Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who also holds the Finance, Planning, and Energy portfolios of Finance, Planning, and Energy, attended the 55th meeting of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Saturday in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, deliberated on several taxation and policy matters.

During discussions on the applicable tax rate for delivery services provided through e-commerce operators, Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka proposed the formation of a Committee of Officers to examine the issue in greater detail. The Council approved the proposal and included Telangana officers in the committee.

On the closure of the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted in 2019 to analyse GST revenue, the Deputy Chief Minister recommended reconstituting the GoM to facilitate State-wise and sector-wise revenue analysis. The Council accepted the suggestion, acknowledging its importance for informed policy decisions.

The Deputy Chief Minister also addressed the recovery of excess ad-hoc Integrated GST (IGST) apportionment made in previous years. He highlighted that the recovery should align with the base revenue formula of 2015-16, rather than the latest revenue period. He further requested that recoveries, if necessary, be deferred to the next financial year to avoid fiscal strain on states. The Council agreed to these recommendations.

Opposing a proposal to bring Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) under GST, the Deputy Chief Minister argued that States currently have limited revenue sources and that ATF, derived from crude oil, is already taxed under State VAT. Several States supported Telangana’s stance, and the Council decided to maintain the status quo.

In response to Andhra Pradesh’s request to levy a 1% cess on B2B transactions under GST to fund flood rehabilitation efforts, Mr. Bhatti Vikramarka sought similar provisions for Telangana, citing extensive damages caused by the same calamity. The Council referred the matter to a Group of Ministers, with Telangana included in the discussions. Principal Secretary Revenue (CT & Excise) Department, S.A.M. Rizvi and Special Secretary Special Secretary to DyCM & Finance Minister Krishna Bhaskar were present at the meeting.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan presenting a Christmas-New Year kit to a beneficiary at the launch of special Supplyco fairs in Thiruvananthuram on Saturday

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has emphasised that the State government’s effective market intervention has helped control the soaring prices of daily necessities and food products in Kerala, even as prices rise across the country.

Inaugurating of the State-level Supplyco Christmas-New Year fairs, which will continue till December 30, he highlighted that the government’s proactive market interventions, particularly through Supplyco, have played a crucial role in curbing price hikes, especially during the festive season. He said that alongwith Supplyco, the Consumerfed and primary cooperative societies are also actively participating in ensuring that price rises are kept in check. These collective efforts help prevent prices from spiralling out of control, especially during periods of high demand.

The Chief Minister also pointed out that Kerala is making significant strides in food production. Efforts to increase the productivity of crops like paddy and coconut are yielding positive results. Moreover, initiatives are underway to convert agricultural products into value-added items, further boosting the State’s agricultural sector.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan with state ministers Antony Raju and G.R. Anil during the inauguration of a State-level Christmas fair, in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday.

Food and Civil Supplies Minister G.R. Anil, who presided over the programme, said that the special fairs aim to provide relief to the public not only through subsidised products, but also by offering discounts on various other items. The fair has been organised across all district headquarters.

He added that sugar would be made available at subsidised rates to the six lakh Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) (yellow) ration card holders in Kerala. This initiative will make 1kg of sugar, which is typically priced over ₹45, available to eligible cardholders at just ₹27.

The fairs will also feature flash sales from 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day. During this period, in addition to the regular price reductions on non-subsidised products, additional discounts will be offered.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairs the 72nd Plenary Session of the North Eastern Council (NEC), in Agartala.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday (December 21, 2024) that police in the Northeastern States should change their orientation and, instead of solely focusing on combating insurgency, should ensure that every citizen is granted their constitutional right to property, honour and family protection.

“For years, the focus of the police in all States was solely on combating insurgency and violence. However, now that violence has almost ceased in the Northeast, it is time to ensure that every citizen in the region is granted their constitutional right… it is time to change the culture and direction of the Northeast police,” Mr. Shah said.

With peace prevailing in the region, the focus should now be on ensuring citizens receive their rightful entitlements, he added.

He mentioned that the prerequisite for achieving this change is the complete implementation of the three new criminal laws across all States in the region.

He was addressing the 72nd plenary of the North Eastern Council (NEC) at Agartala in Tripura.

The Minister urged all the Governors present at the meeting to personally monitor this process, as it was crucial to establish the belief in the Northeast that citizens can obtain justice through filing an FIR.

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a campaign for a drug-free India, in which the Northeast has a special responsibility, as a major route for narcotics entering India passes through the States there. While significant work had been done over the past six years in this direction, the pace was still not sufficient.

He said connectivity was no longer a problem in the region, as the Centre had spent ₹81,000 crore for rail connectivity and ₹41,000 crore for road network in the northeastern States. He said that the Northeast can be utilised better for palm oil cultivation.

Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, along with Governors, Chief Ministers of all the eight northeastern States, and senior officials, were also present at the event.

The council is the nodal agency for the economic and social development of the northeastern region, consisting of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

At another event during the day, Mr. Shah asked the country’s banks to frame separate guidelines for the Northeast, saying the region’s development was a national responsibility.

