Tremendous response to auction process for coal mines

Panchayati Raj Ministry has geared up to address vulnerabilities of rural India in combating COVID-19 pandemic and issued an advisory for Panchayats. It has asked Panchayats to undertake an intensive communication campaign for the awareness of rural communities on the nature of the COVID infection and preventive and mitigation measures. The advisory asked people to provide suitable facilities with necessary protective equipment like finger oximeters, N-95 masks, infrared thermal scanning instruments and sanitisers. They have also been directed to display the information on availability of testing, vaccination centres, doctors and hospital beds on a real-time basis to facilitate effective utilization of available infrastructure by the rural citizens. The Finance Ministry has already released over Rs 8923 crore to 25 states for providing Grant to Rural Local Bodies.

-Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appreciated the public participation model adopted by Madhya Pradesh in Corona management. The Prime Minister was interacting with state and district officials from all over the country through video conferencing regarding his experiences during the Corona pandemic. Prime Minister Modi has said that Crisis Management Committees have been formed at the District, Block and Panchayat levels. People of all political parties of both ruling and opposition have been added in this. This is the best way to connect with the public. The Prime Minister said that if other states also work like Madhya Pradesh in the direction of connecting political parties in the fight against Corona it will prove to be more effective. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked the Prime Minister for giving guidance in the management of COVID in the future. 

-The Ministry of Coal has said that there has been a tremendous response to the auction process for coal mines which was launched on 25th of March this year. It said that this is reflected from the fact that around 50 mine-specific tender documents have been purchased by the Bidders till date.It added that many other prospective Bidders are also in the process of registration and purchase of the tender documents from the auction portal. The Coal Ministry said that the bid submission date has been extended to enable interested parties to travel to mine locations for inspection once the lockdown conditions are removed in different states.This is the second tranche of auction of coal mines for Sale of Coal which paves way for liberalisation of Indian coal sector. The Ministry said that this would enhance efficiency, competition and private sector participation leading to development of a vibrant coal market, boosting economic growth and employment generation.

-The Government has brought changes in the existing Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Rules, IGCR 2017 to boost trade facilitation. The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has introduced changes through the Customs (Import of Goods at Concessional Rate of Duty) Amendment Rules, 2021. The IGCR, 2017 lay down the procedures and manner in which an importer can avail the benefit of a concessional Customs duty on import of goods required for domestic production of goods or providing services. The Ministry of Finance in a statement said that one major change that accommodates the needs of trade and industry is that the imported goods have been permitted to be sent out for job work. The absence of this facility had earlier constrained the industry especially those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises sector which did not have the complete manufacturing capability in-house.The Ministry further said that importers who do not have any manufacturing facility can now avail the IGCR, 2017 to import goods at concessional Customs duty and get the final goods manufactured entirely on job work basis. However, some sectors such as gold, jewellery, precious stones and metals have been excluded.

-Amid the growing demand of antifungal medicine AmphotericinB to cure Mucormyscosis, the Central Government has ramped up the production of this drug to provide relief to the patients. Mucormycosis known as Black Fungus affects mostly those people who are suffering from diabetes.Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya has reviewed the requirement and supply position of antifungal medicine AmphotericinB. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the Minister said, the government has chalked out a strategy with manufacturers to ramp up the domestic production and import of this drug. He said, supply of AmphotericinB has increased manifold. He added that the system for efficient distribution and supply chain management of AmphotericinB has been outlined and the shortage will be resolved at the earliest. He also urged the states to use this drug judiciously by strictly following guidelines.