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It’s Not More Than ‘Resolution of Disputes & Tax Technology’ The Union Budget 2021 is mainly focusing on six pillars to turbo-charge the Economy and brings in radical reforms, like: privatization of banks/ insurance, increasing FDI limit in insurance sector, monetizing upcoming Dedicated Freight Corridor by Railways and others. So far as issues related to tax is concerned, speculations were rife that some new tax, like: COVID-19, Cess will be introduced or surcharge on income tax will be increased. But as of now, the government has not proposed any new tax in existing tax rates, though a status quo has been maintained in those fronts. It all signals stability in tax regime in these turbulent times – and, is a welcome move. The Union Government also plugged the loophole and hit hard on the two widely used tax-free options preferred by high-income earners. Firstly, the taxation of ULIPs has been rationalized and the Budget proposes to allow tax exemption for maturity proceeds of ULIPs with annual premium up to Rs. 2.50 lacs only. Secondly, tax exemption for interest income earned on employee’s contribution to various provident funds to an annual contribution is restricted to INR 2.50 lacs only. It has been made possible due to extensive investment made by the government in technology and process automation in the last few years, such as e-filing of tax and other returns, annual information repor ts, specified transaction repor ts, faceless assessment and appeal. With this massive technological upgrade, tax assessments are becoming more efficient, faceless and jurisdiction-less. With the recent success of faceless assessment, the government even proposes to make tax tribunals faceless, jurisdiction-less and more efficient. As the government is having a reservoir of information at its disposal, collected from taxpayers – it has proposed to reduce the time limit for re-opening of assessment from 6 years to 3 years, subject to certain conditions. It seems to be a welcome move and means that taxpayers will not have the sword of re-assessment hanging over their neck. Another focus area which was clearly visible in the Union Budget was that on dispute resolution. The government announced a significant step to form a Dispute Resolution Committee for small and medium taxpayers having income up to INR 50 lacs and tax adjustment up to INR 10 lacs. This shall go a long way and help prevent new tax disputes and settle issues at the initial stage itself. In days to come, the government may think to expand the main motive of the Committee to cover large taxpayers, too. Besides, the central government stood firm on its commitment to BEPS project and continued with Equalization Levy (EQL), in spite of investigations by its largest trading partner i.e., USA. The tax and non-tax measures announced by the government and with technology at their side - will go a long way and may prove to be a stepping stone to make India an Atmanirbhar Bharat.

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BRIEFING COVER STORY 14 Major Highlights Union Budget 2021-22 NATIONAL

16th Edition of Indo-US Joint Military Exercise Begins

INTERNATIONAL

Brunswick-based Company Launches Prototype Rocket OPINION

After Made in India, Concept of ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ Turns Vibrant

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US Offers World’s First ‘Carbon-Neutral’ Oil to Reliance

IN-DEPTH AstraZeneca Vaccine Now Authorized for Adults in EU

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16TH EDITION OF INDO-US JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE BEGINS

fter 5-days-long joint exercise between the air forces of France and India, which began during the month of January, another joint military exercise begins between India-US joint military exercise in Rajasthan. It has been scheduled from February 8 to February 21, 2021. This is the 16th edition of ‘Yudh Abhyas’. According to Defense Spokesperson, Lt Col Amitabh Sharma, as part of the military to military exchange program, the army troops of the United States arrived in India on February 5 for the joint military exercise with the troops of the Indian army. Around 250 Indian and US military soldiers will be participating in the exercise. Sharma also said that the bilateral training exercise will be held at the Foreign Training Node at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges. The exercise between

Multiple agencies are coordinating efforts to search for survivors on Monday, a day after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks at Joshimath, triggering an avalanche and a deluge that rippled through the Alaknanda river system in the upper reaches of the Himalayas

DEFENSE RESEARCH WING, ISRO STUDYING REASON BEHIND UTTARAKHAND GLACIER BURST INCIDENT

ttarakhand Chief Minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat, has said that a comprehensive analysis of the entire Glacier Burst incident would be carried out to avert future tragedies. He stressed that the immediate priority was to provide food and other assistance to the affected people. Rawat said, the incident appeared to have happened due to the breaking of the glacier and the Chief Secretary has been instructed to find out the real reasons. “After a comprehensive analysis is undertaken to find out the reasons of this incident, we will build an

DAWN March 2021

elaborate plan to avert any potential tragedy going forward”, Rawat said. Asked about the ongoing relief operations, he said they are continuing in full swing. “We have made all arrangements needed for the rescue and relief operations along with providing healthcare facilities to the affected people. Most importantly, we are working on re-establishing the connectivity to the affected villages,” he said. Rawat said while the extent of economic loss will be ascertained in due course, the top most priority for now is to save as many lives as possible and to rehabilitate those who have got displaced from their homes. Multiple agencies are coordinating efforts to search for survivors on Monday, a day after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier possibly burst through its banks at Joshimath, triggering an avalanche and a deluge that rippled through the Alaknanda river system in the upper reaches of the Himalayas. The CM said multiple teams have been drawn, both from the Centre and the state’s disaster relief agencies, along with the defense forces that have been convened to lead the huge rescue operations. The state’s Director General of Police has been camping in the affected areas while the Garhwal Commissioner and the DIG Garhwal have also been instructed to remain there, he said.

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the two nations is being conducted despite the pandemic, which indicates the strength of bilateral relations and also conveys a geo-strategic message to the environment. The joint military exercise near the India-Pakistan border aims at enhancing the interoperability and cooperation between the two armies. It will also be focusing on counterterrorism operations under the United Nations mandate. The Indian Army in ‘Yudh Abhyas’ will be represented by the 11th battalion of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, who are part of the South Western Command. The Defense Spokesperson said, the exercise with the United States Army is significant in terms of the security challenges that are faced by both India and the US in the backdrop of global terrorism. It will enhance the level of defense cooperation between the armies which will foster bilateral relations between both countries. The military exercise will also reiterate India’s role as a key partner in the Indo-Pacific region. The exercise at this time will also be significant in the backdrop of recent developments on the Northern borders. The military exercise between two powerful nations will convey their strategic postures as well as an enhanced upward trajectory in India-US relations.

MAHARASHTRA TWEETS: FADNAVIS QUESTIONS ON STATE GOVERNMENT’S ‘MENTAL STABILITY’

he senior BJP leader and the former Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis, has posed question of the “mental status and stability” of the incumbent, Shiv Sena-led state government in Maharashtra for promising a probe into several

celebrities tweeting. “Has this MVA government lost all its senses? It should feel ashamed while using the word ‘probe’ for Bharat Ratnas (those who received India’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna). Actually, now it seems necessary to probe the mental state and stability of the ones who made such demand and of people who ordered probe against our Bharat Ratnas,” Mr Fadnavis said in an outburst on Twitter. The pop star’s tweet on the months-long agitation against three farm laws had triggered a global outpouring of remarks over the centre’s handling of the protests. A number of celebrities, political leaders and activists -- including Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg, Meena Harris, an American lawyer and niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris, actor Amanda Cerni, singers Jay Sean, Dr Zeus and former adult star Mia Khalifa - tweeted on the matter. The central government, in an unprecedented reaction to a foreign celebrity, had issued an official response. “...Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken,” it said, adding, “The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible”. Several Indian actors, politicians and sports personalities - including Akshay Kumar, Saina Nehwal, Ajay Devgn, Karan Johar - had tweeted on the controversy, saying India’s sovereignty couldn’t be compromised and the government had the protest situation under control. Many had also shared the centre’s statement. Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar - Bharat Ratna recipients from Maharashtra - were among those who tweeted over the matter.

PM RELEASES EX-GRATIA OF RS 2 LAKH FOR DECEASED’S FAMILY: UTTRAKHAND FLOOD

rime Minister, Narendra Modi, has announced an ex-gratia of Rs two lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of those lost their lives due to tragic avalanche caused by Glacier breach in Chamoli. A sum of Rs 50,000 will be given to those seriously injured in this avalanche. At around 10:45 am on February 7, 2021 a flash flood occurred in river Rishi Ganga after glacier fell in the river, which exponentially increased

the volume of water. With this, the ongoing Rishi Ganga hydro project near Raini village and the BRO bridge on Joshimath-Malari highway were also completely washed away. Looking after the sensitivity of the situation, the Union Government had pressed Defense forces into rescue work in Joshimath area of Uttarakhand where a massive flood occurred. Indian Air Force’s transport aircraft C-130 and AN-31 airlifted two teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to flood-hit areas in Uttarakhand, where a glacier broke off at Joshimath and caused massive flooding in the Dhauli Ganga river. The army has deployed its four columns (400 personnel), two medical teams, one engineering task force at Ringi village in Uttarakhand to carry out search and rescue operations. Besides these, the army also deployed its choppers for aerial recce and to assist the state government and NDRF to tackle the flood situation. Army headquarters is monitoring the situation, a senior army official said. Meanwhile, the ITBP has rushed a team of 250 personnel from Auli to carry out rescue operations on the site. “With engineering equipment, the personnel are digging to open Tapovan tunnel, which is completely blocked due to debris. Nearly, 17 labourers are stuck in the tunnel”, the Force officials said, adding that it was the Himalayan border guarding force who responded first to this natural calamity in the morning.

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International

DISPUTED RUSSIA-GERMAN UNDERSEA PIPELINE RESUMES MOMENTUM

he company that is building a disputed Russian-German underwater gas pipeline has said that the work on it has resumed. Noticeably, resumption of work was the main target of the United States sanction threats. Construction work on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was restarted late. German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, stood by her support for the gas pipeline despite Russia’s treatment of opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, case and the threat of U.S. sanctions. Merkel said her government’s position on Nord Stream 2 is separate from tensions with the Kremlin over Navalny, who recovered in Germany from a poisoning with a nerve agent last summer that he blamed on the Kremlin. He was arrested on his return to Russia in January. Russia denies any involvement and has tried to question if there even was a poisoning, even though it was found by several European labs. The Nord Stream 2 project, which would bring Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, has drawn major criticism from the United States, some other European countries and environmental groups. Washington says the project would make Europe more dependent on Russian gas and hurt European energy security. The Kremlin has responded by accusing the U.S. government of trying to promote sales of its own liquefied natural gas. Nord Stream 2 is owned by Russian state company Gazprom, with investment from several European companies. The pipeline construction was suspended in December 2019 when a Swiss firm pulled its ships out of the project amid threats of U.S. sanctions, forcing Gazprom to try to complete it with its own resources.

BRITISH NATIONAL OVERSEAS PASSPORT DENIED IN CHINA

he British National Overseas passport is no more recognizable as a valid travel document or form of identification in China. It all happened due to the recent bitter feud between Beijing and London over a plan to allow millions of Hong Kong residents a route to residency and eventual citizenship. As per the plan altogether 5.4 million Hong Kong residents could be eligible to live and work in the U.K. for five years then apply for citizenship. Demand soared after Beijing last year imposed a sweeping new national security law on the former British colony following months of prodemocracy protests. China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao LijianZ said, “The British side’s attempt to turn a large number of Hong Kong people into second-class British citizens has completely changed the nature of the two sides’ original understanding of BNO”. He added, “This move seriously infringes on China’s sovereignty, grossly interferes in Hong Kong affairs and China’s

DAWN March 2021

BRUNSWICKBASED COMPANY LAUNCHES PROTOTYPE ROCKET

Maine company, which is developing a rocket to propel small satellites into space, has passed its first major test. Brunswick-based bluShift Aerospace launched a 20-foot (6-meter) prototype rocket, hitting an altitude of a little more than 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) in a first run designed to test the rocket’s propulsion and control systems. It carried a science project by Falmouth High School students that will measure flight metrics such as barometric pressure, a special alloy that’s being tested by a New Hampshire company — and a Dutch dessert called stroopwafel, in an homage to its Amsterdam-based parent company. Organizers of the launch said the items were included to demonstrate the inclusion of a small payload. The company, which launched from the northern Maine town of Limestone, the site of the former Loring Air Force Base, is one of dozens racing to find affordable ways to launch so-called nano satellites. Some of them, called Cube-Sats, can be as small as 10 centimeters by 10 centimeters. Sascha Deri, chief executive officer of bluShift, said the company is banking on becoming a

International

OPPOSITION LEADER’S ALLIES DETAINED IN RUSSIA

he top allies of the Opposition leader, Alexei Navalny Lyubov Sobol, Dr. Anastasia Vasilyeva from the Alliance of Doctors union, backed by Navalny and Maria Alyokhina from the Pussy Riot punk collective, were detained for 48 hours along with Navalny’s brother Oleg.

quicker, more efficient way of transporting satellites to space. “There’s a lot of companies out there that are like freight trains to space,” Deri said. “We are going to be the Uber to space, where we carry one, two or three payloads profitably”. Another aspect that makes bluShift’s rocket different is its hybrid propulsion system. It relies on a solid fuel and a liquid oxidizer passing either through or around the solid fuel; the result is a simpler, more affordable system than a liquid fuel-only rocket, said spokesperson Seth Lockman. The fuel is a proprietary biofuel blend sourced from farms, Deri said. The goal is to create a small rocket that could launch a 30-kilogram (66-pound) payload into low-Earth orbit, more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) above Earth’s surface. Lockman said orbit could be possible by 2024.

internal affairs, and seriously violates international law and the basic norms of international relations”. China will no longer recognize the so-called BNO passport as a travel document and proof of identity starting from Jan 31st, and reserves the right to take further measures. Many Hong Kongers carry multiple passports and it is unclear what if anything the Chinese government could do to prevent people entering the UK through the BNO visa plan. As a further protection of personal privacy, a cell phone app will allow applicants to download their biometric information without having to been seen visiting the British visa office.