Addressing a Bankers’ Conclave, he said the banks should try to devise proper policies so that the Northeast’s potential could be explored properly.

The State will have to wait close to first week of January to greet the typical Kerala model wintry mornings, although the night time minimum temperature has seen a dip for a few days at the beginning of this week. The stage is almost set for the decrease in minimum temperature at night and gradual increase in maximum day temperature with the cessation of rainfall.

However, a light spell of rain for two days is anticipated by the first of next week. This is due to the possible interaction of a high-amplitude easterly wave with a westerly trough, which is expected to cause light rains for two days and thunderstorm development, said Neetha K. Gopal, director, India Meteorological Department (IMD), Thiruvananthapuram. Once the spells are over, the typical Kerala winter can be experienced in the State, especially in high-range areas.  

The Bay of Bengal is likely to be calm once the existing weather system in the Bay disappears, bringing stability to the atmosphere. The instability in the atmosphere triggers the precipitations. Although below-normal temperature is generally observed during the winter season in La Niña years, all the global models are now predicting above normal maximum day temperature this year due to the delay in the formation of La Niña.

In the coastal districts of Kerala, there would not be any major drop in the minimum temperature due to the maritime influence, which keeps the temperature of coastal Kerala at an optimum value. “As we move away from the coast, maritime influence declines, and as we move up, temperature will decrease, ideally 6.5°C per km,” said experts and added that the case of Munnar, where temperature drops to zero degree centigrade in the peak winter season, has to be studied in depth.

Also in Kerala, this is the time of the year when the maximum day temperature would be above the maximum day temperature of north India, where the influence of western disturbances brings chilly weather. Due to the effect of this chilly weather, the maximum day temperature would be below the value of Kerala.

Veeyapuram Chundan rowed by the ​Village Boat Club ​(right) ​racing ​to victory in the ​10th Presidents Trophy boat race​ held on Ashtamudi Lake in Kollam on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: SURESHKUMAR C

The Pallathuruthy Boat Club (PBC) retained the Champions Boat League title for the fourth consecutive time by topping the overall table, despite finishing second in President’s Trophy, which marks the sixth and last round of the championship.

Rowing the Karichal snake boat, PBC won a cash prize of ₹25 lakh as well as the trophy at the races held on Ashtamudi Lake.

The Village Boat Club (VBC) came first and the Nirnam Boat Club third at Saturday’s races, marking an exciting climax to the nine-team championship organised by Kerala Tourism.

VBC, rowing Veeyapuram, clocked 3.53:85 minutes, while PBC finished in 3.55:14 minutes and the Niranam Boat Club (rowing Niranam snake boat) in 3.55:64 minutes.

All the three boats put on an exciting show, while VBC rowed with a steady edge and never let their two rivals overtake them. At no point did VBC, rowing Veeyapuram, pop the chance of a photo-finish.

PBC, fearing the prospect of losing the CBL title if they finished third, rowed with all energy. The team had sensed a threat from Niranam, which was ahead initially in the finals. Towards the last lap, PBC staged a dramatic surge that enabled it to finish second — with a margin of mere 50 microseconds.

In fact, it was by mere microseconds PBC became the winner in the championship’s earlier races at Kainakary, Karuvatta and Kayamkulam. Rivals VBC even won at Pandanad, yet PBC clung on with an overall lead as the team never dropped below the second place.

Thus, adding nine more points from the Kollam race, PBC succeeded in clinching their fourth CBL title with 58 points overall, which was one digit above VBC. Niranam got 48 points.

The prizes were jointly distributed by Mayor Prasanna Ernest, N.K. Premachandran, MP, and MLAs M. Mukesh and M. Noushad. The teams finishing first, second and third in the league matches won ₹5 lakh, ₹3 lakh, and ₹1 lakh, respectively.

Based on the overall performance in the six races, the topper got ₹25 lakh, the runner-up ₹15 lakh and the team finishing third ₹10 lakh. After each match, as a bonus, all the participating teams received ₹3 lakh, and the snake-boat owners got ₹1 lakh each.

Schoolchildren admiring floral sculptures at the Malabar Botanical Garden during the ongoing Malabar Garden Festival in Kozhikode on December 21.
| Photo Credit: K. Ragesh

The first-ever Malabar Garden Festival began at the Malabar Botanical Garden in Kozhikode on Friday (December 20).

The Malabar Botanical Garden and Institute for Plant Sciences, under the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, is known for its collection of rare plant species, including water plants, as well as ginger and orchid varieties.

N.S. Pradeep, Director-in-charge of the Botanical Garden, told the media on Saturday (December 21) that Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas will formally inaugurate the festival at 5 p.m. on Sunday (December 22). M.K. Raghavan, MP, will deliver the keynote address.

The botanical garden has been prepared with extensive flower beds and sculptures for the event. The festival features cultural programmes, including folk music, band performances, ghazal nights, and Kathakali. Highlights include a dance performance by actress Navya Nair and another by Meera Nair from We Dance Studio.

Competitions in photography, clay modelling, watercolour painting, pencil drawing, and cartooning are being conducted for visitors. Workshops on artificial intelligence, biodiversity conservation, taxonomy, science writing, and nursery management are scheduled for selected participants.

