News Analysis India

Tag: Anurag Singh Thakur

  • NewsClick refutes ‘Break India’ allegations made by Union Minister

    By Online Desk

    In response to the allegations made against NewsClick, the news organisation late on Monday said that the claims are unfounded and without basis in fact or law. 

    In a statement by NewsClick regarding the allegations, its Editor-in-Chief, Prabir Purkaystha said that Newsclick is an independent news organisation and ‘any insinuation that we function as a mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China or other interests is false’.

    “Over the past 12 hours, various false and misleading allegations have been levelled against Newsclick which pertain to matters that are currently sub judice before courts in India. We respect the sanctity of the legal process and do not intend to indulge in a media trial. The allegations being made against us by certain political actors and sections of the media are unfounded and without basis in fact or law”, the statement read. 

    Meanwhile, the High Court of Delhi has, having found a prima facie case in favour of Newsclick, granted interim protection from arrest to various officials of the company. Further, the Hon’ble Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Special Acts), Delhi, has dismissed a complaint filed by the income tax authorities against Newsclick, finding the same to be without merit, the statement added.

    In response to the allegations made against NewsClick, the news organisation late on Monday said that the claims are unfounded and without basis in fact or law. 

    In a statement by NewsClick regarding the allegations, its Editor-in-Chief, Prabir Purkaystha said that Newsclick is an independent news organisation and ‘any insinuation that we function as a mouthpiece of the Communist Party of China or other interests is false’.

    “Over the past 12 hours, various false and misleading allegations have been levelled against Newsclick which pertain to matters that are currently sub judice before courts in India. We respect the sanctity of the legal process and do not intend to indulge in a media trial. The allegations being made against us by certain political actors and sections of the media are unfounded and without basis in fact or law”, the statement read. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Meanwhile, the High Court of Delhi has, having found a prima facie case in favour of Newsclick, granted interim protection from arrest to various officials of the company. Further, the Hon’ble Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Special Acts), Delhi, has dismissed a complaint filed by the income tax authorities against Newsclick, finding the same to be without merit, the statement added.

  •  AVGC task force suggests measures to make India animation, gaming content hub

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Setting up of a National Mission with a budget outlay, introduction of school subject, standardized curriculum in higher education, target skilling and industry outreach for youth in tier two and three cities, and a comprehensive campaign–‘Creative India’ are key recommendations made by the AVGC Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Task Force to turn India into a global of hub of animation and gaming content hub.

    The Force has also suggested an annual international AVGC Expo in collaboration with industry. “The Expo will focus on foreign direct investment (FDI) in AVGC, market access creation, employment generation, new age technologies, knowledge exchanges, co-production partnerships and Intellectual property,” the panel stated in its report.

    The AVGC Task Force constituted under the chairmanship of secretary, ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) Apurva Chandra submitted its report including recommendations to I&B minister Anurag Singh Thakur last week.           

    Besides converting India into a sought after market for AVGC content creation, the recommendations aim to educate students and parents about the potential of the sector by leveraging National Education Policy (NEP). The idea is to develop creative thinking with dedicated AVGC course content at school levels to build foundational skills and create awareness about AVGC as a career choice.

    “Ministry of Education may plan for transition of all existing AVGC education programs from all universities into the new nomenclatures and new structure, through a mandate, preferably by2025,” read the report.

    The panel has suggested 11 degree courses such as Experiential Arts (Gaming), Graphic Arts (Comics and Animation Design), Cinematic Arts (Comics/Animation/VFX), and Visual Arts – Game Art Design.

    It has also been proposed that the ministry in collaboration with other key ministries may take up the task of setting up the country’s first National Center of Excellence for AVGC.   

    While briefing about the recommendations, Chandra on Monday said that the drafts of the national policy and model state policy for the growth of AVGC-Extended Reality (XR) had also been submitted along with the report.

    “The ministry along with the other concerned ministries will process the implementation of the recommendations in this report. The draft policies for growth of the AVGC-XR Sector, both of national and state level, will be key to aid the growth of the media and entertainment industry in general, and AVGC sector in particular, eventually contributing to India’s growth as an AVGC hub,” said Chandra. 

    NEW DELHI: Setting up of a National Mission with a budget outlay, introduction of school subject, standardized curriculum in higher education, target skilling and industry outreach for youth in tier two and three cities, and a comprehensive campaign–‘Creative India’ are key recommendations made by the AVGC Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) Task Force to turn India into a global of hub of animation and gaming content hub.

    The Force has also suggested an annual international AVGC Expo in collaboration with industry. “The Expo will focus on foreign direct investment (FDI) in AVGC, market access creation, employment generation, new age technologies, knowledge exchanges, co-production partnerships and Intellectual property,” the panel stated in its report.

    The AVGC Task Force constituted under the chairmanship of secretary, ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) Apurva Chandra submitted its report including recommendations to I&B minister Anurag Singh Thakur last week.           

