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The Times of India; India's Most Widely Circulated English Language Newspaper
Topic Started: Nov 29 2017, 10:49 PM (207 Views)
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Ready to “Pay Political Price” for Radical Steps: PM Modi
January 2018

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New Delhi | January 2018 | Tearing into the UPA regime, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said he was ready to pay a "big political price" for bringing about systemic changes in the country and asserted no one would be able to stop his government from making "irreversible" decisions.

Mr. Modi, who was delivering the inaugural address at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi, said India was counted among the "fragile five" nations globally and the country's economy, banking system and governance structure were in a poor shape when the NDA came to power ousting UPA in 2014. But his government managed to make a turnaround, drawing worldwide recognition for having done so, he said.

“Big transformations” do not come easily and to attain them an overhaul of the entire system was needed, Modi said. “We can increase our ease of doing business ranking from 142 to 100 only when we take initiatives for big transformation,” He also pointed to efforts to bring underground markets into the formal marketplace, saying “For the first time after Independence, the corrupt people are scared of transacting in black money. They are scared of being caught. The black money that was earlier the base of the parallel economy has now become part of formal economy.”

Modi listed the achievements of his government in a range of sectors and highlighted steps taken. He also spoke on new efforts, including a push to assure the people of India are “more effectively connected” with the resources meant for them. More people would be willing to pay in if those payments were more equitable, simpler, and had more direct effect, he said. This statement is backed by public polling, which shows most animosity towards taxation originates in feelings of unfairness and lack of benefit given effort required.

Additionally, Modi pledged to “push forward relentlessly” in his continual pursuit of anti-corruption and anti-fraud policies. Speaking on progress so far, he said “By linking Aadhaar to mobile and Jan Dhan, we have created such a system that could not have been imagined few years back. In the last three years, with the help of Aadhaar, crores of fake names have been removed from the system.” This strong push against corruption is still rather new coming from a major party, one political analyst said. He believes that the push may foreshadow the acceptance of even larger efforts against corruption, as the effects of decades of anti-corruption activism and protest are felt throughout the government.

The BJP has been working to tactfully drain the party of those who would be most vulnerable to substantial anti-corruption probes in both national and regional level office, said people familiar with the matter. The party did not return a comment when asked about these efforts.

The chief spokesperson of the Congress said in an official statement that Modi’s claimed willingness to “pay the political price” is simply an effort to hedge bets in the face of possible defeat in the Gujarat Assembly elections, a region they argue has been hurt by the policies of PM Modi. “Why are the cotton and groundnut farmers not getting minimum support price based on their input cost and 50 per cent profit over it as promised by PM Modi in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections?” he asked. “The nation is suffering and paying the price for arrogant Modi.”

However, with a boost from the BJP’s sweeping win in Uttar Pradesh, the party seems to be gaining ground in Gujarat, casting doubt on the Congress’ argument. Polls suggest a victory for the BJP, but a closer fight than in Uttar Pradesh is expected.
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BJP Working to Complete Major Anti-Corruption and Tax Compliance Bill

January 2018


New Delhi | January 2018 | The BJP is currently nearing completion of a major bill aimed at assaulting corruption and increasing tax compliance, according to people familiar with the matter. The government is, by all accounts, moving to make good on PM Modi's recent renewal of his promise to aggressively pursue corrupt officials and push for tax simplicity to improve revenue. The bill will reportedly be the most significant legislation on either of these fronts in modern Indian history.

Corruption and tax avoidance have long been two of the largest sources of Indian governmental inefficiency. With estimated losses to both likely totaling over a hundred of billion dollars per year, they significantly damage the ability of the government to provide the services it is tasked with handling.

According to some analyists, the increasing support behind the independent anti-corruption movement in recent times is the likely driver for the significance of this move. One analyst said, "Modi knows how much corruption and tax evasion reduce his government's ability to function. But he also knows changing that will take a lot of political capital. This is his shot, when there is a groundswell of public support behind such measures."

