Delhi Confidential: Seattle Warmth
Claiming Space
Off the political landscape for quite some time, former Union minister Uma Bharti was recently the chief guest at an event in Bareilly's Aonla Assembly segment where a statue of freedom fighter Avanti Bai Lodhi was unveiled. Organised by UP Cabinet minister Dharampal Singh, the event was attended by a number of senior Lodh community leaders, including Union Minister of State B L Verma and MP Sakshi Maharaj. The leaders highlighted the role of OBCs, especially the Lodh community, in strengthening the BJP. Sources said the event was aimed at seeking better political representation for the community at a time when Dharampal is being seen as among the probables for the UP BJP president's post.
Desirable, Undesirable
After assuming additional charge as the Delhi Police chief, S B K Singh assigned an unusual task to the Special CPs (law and order) of both zones — to list 'undesirable' individuals who get their photographs clicked with police officers. Insiders say Singh got to know that some shady individuals establish contact with police officers, get clicked with them and misuse such photographs to their advantage in unlawful activities. He also made it clear that any contact with such characters should be avoided and asked the Special CPs to prepare a list of such individuals and submit it to the Special CP (intelligence) by August 31.
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Indian Express
28 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Top highlights of PM's Independence Day speech you can't miss for the UPSC Exam
Take a look at the essential events, concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your UPSC Current Affairs knowledge nugget for today on the key highlights of PM's Independence Day speech. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 103-minute address on the 79th Independence Day celebrations was the longest I-Day speech by any Indian PM till date. As PM Modi went on to detail India's standing 88 years after Independence, he also made a few key announcements in various sectors — technology, economic, job and security sectors. These announcements hold relevance for your UPSC exam; thus, let's know about them. 1. Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana (PM-VBRY): PM Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rojgar Yojana for the youths of India. Under this Rs 1 lakh-crore scheme, the government will provide Rs 15,000 to the youths securing jobs in private companies. — PM-VBRY incentivises the creation of new jobs across various sectors, with a special focus on manufacturing, and provides financial benefits to registered employers. 2. Sudarshan Chakra Mission: PM Modi announced the launch of Sudarshan Chakra Mission — a major defence initiative aimed at protecting India's strategic, civilian, and religious sites from enemy threats. — 'India is set to launch Mission Sudarshan Chakra to build powerful weapon system to thwart any attempt by enemies to attack us,' he said. He added the government aims to integrate the latest technological tools so that all the public places are covered by the nationwide security shield by 2035. 3. Next generation GST reforms: PM Modi promised next generation reforms in Goods and Services Tax (GST) by Diwali. These reforms, he said, will provide 'substantial' tax relief to common man and benefit small and medium enterprises, by reducing tax on daily-use items. — In his address, Modi said the time has come to undertake reforms in GST as the indirect tax regime has completed 8 years. PM Modi signalled that the much-awaited rationalisation of GST may be rolled out soon, linking it to cutting the tax burden impacting people. 4. Tenfold rise in nuclear energy by 2047: PM Modi said India is rapidly working on 10 new nuclear reactors and has pledged to increase its nuclear energy capacity tenfold by 2047. — The government has set a target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, a massive increase from the current 8.18 GW. To achieve this, the Nuclear Energy Mission for Viksit Bharat has been launched, focusing on enhancing domestic capabilities. It is also important for realising the Panchamrit climate action plan (Five Nectar) set by India at COP 21. — Notably, unlike renewables like solar or wind, nuclear energy offers a reliable source of on demand electricity generation, and is not susceptible to weather-related interruptions. 5. Bedrock of a Viksit Bharat is also a self-reliant Bharat: Amid the shadow of the US-imposed tariffs which could impact the economy, Modi put a lot of stress on self-reliance in all spheres – from defence, space sector, critical minerals, energy, semiconductors to fertiliser, pharmaceutical production and from operating systems to cyber security, deep tech to artificial intelligence – saying 'the bedrock of a Viksit Bharat is also a self-reliant Bharat' and 'the greater a nation's reliance on others, the more its freedom comes into question'. 