Tuesday, 3 July 2018

50th Foundation Day celebrations of WAPCOS

50th Foundation Day celebrations of WAPCOS celebrated on 3-7-2018 at 10:30 AM at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra,Chanakya puri.New Delhi transcending boundaries touch lives, presence in critical regions around the globe.DhKiHtlXcAUTh0o.jpg
Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenatio, Shri Nitin Gadkari is the  chief guest at the 50th Foundation Day Celebration of WAPCOS.
Minister said WAPCOS not has made me proud but the nation proud with its action and  its achievements to carry out such prestigious projects and its discipline character has helped nation transform many nations to is way to prosperity which was also visibly by the massive participation which supported their work carried out.
Those present included, the eminent minister dignitaries, Ambassadors, senates from the states were, DyMinister of Energy and water from Afghanistan, Senate member,Minister of Energy & Mines of Burundi, Minister of energy Burundi, Water Minister from Ghana and Congo, Minister of Justice and Minister of Mines & Energy of Liberia and many High commissioner and Ambassadors of various countries participated on the foundation day.
Union Ministers of State for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal said the MEA Sushma Swaraj has said the company workers and management team work like an army personnel.
Dr. Satya Pal Singh  graced the occasion and in his address said we want to see the company grow to its glory in years centuries to come.

Shri U.P. Singh, Secretary, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation is also  present on the occasion.

WAPCOS was incorporated as a Public Sector Enterprise in 1969 by the Government of India with meager capital of million rupee now it is 310Cr Miniratana wiith profit touching Rs1100Cr It is a  techno-commercial organization under the aegis of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
 WAPCOS  in consultancy has done  Survey & Investigation/Pre-Feasibility/DPRs for more than 550 Projects in Irrigation, Water Resources and  Agricultural etc.
The company has successfully completed/on-going consultancy assignments in countries covering Asia, Africa, Middle East, and the Pacific Islands and is operating in more than 45 Countries, at present.
With changing technology each moment, Wapcos is emerging from its inception along with pace of technology at costing to its lowest is well equipped with viable projects for underdeveloped countries. Grown as an exclusive government run, Indian company, working at home and in nearly fifty countries around the world with dedicated team of professionals, tenacity,ductility,  a true Indian multinational with footprints across the globe in line with Government of India’s flagship programmers on “Skill India” and “Make in India”.
The company has successfully undertaken some of the most challenging projects in inhospitable circumstances around the world; e.g. Afghan-India Friendship (Salma) Dam Project, Afghanistan.  WAPCOS today has emerged as one of India’s best performing “Mini Ratna-I” CPSE.
WAPCO has to its credit   in development of over 15 Million Ha irrigation potential; more than 200 projects in ports and inland navigation; over 500 projects in water supply and sanitation, rural and urban development, roads and highway engineering amassing its value and potential in various sectors.
Hydro-Power sector; WAPCOS has completed almost 52 Hydro-Power Projects in 19 countries with an installed capacity of more than 20,500 MW; over 105 Hydro Power Projects in India with an installed capacity of more than 9,000 MW
Thermal Power project, the Company has successfully completed 12 overseas projects with installed capacity of more than 2,900 MW and 37 projects in India with an installed capacity of more than 12,000 MW.
While in Transmission & Distribution WAPCOS has accomplished more than 14 Projects in India and Abroad.

Former Prime Minister of Kenya calls on PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met H. E. Mr. Raila Odinga, Former Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition in Kenya, in New Delhi today.
Prime Minister Modi fondly recalled their long association, going back over a decade when he had visited Kenya as the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Mr. Odinga also warmly recalled his earlier visits to India in 2009 and 2012.
The two leaders discussed the progress in India-Kenya relations in recent years, as well as regional and global issues of mutual interest.

Austria ‘to protect southern borders’

Vienna is prepared to take measures to protect its southern borders if an immigration deal within Germany’s coalition goes into effect, the Austrian government said on Tuesday. Austria was responding to a deal reached late on Monday between German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and her partners in Bavaria’s Christian Social Union (CSU), settling a row over immigration that had threatened to topple the German government. Under the deal, migrants who have already applied for asylum in other EU countries will be held in transit centers on the border while Germany negotiates bilateral deals for their return. “Should this agreement become the German government’s position, we see that as prompting us to take action to prevent negative consequences for Austria and its population,” Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in a joint statement with two far-right members of his cabinet.

