The recommendations of 7- th CPC
Monday, November 30, 2015
Organic food mela: connecting farmers and consumers
Need for inculcating philosophy behind organic farming in daily life highlighted
A three-day organic food mela got under way in the city under the auspices of Sattva Ahara and the Institute for Cultural Research and Action (ICRA) on Friday.
The event drives to connect the farmers with consumers “fairly and organically” and ensure greater interface.
The Sattva Ahara organisation stemmed from a collaborative effort involving over 3,000 small farmers who undertake agriculture under rain-fed conditions in Mysuru-Chamarajanagar and Ballari region under ICRA’s guidance. According to organisers of the mela, the farmers have been cultivating a variety of crops organically as a result of which the soil has regained fertility and is able to yield a rich harvest even under harsh climatic.
As the crops are cultivated devoid of chemicals or artificial fertilizers, the products taste and smell original and the farmers are now reaching out to consumers for better synergy, the organisers said.
A wide array of items such as rice, honey, dry fruits, oil, jaggery, and grains are available at the ‘Savayava Sattva Ahara’ mela at an affordable price. Theatre personality Prasanna, who inaugurated the mela, said the philosophy behind organic agriculture should be inculcated in daily life failing which switching to organic food and its acceptance will be merely symbolic. He cautioned against merely adopting symbolism while remaining bereft of the underlying philosophy of being environment-friendly.
Mr. Prasanna said human civilisation was on a downhill slide towards catastrophe due to intervention with nature. The reckless exploitation of natural resources had heralded climate change with its cascading impact on agriculture and all forms of life.
It was imperative to revert to a simple life devoid of mechanical contraptions. But this entailed hard work and not many were prepared to adhere to it, he said.
Venue
The mela is being held at the Nanjaraja Bahadur Choultry on Vinobha Road from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. till Sunday.
Ramanujan’s gift: solutions to elliptic curves
1729 is the sum of two cubes in two different ways
As numbers go, 1729, the Hardy-Ramanujan number, is not new to math enthusiasts. But now, this number has triggered a major discovery — on Ramanujan and the theory of what are known as elliptical curves.
The anecdote goes that once when Hardy visited Ramanujan who was sick, Hardy remarked: “I had ridden in taxicab number 1729, and it seems to me a rather dull number. I hope it was not an unfavourable omen.” To this Ramanujan had replied, “No, it is a very interesting number. It is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways.”
Yes, 1729 = 93 + 103 and also 1729 = 123 +13
This story is often narrated to explain Ramanujan’s familiarity with numbers but not more than that. Recent discoveries have brought to light that it was far from coincidence that Ramanujan knew the properties of 1729. There are now indications that he had, in fact, been looking at more general structures of which this number was but an example.
Mathematicians Ken Ono and Andrew Granville were leafing through Ramanujan’s manuscripts at the Wren Library in Cambridge University, two years ago, when they came across the equation 93 + 103 = 123 +13, scribbled in a corner. Recognising the representations of the number 1729, they were amused at first; then they looked again and found that there was another equation on the same page that indicated Ramanujan had been working, even then, on a famous seventeenth century problem known as Fermat’s Last Theorem (proved by Andrew Wiles in 1994).
“I thought I knew all of the papers there, but to my surprise, we found one page with near misses to the Fermat equation,” writes Dr Ono, who is also a Ramanujan scholar, in an email to this correspondent. Having a sneaking suspicion that Ramanujan had a secret method that gave him his amazing formulas, Dr Ono returned to Emory University and started working on these leads with his PhD student Sarah Trebat Leder.
“Together we worked backwards through Ramanujan’s notes, and we figured out his secret…[Ramanujan] arrived at the formulae on this page by producing a much more general identity. One which I recognised as a K3 surface (a concept that mathematician Andrew Wiles used for solving Fermat’s last theorem), an object that mathematicians did not discover until the 1960s,” notes Dr Ono.
Ramanujan died in 1920, long before mathematicians discovered the K3 surfaces, but from research done by Ono and Trebat Leder, it transpires that he knew of these functions long before. Dr Ono continues, “Ramanujan produced so many mysterious formulas, which can be misunderstood at first glance. We have come to learn that Ramanujan was perhaps the greatest anticipator of mathematics. His bizarre methods and formulas have repeatedly offered hints of the future in mathematics. In this case, we have added to Ramanujan’s legend.”