Those detained were reported to be suspect in the violations of coronavirus regulations during the mass rally in Moscow. The raids came four days before new protests were called on January 24, 2021. The 44-year-old Navalny, the most well-known critic of President Vladimir Putin’s government, was arrested Jan. 17 upon his return from Germany, where he spent five months recovering from nerve-agent poisoning that he blames on the Kremlin. Russian authorities have rejected the accusations. The overnight detentions of his supporters came after more than a dozen raids on apartments and offices of Navalny’s family, associates and supporters in connection to the probe. Searched locations included Navalny’s apartment, where police detained his brother, and a rented apartment where Navalny’s wife, Yulia, has been living. Russia’s Investigative Committee said it opened a criminal probe against Navalny’s top strategist Leonid Volkov, accusing him of encouraging minors to participate in unauthorized rallies. In a further challenge to Putin, two days after Navalny’s arrest, his organization released an extensive video report on a palatial seaside compound allegedly built for Putin. It has been viewed over 98 million times, further stoking discontent. Demonstrations calling for Navalny’s release took place in more than 100 cities across the nation last Saturday, a strong show of rising anger toward the Kremlin. Nearly 4,000 people were reported arrested at those protests. Navalny fell into a coma while aboard a domestic flight from Siberia to Moscow. He was transferred from a hospital in Siberia to a Berlin hospital two days later. Labs in Germany, France and Sweden, and tests by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established that he was exposed to the Soviet-era Novichok nerve agent.

The BNO passport was originally a disappointment for Hong Kongers when it was first offered ahead of Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese rule in 1997. At the time, it offered only the right to visit for six months with no right to work or become a full citizen. Applicants had to have been born before the handover date. However, pressure grew to expand such privileges as China increasingly cracked down on civil and political life in Hong Kong in what critics say violates China’s commitment to maintain the city’s separate way of life for 50 years after the handover.

march 2021

DAWN

Business Outlook

OVER 25 COUNTRIES TO GET ‘MADE IN INDIA’ COVID-19 VACCINE

US OFFERS WORLD’S FIRST ‘CARBON-NEUTRAL’ OIL TO RELIANCE

he Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) of Mukesh Ambani has sourced the world’s first consignment of ‘carbonneutral oil’ from the US as it looks to become a net zero-carbon company by 2035.

he External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, has said that the Indian Government has so far supplied Coronavirus vaccine to almost 15 countries. Besides, 25 other nations are in the queue at different levels for the jab, he added. The Minister said there are three categories of countries which are keen to get the vaccine from India- poor, pricesensitive nations and other countries which directly deal with pharmaceutical companies that make the antidote. "I think right now we have already supplied to about 15 countries (as per my recollection). I would say there would be another about 25 countries which are at different stages in the pipeline. But what it has done is today it has put India on the map of the world”, Jaishankar told the media during a press conference. The minister said some poor countries are being supplied the vaccine on a grant basis while some nations wanted it on par with the price that the Indian Government pays to the vaccine makers. Some countries have direct contracts with the Indian vaccine producing companies and have negotiated commercially, he said. The Union Government has already given the nod for two COVID-19 vaccines - Covaxin of city-based Bharat Biotech and Covishield of Oxford, being manufactured by Serum Institute of India in Pune, which are being administered to frontline workers, under Emergency Use Authorization. Drugmaker Dr Reddys recently said it will approach the Drug Regulator for the EUA for Russian vaccine Sputnik V in March. Jaishankar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea was to establish the country as the "Pharmacy of the World", taking advantage of the domestic capabilities and the way India emerged as IT leader during the Y2K issue.

DAWN March 2021

Reliance, which operates the world’s largest single location oil refining complex at Jamnagar in Gujarat with capacity of 68.2 million tonnes a year, got 2 million barrels of consignment Permian basin, the US supplier said in a statement. Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a division of US oil major Occidental, delivered carbon-neutral oil to Reliance, the firm said. It also said, “This transaction, which was arranged in conjunction with Macquarie Group’s Commodities and Global Markets group (Macquarie), is the energy industry’s first major petroleum shipment for which greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the entire crude lifecycle, well head through combustion of end products, have been offset”. Oxy Low Carbon Ventures and Macquarie will offset carbon dioxide equivalent to that associated with the production, delivery and refining of the crude oil and the use of the resulting product through the retirement of carbon offset credits. This will make the oil ‘carbon-neutral’. The Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) Sea Pearl containing the carbon-neutral oil unloaded the cargo at Jamnagar. “This transaction is a first step in the creation of a new market for climate-differentiated crude oil,” the statement said. It is also a bridge to the development of a further differentiated petroleum product, net-zero oil, which Occidental intends to eventually produce through the capture and sequestration of atmospheric CO2 via industrial-scale direct air capture (DAC) facilities and geological sequestration. Ambani had in July last year unveiled plans to turn Reliance into a net carbon zero company by 2035. This will be done by embracing new technologies to convert its carbon dioxide emissions into useful products and chemicals. The OLCV said the oil was produced in the US Permian Basin by Occidental and delivered to Reliance in India.

Business Outlook

BHARTI AIRTEL RECORDS QUARTERLY HIGH PROFIT OF RS 853.6 CRORES

ndia’s renowned telecom company, Bharti Airtel (Airtel) has announced a consolidated net profit of Rs 853.6 Cr in October-December quarter of the ongoing financial year as against a net loss of Rs 1,035.3 Cr previous year. The company had posted a net loss of Rs 763.2 Cr in the preceding July-September quarter. The company’s revenue rose 24.2 per year-on-year (YoY) to Rs 26,518 crore during the December 2021 quarter, its highest-ever quarterly revenue, led by strong customer additions. Its mobile ARPU rose to Rs 166 in October-December from Rs 135 in the year-ago quarter as it focused on acquiring quality customers as well as secular upgrading of customers to data, Airtel said in a release.

Airtel’s EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) rose 32.8 per cent YoY to Rs 12,178 crore, while EBITDA margin expanded 464 basis points to 45.9 per cent. The revenue of India mobile business raised 32.4 YoY to Rs 14,778.8 crore on improved realization and strong customer additions, while Airtel Business revenue jumped 9.2 per cent to Rs 3,621.5 crore on demand for connectivity and solutions across global and domestic businesses. Airtel’s Africa business saw a 23 per cent growth in revenue in constant currency terms. “The company continues to see strong traction in its post-paid business also added about 700K post-paid customers this quarter. We continue to invest ahead of the curve to create capacities and provide a brilliant experience to our customers”, Airtel said. The company added 1.29 crore 4G customers during the quarter to take its total 4G customer base to 16.56 crore. Its overall customer base stood at 45.8 crore across 16 countries, while capital expenditure during December quarter was at Rs 6,864 crore. “Despite the unprecedented volatility that we have confronted through the year, we delivered another strong performance this quarter”, said Gopal Vittal, the MD and CEO, India & South Asia, Bharti Airtel.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC MARS EURO ECONOMY BY 0.7 PER CENT

he European Economy has now shrunk by a smaller than expected 0.7 per cent over the last three months. That consolation in official figures released could not erase a gloomier outlook for this year, as the 19 countries that use the euro are expected to lag China and the United States in bouncing back from the worst of the pandemic. For the year, the eurozone shrank 6.8 per cent, according to the EU statistics agency. The figure underscores a rollercoaster year of freakish economic data, with a plunge of 11.7 per cent in the second quarter, the biggest since statistics started in 1995, followed by a rebound of 12.4 per cent in the third quarter in late summer. The winter wave has meant new restrictions on travel, business and activity, but companies in some sectors such as manufacturing have been better able to adjust than services businesses. The German economy, grew by a scant 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter while France saw a smaller than expected drop of 1.3 per cent. Overall, economists had expected a drop in the eurozone of as much as 2.5 per cent. The eurozone is expected to reach 2019 levels of economic output only in 2022, say officials from the European Central Bank. That contrasts with China, the only major economy to grow in 2020 with a 2.3 per cent increase in output, and with the U.S., where Congressional budget experts foresee a rebound to 2019

levels by the middle of this year. The International Monetary Fund last month cut its forecast for eurozone growth this year to 4.2 per cent from 5.2 per cent. The figures arrive amid disenchantment and finger-pointing over the slow pace of vaccine rollouts in the European Union, while the U.K., which has left the EU, started earlier and has vaccinated people at a faster pace. Nicola Nobile, who lead eurozone economist at Oxford Economics said, “While, the eurozone GDP data were better than what we were expecting only a week ago, the short-term prospects for the European economy remain clouded by a challenging health situation in several countries and an underwhelming start of the vaccination roll-out”.

march 2021

DAWN

Cover Story

DAWN March 2021

Cover Story

Major Highlights

UNION BUDGET

2021-22

SITHARAMAN PRESENTS INDIA’S FIRST PAPERLESS UNION BUDGET Edited By Pravin Kumar Mishra

India’s first paperless union budget was presented by Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, in wake of the COVID-19. She announced a slew of measures on healthcare and infrastructure to give an impetus to the COVID-hit economy.

march 2021

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rime Minister Narendra Modi praised the budget and called it a budget that shows India’s confidence and instills selfconfidence. During the budget speech she announced that the FDI limit in insurance to be increased to 74 per cent from now existing 49 per cent. Union government has allowed foreign ownership in insurance with safeguards. The union government will also launch a Securities Market Code which will include SEBI Act, government sector Act, Depositories Act. SEBI will be notified as regulator for a gold exchange. The Minister said that the government is proposing to strategically divest 2 PSU banks and 1 general insurance company. In 2021-22, the government would also bring

IPO of LIC for which it will be bringing the requisite amendments in this session itself. The government will now also incentivize one-person companies. She added that the NCLT system will be strengthened, e-Courts will be adopted and alternate mechanism of debt resolution will be set up. She also announced decriminalization of LLP Act. Speaking on the farmer’s issue, the FM said that the Modi government was committed to the welfare of farmers. The MSP regime has undergone a change to assure price that is at least 1.5 times the cost of production across all commodities, she said. Rs 75,060 crore is paid to farmers for wheat procurement in 2020-21, she added. The Minister also announced measures under Aatmanirbhar Package. She said the early PM garib Kalyan Yojana amounted to almost presenting 5 “mini budgets” in 2020. She proposed strengthening of ‘Sankalp of Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Focus on 6 pillars, which include – Health & Well-being, Inclusive Development, Human Capital, Innovation and R&D. FM added that the

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govt is fully prepared to support and facilitate economic growth and they are introducing Aatmanirbhar Swastha Bharat Yojana with an outlay of ` 64,180 crore. FM said that, today India has two vaccines available and has begun safeguarding not only her own citizens against COVID-19 but also those of 100 or more countries. It has added comfort to know that two more vaccines are also expected soon. The Union Minister also announced that Jal Jeevan Mission Urban will be launched with and outlay of ` 2.87 lakh crore over 5 years which is aimed at universal water supply in all 4,378 urban local bodies, with 2.86 crore household tap connections and liquid waste management in 500 AMRUT cities. She also announced Urban Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 with outlay of ` 1,41,678 crore over 5 years from 2021 focused on complete fecal sludge management, waste water treatment, source segregation, management of waste from urban construction, bioremediation of legacy dump sites. Announcing major infrastructure boost, FM announced highway works in various states including 3,500 km corridor in Tamil Nadu, 1,100

