Wednesday, 6 March 2019
India considers moving WTO against the US over withdrawal of import sops
Currently, about 121 developing countries including India, Brazil, Afghanistan and Botswana are availing these benefits. The decision could impact India's exports worth USD 5.6 billion under this scheme. Removal of the benefits would result in the imposition of duties by the US on these 2,000 products, making them uncompetitive in the American market in terms of pricing. However, another source said that it might be a long drawn process in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the better option would be to resolve the issues through bilateral dialogues, as India has a trade surplus with the US. India approaching the Geneva-based WTO's dispute settlement body would depend whether the US is differentiating among the developing countries by excluding India based on WTO's non-compatibility criteria. In 2003, India had won a case in the WTO against the European Commission following its denial of GSP incentives for textiles and drugs exporters. Besides, India has an option to impose retaliatory tariffs on the 29 US products, deadline for which has been extended until April 1. India has extended the deadline to impose these duties for six times. Trade experts said that India has the option to drag the US in the WTO dispute over the GSP issue and impose retaliatory tariffs. "India can file a complaint to the WTO's dispute settlement body. But I think bilateral negotiations are the best options to find a solution to the issue," Professor Biswajit Dhar of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) said. According to Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta has said that the US decision to withdraw duty benefits will have an impact on few domestic sectors such as processed food, leather, plastic, and engineering goods. The other sectors that were enjoying the duty benefits include building material and tiles; hand tools (spanners, wrenches, drilling equipments); engineering goods such as spark ignition, turbines and pipes, parts of generators, cycles; made-ups (pillow and cushion covers); and women's woven dresses, he has said. India has said that the US government's move to withdraw duty concessions will not have a significant impact on exports to America as the benefits amount to only about USD 190 million annually. The bilateral trade between the countries has increased to USD 74.5 billion in 2017-18 from USD 64.5 billion in 2016-17. The US is one of the few countries with which India has a trade surplus, which stood USD 21 billion in 2017-18. Dailyhunthttps://www.avitop.com/cs/members/utejjamsun.aspx
Pak measures too few
This has turned out to be bogus, and is apparently meant to hoodwink the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the international body that tracks terror funding, which cautioned Islamabad that it hasn't done enough. According to a list of Pakistan's National Counter-Terrorism Authority, updated as recently as March 4, JuD and FIF were not banned but merely placed on a 'watchlist'. Facing heat from the world community after the Indian airstrike at Balakot, Mr Khan's government has now applied the UN Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order against the outfits that should have been banned. On Tuesday, Pakistan arrested 44 individuals linked to terrorist outfits, including the brother and son of Jaish chief Masood Azhar. This is underwhelming. lists and arrests are really nothing new. Subsequently, life goes on as usual. FATF should take note of Islamabad's duplicity and proceed to take disciplinary steps. ... Dailyhunthttp://www.itsarab.org/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/41780/Default.aspx
Pollution control in NCR a failure
The average PM2.5 value in 2017 was 144.6 mg/m3 for Ghaziabad and 134 for Noida, according to the world air quality report by Greenpeace and Airvisual. The PM2.5 value for the same period according to CPCB data was 322 for Ghaziabad and 140 for Noida. 'While these are absolute figures, we have a set standard for measurement and there is no comparative data with other cities across the world according to our standards. Also, we are not sure about the sourcing of the private report or some of the parameters based on which they have calculated the data,' Ashok Tiwary, regional officer of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Ghaziabad, said. He added that there is no need to panic as the authenticity of the report as well as the sourcing of data is yet to be officially verified. He also said that a similar report, released by the World Health Organisation (WHO), made no mention of Noida or Ghaziabad. According to Tiwary, Ghaziabad has been complying with all standards prescribed by the graded action response plan (GRAP) and three new automatic air quality monitoring stations have recently been installed in the city for better monitoring of data. Since Diwali last year, the air quality index has been frequently slipping to the 'poor' to 'severe' category. There has been no 'good' air day since July. Several complaints were also made through social media and other online platforms regarding air pollution across the city. According to CPCB data, the top causes of pollution in Ghaziabad were open dumping of garbage, construction/demolition activity, open/garbage burning, unpaved roads/pits and traffic congestion. In Noida, the biggest culprits have been construction/demolition activity, open dumping of garbage, unpaved roads/pits, traffic congestion and leaf/open garbage burning. Officials have also said that major infrastructure projects such as the construction of a National Highway in Ghaziabad and the work on the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCCIL) in Gautam Budh Nagar are some of the biggest polluters in the region, emanating large amounts of dust pollution during construction and not keeping the building material covered. Officials maintained that regular action is taken against polluters and that NCR cities have been proactive in controlling pollution levels by ensuring that local factors don't add to air pollution. 'While the report enlists Noida as among the worst in the world, it is still the best performer in the region. It is also the only city to prosecute and arrest violators. The parameters of comparison in this report are unclear and we cannot comment on it,' B N Singh, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar, said Dailyhunthttps://www.openstreetmap.org/user/feetergeeten