Commenting on their own work on this, he says, “He [Ramanujan] anticipated the theory of K3 surfaces before anyone had the merest glimpse. These surfaces are now at the forefront of research in mathematics and physics. In addition to adding to Ramanujan’s legacy, Sarah and I were able to apply his formulas to a problem in number theory (finding large rank elliptic curves), and his formulas immediately set the record on the problem. We hardly had any work to do. Ramanujan’s formula was a gift to us.”
Setback in HIV treatment process
80 patients have dropped out of the treatment process in many of the 66 ART centres spread across the State over the period of one year.
In 2013, the State government announced a travel reimbursement scheme to make it easier for HIV patients to access the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres for treatment.
However, about 80 patients have dropped out of the treatment process in many of the 66 ART centres spread across the State over the period of one year.
This is mainly because they cannot afford travelling to the centre, and also losing out on their day’s earnings.
This is worrisome as the State is already seeing a rise in new infections.
Travelling to ART centres is just too costly
The State government in 2013 announced a travel reimbursement scheme for people living with HIV, to make it easier for them to approach the Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) centres for treatment, setting a model for other States to follow. What has happened to the scheme since then is another story.
Although an allocation of Rs. 12.5 crore was made in the 2014 budget, all that the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) got was a meagre Rs. 10 lakh to implement the scheme. That exhausted, payment of conveyance (at 80 paise per kilometre) has been stopped from June. This has increased the number of “lost to follow up” (LFU) cases in the State.
According to sources, about 80 cases have dropped out of treatment in many of the 66 ART centres in the State in the last one year, mainly because they cannot afford travelling to the centre, and also losing out on their day’s earnings. This is worrisome as the State is already seeing a rise in new infections.
According to David B., coordinator for Sangama, a human rights NGO working with sexual minorities, even if you consider those who opt out to private practitioners and Ayurvedic treatment, the LFU figures are increasing rapidly in the State.
He alleged that the “atmosphere at ART centres” was also adding to the problem. Sometimes, patients are forced to make frequent visits to the centre either because the drugs are not available or because the laboratory has been closed for the day, another activist said.
Although KSAPS officials do not have a break up of year-wise LFU figures, as many as 5,386 LFU cases have been reported in the last one year, according to a report compiled by the KSAPS. However, 568 of them were brought back to ART centres after outreach by counsellors, the report said.
KSAPS project director S.G. Raveendra said a total of 9,978 LFU cases had been recorded in the State from 1998 till 2015. “Most of them could have dropped out because they would have started on alternative systems of medicine, or stopped treatment totally,” he said.
He added that KSAPS has now submitted a supplementary budget proposal for an additional Rs. 9 crore.
WHO statement
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than half the people living with HIV are unaware of their status. Those who test, do so late when they have symptoms and their immune systems are already compromised. Only 36 per cent of people living with HIV are on treatment, and less than 30 per cent are able to get to the last point when HIV virus multiplication in their body is suppressed, which is essential to prevent further transmission.
Poor pay may see doctors desert government hospitals
7th Pay Commission’s recommendations have been flayed by FORDA
Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) has strongly opposed the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission on reducing the percentage of Non- Practising Allowance (NPA) from 25 to 20 per cent.
Calling this pay commission particularly discriminating to doctors Dr. Pankaj Solanki, president FORDA said: "The move will be a great blow on the retention of good doctors in government sector.’’
NPA is given to doctors in States, where private practice along with government service is not allowed.
"The 6th Pay Commission put NPA for doctors as part of basic salary and it was 25 per cent of basic salary. With the 7th Pay Commission the percentage has been reduced to 20 per cent of basic salary. Also with this commission’s recommendation NPA shall be treated as a separate allowance. This makes the final salary of the doctors lower than expected,’’ explained FORDA in their release.
FORDA also pointed out that there is over 50 per cent difference in the pay of a government doctor and a private one.
“The gap is only widening,” said Dr. Solanki.
"For example, the pay of an assistant professor at the Government Medical College in Delhi starts with Rs 85,000 p.m, while the pay of a junior consultant ( equivalent in degree and position ) in a private hospital in Delhi is Rs 2- 2.5 lakh. With this pay commission, there will be a higher discrepancy between government and private doctors,’’ said Dr. Ravinder Chauhan, general secretary, FORDA explained.
Members of FORDA maintained that they strongly reject this pay commission report on behalf of the medical profession, as it is strongly discriminatory in its recommendations and has got no visionary approach and shall cause strong deficit in quality of services and cause administrative difficulties.