Wild Boar Football team missing found deep-water cave Pattaya


FIFA World Cup yielded many apparent divine interventions, a real-world miracle has happened in Thailand, when all players in a children’s squad and their coach, who had spent nine days in a flooded cave, were found alive.
The sudden and almost trace-less disappearance of the Wild Boar football team in northern Thailand on June 23 had kept the whole island nation on its toes for nine days, with parents and those who were glued to TV updates fearing the worst.
Its more than a week of no news and fading hopes, two British divers, part of an international team of rescuers involved in the effort, reached the so-called Pattaya Beach deep-water cave, where the boys and their mentor were holing up, on Monday.
 Further Thai Navy SEALs,  leading the large-scale search and rescue operation, posted a heartwarming video on its FB page, showing the moment the British divers first saw the frail-looking boys, crammed on a narrow ledge in complete darkness.
“How many of you?” one of the rescuers said in English. As the cave’s prisoners respond that all 13 of them were there, the rescue is seen exclaiming: “Thirteen? Brilliant!” As the boys are thanking their finders, the divers had to upset them, revealing that their ordeal is not yet over.
“We are coming, it’s OK, many people are coming … we are the first,” the diver says.
With the whole country and especially the boys’ relatives breathing a sigh of relief after days of suspense, the most challenging work has now begun.
The rescuers will wait till the water goes down, which is difficult to predict as heavy rains –that are set to continue– are hampering efforts to pump out water from around the refuge. In case it proves impossible for the moment, the rescuers may try to teach the boys how to dive so they can leave the cave by themselves, according to Capt. Akanand Surawan from the Royal Navy.

When Should We Trust Artificial Intelligence?

 Seminar @ Brookings India: When Should We Trust Artificial Intelligence?

Development Seminar | When Should We Trust Artificial Intelligence?
Wednesday, July 4, 2018, 4:00 pm – 5:30 pm
Brookings India, No. 6, Second Floor, Dr. Jose P. Rizal Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi
Dear Mr. Sagar,
I am delighted to invite you to our next Development Seminar on “When Should We Trust Artificial Intelligence?” with Dr. Vasant Dhar, Professor, Stern School of Business, NYU.
Abstract: Modern day AI machines learn and improve themselves based on ever-increasing amounts of data that humans and machines generate with each passing day. This happens largely through supervised learning which is a major branch of Artificial Intelligence. But such machines also make mistakes. In his talk, Dhar will walk us through various situations in our everyday lives – investing, playing sports, riding in driverless cars, using social media platforms – to encourage us to question the faith we put in technology. He proposes methods to inform executive and policy makers in evaluating the risks associated with data infrastructure initiatives, such as those proposed in his recent Hindustan Times editorial.
Discussant: Anna Roy, Adviser NITI Aayog, Government of India
Speaker Profile: Vasant Dhar is a professor at the Stern of School of Business and the Center for Data Science at New York University. He is Editor-in-Chief of the journal Big Data, and the founder of SCT Capital Management, a machine-learning-based hedge fund in New York City. His recent TEDx talk was on “When do we trust machines?”.

Media Invite

[7/3, 8:08 AM] Naresh Kumar Sagar: You are cordially invited to 50th Foundation Day celebrations of WAPCOS on 3-7-2018 at 10:30 AM at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra,Chanakya puri.Union Minister for WR,RD &GR Shri Nitin Gadkari to be chief guest.MOS Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal and Dr. Satya pal singh will also grace the occasion.
Regards
[7/3, 8:09 AM] Naresh Kumar Sagar: You are cordially invited to cover
2nd Mithila Aam Mahotsav
at
Press Club of India
on 3rd July 2018, 12 pm noon
Guest names are shri Shahnawaj Hussain ji BJP, shri Prabhat Jha ji BJP ( confirmation awaited) , shri Kirti Azad ji, shri KC Tyagi ji JDU, shri Manoj Jha ji RJD, shri Shakeel Ahmed ji congress and shri Pranav Jha Ji congress, shri Sanjeev Jha Ji MLA Burari , shri Neeraj Pathak ji vice chairman Maithili Bhojpuri Academy, shri Vikas Sharma ji and Many more other is joining.
Event managed by: Credible media voices private limited.
Organised by : Maithil Patrakar Group and Press Club of India.
[7/3, 8:10 AM] Naresh Kumar Sagar: MEDIA INVITE
National Executive Meeting of Lok Janshakti Party
Date 3rd July 2018
Venue : Malwankar Hall, Constitution Club, Rafi Marg, New Delhi