Monday, 4 March 2019
Hostel warden of Alwar school suspended over sexual harassment charges against husband Principal Sukhi Ram said the two girls came to him crying and told him about their sexual harassment. 'We informed the police,' he said. Kishangarh Bas police station SHO Ravindra Kavia said they have registered a case and are investigating into it. 'We have detained the warden's husband for questioning.' Warden Neel Kamal Yadav has been removed from her post, the principal said. The police officer said the statement of the two girls had been recorded. A police team has been sent to Haryana to bring other accused, Ramkesh Sharma. RPS officer Neha Agarwal will investigate the case. 'Case of molestation registered against accused after two girls complained of molestation by warden's husband. Questioning underway,' Agarwal told ANI. Alwar collector Indrajeet Singh said the warden and her husband Naresh Yadav have been suspended. 'A letter has been sent to education secretary for issuing notice to them and terminating their service.' . Ex-union minister Jitendra Singh and state labour minister Tika Ram Jully visited the hostel. Dailyhunthttp://doodleordie.com/profile/zeeseensh
https://www.mobypicture.com/user/sikendergunm
Hostel warden of Alwar school suspended over sexual harassment charges against husband
Principal Sukhi Ram said the two girls came to him crying and told him about their sexual harassment. 'We informed the police,' he said. Kishangarh Bas police station SHO Ravindra Kavia said they have registered a case and are investigating into it. 'We have detained the warden's husband for questioning.' Warden Neel Kamal Yadav has been removed from her post, the principal said. The police officer said the statement of the two girls had been recorded. A police team has been sent to Haryana to bring other accused, Ramkesh Sharma. RPS officer Neha Agarwal will investigate the case. 'Case of molestation registered against accused after two girls complained of molestation by warden's husband. Questioning underway,' Agarwal told ANI. Alwar collector Indrajeet Singh said the warden and her husband Naresh Yadav have been suspended. 'A letter has been sent to education secretary for issuing notice to them and terminating their service.' . Ex-union minister Jitendra Singh and state labour minister Tika Ram Jully visited the hostel. Dailyhunthttp://doodleordie.com/profile/zeeseensh
Defensive issues holds back Dortmund ahead of Spurs retur
Hakimi, whose blunder contributed to the heavy defeat at Wembley when he failed to mark Jan Vertonghen for Spurs' second goal, was again found wanting. The right-back's lazy pass was pounced on by Ji Dong-won for Augsburg's stunning second goal after a slip by centre-back Zagadou had led to Ji netting the first. "We practically scored their goals ourselves due to two individual mistakes," added Reus, who will lead Dortmund's attack against Spurs after four weeks out with a thigh strain. After drawing 1-1 at home to Arsenal on Saturday, Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs are winless in their three games since beating Dortmund. However, Dortmund's record of just one win in their last seven matches in all competitions hints at plummeting confidence in their youthful ranks. The last of the nine-point lead Dortmund held in the Bundesliga last December was finally eroded on Saturday when defending champions Bayern Munich drew level. They are only second now on goal difference. 'Tear heads off' "We keep conceding strange goals, which are actually easy to defend," said goalkeeper Roman Burki, before admitting "I had to pull myself together not to tear anyone's head off" after more defensive mistakes at Augsburg. With Reus, their top-scorer and playmaker back, Dortmund will always threaten up front with Mario Goetze finally rediscovering the form which saw him score the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final. Dortmund's goals can come from anywhere. Defenders Marcel Schmelzer and Omer Toprak are the only two outfield members of the squad yet to score Bundesliga goals this season. Goetze's form alongside the creativity and talent of 18-year-old Jadon Sancho on the wing are two positive points. In Thomas Delaney and Axel Witsel, Dortmund also have defensive midfield enforcers capable of bossing Spurs in the middle of the park. Spurs' attack -- especially with England striker Harry Kane back from injury -- can punish lapses. "We must stay calm and must not make another mistake," said head coach Lucien Favre. Matthias Sammer, an external advisor at Dortmund since the start of the season, has questioned whether the team are mature enough to win the Bundesliga title race and says the back four, which has an average age of 21, must step up. "The defeat (at Augsburg) was decided in the head, more in the head than in the legs, you have to put in 90 to 95 percent (focus), it's not enough to be 60 or 70 percent," warned Sammer who also works as a TV pundit. Dailyhunthttps://www.zintro.com/profile/zic4a56954?ref=Zic4a56954
