logo
Governor Hari Babu, Pradhan exhort students to take up innovation and research

Governor Hari Babu, Pradhan exhort students to take up innovation and research

BERHAMPUR: Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Saturday called upon universities to play a pivotal role in shaping not only employable graduates but also ethically, socially responsible and globally competent citizens.
Addressing the 26th convocation of Berhampur University, he said, 'We are living in an era of dynamic transformation, with India emerging as a global leader in technology, innovation, space, healthcare and education.'
He praised the university for aligning with NEP 2020 goals through its extensive network of affiliated colleges across Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts. He lauded the role of the Internal Quality Assurance Cell in ensuring academic quality and the university's adoption of digital platforms, MOOCs, SWAYAM courses and blended learning.
Addressing the convocation, Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the double-engine government has sanctioned Rs 75 crore from the state budget besides Rs 100 crore under PM Usha to strengthen quality of education and infrastructure in Berhampur University. It is a matter of great happiness that about Rs 200 crore has been given to this university, he said.
Pradhan gave a clarion call for making Berhampur a new age economy based on the potential of the region which will help fulfil the dream of a developed Ganjam and developed Odisha and make Berhampur an economic and knowledge hub.
He said the NEP 2020 has completed five years of its implementation in the country. There are quality higher education institutions in Berhampur and its surrounding areas.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

BlueStone Jewellery IPO: Issue booked nearly 3x by third day. Check GMP and other details
BlueStone Jewellery IPO: Issue booked nearly 3x by third day. Check GMP and other details

Mint

time27 minutes ago

  • Mint

BlueStone Jewellery IPO: Issue booked nearly 3x by third day. Check GMP and other details

BlueStone Jewellery IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of BlueStone Jewellery finally sailed through for subscription on Wednesday, August 13, led by strong buying action from qualified institutional buyers (QIBs). By the closure of the issue, the non-institutional investor (NII) portion was not fully subscribed. At the end of the second day, the BlueStone Jewellery IPO was booked 0.66 times. BlueStone Jewellery IPO was subscribed 2.70 times at the end of the third day of the bidding process. The issue received 4,46,20,386 bids as against 1,65,14,421 shares on offer. The retail portion was subscribed 1.35 times, the NII portion 0.55 times and the QIB segment 4.28 times. BlueStone Jewellery IPO grey market premium (GMP) has seen a steady decline over the last few sessions. BlueStone Jewellery IPO GMP today stood at ₹ 2. At one point, BlueStone Jewellery IPO GMP was ₹ 36. At the prevailing GMP and issue price, BlueStone Jewellery IPO listing price could be ₹ 519, just 0.39% premium. The ₹ 1540 crore BlueStone Jewellery IPO was a combination of a fresh issue of RS 820 crore and an offer for sale of ₹ 720 crore. BlueStone Jewellery IPO had opened for subscription on August 11, with the allotment date now set as August 14. BlueStone Jewellery IPO was priced in the range of ₹ 492 to ₹ 517 per share. The company plans to use the funds raised for funding working capital needs and general corporate purposes. Investors could apply for the BlueStone Jewellery IPO in lots of 29 shares. The company offers contemporary lifestyle diamond, gold, platinum and studded jewellery under the flagship brand, BlueStone. The company is an omnichannel jewellery brand and retails its products through its website. The BlueStone brand was launched in 2011 and as of March 31, 2025, it operates 275 stores in 117 cities, including Franchise Stores, across 26 States and Union Territories in India. The company focuses on designing jewellery for women, men and couples between the ages of 25 to 45 years who have a tendency to discover brands through social media or online channels. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations expressed are those of individual analysts or broking firms, not Mint. We advise investors to consult with certified experts before making any investment decisions, as market conditions can change rapidly and circumstances may vary.

