Notifications & Circulars
Press Information Bureau
07.02.2018
Civil
Cabinet approves Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury
MANU/PIBU/0230/2018
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the proposal for ratification of Minamata Convention on Mercury and depositing the instrument of ratification enabling India to become a Party of the Convention. The approval entails Ratification of the Minamata Convention on Mercury along with flexibility for continued use of mercury-based products and processes involving mercury compound up to 2025. The Minamata Convention on Mercury will be implemented in the context of sustainable development with the objective to protect human health and environment from the anthropogenic emissions and releases of mercury and mercury compounds.
The Convention protects the most vulnerable from the harmful effects of mercury and also protects the developmental space of developing countries. Therefore, the interest of the poor and vulnerable groups will be protected. The Minamata Convention on Mercury will further urge enterprises to move to mercury-free alternatives in products and non-mercury technologies in manufacturing processes. This will drive research & development, and promote innovation.
Tags : Ratification Convention Approval
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Press Information Bureau
07.02.2018
Civil
Coal India Limited's 'Grahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran App' for information about Supply of Coal
MANU/PIBU/0232/2018
Coal India Limited had launched the 'Grahak Sadak Koyla Vitaran App' on 01.11.2017 aimed at benefiting customers that are being supplied coal by road. It is a tool to monitor that the dispatches are made on the fair principle of 'First in First Out' and keeps track of all the activities from issuance of Sale Order to physical delivery of coal by road. This shall help to achieve transparency in dispatch operations.
The main benefits of the App for the customers include easy accessibility of the information at the click of the button, apart from transparency in the system of loading programme and dispatch. The app also helps in logistics planning for lifting of coal in tune with the loading programmes. It further helps in improved planning of procurement, production and stock management by the customers. It also provides date-wise, truck-wise quantity of coal delivered against the Sale Orders and information related to Scheme-wise, Colliery-wise, Grade-wise, customer-wise details of Sale Orders issued during a period. In terms of loading, it provides allotment verses lifting status in details from different sources by truck and summary of the coal dispatch.
Till October 2017, the movement of coal through road mode was about 93 Million Tonne (MT), which was about 29% of the total coal dispatch of 317 MT. The road dispatch during the current fiscal till October 2017 increased by more than 12 MT as compared to same period of last fiscal. In the last fiscal, till October 2016, about 81 MT of coal was dispatched through road Mode which was about 28% of the total coal dispatch by CIL.
In order to meet the coal requirement of power houses, different subsidiary Companies of Coal India Limited have offered coal through road mode from available pithead stock to those Plants located within 50 Kms to 60 Kms from the nearest mines.
Tags : Coal Supply App
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Reserve Bank of India
07.02.2018
Banking
Relief for MSME Borrowers registered under Goods and Services Tax (GST)
MANU/RMIC/0007/2018
Presently, banks and NBFCs in India generally classify a loan account as Non-Performing Asset (NPA) based on 90 day and 120 day delinquency norms, respectively. It has been represented to us that formalisation of business through registration under GST had adversely impacted the cash flows of the smaller entities during the transition phase with consequent difficulties in meeting their repayment obligations to banks and NBFCs. As a measure of support to these entities in their transition to a formalised business environment, it has been decided that the exposure of banks and NBFCs to a borrower classified as micro, small and medium enterprise under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED) Act, 2006, shall continue to be classified as a standard asset in the books of banks and NBFCs subject to the following conditions:
i. The borrower is registered under the GST regime as on January 31, 2018.
ii. The aggregate exposure, including non-fund based facilities, of banks and NBFCs, to the borrower does not exceed ` 250 million as on January 31, 2018.
iii. The borrower's account was standard as on August 31, 2017.
iv. The amount from the borrower overdue as on September 1, 2017 and payments from the borrower due between September 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 are paid not later than 180 days from their respective original due dates.
v. A provision of 5% shall be made by the banks/NBFCs against the exposures not classified as NPA in terms of this circular. The provision in respect of the account may be reversed as and when no amount is overdue beyond the 90/1201 day norm, as the case may be.
vi. The additional time is being provided for the purpose of asset classification only and not for income recognition, i.e., if the interest from the borrower is overdue for more than 90/1202 days, the same shall not be recognised on accrual basis.
Tags : MSME Borrowers Relief GST
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Press Information Bureau
07.02.2018
Direct Taxation
Indian Advance Pricing Agreement regime moves forward with signing of five UAPAs and two BAPAs by CBDT in January, 2018
MANU/PIBU/0236/2018
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has entered into five Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (UAPA) and two Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (BAPA) during the month of January, 2018. With the signing of these Agreements, the total number of APAs entered into by the CBDT has gone up to 196. This includes 178 Unilateral APAs and 18 Bilateral APAs. In the current financial year, a total of 44 APAs (7 Bilateral and 37 Unilateral) have been signed till date.
The 2 Bilateral Agreements signed in the month of January, 2018, inter alia, include the first BAPA signed with USA. The 7 APAs entered into during January, 2018 pertain to various sectors of the economy like Banking, Insurance, Investment Advisory, Information Technology, Chemicals and Engineering. The international transactions covered in these agreements include provision of IT enabled services, provision of software development services, contract manufacturing, payment of royalty, sale of goods, etc.