12.30 – 12.45 Hrs – To light the lamp and Garlanding Baba Saheb’s
Photo by National President, LJP
13.00 – 13.30 Hrs. – Inauguration Speech of Shri Chirag Paswan,
Chairman, Central Parliamentary Board, LJP
13.30 – 14.30 Hrs. – Press Conference followed by Lunch
[7/3, 8:10 AM] Naresh Kumar Sagar: MEDIA INVITE
The National Students Union of India(NSUI), cordially invites all the members of the Press fraternity to kindly be present at the NSUI headquarters at5, Raisina Road on Tuesday, 3rd July 2018 from 12 pm onwards.
The press conference would be presided over by the Honorable National Incharge – NSUI & AICC Joint Secretary Ms. Ruchi Gupta along with NSUI National President Mr. Fairoz Khan. NSUI would be exposing the people in power in this briefing.
Lawlessness is taking over as thugs and criminals run riot across the country. The issue of concern involves abuse of power and undermining the basic tenants of democratic institutions of India for political opportunism and might. At this juncture of our nation’s history, it is important for an organization like the NSUI – representing the young and free- to speak out the truth against the people in power, on the ideals of Satyagraha.
We would be graced by your presence at the event tomorrow.

Thank You,
NSUI Secretariat
Contact: Reetam Singh
Phone Number: +91-7576026976
[7/3, 8:16 AM] Naresh Kumar Sagar: INVITATION

Dear Madam/Sir,

You are cordially invited to cover the following event:



Function
Inaugural Session of the National Consultation on “Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the Electoral Process,” to be inaugurated by Shri O.P.Rawat, Chief Election Commissioner, in presence of the Election Commissioners.
A dedicated Systematic Voters Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) Portal with a section on PwDs will also be launched during the event.

Date
3rd July, 2018, Tuesday
Time
10 am onwards
Venue
Hotel Lalit, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi

WC: Japan lost, Asian challenge ends

Sagar Media Inc GOAL: #BEL 3-2 #JPNAsian challenge ends last minute goal miracle by Belgium take on lead and they were behind Japan by two goals happened after 1970.
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Sagar Media Inc : #BEL 2-2 #JPN Belgium score two headers in match record. Marouane Fellaini rises highest to back home. The pressure was on Belgium and they have responded.
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FRANCE 24 English

Hillary: Naresh – When my friend Howard Dean and I

Naresh —
When my friend Howard Dean and I first talked about forming a new organization, it was because we were blown away by the energy and commitment shown by activists — new and old — in the aftermath of the 2016 election. We asked ourselves: What can we do to help them?
Onward Together was formed as a way to support and connect the groups that are doing the work that absolutely needs to be done right now — from mobilizing voters to encouraging and training new activists to recruiting people who are ready to run for office themselves. In 2017, we partnered with 11 organizations headed up by by smart, passionate leaders. We offer funding and strategic advice, and connect them with resources.
And this spring, we finally had a chance to bring those leaders together in one place, and it was really something special.
The leaders who joined us in New York come from every background. Some of them have been doing this work for years, while some were motivated by the 2016 election. They have different interests and approaches, but all share a belief that our country can be made better by the people who love it.
I really hope you’ll take a moment to watch this video, because I think you’ll find these activists as inspiring as I do — and I hope you’ll learn more about a group you’d like to support yourself.
Onward!
Hillary

Government agree on DMA on NMC Bill.