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The government’s proposal to create a permanent institutional framework to buy investment grade debt securities in stressed and normal times is a very positive step for debt mutual funds

km in Kerala at investment of Rs 65,000 crore, 675 km in West Bengal at a cost of Rs 95,000 crore and 1,300 km in Assam in the next 3 years. In May 2020, Govt announced the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, to sustain the recovery further we also rolled out two more Atmanirbhar packages. Total financial impact of all packages including measures taken by RBI was estimated to be about Rs 27.1 lakh crores, Sitharaman added. For Railways Budget, the FM announced that Indian Railways will have a National Rail Plan for upto 2030. For aviation sector, FM said that the next lot of airports will be privatized in tier 2 and 3 towns and cities. FM said that in FY22 outlay (budget estimate) for health & well-being is up 138 per cent, and is at Rs 2,23,846 crore. Govt has also allocated Rs 35,400 crore towards COVID vaccines for FY22 and is committed to more if required. She said Modi govt is committed to achieving targets laid out under the national infrastructure pipeline. Ujjwala scheme will be expanded to over 1 crore more beneficiaries. We will add

100 more districts in the next three years to the city gas distribution network. A gas pipeline project will be taken up in Jammu and Kashmir, FM said. In a bid to boost agriculture infrastructure, the government announced a cess on certain items, including petrol, diesel, gold and some imported agricultural products. The Union Government’s subsidies on food, fertilizers, LPG and kerosene are pegged at Rs 5.96 lakh crore in the current fiscal, over 2.5-fold jump from the initial budget estimates as the Centre distributed additional food grains free of cost to help poor mitigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. The government’s proposal to create a permanent institutional framework to buy investment grade debt securities in stressed and normal times and to deepen the bond market is a very positive step for debt mutual funds, experts said. “To instill confidence amongst the participants in the corporate bond market during times of

Prime Minister called it a budget that shows India’s confidence and instills self-confidence

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stress and to generally enhance secondary market liquidity, it is proposed to create a permanent institutional framework,” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced in the Union Budget 202122. The proposed body would purchase investment grade debt securities both in stressed and normal times and help in the development of the bond market, she added. Prathit Bhobe, CEO and MD, at Tata Mutual Fund said the measure to set up a body to buy bonds up to investment grade is a good step to help deepen and market making in corporate bond market. Additional tax deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh on interest paid on housing loan for purchase of affordable homes by one more year to March 31, 2022, a move aimed at boosting demand in the sluggish real estate sector. The additional deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh over and above Rs 2 lakh was introduced in the 2019 budget. This was allowed for those buying homes for the first time and of up to Rs 45 lakh cost. In the budget speech for 2021-22 fiscal year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government sees ‘Housing for All’ and affordable housing as priority areas. “In the July 2019 Budget, I provided an additional deduction of interest, amounting to Rs 1.5 lakh, for loan taken to purchase an affordable house. I propose to extend the eligibility of this deduction by one more year, to 31st March 2022,” she said. The minister said the additional deduction of Rs 1.5 lakh shall therefore be available for loans taken up till March 31, 2022, for the purchase of an affordable house. Now, a person purchasing an affordable house will get an enhanced interest deduction of up to Rs 3.5 lakh. The Centre has allocated Rs 73,000 crore to the rural employment guarantee programme MGNREGA for the next fiscal 2021-22, substantially lower than the actual expenditure of Rs 1.11 lakh crore in the current fiscal which included an additional Rs 40,000 crore for the scheme given by the government in the wake of the pandemic’s impact on the economy. The Centre had allocated Rs 40,000 crore to MGNREGA as part of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. The Rs 230-crore reduction in the budgetary allocation to the environment ministry has drawn flak from environmentalists who say

it may slow down or completely halt green initiatives. Besides the shrunk budget, they also feel that the Centre has not clarified how a separate amount of Rs 2,217 crore, set aside for tackling air pollution in 42 cities with minimum population of one million, will be utilised. “The total budget allocated for the ministry this year is Rs 2,869.93 crore while last year it was Rs 3,100 crore. This implies that a number of environmental measures could be slowed down or halted,” said Avinash Chanchal, a Climate Campaigner for the Greenpeace India. “The government has allocated Rs 2,217 crore to tackle air pollution in 42 urban cities and introduced a voluntary vehicle scrapping policy. But it isn’t clear how these funds would be utilized to resolve the pollution crisis,” he said. The allocation to the Panchayati Raj Ministry for the year 2021-22 increased by more than 32 per cent to Rs 913.43 crore in the Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman compared to the revised expenditure during the current financial year. The major jump in the allocation was seen in the Svamitva scheme, which more than doubled to Rs 200 crore

The government also increased allocation to the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan by nearly 19 per cent to Rs 593 crore for the next fiscal from Rs 499.94 crore this fiscal

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from Rs 79.65 crore in the current fiscal. The Svamitva scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last calendar year. It aims to provide the record of rights to village household owners in rural areas and issuance of property cards. It also enables monetization of rural residential assets for credit and other financial services. As per the detailed financial statement, Rs 913.43 crore has been allocated to the Panchayati Raj Ministry for the year 202122, compared to the revised estimate of Rs 690 crore for the fiscal 2020-21. However, the budget estimate for the current fiscal was Rs 900.94 crore. The government also increased allocation to the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyaan by nearly 19 per cent to Rs 593 crore for the next fiscal from Rs 499.94 crore this fiscal. The industries and trading sector gave mixed reactions to the 2021-22 budget presented by the Union Finance Minister. Minor, small and medium enterprises’ Association of Industries president Pramod Dafaria while welcoming the budget said, “We are hopeful that the provision of Rs 15,700 crore in the budget will majorly benefit the smallscale industries.” However, Pithampur Audyogik Sangathans president Gautam Kothari said, “We are unable to understand how the government will help over 35 lakh small-scale industries which suffered heavily because of COVID-19 scare with a provision of just Rs 15,700 crore.” They are already facing the problem of not having any working capital. Traders body, Ahilya Chamber of Commerce president Ramesh Khandelwal said after the COVID-19 crisis they were expecting some big gifts from the government, but our hopes were dashed.

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clearance framework for start-ups and small businesses for aspects like company registration, GST registration, company incorporation, shop establishment, etc. which would have helped to reduce the compliance burden on companies. One of the other rewarding moves by the government is to extend social security benefits to gig and platforms workers which will now add a much-needed safety net for them and will also help the sector grow in a sustainable way. Given that India is the third most robust start-up industry in the world and ranks 4th among countries with maximum unicorns (currently 28 in India), the budget needed to look at providing more impetus to this sector, which significantly contributes to the GDP of the country and is a key employment generator,” Sourjyendu Medda, Founder, CBO and CFO of DealShare, said.

This Union Budget was one of the most anticipated budgets especially by the start-up and ecommerce ecosystem

Even the working class is disappointed on not getting any rebate in income tax slabs. The revised estimate for direct tax collection this year is Rs 9.05 lakh crores, out of which we have collected Rs 6.63 lakh crores. I am very confident that we will achieve the target: CBDT Chairman PC Mody. The government said, capital market watchdog Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) will be the designated regulator for gold exchanges, which will infuse transparency in gold transactions. “In the Budget of 2018-19, the government had announced its intent to establish a system of regulated gold exchanges in the country. For the purpose, SEBI will be notified as the regulator,” Finance Minister announced during the budget session. Aircraft leasing companies based out of GIFT city in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar would get a tax holiday on capital gains and rental income earned, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced. At present, there are no aircraft leasing companies in Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) city. “I propose to include, among others, tax holiday for capital gains for aircraft leasing companies, tax exemption for aircraft lease rentals paid to foreign lessors... located in IFSC (International Financial Services Centre),” the minister said in her budget speech. No major aircraft leasing companies are based in India. Majority of the aircraft fleet with the Indian carriers have been leased from foreign companies such as Avolon, GECAS, BBAM, BOC Aviation and Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Capital. The Union budget has opened the floodgates for imports of Chinese stainless-steel with temporary revocation of anti-dumping and countervailing duties, which is expected

to hurt domestic manufacturers of such product, an industry body said. Suspension of these duties will undermine domestic manufacturing with an adverse impact on employment generation and defeat the ‘Make in India’ movement, Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) said. “This is a big unintentional gift to Chinese companies and will severely hit the domestic stainless-steel industry, which has been in financial stress for more than a decade. The government proposed changes in the DICGC Act to ensure depositors of troubled banks can withdraw their funds of up to Rs 5 lakh. In the light of lenders like Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative (PMC) Bank, Yes Bank and Lakshmi Vilas Bank running into trouble in recent times, the government had amended the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) Act, raising the insurance cover on deposit five-fold to Rs 5 lakh. “This Union Budget was one of the most anticipated budgets especially by the start-up and ecommerce ecosystem. It was a pro-technology and a pro-growth budget which focused on reenergizing the healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture and banking sector by numerous employment and capital generating reforms. However, there is still a lot missing in context. Firstly, from a tax perspective, introducing a more long-term exemption structure on capital gains would have been more helpful. The budget could have looked at introducing ‘a no dividend and no capital tax mechanism’ which can help companies funded by VCs to infuse more working capital into their operations. From a regulatory perspective, the budget should have looked at creating a single window

The budgetary allocation for the ministry of tourism has been slashed from Rs 2,500 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 2026.77 crore this year, in a blow to the tourism industry which is reeling from huge losses due to the coronavirus crisis. The revised estimate for the ministry was Rs 1,260 crore. The budget has allocated Rs 1088.03 crore for development of tourism infrastructure. “Earmarking of Rs 15,700 crores towards the development of MSME sector is indeed a positive move and it will have an impact on the Agarbathi industry as most of the Agarbathi manufacturers fall under the MSME bracket. Similarly the plan to put in place a revised customs duty structure by October 2021 is also commendable. In fact, even the strengthening of NCLT framework, implementation of e-courts systems, introducing alternate methods of debt resolution and setting up a special framework for MSMEs will help the industry significantly. However, considering that the government had acknowledged the issues that MSMEs faced owing to budget, one would have expected extensive support. The budget should have considered giving a 50 per cent additional weightage under the Atmanirbhar Allowance in the Income Tax Act on the cost of materials consumed as well as on the manufacturing expenses incurred in making raw Agarbathi. This would have provided a great relief to the small units who have recently commenced their efforts in making our industry selfreliant and completely indigenous. Further, the government should have re-considered investing in providing infrastructure support like setting up of a dedicated state warehousing facilities and offering them at concessional rates. Funds should have also been considered for setting up common facility centres for bamboo stick making from strips across the district and taluka headquarters of identified states,” Arjun Ranga, President of All India Agarbathi Manufacturers’ Association (AIAMA), said.

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Cover Story India has set aside over Rs 7,100 crore in its budget for 2021-22 as development assistance for countries in its neighborhood as well as in Africa and Latin America, with Bhutan getting the maximum allocation of Rs 3,004 crore while Rs 100 crore will be given to Chabahar port project in Iran. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated Rs 18,154 crore to the Ministry of External Affairs in the union budget, out of which Rs 7,148 crore has been earmarked as aid to countries. Meanwhile, the RSS-aligned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) expressed disappointment over the government’s budget proposals with regard to disinvestment and foreign direct investment, especially in the insurance sector. The BMS, however, lauded the government for its current efforts on the massive vaccination program, a special scheme for tea workers in West Bengal and Assam, labor oriented push on infrastructure projects in construction sector and development of five major fishing harbors viz. Kochi, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip, and Petuaghat as hubs for economic activities etc. On other budget proposals, it said in a statement that “mixing the beautiful concept of Aatmanirbhar Bharat with FDI and disinvestment in the Union Budget is disappointing for the employees”. Ram Kaundinya, Director General, Federation of Seed Industry of India said it is a status quo budget for agriculture and seed industry. “Agriculture contributed significantly to our successful fight against COVID. But the sector did not get the needed attention in the budget. No transformative measures have been proposed”. The Senior Bayer Representative, South Asia and CEO & MD, Bayer CropScience, D Narain said, “the year 2020 has been a year of exceptional and unprecedented challenges and has highlighted the critical importance of two core sectors, agriculture and healthcare. The Union Budget 2021 has correctly called out the role of these two sectors in leading the nation’s recovery and being catalysts to sustainable growth”. Criticising the union budget presented in Parliament, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said the NDA government was out to sell every assets of the country. He further said that the budget was a big

disappointment for the middle class as there was no concession in the income tax. ‘Atmanirbharbharat (self-reliant India) slogan seems to have got converted into ‘atmabecho bharat’ (sell India),’ Soren wryly said while reacting on the budget 2021-22. He said there has been no change in the MGNREGA which is meant for the welfare of the poor. Reliance on divestments and asset monetization for resource mobilization in the Budget was welcomed by industry players, calling it as the “biggest takeaway” from the Budget document. Increasing taxes, the traditionally preferred option for revenues, may have been inappropriate given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, they said. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the Budget 2021-22 has come as a relief for a nation struggling with the constraints of COVID-19 pandemic. He said the priorities laid down by the Budget will also set the tone for other countries of the world to follow. ‘Contrary to the misgivings and propaganda by the opposition, the Budget presented today has silenced all the critics and left them to criticize only for the sake of criticism,’ said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel. He said the Budget in in tune with the post-COVID India vision. Singh said even though it is an economic document, the spirit of the Budget presented today goes beyond the realms of economics to lay down the roadmap of Modi-led India which