Commuted pension, house property income, nil TDS, and other changes made in the Income Tax Bill, 2025
Commuted pension, house property income, nil TDS, and other changes made in the Income Tax Bill, 2025

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Commuted pension, house property income, nil TDS, and other changes made in the Income Tax Bill, 2025

Academy Empower your mind, elevate your skills Nil TDS Certificate Those with income up to the basic exemption limit of Rs 2.5 lakh (old tax regime) or Rs 3 lakh (new tax regime) for taxpayers below 60 years old. Following the Section 87A tax rebate, those with income up to Rs 12 lakh would be tax-free. NRIs claiming DTAA benefits. Tax Deduction for commuted pension 'The Select Committee, after a detailed examination of Clause 19 of the original Income-tax Bill, 2025, identified a critical gap in the equitable tax treatment of commuted pension across different classes of recipients. Under Clause 19, the Bill originally granted an exemption only to employees.' 'However, no relief was provided for individuals who receive commuted pension from approved pension funds but are not employees, such as independent contributors or nominees.' 'To address this disparity, the Committee recommended that a deduction be explicitly provided under the head "Income from Other Sources" for non-employees receiving commuted pension from approved pension funds. This ensures parity with the current law and maintains relief for all eligible recipients whether salaried or otherwise.' Standard deduction on house property income Pre-construction interest deduction for let-out house property is explicitly written Section 24(b) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 provides for a deduction w.r.t. interest on borrowed capital used for the acquisition or construction of house property. In cases where such interest pertains to the pre-construction or pre-acquisition period, the law permits a deduction in five equal annual installments, beginning from the year in which the construction is completed. This benefit is available regardless of whether the property is self-occupied or let out, ensuring equitable treatment across both categories of ownership. The initial draft of the Income-tax Bill, 2025 allowed the deduction of pre-construction interest solely for self-occupied properties, without amy similar provision for let-out (rented) or deemed to be let-out properties. This was a major deviation from the existing law and might have caused unintended hardship for taxpayers owning such properties. Acknowledging this inconsistency, the Select Committee recommended an amendment to Clause 22(2) to restore parity by extending the deduction for pre-construction period interest to rental properties too. The revised Bill now aligns with the current legal framework by permitting this deduction for both self-occupied and let-out property categories. Tax exemption for anonymous donations Taxation laws about vacant commercial property 'Under the Income-tax Act, 1961 if a property is used or intended to be used for one's business/commercial purpose, it is not covered under the relevant provisions to tax 'Income from House Property' but is treated as a business asset. Hence, any income from such commercial property is taxed as a business income. There is a concept under the existing law which allows a taxpayer to tag up to 2 properties as 'self-occupied' and hence not taxable. However, any third vacant house property is considered as deemed to be let out and notional rental income is subject to tax. As a commercial property is outside the purview of house property taxation, this concept of deemed income taxation is not applicable. The language in the new Income-tax Bill, 2025 is different and only 'occupied' commercial properties are excluded to calculate income from house property. This may create possible disputes and the tax authorities may consider vacant commercial properties to calculate deemed rental income subject to tax as house property income. Hence, the Committee provided the recommendation to keep similar language in the new Income-Tax Act as provided in the current law which excludes all type of commercial properties 'occupied' as well as 'vacant' for taxation of house property income. By this change, the Committee wanted to ensure that business properties which are temporarily idle or waiting to be used are not unfairly taxed and the new law stays in line with current one.' The latest version of the Income Tax Bill , 2025 has corrected several drafting mistakes. It is set to take effect on April 1, 2026 for FY2026-27. The corrections include issues related to nil TDS certificates, standard deductions for house property income, tax deductions for commuted pension for non-employee category, among this article, we have summarized some of the key errors that the finance minister addressed in the updated Income Tax Bill, Monday, the Lok Sabha approved a revised Income Tax Bill 2025 , correcting drafting oversights from the previous version that might have led to refund issues for