The government agrees to consider DMA demands on Ayushmaan Bharat and the NMC Bill  
On the occasion of Doctors Day celebrations by Delhi Medical Association on 1st July 2018 at MAMC Auditorium, in his address, the Chief Guest Mr. J.P. Nadda, Hon’ble , Health Minister Govt. of India assured the doctors that the packages given in the Ayushmaan Bharat by Government on which the doctors resented that they are very low and impractical, can be reconsidered and can be changed. On the issue of NMC bill for which President Dr. Ashwani Goyal raised the point in his welcome address that crosspathy should not be allowed and there should be the proper representation of doctors in the NMC be there. The Health Minister Sh. J.P. Naddaji promised that the govt will see to it that the modern medicine will not be prescribed by the doctors of other pathies.
On this occasion Delhi Medical Association honoured with Vashisht Chikitsa Ratan Award  to Senior members from medical field for their outstanding contribution towards the medical profession and in the service society includes, Dr. Randeep Guleria, Dr. Balram Bhargava, Dr. Ashok Seth, Dr. T.S. Kler, Dr. A.S. Soin,  besides other stalwarts of the medical profession. DMA also honoured Dr.J.S. Guleria, Dr G.P. Seth, Dr. M.G. Abbott and Dr. M.L. Dang with DMA Life Time Achievement Award.
Dr. Ashwani Goyal, President, DMA  said that our doctors are making the nation proud with their outstanding and dedicated medical services as  India is becoming the hub of medical excellence for the nation and whole world. He complimented the doctors for their academic achievements in the medical field alongwith their zeal to serve the humanity and in the various programmes of the government.
Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Hon’ble Minister for the state for Culture complimented the missionary services rendered by the medical profession to the society and inspired the medical fraternity present on the occasion to strive for compassionate healthcare especially to the poor public of the country. He congratulated the doctors on the occasion of Doctors Day. He highlighted the various public welfare programmes being run by the govt. of India to give better health care to the residents of the country
Dr. Harish Gupta, Chairman Doctors Day, said that on the call given by the Government, DMA is committed and will be working on the elimination of Tuberculosis from the country by 2025.
Dr. G.S. Grewal, Hony. State Secretary, DMA highlighted the various programme being done by the Delhi Medical Association like Aao School Chale, Beat Plastic Pollution on Environment Day, Programme on Menstrual Hygiene, Elderly abuse programme etc.

Book launch of ‘The Most Dangerous Place: A History of the United States in South Asia’

SRINATH RAGHAVAN, SHYAM SARAN, SUHASINI HAIDER, RUDRA CHAUDHURI
TUESDAY, 3 JULY 2018 ADD TO CALENDAR
7:00 PM
Multipurpose Hall, India International Centre, New Delhi
About the book:
South Asia looms large in American foreign policy. Over the past two decades, the United States has invested billions of dollars and thousands of human lives in the region, to seemingly little effect. As Srinath Raghavan reveals in The Most Dangerous Place, this should not surprise us. Although the region is often regarded as peripheral to America’s rise to global ascendancy, the United States has long been enmeshed in South Asia. For 230 years, America’s engagement with India, Afghanistan and Pakistan has been characterised by short-term thinking and unintended consequences. Beginning with American traders in India in the eighteenth century, the region has become a locus for American efforts-secular and religious-to remake the world in its image. Even as South Asia has undergone tumultuous and tremendous changes from colonialism to the world wars, the Cold War and globalisation, the United States has been a crucial player in regional affairs.
The definitive history of US involvement in South Asia, The Most Dangerous Place presents a gripping account of America’s political and strategic, economic and cultural presence in the region. By illuminating the patterns of the past, this sweeping history also throws light on the challenges of the future.
About the author:
Srinath Raghavan is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research.
The book launch will be followed by a panel discussion featuring Shyam Saran, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Policy Research and former Foreign Secretary, Govt of India, Suhasini Haider, Diplomatic Editor, The Hindu and the author.
The discussion will be moderated by Rudra Chaudhuri, Sr Lecturer at South Asian Security and Strategic Studies, Kings College, London.
This talk has been organised by Penguin Random House.

Brazil beat Mexico

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Sagar Media Inc: Brazil 2-0 Mexico: Neymar plays hero credit also when helps in scoring second goal and clinch deal remain unbeaten by Mexico in World Cup.Brazil sail into quarter final.
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Sagar Media Inc#BRAMEX 13 minutes left for match Brazil on lead of one Nymer in play after injury. Mexico in their play of aggression are unable to create chance into result.
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Sagar Media Inc: William Member at aggressive miss goal in direction gets corner Mexico now on aggressive effort. Nymer injured in pain first leg injury , then colloid on leg on his leg shiver.20 minutes Left.Mexico on attack
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Sagar Media Inc: #BRAMEX, AFTER Half time at the Samara Arena: Brazil 1 – 0 Mexico. Mexico get corner and is playing aggressive football. Brazil played aggressive to hunt goal still second attack.Brazil win get in QFs. Stadium continue roars.

