HARYANA
Lowest sex ratio: 87 ultrasound centres in Rewari district on radar
Perturbed over the lowest gender ratio across the state in 2022, the health authorities have taken all 87 ultrasound centres registered in the district on its radar. It has started screening their records pertaining to ultrasound tests performed on pregnant women at the centres last year with the twin aim of finding out violations, if any, made by them and discouraging them from disclosing the gender of the unborn baby.
Rewari recorded 883 as the sex ratio at birth (SRB) last year, which is the lowest in the past four years. Rewari witnessed the birth of 903 girls against 1000 boys in 2021, while the SRB was 913 in 2020, 918 in 2019 and 915 in 2018. The district had registered 802 as SRB in 2014.
INTERNATIONAL
EU Adopts Global Minimum 15% Tax on Big Business
The European Union has adopted a plan for a global minimum 15% tax on big business. The landmark deal between nearly 140 countries aims to stop governments racing to cut taxes in a bid to attract companies. It was praised by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen as “an historic agreement which helps even the playing field”.
EU member states reached agreement in principle to implement at EU level the minimum taxation component, known as Pillar 2, of the OECD’s reform of international taxation. The ambassadors of EU member states decided to advise the Council to adopt the Pillar 2 directive, and a written procedure for the formal adoption will be launched.
India and Pakistan Exchange Lists of Nuclear Assets and Prison Inmates
India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations that cannot be attacked in the event of hostilities, maintaining a tradition dating back to 1992 despite bilateral ties being at an all-time low. The two sides further exchanged lists of prisoners held in each other’s jails, and the Indian side sought the early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing defence personnel and fishermen, along with their boats, from Pakistan’s custody.
This was the 32nd consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992. Under the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access, the two sides also exchange lists of prisoners in each other’s custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad.
NATIONAL
GST collections in December up by 15 percent to Rs 1.49 lakh cr
According to a government announcement, India’s goods and services tax receipts increased 15% year over year in December to Rs 1.49 lakh crore ($18.07 billion), suggesting robust economic activity throughout the holiday season. In November, revenue from goods and services taxes totaled Rs. 1.46 lakh crore.
The total amount of GST revenue collected in December 2022 was Rs 1,49,507 crore, of which the CGST portion was Rs 26,711 crore, the SGST portion was Rs 33,357 crore, the IGST portion was Rs 78,434 crore (including Rs 40,263 crore from the collection of GST on goods imported), and the Cess portion was Rs 11,005 crore (including Rs 850 crore collected on import of goods).
The government made a regular settlement of Rs 36,669 crore to CGST and Rs 31,094 crore to SGST from IGST.
India’s first underwater metro service, The Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation (KMRC) said that the East-West Metro Corridor project, is expected to be completed by December 2023. With this, another feather is being added to the crown of Kolkata Metro, the first metro railway in the country. Kolkata Metro, which started its journey in 1984, is being expanded to cover the whole city and its outskirts. The underwater metro, which will be running through the Hoogly river will connect the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata.
Kolkata Metro Railway Corporation has taken up the difficult take of making the tunnel with the help of German machines and the best experts. Work inside the tunnel is still in progress.
As far as the cost of construction of the underground metro is concerned, it costs about Rs 120 crore per kilometre to build the tunnel but the manufacturing cost of the tunnel underwater, which is deep in the Hooghly river costs increased to around 157 crores by per kilometre.
US Announced Support Project for Restoration of Paigah Tombs in Hyderabad
United States Charge d’Affaires, Ambassador Beth Jones announced a $250,000 US government project to support the conservation and restoration of the historic Paigah Tombs in Hyderabad. The project will be held in the conservation and restoration of six tombs built during the 18th and 19th centuries. This is the fifth conservation project funded by the US Consulate in Hyderabad. The project will be implemented by Aga Khan Trust for Culture.
The Paigah Tombs are located 4km away from the Charminar in the Postal Banda.
Paigah Tombs is the resting place of the members of the Paigah nobility.
The Paigah families were among the most influential families of the aristocracy in the princely state of Hyderabad.
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