6. Made-in-India semiconductor chips: PM Modi announced that made-in-India semiconductor chips will hit the market by the end of this year, marking a major milestone in India's technological advancement. He said that the semiconductor initiative has been taken forward in mission mode. Six different units are being set up on the ground. — Most modern-day semiconductors are integrated circuits, also referred to as 'chips' — essentially a set of minute electronic circuits comprising transistors and diodes, as well as capacitors and resistors, and the myriad interconnections between them. — Semiconductors are majorly made up of silicon and consist of millions or billions of transistors that act like miniature electrical switches that flip on and off to process data such as images, radio waves, and sounds. — Semiconductors are an essential component of electronic devices, enabling advances in communications, computing, healthcare, military systems, transportation, clean energy, and countless other applications. 7. High-Powered Demography Mission: In his Independence Day address Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the dangers of demographic imbalance caused by infiltration and illegal migration in border areas, PM Modi announced the launch of a high-powered demography mission. 8. Dedicated Reform Task Force: PM Modi also announced the creation of a dedicated Reform Task Force to take forward the next-generation reforms. The mandate of this task force would be to accelerate economic growth, cut red tape, modernise governance, and prepare Bharat for the demands of a $10 trillion economy by 2047. 1. The India Semiconductor Mission was launched in 2021. It is a strategic initiative undertaken by the government of India to promote the domestic semiconductor industry. Its goal is to improve semiconductor design and manufacturing capabilities domestically and to encourage innovation, employment, and economic growth. 2. The India Semiconductor Mission operates under the guidance of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other relevant government bodies. 1. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is one of the biggest economic and taxation reforms undertaken in India. 2. It came into effect in 2017 and was billed as an attempt to simplify the existing tax structure in India, where both the Centre and states levied multiple taxes, and to make it uniform. 3. GST is essentially a consumption tax and is levied at the final consumption point. The principle used in GST taxation is Destination Principle. It is levied on the value addition and provides set offs. As a result, it avoids the cascading effect or tax on tax which increases the tax burden on the end consumer. What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing 'Goods and Services Tax (GST)'? (2017) 1. It will replace multiple taxes collected by multiple authorities and will thus create a single market in India. 2. It will drastically reduce the 'Current Account Deficit' of India and will enable it to increase its foreign exchange reserves. 3. It will enormously increase the growth and size of the economy of India and will enable it to overtake China in the near future. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (Sources: Knowledge Nugget: How is Nuclear Energy Mission relevant for UPSC Exam?, PM Independence Day speech: From GST reforms to Sudarshan Chakra Mission, here are Modi's key announcements) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for July 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
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First Post
30 minutes ago
- First Post
Trump tariffs start pinching Americans: Food prices spike; fresh and dry vegetables 40% pricier in July
US President Donald Trump's tariffs have finally started pinching Americans as food prices have spiked, with fresh and dry vegetables' prices rising 40% in July. The wholesale inflation last month was at a three-year high and retail inflation was at a six-month high. People shop in a supermarket in Manhattan, New York City, US, June 10, 2022. (Photo: Reuters) US President Donald Trump's tariffs are finally pinching Americans as prices of everyday essentials have started rising. As inflation reached new highs in July, food prices were up 2.9 per cent, with wholesale prices of fresh and dry vegetables up 40 per cent month-on-month. Last month, the wholesale inflation reached a three-year high and retail inflation reached a six-month high. The Producer Price Index (PPI), which measures wholesale inflation, rose 0.9 per cent month-on-month in July, compared to the 0.2 per cent increase that was forecast. The year-on-year increase was 3.3 per cent, which was a three-year-high. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD ALSO READ — Trump's tariffs & mass-firing: Economists fear 'stagflation' is on the horizon As the PPI tracks the change in prices for producers, it is an indicator of retail inflation in the coming months as producers largely pass on increased costs to consumers. At a time when the retail inflation, measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI), is already at a six-month high, the rising PPI suggests that Americans will continue to face price rises for the time being. The data 'points to pipeline inflation that's likely to spill into consumer prices in the months ahead', Michelle Green, a former Labor Department economist, told Axios. Prices of food and everyday essentials expected to keep rising Under Trump, prices for several foods are already on the rise. The CPI data has shown that prices have increased by 5.8 per cent on meat, 3.1 per cent on poultry, 16.4 per cent on eggs, and 14.5 per cent on coffee. As certain foodstuffs, such as coffee, are not grown in the United States, tariffs are bound to raise costs. Foods are not the only essentials getting costlier. Prices for household electronics rose 5 per cent month-on-month in July and core inflation, which excludes prices for food and fuel, rose to 3.1 last month from 2.9 the previous month — well above the Federal Reserve's preferred upper limit of 2 per cent. As more and more tariffs kick in, prices are expected to keep rising. Moreover, there is evidence that sellers have not started passing on a greater burden of increased costs from tariffs onto consumers. In the initial weeks of tariffs' imposition, the rise in prices was subdued as previous inventory was being cleared and sellers were reluctant to pass on the increased cost to consumers, perhaps in the hope that tariffs would be short-lived. But that has now changed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The share of tariffs that consumers ultimately pay has been rising over time, starting at only 22 per cent of tariffs' costs and it is expected to rise to 67 per cent of increased costs by October, according to an analysis by Goldman Sachs published by The New York Times.
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi to meet EAM Jaishankar today
The normalisation of bilateral relations, including de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and confidence-building measures related to the border are expected to feature in a meeting between external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his visiting Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on July 14. (AP Photo) Wang is set to meet Jaishankar two hours after he arrives in New Delhi on Monday afternoon for a two-day visit, during which he will also hold talks under the Special Representatives mechanism with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Wang's visit assumes significance as it comes less than a fortnight before Modi's planned trip to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This will be Modi's first visit to China since the start of the military face-off on the LAC in April-May 2020, and he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping on the margins of the SCO Summit. This will be their second meeting since the end of the standoff on the LAC last October. At his last meeting with Wang in Beijing on July 14, Jaishankar had said that India and China must build on 'good progress' in normalising their relations by addressing issues related to the border, including de-escalation, and avoid 'restrictive trade measures and roadblocks' to economic cooperation. Though the two countries reached an understanding on October 21, 2024, on ending the face-off on the LAC by withdrawing frontline forces from the two remaining 'friction points' of Demchok and Depsang, they are yet to complete the process of de-escalation and pulling back troops to peacetime positions. During the standoff, which took bilateral relations to a six-decade low, the two sides arrayed some 50,000 troops each in Ladakh sector of the LAC. The 24th meeting of the Special Representatives mechanism on Tuesday is expected to take up measures for peace and tranquillity along the contested border, including resumption of border trade, review the situation on the LAC, and explore a mutually acceptable framework for addressing the border dispute, people familiar with the matter said. At their last meeting in December, Doval and Wang 'resolved to inject more vitality into this process', according to an Indian readout. After his meeting with Doval, Wang will meet Modi at the prime minister's official residence on Tuesday evening. He will leave India early on Wednesday morning. Wang's visit is also part of preparations for Modi's upcoming visit to China for the SCO Summit on August 31 and September 1. Following the thaw in bilateral relations created by the understanding on troop withdrawal last October, India and China resumed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to the Tibet region in April, and New Delhi resumed tourist visas for Chinese nationals in July. The two sides are in advanced negotiations on resuming direct flights and trade through selected border posts, and there has been 'forward movement' on restrictions imposed by China on fertiliser exports to India, the people said. Several reports have suggested Wang is expected to travel to Kabul from New Delhi for a trilateral meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting was earlier scheduled to be held in Islamabad last month but Muttaqi was unable to travel to Pakistan because of travel restrictions related to UN Security Council sanctions against him. The reports also suggested that Wang may make a trip to Islamabad.