 Over 200 Migrants Drown in Three Days in Mediterranean — Death Toll for 2018

So far this year, the Libyan Coast Guard has returned some 10,000 people to shore from small vessels.
“I am traveling to Tripoli once again this week and will see firsthand the conditions of migrants who have been rescued as well as those returned to shore by the Libya Coast Guard,” said William Lacy Swing, IOM Director General. “IOM is determined to ensure that the human rights of all migrants are respected as together we all make efforts to stop the people smuggling trade, which is so exploitative of migrants,” said Swing.
IOM staff were deployed to provide support and first aid to the the 41 migrants who survived the capsize of their small rubber vessel that capsized off AlKhums. This is the second major shipwreck in as many few days. On Friday, a rubber dinghy capsized north of Tripoli and the 16 survivors (young men from Gambia, Sudan, Yemen, Niger and Guinea) were rescued by the Libyan Cost Guard. However, an estimated 103 people lost their lives.
Adding to grim and tragic scene, the bodies of three babies were taken from the sea by the Libyan Coast Guard. IOM provided assistance at the disembarkation point, including provision of food and water and health assistance. IOM is also in the process of providing psychosocial aid at Tajoura detention centre where the survivors have been transferred. The need for physcosocial support is high as the survivors spent traumatizing time in the water as their engine broke only 30 minutes after departing Garaboli. The survivors have received psychosocial first aid at the detention centre and IOM continues to monitor their condition.
From Friday to Sunday, close to 1,000 migrants were returned to Libyan shore by the Libyan Coast Guard, who intercepted small crafts as they made their way towards the open sea. Upon disembarkation to shore, migrants have received emergency direct assistance, including food and water, health assistance and IOM protection staff has provided vulnerability interviews. Those rescued and returned by the Libyan Coast Guard are transferred by the Libyan authorities to the detention centres where IOM continues humanitarian assistance.
“There is an alarming increase in deaths at sea off Libya Coast,” said IOM Libya Chief of Mission Othman Belbeisi, adding: “Smugglers are exploiting the desperation of migrants to leave before there are further crackdowns on Mediterranean crossings by Europe.”
“Migrants returned by the coast guard should not automatically be transferred to detention and we are deeply concerned that the detention centres will yet again be overcrowded and that living conditions will deteriorate with the recent influx of migrants,” added Belbeisi.
Two other search and rescue operations by the Libyan Coast Guard are currently ongoing.
For more, information please contact:
Christine Petre IOM Libya, Email: chpetre@iom.int Tel + 216 577 9636
Leonard Doyle IOM Spokesperson, Email: ldoyle@iom.int, Tel: +41 792857123

Ramleela in fourteen different languages

This year Ramleela in fourteen different languages, focusing  on digital technology!
   Well, this year the world’s biggest Ramleela will be showcased in a grand manner in comparison with past years. As this time along with artists their performances, costumes Ramleela will be revealed in 14 different languages along with more digital technology. In the recent press conference held in Constitution Club of India, Delhi, many ideas and details were revealed by the Chairman of LuvKush Ramleela, Ashok Aggarwal.
   Along with him, the event was graced by Avtar Gill, Rupesh Kataria, Shankar Sahni, Ritu Shiv Puri, Payas Pandit, who will be performing this year in Ramleela. And as per the details by Chairman Ashok Aggarwal, “nowadays youngsters are more into social media and digitality, after studying these trends in depth, we decided to add more digital technology. According to him, last year more than nine hundred thousand viewers watched Live Ramleela on Youtube, the highest number of viewers was from European countries and the rating kept on increasing.”
   Talking about the characters this year, he told media, Avtar Gill will portray Vibhishan, Ritu Shiv Puri will be Sita’s mother Sunaina. Shankar Sahni will be Guru Vashisht. This year LuvKush Ramleela will be highlighted for the National and International audience through Television. Well, the 40-year-old LuvKush Ramleela will be showcased from 10th October till 21st October 2018.

