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GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND SCHEMES - December 2018

Dec 2018

Jan 16, 2019

Govt forms panel to look into tax relief for realty

A ministerial panel led by Gujarat deputy chief minister Nitin Patel will explore ways of giving tax relief to the residential real estate sector that has been struggling with unsold inventory in a sluggish market.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council said it has set up a seven-member panel of state ministers that will examine a wide range of issues related to residential real estate with the idea of giving it a boost.
Its mandate includes suggesting ways for a concessional tax scheme and mode of transition to the proposed scheme, and examining all issues related to residential real estate units.
Real estate is not part of GST but under-construction property is taxed as "works contracts" that attract an effective rate of 12%.
The panel has been mandated to examine the issue of tax concessions on residential real estate as one proposal that was previously considered—levying a lower flat 5% tax rate without credits for the taxes paid on inputs—was found to be unfavourable for small houses.
A concessional flat rate of tax under what is called a composition scheme is now available for merchants and restaurants.

Jan 13, 2019

10% Quota Bill Gets Assent from President

President Ram Nath Kovind ratified the Bill passed by Parliament on January 9 to provide 10 per cent quota in jobs and education to economically weaker sections in the General Category.
This was the last leg of the legislative process and the 10 per cent reservation Bill is a law now.
The quota will be over and above the existing 50 per cent reservation to SCs, STs and Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
The 10 per cent quota covers nearly 190 million people from the General Category.
A notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Act would come into force from a date to be announced by the government.
The Act amends Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution by adding a clause which allows states to make "special provision for the advancement of any economically weaker sections of citizens".
These "special provisions" would relate to "their admission to educational institutions, including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the state, other than the minority educational institutions".
"For the purposes of this Article 15 and Article 16, 'economically weaker sections' shall be such as may be notified by the state from time to time on the basis of family income and other indicators of economic disadvantage," the notification reads.

Sikkim's 'One Family One Job' Scheme

Seeking a record sixth term as chief minister, Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling rolled out its 'one family one job' scheme, announcing appointing 20,000 persons a few months before the assembly polls.
In the process Sikkim became a state with every sixth person holding a government job.
Sikkim that has 0.62 million population according to the 2011 census has 0.1 million state government employees.

Jan 10, 2019

Quota Bill Passed in Rajya Sabha

The Bill to provide 10% reservation in jobs and education for the economically weaker section, including upper castes, got Parliament's approval even as leaders from Opposition parties questioned the Union government's haste in pushing the bill through just months ahead of the 2019 general elections.
From its introduction in the Lok Sabha to the final approval in Rajya Sabha, the 124th amendment to the Constitution was cleared in two days.
The bill, however, was passed with a 165-7 count in the Upper House of the 172 members present and voting.
The BJP and the Congress voted in favour, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) voting against it.
In the Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed with 323 "yes" and just three "no".

Jan 09, 2019

DNA Technology Bill

The Lok Sabha passed a bill that allows regulated use of DNA technology to establish the identity of certain defined categories of persons, including offenders, suspects and under-trials.
The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill allows the use of the technology to establish the identity of persons in matters of crime, parentage dispute, emigration or immigration and transplantation of human organs.

Quota Bill for Economically Weak Passed

A landmark Bill seeking to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the general category poor was passed by the Lok Sabha, with most parties backing the measure, described by the government as "historic" and in the country's interest.
As many as 323 members voted in support of the Bill and only three voted against.
Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when the Bill was passed. The government will table the Bill in the Rajya Sabha in a day.

Citizenship Bill Passed in Lok Sabha

A proposed law to give citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan was passed by Lok Sabha amid vigorous dissent by several opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left Front.
Most parties from the northeast, even those that were allies of the BJP, have also strongly opposed the Bill, and said that it is against the fundamental aspects of the Indian constitution.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will amend the laws governing citizenship, formed in 1955, to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution from the three neighbouring countries and entered India before December 31, 2014.

Jan 03, 2019

Aadhaar Amendment Bill

The government introduced a Bill in the Lok Sabha that permits the individuals to voluntary offer Aadhaar as a means of identity verification for obtaining services such as opening a bank account and getting a mobile phone connection.
The bill, which seeks to amend three separate laws governing Aadhaar, telecom sector and banking regulation, also gives a minor an option to opt out of the 12-digit identity scheme on attaining the age of 18 years.
The Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2018, moved by Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in the Lok Sabha amid concerns raised by the opposition, also provides for stiff penalties for violation of norms set for the use of Aadhaar.

Trade Unions Act to be Amended

The Centre proposes to amend the Trade Unions Act, 1926, to facilitate recognition of trade unions at the Central and federal level. The Union Cabinet approved the amendments.
Most trade unions, however, vehemently opposed the proposed amendments, saying the government was trying to interfere in, and cripple, their functioning.
Ten Central trade unions had earlier written to the Labour Ministry objecting to the draft version of the amendment Bill; the only major standout was the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

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