BJP: 1st party with 100 RS members since 1988

The governing BJP has for the first time touched the 100-mark in Rajya Sabha and become the first party to cross the threshold in what marks yet another milestone in the party’s relentless pursuit of dominance.

Although the party’s tally will once again drop below 100 with four of its members, who were nominated to the Upper House, retiring in three weeks, the party has moved within striking distance of its goal of being the first non-Congress party to acquire majority in both Houses.

The path from now on, however, will not be linear. One more nominated MP will retire on May 3. At present, nine of the 12 nominated members are part of BJP, taking its tally to 100. However, it can recoup its losses by June-July when 53 more seats will fall vacant. Twenty MPs would retire in June and another 33 in July. As 11 of the vacancies will be from UP, BJP would be able to retain its strength.

This March was country’s hottest in 122 years: IMD data

Last month was the hottest March in India’s recorded history since 1901, IMD data shows. It surpassedthe all-time average maximum temperature record of March 2010. India’s average monthly day temperatureduring March 2010 had surged to 33.09C. Last month, it was 33.1C as against the normal of 31.24C.

Besides, the average minimum temperature last month was 20.24C—third highest since 1901—as against the normal of 18.87C (based on the climatological period 1981-2010), as per IMD. “The second half of March this year had markedly high day temperatures in several parts of the country, but minimal rain spells,” IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani said.

Several stations, including Delhi, Chandrapur, Jammu, Dharamsala, Patiala, Dehradun, Gwalior, Kota and Pune, recorded recordbreaking day temperatures in March 2022 . “Hill stations in the western Himalayan region also recorded very high day temperatures recently, being above normal by 7C-11C for several days.

A maximum temperature of 34C-35C in March in a hill station like Dehradun, Dharamsala or Jammu is indeed a high value,” IMD scientist Rajendra Jenamani said.

As per the IMD, the observed mean temperature for the country during March 2022 was 26.67C as against the normal of 25.06C (based on the climatological period 1981-2010). The mean temperature during the month was second highest in India’s recorded history.

The month was also the hottest ever March for northwest India, and second hottest for central India. Both the regions had witnessed consecutive heatwaves this year as early as the start of summer or the pre-monsoon season.

IITM scientist Roxy Mathew Koll said, “Over the past few decades, global warming has been on an accelerated pace and its marks can be seen in any single day of global weather since the 2000s.”

India has now recorded its two hottest months of March within a span of 13 years.

Delhi, Maha scrap fine for not wearing mask

With the number of fresh Covid-19 cases being reported in the national capital being significantly low, Delhi Disaster Management Authority decided to do away with the fine for not wearing face masks in public places, sources said. The authority, however, is set to issue an advisory asking people to continue wearing face masks and follow other Covid appropriate behaviour. Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal chaired DDMA’s Covid-19 review meeting on Thursday, in the presence of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia, revenue minister Kailash Gahlot, chief secretary Vijay Dev, Dr Randeep Guleria of AIIMS, Dr SK Singh of NCDC and Dr S Panda from ICMR, besides senior officials. There was no formal DDMA order till late night. The decision came soon after Maharashtra too lifted all pandemic-related curbs, and did away with fines for not wearing masks and mandatory double vaccination for using public transport or entry into public spaces. The relaxations come into effect from April 2, which marks the Marathi new year. Wearing of masks will now be “advised”, authorities said.

February 2022: Core Sector Growth at 4-month High

India’s core sector growth rose to a four-month high in February, boosted by a recovery in steel, electricity, and refinery products.

The index of eight core industries rose 5.8% in February compared with 4% in the month before and -3.3% in February last year The index measures the output of eight sectors — coal, steel, cement, fertiliser, electricity, natural gas, refinery products and crude oil.

The growth for April-February is 11% against 8.1% contraction in the previous fiscal. “The negative and low base effect has propped up production for all segments,” said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist at Bank of Baroda. Rating agency ICRA said the February growth was mildly higher than its expectation of 5.0%.

“Nevertheless, the continued contraction in crude oil and fertilisers, and sharp moderation in cement output growth cast a sobering note,” said Aditi Nayar, chief economist, ICRA

Afspa Withdrawn from Many Northeast Districts

The Centre has decided to withdraw the Armed Forces Special Powers Act from 7 out of 16 districts in Nagaland, 23 out of 33 districts in Assam and 6 out of 16 districts in Manipur. It will be partially lifted in another district in Assam. Afspa grants security forces wide powers of arrest, the right to shoot to kill and to occupy or destroy property as part of counterinsurgency operations.

