Morning Brief: CAG Forwards Draft Rafale Report To Defence Ministry; Government Extends Ujjwala Scheme All Poor Households; And More

Good morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news brief for today.

CAG Forwards Draft Rafale Report To Defence Ministry

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has sent its draft report on the Rafale deal signed by the Narendra Modi government to the Nirmala Sitharaman-led Ministry of Defence (MoD) asking for its views on it, Hindustan Times has reported. According to the daily, the draft report was sent to the ministry around two weeks ago. The CAG is currently looking into a dozen big-ticket arms deals signed in the past few years. The report on the Rafale deal is one of the many such reports finalised and sent to the ministry.

Draft reports are sent to the ministry concerned as part of the standard operating procedure. When final, the report will be shared with the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), and a redacted version of it will be tabled in Parliament. The main report is likely to carry pricing details.

Government Unchains Ujjwala, LPG To Reach All Poor Households

The Modi government has expanded the scope of its Ujjwala free Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) connection scheme to reach all poor households, the Times of India has reported. Earlier, the scheme was meant only for those below the poverty line. The move, petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said, will lift LPG penetration to 100 per cent households from 90 per cent at present. In 2014, when Modi came to power, LPG penetration in the country stood at around 55 per cent, the minister said.

When launched, the scheme was only meant for families identified by the 2011 socio-economic caste census and a set of other categories. Now any poor family that does not figure in the present set of beneficiary categories can apply with a 14-point affidavit saying none of the family members has an LPG connection.

India Offers $1.4 Billion Aid To Maldives

India has offered the Maldives a $1.4 billiond assistance package to bail out the country's economy caught in the Chinese debt-trap. The country’s newly elected President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is currently in New Delhi. On Monday, he held talks with Prime Minister Modi. Solih was elected the country’s president earlier this year, ousting from power pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen, who had steered the country closer to Beijing and into its debt trap. While the new government is still trying to figure out the situation, Chinese debt is estimated to be between $1.5 to 3 billion.

India’s offer includes $200 million is for immediate budgetary support, out of which $50 million will be in the form of a grant. India will buy Maldivian treasury bonds for the remaining $150 million. The currency swap deal has been increased to $400 million from $200 million. The remaining $800 million will come in form of a credit line.

UP: Principal Beats Up Students For Not Wishing ‘As-Salaam-Alaikum

The principal of the Bilhari Secondary School in Tilhar of Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur district has been booked for allegedly beating up students for not greeting him with “As-Salaam-Alaikum”, The Indian Express has reported. According to the report, action when Principal Secretary and nodal officer of the district, Dimple Verma, visited the school on Sunday and was told about the demand made by the principal, identified as Chand Mian. “As-Salaam-Alaikum”, a greeting in Arabic which means “Peace be upon you”, is a religious salutation among Muslims.

Earlier this year, it was reported that a school in Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh (UP) has been renamed ‘Islamia Primary’. According to the reports, the school maintains all official records in Urdu and has a weekly off on Friday instead of Sunday. Khurshid Ahmad, the principal of the primary school, had said that the practice was in place when he joined the school in 2008.

India’s Telecom Export Body Flags Huawei Over National Security Concerns

Amid concerns around the world over the risks presented by the telecom equipment manufactured by Huawei, India’s telecom export body has raised alarm about the possible dangers the Chinese tech giant presents to the country’s national security, Business Standard has reported. According to the daily, the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council is planning to write to National Security Advisor Ajit Doval demanding restrictions against the use of Huawei’s 5G telecom equipment in India on the lines of the bans imposed by New Zealand, Australia and Japan.

It is feared that Huawei may spy on its users and pilfer information for the Chinese Communist Party. The telecommunications behemoth was set up in 1994 by Ren Zhengfei, a former engineer in the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Earlier this month, Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer (and the daughter of its founder) was arrested in Canada while in transit over allegations of dodging US sanctions on Iran.

From Swarajya

Myths About India’s 1991 BOP Crisis: What really happened was a confluence of negative developments, which led to a decline in investor confidence and capital flight.

Retreat Of Liberal Economics: The accusation that India is returning to failed autarkic policies of the past appears too extreme.

How Raman Singh Became ‘Chawal Waale Baba’ For Chhattisgarh: With his share of successes and controversies and lost time, Dr Raman Singh needs to be given the due credit he deserves.

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

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