Swaroop Sampat: Much more than an actress
She was one of the Top 10 teachers who had made it as a finalist for the Global Teacher Prize which, in its fourth edition, carries a prize of $1 million.When one really reflects on it, it wasn't so sudden.For those of us who knew Swaroop well, she was the chatty, amiable actress whose mother was a renowned oncologist. A little-known nugget was that Swaroop was the first daughter in her family after 120 years. So her birth was much rejoiced and she was pampered by everybody.But she settled down well with Paresh. After her marriage, when I once dropped in to see her at their first apartment in Juhu, Swaroop had just learnt to make white sauce.The world now knew her as Mrs Paresh Rawal. But one was aware that she quietly started working for dyslexic children and soon she too could attach Dr to her name after her PhD at Worcester in England. "I made the switch after getting my PhD," she revealed, "to include all children".A trained teacher who has worked for Unicef and gone into remote villages in Gujarat and Maharashtra, Swaroop made it to the Top 10 out of 10,000 nominations that came from 179 countries. The countries ranged from the US, the Netherlands and other first world countries to the less prosperous. Fingers are crossed for when Swaroop goes to Dubai for the finals on March 20. 1686005 The 10 finalists from different countries, each specialising in a different method of teaching, will hold a masterclass where 100 teachers will also be watching and gauging. Swaroop's speciality is education through drama. "It's such fun that it has brought students back into the classroom," she states. She throws an open challenge that her method of teaching turns out the best students whose skills not only make them learn but also equip them with confidence to tackle any situation. "Why does learning always have to be serious?" she wonders and questions the tendency to take her method lightly simply because the students find it such fun. Or because she comes from a privileged background.For actor and MP Paresh Rawal, it's an immensely proud moment especially because Swaroop has worked very hard and made it on her own steam. One needs to tell the story of her success because it's so easy to dismiss a woman like her as just another entitled star wife.Fluent in Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi and English, which helps her whether she's taking a class for Aziz Premji in Karnataka or teaching underprivileged children in a village in Maharashtra, Swaroop ruminates that it was acting which prepped her for this important, life-changing role in life. "Because I'm not afraid of the camera if it's a virtual classroom and as an actress, storytelling is baaye haath ka khel." Students also, "Freak out that their teacher was a Miss India however old she may now be," she laughs. That touch of glamour always helps.PS: That touch of glamour sat next to me at the special MAMI screening of Sonchiriya. When the national anthem was played, the man next to me stood erect and sang it word by word till the end. It turned out to be Javed Akhtar who had come to watch Sushant Singh Rajput's new dacoit film with wife Shabana Azmi.Bharathi S. Pradhan is a senior journalist and author Dailyhunthttps://ask.fm/seereeddee
NBFC crisis slows GDP growth, real estate worst hit
With the liquidity squeeze in NBFCs and HFCs, the refinancing cycle for CRE players has stalled." Jaikishan Parmar of Angel Broking told IANS: "It would be appropriate to say that the financial sector squeeze has been responsible directly, and to an extent indirectly, for the slowdown." Parmar added that ever since the RBI came down heavily on banks for encouraging the 10:90 pattern schemes, NBFCs were funding such projects. Also, the last mile lending by NBFCs on behalf of banks was driving the demand for farm equipment, tractors, two-wheelers among others, he said. NBFCs were also quite active in financing four-wheelers, which got impacted by the crisis. In fact, HFCs have already seen their loan book disbursements contract by nearly 20 per cent in the last quarter. On the severity of the liquidity crisis which hit the realty sector, Anuj Puri of ANAROCK Property Consultants said "nearly $34 billion of mutual fund debt in NBFCs and HFCs was maturing between October 2018 - March 2019". This shows that the October-March period has been a very tough six months for the sector. Puri explained that prior to the crisis, the sector was already dealing with a cash crunch and subdued demand, due to which more than 75 per cent of the available credit facility was already exhausted. He said: "As per the S&P BSE Realty index, the debt-equity ratio of the top 10 listed players in the financial year 2013-2014 ranged anywhere between 0.10 to 0.85 which increased to anywhere between 0.17 to more than 1 in the current fiscal." This may not seem alarming, but the situation is worse in the case of small and mid-size developers whose debt-equity ratio is much higher, Puri added. Besides, of the approximately 10,000 developers in the country today, only 35-36 are listed. Hence, the financial numbers could be even worse, Puri said. For the NBFC sector to pick up, most experts said the issues of maturity mismatch and cost of funds need to be urgently addressed. Investors should be cautious on those NBFCs, according to Kurian, which have high leverage or those which have seen credit rating downgrades or are facing significant funding constraints. "We would be cautious on NBFCs with chunky corporate exposures or large exposure to commercial real estate and capital markets," he added. Dailyhunthttp://www.penninetroutfarmandfishery.co.uk/UserProfile/tabid/61/userId/1865675/Default.aspx
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)