The government has attempted similar anti-corruption legislation before, passing The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in 2013. But technical legal problems and a lack of political will have kept the bill, which is designed to create an impartial anti-corruption investigative agency, from coming into force. Current protesters and activists call for a more stringent version of the bill, with the stricter provisions of their 'Jan Lokpal' version.

The tax compliance portion of the bill is equally significant, according to party insiders, who claim the bill will use the Aadhaar database to substantially increase compliance for all forms of taxation. A reduction in some taxes is also being floated, as an encouragement to increase compliance.

Reportedly, the BJP has kept together the internal support necessary to pass the bill with only votes from the ruling coalition. This would be a substantial feat, given the controversial nature of most similar legislation has generally forced multi-partisanship.

The opposition has remained fairly silent on the content of the bill, save to criticize the BJP's steady removal of its more corrupt members. A Congress spokesperson accused the BJP of "cheating justice" by intentionally delaying the enactment of anti-corruption measures as it cleaned its own party. When asked for a comment, the BJP stated that they were "simply taking it upon themselves" to combat corruption in the face of woefully inadequate laws on the matter, and accused the opposition of being "complacent".
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Modi Government Sets Sights on Ministry Streamlining, Announces "Efficiency in India" Campaign

February 2017

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New Delhi | February 2017 | Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his government's plans to reduce the "unnecessary complexity" of the Union Government's current ministry structure. "The current structure is both wasteful and difficult for citizens to navigate. These refinements will decrease costs and increase accessibility" he said.

Currently the Union Government contains 53 ministries of some level, far more than many other nations. PM Modi's stated goal is to reduce this to 10 more encompassing ministries, "streamlining coordination and simplifying structure". Many ministries with more specific goals, such as the Ministry for the Development of the North-Eastern Region, will be reformed to simply be agencies.

In tandem with announcing the ministry reforms, the BJP has announced a larger effort to boost administrative efficiency and simplify government operations, branded "Efficiency in India". According to the Modi government, these reforms are a continuation of the efforts made in the Tax Equity and Ease of Access to Services Act and represent the next step in a larger plan to par down bureaucratic waste.

Operations analysts estimate fairly simple ministry reforms could save billions in administrative expenses once fully implemented.
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Military Reforms on the Horizon?

February 2018

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New Delhi | February 2018 | Amid other centre government initiatives to streamline operations are substantial structural and financial reforms to the armed forces, according to people familiar with the matter. While these reforms will not be the first in the "Efficiency in India" campaign, they will be significant.

The armed forces currently operate as three distinct branches, which has often caused confusion and poor coordination. This is in contrast to most modern armed forces who generally employ some form of unified combatant command. People familiar with the matter say reorganization of the command structure would substantially improve combat effectiveness at little cost. The Modi government has commissioned reports on the feasibility and nature of such endeavors, but has never moved to make those endeavors a reality.

Military procurement is another major bottleneck to efficiency, with many domestic development programs running significantly over budget. An anonymous member of the centre government told the TOI that procurement reform is a major goal of the Modi government, potentially saving billions and increasing speed of procurement substantially. The nature of these reforms is not currently known.

When asked, the office of the Prime Minister did not return a comment specifically related to the reforms, stating that "The Prime Minister and the Government of India are committed to the security and sovereignty of India, the protection of her interests, and the creation and maintaining of a military capable of these objectives."
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Amid Concerns About Recent Devolution of Spending to States, Centre Government Promises a Solution

February 2018

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Raiput, Chhattisgarh | February 2018 | In the capital of the poorest state in India, along with many other states in similar positions, the recent devolution of spending to the states has caused significant worries. Although the states of India as a whole have run a surplus this year, many states do not share the fortune of the richest areas in India. This has the state governments of many poorer states concerned that they will not be able to keep spending up on programs previously funded by the centre government.

In a statement this morning, the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Raman Singh, said "Our budgets are already strained to provide for the services we already are responsible for. We cannot hope to keep up the centre's level of spending indefinitely. We do not wish to compromise the current economic boom that is lifting so many out of poverty with the major new taxes that would be needed. I implore the centre government to consider solutions to assist the poorer states."