Dr. Solanki noted that recommendations are against the interest of the medical profession. FORDA had demanded that NPA should be raised to 40 per cent.
| Varied treatment | Government sector | Private sector |
| Entry level | Rs 85,000/pm | Rs 1.30-40 lakh |
| Junior sepcialist | Rs 85,000/pm (starting to one lakh plus) | Rs 1.75 lakh |
| Senior specialist | Rs 1.05 lakh (starting) | Rs 2 lakh plus |
India will fulfil commitments on climate change, says Modi
Prime Minister points to country’s ambitious target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India would fulfil all its responsibilities with regard to climate change as he met U.S. President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the climate summit in Paris.
Mr. Modi, in his meeting with Mr. Obama, also appreciated the openness with which the U.S. President addressed issues with him and said it would help in developing a better understanding.
“India will fulfil expectations from it and its responsibilities... the country is working to take forward development and (protecting) environment together,” Mr.Modi said at a joint press event with Mr.Obama.
The Prime Minister also mentioned India’s ambitious target of producing 175 GW of renewable energy.
The Prime Minister’s comments came in the backdrop of India’s strong resentment over U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s statement that India would be a “challenge” at the climate conference. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar described the comments as “unwarranted”.
Mr.Javadekar and Mr.Kerry accompanied Mr.Modi and Mr.Obama along with other senior Ministers and officials.
Mr.Modi also talked about the solar alliance initiative, saying it would help in fulfilling the dreams which had brought the countries together here.
Ahead of his talks with Mr.Obama, Mr.Modi had said that there was an urgent need to craft a comprehensive, equitable and durable agreement to limit global warming.
Later, speaking at the Mission Innovation event hosted by Mr.Obama, Mr.Modi said, “Our innovation initiative should be driven by public purpose, not just market incentives, including on intellectual property.”
“We must come together in a partnership to bring clean energy within the reach of all. The world has assembled in Paris to change the course of our planet to a sustainable path,” Mr.Modi said.
“This partnership will combine the responsibility of government with the innovative capacity of the private sector,” he said.
Mr.Modi began his address by saluting French President Francois Hollande and the French people for their courage and resolve in the aftermath of the horrific Paris attacks.
“We will restore the balance between ecology and economy, and between our inheritance and obligation to the future,” Mr.Modi said.
As it happened:
6-15 pm IST: PM closes speech: To the people of India and our friends, I call you to live with the commitment of ‘Lokah Samastah Sukhinau Bhavantu’
6-10 pm IST: Our commitment to tackle climate change arises from our timeless traditions and beliefs, says PM
6-05 pm IST: PM outlines the changes taking place in India as it adapts: By 2030, 40% of our installed capacity will be based on non-fossil fuel.
6-01 pm IST: 'Climate change is not of our making. It is the result of global warming that came from an industrial age powered by fossil fuel.' Yet, we face its consequences today, and that is why the outcome in Paris is so important and we are here today, says Modi
6-00 pm IST: We approach the negotiations under UNFCCC in a spirit of partnership, based on the principles of equity & common but differentiated responsibilities, says Modi
5-55 pm IST: Mr. Modi releases Parampara — a book on India's climate friendly and sustainable practices. He is now addressing the Indian pavilion:
* Climate change is a major global challenge.
* Climate change is not of our making. It is the result of global warming that came from an industrial age powered by fossil fuel.
* Yet, we face its consequences today, and that is why the outcome in Paris is so important and we are here today.
* We want the world to act with urgency. Agreement must lead us to restore balance between humanity and nature.
* We want a comprehensive, equitable and durable agreement in Paris.
* Our commitment to tackle climate change arises from our timeless traditions and beliefs.
* PM outlines the changes taking place in India as it adapts: By 2030, 40% of our installed capacity will be based on non-fossil fuel.
5-43 pm IST: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates India Pavilion at COP21. Mr Modi said, "India pavilion also seeks to demonstrate the strong belief that the world needs to look beyond climate change & focus on Climate Justice."
5-19 pm IST: Obama, Xi tout close U.S.-China climate coordination
President Barack Obama touted close U.S. cooperation with China on climate change as vital to world efforts for slowing global warming, even as he acknowledged persistent differences with China’s President Xi Jinping over cyber-security and maritime security. More...
4-50 pm IST: Modi meets Sharif
Mr. Modi meets his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif. In September, the two leaders were present at the U.N. peacekeeping summit but their interaction was limited to wave. More...