The progress of the APA scheme strengthens the Government's resolve of fostering a non-adversarial tax regime. The Indian APA programme has been appreciated nationally and internationally for being able to address complex transfer pricing issues in a fair and transparent manner.
Tags : Advance Pricing Agreement regime UAPAs BAPAs Signing of
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Press Information Bureau
07.02.2018
Civil
Cabinet approves Implementation of 'Prime Minister Research Fellows (PMRF)'
MANU/PIBU/0229/2018
The Union Cabinet today approved implementation of 'Prime Minister's Research Fellows (PMRF)' scheme at a total cost of Rs.1650 crore for a period of seven years beginning 2018-19. The Prime Minister has emphasized the importance of innovation and technology for the progress and development of the nation. This fellowship scheme is key to realizing his vision of development through innovation. The scheme has been announced in the Budget Speech 2018-19.
Under this scheme, the best students who have completed or are in the final year of B. Tech or Integrated M.Tech or M.Sc. in Science and Technology streams from IISc/IITs/NITs/IISERs/IIITs will be offered direct admission in PhD programme in the IITs/IISc. Such students, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, and short listed through a selection process, as laid down in the PMRF Guidelines, will be offered a fellowship of Rs. 70,000/- per month for the first two years, Rs.75,000/- per month for the 3rd year, and Rs.80,000/- per month in the 4th and 5th years. Apart from this, a research grant of Rs. 2.00 lakh will be provided to each of the Fellows for a period of 5 years to cover their foreign travel expenses for presenting research papers in international conferences and seminars. A maximum of 3000 Fellows would be selected in a three year period, beginning 2018-19.
The scheme will go a long way in tapping the talent pool of the country for carrying out research indigenously in cutting edge science and technology domains. The research under the Scheme will address our national priorities at the one hand and shortage of quality faculty in the premier educational institutions of the country, on the other.
Tags : Approval Research Fellows Implementation
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Press Information Bureau
06.02.2018
Miscellaneous
Authorisation to Sign Pathology Report
MANU/PIBU/0199/2018
As per clause (c) of sub-section (2) of Section 15 of IMC Act, 1956, no person other than a doctor having qualification recognized by MCI and registered with MCI/State Medical Council(s) is allowed to practice modern system of medicine or sign or authenticate a medical or fitness certificate or any other certificate required by any law to be signed. Further, Hon'ble Supreme Court of India vide order dated 12.12.2017 in the Special Leave to Appeal (Civil) No. 28529/2010 in the matter of North Gujarat Unit of Association of Self Employed Owners (Paramedical) of Private Pathology Laboratories of Gujarat Vs. North Gujarat Pathologists Association & Ors held that the stand of the Medical Council of India that Laboratory Report can be counter signed only by a registered medical practitioner with a post graduate qualification in pathology is correct".
Tags : Pathology Report Signing of Authorisation
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Press Information Bureau
06.02.2018
Civil
Prison modernisation reforms
MANU/PIBU/0203/2018
Prisons being a State subject, modernization of prisons is undertaken by respective State Governments. The Ministry of Home Affairs is supporting the States/UTs in implementing the E-Prisons project that aims to introduce efficiency in prison management through digitization. An allocation of Rs. 33 crore has been approved for the current financial year.
The E-prisons project supplements the Prisoner Information Management system (PIMS), developed by National Informatics Centre, which provides a centralized approach for recording and managing prisoner information and generating different kinds of reports. The PIMS records Prisoner's Basic Details, Family Details, Biometrics (fingerprint), Photograph, Medical Details, Prisoner Case History, Prisoner Movements, Punishment details etc. The availability of these details on an electronic platform will be useful to track the status of prisoners and smooth functioning of the prison system.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an advisory to all States and UTs informing them about the Legal aid facility available to under-trial prison inmates. Besides this, Model Prison Manual 2016, which has a dedicated chapter on Legal Aid, provides detailed information about the legal services available to prison inmates and also free legal services available to them. The Manual was circulated to all States and UTs for their guidance in May 2016. The information/guidance provided to the States/UTs in the form of advisories and Model Prison Manual is intended to provide assistance to under trial prison inmates.
The National Legal Services authority had also launched a web application on 29.06.2017 with a view to facilitating the under trial prisoners for providing them free legal services. The objective of the above application is to make the legal services system more transparent and useful for all authorities to monitor the provision of legal aid to prison inmates to ensure that no prisoner goes unrepresented right from the first day of his production in the Court.
Tags : Reforms Prison Modernisation
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Press Information Bureau
06.02.2018
Civil
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007
MANU/PIBU/0220/2018
According to the findings of a recent Research Study on 'Centre's Policy of Older Persons', commissioned by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, conducted through an External Agency viz. All India Senior Citizens' Confederation, covering the States of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala, the working of Maintenance Tribunals and award of the maintenance allowance have been appeared fairly good. Pursuant to the observations of various judicial fora, and National Consultation Meet held in August 2016 and Recommendation of the Group of Secretaries on Education and Social Development constituted by the Government, suitable amendments to the provisions of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007 are under consideration in the Ministry.
Tags : Welfare Senior Citizens Enactment
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