    Besides converting India into a sought after market for AVGC content creation, the recommendations aim to educate students and parents about the potential of the sector by leveraging National Education Policy (NEP). The idea is to develop creative thinking with dedicated AVGC course content at school levels to build foundational skills and create awareness about AVGC as a career choice.

    “Ministry of Education may plan for transition of all existing AVGC education programs from all universities into the new nomenclatures and new structure, through a mandate, preferably by2025,” read the report.

    The panel has suggested 11 degree courses such as Experiential Arts (Gaming), Graphic Arts (Comics and Animation Design), Cinematic Arts (Comics/Animation/VFX), and Visual Arts – Game Art Design.

    It has also been proposed that the ministry in collaboration with other key ministries may take up the task of setting up the country’s first National Center of Excellence for AVGC.   

    While briefing about the recommendations, Chandra on Monday said that the drafts of the national policy and model state policy for the growth of AVGC-Extended Reality (XR) had also been submitted along with the report.

    “The ministry along with the other concerned ministries will process the implementation of the recommendations in this report. The draft policies for growth of the AVGC-XR Sector, both of national and state level, will be key to aid the growth of the media and entertainment industry in general, and AVGC sector in particular, eventually contributing to India’s growth as an AVGC hub,” said Chandra. 

  • ‘Voice ‘muzzled’ in GST Council meet, dissent not heard’: Bengal Finance Minister hits out at Centre

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: West Bengal Finance Minister Amit Mitra on Saturday alleged that his voice was “muzzled” during the GST Council meeting on Saturday and his opposition to levy taxes on Covid essentials like vaccines, masks, PPE kits and anti-viral drug Remdesivir, was not heard.

    Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur, however, countered Mitra’s charges saying that technical glitches marred West Bengal Finance Minister speech.

    The 44th GST Council meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising state ministers, on Saturday slashed tax rate on Covid drugs such as Remdesivir and Tocilizumab as well as on medical oxygen, and oxygen concentrators but ignored demands for a reduction in taxes on vaccines.

    In the evening, Mitra tweeted: “GoI-led the anti-people move & imposed GST on vaccine, mask, hand sanitizer, oxygen, PPE, oximeter, Covid test kit, Remdesivir, RT PCR machine.. Since my voice ignored, I have recorded my dissent by letter. Unprecedented. Slow death of the only body of cooperative federalism”. Mitra had suggested zero rating or 0. 1 per cent GST on Covid essentials.”

    In the letter to Sitharaman, Mitra said the decision to continue to levy GST on Covid-related items is “anti-people” and “draconian” which will hurt millions of people.

    “I tried my best to repeatedly raise my objection after your announcing this decision, but unfortunately, I was never given the floor and my voice was muzzled, as the Secretary brought the meeting to a close and the virtual link was cut off. Whither GST Council!” Mitra wrote.

    Taking to twitter, Thakur said he would like to “set the record straight”, and went on to add that in his over two years of attending the GST Council, Sitharaman has never cut off anyone during the Council discussions.

    “During the GST Council discussions today (June 12), it seemed as if the Finance Minister from West Bengal did not have a stable VC connection.

    Revenue Secy repeatedly informed him his line was breaking, that he was not properly audible & to turn off his video for better connectivity,” Thakur tweeted.

    He said that during the speech made by the Uttar Pradesh Finance Minister, nobody heard Mitra speak, nor did he ask to have his opinion heard.

    “Other members can attest to this”.

    “At the end of the discussion, when FM @nsitharaman ji asked the Council whether anyone would like to speak & add their comments, Dr Mitra ji again remained silent and did not speak up,” Thakur added.

    Stating that Sitharaman has patiently given every speaker as much time as they needed, Thakur said “the Finance Minister has never stifled dissent in the GST Council.

    It is unbecoming of a senior member of the Council to suggest that this has happened.

    The GST Council embodies the collective spirit of all states towards debate in a healthy manner; it has been & shall continue”.

    Mitra said that instances in Saturday’s GST Council meeting have dealt a major blow to the spirit of cooperative federalism undermining the very ethos of the GST Council.

    “In your remarks near the end of today’s GST Council meeting, you referred to several of my observations by name and yet I was not given the floor despite repeated requests to respond to your comments. Instead you gave the floor to the Minister from UP, who sought deletion of some of my comments by name and shockingly you agreed.”

    “I could never imagine that this would come to pass in a GST Council meeting where my voice is muzzled, despite the restraint and decorum that I have maintained in the 44 meetings of the GST Council– truly unprecedented.

    Obviously, this and other instances in today’s GST Council meeting have dealt a major blow to the spirit of cooperative federalism undermining the very ethos of the GST Council,” Mitra added.

    The Council cut to nil GST on COVID-19 drug Tocilizumab and black fungus medicine Amphotericin B, from existing 5 per cent.

    Hand sanitiser, pulse oximeters, BiPAP machine, testing kits, ambulances and temperature check equipment were among the 18 items on which GST rates were lowered.