In a case of ‘mistaken identity’ last December 14, innocent civilians were killed by the Army in Nagaland, where Afspa was in operation. Following the incident, the Centre set up a committee to review the law, described as draconian by rights activists. “The government accepted the recommendation of a committee for withdrawal of Afspa in a phased manner,” a statement issued by the Union home ministry on Thursday said.

“In a significant step, GoI. . . has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades,” home minister Amit Shah said in a tweet. Reduction of areas under Afspa followed ‘improved security situation’ and ‘fast-tracked development’ due to ‘consistent efforts’ and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in northeast by the Modi government, he said. According to the ministry, there has been a reduction of 74% in militancy in 2021 while death of security personnel and civilians was down by 60% and 84%, respectively, during the period.

Afspa will continue in Assam’s Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Dima Hasao and Lakhipur subdivision of Cachar district, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in Guwahati on Thursday. A unified command structure would continue in nine districts and one subdivision. The Army will move out of the districts from where Afspa is lifted but will continue to gather intelligence and be ready for deployment if required, he said.

“There will be no Afspa in 60% of Assam,” he said. “There will be no Afspa in central, lower and northern Assam. It will be operational only in hill districts and upper Assam as the situation is yet to improve to the satisfaction of the government,” he said.

Afspa is likely to continue in 3 districts of Arunachal and 2 police stations of another district bordering Assam. “Home minister Amit Shah held dialogue with all states, as a result of which most extremist groups laid down arms expressing their faith in the Constitution of India. About 7,000 militants surrendered in the last few years,” an MHA statement said. Manipur CM N Biren Singh, his Tripura counterpart Biplab Kumar Deb and Nagaland counterpart Neiphiu Rio welcomed the Centre's announcement.

The Act has been in force in Assam since 1990. AFSPA was invoked in 2004 in the whole of Manipur, except the Imphal municipality area. It will now be applicable in 10 districts covering 82 police stations.

Sensex jumps 17% in FY22

Indian markets were among the best performing globally with the sensex ending fiscal 2021-22 with an 17% jump to 58,569 points. The Nifty gained 19% at 17,465. In the same period, the Dow Jones index in the US was up about 7% and FTSE in the UK 13%, official data showed.

The strong gains in the leading indices also made investors richer by Rs 58 lakh crore with the BSE’s market capitalisation now at Rs 267 lakh crore.

FY22 will be remembered for a number of milestones. After scaling the historic 50k milestone in FY21, the sensex built on the rally to scale 60k during FY22, but soon left investors jittery as global factors started weighing on sentiments. As a result, foreign funds started taking money off the Indian stock market at an unprecedented speed with the end-of-the-year figure at Rs 1.4 lakh crore — the highest annual net selling figure ever, data from CDSL showed.

Among the domestic factors, the weakness of the rupee to a near-record low of 77 to a dollar and strong foreign fund selling hit sentiment.

Among the top gainers were stocks from sectors like power, utilities and metals. Market players pointed out that these were the very sectors that had underperformed the overall market for several years. However, as the global supply chain was impacted again after the Russia-Ukraine war started, metals and utilities companies witnessed strong demand that translated into gains for stocks of companies in these sectors.

During FY22, BSE’s power index had gained 59%, the utilities index 56% and the metals index 48%.

Maharashtra: Ready Reckoner rates upped

The Maharashtra state government has announced new Ready Reckoner rates, applicable across the state, for the financial year 2022-23.

In Mumbai, the average increase in the Ready Reckoner rates is 2.64%. The detailed table of market value rates for the nearly 600 zones in the city will be known only on Friday, said a government official.

The average rise in the Ready Reckoner rates across the state, but excluding the city, is 5%.

In rural areas, the increase is 6.96%, while in nagar panchayat and municipal council areas it is 3.62%. In municipal corporation areas excluding the city, the average increase is 8.8% .

In Thane, the rates have been increased by 9.5%, while in Pune the average rise is 6% and in Navi Mumbai it is about 9%.

The government did not increase the rates in 2019-20. In 2020-21, initially it did not increase the rates, but in September it hiked the rates by 1.7%. Ready Reckoner rates are used to calculate stamp duty.