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Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart have reaffirmed their steadfast commitment to providing humanitarian aid to Afghans, despite the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. “Leaders reiterated their firm commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people, in view of the deteriorating humanitarian situation, and also reaffirmed calls on those in positions of power throughout Afghanistan to adhere to counter-terrorism commitments and human rights, in accordance with 2593,” according to a joint statement released after the India-Australia virtual summit on Tuesday. Last year, the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2593 was passed, which mandates that Afghan territory not be used for terrorist sanctuary, training, or financing, and asks for coordinated action against all terrorist groups. The two leaders also reiterated their call for the protection of women’s and girls’ rights, as well as their full involvement in public life, in their joint statement. “They agreed that long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan require a broad-based and inclusive government,” according to the statement. This joint statement follows the UN Special Political Mission in the country’s mandate being renewed, with a focus on priorities ranging from humanitarian relief coordination to human rights monitoring and dialogue facilitation. The adopted agreement extends the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) for another year, but with a shift in priority tasks. Seven months after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the mission’s priority has shifted to managing humanitarian aid, providing outreach and good offices for dialogue, and promoting good governance and the rule of law. Members also urged Afghan political actors and stakeholders – including competent authorities as needed – to work with UNAMA to carry out its mandate and ensure the safety, security, and freedom of movement of its personnel. Source: TOI

S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, will make a statement in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday about the situation in Ukraine and the status of Indian students being evacuated as part of Operation Ganga. In the second part of Parliament’s Budget Session, the Opposition slammed the government for delaying the rescue of students trapped in the conflict zone and criticized the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) for releasing “vague” advisories. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu praised the federal and state governments for rising to the challenge of evacuating Indian students. Later, around zero hour, members expressed concern about the future of students from Ukraine. Ravindra Kumar, a TDP MP, said that now that the students’ safety and security had been assured, the government should take the required steps to protect their future by consulting all stakeholders. “Students who returned from Ukraine owing to the war are in a really terrible situation,” Congress MP K.C. Venugopal said. Their future is a major concern for their family. “The government must explain what steps it is taking to accommodate medical students who were compelled to return from Ukraine midway through their degree,” he said. On February 24, the Indian government began Operation Ganga to bring back trapped Indians in Ukraine. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent four central ministers, Kiren Rijiju, Hardeep Singh Puri, Jyotiraditya Scindia, and General VK Singh, to coordinate rescue operations in various countries. In more than 80 special evacuation flights, India has been able to rescue over 20,000 stranded citizens. Buses and trains carried Indians to Ukraine’s western borders, where they were flown back to India through Bucharest, Budapest, Suceava, and Warsaw. Over 600 students were evacuated from Sumy, and the last group was taken back to India via Poland. Meanwhile, India has decided to relocate its embassy in Ukraine to Poland for the time being. “In view of the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Ukraine, including attacks in the western parts of the country,” the Ministry of External Affairs said, “it has been decided that the Indian Embassy in Ukraine will be temporarily relocated to Poland.” On Monday, the second part of the Budget session began and will end on April 8. In addition to conducting legislative work, the Rajya Sabha is expected to spend more than 64 hours debating issues of public importance. Source: ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was victorious in four of the five states after a high-octane electoral battle. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won a historic victory in Punjab, receiving the state’s largest mandate in recent years. Yogi Adityanath, the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, has also written history by returning to power. Since 1985, the BJP has been the first party to retain power in the state. In Uttarakhand, Manipur, and Goa, the party is returning to power. Despite the fact that CM Pushkar Singh Dhami lost his seat, the party was able to overcome anti-incumbency. Three Independent candidates and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which extended its support to the saffron party despite a pre-poll arrangement with the TMC, helped the BJP gain a majority in Goa. “The overwhelming majority voted against the BJP, but their votes were split among many parties, which gave the BJP the opportunity to win 20 seats,” said Congress leader P Chidambaram. Congress is in the midst of its worst crisis ever, following a resounding rejection in every state: The Congress, which ruled the country in 2004 and even nine states in 2014, today governs only two states: Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Many veterans, including those represented by the G-23, felt this was a case of “we told you so.” Ghulam Nabi Azad, a member of the CWC, remarked, “I am shocked, my heart is bleeding to see our defeat in state after state.”

In Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party won by a landslide, while the BJP bucked the trend in Uttar Pradesh, where it faced a tough fight from Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party. In Goa, Manipur, and Uttarakhand, the BJP is also leading. In Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has a significant lead, with close to 90 seats in the 117-seat assembly. With 13 members, the ruling Congress is in second place. As the counting of votes began the third hour on Thursday, both the Congress’s top leaders in Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and state unit boss Navjot Singh Sidhu, were trailing. Former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh loses his seat in the Patiala Urban constituency. The BJP appears to have successfully combated anti-incumbency in Uttar Pradesh, winning over 250 seats. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are tied for second place. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of Gorakhpur and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav of Karhal were among the leaders. In the 403-member legislative assembly, 202 votes are required for a majority. The BJP has extended its lead in Uttarakhand, with the Congress trailing in the hill state, according to election trends. As per the latest trends as of 10:57 a.m., the BJP is leading in 44 seats and the Congress in 21 in the Uttarakhand assembly elections. According to the most recent trends available, the BJP was leading in 19 of Goa’s 40 Assembly seats, while the Congress was leading in 11. So far, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has a 448-vote lead in the Sanquelim Assembly seat. In Manipur, polls reveal that the BJP is in the lead. In the Manipur elections, the BJP is leading in 24 seats, while the Congress is leading in 12.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan stated on Monday that the state government has been working tirelessly for the past three years to ensure decentralised and inclusive governance, adding that in line with that goal, the state government has begun restructuring districts. On the first day of the budget session, the Governor told the joint session of the AP State Legislative Assembly and Council that in addition to the existing 13 districts, 13 more are being constructed, and the new system will begin functioning on April 2 in Ugadi. The Governor noted the country and the state have gone through a difficult period in the last two years owing to the Covid-19 pandemic in his one-hour speech, which began at 11 a.m. Bifurcation-related stress, five years of policy paralysis from 2014 to 2019, an economic slowdown from 2014 to 2019, a year of economic depression from 2019 to 2020, and two years of Covid-19 pandemic have all had a significant impact on the state’s budget, according to him. “The government’s steadfast commitment for extending support to farmers, women, underprivileged, marginalised and vulnerable groups has ensured, even during these excruciatingly difficult times, rural consumption and spending and the economy as a whole does not take a nosedive,” he said. Because of the government’s effective intervention, the state’s GSDP increased by 0.22 percent in the fiscal year 2020-21. In contrast, the country’s GDP fell by 7.3 percent over the same period. In the fiscal year 2021-22, the State GSDP increased by 9.91 percent at constant prices over the previous year. According to him, the State economy is expected to rebound to pre-Covid levels following a year of sluggish growth. At current prices, the state economy is expected to increase 16.82 percent in 2021-22, according to advanced estimates. With a growth rate of 15.87 percent, per capita income has risen to Rs 2,04,758 from Rs 1,76,707 last year. The government has adopted the 11th PRC, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the welfare of government employees. He mentioned how the proper implementation of Navarathnalu was made possible by directly providing cash support to beneficiaries’ bank accounts without any leakages. It made a big difference in the lives of the citizens of the state. The Governor went on to describe how the village and ward secretariats, as well as the volunteer system, are paying off handsomely. He went into detail about the state’s efforts to raise educational standards through the Nadu-Nedu programme, for which the government is spending Rs 15,000 crore. The Governor discussed the government’s efforts to help farmers and improve the farm sector through a variety of programmes including YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan, free crop insurance, zero-interest loans, e-cropping, and in-time input subsidies. According to the Governor, the Covid-19 pandemic had a negative fiscal impact. “While revenues were constrained, the expenditure had gone up due to Covid mitigation measures,” he said.

