After years of debating point and counterpoint, the long awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST) Constitution (Amendment) Bill finally cleared the last major hurdle when Rajya Sabha voted in favour late into the evening of 3 August 2016.
The Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG) is a grouping of 48 nuclear supplier countries to check proliferation of nuclear weapons based on the guidelines laid down for export of nuclear technology and nuclear related products. The 48 nation group includes the big five nuclear weapon states – US, UK, Russia, France and China. NSG was formed in 1974 after India exploded its nuclear device in Pokhran. Since India was not part of NSG, global concern for nuclear technology development and export by a non-member nation, led to the formation of NSG.
When Finance Minister Arun Jaitley started presenting the Union Budget 2016 (third time for him), he had too many things on his mind. This crucial budget had the Herculean task of meeting the needs of both the agriculture and industry. Boosting public spending was also expected to feature in his budget.
On January 6 2016, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a new Credit Guarantee Fund under the Stand Up India specifically designed to address the needs of the SC/ST categories along with women entrepreneurs.
The government’s ‘Start Up India Stand Up India’ scheme was initially announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 15 August 2015 and is designed to encourage entrepreneurship amongst the youth, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. The SC/ST categories and women needed specific attention to encourage them to take up self-sustaining entrepreneurship and this scheme addresses that need.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Moscow to a red carpet welcome on 23rd December 2015 as part of a two-day official visit to Russia. The same evening President Vladimir Putin hosted a personal dinner for a one-to-one meeting with PM Modi. The tour assumes significance for both countries as they seek to further strengthen economic, military and strategic ties.
The National Herald was an Indian newspaper, under the Associated Journals Ltd (AJL), established in 1938 by Jawaharlal Nehru. The paper ceased operation in 2008, including Urdu newspaper Quami Awaz, citing financial troubles. All the 5,000 shareholders of AJL were Congressmen or Congress sympathizers.
