The Centre has decided to further reduce the jurisdiction of ‘disturbed areas’ under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.   Details – The Centre has further reduced the number of areas in Assam, Nagaland and Manipur that were declared disturbed areas under the AFSPA due to an improvement… Continue reading AFSPA

As per the amendments made in Budget 2023, no benefit of indexation for the calculation of long-term capital gains tax on debt mutual funds will be available for investments made on or after April 1, 2023.   About Debt mutual funds – Debt funds are mutual fund schemes which invest in fixed-income generating securities such… Continue reading Debt Mutual Funds

The Supreme Court of India recently ruled that mere membership in an unlawful association is sufficient to constitute an offence under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), 1967.   Details – The judgement was based on an intra-court reference made in 2014. According to the apex court, an organisation is declared… Continue reading Unlawful Activities Prevention Act

The government recently hiked the securities transaction tax (STT) by 23.52 percent on the sale of options and 25 percent on the sale of futures contracts.   About the ‘Securities Transaction Tax’ – It is a direct tax charged on the purchase and sale of securities listed on the recognised stock exchanges in India. It… Continue reading Securities Transaction Tax

The Lok Sabha recently passed the Finance Bill 2023 giving effect to tax proposals.   About Finance Bill – Financial Bills are also called “Act for Appropriation of Funds for Appropriations”. Financial bills are responsible for fiscal matters such as government spending or revenue. It specifies the amount of money to be spent by the… Continue reading Finance Bill

The National Initiative for Promoting Upskilling of Nirman workers (NIPUN) has recently completed its training program for construction workers engaged in the Central Vista project in New Delhi.   About NIPUN Scheme – It is an innovative project for the skill training of construction workers. It is an initiative of the Ministry of Housing &… Continue reading NIPUN Scheme

According to a new World Food Programme (WFP) report the reach of school meals in low-income countries remains four percent below pre-pandemic levels, despite a recovery overall.   About World Food Programme – World Food Programme is a branch of the United Nations that deals with hunger eradication and promotes food security in the world.… Continue reading World Food Programme

Recently, researchers at the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), have developed a novel bi-metallic joining process using a technique called laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) or selective laser melting (SLM) technique of metal 3D printing.   Details – Researchers have developed a novel bi-metallic joining process to create a… Continue reading Laser Powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technique

According to officials, the last deck portion of the Anji Khan bridge is expected to be completed soon.   About Anji Khan Bridge – It is an under-construction railway bridge in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. It will be the first cable-stayed railway bridge in India. It forms a part of the Udhampur… Continue reading Anji Khan Bridge

Amendments to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) laws to enable the GST Appellate Tribunal’s constitution are expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha. The GST Appellate Tribunal is likely to be headed by a former Supreme Court (SC) judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court (HC).   Details – The… Continue reading GST Appellate Tribunal