India and France have espoused a road map on the ‘blue economy’ and ocean governance to boost cooperation for the exploitation and preservation of marine resources through economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation. The road map was adopted at meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris on Sunday. It’s a part of measures agreed on by the two ministers to consolidate the bilateral strategic cooperation, especially in trade and investments, defence and security, health, education, exploration and innovation, energy and climate change. Jaishankar travelled to France after participating in the Munich Security Conference in Germany last week. France is among India’s closest strategic partners in Europe, and the two sides also are working with other countries in areas like critical technologies and supply chains. During their addresses, Jaishankar and Le Drian appreciated the close cooperation between India and France during the Covid-19 pandemic and agreed on heightening the strategic cooperation, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. The “India-France Roadmap on the Blue Economy and Ocean Governance” adopted by the two sides envisages enhancing partnership in blue economy through institutional, economic, infrastructure and scientific cooperation, it said. The two ministers agreed to continue and enhance cooperation in sports and to soon conclude a joint declaration of intent in the area of sports to facilitate people-to-people contact. They also agreed to strengthen long- standing cooperation on public administration and administrative reforms between the applicable authorities in India and France. Source: Hindustan Times

The Centre said to the Supreme Court that Aadhaar card isn’t mandatory for registration on the CoWIN portal for Covid-19 vaccination. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant was informed by the ministry of health and family welfare that one among the nine identity documents including passport, driving licence, PAN card, voter’s card, and ration card may be produced for vaccination. The apex court took note of the submission and disposed of a plea filed by Siddharthshankar Sharma who claimed that Aadhaar card was being mandatorily insisted upon for administering Covid-19 vaccination on the CoWIN portal. The apex court had on October 1, 2021 issued notice to the Centre on the PIL. The bench said, “Pursuant to this court’s order dated October 1, 2021, the ministry of health and family welfare has filed an affidavit which records that Aadhaar card is not mandatory for registration on CoWIN portal and one of the nine identity documents can be produced. it is also recorded in the affidavit that a provision has been made for other categories of persons who may not have identity cards in their possession like prison inmates, inmates at mental health institutions etc. Counsel for Union submits that about 87 lakh people without ID cards have been vaccinated. The grievance of the petitioner that he was denied vaccination for non-production of Aadhaar card has also been dealt in the affidavit. The health ministry addressed a letter to principal secretary, health in Maharashtra to require action against the concerned private vaccination centre which denied vaccination to the petitioner despite production of valid passport ID. The grievance of the petitioner is duly met. All concerned authorities act in accordance with the policy of the government.” The plea had sought active and non-discriminative enforcement of the already notified rules/ policies within the entire country in a uniform manner, for the protection of the right to vaccination granted to citizen of India which is dangerously endangered on account of denial of vaccination due to non-submission of Aadhaar details to the concerned authority. The plea said that such actions are in blatant violation of right to life under Article 21 read with right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution and hence, the petitioner urges sympathetic indulgence of this court by way of issuing appropriate directions to direct the concerned authority to line aside the mandatory pre-condition of production of Aadhaar details from enabling administration of vaccination.