1.#OPINION : Friday, November 26, 2021. 7:00 AM. 2545. 1.#Opposition’s crocodile tears on fuel prices are just that: Crocodile tears. Here is a detailed analysis : 25 November, 2021 : Dharmendra Chhonkar : OpIndia : Media Report. + + #The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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#The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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1.#OPINION : Friday, November 26, 2021. 7:00 AM. 2545.

1.#Opposition’s crocodile tears on fuel prices are just that: Crocodile tears. Here is a detailed analysis : 25 November, 2021 : Dharmendra Chhonkar : OpIndia : Media Report.

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It is a tragedy that the opposition used a global tragedy as a political instrument to frame the Modi government. Now that the ball is in their court, the Opposition is still to practice what they’ve been preaching to Modi.

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#Opposition’s crocodile tears on Fuel prices are just that: Crocodile tears. Here is a detailed analysis
Petrol (Image source: Newsmobile)

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That the Wuhan virus (and Covid-19 caused by it) has impacted the global economy severely, is no longer a hidden truth. Its aftermath tolling effects are out in the open and are being witnessed across geographies. The economic crisis that entailed the lockdowns due to the pandemic has sent commodity prices at all times high globally. 

One commodity that is the backbone of all human activity is petroleum and the rise in its prices came as almost the final knockout punch on the common man. It is true, however, that the soaring fuel prices is a global phenomenon and not limited to India. It is also true that the Covid-19 alone hasn’t buoyed the fuel prices.

A year and a half ago, when the crude oil global price hit a low of $19 per barrel, the OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) decided to cut oil production to boost the prices up. It’s simple demand and supply matrix. Owing to OPEC’s production cut decision and ease in Coronavirus related travel restrictions, the entire world is now facing a supply deficit as well as spurred demand which manifested, as OPEC desired, in October 2021, as Brent crude oil reached a 3 year high of over $85 a barrel. OPEC and its allies led by Russia has decided to gradually withdraw the supply cut only from 2022,  eradicating any hope of immediate relief from inflation in fuel cost worldwide. 

Unfortunately, however, each time the fuel prices rallied in India, Opposition led by Congress (INC) decried and held the Narendra Modi government responsible for it while deliberately choosing not to objectively access the dynamics that play a vital role in deciding petroleum products pricing, all the while seething over hefty VAT/ sales tax, which accounted for 41.67% of final petrol price, that Opposition ruled states too enjoyed levying over Petrol and Diesel.

When Opposition’s entire mourning over inflating petrol prices emanates from its compulsion to target the Modi government for factually no fault of its, it becomes necessary, before we plunge into the details of the hypocrisy of Congress-led opposition, to contemplate and unravel the mechanics of what goes behind the scheme of fuel pricing. 

The pricing of domestic petroleum products such as Petrol and Diesel consists of essentially 3 components (the fourth component is the commission paid to dealers, but it is so small compared to the other three components that it is not material) I) base price II) Excise duty levied by Central Govt and III) VAT/ Sales tax levied by State Governments.

The base price is essentially the cost of production that Indian refineries incur and is proportional to global crude prices. The higher the global crude oil price gets, the higher will the base price be. The Centre excise taxation amounted roughly only 30% while VAT or sales tax levied by State governments amounts more than 40%. It is to be noted that the central government had only a 30% stake while 70% of it (30% base price+ State’s 40% VAT) was beyond its control.

The state governments, including non-BJP/ Opposition-ruled states, levied a whopping 10% more than the Centre/ Modi government. It is worthwhile to note that while Central excise duties are fixed, the VAT levied by States are ad-valorem. What this means is that taxes levied by States go up with the price buildup of fuel and so does States’ share in overall fuel price. Modi government on various occasions has accepted that rallying fuel price is a burden on the common man and appealed for a joint call of both Centre and States on tax cuts. If the Opposition was even one bit serious and concerned about the perils of the general populace due to the rise Modi government on various occasions has accepted that rallying fuel price is a burden on the common man and appealed for a joint call of both Centre and States on tax cuts.