500 Million Dollar Venture Mall

500 Million Dollar Venture Mall.Global to Give Online Shopping a Facelift: True Hybrid the Future of Retail

DUBAI, July 2, 2018
Online shopping will become a lot more exciting with the launch of Mall.Global. The USD 500 Million debut venture of the Dubai based tech firm revealed the project outline that is all set to give traditional e-commerce a facelift by incorporating immersive technologies and operational practices.
The platform will offer a personalized experience to each user within a virtual world and employ innovative integrations and technologies to enhance the customer’s experience with; Brand Immersion, Virtual Reality, On-Ground AR Cues, Micro-Influencer Reviews, AI & Machine Learning, Cross-Platform Loyalty and multi Cryptocurrency acceptance; to offer what the developer refers to as a True Hybrid experience.
The platform is due to go live by 2020 with over 2500 brand stores and sequential launches across the GCC, India, North Africa, Europe, CIS and China. Mall.Global will undergo testing with live customer sets early next year.
Emerging markets are home to 90% of the world’s millennials, with an annual income expected to surpass 4 trillion dollars by 2030, Mall.Global’s True Hybrid experience is designed to match the lifestyle of these Digital Natives.
Mall.Global is designed to be the true definition of a digital mall, where brands can do much more than just sell products and in fact recreate the retail experience to deliver the perfect bridge between on-ground and online.
Mall.Global will enable brands to deliver their personality and communicate their campaigns in an online environment as well as they do them in traditional retail. Every brand on the platform will have its own VR Store Design Toolkit that will enable them to design, create and constantly update their online stores in sync with their campaigns, collections and seasons.
Aided by a tech team of global e-commerce and technology professionals, serial entrepreneur and CEO of Mall.Global Sofya Shamuzova said, “Some of the best innovations of our time have come as a result of need. The need, in this case, was to attain a higher level of value and convenience, maintain all aspects of online shopping that consumers are used to and retain the essence of brand personas as in traditional retail. The platform is designed to address the most common wishes of customers with features like ‘Try & Buy’ where shoppers have the option of receiving certain products like apparel and footwear in a size above and below their chosen order to ensure 100% satisfaction in every sense of the word. We often hear that e-commerce is the future of all retail; I say it is its present, at best. The future is a place where customers don’t just browse and buy products but actually experience the brand before they do so, and Mall.Global will offer just that.”
“Add to it the fact that Mall.Global will back all its products for originality and our Genuine Guaranteed & Global brand promise begins to make more sense,” she added.
Iris Nibbering, PR Consultant, N Factor, Phone: +971-50-462-4491 Email: iris@nfactor.global

Monday, 2 July 2018

State Wise Analysis of Election Expenditure and Vote Share

ADR and NEW have analysed the election expenditure and vote share of 4087 out of 4120 sitting MLAs. Analysis of Election Expenditure for Meghalaya and Karnataka have not been included in the above analysis as their data was not available at the time of making this report.
In 2014, as per the instructions from the Govt. of India, the Election Commission of India revised the election expenditure limit for candidates contesting for Lok /Rajya Sabha and Assembly elections. For Larger states, the limit for assembly elections was revised from Rs. 16 lakhs to Rs. 28 Lakhs, whereas for the smaller states, it was increased from Rs. 8 Lakhs to Rs. 20 Lakhs. It is to be noted that this report has been generated keeping the assigned expenditure limit during the year when the particular State Assembly Elections were held.              
Summary and Highlights
Analysis on the basis of election expenditure
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v  MLAs from 11 states namely Kerala, Tripura, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Assam, and Bihar have spent more than 50 % of the expenditure limit.
v  Among the States, which have gone for elections in the last 5 years (2013-2018), it has been observed that the maximum amount of expenditure by the MLAs has been done for the vehicles used for the campaign. They have spent only 5% on the campaigning through print and electronic media.
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Analysis on the basis of Vote Share
v  None of the political parties/ alliances of political parties forming the government have won with more than 55% of vote share.
v  Arunachal Pradesh has the highest vote share i.e. 53.1% while Jharkhand has the lowest i.e. 31.2 %.
v  Besides Arunachal Pradesh, there are 4 other states namely Gujarat, Tripura, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh where the political parties/ alliances of political parties forming the government have won with more than 50 % of vote share.
Analysis on the basis of cases related to Electoral Malpractices
v  Out of 1356 MLAs with declared criminal cases, 128 have declared cases related to electoral malpractices such as bribery (171E), undue influence or personation at an election (171F and 171 C), illegal payments in connection with elections (171 H) etc.
v  Bihar has the highest number of MLAs i.e. 38 who have declared cases related to electoral malpractices, followed by 20 MLAs from Karnataka and 18 MLAs from Uttar Pradesh.
v  95(74%) out these 128 MLAs have won with more than 40 % of vote share.
Contact Details


National Election Watch/Association for Democratic Reforms

Media and Journalist Helpline

+91 80103 94248
Maj.Gen. Anil Verma (Retd)
Head
National Election Watch,
Association for Democratic Reforms
011 4165 4200,
+91 88264 79910
adr@adrIndia.org,
Prof Jagdeep Chhokar
IIM Ahmedabad (Retd.)
Founder Member,
National Election Watch, Association for Democratic
Reforms
+91 99996 20944

