Notification of two more water bodies in Tamil Nadu as Ramsar sites
- Three new sites have been added namely Nanjarayan Bird Sanctuary and Ushveli Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu and Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.
- These new sites are a testament to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change's significant policy commitment to conservation and management of wetlands in the country.
- India is one of the signatories to the Ramsar Convention signed in 1971 on Ramsar, Iran. India signed this Convention on February 1, 1982. A total of 26 sites were added to the list of Ramsar sites from 1982 to 2013, but from 2014 to 2024, the country added 59 new wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites.
- Currently, Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of Ramsar sites (18 sites), followed by Uttar Pradesh (10 sites).
President Medal for 23 Tamil Nadu Police Officers
Wholesale Price Index Numbers in India for July 2024- The President's Award is given to police officers who have performed well at the national level. The award is given on the basis of activities, achievements and merit.
- 23 Tamil Nadu police officers have been announced for this year's presidential awards. In it, the names of 23 police officers from Tamil Nadu are included.
- The annual inflation rate for July 2024, based on the All India Wholesale Price Index (WPI), is 2.04%. Rising prices of food items, mineral oils, crude petroleum and natural gas, and other manufactured goods are the primary reasons for the positive inflation rate in July 2024.
- Index numbers and inflation rates for the last three months of all commodity and total price index components are given below. The month-on-month change in WPI index for July, 2024 was 0.84% as compared to June, 2024.
- India's total exports (trade and services combined) for July 2024 are estimated at USD 62.42 billion, registering a positive growth of 2.81 percent compared to July 2023.
- Total imports (trade and services combined) for July 2024 are estimated at USD 72.03 billion, registering a positive growth of 7.14 percent as compared to July 2023.
- During April-July 2024, India's total exports are estimated at USD 261.47 billion, registering a positive growth of 6.65 percent. Total imports during April-July 2024 are estimated at USD 292.64 billion. It registers a growth of 7.30 percent.
- Merchandise exports in July 2024 stood at USD 33.98 billion as compared to USD 34.49 billion in July 2023. Non-petroleum and non-gems exports in July 2024 stood at USD 26.92 billion compared to USD 25.47 billion in July 2023.
- Imports of non-petroleum, non-gems ornaments (gold, silver and precious metals) were estimated at USD 38.98 billion in July 2024 as compared to USD 36.16 billion in July 2023.
- The Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) was developed by the Army Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to destroy enemy tanks and armored vehicles.
- This MPATGM missile is designed to be easily carried in the hand and shouldered to attack enemy tanks and armored vehicles. It is said that the MPATGM missile launcher can be launched at any time of the day or night.
- This indigenously manufactured MPATGM missile launcher consists of 3 main parts namely the target accuracy unit and the fire control unit. The MPATGM missile was already successfully test-fired on April 13 and 14 at Pokhran in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, DRTO officials said that the MPATGM missile was successfully tested again yesterday (Aug. 13) in Rajasthan's Jaisalmer area.
- The Supreme Court had given judgments in 1989 and 2004 in cases related to the taxation of mineral resources by state governments. But these two judgments were conflicting.
- In the case of India Cements vs Tamil Nadu in 1989, it was ruled that royalty paid by the central government is also subject to tax. But in 2004 in the case of Government of West Bengal vs Kezoram Industries, the Supreme Court wrongly referred to royalty as a tax in 1989. The Supreme Court had ruled that the royalty was amended as Chesvari.
- Meanwhile, the companies that leased the mineral resources filed a case in the Supreme Court claiming that they do not have the right to collect taxes and royalties for the mineral resources.
- In 2011, a 9-judge constitution bench was set up to investigate the matter. Supreme Court justices recently ruled in this case that states have the right to tax mineral resources; Royalties received by the states from the central government for mineral resources cannot be treated as taxes;
- The state government has the right to levy tax on mineral rich land. 8 out of 9 judges gave a unanimous judgment that the mention of land includes mineral rich land.
- This was also opposed by the central government. But rejecting the central government's argument, the Supreme Court has allowed the state governments to collect tax and royalty from the mining lessees and the central government from April 2005.