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (February 2, 2022) addressed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers across the country virtually. PM Modi’s address comes a day after the Union Budget is tabled in Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. During the address, PM Modi said, “Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman comprehensively explained the Budget in a timely manner given its vastness. I will also try to focus on important aspects of the Budget, today.” The focus of the Union Budget is on providing basic amenities to the poor, middle class and youth, Prime Minister said. “This Budget focuses on the poor, middle class and youth and aims to provide them basic necessities. Our Govt is working on the saturation of basic facilities,” PM Modi said. In his address on ‘Aatmanirbhar Arthvyavastha’ at a BJP event, he said that post-Covid, the possibility of a new world order is emerging and the initial indicators of it are already visible. “There is a possibility of a new world order post-COVID pandemic. Today, the world’s perspective of looking at India has changed a lot. Now, the world wants to see a stronger India,” PM Modi. “With the world’s changed perspective towards India, it is imperative for us to take the country forward at a rapid pace by strengthening our economy,” the prime minister added. Additionally, PM Modi also stated that the budget has several steps to take India on the road towards modernization. “In the last 7 years, the decisions taken are continuously enlarging the Indian economy. 7-8 years ago, India’s GDP was Rs 1.10 lakh cr. Today, our GDP is nearly Rs 2.3 lakh crore. In 2013-14, India’s exports stood at Rs 2.85 lakh crore. Today, it has achieved Rs 4.7 lakh crore,” PM Modi explained. The prime minister also revealed that the government is focused on modernizing Indian agriculture. “The budget also focused on modernizing Indian agriculture with a focus on organic farming. This will make farming more lucrative. Kisan drones and other machinery will be made available to the farmers at reasonable prices,” said PM Modi. “The budget also focused on the development of villages at the border. NCC Centres will be brought in at schools situated at the border,” PM added. Source: ANI

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday presented Union Budget 2022-23 in Parliament. Following are the key highlights of the annual budget: Total expenditure in 2022-23 estimated at Rs 39.45 lakh crore. Total receipts other than borrowings in 2022-23 estimated at Rs 22.84 lakh crore Fiscal deficit in the current financial year is estimated to rise to 6.9 per cent of GDP against 6.8 per cent in Budget Estimates. For 2022-23 financial year the fiscal deficit is pegged at 6.4 per cent of GDP. A target set to reduce fiscal deficit to 4.5 per cent of GDP by 2025-26. Allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore in 2022-23 to assist the states in catalysing overall investments in the economy: fifty-year interest-free loans, over and above normal borrowings In 2022-23, States will be allowed a fiscal deficit of 4 per cent of GSDP, of which 0.5 per cent will be tied to power sector reforms. On the Direct Tax side, the budget allows taxpayers to file updated income tax return within 2 years for correcting errors. It also provides tax relief to persons with disability. Alternate Minimum Tax paid by cooperatives brought down from 18.5 per cent to 15 per cent. Surcharge on cooperative societies reduced from 12 per cent to 7 per cent for those having a total income of more than Rs 1 crore and up to Rs 10 crore. Tax relief to persons with disability: Payment of annuity and lump sum amount from insurance scheme to be allowed to differently-abled dependent during the lifetime of parents/guardians, i.e., on parents/ guardian attaining the age of 60 years. Parity in National Pension Scheme Contribution: Tax deduction limit increased from 10 per cent to 14 per cent on employer’s contribution to the NPS account of State Government employees. Gems and Jewellery: Customs duty on cut and polished diamonds and gemstones being reduced to 5 per cent; Nil customs duty to simply sawn diamond – To give a boost to the Gems and Jewellery sector. A simplified regulatory framework to be implemented by June this year – To facilitate export of jewellery through e-commerce. Tariff measure to encourage blending of fuel: Unblended fuel to attract an additional differential excise duty of Rs 2/ litre from October 1, 2022. – to encourage blending of fuel. A Digital University will be established to provide access to students across the country for world-class quality universal education with personalised learning experience at their doorsteps. This will be made available in different Indian languages and ICT formats. The Government proposed to introduce Digital Rupee, using blockchain and other technologies, to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India starting 2022-23 for more efficient and cheaper currency management system. Indian economy is projected to grow at 9.2 per cent in 2021-22. This will be the highest among all large economies in the world. Productivity Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in 14 sectors to