Prof Trilochan Sastry
IIM Bangalore
Founder Member,
National Election Watch,
Association for Democratic Reforms
+91 94483 53285


—
Association for Democratic Reforms
T-95, C.L. House, 2nd Floor,
(Near Gulmohar Commercial Complex)
Gautam Nagar
New Delhi-110 049

Jalalabad blast kills 20 people

ISIS takes responsibility for Jalalabad blast in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of 17 Sikhs. the latest updates.
 – ISIS takes responsibility for Jalalabad blast in Afghanistan that claimed the lives of 17 Sikhs. 
Saleha Soadat‏ journalist tweets, Afghanistan: A suicide bomber blew himself in Jalalabad city killing at least 20 people. Most of the victims were members of the Sikh & Hindu minority groups. Awtar Singh Khalsa, Sikh candidate for the October parliamentary elections also dead. Suicide bomber targets vehicle carrying members of the Sikh community in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, killing at least 19 and wounding 20. First major attack on country’s Sikh minority, another tweets.
Suicide bomber made an explosion hit the center of the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad on Sunday, killing at least 20 people, including several members of the small Sikh minority, provincial government officials said.
The blast, hours after President Ashraf Ghani had opened a hospital in Jalalabad, damaged shops and buildings around Mukhaberat square in the city, said governor’s spokesman Attaullah Khogyani.
A politician representing the minority Sikh community was killed in the blast. Officials said Awtar Singh Khalsa, who had planned to stand in October’s parliamentary elections, was dead.
Ghulam Sanayi Stanekzai, police chief of Nangarhar said the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber who targeted a vehicle carrying members of the Sikh minority who were traveling to meet the president. Officials said at least 10 of the dead were Sikhs.
Officials said the casualty total might have been even higher had much of the city not been blocked off for Ghani’s visit. He was not in the area when the blast occurred.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, the latest in a series to have hit Jalalabad, the provincial capital of Nangarhar, where Daesh fighters have established a strong presence in recent years.
The attack underlined the fragile security situation in Afghanistan after last month’s brief ceasefire between government forces and the Taliban.
The three-day truce did not include Daesh, which fights both government forces and the Taliban and which has shown no sign of letting up its campaign of violence.

Accountability Court hearing Nawaz Sharif & family

The accountability court hearing the Avenfield properties reference against former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family resumed the proceedings on Monday.
Nawaz and his family are facing three corruption cases in the accountability court after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) filed references against them in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Panama Papers case last year.
As the hearing went under way, the defence counsel for Nawaz’s daughter Maryam and son-in-law Capt (Retd) Safdar, Amjad Pervez, resumed presenting final arguments in the case.
During the hearing, the defence counsel will submit another exemption request on behalf of Nawaz and Maryam as the two are in London tending to Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
The counsel will also submit an updated medical report of Nawaz’s wife detailing reasons for the former premier’s delay in returning to the country.
Previously, Nawaz’s counsel Khawaja Haris had presented final arguments in the case. The court has also summoned Federal Investigation Agency Additional Director Wajid Zia, who headed the Panama case joint investigation team, on July 3 for the Al-Azizia Steel Mills reference.
The trial against the Sharif family had commenced on September 14, 2017.
The corruption references, filed against the Sharifs, pertain to the Al-Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metal Establishment, offshore companies including Flagship Investment Limited, and Avenfield properties of London.
Nawaz and his sons, Hussain and Hasan, are accused in all three references whereas his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Safdar are accused in the Avenfield reference only.
The two brothers, based abroad, have been absconding since the proceedings began last year and were declared proclaimed offenders by the court.
The court originally had a deadline of six months which ended in mid-March but was extended for two months after the judge requested the apex court.
Later, the deadline was extended twice more, with the new date falling somewhere around July 10 now.

