GOVT CALLS ALL-PARTY MEET ON AFGHANISTAN ON AUG 26

The government has called an all-party meeting on Thursday on the developments in Afghanistan. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will brief the floor leaders of political parties on the present situation in Afghanistan in the in-person meeting.

The government's briefing is expected to focus on its evacuation mission from Afghanistan as well as its assessment of the situation in the war-torn country in the wake of the Taliban seizing control of almost all key Afghan towns and cities, including Kabul.

As part of its evacuation mission from Afghanistan, India has already brought back around 730 people including members of the Afghan Sikh and Hindu communities.

India on Monday brought back 146 of its nationals in four different flights from Qatar's capital Doha, days after they were evacuated from Afghanistan by NATO and American aircraft in view of the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country.

GOVT TO RAISE RS 6 LAKH CRORE FROM SALE OF PUBLIC SECTOR ASSETS

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday launched the asset monetisation pipeline of Central ministries and public sector entities that is expected to net Rs 6 lakh crore over four years.

“Are we selling away land?” asked Sitharaman and replied that, “There is no land here. We are talking of brown field assets where the completed asset is not fully monetised, underutilised or languishing. We will monetise it better with the private sector.”

Roads, railways, and power were the top three sectors identified for asset monetisation.

The maximum monetisation is expected from the road sector at Rs 1.6 lakh crore. The Railways is next with about 400 stations, 150 trains, the dedicated freight corridor and tracks are expected to yield Rs 1.5 lakh.

The power sector will see about Rs 67,000 crore worth transmission lines from Power Grid and Rs 32,000 crore worth hydro, solar, and wind projects from NHPC, NTPC, and Neyveli Lignite for monetisation.

The National Stadium in Delhi will also be monetised as will all the guest houses of public sector undertakings.

We feel it is very important to bring in the private sector for better operation and maintenance.

About 25 airports under the Airports Authority of India in tier 2 and 3 cities worth over Rs 20,000 crore stake will be sold. In addition the stake in tier 1 airports at Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai etc will also be sold.

“Asset monetisation is aimed at tapping private sector investment for new infrastructure creation,” said Sitharaman. Officials said asset monetisation is not just a funding mechanism. It is an overall shift in entrusting infrastructure operations and maintenance to the private sector which is more efficient and able to quickly adapt to the evolving global and economic reality.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala alleged that under the BJP, the country’s assets will not be saved. “Sale of country’s properties worth Rs 6 lakh crore—roads, rail, mines, telecom, power, gas, airports, ports, sports stadium...Modi ji will sell everything from the earth to the sky. If there is BJP, then the assets of the country will not be saved,” Surjewala said in a tweet.

G23 LEADERS LASH OUT AT MALLIKARJUN KHARGE

Several leaders of the Group of 23, who had written to interim Congress chief Sonia Gandhi seeking widespread changes in the Congress over a year ago, Monday attacked senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge over remarks made by him in an interaction with The Indian Express.

Kharge had suggested G23 leaders had been missing during the Covid pandemic and said they should not “destroy” the party “that had given them so much”.

Kapil Sibal, who recently hosted a dinner where the G23 leaders were present along with senior Opposition leaders,  said: “When a leader of some standing says that those who have got everything from the party must not think of destroying the party, he forgets he is referring to those who have given everything to the party, including some of us who have contributed in building the party while others left it during Mrs Gandhi’s time.”

Sibal added, “All of us are united in our consistent wish to strengthen the party and make it more effective in the national struggle to save India’s soul. We are agents of constructive change, not obstacles who are loathe to move without a push.”

Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor called Kharge’s remarks “unfortunate”. “Colleagues must respect each other’s bona fides. I have great respect for Mr Kharge and hope he appreciates that we are all equally committed to strengthening the party in the broader national struggle against the BJP.”

Another MP and G23 leader, Manish Tewari, said, “I have deep personal respect for Mallikarjun Kharge, who is a senior leader of the party. To the best of my recollection, no intra-party matters were discussed at Mr Sibal’s dinner. As far as my contribution during the first and second wave of Covid-19 is concerned, I wish Mr Kharge would have spoken to me personally and I would have acquainted him with all that I have done in my constituency and beyond. Generalised statements have implications, especially in constituencies represented by Lok Sabha members of the party, and therefore such generalisations should be avoided.”

SITHARAMAN GIVES INFOSYS SEPT 15 DEADLINE TO SET RIGHT INCOME TAX PORTAL

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday set September 15 as the deadline for the Infosys CEO Salil Parekh to set right the glitches faced by taxpayers in accessing the new income tax portal.

Sitharaman had summoned Parekh for the meeting at which she expressed the government’s “deep disappointment and concern” about the continuing glitches in the e-filing portal of the Income Tax Department even after two and half months of its launch, stated an official news release.

The new income tax portal was launched on June 7 and ran into glitches the next day. The launch itself had been delayed to allow the company to debug the portal thoroughly.