create 60 lakh jobs. PLI schemes have the potential to create an additional production of Rs 30 lakh crore. Entering Amrit Kaal, the 25 year long lead up to India @100, the budget provides impetus for growth along four priorities: PM GatiShakti, Inclusive Development, Productivity Enhancement & Investment, Sunrise opportunities, Energy Transition, and Climate Action and Financing of investments. The seven engines that drive PM GatiShakti are Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Mass Transport, Waterways and Logistics Infrastructure. The scope of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan will encompass the seven engines for economic transformation, seamless multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. National Highways Network to be expanded by 25000 kms in 2022-23. Rs 20000 crore to be mobilised for National Highways Network expansion in 2022-23. Contracts to be awarded through PPP mode in 2022-23 for implementation of Multimodal Logistics Parks at four locations. Railways: 2000 kms of railway network to be brought under Kavach, the indigenous world class technology and capacity augmentation in 2022-23. 400 new generation Vande Bharat Trains to be manufactured during the next three years. 100 PM GatiShakti Cargo terminals for multimodal logistics to be developed during the next three years. One Station One Product concept to help local businesses & supply chains. Agriculture: Rs 2.37 lakh crore direct payment to 1.63 crore farmers for procurement of wheat and paddy. Chemical-free Natural farming to be promoted throughout the county. Initial focus is on farmer’s lands in 5 kms wide corridors along river Ganga. NABARD to facilitate fund with blended capital to finance startups for agriculture & rural enterprise. ‘Kisan Drones’ for crop assessment, digitisation of land records, spraying of insecticides and nutrients. Ken Betwa project: 1400 crore outlay for implementation of the Ken – Betwa link project. 9.08 lakh hectares of farmers’ lands to receive irrigation benefits by Ken-Betwa link project. MSMEs: Udyam, e-shram, NCS and ASEEM portals to be interlinked. 130 lakh MSMEs provided additional credit under Emergency Credit Linked Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS). ECLGS to be extended up to March 2023. Guarantee cover under ECLGS to be expanded by Rs 50000 crore to total cover of Rs 5 Lakh crore. Rs 2 lakh Crore additional credit for Micro and Small Enterprises to be facilitated under the Credit Guarantee Trust for Micro and Small Enterprises (CGTMSE). Raising and Accelerating MSME performance (RAMP) programme with outlay of Rs 6000 crore to be rolled out. Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood (DESH-Stack e-portal) will be launched to empower citizens to skill, reskill or upskill through on-line training. Startups will be promoted to facilitate ‘Drone Shakti’ and for Drone-As-A-Service (DrAAS). Health: An open platform for National Digital Health Ecosystem to be rolled out. ‘National Tele Mental Health Programme’ for quality mental health counselling and care services to be launched. A network of 23 tele-mental health centres of excellence will be set up, with NIMHANS being the nodal centre and International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIITB) providing technology support. 60,000 crore allocated to cover 3.8 crore households in 2022-23 under Har Ghar, Nal se Jal. Housing for All: Rs 48,000 crore allocated for completion of 80 lakh houses in

Budget Session 2022 Latest News: President Ram Nath Kovind lauded the country’s efforts against the novel COVID-19 spread. In addition, while presiding on the parliamentary Budget Session, he said, “India’s capability to fight COVID-19 was evident in its vaccination program. In less than a year, we made a record of administering over 150 crore doses of vaccine. Today, we’re one of the leading nations in the world when it comes to the number of doses given.” The country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi also addressed the parliamentary budget sessions and welcomed all legislators to the session saying that it is the right opportunity to showcase India’s economic growth to the world. He said, “In today’s global situation, there are a lot of opportunities for India. This session instils confidence in the world regarding the country’s economic progress, vaccination program, and Made in India vaccines.” The Budget Session is set to conclude on April 8, 2022 while the first part of the session will run till February 11, 2022. There’ll be a break from February 12 to March 13 as the standing committee examines the budgetary allocations. Source: The news has been published by The Indian Express with a few inputs from the ArdorComm News Network Team.