 

If the Opposition was even one bit serious and concerned about the perils of the general populace due to the rise in fuel prices, it would have immediately reduced the tax that states ruled by them levied on petroleum. The opposition instead chose to engage in mere mudslinging on Modi Government. 

However, given the sensible and decisive leader that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is, on 3 November, a day ahead of Diwali, he decided to slash the Central levies on petrol by ?5 a litre and on diesel by ?10 a litre, in an attempt to unilaterally provide a major relief to Indian people. All BJP ruled States and UTs immediately emulated the Centre by bringing substantial reductions in petrol and diesel by up to ?13.5 and ?20 per litre, respectively. Almost 10 days have passed and there has been no petrol tax cut in 9 non-BJP or Opposition-ruled states. These states are Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, New Delhi, Jharkhand, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal. 

The saga of the Opposition’s hypocrisy doesn’t end here. Soon after fuel prices in all BJP-ruled States and UTs fell down below ?90/?100, Opposition leaders expressed their inability to cut VAT on fuel in states ruled by them due to the GST dues and compensation that they claim the Modi government hasn’t cleared to States ruled by them. Some Opposition leaders even accused the Modi government of using fuel prices as a political tool. Mamta Banerjee, TMC Leader and Bengal CM claimed ?45000 crores in GST compensation. Sharad Pawar used the same line too. 

It is no secret that Congress and its allies in the opposition have the clinical habit of lying upfront when it suits them politically. But should their convenient lies become an inconvenience for the common people? The truth is there is no connection between GST compensation and States’ ability to cut VAT on fuel. If that was indeed the case, how could BJP ruled States and UTs lower their VAT?

 

The Central government has always been prompt in releasing GST compensation to States. During the pandemic, it has gone several steps beyond this. Realising that the pandemic was having a short-term impact on GST and Compensation cess collections, the Centre, in order to ensure that States don’t suffer, set up a back-to-back borrowing system so that States were compensated adequately and on time. For the 2020-21 GST compensation, the Centre committed to compensating for the entire ? 2.35 lakh crore of losses that the States bore during the pandemic in the GST council.

It is to be noted that in the GST council meet when States were given two options on how they would like to be compensated, all the States opted for the same option wherein the Rs 1.1 lakh crore loss attributable to GST implementation would be compensated that year itself and the balance would be compensated by extending the GST compensation cess over the five years it was meant to be in effect. Out of which, ?1.1 lakh crore has already been compensated, and the GST Council has agreed to extend the GST Compensation Cess past 2022 (when it was originally meant to be removed).

Moreover, in order to provide State Governments with the fiscal flexibility to ensure a strong economic recovery from the pandemic in their regions, the Centre front-loaded its releases of compensation in 2021-22. In just 3 trenches, the Central government released the entire year’s compensation amount of ?1.59 lakh crore to States within the first 7 months of the financial year itself. Therefore, to argue that there is still some pending GST compensation that is due is a factually incorrect argument as it was agreed by the GST Council that the pending amount would be due only after the completion of the first five years of GST, which is not over yet.

The opposition led by Congress has time and again used the common man as a pawn and their perils as merely an opportunity to settle political goals. It is a tragedy that the opposition used a global tragedy as a political instrument to frame the Modi government. Now that the ball is in their court, the Opposition is still to practice what they’ve been preaching to Modi.

The MVA government in Maharashtra has slashed excise duty on imported liquor by 50% but hasn’t cut VAT on petrol and diesel products. The Opposition’s priorities are clear. In Maharashtra, the rich can now have their scotch cheaper whereas the common man, the poor, continue to suffer and bear the brunt of high fuel prices. It won’t be an exaggeration to say that they weep crocodile tears for the poor and disadvantaged, but are basically happy with things as they are. It is our duty and obligation to expose the Opposition‘s deceiving lies, propaganda and treachery tirelessly. 

