Govt notifies 12 percent GST rate on MMF, Yarn, Fabrics

The Union Government has notified uniform goods and services tax rate at 12 percent on Man-Made Fibre (MMF), MMF yarn, MMF fabrics, and apparel. The changed rates will come into effect from 1st January of next year. This will help the MMF segment grow and emerge as a big job provider in the country. The textiles and apparel industry was having long-pending demand for removal of inverted tax structure on MMF value chain. The GST on MMF, MMF yarn and MMF fabrics were 18 percent, 12 per cent and 5 percent respectively. Textiles Ministry has said, differential rates for garments create problems in compliance with tax regime. It said the uniform rate of 12 percent for entire value chain of MMF textiles sector will benefit and save a lot of working capital. It will reduce the compliance burden of the industry players.

-Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Monday launched India’s first Virtual Science Lab for Children under CSIR Jigyasa Programme, which will also connect students with scientists across the country. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Singh said, the main aim of the Virtual Lab is to provide quality research exposure and innovative pedagogy for school students based on an online interactive medium. He said, the new facility will immensely benefit students from Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, and Government Schools and will help in catching them young. He further adds the target audience for the Virtual Lab platform is students of Standard six to 12 who would like to explore science using different activities, experienced researchers, and faculties on the subjects of Science, Mathematics, Biology, and IT. He said, initially the content will be available in English, but has been planned to be made available in Hindi and other regional languages. This Virtual Lab will provide a virtual tour of CSIR laboratories and expose students to research infrastructure.

-Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said, it is the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which has democratized the country's air space through UDAN. Attending the Udan Utsav to commemorate the journey of UDAN as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav at Jharsuguda in Odisha, he said that it was due to the emphasis of the PM on connectivity that the country has added as many as 62 new airports in a span of seven years taking the present total to 136. The Union Minister said that the country has targeted to increase the number of airports to 220 within the next five years.  He cited the Jharsuguda airport as a brilliant example of cooperative federalism, with the Government of Odisha sharing the cost of the project and providing the required land. On the occasion, he flagged off the maiden udan flights between Shillong and Dimapur through the virtual mode. Besides interacting with the first-time flyers of UDAN through the virtual mode, the Minister also witnessed the exchange of partnership agreement between UDAN and Make My Trip.

-In Andhra Pradesh, though the intensity of rains has come down, the flood situation in Rayalaseema continues to be grim. The swelling Papagni, Chitravati, and Penna Rivers continue pose a threat in Rayalaseema, a region known for fewer rains.  Iin-Charge Ministers and MLAs of Y.S.R. Kadapa, Chittoor and S.P.S. Nellore Districts are camping at the flood-affected areas to monitor rehabilitation and relief operations. People across the state are suffering from the unseasonal rains and Tirupati and Tirumala are the most-affected areas this time. About thirty passengers escaped miraculously when their bus got washed away in the heavy waters in Kotturu tank in Hindupur today. This incident occurred when 30 women passengers were traveling in a private bus. With the help of locals, all the women on the bus were brought out safely.

-Kanaka Dasa Jayanthi is celebrated in Karnataka on Monday to pay tribute to the 15th century poet, saint and social reformer Shri Kanaka Dasa. Chief Minister Basavaraja Bommai garlanded the photograph of Kanaka Dasa in Bengaluru today. In his statement the Chief Minister said that Kanaka Dasa advocated social equality and justice through his kirtans. Shri Bommai informed that Kaginele, the birthplace of Saint Kanaka Dasa is refurbished by the Government for the convenience of public visiting there. Kanaka Dasa and other Dasas of the Bhakti movement like Puranadara Dasa, Vijaya Dasa and Gopala Dasa composed and sang kirtans in praise of God Vishnu and at the same time conveyed messages on social reforms. The kirtans sung by Dasas are well known as Dasa Sahitya and Devaranamas in Kannada literary history.