KEY COVID NUMBERS

Current Active Cases Countrywide: 3,21,877

New Cases in last 24 hours: 11,376

Recovered in last 24 hours: 17,575

Change in no. of Active cases in last 24 hours: -6,466

No. of deaths in last 24 hours (Total Covid Deaths so far): 267(4,35,051)

Daily Tests (Saturday): 12,95,160

Daily Positivity Rate (Proportion of Positives among total Tested): 12.0%

Percentage of Population Vaccinated (At Least One Dose / Two Doses): 33.9% / 9.8%

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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EXIT BY AUG 31 OR ELSE: TALIBAN TO U.S.

The Taliban have ruled out extending the August 31 deadline for the evacuation mission being carried out by foreign troops’, and for the withdrawal of foreign troops themselves, saying that staying beyond the announced date will have “consequences”.

“If the US or UK were to seek additional time to continue evacuations — the answer is no. Or there would be consequences,” Suhail Shaheen, Taliban spokesman for political office, said on Monday. Staying beyond the agreed deadline would be “extending occupation,” he added.

Following Shaheen’s statement, the British PM’s office said the UK would continue its evacuation as long as it was safe to do so. It said the evacuation process would be included in discussions at the G7 members meeting on Tuesday. The evacuation of people has been described as a challenging mission, with thousands of Afghans trying to flee. Shaheen urged the Afghan people to stay and rebuild their country instead of fleeing. “We want them to stay in the country but if they intend to go, they can... if they have the proper documents,” the Doha-based Taliban representative said in an interview with the BBC on Monday.

Taliban forces have, meanwhile, recaptured the three districts, adjacent to the unconquered Panjshir valley, which had fallen last week to the National Resistance Front (NRF), an anti-Taliban resistance movement in northern Afghanistan.

Forces loyal to Ahmad Massoud, son of the late mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, have established themselves in his Panjshir stronghold, which resisted both the Soviets and the Taliban before 2001. Massoud, whose forces include remnants of regular army and special forces units, has called for negotiations to form an inclusive government for Afghanistan but has promised to resist if Taliban forces try to enter the valley.

PFIZER BECOMES FIRST COVID VACCINE GLOBALLY TO GET FULL USFDA APPROVAL

The United States health regulator on Monday gave full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, a key milestone for public health that can instill further confidence in consumers and also spur authorities to make vaccinations mandatory.

The US Food and Drug Administration had earlier in December 2020 given emergency use authorisation for the vaccine, developed by US-based Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech.

"Today the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older," the US health regulator said in a statement.

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CASTE CENSUS: BIHAR ALL-PARTY TEAM SAYS UP TO PM; MORE JOIN CHORUS

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who led an all-party delegation from the state to meet Narendra Modi Monday on the caste census issue, indicated the ball was now in the Prime Minister’s court, adding that the PM gave all of them a patient hearing and said he would look into the matter.

Kumar led a 10-party delegation — including his JD(U), its allies BJP, HAM-S, VIP, as well as the Congress, CPI (ML) and AIMIM — with the Bihar Assembly having passed a unanimous resolution backing a caste census.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who was part of the delegation, said such a census would help the poor. “In the interest of the nation, it will be a historical step, all the poor will benefit…When animals and trees are counted, why not castes? When the government has no scientific data on the population, how can it make welfare policies?” Yadav said.

READY TO GIVE CHANCE TO THOSE LOOKING TO SURRENDER: NORTHERN COMMAND CHIEF

Northern Army Commander Lt General Y K Joshi on Monday said the Army is ready to give “a second chance to any youth who wants to surrender and join the mainstream” with a view to break the “cycle of violence” in Jammu and Kashmir.

Stating that uniformed forces are here to save and not take lives, Lt General Joshi said “the system, the entire administration will facilitate not only their surrender but also ensure they are well integrated back into the mainstream”.

Lt General Joshi was speaking at an event at Manasbal to commemorate 23 years since a batch of 23 young men were “rescued from joining militant ranks”. Of the 23 individuals, 19 were present along with their families at the commemoration event on Monday.

BLOCKADE OF ROADS BY FARMERS: SC ASKS CENTRE, UP AND HARYANA TO FIND SOLUTION

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre and governments of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana to find a solution to the blockade of roads connecting Delhi with NCR towns by farmers agitating against the three farm laws.

The farmers have a right to protest at a designated space, but they can’t block the traffic, a Bench led by Justice SK Kaul said. “The solution lies in the hands of the Union of India and state governments...”

The top court was hearing a petition filed by a women resident of NOIDA alleging that due to blockade of roads by the agitating farmers travelling between NOIDA and Delhi was taking two hours instead of the usual 20 minutes.

Maintaining that “democracy and dissent go hand in hand”, the Supreme Court had on October 7, 2020 ruled that roads and public spaces can’t be blocked indefinitely and demonstrations expressing dissent have to be in designated places alone.

On February 9, the top court had dismissed a petition seeking review of the verdict, saying the right to protest can’t be anytime and anywhere.

Noting that a judicial view had already been taken and the matter reflected an administrative failure, the Bench had agreed to take up the matter after the petitioner said the court should ensure that people’s right to passage wasn’t hindered.