taxpayers, made TDS rules more complicated, and limited property income deductions. Experts indicate these modifications restore clarity, align the law with long-standing provisions, and will help avoid unnecessary individual taxpayers, the main updates include refunds for late or revised ITRs, nil TDS certificates, standard deductions on property income, and deductions for interest on pre-construction home Wealth Online highlighted this error with help from EY back in April 22, to Sachin Garg, Partner, Nangia & Co LLP, 'Section 197 of the Income-Tax Act, 1961 provided for both a "Nil" as well as a "lower" deduction tax certificate. However, the parallel Clause 395 of the Income-Tax Bill, 2025 deviated from it by omitting the explicit reference to 'Nil' deduction and only covering 'lower' deduction.'Some examples of taxpayers who would require a nil TDS certificate:Garg says that while it was possible to contend that 'Nil' is subsumed within 'lower' deduction, there was scope for interpretation which could have led to ambiguity and operational challenges, especially where a Nil rate was intended but not clearly explains: ' To avoid such problems with interpretation, the established language of Section 197 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 has been reinstated in Clause 395 in the revised Income Tax Bill 2025. This will provide much-needed relief and avoid unnecessary and unintended litigation.'Chartered Accountant (Dr.) Suresh Surana explains that as per Section 10 (10A) (iii) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, read with Section 10 (23AAB), the law provides for full tax exemption for commuted pension not only for employees but also for payments received from approved pension funds, irrespective of employment read: Commuted pension from pension funds to get full tax deduction, new version of Income Tax Bill, 2025 clarifies Surana says:Surana explains:'As a result of this recommendation, Section 93(1)(g) was incorporated in the revised Income Tax Bill 2025. This clause now grants a deduction for the entire amount of commuted pension to recipients not covered under Clause 19, i.e., primarily non-employees and private individuals receiving pension payouts from approved pension funds.'Surana says: 'This suggestion is aimed at aligning the provisions of the Income Tax Act 1961 with the Income Tax Bill 2025, specifically to extend relief to taxpayers who are not in formal employment but invest in pension schemes as specified in approved pension funds (as specified in Schedule VII, Table SI. No. 3 of the Income Tax Bill 2025). However, it is pertinent to note that this does not provide a full tax exemption; rather, it proposes a full deduction of such income under the head Income from Other Sources for non-employees.'A standard deduction of 30% on the net annual value of a residential house property is available after factoring in the municipal taxes that have been paid. The updated Income Tax Bill, 2025 now explicitly states that standard deduction is calculated after subtracting the municipal taxes paid. This provision is identical to what is stated in the Income Tax Act, explains:Also read: Online ITR filing charges across six tax filing websites compared for AY 2025-26 Sachin Garg says that in the case of non-profit organisations, Clause 337 of the Income-Tax Bill, 2025 introduced in February, deviated from the Income-Tax Act, 1961. It calculates the 5% exemption for anonymous donations based on the percentage of anonymous donations rather than total says: 'This shift from 'total donations' to 'anonymous donations' calculation could materially reduce the exempt portion and thereby increase the tax burden on non-profit organisations, particularly those receiving a small proportion of anonymous donations relative to total donations.'Garg explains: 'The Select Committee had recommended that exemption should be allowed for 5% of total donation instead of just 5% of anonymous donation. In the revised Bill tabled on Monday (August 11, 2025), the said recommendation has been incorporated and the provision restricting the exemption to 5% of anonymous donation has been amended to 5% of total donation, aligning it with the Income-tax Act, 1961. Like many other changes made in the revised bill, this amendment also addresses an inadvertent drafting anomaly in the original bill.'Preeti Sharma, Partner, Global Employer Services, Tax and Regulatory Services, BDO India, explains:Sharma explains: 'This change was needed to prevent unfair tax and avoid disputes for businesses. If the wording 'occupied' had remained, a temporarily idle/vacant property — like a warehouse, factory, or showroom could have been taxed as house property under the deeming provisions, even though it is clearly a part of the business. Restoring the words 'as he may occupy' ensures the law reflects practical business realities, prevents unintended tax burdens, and upholds the nyaya or fairness principle in taxation. It also provides certainty and reduces litigation by aligning the new law with the current Income-tax Act, 1961.'

