plot of land designated for the High Court. The good news is that you still have until June 15 to act. The Supreme Court gave the party a long deadline because of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, emphasizing that this is an encroachment case. The party may now submit an application for alternative land to the Land and Development Office of the Center.The bench, which included Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated, "We would request the L&DO to process the application and communicate its decision within a period of four weeks." The bench continued, "AAP has no legal right to remain on the land." The Delhi High Court was granted land in February to expand its operations and build more courtrooms for the Rouse Avenue location. The court had noticed that the AAP was intruding on this land. When considering a case involving the nation's judicial system, the highest court took notice of the issue.The state government promised at a meeting on February 15 that the plot would be removed in two months if a substitute plot was provided, in response to a court order. However, the situation remained unchanged. According to India's Chief Justice, DY Chandrachud, nobody has the authority to impose law on others. "It is absurd for any political party to sit on it. Every intrusion will be eliminated... The land should be given to the High Court so that it can be utilized by the general public and citizens, Justice Chandrachud stated.

Article 21: The Constitutions Soul, with Citizens Liberty Supreme

According to the Supreme Court, Article 21 is the essence of the Constitution because it protects citizens' rights to liberty, which are so valuable that a person would lose them if the high court takes too long to decide cases pertaining to it. Amol Vithal Vahile, a prime accused in the murder of a corporator in Maharashtra, was granted bail by the Bombay High Court on January 29 following prodding from the top court, according to a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta.In a recent ruling, the bench stated that it is evident that prior to this court's order being issued on January 29, 2024, the high court had dismissed the bail application on one or more grounds rather than considering it on its merits.It goes without saying that Article 21 of the Indian Constitution is its core because it upholds the fundamental right to liberty for all citizens. It stated, "Depriving the party of their precious right guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India would mean not reaching a quick decision and brushing off the issue on one or the other basis pertaining to a citizen's liberty." The bench stated that it has encountered numerous cases from the Bombay High Court in which the applications for bail and anticipatory bail were not resolved promptly. The bench mentioned one instance where the application for anticipatory bail was pending for over four years. "We have also encountered many cases where the judges find an excuse to reroute the case on unrelated grounds rather than rendering a decision based on the merits of the case. As a result, we ask the chief justice of the Bombay High Court to communicate our request to all judges who have criminal jurisdiction so that the issue of bail and anticipatory bail can be decided as soon as possible," the bench stated.It requested that the Supreme Court's Registrar (Judicial) forward this directive to the High Court's Registrar (Judicial), who will present it to the Bombay High Court's chief justice. The bench stated on January 29 that, despite the fact that Vahile had been detained for more than seven years, on March 30, 2023, the high court had ordered him to appear before the trial court for regular bail.