PARTY FLAG OVER TRICOLOUR: OPP ASKS BJP TO APOLOGISE

A controversy has erupted over a photo of a BJP flag being placed over the National Flag on the body of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh as BJP national president JP Nadda paid tribute in Lucknow on Sunday.

As the photo, which was tweeted by the BJP’s official Twitter handle @BJP4India, went viral, the Opposition demanded an apology from the ruling party for “disrespecting the National Flag”.

“As one who had to fight a court case for four years merely for placing my hand on my heart during the singing of the National Anthem (rather than standing stiffly to attention), I think the nation should be told how the ruling party feels about this insult,” Congress MP from for Thiruvananthapuram Shashi Tharoor tweeted.

Asked about the Opposition’s objections late on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said that it was the last wish of Kalyan Singh to be wrapped in the party flag. “It is not the character of the BJP to not fulfil the last wish of our leader. Those opposing have problems with their vision. I wish that God gives them enlightenment,” Maurya said.

NAVJOT SIDHU IN HARSH SPOTLIGHT AS HIS ADVISORS MAKE CONTROVERSIAL STATEMENTS

Congress leader Manish Tewari has urged Punjab Congress to introspect whether those who do not consider J&K to be a part of India should be in the party or not. He was referring to remarks of two advisers of Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Pakistan and Kashmir.

"I urge Harish Rawat, AICC general secretary and incharge Punjab to seriously introspect that those who do not consider J&K to be a part of India & others who have ostensibly Pro Pakistan leanings should be a part of Punjab Congress. It mocks all those who shed blood for India,” Tewari said in a tweet sharing a report about Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh taking strong exception to the recent statements of the two partymen.

The objections by the CM and Manish Tewari relate to the reported remarks of Dr Pyare Lal Garg questioning CM’s criticism of Pakistan and an earlier controversial statement of Malwinder Singh Mali on Kashmir. Both Lal and Mali were recently appointed by Sidhu as his advisers.

ELGAR ACCUSED RECRUITED JNU, TISS STUDENTS FOR TERROR ACTIVITY: NIA

The National Investigation Agency has alleged that the accused in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case recruited students from well-known institutes like Delhi's and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences for commission of terrorist activity.

The central agency has made the claim, Jawaharlal Nehru University, in its draft charges submitted before a special court in Mumbai. The accused persons held training camps at various regions to recruit cadres at all levels for commission of terrorist activities of the CPI-Maoist, the anti-terror agency said.

The draft lays down 17 offences against the 15 accused, including human rights and civil liberties activists, and they have been sought to be charged under various sections of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.

It further claimed the accused conspired to demand and organise funds for annual supply of sophisticated weapons like the M4 carbine and other arms and ammunition through a designated supplier in Nepal.

The accused persons in the case include activists and academicians like Sudha Bharadwaj, Vernon Gonsalves, Gautam Navlakha, Anand Teltumbde, Varavara Rao, Hany Babu and Shoma Sen.

The Elgar Parishad case is related to alleged inflammatory speeches made at a conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017, which, the police claimed, triggered violence the next day near the Koregaon-Bhima war memorial located on the outskirts of the western Maharashtra city.

UMAR KHALID CALLS DELHI RIOTS CONSPIRACY CASE ‘COOKED UP’, POINTS TO CONTRADICTIONS

Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, arrested under the UAPA in the north-east Delhi riots conspiracy case, told a Delhi Court on Monday that there were various contradictions in the police’s claims and called it a “cooked up” case.

Khalid, along with several others, has been booked under the stringent anti-terror law UAPA. They are accused of being the “masterminds” of the February 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. He has sought bail in the case.

Delhi Police had recently said the bail plea has no merit and that it will demonstrate the prima facie case against him before the court by referring to the charge sheet filed in the case.

e-COMMERCE COS ONLINE CAN’T STORE YOUR CARD DATA, SAYS RBI

One-click purchases at e-commerce sites may no longer be available to digital shoppers with the RBI putting its foot down on card data storage norms. The reason behind RBI’s tough stance is a spate of ransomware attacks in the country, where computer networks open to the internet have been hijacked by malware.

Online businesses are already working to meet RBI’s deadline on recurring payments, which kicks in from next month. These guidelines require that customers issue mandates for recurring payments to banks, and online firms cannot on their own debit charges.

According to a banker, while this might create short-term disruption, it will benefit the industry. “When the RBI mandated two-factor authentication, the entire industry was up in arms. Five years down the road, as frauds fell, everyone was all praise and the same practice was adopted globally,” said a banker.

The reason why merchants are keen to store card information is that it reduces the number of steps in the transactions and thus reduces the number of transaction failures.

INDICATORS

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Bitcoin - USD 49,186

Dollar Index 93.04 Brent Crude 69.13 BDI 4,147

Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,802 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,726 / 4,626, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 66,700

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

All things that are, Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd. - William Shakespeare in The Merchant of Venice

OFF TRACK

"I bet you think twice before you leave your wife alone at night," says one man to the other. 

"You’re right," replies the second. "First, I have to think up a reason for going out. Second, I have to think up why she can't go with me."