11th August, 2023 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
Parliament passes Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023

Parliament today passed the Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023.
The Lok Sabha passed the bills without discussion with voice vote. Later, the Rajya Sabha also returned the Bills with voice vote. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced these bills.
The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to amend the Central Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 while, the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to amend the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act 2017.
The Central Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to define the expressions of online gaming, online money gaming and virtual digital assets. According to the provisions of the Bill, online gaming means offering of a game on the internet or an electronic network and includes money gaming. The Bill states that online money gaming means online gaming in which players pay or deposit money including virtual digital assets in expectation of winning money.
The Integrated Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023 seeks to amend the Integrated Goods and Services Tax Act 2017 to exclude online money gaming from the definition of online information and data access or retrieval services. The GST Council in its 50th meeting held last month, recommended to levy 28 percent tax on full face value of bets in Casinos, Horse racing and Online gaming.

Kerala Assembly Approves Resolution to Rename State as ‘c’

In a significant move aimed at embracing its cultural and linguistic heritage, the Kerala Legislative Assembly has passed a resolution requesting the Central government to change the name of the state from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam‘.
The term ‘Keralam’ traces its roots to the fusion of two Malayalam words – “Kera,” symbolizing coconut, and “Alam” denoting land. Thus, ‘Keralam’ intricately encase the essence of the “Land of Coconut Trees” paying homage to the state’s prolific coconut cultivation, a pivotal contributor amounting to about 45% of India’s overall coconut harvest.
The modern state of Kerala was established along linguistic lines in 1956, a significant juncture that witnessed the inclusion of the Malabar Coast and the Kasargod taluka (administrative subdivision) from South Kanara into the newly evolving Travancore-Cochin entity. In this transformative phase, the southern sector of the erstwhile Travancore-Cochin state became an integral part of Tamil Nadu.

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INTERNATIONAL
Iran moved five US nationals from prison to house arrest in first step of emerging deal with Washington

Iran reportedly moved five US nationals from prison to house arrest in the first step of an emerging deal with Washington that would unfreeze Tehran's assets in South Korea and free several jailed Iranians. White House said it has received confirmation that the five US citizens who were unjustly detained have been placed under house arrest.
The five had been imprisoned in Evin Prison, one of the most notorious detention centers in Iran, on charges of spying. The deal between Iran and US reportedly includes permission for Iran to access its frozen assets in South Korea, Iraq and Europe.

Bangladesh urges Islamic world to mobilise global support for Rohingya return

Bangladesh urged the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation to mobilise support of the international community for the sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas to their own country, Myanmar.
Dhaka made the request at a meeting with a visiting OIC delegation at the Prime Minister’s Office, according to a press release from PMO.
OIC Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian and Social and Cultural Affairs Ambassador Tarig Ali Bakheet led the delegation.
Bangladesh also requested the OIC to keep alive the issue of the Rohingyas in the international forum and urged the Gulf Cooperation Council and OIC to contribute significantly to the creation of funds for the Rohingyas.
Bangladesh also made a request for financial and other assistance towards the relocation of Rohingyas to Bhashan Char.

Poland plans to move around 10,000 troops to its eastern border with Belarus amid mounting concerns over Wagner forces in region

Poland is planning to move around 10,000 troops to its eastern border with Belarus amid mounting concerns over Wagner forces in the region.
Wagner troops have been stationed within Belarus, a close ally of Russia, in the wake of a short-lived rebellion carried out by the group. The Polish Defense Minister, Mariusz Blaszczak, told public radio that while 10,000 soldiers will be on the border, 4,000 will directly support the border guard and the remaining 6,000 will be in reserve. Explaining the move, Blaszczak cited alleged violations of Polish air space by two military aircraft, accusations Belarus called far-fetched.
Meanwhile, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu also discussed plans for Russia to build up its forces on its western borders, according to a readout from a board meeting published by the Defense Ministry. Among the reasons for the move, Shoigu blamed increasing militarization in Poland. Poland has been sounding the alarm about Wagner forces in Belarus in recent weeks.

ECONOMY
Government of India Forms New Standing Committee on Statistics to Enhance Oversight of NSO Data

In a recent development, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) of the Government of India has taken a significant step by replacing the existing Standing Committee on Economic Statistics (SCES) with a more comprehensive entity called the Standing Committee on Statistics (SCoS). This new committee has been entrusted with a broader mandate, involving the review of both the framework and outcomes of all surveys conducted under the National Statistical Office (NSO).
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) came into existence in 1999 after the merger of the Department of Statistics and the Department of Programme Implementation. It consists of two wings: the Statistics Wing and the Programme Implementation Wing.

ENVIRONMENT
Gujarat launches ‘Sinh Suchna’ app for tracking lions

To celebrate World Lion Day, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel of Gujarat introduced a new mobile application called ‘Sinh Suchna’. The launch event, held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, signifies a significant step towards modern wildlife conservation, enabling both the state’s forest department and the general public to effectively monitor lion movements.
The ‘Sinh Suchna’ app empowers individuals to directly report lion sightings to the forest department. This innovative approach facilitates real-time tracking and swift conflict resolution.
The event was also marked by the unveiling of a ‘Lion Anthem’ and the release of two books celebrating Gujarat’s natural heritage. Titled “The King of the Jungle – The Asiatic Lions of Gir” and “Hu Gujarat no Sinh,” these publications pay homage to the state’s rich biodiversity.
The lion population in Gujarat has now grown to 674, spanning an area of 30,000 square kilometers.

SPORTS
World Badminton Championships 2023 to begin

World Badminton Championships 2023 will begin at Copenhagen in Denmark from 21st of this month.
Indian shuttler PV Sindhu was handed a first-round bye in the Women’s Singles draw for Championships held at the Badminton World Federation headquarters at Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Published date : 12 Aug 2023 12:37PM