Morning Brief: Aadhaar To Be Made Mandatory For Tax Returns; Yogi Vows Riot-Free UP; Go-Ahead For Airports

Good Morning, Swarajya Readers! Here's What You Need To Know Today.

New Push To Make Aadhaar A Must For Filing Tax Returns: The Union government on Tuesday proposed to make Aadhaar card mandatory for filing income-tax returns as well as for applying for permanent account number (PAN), which will come into effect from 1 July. The proposal was moved through an amendment to the Finance Bill 2017. The Parliament is likely to grant its nod to the bill on Wednesday.

Cash Transaction Limit To Be Lowered To Rs 2 Lakh: The Rs 3 lakh limit proposed for cash payments in the Budget for 2017-18 would be brought down to Rs 2 lakh as part of an unprecedented 40 amendments to the Finance Bill. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the amendments in the lower House on Tuesday. This is aimed at tightening the noose on those dealing in cash.

Yogi Adityanath Vows Riot-Free UP: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday promised to make his state riot-free, corruption-free and safe for women and said he will establish a development model which will discourage emigration. Addressing the Lok Sabha two days after being sworn in as chief minister, he reiterated his government’s commitment to development.

Go-Ahead For 18 Greenfield Airports: Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said the government has given in principle approval for setting up 18 greenfield airports, which together are estimated to cost nearly Rs 30,000 crore. The airports which have received in principle nod for construction include Mopa (Goa), Navi Mumbai, Shirdi and Sindhudurg (Maharashtra), Bijapur, Gulbarga, Hasan and Shimoga (Karnataka), Kannur (Kerala), Pakyong (Sikkim), Karaikal (Puducherry), Dholera (Gujarat) and Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh).

CBSE Introduces Uniform Assessment System: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has formally replaced the continuous and comprehensive evaluation scheme for classes VI to IX with uniform system of assessment, examination and report card. From the coming academic year (2017-18), all students will be under a "uniform assessment" process from Class VI onwards and schools will have to adhere to CBSE's template, from examinations to report cards.

Protecting The Rights Of HIV Patients: Rajya Sabha passed a bill that criminalises discrimination against HIV-positive people and seeks to provide them with equal access to jobs, education and treatment. The HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014, also makes antiretroviral treatment a legal right of HIV/AIDS patients and prohibits employers and educational institutions from forcing people to undergo HIV tests for employment and education, respectively.

S M Krishna Joining BJP Today: Former Karnataka chief minister S M Krishna will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today (Wednesday) in Delhi, after he quit the Congress in January. "According to the information we have, SM Krishna will be joining the BJP tomorrow in Delhi," party sources said. Krishna would be inducted into the saffron party in the presence of its national president Amit Shah and other leaders, including Ananth Kumar and R Ashok from Karnataka.

SC Warning To Sahara: While hearing the dispute between Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy and Securities and Exchange Board of India over non-payment of money to crores of investors, the Supreme Court (SC) warned Sahara that if the company fails to deposit the amount of Rs 5,000 crore, the court would auction off its star project in Maharashtra, the Aamby Valley. The SC bench taking a stern note of the consistent non-payment said, “If money does not come into the accounts, then your Aamby Valley project will be sold.”

MUST READ OP-EDS

NPA Problem: Bankers Alone Should Not Be Blamed: Strategic reforms will no doubt consume significant political capital but it is the oxygen, and it is needed urgently. Thankfully, the government seems to be fully committed to the above.

Income Divergence: Governance Or Development Model? While individual income inequality in India and its potentially adverse social consequences have been discussed fervently, regional inequality among states can perhaps have a more adverse impact on the country’s political economy.

An Unequal Balance: Despite a law since 2013 and the Vishakha guidelines before that, sexual harassment at the workplace remains a maze that nobody seems to be able to negotiate.

Caught Between The Dragon And The Elephant: India’s trade deficit with China is growing every year, and shows no signs of reversing. On the other hand, India enjoys a trade surplus with the US. India’s trade diplomats will need some deft footwork to manage these two trade partners and contradictions.

SWARAJYA SPECIAL

CJI’s Offer To Mediate On Ram Temple Faces A Wall: Dishonest Left Historians: The true enemy of congenial Hindu-Muslim relationships is the Left, which does not want a solution that works for both sides. Hindus and Muslims need to unite against the Left, and not against each other.

We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!

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