Agriculture contributed significantly to our successful fight against COVID. But the sector did not get the needed attention in the budget. No transformative measures have been proposed

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is destined to emerge as a frontline member in the community of world nations. The government projected a 16.67 per cent growth in gross tax revenue in the next fiscal beginning April 1, at over Rs 22.17 lakh crore. The revised estimates of gross tax revenue for the current fiscal has been pegged at Rs 19 lakh crore, lower than the Rs 24.23 lakh crore budgeted earlier. “The focus on infrastructure development in the current budget is indeed a positive move. In fact, the need to increase government spend on infrastructure has been a long pending ask from all industries including building materials. The allocation of Rs 1.10 lakh crore and Rs. 2000 crore towards railways and development of ports under the PPP mode respectively coupled with the government’s plan to complete 11,000 km of national highway will have a significant impact on the economy as well as the building materials industry. Further, the setting up of a professionally managed Development Financial Institution and infusing 20,000 crores to it is also highly commendable. Lack of alternate financing models has been a key concern that most infrastructure projects hasve been struggling with, the setting up of Development Financial Institution can solve this problem which in turn can lead to increase in number of projects being rolled out as well as completed. In fact, the increased spending coupled with better financing support to the infrastructure industry will not only give the building material sector the much needed boost to recover the lost ground, but should also enable the industry to board the growth trajectory,” Ashwin Reddy, Managing Director of Aparna Enterprises Limited, said. “I think he did not listen or read Budget properly. He should read his family history to know their close relations with China. He’s commenting on PM celebrating festivals with soldiers, it’s childish”, said

Cover Story vacating spectrum for mobile telephony in May 2018. The project was to be completed within 24 months. The Delhi Police has been allocated Rs 8,644.12 crore in Union Budget for financial year 2021-22, and around Rs 10 crore has been set aside for Nirbhaya Fund. Piyush Goyal said that hiking foreign direct investment (FDI) limit to 74 per cent in the insurance sector will open up a large source of fresh funding for the sector. In her Budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to amend the Insurance Act, 1938 to increase the permissible FDI limit from 49 per cent to 74 per cent in insurance companies and allow foreign ownership and control with safeguards.

Expanding collaboration with foreign countries to scale up the vocational and skill training sector will further improve the employability quotient of our youth

the Union Minister Smriti Irani on Rahul Gandhi’s tweet on budget allocation for Defense. The Finance Minister said the government has come out with open and transparent Budget and has not made any attempt to hide anything under the carpet. She said that the focus of the Budget 2021-22 has been on spending big on infrastructure and attending to the needs of healthcare sector for reviving Indian economy which is expected to contract by 7.7 per cent in the current fiscal ending March hit by the COVID-19 crisis. This Budget is the Budget of self-reliant India. All sections of the society have been taken care of in this Budget. I believe this is the Budget to turn the disaster into an opportunity during COVID pandemic: Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan. The increased capital expenditure for infrastructure projects in Union Budget 2021-22 will push the demand for steel in the country, steel players and experts said. To augment the country’s infrastructure, the Budget proposed significant enhancing of capital expenditure to Rs 5.54 lakh crore in the next fiscal, besides creating institutional structures and giving a big thrust to monetizing assets to achieve the goals of the National Infrastructure Pipeline. Pant and Pujara! Chief economic advisor K Subramanian was spot on when, after presenting the Economic Survey for the year, he said we would see both the heroes

of the Gabba in action when the Budget was presented. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman played defensive cricket by keeping her total expenditure for FY22 at almost the FY21 levels – it rose a whopping 28 per cent in FY21 – since raising it any more would have spooked bond markets even more given that, at Rs 9.7 lakh crore, FY22 borrowings are 80 per cent more than those budgeted for FY21. The imposition of sharp 10 per cent customs duty on import of finished leather products will lead to price increase, manufacturers said. The hike would also make it difficult for the manufacturers of footwear and other leather products to remain competitive in exports due to higher input costs. In 2020, the budget allocation for financial support extended through loans to FCI for procurement at MSP was Rs 1,36,600 crore. Less than Rs 85,000 was spent. No amount is allocated this year. Such things make farmers think that it’s a conspiracy to shut FCI: Yogendra Yadav, Swaraj India. The government allocated Rs 14,200 crore for telecom infrastructure that entails completion of optical fibre cable-based network for Defense services, rolling out broadband in 2.2 lakh panchayats and improving mobile services in the North East. The government had approved Rs 24,664 crore for an advanced communications network for defense services in lieu of their

“At the outset, compliments to the Honorable Finance Minister on the Budget for 2021-22. For me personally, it is gratifying to note that two of the six pillars on which the budgetary proposals rest are ‘Health & Wellbeing’ and ‘Reinvigorating Human Capital’. Both Health and Skill Development are critical sectors that will ensure our sustained economic growth. While it was widely expected that the expenditure on Health would be increased, an allocation of Rs 64,000 crore over 6 years to the PM Atma Nirbhar Swasth Barat Yojana, with the holistic approach to strengthening all the three areas of Healthcare delivery - Preventive, Curative and Wellbeing - is a most welcome step, as is the continuation of the Poshan Abhiyan in its new Mission Poshan 2.0 avatar. Both will go a long way in reducing morbidity and ensuring a fitter India. It is also noteworthy that Skill Development schemes have got a boost. Expanding collaboration with foreign countries to scale up the vocational and skill training sector will further improve the employability quotient of our youth. Also, I am sure, tax benefits extended for start ups will encourage youth to take up entrepreneurial opportunities more readily”, Vandana Luthra, founder and Co-chaiperson of VLCC group, said. The government has created a comprehensive budget with sharp focus on sustaining economic activity and investment but more clarity is needed on areas like taxation framework for adopting remote working on a long-term basis, IT body Nasscom said. The industry association noted that the IT/ITeS (Information Technology-enabled Services) industry has been a key driver of growth and jobs in 2020 and there is an opportunity to significantly accelerate it further. Petrol and diesel prices will not be cut as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ignored calls for a reduction in excise duty rates to help bring down prices from historic high levels. Instead, her Budget for the 2021-22 fiscal tweaked excise duty structure to accommodate an agriculture infrastructure development cess, whose accruals would not be shared with the states.

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WHETHER THE UNION BUDGET BE TERMED AS ‘WAGES OF INEQUALITY’? By V Sridhar

ike the COVID-19 pandemic, the Union Budget for 2021-22 was also hyped to be a once-in-a-lifetime affair. Instead, Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, delivered a Budget that was not just underwhelming but deeply divisive. Coming as it did in the wake of the unprecedented collapse of the economy, the Budget was expected to not just spark a recovery but extend support to those whose incomes had been ravaged in the pandemic. It failed on both fronts, but still drew cheers from the well-heeled,

a measure of how divisive its effects are likely to be. Fiscal fundamentalists, from the time of the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and United States President Ronald Reagan, suffer from what can be only described as an asymmetry complex. Shorn off the sophistry, what it implies is that deficits are okay as long as they are in favour of the rich; they become a strict no-no only when the not-so-rich and the poor are to benefit. Much the same logic applies to the latest Union Budget. All the cheerleaders in the media and industry have given rave reviews to the Budget for its expected expansionary impact. Some have cheered it for its renewed commitment to fiscal rectitude and “transparency”; others have highlighted the sharp increase in allocations for capital investment; still others have welcomed it for its “magic” in achieving all things good without the crushing burden of taxes. Missing from this gleeful welcome, curiously, for a Budget that is essentially a

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statement of expenses and earnings, was the unprecedented collapse of revenue, not just in the current year but also in the next year. And, thereby hangs a tale, a story of deep inequities that have been dramatically heightened during the pandemic. First, the supposed sparkling recovery in capital expenditure, by 26.2 per cent, which the media latched on to as an indicator of the government’s willingness to spend for a recovery. As subsequent more sober analyses by brokerage houses and investment banks have shown, this increase was lower than the 30.2 per cent growth in capital expenditure in 2020-21 (Revised Estimate). Moreover, as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP), all this supposed heavy lifting is only going to improve capital expenditures share of GDP from 2.3 per cent in the current year to 2.5 per cent next year. In fact, if one includes the resources available with

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public sector units (PSUs) to the Centre’s capex, the combined share of capex as a percentage of GDP falls from 5.6 to 5.1 per cent. More worryingly, since capital expenditures account for only about 1213 per cent of the total expenditures, and since all other expenditures are projected to remain stagnant in the next year, the overall expenditures are actually set to decline in real terms. Total expenditures, after excluding capital expenditures, are projected to decline from Rs.30.11 lakh crore in the current year to Rs.29.29 lakh crore in 2021-22, an almost 3 per cent decrease. While the Minister has assumed that the GDP would grow by 14.4 per cent in 2021-22, what was the point in being so niggardly on the expenditure front when it is obvious that a recovery of incomes is not only going to be prolonged but also in fits and starts? That is, if the purpose of a

government-led “stimulus” is to undertake investments to generate growth and to support a recovery of lost incomes through expansion of expenditures, the Budget’s bias is evident. Logically speaking, a deficit can arise from two possible scenarios: when expenditures overshoot earnings or when earnings fall short of expenditures. Faced with the pandemic-induced crisis suffered by the economy, Nirmala Sitharaman had the option of increasing tax collections, especially from those who have benefitted from the pandemic. This is not as provocative as it may appear at first glance. The largest companies in India have since the pandemic made money hand over fist, raking in high profit. And, as attested by the almost obscene run in the stock markets, the well-heeled—high net worth individuals

Logically speaking, a deficit can arise from two possible scenarios: when expenditures overshoot earnings or when earnings fall short of expenditures

(HNI) in the language of the street—have also benefited from the pandemic. Clearly, at least in the wake of the pandemic, a sense of equity would have justified a tax to moderate this degree of inequity. In fact, given that the drop in revenues was in substantive measure caused by the prepandemic largesse to large industry via the reduction in Corporation Tax—the Budget was a time to reconsider the rash move. As the accompanying piece by Zico Dasgupta, highlights, collections from the Corporation Tax have declined by about one percentage point of GDP during the Narendra Modi years. In fact, during the pandemic year, collections of the Corporation Tax are lower for the first time than the collection through Income Tax. That is, all of India’s largest companies contribute less as taxes than all individual tax payers. The cut in Corporation Tax was the primary reason why revenues have collapsed in the current year. Last year, the Finance Minister expected revenues to grow by about 20 per cent, reaching Rs.20.2 lakh crore. Instead, revenues amounted to only Rs.15.6 lakh crore, a shortfall of 22 per cent. In fact, revenues for 2021-22 are projected at Rs.17.9 lakh crore, 11 per cent lower than what was expected for the current year. With revenues in free fall, it is obvious

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that the prime impetus to a rising deficit is arising on the revenue front and not on the expenditure front. Therefore, ethically and morally speaking, the prime responsibility for the fiscal deficit of 9.5 per cent projected for 2021-22 ought to fall on the shoulders of those who, despite the pandemic, have reaped a bounty. It is true that allocations for the MGNREGA was increased significantly during the current year, but that must be balanced by two sets of considerations. For one, the higher allocation for the MGNREGA was the least the Narendra Modi government could have done as atonement for the sin of having abandoned millions of migrant workers during the lockdown. Secondly, this magnanimity must be balanced by the fact that other schemes such as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), India’s longest-running welfare scheme for children and mothers, were virtually abandoned. A similar fate befell the mid-day meals scheme, for which, in any case, the States are already bearing a heavier burden. In fact, as Jean Dreze and others have pointed out, the meals scheme for schoolchildren was allocated Rs.13,215 crore and Rs.11,500 crore in 2021-22, which, factoring for even a conservative inflation rate of 5 per cent, implies a cut in real terms of 38 per cent. The ICDS too has suffered a cut of 36 per cent in real terms. Similarly, food subsidies are projected to fall by almost 50 per cent, relative to the Revised Estimate for 2020-21. That is, the government has, at the first opportunity, chosen to abandon whatever little extra it spent during the year of the pandemic.