States such as Chhattisgarh have seen enormous growth in recent years as agriculture and industry have begun to modernize. Chhattisgarh in particular experienced a nearly 12% growth rate in recent years. But with most farmers still utilizing traditional farming techniques there is still a lot of room for growth, lending credence to the Chief Minister's concerns about stifling progress.

A centre-level BJP spokesperson commented on the situation, stating that the central government was working towards alterations that would attempt to shift the cost burden onto the states as they were able to bare it, rather than all at once. "We have listened to the concerns of the states of India and will act on them. This spending bill will not decrease the quality of services provided by the Government of India." said the spokesperson. This solution would also take significantly into account the comparative wealth of states, with the goal of offloading the relevant expenditures to the wealthiest states almost immediately and delaying the shift in responsibility to poorer states for a substantial amount of time. It was not clear how long this 'substantial time' would be.
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Newest Destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, Commissioned As Navy Considers Re-Designs

April 2018

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The INS Visakhapatnam under construction in 2015


Mumbai | April 2018 | The first ship of the Visakhapatnam class was commissioned today after having completed sea trials. The ship was originally launched in April of 2015 from the dockyards of Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. This ship marks significant improvements in India naval technology, carrying the latest in anti-ship and anti-air missiles.

The result of four and a half years of work, the INS Visakhapatnam is a substantial update of the Kolkata class, including improved computing and superior air defense. The Navy will order new anti-submarine warfare helicopters soon to provide additional upgrades to the class's capabilities. The Visakhapatnam-class also represents advancements in construction efficiency and and technology, with completion taking years less than the previous class.

The commissioning of the INS Visakhapatnam comes in tandem with potential significant shakeups in the Navy's new corvette and destroyer classes. According to government officials, the Navy is considering alternations to the existing designs. No alterations involve either hull or major superstructure changes, as most options being considered are focused on updates the classes were designed to accommodate. Officials ensured the Times that no alterations would take more than the rest of the year to R&D, and that these alterations would not delay the Visakhapatnam-class ships substantially.

In addition, a Navy official reported that the Project 17A-class frigate would likely be canceled, as the Navy had concluded it to be "redundant to the mission of the Visakhapatnam-class". This would mark a substantial change, as two major dockyards had just finished upgrades designed to expedite the construction of the new frigate class. The official also commented on these yard upgrades, saying the facilities were just as capable of constructing the Visakhapatnam-class, as the two classes are of similar dimensions and displacement.
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At Groundbreaking for New Pragati Maidan Development, PM Modi Announces Push for Economic Reform

May 2018

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New Delhi | May 2018 | At the groundbreaking ceremony for the redevelopment of New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a new push for economic reform in India. According to PM Modi, the new push will include a variety of efforts over the course of the coming months.

The Pragati Maidan, located blocks from the Indian Parliament, has long upheld the meaning of its name, “Progress Grounds”. After a series of controversial demolitions and acquisitions of permits construction on the Pragati Maidan’s new resident, the Integrated Exhibition Convention Center, and its surrounding buildings can begin. According to a government spokesperson, this center will contain facilities for major national and international conventions, with a focus on business, commerce, and peaceful international cooperation.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by PM Modi, who spoke on the purpose of this new building and the new direction it represents. During his speech, Modi said “If the people of India wish for success and prosperity, they must move forward into the international world. The economic reforms passed by the centre and many states, after many efforts by the BJP, have improved the lives of countless Indians across the nation. We must press forward against those who wish to preserve the inefficiencies of our government, for these people wish to maintain their own personal power and wealth at the cost of the prosperity of the rest of us, and the nation”. Without concerted efforts to reform the nation’s economy, PM Modi warned, India will be unable to join the markets of the world.

