Pib

Pib

1. In the changing global competitiveness, there is a tremendous scope for improvement in agriculture in the North-East region, including Meghalaya

In the changing global competitiveness, there is a tremendous scope for improvement in agricultural in the North-East region, including Meghalaya. Continuous employment generation in farming sectors through location-specific technologies in a profitable manner in partnership with different stakeholders are the driving forces to attract and retain youth in agriculture. The cooperation and convergence among the states, public, private and other stakeholders in the state and sharing of information, technology, knowledge and resources can play a key role in mutual development by saving of precious natural resources and time.

The Minister said that through the adoption of improved technologies, the productivity and farmers’ income can be increased. The superior quality horticultural crops such as orange, pineapple, flowers, etc. can be produced in the region and the surplus can be marketed with the effective supply chain management, a key area that needs intervention. The farmers can increase their income by adopting technologies like crop rotation, integrated farming, organic farming, double/triple cropping system by the farmers instead of relying on traditional farming.

To boost the agriculture sector, the Indian government has set up an ambitious goal to double farmers’ income by 2022. For this, the government has started various schemes - from irrigation, soil health management, organic farming to crop insurance. The government of Meghalaya should utilise the amount allocated under Prime Minister's Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. The state government has failed to spend the funds amounting to over Rs. 50 lakh allotted for micro-irrigation under Per Drop More Crop scheme. It is lying unused for four years. In FY 2015-16, Rs 1.44 crores was given for water management and water harvesting, the government could not spend the amount in that year.

2. Relaxation in the provisions relating to levy of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) in case of companies against whom an application for corporate insolvency resolution process has been admitted under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016

The existing provisions of section 115JB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (‘the Act’), inter alia, provide, that, for the purposes of levy of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) in case of a company, the amount of loss brought forward or unabsorbed depreciation, whichever is less as per books of account shall be reduced from the book profit.

In this regard, representations have been received from various stakeholders that the companies against whom an application for corporate insolvency resolution process has been admitted by the Adjudicating Authority under section 7 or section 9 or section 10 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (‘the IBC’), are facing hardship due to restriction in allowance of brought forward loss for computation of book profit under section 115JB of the Act.

With a view to minimize the genuine hardship faced by such companies, it has been decided, that, with effect from Assessment Year 2018-19 (i.e. Financial Year 2017-18), in case of a company, against whom an application for corporate insolvency resolution process has been admitted by the Adjudicating Authority under section 7 or section 9 or section 10 of the IBC, the amount of total loss brought forward (including unabsorbed depreciation) shall be allowed to be reduced from the book profit for the purposes of levy of MAT under section 115JB of the Act.

3. Changes in Cryosphere affecting Global Climate

“According to the 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the cryosphere, comprising snow, river and lake ice, sea ice, glaciers, ice shelves and ice sheets, and frozen ground, plays a major role in the Earth’s climate system through its impact on the surface energy budget, the water cycle, primary productivity, surface gas exchange and sea level and is a fundamental control on the physical, biological and social environment over a large part of the Earth’s surface. Cryosphere is a natural integrator of climate variability and provides one of the most visible signatures of climate change. Observations show that there has been a continued net loss of ice from the cryosphere, although there are significant differences in the rate of loss between cryospheric components and regions.

The Government has launched the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) in June 2008 to achieve its goals and to deal with the issues related to climate change. NAPCC comprises eight missions in specific areas of solar energy, enhanced energy efficiency, sustainable habitat, water, sustaining Himalayan ecosystems, Green India, sustainable agriculture and strategic knowledge for climate change.

The National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Ecosystem (NMSHE) under NAPCC encompasses conservation measures for sustaining and safeguarding the Himalayan ecosystems through establishment of monitoring network, promotion of community based management, human resource development, and strengthening regional cooperation. Major initiatives include establishment of a Centre for Himalayan Glaciology at the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun”.

4. PM to attend Annual DGP Conference at BSF Academy in Tekanpur

DGPs Conference is an annual event in which top police officers from all over the country share and discuss security related issues. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the conference earlier in Guwahati, Assam in 2014, Dhordo, Rann of Kutch, Gujarat in 2015 and National Police Academy, Hyderabad in 2016.

During the last meeting, issues such as cross-border terrorism and radicalization were discussed in detail. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of leadership, soft skills and collective training. He specifically mentioned the importance of technology and human interface for the police force.