For some time now, some budget items, most notably food subsidies, were funded in a roundabout manner, through the National Small Savings Fund

The Department has been allocated Rs.75,000 crore in 2021-22, just 9 per cent higher than that budgeted in 2020-21. In fact, the allocation for 2021-22 is almost 10 per cent lower than the Revised Estimate for the current year. The Budget was welcomed for its “transparency”, especially with respect to subsidies. This essentially makes a virtue of necessity. For some time now, some budget items, most notably food subsidies, were funded in a roundabout manner, through the National Small Savings Fund. The Finance Minister has now brought this back into the Budget. This is not because of a new-found zeal for transparency but simply because the actual fiscal deficit numbers would otherwise be suspect in the eyes of the “market”, the ultimate judge of all things good and bad. Since the government’s budget is going to binge on a significantly higher market borrowing program, this was

The fact that this is being done when the pandemic and its economic effects are still all-pervasive amounts to sheer negligence. That this is being done even as the government takes care not to inconvenience the rich even remotely, says a lot about its intentions. This was supposed to be a Budget with a “health focus.” But more obfuscation was in store. The “massive” increase in health allocations claimed by the Finance Minister evaporated on closer inspection. Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that allocations for “health and well-being” were being increased from Rs.94,452 crore (Budget Estimates for 2020-21) to Rs.2.24 lakh crores in 2021-22—a spectacular increase of 137 per cent. This apparently all-encompassing category of “well-being” is such that it defies comparison. First, of this increase, Rs.35,000 crore is for the COVID-19 vaccination drive, which, logically, should be outside the nucleus of the funding for health and family welfare. And, if one turns to the allocation for the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the guardian of most of the health schemes, they indicate a much more modest increase.

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simply necessary. Otherwise, it stares at the possibility of being punished by the rating agencies, which would increase the cost of borrowings. A key thrust in the Budget was on privatization, and with a decidedly ideological zeal. No longer as coy as her predecessors, she preferred to use the term privatization, instead of “disinvestment”, a word that had been favored since the days of P.V. Narasimha Rao. Disinvestment in government-owned companies is supposed to yield Rs.1.75 lakh crore, compared with the Rs.2.10 lakh crore projected for the current financial year. There are several issues with this kind of single-minded devotion to ideological duty. First, there are no new entities on her “to sell” list, barring the intent to privatise two public sector banks. To an alert mind that has followed privatisation in India in the last 30 years, this rings alarm bells. If the same assets, barring

Cover Story

the two banks, were worth approximately Rs.35,000 crore more last year, why is the Finance Minister so eager to incur what is obviously a loss to the nation? It does not take a desh bhakt to figure out that the Narendra Modi government’s tryst with privatisation is bound to be far more controversial than Atal Behari Vajpayee’s in the early years of the century (Frontline issues dated March 17, April 14 and April 28, 2001). It remains to be seen whether Modi is forced to make a hasty retreat like Vajpayee did after the sale of PSUs at scandalously low prices ignited a controversy. Second, the timing of the aggressive sale raises questions of prudence. Given that the economy is down in the dumps and given that industrial asset prices are likely to be at a discount, why should the government— even assuming that privatisation is the right thing to do—sell assets now, instead of after a recovery? The ongoing boom in the stock market is unique in that unlike all previous episodes there have been very few initial public offers. Surely, this indicates that there is no risk appetite for fresh investments, unless the assets are sold at a substantial discount. And, since investors know that the government is desperate, they would only

services tax (GST) are expected to yield Rs.6.3 lakh crore in 2021-22, 8.70 per cent lower than the budgeted estimate for 2020-21. The GST compensation to States was lower by almost one-fourth when compared with estimates in the current year. The compensation cess in the current year is likely to be just Rs.84,000 crore; although it is projected to increase to Rs.1 lakh crore, it would still be 9 per cent lower than levels projected for the current year, and made last year, before the pandemic was in sight. Hence, States, which have had to do the bulk of the heavy lifting have to fend for themselves in 2021-22. Since States are undertaking about 60 per cent of all expenditures, without having the commensurate ability to levy and collect taxes, a major crisis is looming for Indian federalism. And, in that tussle, it is likely that GST, at least as it exists today, is going to feature as a major bone of contention.

drive down asset prices even lower, implying even greater losses for the public exchequer. Thirdly, as academics like Sushil Khanna have pointed out, the government’s access to resources amounting to at least Rs.1.5 lakh crore a year that are now being contributed by PSUs, would no longer be available. What is the point in selling assets now, which would jeopardise future revenue streams? Like all previous Budgets in the Narendra Modi years, this one too has a severe adverse impact on State finances. In 2020-21, the States, cumulatively, were short-changed to the tune of Rs.2.34 lakh crore when one compares the Revised Estimates for the year with initial Budget Estimates. Revenues from goods and

In 2020-21, the States, cumulatively, were short-changed to the tune of Rs.2.34 lakh crore when one compares the Revised Estimates for the year with initial Budget Estimates

In fact, addressing a recent conference after the Budget, Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac called for a “restructuring” of the GST. First, he called for “flexibility” in the setting of rates for the State GST (SGST) component of the GST. He suggested that the rates of the SGST could be set within a band instead of a single, inflexible, rate. Further, he pointed out this would be of no consequence to the GST collections of the Centre. He also explained that this would allow States to prioritise tax rates according to their situation and needs. Isaac also called for a change from the current 50-50 split in GST revenues between the Centre and States. He called for a higher share for the States, possibly in a 60:40 split, arguing that the States were in any case undertaking the bulk of the expenditures. It is evident that as the burden on the States mount the GST regime would be in for a perfect storm. The Union Excise Duty is the only tax collection that increased in 2020-21 (revised), primarily because of the increase in rates on petroleum products. Excise collections, which were projected to yield Rs.2.67 lakh crore in the current year, are expected to deliver Rs.3.61 lakh crore, 35 per cent more. States have taken umbrage at the levy of Special Additional Duties on petroleum products, which are not shareable with the States. The widespread levy of cess is also a retrograde step. They are generally for short durations and for specific purposes, but of late they tend to extend forever as a revenue-gathering tool.

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interview

WE HAVE SEEN GOOD RESULT DUE TO RERA:

Balvinder Kumar (I.A.S.) Hariom Tyagi, the Group Editor of Observer Dawn, interviewed Balvinder Kumar, Member of the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority about RERA i.e. Real estate regulatory act. Here are the excerpts of the conversation.

Scan QR Code to Watch Interview

Observer Dawn: Welcome! Our readers would love to know your journey before becoming a member of UP RERA. Please share how has the journey been? Balvinder Kumar: I started as an Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer and have been working with UP Government as well as Central Government in various positions of responsibility, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Fertilizers, and was posted as ViceChairman of the Delhi Development Authority. After that I was Secretary Mines and retired in February 2017. After that I was Vice Chancellor of SGT University, Gurgaon for a while. In September 2018 I became a member of UP RERA. I look majorly after the court work in Delhi NCR. Observer Dawn: What is RERA act and what is its significance? Balvinder Kumar: RERA i.e. Real Estate Regulatory act was established to demolish faulty practices in the Real Estate Industry. This act was brought up in 2016 which seeks to protect home-buyers as well as help boost investments in the real estate industry.

doesn’t want to continue with the project as their possession is delayed and wants refund with interest. Another scenario is where the buyer is still interested in possession where the negotiation is proceeded with. After the introduction of RERA act, almost 32,000 complaints have been registered of which almost 24,000 complaints have been taken care of. Huge capital sums have been procured from faulty builders to refund the buyers. In a way, a consolidation has been seen in the Real estate sector in India in last 2 years. A big hurdle in our way is the total refund of money to buyers from the builders which is a compliance hindrance. Observer Dawn: Which area under UP RERA Jurisdiction is facing most of the problems? Balvinder Kumar: The most troublesome pocket in UP is NCR which includes Projects under Noida, Greater Noida, and Ghaziabad Development Authorities. Even if we see from the country’s perspective; most irregularities with regard to Real estate sector have taken place in the NCR region.

Observer Dawn: What benefits have the buyers experienced after the introduction of RERA act?

Observer Dawn: Do you have any data or statistics that establish the fact that introduction of RERA act has led to increase in timely possession?

Balvinder Kumar: The Buyer has mostly two kinds of problems. Either the buyer

Balvinder Kumar: Almost 200-300 projects have been stalled or have already

DAWN March 2021

delayed in their possession which is in a way, a major challenge for us. Overall, almost 25 per cent of such projects have already shown some progress and been given possession while other 20 per cent of the projects are expected to be functional by next year. Though, rest of the projects is still stalled. Observer Dawn: What actions are you planning for the rest of the projects? Balvinder Kumar: UP RERA has taken a lot of steps in this direction. In fact, if we see in the context of India, UP RERA has built many models that can help the completion of these projects. Firstly, we deregister the project and then we ask Association of Allottees whether they can and want to complete a project after which they can submit their proposals to UP RERA. Two of such projects are lined up already. Other than this we have brought together promoter and buyers on single platform and we are completing the projects under UP RERA umbrella. Overall, we have felt that the need of a common platform for builders and buyers as there is a lot of mutual distrust. We have also started working in this direction and have thought of providing consultants for regular audits and quality checks. Observer Dawn: UP RERA is also encouraging the salespersons, property dealers and consultants associated with

interview builders to get registered. What is the objective behind this? Balvinder Kumar: There have been many instances where in the real agents have been indulged in faulty practices. As per the directives in the RERA act, it has been mandatory to register so that they could be held accountable. We have seen good results due to this directive. Observer Dawn: There are many misinformations with regard to Real estate properties that have been circulating in the market. Does RERA also keep a watch on these events? Balvinder Kumar: One of the key changes implemented by RERA is the imposition of escrow. It stipulates all real estate builders to transfer 70 per cent of the money received from customers to an escrow account maintained with a scheduled commercial bank. This particular provision prevents developers from using the funds for other projects, and mitigates the risk of insolvency. Given the highly unregulated nature of this sector, it is the only way to protect the interests of both tenants and homeowners. The main purpose of a rental escrow account is to ensure the landlord is complying with the legal requirements pertaining to maintaining a safe and healthy environment. We hope this provision will keep the misinformation in check. Observer Dawn: We witnessed a huge pandemic which has greatly impacted the real estate sector too and naturally, the possession of many projects will be delayed. How many projects are expected to be delayed? Balvinder Kumar: Post Lockdown, the projects that were near possession were given an extension of 6 months. After this, when unlock started, the projects were still short of labour which is why they were provided with additional time limit of 6 months. This was followed by time to time reviews alongside real estate authorities

like CREDAI in order to resume the work. We are also trying to provide relief to both builders and buyers. Observer Dawn: You are a much sought after man in the administrative outlooks, but you’re also a writer. Our readers are keen to know about this passion of yours. Would you like to tell them about it? Balvinder Kumar: I’ve always been interested in writing. I’ve written 4 books so far. My books are mostly based on Spirituality, Philosophy, and Science. I’m also working on my 5th book currently. I also have an additional soft corner for paintings. I also have been practicing meditation regularly since last 20 years. Observer Dawn: You’ve so many work related responsibilities, how do you manage to find out time for your personal interests? Also, how can we maintain a balance between spiritual and physical life? Balvinder Kumar: It’s all about Time management I feel. We waste our time in small bits in our lives and we fail to prioritize the time. Hence, it is very important to allocate the time in right way to right things. Mental Stress is a very significant problem that is being seen in the younger generation. From a world perspective, India as a country has people who have a lot of stress in their lives. For this reason, it is very important to keep our minds relaxed by doing mental exercises along with physical exercises. Observer Dawn: Our readers would be delighted to know this. Would you like to tell something else to them? Balvinder Kumar: On behalf of RERA, I would request the buyers to approach RERA for any property related problems. Additionally, the new buyers should visit the UP RERA Portal and verify the details before buying a new property.

One of the key changes implemented by RERA is the imposition of escrow. It stipulates all real estate builders to transfer 70 per cent of the money received from customers to an escrow account maintained with a scheduled commercial bank

Hariom Tyagi, Group Editor Observer Dawn is sitting with Balvinder Kumar (I.A.S.), Member of the Uttar Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority while taking interview

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DAWN

interview

Felix is actually a Latin word which means luck, success and prosperity Hariom Tyagi, the Group Editor of Observer Dawn, interviewed Dr. D. K. Gupta, Chairman and Managing Director of Felix Hospital. Here are the excerpts of the conversation.