END.

#The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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2.## INDIA POSITIVE : PM lays the foundation Stone of Noida International Airport, Uttar Pradesh
25 Nov, 2021Print News  - PM INDIA 

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“This airport will make the entire region a powerful symbol of the National Gatishakti Masterplan”

“This airport will also give new employment to thousands of people of western UP”

“With the efforts of the double engine government, today Uttar Pradesh is turning into the most connected region of the country”

“Khurja artisans, Meerut Sports Industry, Saharanpur furniture, brass industry of Moradabad, Agra footwear and Petha industry will get huge support from the upcoming infrastructure“

“The Uttar Pradesh which was shown false dreams by the previous governments is making its mark not only nationally but also internationally”

“infrastructure is not part of’ Rajniti’ (politics) for us but part of Rashtra Niti (National Policy)”

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi laid the foundation Stone of Noida International Airport, Uttar Pradesh today. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Yogi Adityanath, Union Ministers Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia, Gen V K Singh, Shri Sanjiv Baliyan, Shri SP Singh Baghel and Shri B L Varma were among those present on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said The new India of the 21st century is building one of the best modern infrastructure today. “Better roads, better rail network, better airports are not just infrastructure projects but they transform the entire region, transforming people’s lives completely”, he said.

The Prime Minister said Noida International Airport will become the logistics gateway of northern India. This airport will make the entire region a powerful symbol of the National Gatishakti Masterplan, he added.

Commenting on the economic fallout of infrastructure development, the Prime Minister said employment opportunities are created during airport construction. The airport also requires thousands of people to run smoothly.Therefore “this airport will also give new employment to thousands of people of western UP”.

The Prime Minister remarked that after 7 decades of independence, for the first time, Uttar Pradesh has started getting what it has always deserved. With the efforts of the double engine government, today Uttar Pradesh is turning into the most connected region of the country. He said, NOIDA International Airport will play a major role in the growing aviation sector of India and will be a key center of maintenance, repair and operations of aircrafts. He informed that the Maintenance, repair and overhaul MRO facility is coming up in 40 acre, giving employment to hundreds of young people. Today India spends thousands of crore rupees for getting these services abroad.

Commenting on the integrated multi-modal cargo hub that is coming up, he said that in a land-locked state like Uttar Pradesh airport will be very useful. This hub will serve industrial centres like Aligarh, Mathura, Meerut, Agra, Bijnor, Moradabad and Bareilly. He said Khurja artisans, Meerut Sports Industry, Saharanpur furniture, brass industry of Moradabad, Agra footwear and Petha industry will get huge support from the upcoming infrastructure.

The Prime Minister said Uttar Pradesh, which the previous governments kept in deprivation and darkness,the Uttar Pradesh which was shown false dreams by the previous governments is making its mark not only nationally but also internationally. The Prime Minister cited Jewar airport as an example of how the earlier governments in UP and at the Center ignored the development of western Uttar Pradesh. He said two decades ago the BJP government of UP had conceptualised this project. But later this airport was entangled in the tussle of the earlier governments in Delhi and Lucknow for many years. The government which was earlier in UP had written a letter to the then central government and told that the project of this airport should be shelved. Now with the efforts of the double engine government, today we are witnessing the Bhumi Pujan of the same airport.

The Prime Minister said “infrastructure is not part of politics for us but part of national policy (Rashtra Niti). We are making sure that the projects do not get stuck, do not hang in limbo or do not go astray. We try to ensure that the infrastructure work is completed within the stipulated time”.