An exhibition featuring stalls from the Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (CWRDM), Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), and the Directorate of Arecanut and Spices Development is also part of the festival.

A variety of ornamental plants are available for sale in the garden. The festival will conclude on December 29, but the exhibition will remain open to schoolchildren for two to three days afterwards, Mr. Pradeep said.

Scientists A.V. Raghu, M. Sabu, V.S. Harish, and K.M. Manjula were also present at the press meeting.

M.S. Shuhaib, the Chief Executive Officer of Koduvally-based M.S. Solutions, which is suspected to played a key role in the recent leakage of question papers of half-yearly examinations in State syllabus schools, has filed an anticipatory bail application in the Kozhikode District Court.

This comes in the wake of reports that the Crime Branch, which is investigating a case related to the leak, is planning to arrest him in the coming days. They have already seized documents and equipment such as mobile phones and laptops from his office. It is learnt that his staff is likely to be questioned and the seized articles may be scientifically examined.

The question papers of Class 10 English and Plus one Mathematics were reportedly leaked.

Kerala University has successfully published the results of the first semester for its newly introduced four-year undergraduate programme (FYUGP), achieving an impressive milestone by doing so in record time.

The examination for the FYUGP, which took place from November 25 to December 6, was conducted on alternate days, adhering to a uniform academic calendar. The questions for the examination were crafted to align with the curriculum objectives outlined for the four-year program, ensuring a comprehensive assessment of the students’ learning, university sources pointed out.

Following the completion of the written exams, the evaluation of answer sheets was carried out at the respective colleges between December 9 and 13. The practical examinations concluded on December 18, and within just two days, the results were made available to the students, officials added, while expressing optimism that the university would be able to emulate such efficiency in the examination system in the future.

AP State FiberNet Limited (APSFL) MD K. Dinesh Kumar on Saturday served a legal notice to film director and producer Ram Gopal Varma, APSFL former MD M. Madhusudhan Reddy and former AGM Vuyyuru Guna Sasank Reddy, film producer Gottumukkala Ravi Sankar Varma and M/s RGV Aarvi Group demanding a payment of approximately ₹1.15 crore — which was earlier paid to them by APSFL for telecasting Vyuham movie on APSFL’s First Show platform — with 12% interest from the date of payment made to RGV Aarvi Group till the date of realisation, and 18% on the said amount towards penalty, within 15 days of receiving the notice. 

Mr. Dinesh Kumar stated that Mr. Ram Gopal Varma and Mr. Ravi Sankar Varma were the managing partner and partner of RGV Aarvi Group respectively. Mr. Sasank Reddy had entered into an agreement on March 5, 2024 with the Vyuham movie makers, i.e RGV Aarvi Group, for telecasting the movie on a non-exclusive basis for 60 days from the date of agreement. 

Mr. Sasank Reddy had agreed to make a minimum guarantee one-time payment of ₹2 crore for up to two lakh subscriptions. The former AGM also agreed for a revenue share after two lakh subscriptions, with 75% share to RGV Aarvi Group and 25% to APSFL. 

However, no authorisation letter was found in the records authorising Mr. Sasank Reddy to sign the agreement purportedly on behalf of APSFL binding it for such a huge financial commitment. Mr. Sasank Reddy and Mr. Madhusudhan Reddy had allegedly connived and released a payment of ₹1,14,96,610 including taxes to the RGV Aarvi group’s bank account, the notice said. 

The agreement was entered without the requisite assessment and recommendation of a technical committee of the APSFL on the amount to be paid. Mr. Ram Gopal Varma and Mr. Ravi Sankar Varma received the money on behalf of the RGV Aarvi Group in spite of not being entitled to it. The transaction amounted to cheating the APSFL and causing it financial loss to the tune of ₹1,14,96,610, the notice said. 

The actual amount realised for Vyuham Part-1 was only ₹1,86,225 from out of 1,845 subscriptions (views) and for the Part-2 of the movie ₹50,046 from out of 383 subscriptions, whereas Mr. Sasank Reddy and Mr. Madhusudhan Reddy made APSFL pay a total of ₹1,14,96,610 online with an apparent intention to cause a wrongful loss (to APSFL), the notice alleged. 

It was stated in the notice that the APSFL would take appropriate civil action and recourse to recover the amounts if it was not paid in the stipulated time, and that the aforesaid individuals and RGV Aarvi group were jointly and severally liable for the loss suffered by the APSFL.

Telangana IAS Officers’ Wives Association meeting President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Nilayam on December 20.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Telangana IAS Officers’ Wives Association (TG-IASOWA) met President Droupadi Murmu on December 20 at Rashtrapati Nilayam. During the visit, association president Priyanka Goel and honorary secretary Ruchi Ranjan presented a memento to the President. The memento celebrated the spirit of Telangana through the traditional Cheriyal art and its storytelling heritage. They also gifted her a shawl crafted from recycled plastic bottles, symbolising sustainability. President Murmu praised the initiatives undertaken by IASOWA, encouraging its members to continue serving as inspiring leaders and role models.