WHY TO BLAME TRADERS FOR NOT ISSUING BILLS

01st  July, 2018
WHY TO BLAME TRADERS FOR NOT ISSUING BILLS. IT’S CONSUMER WHO
AVOID BILL DUE TO HIGHER TAXES
TRADERS UPBEAT ON ONE YEAR COMPLETION OF GST
SOUGHT SIMPLIFICATION & RATIONALISATION OF GST
Traders across the Country today observed GST Day on one year completion of GST in India under the umbrella of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT).The one year completion of GST in the Country is having mixed reactions from traders who are the real carriers of GST. For initial six month the traders face several problems on account of glitches in GST portal as also repeated changes in the Rules but now the situation has improved but still traders feel that there is great scope for further simplification of tax structure-said CAIT.
CAIT National President Mr BC Bhartia & Secretary General Mr Praveen Khandelwal said strongly refuted the blame on traders that they do not issue Bills and avoid taxes. It’s an open fact that most of the times it is the consumer who avoid taking Bills as he don’t want to pay tax may be due to high rates. It’s necessary to educate consumers to pay taxes and tax rates should be brought down.
Both Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal said that traders feel upbeat over availability of input credit, got rid from multiple taxes and multiple Authorities and virtually no interaction with the tax officials which has reduced corruption under GST. These features make GST a unique taxation system.
Mr Bhartia & Mr Khandelwal suggested that instead of monthly returns, quarterly returns be prescribed on Form 3B, refunds should be automatically processed to bank account of traders, e way Bill should be allowed only on inter-state sales and not intra-state transactions, only two slab of tax rates,  inter-state sales should be allowed in composition scheme, re-classification of goods, HSN code be made applicable only on manufacturers and not on traders are few of the steps which will make ease of doing business under GST. It will also be good if a GST Lokpal is constituted for disposal of grievances in a transparent & impartial manner. Items like Auto Parts, Cement, Paint , Marble should be taken out from slab of 28 % and be categorised under lower slab.

Andres Iniesta, announced retirement

Andres Iniesta, announced his retirement from international football after Spain’s shock defeat has played  world cups,2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018
Andres Iniesta,  gave Spain their first World Cup ever. You are irreplaceable. Legend
FIFA World Cup, which it did at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in South Africa, the first time the team had reached the final.

  India’s external debt stands at about USD 530 billion at end March 2018

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India’s external debt stands at about USD 530 billion at end March 2018, recording an increase of US$ 58.4 billion over its level at end-March 2017. At end-March 2018, India’s external debt witnessed an increase of 12.4 per cent over its level at end-March 2017, primarily on account of an increase in commercial borrowings, short-term debt and non-resident Indian (NRI) deposits. The increase in the magnitude of external debt was partly due to valuation loss resulting from the depreciation of the US dollar against major currencies. The external debt to GDP ratio stood at 20.5 per cent at end-March 2018, higher than its level of 20.0 per cent at end-March 2017.

Major highlights pertaining to India’s external debt at end-March 2018 are presented below:

Ø  At end-March 2018, India’s external debt was placed at US$ 529.7 billion, recording an increase of US$ 58.4 billion over its level at end-March 2017
Ø  Valuation loss due to the depreciation of the US dollar vis-à-vis major currencies (viz., euro, SDR, Japanese yen and pound sterling) was placed at US$ 5.2 billion. Excluding the valuation effect, the increase in external debt would have been US$ 53.1 billion instead of US$ 58.4 billion at end-March 2018 over end-March 2017
Ø  Commercial borrowings continued to be the largest component of external debt with a share of 38.2 per cent, followed by NRI deposits (23.8 per cent) and short-term trade credit (19.0 per cent).
Ø  At end-March 2018, long-term debt (with original maturity of above one year) was placed at US$ 427.5 billion, recording an increase of US$ 44.3 billion over its level at end-March 2017.
Ø  The share of long-term debt (original maturity) in total external debt at end-March 2018 was 80.7 per cent, lower than its level of 81.3 per cent at end-March 2017.
Ø  The share of short-term debt (with original maturity of up to one year) in total external debt increased to 19.3 per cent at end-March 2018 from 18.7 per cent at end-March 2017. The ratio of short-term debt (original maturity) to foreign exchange reserves increased to 24.1 per cent at end-March 2018 (23.8 per cent at end-March 2017).
Ø  Short-term debt on a residual maturity basis (i.e., debt obligations that include long-term debt by original maturity falling due over the next twelve months and short-term debt by original maturity) constituted 42.0 per cent of total external debt at end-March 2018 (41.6 per cent at end-March 2017) and stood at 52.3 per cent of foreign exchange reserves (53.0 per cent at end-March 2017)
Ø  US dollar denominated debt continued to be the largest component of India’s external debt with a share of 49.5 per cent at end-March 2018, followed by the Indian rupee (35.8 per cent), SDR (5.5 per cent), Japanese yen (4.8 per cent) and euro (3.4 per cent).
Ø  The borrower-wise classification shows that the outstanding debt of both government and non-government sectors increased at end-March 2018
Ø  Debt service payments declined to 7.5 per cent of current receipts at end-March 2018