The Prime Minister commented that some political parties in our country have always kept their self-interest paramount. “The thinking of these people is self-interest, only their own and the development of their family. Whereas we follow the spirit of nation first. Sabka Saath – Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas – Sabka Efforts is our mantra”, The Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister listed the recent initiatives undertaken by the government. He talked about the milestone of 100 crore vaccine doses, determination of net zero goal by 2070, Kushinagar Airport, 9 medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh, new dam and irrigation projects in Mahoba, Defence corridor and related projects in Jhansi, Purvanchal expressway, celebration of Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas, modern railway station in Bhopal, National highway in Pandharpur, Maharashtra and, today, Noida International Airport. “Selfish policies of certain political parties could not stand in front of our patriotism and national service”, the Prime Minister concluded.

END.

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3.###INDIA POSITIVE : Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation Stone of Noida International Airport, Uttar Pradesh 

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#The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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Uttar Pradesh is poised to become the only state in India to have five international airports, as Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh on 25 November, 2021 at 1 PM.

The development of the airport is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister towards boosting connectivity and creating a future-ready aviation sector. A special focus of this grand vision has been on the state of Uttar Pradesh (UP) that is witnessing the development of multiple new international airports including the recently inaugurated Kushinagar airport and the under construction international airport at Ayodhya.

This airport will be the second international airport to come up in Delhi NCR. It will help decongest the IGI Airport. It is strategically located and will serve the people of cities including Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Agra, Faridabad and neighbouring areas.

The airport will be the logistics gateway of northern India. Due to its scale and capacity, the airport will be a gamechanger for UP. It will unleash the potential of UP to the world, and help establish the state on the global logistics map. For the first time, an airport in India has been conceptualised with an integrated multi modal cargo hub, with a focus on reducing the total cost and time for logistics. The dedicated cargo terminal will have a capacity of 20 lakh metric tonne, which will be expanded to 80 lakh metric tonne. Through facilitating seamless movement of industrial products, the airport will play a crucial role in helping the region attract huge investments, boost rapid industrial growth, and enable reach of local products to national and international markets. This will bring new opportunities for numerous enterprises, and also create tremendous employment opportunities.

The airport will develop a Ground Transportation Centre that will feature a multimodal transit hub, housing metro and high-speed rail stations, taxi, bus services and private parking. This will enable seamless connectivity of the airport with road, rail, and metro. Noida and Delhi will be connected to the airport through hassle free metro service. All major nearby roads and highways like the Yamuna Expressway, Western Peripheral Expressway, Eastern Peripheral Expressway, Delhi-Mumbai Expressway and others will be connected to the airport. The airport will also be linked to the planned Delhi-Varanasi High Speed Rail, enabling the journey between Delhi and airport in only 21 minutes.

The airport will also house a state-of-art MRO (Maintenance, Repair & Overhauling) Service. The design of the airport is focussed on low operating costs and seamless and fast transfer processes for passengers. The airport is introducing a swing aircraft stand concept, providing flexibility for airlines to operate an aircraft for both domestic and international flights from the same contact stand, without having to re-position the aircraft. This will ensure quick and efficient aircraft turnarounds at the airport, while ensuring a smooth and seamless passenger transfer process.

It will be India’s first net zero emissions airport. It has earmarked dedicated land to be developed as forest park using trees from the project site. NIA will preserve all native species and be nature positive throughout the development of the airport.

The development of the first phase of the airport is being done with a cost of over Rs 10,050 crore. Spread over more than 1300 hectares of land, the completed first phase of the airport will have a capacity to serve around 1.2 crore passengers a year and work on it is scheduled to be completed by 2024. It will be executed by the international bidder Zurich Airport International AG as concessionaire. The groundwork for the first phase regarding land acquisition and rehabilitation of the affected families has been completed.

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  #PMModiLive

https://youtu.be/2zv72LY-jqM?list=UUDS9hpqUEXsXUIcf0qDcBIA&t=6

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END.

#The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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#The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi being received by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath and the Union Minister for Civil Aviation, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, on his arrival at Jewar, Uttar Pradesh on November 25, 2021.

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JAI HIND

JAI BHARATHAM

VANDHE MADHARAM

BHARAT MATHA KI JAI.

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