Mumbai's Pigeon Feeding Ban: How A Public Health Move Clashed With Faith
Mumbai's Pigeon Feeding Ban: How A Public Health Move Clashed With Faith

NDTV

time29 minutes ago

  • NDTV

Mumbai's Pigeon Feeding Ban: How A Public Health Move Clashed With Faith

Mumbai: Science and faith have clashed in Mumbai, and pigeons are enjoying a feast. The shutdown of Mumbai's kabootarkhanas to prevent the public health hazard caused by pigeon dropping has triggered widespread protests, as some communities claim such an order interferes with their religious beliefs. The past month has seen civic authorities and the state government shift and soften their positions as protests grow and threaten poll arithmetic. The issue, which first originated in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, has spilled over to the streets and reached the Bombay High Court as authorities play a balancing game to safeguard public health while respecting public sentiments. NDTV looks at how the pigeon-feeding row is playing out in Maximum City A Death, And A Decision On July 4, Shiv Sena's Manisha Kayande and BJP's Chitra Wagh raised in the legislative council the public health hazard caused by pigeon droppings. Ms Wagh told the House that she lost her aunt to respiratory diseases caused by pigeon droppings. Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant, speaking for Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde, said Mumbai has 51 'kabootarkhanas' and the civic body will be asked to shut them down and start an awareness campaign to discourage people from feeding pigeons. BMC covered several pigeon feeding spots with tarpaulin sheets The Crackdown Begins Following the government's go-ahead, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation starts covering kabootarkhanas with tarpaulin sheets and removing sacks of pigeon feed. Those defying instructions to feed pigeons are fined. According to the civic body, it took action against 142 people for feeding pigeons at 'kabootarkhanas' across the city and fined them Rs 68,700 between July 13 and August 3. The BMC move to seal kabootarkhanas sparked massive protests Protests Begin As civic officials crack down on pigeon feeding, local residents, many of them from the Jain community, start protesting. They say that feeding pigeons is a part of their religious beliefs and that the administration should not interfere with their faith. Many said they have been feeding pigeons for years and asked why their health had not been affected yet. Others said they were ready to go to face every action, but would still feed pigeons. Court Steps In On August 4, the Bombay High Court ruled that publicly feeding a large number of pigeons presents a health hazard and asked BMC officials to act against those involved in such activities. The bench of Justice GS Kulkarni and Justice Arif Doctor said pigeon droppings posed significant health risks to people of all age groups. "Such acts undoubtedly expose people at large and particularly those who dwell or occupy property in the vicinity to an eminent danger from the spread of infections/diseases dangerous to human life, in addition to causing a large-scale public nuisance," the court said. The matter then went to the Supreme Court, but it refused to intervene. The high court has now asked the BMC to set up a committee to look into the issue. Chief Minister's Balancing Act As the protests grew, leading to public face-offs between pigeon feeders and civic officials, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis softened the government's stance, saying that the "abrupt" closure of kabutarkhanas (pigeon feeding spots) was not advisable. The Chief Minister asked the BMC to ensure a "controlled feeding" of the birds. The tweak in the state government's response came against the backdrop of growing protests by pigeon feeders and the approaching BMC election. Faith vs Science As the row gathers steam, a Jain monk has threatened a fast unto death if the ban on feeding pigeons is not lifted. Nileshchandra Muni has said the Jains are a peaceful and law-abiding community, but won't tolerate an attack on their religious freedom. Multiple studies have pointed to the lung infection risks posed by pigeon droppings, but religious beliefs have blocked public authorities' attempts to ban public feeding of pigeons. According to doctors, particles of pigeon droppings mixed with dust can cause swelling in the lungs when inhaled, leading to serious damage and even death.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store