Observer Dawn: What is the reason for naming your Hospital Felix? Dr. D. K. Gupta: Felix is actually a Latin word which means luck, success and prosperity. Much like its name, Felix Hospital has brought all of these things to us. It is one of the fastest growing hospitals in Delhi NCR. Observer Dawn: You’ve mentioned your wife; Dr. Rashmi has been a constant support to you. How did you meet her? Dr. D. K. Gupta: We both knew each other since we used to take coaching for PMTs. Rashmi cracked the exam earlier and went to Agra. We used to meet often and decided to spend our lives with each

Dr. D. K. Gupta: We focus on patient experience, quality of care, affordability and safety. This is our USP and what differentiates us from other hospitals. Observer Dawn: What challenges are faced while developing a hospital? If someone is planning to start with their hospital unit in Noida, what are the risk factors? Dr. D. K. Gupta: The challenges include land development, statutory compliances, accreditation and empanelment. All of these processes take a lot of time. Maintaining Quality is also a very big challenge. If someone is willing to start their hospital unit in Noida, I must tell you, it’s a very risky step at the time. You should do studies and risk assessments like technoeconomical viability, SWOT analysis, etc. to understand the risk factor. If we talk about the future of healthcare industry in India, it is going in a fruitful direction.

Observer Dawn: Our readers would love to hear about your journey. What would you like to tell them? Dr. D. K. Gupta: I was born in a small village of Shahjahanpur District. My father died in 1988 after which I shifted to Noida. My struggle started in Noida. I did my schooling from small schools where I was always academically ahead. I had literally no money to spare on my education, due to which I had taken up odd parttime jobs like selling popcorn, working at parking spots, working in factories, to name a few. It was a struggling time, but at the back of my mind I always had this passion to do something great. I cracked CPMT exam after 12th standard, but due to some malpractices, I did not secure a seat, after which I decided to approach the higher regulatory authorities in this regard. After continuous struggle of a year, I finally got a seat in Meerut. I completed my MBBS, followed by MD in Child Specialization as a Gold Medalist. I’ve worked for 7-8 years with MCD in Delhi Government. After this, I started off with my own nursing home alongside my wife. But just within three months, the Supreme Court announced that the nursing homes running in residential areas should be closed and after a long battle thereafter, we finally started off Felix Hospital in the year 2015.

Observer Dawn: How do you differentiate yourselves from other Hospitals and medical centers?

Observer Dawn: What is your view on medical tourism and what is its current situation in the country?

Scan QR Code to Watch Interview other, but we did not have sufficient money in order to have a wedding. We worked for years together and finally married each other in the year 2007. We also have a four year old son named Prakhar. Observer Dawn: Your profession is one of the most demanding and hectic one. How do you manage to take out time for your personal life? Dr. D. K. Gupta: You’re right. Being a Doctor isn’t easy. It’s all about inconsistent working hours and selfless working. The balance in our lives is mostly due to family members who understand and support our decisions. Observer Dawn: Noida already has many key players with regard to medical services and yours is a new one. What challenges do you face in this regard? Dr. D. K. Gupta: This surely hasn’t been easy for us. There are already existing key players. We have worked a lot on our marketing strategies, Quality of care, Patient experience, etc. which has made us one of the fastest growing hospitals in the country.

DAWN March 2021

Dr. D. K. Gupta: Globally, medical tourism industry is estimated to be of around 50 billion dollars. In India, about 8 billion dollars have been spent for this purpose. Still, India faces a lot of challenges. We are affordable when compared to other countries, but the quality of care continues to be a concern. Development of Medical tourism will also support other ancillaries like Hospitality and tourism sector. Observer Dawn: According to you, what has made your dreams turn into reality? What are the things that you strongly dislike? Dr. D. K. Gupta: I think commitment level plays an important role in success. Secondly, I believe it’s all about team spirit. Second line of team is highly important in realizing your dreams. And thirdly, Passion towards your dreams is vital. Also, you should always know why you’re doing what you’re doing. If I talk about my dislikes, I absolutely detest lies and procrastination Observer Dawn: Our readers would be delighted to know this. Would you like to tell something else to them? Dr. D. K. Gupta: Last year was a troublesome time for us, but you trusted the frontline warriors. I would appeal the readers to continue doing the same. I would also want you all to focus on preventive health during this time. As the saying goes, Health is Wealth.

Opinion

After Made in India, Concept of ‘AATMNIRBHAR BHARAT’ Turns Vibrant

one year in office, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has lavishly praised the untiring efforts of the karykartas during pandemic and exhorted them to continue to work towards the realization of the higher goals of the party.

By Dr Shiv Shakti Bakshi

While the scientists, researchers and experts have made India proud by producing ‘Made in India’ vaccines within such a limited time, it is highly unfortunate to note that there are a handful of people who are feeling uncomfortable with such a huge national achievements. These are the same set of people who even doubted India’s capabilities in manufacturing masks and sanitizers and are now silent when India has become an exporter of masks, sanitizers, PPE kits, medical equipments, medicines while equipping its health facilities with

Nation Steps-Up with Mantra of Self Reliant As India intensified its fight against Covid-19 pandemic by launching world’s largest vaccination programme, encouraging trend of lowering Covid-19 cases is further strengthening the united spirit of the nation. While even the most developed countries in the world had to face extremely challenging times, India under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded with alacrity restraining the pandemic impact to the minimum on almost every parameters. Today, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has rolled out world’s largest Covid-19 vaccination programme with two ‘Made in India vaccines’, it has raised hopes across the globe with many countries looking up to India with expectations. As the Prime Minister has repeatedly emphasised on the India’s mantra of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ and the belief of India in the ancient dictum of ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah’, the nation has come forward to help other countries in their fight against the pandemic.

service. It was under the inspiration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the guidance of BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda that crores of BJP karykartas committed to the mantra of ‘Seva Hi Sangathan’ reached out to crores of people and stood by their side in the time of dire need and distress.

Last one year was extremely trying for the entire world and India also had to face numerous challenges due to Covid-19 pandemic. While the entire nation under the strong and determined leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi remained united facing all the challenges, BJP as a political party became an example of dedication and commitment to be emulated across the globe. Amid such challenging times, BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda completed one year in his office taking the organization on the path of untiring

Whether it was the distribution of ration kits, distribution of masks and sanitizers, serving the old and Covid infected patients or enhancing the morale of Corona warriors by conducting campaigns in their support, BJP karykartas remained committed to serve the people and provided relief to the needy during pandemic. It was the dedicated service of the crores of BJP karyakartas which was blessed by the people across India in various elections held during this period. In a letter addressed to crores of BJP Karykartas on completion of

‘Made in India’ ventilators. They had never imagined that India can ever make vaccines too but it was the relentless efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who continuously reviewed the progress and supported the efforts of scientists, researchers and experts that India is today one of the proud manufacturer of Covid-19 vaccines. It is highly unfortunate to note that Congress leaders always tried to demoralize the nation during the pandemic by raising baseless questions and by attempting to create an atmosphere of panic and pessimism. BJP National President Jagat Prakash Nadda has completely exposed Rahul Gandhi by posing pointed questions which he failed to respond. In fact Congress and Rahul Gandhi have no answers, their falsehoods stand exposed and politics of dynasty and deceit has been defeated. India is marching ahead with the mantra of an ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’.

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In-Depth

ASTRAZENECA VACCINE NOW AUTHORIZED FOR ADULTS IN EU

he Coronavirus vaccine of AstraZeneca has now been authorized for the adults across the European Union. The Regulator’s authorization came into light amid rampant criticism that the bloc was not moving fast enough to vaccinate a large chunk of populations. A Committee of Experts from the European Medicines Agency unanimously recommended the vaccine to be used among the citizens of 18 years and above. However, concerns had been raised that not enough data exist to prove that it would work in older people. Meanwhile, few countries have also indicated that they might not give it to the elderly people. The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by the European Medicines Agency after ones by Pfizer and Moderna. The EMA’s decision requires final approval from the European Commission, a process that occurred swiftly with the other vaccines. Hours later, the EU gave its backing for the vaccine’s use throughout its 27 nations. In a tweeted, the EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said, “I expect the

DAWN March 2021

Meanwhile, few countries have also indicated that they might not give it to the elderly people. The shot is the third COVID-19 vaccine given the green light by the European Medicines Agency after ones by Pfizer and Moderna

company to deliver the 400 million doses as agreed. We will keep on doing all we can to secure vaccines for Europeans, our neighbors and partners worldwide”. With trials showing about 60 per cent efficacy, the vaccine appears to offer less protection than ones already authorized, but experts have said any vaccine with an efficacy rate of over 50 per cent could help stop outbreaks. The agency recommended the vaccine’s use by older people, despite limited data regarding its efficacy in people over 55, citing the immune responses seen and experience with other vaccines. “At least some protection is expected,” Bruno Sepodes, of the EMA’s expert committee, said Friday at a briefing. He acknowledged that “the exact level of protection cannot be estimated for the time being”. Many countries on the continent have been struggling to vaccinate people as quickly as Britain, Israel, the U.S. and elsewhere, and it was long hoped that the AstraZeneca shot would help speed things up at a time when countries face surging cases in a pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 400,000 people in the bloc. The EU bet

In-Depth

A separate study testing the AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.S. is still underway. As the EU has struggled to roll out the vaccine

to protect people that are going unused and more people will be at risk.” Tang described the EMA’s authorization Friday as “the best decision in the current situation, where the EU is in desperate need of a usable vaccine”. The agency assessed four trials in the U.K., Brazil and South Africa and said the research showed the vaccine proved to be about 60 per cent effective by reducing the number of people who got sick. The trials have not yet shown whether the vaccine can stop disease transmission.

heavily on the shot, which is cheaper and easier to handle than some other vaccines, with orders for 300 million doses to be delivered after authorization and options for another 100 million doses. The head of the EMA, Emer Cooke said, “None of them is a magic wand on its own, but together they provide tools and options to prevent different aspects of the disease”. The AstraZeneca vaccine has been authorized for use in all adults in other countries, even though only 12 per cent of the participants in its research were over 55 and they were enrolled later, so there hasn’t been enough time to get results. EMA’s decision authorizes AstraZeneca’s vaccine to be used across the bloc, but individual countries can still decide how and to whom they will give the doses they receive. Lithuania, for instance, will not use the vaccine in older people, the country’s deputy Health Minister Zivile Simonaityte said, according to the Baltic News Service. It was not clear, however, what age groups would be given the shot, but Simonaityte noted that trials in people 55 and over were not “comprehensive”. Germany may follow a similar path. The country’s independent vaccine advisory committee recommended Friday that the shot only be given to people under 65. The final decision rests with the government, but it is likely to follow this advice. Thomas Mertens, the head of the German advisory committee, said the general approval by EMA was “confusing” in light of the data provided by AstraZeneca but that he and his colleagues would gladly update their recommendation if further data comes in. Mertens stressed that the German experts

were mainly concerned about the clinical data provided by the company so far. “The AstraZeneca study was a little messier overall,” he said. Julian Tang, a virologist at the University of Leicester, said the German decision to restrict the vaccine’s use to younger people meant more older people would be vulnerable to COVID-19 and that some would die unnecessarily. “There is a tremendous cost to this”, he said. “It means you have an extra vaccine that could be used

Thomas Mertens, the head of the German advisory committee, said the general approval by EMA was “confusing” in light of the data provided by AstraZeneca but that he and his colleagues would gladly update their recommendation if further data comes in

A separate study testing the AstraZeneca vaccine in the U.S. is still underway. As the EU has struggled to roll out the vaccine, politicians have blamed supply problems, but other factors, like onerous paperwork and poor planning, have also played a role. The EU has particularly lashed out at AstraZeneca after the drugmaker said it would initially supply less vaccine than originally anticipated. Exacerbating concerns about supplies to the bloc, which is home to some 450 million people, Moderna told countries including Italy and Denmark the company would be delivering fewer vaccines than originally expected. Spahn, the German health minister, said he understood many were waiting impatiently for the vaccine, but cautioned that “several hard weeks of vaccine shortage still lie before us.” Two more vaccine makers also recently announced results, with Novavax saying this week that its shot appears 89 per cent effective based on early findings and Johnson & Johnson saying its long-awaited single-shot vaccine was 66 per cent effective at preventing moderate to severe illness. If those vaccines are eventually licensed, that could help alleviate the pressure on the world’s huge demand for the limited shots currently available. The authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine comes amid a bitter dispute between the drugmaker and the bloc after the company said it would sharply reduce initial deliveries from 80 million doses to 31 million. The EU also introduced tighter rules on exports of COVID-19 vaccines that could hit shipments to nations like the United Kingdom. The AstraZeneca vaccine has already been authorized in more than 40 countries, including Britain, India, Argentina and Mexico. The World Health Organization is also reviewing it; a recommendation from the U.N. health agency would allow its purchase and distribution to developing countries from a global program known as COVAX.