  • Steps taken by govt during pandemic yielding results; economy on ‘V-shaped’ recovery: MoS Finance Thakur

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Steps taken by the government to deal with COVID-19 pandemic are resulting in ‘V-shaped’ economic recovery and the country is likely to witness double digit growth in 2021-22, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur said on Thursday in the Lok Sabha.

    Replying to a discussion on the second and final batch of the supplementary demands for grants for 2020-21, he said that it was because of the efforts of the government that GST collection was over Rs 1 lakh crore for continuously five months.

    In the final batch of supplementary demands for grants for the current fiscal, the government sought Parliament’s nod for an additional expenditure of Rs 6.28 lakh crore of which the net outgo has been estimated at Rs 4.12 lakh crore.

    The rest will be matched by savings in different ministries and departments.

    The Lok Sabha later passed the supplementary demands for grants and the related appropriation bill by voice vote.

    In his reply the minister said the government focused on saving lives during the pandemic without bothering about the fiscal deficit.

    In the next fiscal, the Budget has earmarked Rs 35,000 crore for vaccination and more would be provided if needed, Thakur said.

    “The GST collection in the last five months was continuously more than Rs one lakh crore. Because of the steps taken by the government during Covid, V-shaped economic recovery is happening. And world over, agencies have stated India will witness double digit growth in 2021-22,” he added.

    The growth in the current year is estimated to contract by 8 per cent on account of the Covid-19 pandemic.

    It is estimated to rise to 11 per cent in 2021-22.

    The minister further said that the government has provided additional funds for programmes such as MNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, capital expenditure for defence, and free food for 80 crore people for eight months.

    He also said that West Bengal farmers were deprived of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi because of non-cooperation by the state.

    Participating in the discussion, Hanuman Beniwal (RLP) urged the government to reduce the prices of petrol and diesel as these were impacting the common man.

    He regretted that fuel prices are skyrocketing at a time when international crude oil rates have declined.

    Several House members highlighted the issue of spiralling prices of fuel and cooking gas.

    Saugata Roy (TMC), whose party is locked in a high-stake electoral battle in West Bengal, dubbed the government as the “most cruel” because the rising prices of LPG cylinder has hit women hard.

    He also said the central tax on fuel was exorbitant.

    Prior to Roy, Tapir Gao, BJP MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said that infrastructure development in his state was being done rapidly after 2014 and this was because “Modi hain to Mumkin hain” (It was possible because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi).

    To this Roy said, “Modi hain to Mummkin nagi hoga (West) Bengal mein” (BJP’s victory’ won’t be possible in West Bengal despite there is Modi).

    Jasbir Singh Gill (Congress) said the allocation of funds to Punjab was much less than its contribution through taxes.

  • 10,113 companies voluntarily shuttered operations during April 2020-February 2021 period: Govt data

    As per the ministry #39;s data, a total of 2,394 companies were struck off in Delhi while the number stood at 1,936 companies in Uttar Pradesh.

  • With USD 590 billion forex reserves in kitty, India now ‘net creditor’: MoS Thakur

    By PTI
    HYDERABAD: India now has forex reserves of over USD 590 billion, the highest ever, up by USD 119 billion over the previous year, while the external debt is USD 554 billion, making the country a “net creditor”, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur said here on Saturday.

    Speaking to media persons he said the country is witnessing a ‘V’ shaped recovery post COVID-19 pandemic, which is evident by the GST collection during the past four months.

    “If you see Indias forex reserves, India has forex reserves more than USD 590 billion, which is the highest ever.

    And it is up by USD 119 billion from the previous year. And if you look at the external debt, it is only USD 554 billion.

    So considering the forex reserves, India is now a net creditor,” the minister said.

    He said the GST collections indicate that the economy is in recovery as the Government has taken the right steps saving lives and the economy as well.

    The Minister said India received the highest Foreign Direct Investments even during COVID-19 times due to “decisive leadership.”

    “India is standing back on its feet. The economy is witnessing a V shaped recovery and that is why in the last four months we have seenGST collection of more than one lakh rupees per month.

    And in the month of January the total collection was close to Rs 1.20 lakh crore, he told reporters in a press conference.

    On the recent Union Budget, Thakur said that except the opposition parties, all sections of people had appreciated it.

    Thakur said the budget estimates for the current fiscal was Rs 30.42 lakh crore, while it was increased by over Rs four lakh crore to Rs 34.50 lakh crore for the next fiscal.

    He hoped that India would become a USD five trillion economy in the next four or five years.

    Describing the budget as a “transparent one”, the minister explained the salient features of it.

    On the disinvestment proposal of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) which owns steel plant in Visakhapatnam, Thakur said the Centre will decide on divesting stakes of Public Sector Enterprises from time to time, based on NITI Aayogs recommendations.

    He said many companies have grown post-disinvestment and the Centre will try to talk to the RINL stakeholders.