Karnataka for higher tax on luxury goods as Covid hits revenue

News Network
August 28, 2020
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Yediyurappa

Bengaluru, Aug 27: Cash-starved Karnataka on Thursday urged the Central government to increase GST on luxury goods to make up for the revenue shortfall caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, an official said on Thursday.

"State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, who represents Karnataka in the GST Council and participated in its 41st meeting through video conferencing on Thursday, told Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to put more tax on luxury goods, tobacoo and pan masala for increasing the revenue and compensating states like Karnataka, which have been hit by the pandemic," a finance department official said.

Admitting that the Covid-induced lockdown since March 25 and its extension till May 31 impacted revenue collection due to subdued economy and continued restrictions on a number of tax generating activities, Bommai said the state would miss the revenue target of Rs 1.8 lakh crore set for this fiscal (2020-21).

"With the war on containing the pandemic costing the state heavily, the Centre has to compensate us to make up for the revenue shortfall from lower tax collection in Covid times," Bommai told the Finance Minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member from the southern state.

Though Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa also holds the finance portfolio and presented the state budget for this fiscal in the Assembly on March 5, he could not attend the GST Council meet as he is resting after recovering from Covid-19 earler this month.

Goods and Service Tax (GST) compensation for the state since April is Rs 13,764 crore, and its collection in the first four months was 71.61 per cent.

"The Centre should borrow more to compensate the state, which is reeling under financial crisis due to Covid disrupting life, livelihood and the economy and causing untold hardship since mid-March," Bommai said.

A special cess is levied on the highest tax slab of 28 per cent on luxury goods to compensate the states for the revenue loss due to the GST subsuming state's taxes and local levies.

"A reduced share in Central taxes, delay in GST compensation and loss of revenue due to the Covid-19 lockdown have pushed the state into financial stress," added the official, citing the minister.

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News Network
September 25,2024

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Hezbollah has launched a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv for the first time, triggering sirens in the city and elsewhere including Netanya, the Lebanese resistance group says. 

Warning sirens sounded in Israel’s economic capital Tel Aviv as a single surface-to-surface missile was intercepted by air defense systems after it was detected crossing from Lebanon, the Israeli military said.

There were no reports of damage or casualties and the military said there was no change to civil defense instructions for central Israel.

The Israeli military said that for the "first time ever" a missile fired by Hezbollah reached the Tel Aviv area. "It is the first time ever a Hezbollah missile reached Tel Aviv area."

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging deadly fire since early October last year, shortly after the regime launched a genocidal war against the Gaza Strip following a surprise operation by Hamas.

Earlier, Hezbollah targeted the Israeli Ilaniya military base at the northern side of the occupied territories with a salvo of Fadi-1 rockets. 

The base is reportedly affiliated with the 146th Reserve Division of the Israeli military, which is part of the Northern Command.

The group announced in a brief statement that the operation was carried out in defense of Lebanon and its people. 

Hezbollah also said it targeted a military base near Safad twice with salvos of rockets.

The group stated that it targeted “the Dado base near Safad – the headquarters of the Israeli military’s Northern Command – with a total of 90 rockets in defense of Lebanon and its people.”

Hezbollah said in a separate statement that it unleashed a squadron of attack drones on the headquarters of the Israeli army’s Special Naval Task Force at the Alit Base.

The group said the attack on the Alit base, south of the major port city of Haifa, targeted “the locations of [Israeli] officers and soldiers” and achieved direct hits.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory attacks as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed at least 41,467 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Hezbollah officials have repeatedly said they do not want a war with Israel while stressing that they are prepared in case it occurs.

Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts.

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News Network
September 20,2024

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court today sought a report from the Karnataka High Court over controversial remarks made by Justice Vedavyasachar Srishananda during a recent court hearing.

Justice Srishananda, while addressing a landlord-tenant dispute, referred to a Muslim-majority area in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and made a misogynistic comment involving a woman lawyer. 

A five-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices S Khanna, B R Gavai, S Kant, and H Roy, expressed the need for establishing clear guidelines for constitutional court judges regarding their remarks in court. 

The Supreme Court bench said that when social media plays an active role in monitoring and amplifying courtroom proceedings, there is an urgency to ensure judicial commentary aligns with the decorum expected from courts of law.

"Our attention has been drawn to some comments made by Karnataka High Court judge Justice V Srishananda during the conduct of judicial proceedings. We have asked the AG and SG to assist us. We ask the registrar general of the High Court to submit a report to this court after seeking administrative directions from the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. This exercise may be carried out in 2 weeks," the top court directed.

Videos of Justice Srishanananda have gone viral on social media.

In one video, he refers to a Muslim-dominated locality in Bengaluru as "Pakistan" and on another video he was seen making objectionable comments against a woman lawyer. In the second incident, Justice Srishanananda can be heard telling the woman lawyer that she seemed to know a lot about the "opposition party", so much so that she might be able to reveal the colour of their undergarments.

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News Network
September 20,2024

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Kasaragod: In a heartbreaking turn of events, the vibrant life of a young medical student from Kasaragod district was tragically cut short in a road accident in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on Wednesday night.

Mohammed Rashid, a 20-year-old second-year MBBS student, hailed from the close-knit community of Kattatadka AKG Nagar in Kerala's Kasaragod district. Brimming with hope and aspirations, he had recently returned to Coimbatore to continue his studies after spending cherished moments with his family during a brief vacation back home.

On that fateful evening, around 8 PM, Rashid was crossing the road to grab dinner at a nearby hotel when tragedy struck. A speeding tipper truck hit him, leaving the young student fatally injured. Though he was rushed to the hospital, his fight for life ended before he could make it to the emergency room.

The devastating news sent shockwaves through his family and friends. His father, Ahmed, who works in the Gulf, returned immediately, heartbroken, to mourn the unimaginable loss of his beloved son. Rasheed's relatives, too, made the painful journey to Coimbatore, overcome with grief and disbelief.

The passing of Mohammed Rashid has left a deep void not only in the hearts of those who knew and loved him but in the wider community. His dreams of healing others and serving society as a doctor were tragically cut short, leaving behind an irreplaceable loss.

May his memory be a reminder of the fragility of life and the promise that he once held.

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