4-00 IST: 'India will have a positive mindset'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met French President Francois Hollande and said that India will have a “constructive and positive” mindset at the summit. In his meeting with the French president, Mr. Modi asserted that “credibility of commitments” to combat climate change by nations will be the key to a successful climate agreement during the ongoing summit.
Nearly 150 world leaders have gathered in Paris to craft a long-term deal to limit carbon emissions. Photo: @UNFCCC/Twitter
4-20 pm IST The international Red Cross is calling for delegates at the Paris conference to make a priority of helping poor and vulnerable people to deal with the impact of climate change.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies called Monday on negotiators to ensure that money is provided for communities that will face, or already face, fallout from rising temperatures.
The federation’s secretary general, Elhadj As Sy, said that “the consequences of climate change are already being felt by the world’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.” He added- “It is crucial that any new global agreement emphasizes the need to support these communities to become more resilient and reduce the climate risks they face.”
4-15 pm IST The French football federation says it wants to reduce the impact the sport can have on climate change.
In a partnership with the French agency in charge of environmental and energy—related issues, the soccer federation has issued guidelines for its members aimed at reducing pollution and carbon emissions.
“With one million matches played every year, 3 millions of kilometers (1.9 million miles) traveled every weekend, it is also football’s responsibility to contribute to limit the impact of this activity on the environment,” it said in a statement.
The federation has published an electronic guide available to its 18,000 clubs stressing for instance the need to resort to carpools at weekend matches across France or to save energy by using a reasonable amount of light on football pitches.
4-05 pm IST French President Francois Hollande is urging a strong, binding global agreement to fight climate change.
“What is at stake with this climate conference is peace,” he said at the opening of two weeks of talks.
“The fight against terrorism and the fight against climate change are two major global challenges we must face,” he said.
4-00 pm IST One of the worst spells of air pollution in recent years is hitting Beijing as negotiators meet in Paris to combat global warming.
The city reported extremely hazardous levels of the tiny, poisonous matter PM2.5 on Monday afternoon, 25 times more than what the World Health Organization considers safe.
The pollution, the worst in 2015, prompted Beijing authorities to issue a rare orange alert the second—highest in the four—level urgency system. Schools have suspended outdoor activities, and factories must reduce production.
The warnings came as the U.N. climate conference opened in Paris, aiming to create a landmark agreement to fight global warming.
3-50 pm IST World leaders gathered for a critical climate conference are holding a moment of silence in honor of people killed in recent attacks in Paris, Beirut, Baghdad, Tunisia and Mali.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki—moon declared the moment of silence as he launched two weeks of talks in Paris Monday aimed at a long—term deal to slow man—made global warming.
Organizers sought a high—level kickoff to the talks in hopes of providing impetus for a strong agreement. They say 151 world leaders are expected to attend.
Some leaders have visited the sites of the deadly Nov. 13 attacks in Paris. President Barack Obama laid a flower at a concert hall where dozens of people were killed.
3-15 pm IST The European Union’s environment agency says air pollution remains the single largest environmental health risk in Europe, causing more than 430,000 premature deaths in 2012.
The agency says the data, based on monitoring points across Europe, shows that people living in cities are still exposed to air pollution of “levels deemed unsafe by the World Health Organization” and resulting in serious illnesses, including heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer.
The annual air quality report was released Monday as the U.N. climate conference opened in Paris, which aims to create a landmark agreement to fight global warming.
2-40 pm IST Peruvian Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar Vidal, who played host to the last U.N. climate conference in Lima, declared this year’s meeting open Monday morning.
A total of 151 world leaders have converged on Paris to launch the two—week talks in hopes of giving an impetus for an ambitious agreement.
Vidal said a deal would show the world that countries can work together to fight global warming as well as terrorism. The talks are occurring just two weeks after deadly attacks in Paris by Islamic State extremists.
2-35 pm IST President Barack Obama says nowhere has coordination between the United States and China been more fruitful or critical than on climate change.
Obama says 180 nations followed the lead of the U.S. and China on climate change. He says “our leadership on this issue has been absolutely vital.”
Obama is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the climate conference.
Xi says climate change is a huge challenge. He’s calling for the U.S. and China to build a new model of cooperation, using diplomatic language long preferred by Beijing.
China emits about 30 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gases and the U.S. about 16 per cent.
1-40 pm IST Paris police say 317 people were detained after an unauthorized protest seeking to call attention to climate change, which ended with police firing tear gas at protesters throwing bottles and candles.