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In-Depth

RECENT COUP IN MYANMAR AGAIN DETERS MYANMAR – CHINA RELATIONS

yanmar’s relations with China were already complicated by Chinese even before the recent coup in the country on February 1, 2021. It all had happened due to Chinese investment in Myanmar, especially in the infrastructure and the military campaigns along their shared border. The coup deposed national leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, a little over a year after Chinese, President Xi Jinping, made a show of support to her with the first visit by a head of state from Beijing to Myanmar since 2001 and 33 agreements on a wide range of issues. The military's commander in chief, Min Aung Hliang, has taken charge of the new government under a one-year state of emergency. Even if China played no role at all in ousting Suu Kyi, Beijing is likely to gain still greater sway over the country, analysts say. That’s especially likely if the U.S. and other Western governments impose sanctions to try to punish the regime. At a briefing on the situation at the United Nations Security Council, the U.N. envoy for Myanmar condemned the coup and urged the council to support democracy in the country. But it was unclear if the council would issue a statement calling for restoration of democracy and release of all those detained by the military because the U.N. missions of China and Russia said they had to send it to their capitals for review. Beijing's initial reaction to the coup was measured. Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China was studying the situation, describing Myanmar as a “friendly neighbor.” He urged Myanmar to properly handle the situation according to its laws and constitution and “maintain political and social stability”. China has invested billions of dollars in Myanmar mines, oil and gas pipelines and other infrastructure and is its biggest trading partner. But while China’s ruling

Communist Party tends to favor fellow authoritarian regimes, it has had a fractious history with Myanmar’s military, sometimes related to its campaigns against ethnic Chinese minority groups and the drug trade along their long, mountainous border. It was partly a backlash against China's growing dominance of Myanmar's economy a decade ago that led the previous junta to shift toward democratic reforms and the civilian

DAWN March 2021

government that enabled Suu Kyi to join Parliament and become the nation's de facto leader, even as the military retained ultimate power. Suu Kyi has shifted closer to Beijing in the past few years as she defended the military against condemnation of atrocities against Myanmar's Rohingya minority. That may have deepened military leaders' distrust, especially after their party suffered a resounding loss in recent elections. “It

In-Depth

“China has strategic, vested interests in keeping Myanmar as stable as they possibly can”, said Chris Ankerson, a professor at the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs. It works to China's advantage to be seen as someone who has to be consulted

met with Suu Kyi and also military officials in the capital, Naypyitaw. The visit was seen in part as an endorsement of the victory of Suu Kyi's party in the November election and partly as a signal Beijing would like to see faster progress on projects agreed to a year earlier. Some have speculated that Beijing might have given a covert nod to the generals. But while the coup may lead Myanmar's leaders to lean more heavily on support from China, supplier of most of their weapons and one of the country's biggest sources of foreign investment, researcher Zhao Gancheng at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, says it was an unwelcome disruption. “As a neighboring country, I can’t see anything good for China, given that all of China’s investments and infrastructure construction need a stable environment,” Zhao said. “China is concerned about this development”, he said.

was always a risk that the military would step in to try and shore up their power”, Champa Patel, director of the Asia-Pacific Program at Chatham House in London said in an emailed statement. “Their insecurity has deepened as (Suu Kyi) consolidated her power within the country and deepened ties with countries such as China”. The coup came just three weeks after a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who

Regardless of what internal politics, antagonisms and personal ambitions might have driven Min Aung Hliang and other military leaders to seize power, China is bound to continue to expand its influence in Myanmar given the huge projects already under construction and the depth of Chinese involvement in businesses ranging from casinos, factories and property development to pipelines and ports. During the last week of January this year, the Chinese consortium leading a deepwater port project in Kyaukphyu, on the northwestern coast, began seeking bids for environmental assessments of the project. An anchor of Beijing's “Belt and Road Initiative” to build infrastructure

across much of Asia linking its economy to the rest of the world, it will give China coveted overland access to the Bay of Bengal. China has massive commitments to projects in mining, hydropower and other construction, part of the USD21.5 billion it has pledged in investment in Myanmar. Suu Kyi's government had been slowly moving ahead on such projects, some of which face strong local opposition. “China has strategic, vested interests in keeping Myanmar as stable as they possibly can”, said Chris Ankerson, a professor at the NYU School of Professional Studies Center for Global Affairs. It works to China's advantage to be seen as someone who has to be consulted. After nearly a decade of reforms and gradual opening of Myanmar’s long-isolated economy, U.S. and other Western businesses have made only tentative investments, usually with local or other Asian partners. Western governments that already have imposed sanctions against Min Aung Hliang and other top military leaders and businesses over human rights abuses therefore have relatively scant leverage in persuading Myanmar’s leaders to restore civilian rule. The military may have decided, ultimately, that the cost of defying Western public opinion by staging a coup was outweighed by its own domestic considerations — namely a determination to push Suu Kyi aside, Ankerson said. In the past, the military has at times sought to counter growing Chinese influence over the economy, showing “a more independent streak that sought to balance against Chinese influence,” said Patel of Chatham House. But the generals control big chunks of Myanmar’s economy and will likely maneuver to maximize what they can gain through dealings with their Chinese partners. Min Aung Hliang is a major investor in Myanma Economic Holdings PLC, a conglomerate set up by the military in 1990 that has major joint projects with Chinese corporations, including the Letpadaung copper mine. “China will have greater leverage to pull Myanmar further into the orbit of its own plans for economic development”, said John G. Dale, a professor at George Mason University in Virginia. And Japan, Singapore and other countries that are more heavily invested in Myanmar are likely to balk at harsh measures against the newly established military regime, say Gregory B. Poling and Simon Tran Hudes of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “And the largest foreign player in Myanmar’s economy, China, will be all too happy to recalibrate its engagement to recognize the new facts on the ground. That will likely soften the blow of any U.S. sanctions, which Min Aung Hlaing has doubtless already anticipated and dismissed”, they said in a report.

march 2021

(Courtesy: AP)

DAWN

In-Depth

SCARED OF CHINESE AGGRESSION, THOUSANDS HONG KONGERS FLEE UK

housands of citizens have already made somewhat painful decision to leave behind their hometown, Hong Kong, and move to Britain. It all happened since Beijing imposed a strict national security law on the Chinese territory last summer. Their numbers are expected to swell to the hundreds of thousands. Sections of them are leaving because they fear punishment for supporting the prodemocracy protests that swept the former British colony in 2019. Others say China’s encroachment on their way of life and civil liberties has become unbearable, and they want to seek a better future for their children abroad. Most say they don’t plan to ever go back. The moves are expected to accelerate now that 5 million Hong Kongers are eligible to apply for visas to Britain, allowing them to live, work and study there and eventually apply to become British citizens. Applications for the British National Overseas visa officially opened Sunday, though many have already arrived on British soil to get a head start. Britain’s government said some 7,000 people with British National Overseas passports — a travel document that Hong Kongers could apply for before the city was handed over to Chinese control in 1997 — have arrived since July on the previously

allowed six month visa. It estimates that over 300,000 people will take up the offer of extended residency rights in the next five years. Andrew Lo, the founder of Anlex Immigration Consultants in Hong Kong said, “Before the announcement of the BN(O) visa in July, we didn’t have many enquiries about U.K. immigration, maybe less than 10 a month”, he added that they received about 10 to 15 calls a day asking about the same. Mike, a photojournalist, said he plans to apply for the visa and move to Leeds with his wife and young daughter in April. His motivation to leave Hong Kong came after the city’s political situation deteriorated following the anti-government protests and he realized that the city’s police force was not politically neutral. The police have been criticized by pro-democracy supporters for brutality and the use of excessive violence. Mike said moving to Britain was important as he believed the education system in Hong Kong will be affected by the political situation and it will be better for his daughter to study in the U.K. Lo said that with the new visa, the barrier to entry to move to the U.K. becomes extremely low, with no language or education qualification requirements. British National Overseas passport holders need to prove that they have enough money to support

DAWN March 2021

themselves for six months and prove that they are clear of tuberculosis, according to the U.K. government. Currently, Lo assists three to four families a week in their move to the U.K. About 60 per cent of those are families with young children, while the remaining are young couples or young professionals. Cindy, a Hong Kong businesswoman and the mother of two young children, arrived in London last week. In Hong Kong she had a comfortable lifestyle. She owned several properties with her husband and the business she ran was going well. But she made up her mind to leave it all behind as she felt that the city’s freedoms and liberties were eroding and she wanted to ensure a good future for her kids. Cindy, who spoke on the condition she only be identified by her first name out of concern of official retaliation, said it was important to move quickly as she feared Beijing would soon move to halt the exodus. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson said this week the visa offer shows Britain is honoring its “profound ties of history” with Hong Kong, which was handed over to China on the understanding that it would retain its Western-style freedoms and much of its political autonomy not seen on mainland China. Beijing said Friday it will no longer recognize the British National Overseas passport as a travel document or form of identification, and criticized Britain’s citizenship offer as a move that “seriously infringed” on China’s sovereignty. Beijing drastically hardened its stance on Hong Kong after the 2019 protests turned violent and plunged the city into a months-long crisis. Since the security law’s enactment, dozens of pro-democracy activists have been arrested, and the movement’s young leaders have either been jailed or fled abroad.

In-Depth

EU FP PROPOSES NEW SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA

n wake of the jailing of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the European Union (EU), Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, has said that the 27-nation bloc must take a firm stance in its future relations with Russia including through the use of new sanctions. The FP Chief also said that he would table proposals for such action, when he will chair the next meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers. The EU countries are divided in their approach to Russia and no member state has yet tabled a demand for such measures. While talking to the EU lawmaker, Borrell said, “It will be for the member states to decide the next step, but yes, this could include sanctions. And I will put forward concrete proposals, using the right of initiative the high representative has”. He added that containment efforts should include combining robust actions against disinformation, cyber attacks and other possible hybrid challenges. Navalny, President Vladimir Putin’s most high-profile political foe, was arrested in January when he returned to Moscow after spending months in Germany recovering from a poisoning in Russia with what experts say was the Soviet-era nerve agent Novichok. The EU has imposed sanctions on those responsible for his poisoning, but Navalny has urged the Europeans to slap travel bans and asset freezes on several Russian oligarchs close to Putin. Borrell didn’t elaborate on the details of his proposal.

While talking to the EU lawmaker, Borrell said, “It will be for the member states to decide the next step, but yes, this could include sanctions. And I will put forward concrete proposals, using the right of initiative the high representative has”

Germany, Poland and Sweden each declared a Russian diplomat in their country “persona non grata,” retaliating in kind decision by Moscow to expel diplomats from the three EU countries, accusing them of attending a rally in support of Navalny. Moscow’s decision was as an extra slap in the face for the Europeans because it came as Borrell — the EU’s top diplomat — was meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Borrell said he learned about the expulsions on social media. Several lawmakers criticized the former Spanish foreign minister for the timing of his visit, and for not doing enough to rebut Lavrov at a media conference that some described as an “ambush”. The German conservative parliamentarian Michael Gahler said. “The behavior of Foreign Minister, Lavrov was unfriendly, uncooperative and unacceptable”. But was it not to be expected that Lavrov would produce an attack on the EU?, he questioned. The trip wasn’t just about Navalny. Russia is a major trading partner and the EU depends on the country for natural gas. It’s also a key player in talks on curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions and has a central role in conflicts that impact on European interests, like those in Syria and Ukraine. But EU countries are deeply divided over their approach to Moscow. European heavyweight Germany has strong economic interests there, notably the Nord Stream 2 undersea pipeline project, and a number of countries are reluctant to wade into any sanctions battle over Navalny. Borrell said one aim of his visit was “to test if the Russian authorities are interested in a serious attempt to reverse the deterioration of our relations.” But, he said, “the answer has been clear. No, they are not. They are not if we continue to put the political situation and human rights issues in the package”. Russia has been trying to divide us. They seek to divide us, he warned. This seemed to be a clear objective during my visit. We should not fall into these traps.

march 2021

DAWN

Digital Tips

THE GREAT BLACK HOLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA:

IS IT OVERSATURATED

ALREADY

ocial media is a huge part of our daily lives and most people rely on it for news and other information. However, currently there is a lot of noise and oversaturation with meaningless memes and posts. We all know who the big social media players are. However, every year new platforms emerge and predictions are made if they will change the social media landscape. How will we know if Facebook will grow or start to decline? Will Twitter disappear or be replaced? Will Reels become the next big thing?

