Current Affairs
Morning Brief: 10 Per Cent Quota For Poor In General Category To Kick In From 1 February; Congress Government In MP To Withdraw Cases Of Forced Conversion; And More
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during a conversation at BJPs two-day national council meeting. (Pankaj Nangia/India Today Group/Getty Images)
Good Morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news brief for today.
10 Per Cent Quota For Economically Weak To Kick In From 1 February
10 per cent quota in central government jobs for economically weaker sections in the general category will come into effect on 1 February, the Times of India has reported. An individual whose family’s gross annual income is below eight lakh will be considered economically backward. Individuals from families which own five acres of agriculture lan; residential flat of 1000 square feet; residential plot of 100 square yards and above in notified municipalities or residential plot of 200 square yards in areas other than the notified municipalities, will not be considered economically backward and would be excluded.
For the purpose of identification of eligible individuals, ‘family’ would include the person seeking quota, parents, minor siblings, spouse and minor children. ‘Income’ would include salary, profit from agriculture, business. Earlier this month, Gujarat had become the first state to implement the new quota.
Congress Government In MP To Withdraw Cases Of Forced Conversion
The Kamal Nath-led Congress government in Madhya Pradesh will withdraw cases registered against members of the Christian community for indulging in ‘forced conversions’, The Indian Express has reported. Congress leader and Madhya Pradesh Law Minister P C Sharma has said that the government will “review only false cases of conversion and cases in which Christian community members were booked for taking part in protests”.
However, Sharma did not disclose how the government will decide which conversion case is false and how the cases will be reviewed. The BJP has said that the move will “embolden missionaries to engage in conversion. If they withdraw cases, the BJP will oppose it tooth and nail,’’ BJP spokesperson said.
CBI Seeks Sanction To Prosecute P Chidambaram In INX Media Case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has sought the sanction of the government to prosecute former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media case, the Times of India has reported. According to the daily’s report, the agency has almost finalised its chargesheet. The CBI had registered a First Information Report in May 2017 against the Foreign Investment Promotion Board clearance to INX Media for receiving overseas funds to the tune of Rs. 305 crore in 2007 when P Chidambaram was finance minister.
The agency has alleged that Karti Chidambaram, son of P Chidambaram, had asked INX Media, which was owned by Indrani and Peter Mukherjea, for a bribe of $1 million. Karti Chidambaram had been arrested in connection with this case last year. In June last year, the CBI had quizzed P Chidambaram in connection with the INX-Media case.
IMF Forecasts India’s growth Will Improve To 7.5 Per Cent In The Next Fiscal
Even as global expansion slows, India is likely to grow at 7.5 per cent in 2019-20, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said, upgrading its October forecast of 7.4 per cent, Mint has reported. The Indian economy will benefit greatly from lower oil prices and a slower pace of monetary tightening than previously expected. In its biannual World Economic Outlook released on Monday, the IMF suggests India will grow 7.3 per cent in 2018-19 and 7.7 per cent in 2020-21.
This development comes at a time when China has grown at just 6.6 per cent, slowest in nearly three decades. It is expected to grow at 6.2 per cent in 2019 and 2020. Its December quarter GDP grew at the slowest pace since 2009.
Modi To Launch Pravasi Bharatiya Divas In Varanasi Today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in his constituency Varanasi today. At least 5,000 delegates are expected to participate in the event. Mauritius’ Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth is the chief guest for this year’s event. He will address Tuesday’s inaugural ceremony.
The theme of this year’s event is the “Role of Indian Diaspora in building New India”. After the event ends on 23 January, the delegates will visit the Kumbh Mela on 24 January and witness the Republic Day Parade on 26 January.
From Swarajya
For the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance to work in the Lok Sabha elections, there has to be a perfect transfer of votes between the two parties. And that is where the trouble begins for the mahagathbandhan.
SBI has no hope in hell of recovering its dues through the conversion route nor can it guide the destiny of Jet Airways with a miniscule shareholding.
Ayyappa Bhaktha Sangamam brought together a large number Hindus and spiritual leaders in Thiruvananthapuram in a show of solidarity, and to condemn the communist government’s brazen violation of temple traditions.
We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!
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