The Paris police department had said Sunday night that 174 were detained in the protest, then said Monday morning that the figure had grown to 317. It did not give a reason for the growing number.
France is under a state of emergency after Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people. It banned protests ahead of landmark climate talks opening Monday, citing security concerns.
But thousands of people formed a human chain along the route of a long—planned environmental march Sunday. It was largely peaceful.
President Francois Hollande denounced the violence as “scandalous.”
12-50 pm IST U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande are greeting heads of state and government from around the world for high-stakes talks aimed at fighting global warming.
One by one, some 150 leaders are arriving at the conference center near the Le Bourget airfield just north of Paris. Ban, Hollande, the head of the U.N. climate change agency Christina Figueres, and French Environment Minister Segolene Royal are standing in front of the conference center to greet them.
Afterwards, each leader will give a speech laying out their countries’ efforts to reduce man—made emissions and cope with climate change.
The event opening Monday lasts through Dec. 11 and is under extra-security after Nov. 13 extremist attacks in Paris.
CoP 21 leaders observe minute's silence
The leaders event of the Conference of Parties (CoP) 21 climate summit started here with a minute’s silence in memory of those killed in the November 13 terror attacks in this French capital.
12-00 noon IST Wide Paris—area highways usually packed with commuters are cordoned off to clear the way for President Barack Obama and 150 other world leaders joining critical talks about fighting global warming.
Riot police vans and plainclothes officers are stationed around the capital and the northern suburb of Le Bourget, where the U.N.-led climate conference is being held Nov. 30-Dec. 11.
The security measures are especially tight after Islamic extremists killed 130 people two weeks ago in Paris and targeted the national stadium Stade de France, near the climate conference venue.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande will greet each of the leaders Monday morning then each will give a speech about what their countries are doing to reduce emissions and slow climate change.
Keywords: COP21, Paris climate summit
Commodity prices
As the rains took a break, vegetable prices in Chennai came down from their highs last week. But bitter gourd and garlic were exceptions. Bitter gourd rose 14 per cent and sold at ₹50/kg. Garlic shot up 30 per cent and was quoting at ₹180/kg. Most other vegetables were selling 10-20 per cent below their previous week’s prices.
Here are the prices of various commodities in Chennai.
Price scale is given as Rs./kg
| Commodity | Quantity | Now | Year ago |
| Rice | 1 kg | 30 | 32 |
| Wheat | 1 kg | 34 | 32 |
| Atta | 1 kg | 32 | 34 |
| Gram Dal | 1 kg | 72 | 49 |
| Tur Dal | 1 kg | 150 | 83 |
| Urad Dal | 1 kg | 170 | 86 |
| Moong Dal | 1 kg | 120 | 100 |
| Masoor Dal | 1 kg | 98 | 80 |
| Sugar | 1 kg | 32 | 34 |
| Milk | 1 ltr | 37 | 37 |
| Ground Nut Oil | 1 ltr | 126 | 104 |
| Sun flower Oil | 1 ltr | 93 | 85 |
| Gur (Jaggery) | 1 kg | 46 | 50 |
| Tea | 1 kg | 220 | 220 |
| Salt | 1 kg | 18 | 17 |
| Lime | 1 kg | 60 | 60 |
| Apple | 1 kg | 140 | 140 |
| Papaya | 1 kg | 28 | 25 |
| Pineapple | 1 kg | 40 | 40 |
| Pomegranate | 1 kg | 150 | 140 |
| Sapota | 1 kg | 40 | 40 |
| Banana | 1 kg | 25 | 32 |
| Bitter Gourd | 1 kg | 50 | 40 |
| Brinjal | 1 kg | 70 | 40 |
| Cabbage | 1 kg | 24 | 20 |
| Cauli Flower | 1 kg | 40 | 32 |
| Garlic | 1 kg | 180 | 110 |
| Ginger | 1 kg | 90 | 120 |
| Chilly | 1 kg | 28 | 24 |
| Onion | 1 kg | 40 | 30 |
| Potato | 1 kg | 40 | 36 |
| Tomato | 1 kg | 50 | 20 |
*Source: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, National Horticulture Board.
All you need to know about GST
While the BJP hopes to pass Goods & Services Tax Bill in RS in this session, it is getting strong opposition. Why?
What is the Goods and Services Tax?
As the name suggests, it is a tax levied when a consumer buys a good or service. It is meant to be a single, comprehensive tax that will subsume all the other smaller indirect taxes on consumption like service tax, etc. This is how it is done in most developed countries.
