PUNJAB

Punjab’s unemployment rate more than national average

The unemployment rate in Punjab is more than the national average, reveals the state’s latest Economic Survey that was tabled in the just concluded Budget session of the Vidhan Sabha. The survey report belies the claims made by the Congress government of making efforts to reduce unemployment.

As per the report, the unemployment rate among the youth (between 15 and 29 years) of the state is 21.6 per cent against the national average of 17.8 per cent. The survey cites the figures, taking into account the first year of the Capt Amarinder Singh government in 2017-18. This in spite of the state organising job melas and launching schemes such Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar (54,513 youths reportedly got jobs till 2019), Yaari Enterprises and StartUp Punjab.

The unemployment rate among women reduced between 2015-16 and 2018, but it was still higher (11.7 per cent) than men’s (6.9 per cent).

To substantiate the mismatch between aspirations of youth and job opportunities, the survey cites that of the 2.69 lakh applicants registered with the Unemployment Bureau in 2019, 85 per cent were educated (Class X and above) and 91 per cent were categorised as skilled. “This is leading to brain drain from the state,” the report says.

As agriculture growth has reached a plateau, children of farmers are migrating abroad in search for jobs. The survey highlights that more and more farmers are selling off their land to fund the migration of their children to Canada, Australia, the US and the UK.

The survey points out that unemployment rate in rural and urban areas was 7.6 and 7.7 per cent, which had increased by two to 1.5 percentage points, respectively, since the previous Economic Survey.

The survey report also lists steps taken by the government to bridge the gap between skill sets of youth and job opportunities, while pointing out that agriculture and allied activities still accounted for maximum employment followed by the manufacturing sector and construction activities.

INTERNATIONAL

Google announces its plans to open Delhi Cloud Region

Google announced its plans to open a Delhi Cloud Region.

This will be the company’s second cloud region in India since it launched one in Mumbai three years ago in 2017.

The new cloud region will expand Google’s existing network which stands at 8 regions in the Asia Pacific and 22 regions globally.

Google cloud regions bring Google Cloud Platform services to global organisations in industries like media and entertainment, retail and manufacturing.

Projected to be launched in 2021, the Delhi cloud region will have three zones to protect against service disruptions.

Two new land ports to be added as entry points for Bangladeshi people

Bangladesh is to add two new land ports for the Bangladeshi citizens travelling to India. It will have the option of two more land port entry points on their visas.

Visitors from Bangladesh to India will be able to enter India from Bhomra, and Akhaura side of Bangladesh will connect Gojadanga and Agartala, respectively, on the Indian side.

Currently, Bangladeshi people can travel to India with a normal visa from only two land ports namely Benapole and Petrpole, apart from the travel by air and rail.

The decision to allow entry into India from the two additional land ports was agreed during the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in October 2018. The move is now in the process of being implemented.

NATIONAL

Lok Sabha passed 2020 Direct Tax Vivad Se Viswas Bill

Lok Sabha passed the amendment of the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill, 2020, on 4 March. The Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha by the Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman on 5 February 2020.

The amendment will extend the scope to cover litigation pending in various debt recovery tribunals (DRTs). It also provides an opportunity to settle direct tax disputes within the current financial year by waiving interest and penalty on their pending taxes.

The Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Bill provides a method for the resolution of pending tax disputes that are related to income tax and corporation tax that involve Rs.9.32 lakh crore.

It also defines an appellant as the income tax authority, or the person, or both, whose appeal is pending before any appellate forum as on 31 January 2020.

It will cover tax disputes pending at the level of commissioner (appeals), Income Tax Appellate Tribunals (ITAT), high courts (HCs), and the Supreme Court (SC).

JK government launched Student Health Card scheme for school children

Jammu and Kashmir government has launched Student Health Card scheme in Jammu on 5 March. It was launched by Lt. Governor G.C. Murmu at a programme organized by Directorate of Mid Day Meal, School Education Department in association with National Health Mission at Teachers Bhavan Jammu.

The scheme will ensure regular checkups of school-going children.

It is expected that regular health checkup facilities at the school level will ensure the good health of students.

The aim of the scheme will ensure the good health of every school-going children and parents who should be made aware of the benefits of this scheme.

Previously, the government has launched MidDay meal for the needy school-going children so that malnutrition can be prevented.

Chandrayaan-III mission to be launched in first half of 2021

The Union Minister Jitendra Singh announced that ISRO’s Chandrayaan-III would be launched in the first half of 2021. A slight delay might happen in the launching of the third moon mission.

Chandrayaan-III mission was configured based on the lessons learnt from Chandrayaan-II.

The revised configuration is expected to take care of the robustness in design, capacity enhancement for mission flexibility.

It retains the heritage of Chandrayaan-II.

In 2019, Chandrayaan-II spacecraft hard-landed on the lunar surface. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) had then resolved to launch the project.

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