The Prime Minister moved on to the announcement of a new initiative, “Prosperity in India”, which aims to improve India’s economic productivity and capability substantially. The first component of the initiative is days from introduction in the Lok Sabha, according to people familiar with the matter. The exact nature of the reforms ahead are unknown, but they are expected to be significant given the pace of recent efforts.
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Eye on China: India and Singapore ink naval pact

May 2018

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New Delhi | May 2018 | In a combined effort to counter the increasing presence of the Chinese Navy in South East Asia and the Indian Ocean region, India and Singapore today took their military relationship much further with the island nation asking Delhi to dock its ships, when needed, at its Changi Naval base. This means that Indian Navy ships sailing through the disputed South China Sea or in the eastern waters of the Andaman Sea will be able to refuel, restock and, if needed, rearm at Singapore's latest naval base before continuing their mission. The Indian Navy will now be able to directly engage Singaporean authorities when they need to use their facilities unlike the present structure where a request has to be sourced from the Indian Navy to the government of Singapore through the Defence Ministry and then the External Affairs Ministry, a process that can take weeks if political clearances need to be obtained in Singapore.

"I would respond categorically - not only would we be more comfortable, we would encourage the Indian Navy to visit Changi Naval base more often" said Singapore's Defence Minister. Dr. Ng Eng Hen who also stated that India would reciprocate the logistics support when Singaporean vessels operate in Indian waters in the Andaman Sea and elsewhere. The Air Forces of both countries have been conducting joint drills at the Kalaikunda Air Base in West Bengal.

The treaty also established joint security patrols between the two nations, with a focus on key straits in the region. Specifically, the treaty contains a provision requiring the constant joint deployment of forces in the Straits of Malacca, Sunda, Lombok, and Ombai. These forces would be tasked with not just security, but also keeping track of all ships that pass through the straits.

//

Approved, see treaty
Edited by Jos1311, Jan 3 2018, 01:38 PM.
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Centre Government Considers Funding Agricultural Investment with Agricultural Taxation

June 2018

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Even with most agricultural work being done by hand, there are no taxes on wealthy and mechanized farms

New Delhi | June 2018 | In a move unprecedented in post-independence Indian politics, the centre government announced that it was considering taxing agriculture to fund new agriculture programs. The move has been met with significant resistance, although more disorganized and ineffectual resistance than may have been otherwise expected.

According to a BJP spokesperson, the proposed taxation “would not affect 90% of farmers” and is designed to tax only those who can truly afford taxation, including major agricultural corporations that have been avoiding taxation on billions of dollars in income for decades since they were allowed to open operations in India. The spokesperson also pointed to the tax reductions passed by the BJP earlier this year, which more than doubled the standard deduction, as further proof of the fairness of an agricultural tax. “With India’s poor paying less than ever before in taxes, it is time to take on the rich farmers. The poor farmers of India are those who are deserving of our help, not their wealthy counterparts” said the spokesperson.

The BJP has further argued the move to tax agricultural income is essential to efforts to combat black money. The BJP spokesperson argued the agriculture sector has long acted as a tax shelter. Taxpayers wishing to convert black money into white money show ownership of ancestral property in villages. They are able to obtain fictitious receipts from traders of agricultural commodities as evidence that they have produced and sold agricultural produce.

According to analysts, the bill would reclassify agricultural income into the same category as all other income. This simple change would raise substantial additional revenue. It would also encourage additional investment in agriculture by major corporations who could no longer write off all income as non-taxable, and would likely reinvest in their own companies rather than take as much direct income.

The proposed changes would use the new revenue to fund major rural initiatives to support agriculture and improve infrastructure. These initiatives have been cited as necessary, both economically and politically, by many observers. According to one expert interviewed by the Times, “Without major investment in rural and farm-oriented infrastructure, taxation would stand no chance. Farmers make up a massive portion of the electorate, and the only way to pass a tax is to bring some over to the BJP’s side.”

Resistance to the proposal has been significant, but not as significant as expected. Agricultural taxation has long been considered an untouchable topic, but the heavy focus on rich farmers by the BJP has somewhat undermined the Congress’ traditional arguments. Farmer’s lobbying groups have also been more disorganized than would be expected, largely thanks to major BJP efforts in the previous months to push the concept with poorer farmers who make up the bulk of the membership of those groups. As poorer farmers will receive significant payouts from this initiative, many have decided to support it.
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