What is preventing GST from being a reality?
A major change like GST requires a constitutional amendment, which requires a bill to passed in both houses of Parliament. The GST constitutional amendment bill was passed in the Lok Sabha in May this year.
It has been held up in the Rajya Sabha due to objections being raised by the Opposition regarding the Bill as well as issues with no direct connection to GST.
The Bill was also placed before a Rajya Sabha select committee, which made its recommendations regarding changes to the Bill. The Cabinet cleared these changes in July.
What are the Opposition’s objections?
The Congress wants a provision capping the GST rate at 18 per cent to be added to the Bill itself.
It also wants to scrap the proposed 1 per cent additional levy (over and above the GST) for manufacturing states.
This levy was demanded by manufacturing states who argued that they needed to be compensated for the investment they had made in improving their manufacturing capabilities. The Centre had agreed to this demand to encourage the states to support the GST Bill.
The third demand by the Congress was to change the composition of the GST council—the body that decides the various nitty-gritty’s like rates of tax, period of levy of additional tax, principles of supply, special provisions to certain states, etc. The proposed composition is for the Council to be two-thirds comprised from states and one-third from the Centre.
The Congress wants the Centre’s share to be reduced to one-fourth.
This demand, however, was rejected by even the Rajya Sabha Standing Committee.
***
Ten things to know about the GST Bill
Source: prsindia.org
1 Officially, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill 2014.
2 It was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2014 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
3 The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to introduce a goods and services tax (GST) which will subsumes various Central indirect taxes, including the Central Excise Duty, Countervailing Duty, Service Tax, etc. It also subsumes State value added tax (VAT), octroi and entry tax, luxury tax, etc.
4 The Bill inserts a new Article in the Constitution make legislation on the taxation of goods and services a concurrent power of the Centre and the States.
5 The Bill seeks to shift the restriction on States for taxing the sale or purchase of goods to the supply of goods or services.
6 The Bill seeks to establish a GST Council tasked with optimising tax collection for goods and services by the State and Centre. The Council will consist of the Union Finance Minister (as Chairman), the Union Minister of State in charge of revenue or Finance, and the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other, nominated by each State government.
7 The GST Council will be the body that decides which taxes levied by the Centre, States and local bodies will go into the GST; which goods and services will be subjected to GST; and the basis and the rates at which GST will be applied.
8 Under the Bill, alcoholic liquor for human consumption is exempted from GST. Also, it will be up to the GST Council to decide when GST would be levied on various categories of fuel, including crude oil and petrol.
9 The Centre will levy an additional one per cent tax on the supply of goods in the course of inter-State trade, which will go to the States for two years or till when the GST Council decides.
10 Parliament can decide on compensating States for up to a five-year period if States incur losses by implementation of GST.
| 1 | Officially, the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Second Amendment) Bill 2014. |
| 2 | It was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 19, 2014 by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. |
| 3 | The Bill seeks to amend the Constitution to introduce a goods and services tax (GST) which will subsumes various Central indirect taxes, including the Central Excise Duty, Countervailing Duty, Service Tax, etc. It also subsumes State value added tax (VAT), octroi and entry tax, luxury tax, etc. |
| 4 | The Bill inserts a new Article in the Constitution make legislation on the taxation of goods and services a concurrent power of the Centre and the States. |
| 5 | The Bill seeks to shift the restriction on States for taxing the sale or purchase of goods to the supply of goods or services. |
| 6 | The Bill seeks to establish a GST Council tasked with optimising tax collection for goods and services by the State and Centre. The Council will consist of the Union Finance Minister (as Chairman), the Union Minister of State in charge of revenue or Finance, and the Minister in charge of Finance or Taxation or any other, nominated by each State government. |
| 7 | The GST Council will be the body that decides which taxes levied by the Centre, States and local bodies will go into the GST; which goods and services will be subjected to GST; and the basis and the rates at which GST will be applied. |
| 8 | Under the Bill, alcoholic liquor for human consumption is exempted from GST. Also, it will be up to the GST Council to decide when GST would be levied on various categories of fuel, including crude oil and petrol. |
| 9 | The Centre will levy an additional one per cent tax on the supply of goods in the course of inter-State trade, which will go to the States for two years or till when the GST Council decides. |
| 10 | Parliament can decide on compensating States for up to a five-year period if States incur losses by implementation of GST. |
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