Read that definition again and consider the digital market.

Over the last two years we have seen a substantial shift. Big social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook are becoming overly saturated with content. This opens up space for new social media platforms to emerge and challenge the status quo. Whilst some come and go, others like TikTok and Reels have exceeded all expectations.

Niche or No Niche

But with great promise, questions arise: are they here to stay?

Have we crossed the saturation point? Saturation is defined as “the state or process that occurs when no more of something can be absorbed, combined with, or added.”

The digital realm is enormous, filled with roughly two billion websites. As this dominion continues to grow, the Internetviewing audience has plateaued. Billions of people are browsing the Internet daily, and these people do not have the inclination or time to view more digital content. So, how do you stand out in an over-saturated arena where the viewers don’t have the mental capacity to take in your advertisements? In order for a new social media platform to succeed two things must happen. First, the purpose of the platform must be established and second, the platform needs to target a specific community. Let’s look at a channel such as LinkedIn where the objective is very clear – connecting professionals in order to build a network within or across different industries. LinkedIn combines the best bits of a social media app and applies them to the business world. In fact, it has never been easier to connect professionals. Users can follow companies that inspire them and reach out to them directly. This type of contact is something that no

DAWN March 2021

other recruitment company can provide, especially on a global scale. We think that the success of LinkedIn can be attributed to its originality, clear purpose and ability to evolve based on its community’s needs. Unlike various ‘mainstream’ social media platforms, LinkedIn has created a ‘niche community’. Although platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have become a staple for brand marketing and advertising, it has become even more difficult to target your audience on these platforms due to them being so competitive. How can brands get around this saturation? If they focus on smaller, niche platforms, perhaps this is a way to generate more success. Over-saturation on social media platforms has become very apparent in the last two years; if you want to be seen on Instagram, you will most likely have to have paid media behind your brand or campaign. The algorithms of platforms change daily, so it is almost impossible to post something and have it reach your target audience organically. However, within the current world of social media marketing, targeting your community and gaining interaction organically has never

Digital Tips

allow influencers to cultivate relationships with followers. This is perhaps why micro-influencers often have better engagement when it comes to product recommendations, as they often have better relationships with their followers than those influencers who have hundreds of thousands of followers.

And Now for the Solution Because of the constant bombardment of digital and traditional ads, consumers are becoming numb to the advertisements and declining in responsiveness. This phenomenon is known as digital fatigue.

Use your social media platform to establish your brand ethos and values. Make clear who you are and what you stand for

However, you have to question whether influencers take things a little bit too far and whether they are actually influential in the first place. It’s all well and good working with a brand that you believe in and want to recommend to followers, but the influencer world now seems to be more about freebies than authentic recommendations. On top of this, there are far too many people proclaiming to be influencers and giving the rest of the industry a bad name through unfair demands. While the influencer arena used to be a bit more straightforward, the rules now seem to be a bit murkier, so is the juice really worth the squeeze when it comes to influencer marketing or is it time to go in a different direction?

been more important for businesses. It’s the concept that it is more valuable to have one hundred loyal customers than one thousand scrollers, essentially strangers to your business. Currently, features offered by platforms are starting to overlap, so that it is becoming almost impossible to tell what makes each one unique. When we think about the original purpose of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter when they first emerged, their objectives were clear cut; but now what they are used for and what they can do is arguably very different from that original purpose.

The Influencer Marketing Culture You can’t scroll through Instagram nowadays without seeing a perfectly posed photo posted by an “influencer” either selling something or themselves. This hugely popular form of marketing has really taken off, creating a new breed of celebrity and opening up now opportunities for marketers.

It seems that people are completely over the perfect poses, the far-too-pretty avocado toast and the life moments that look as though they’re part of a magazine shoot. What the influencer world seems to need now is authentic, real and maybe even slightly messy posts that show followers that they are real people. With people now putting more stores in online reviews and friend and family endorsements, creating posts that feel authentic is more likely to see results and

Once your ads are on a digital platform, you need to track how well they are performing

How can you combat both digital saturation and digital fatigue to ensure your messages are not only seen but responded to? Here are three helpful tips: When you have a marketing strategy that implements the same message over multiple channels, you are strengthening your brand and becoming a leader in your industry. A well-thought-out and robust strategy that is only on one platform causes your company to lose potential customers who are on other channels. In turn, a weak and inconsistent marketing strategy that’s implemented on several platforms will confuse the viewers and cause them to doubt your brand. Create a consistent, multi-channel marketing strategy and your company will have a better chance at success. Use your social media platform to establish your brand ethos and values. Make clear who you are and what you stand for. It is this latter part which is of most importance. Any brand can sit on the fence, but it won’t get you noticed — establish the values upon which you hang your hat, and your audience will sit up and take notice. In a technological world filled with billions of digital advertisements, don’t underestimate the power of traditional advertisements. Traditional advertisements still have the power to grip the viewer’s attention and ignite his curiosity. Consider reaching your audience via traditional advertisements such as billboards, flyers, mailers, and newspapers. Once your ads are on a digital platform, you need to track how well they are performing. First, determine what activity is considered a success for your company. Activities such as visitors sharing their contact information, purchasing your products, and claiming special offers show that your customers are responding to your ads! However, metrics that show a high bounce rate, minimal purchases, and unopened emails tell you that your approach needs to change.

march 2021

DAWN

Business Tips

EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION-

HOW TO ATTRACT NEW TALENT By Issac Thomas

s the CEO of an organization, or someone who leads the HR department, Have you ever asked this question to yourself, “Why should someone join your company”? Imagine you are taking an interview with a developer; he tells you he has a job offer from Google as well. Why would he join you when he can get a better salary, and prestige working in Google? If you answer by saying, he will work with the smartest people in the business, or he would be solving the world’s most challenging problems, you are simply making claims that every other company does. You need to tell what is unique about you and why should job seekers prefer you? The answer lies in your Employee Value Proposition. You need to explain to the interviewee why your company is an ideal fit for them. If you cannot do that, your organization isn’t suited for them.

Having a compelling EVP has three significant benefits• It helps you hire fresh talent • It helps you retain talent • It helps you manage your recruitment costs

Let’s discuss the benefits in detail#1. Hiring Fresh Talent- Having a welldefined EVP helps you convey the right expectations to your job prospects. Be it in terms of the work they would be doing, the quality of projects, and what they can expect from the company in terms of both financial and non-financial aspects. #2. Retaining Talent- Retaining talent is one of the major aspects of human resource management. The simple reason being the amount of time and resources you have spent on them! Losing such employees means you are not only losing them

What exactly is an Employee Value Proposition? Employee Value Proposition is a collective experience you offer to your employees both in monetary and non-monetary terms. It is the value you provide in terms of recognition, perks, and support to your employees that they work to their fullest potential. A strong, well-defined EVP strengthens the employer brand, inculcates employee engagement, and helps you get the best from your employees.

Why do organizations need EVP? Today, there is a chasm between companies and job seekers. Recruitment and retaining employees today are one of the biggest challenges of an organization. In a recent survey taken by Indeed, 59 per cent of job seekers listed career growth as their topmost priority, followed by stability and salary (49 per cent), benefits, perks and flexibility (46 per cent), company leadership and management (44 per cent). How do you balance all these attributes and convey an offering to your prospective employees? By drafting an EVP that defines your offerings clearly!

Employee Value Proposition is a collective experience you offer to your employees both in monetary and non-monetary terms. It is the value you provide in terms of recognition, perks, and support to your employees that they work to their fullest potential

DAWN March 2021

but also everything you invested in them to date, be it time or money. Also, you will end up putting a lot of effort in getting suitable replacements. That is why retaining talent is as important as recruiting fresh talent and having a well-defined EVP helps you stay in sync with your employees. #3. Managing Recruitment Costs- With a compelling employee value proposition, it will become easier for you to attract fresh

Business Tips

Make a list of all their skills, characteristics, and traits. Also, think about the kind of behavior that would be an ideal fit in your company culture. 2. Understand your offering- What you offer is the foundation of your EVP. Know what you are offering in and out. Check all the five components of EVP and know what you are precisely offering in each one of them. Also, take feedbacks from your employees and ask them if they are satisfied with their value proposition.

talent. It results in you spending less on job postings and recruitment agencies. Also, it helps you retain talent, helping you save on recruitment, and training new candidates. Now, that you have understood the benefits of having an EVP. Let us know what the five components of an EVP are. The major components of an EVP- Today employees aren’t just working for salaries but for an overall experience that contributes to their professional growth. While drafting an EVP, keep these five major components in mind: Career Growth- This component covers essential factors that contribute to the career growth of an employee and it includes opportunities for training, certifications, consultations, feedbacks, and personality evaluation. Salary and other Compensations- It includes the wages of an employee along with other financial perks like bonuses, stocks, and provident funds. Non-Financial Benefits- This component of EVP covers a wide range of non-monetary benefits like paid-time offs, insurance, sponsored holidays, and off-sites. Work Environment- This component covers crucial factors contributing to the inculcation of a positive work environment. Based on the role of an employee and responsibilities assigned to them, drafting a work-life balance and giving priority to personal achievements and recognitions. Company Culture- This component includes factors that contribute to building a great company culture. It consists of having positive relationships with your colleagues,

seniors, and management. It also highlights positive attributes like trust, collaboration, team spirit, and support. Using these five components, build a great employee value proposition that takes care of all these factors using these four steps: 1. Define your ideal candidate- Visualize the ideal candidate that you want to hire.

An employee value proposition is a part of employer branding, and employer branding is the way you build your perception as your employer. If EVP is the promise you make to your employees as an employer, employer branding is the way to channelize it among job seekers

3. Do Employee Surveys- Use employee surveys to get raw feedback from current employees and new joiners. Include past employees as well and ask questions like why they like working here? What motivates them to work every day? What do they wish to change in the organization? These questions will help you understand your employees better and what you can do to improve their work experience. 4. Define every EVP component- Define every EVP component with the ideal candidate in mind. Keep in mind their salary expectations, career growth, work environment, and the kind of work culture they want. 5. Customize your EVP- Use this step when you want to recruit someone for a job role from a specific demographic. Attracting the right talent sometimes requires segmentation and a personalized EVP. There is a famous quote in content marketing: “It’s not the best content that wins. It’s the best-promoted content that wins.” Here your employee value proposition is the content, no matter how good it is, it won’t help if it doesn’t reach its target audience. You need to promote it to get the desired response.It is where employer branding comes in.

How to promote EVP through employer branding? An employee value proposition is a part of employer branding, and employer branding is the way you build your perception as your employer. If EVP is the promise you make to your employees as an employer, employer branding is the way to channelize it among job seekers. Showcase your EVP across different channels and social media platforms. Make it an integral part of your work culture. Make different types of content, from longform blog posts and eBooks to witty oneliners and engaging image posts, embed your EVP in them. Let your content convey your promise as an employer to your employees and job seekers. (The writer is a Content Marketer, Storyteller and Perceived as a Best-Selling Author)

march 2021

DAWN

health

DAWN March 2021

DEPRESSION and CREATIVITY IS THERE A LINK?

health

To find out, we turn to the science of the mind and the theory of human evolution

an, today was not a good day, I am feeling very depressed" is a sentence that many people use in their day to day conversations. Now, to call yourself 'depressed' on this matter which is not really depression, definitely shows how less of awareness there is about depression and other mental health issues.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 26 crore people of different ages all over the world are suffering from depression. However, many psychologists believe that this number may be much higher because many people do not realize that they are in depression.

Sadness, Depression and Anxiety When some bad news arrives, or some work goes wrong, and we say that we are having a depressed phase, more often than not it is sadness, and not really depression. According to the World Health Organization, depression is a common mental illness. Depression is usually different from mood fluctuations and short-term emotional reactions. The symptoms are being constantly unhappy and not interested in things as before. According to the WCH, anxiety disorder is a mental illness characterized by fear and anxiety. There are many types of this. Many people with depression also have symptoms of anxiety. Some people are nervous about many things, they have no control over anything, it is a mental state when you feel 'helpless', and it is called anxiety. But when you become 'Hopeless' that is, if you lose hope from your future, then this state is called depression. It is not necessary that the person, who is having anxiety, is also in depression or the victim of depression has complaint of anxiety. But anxiety can lead to depression and depression can also cause anxiety.

Depression and Creativity In order to divert their attention, the victims of depression are asked to pay attention to the work that they like. Many people pursue music, painting or other types of creative work during this period. Smita Deshpande, Doctor of Psychology Department at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi, says, "We advise people to do what easily comes to them. We want them to be active; during this time many people write blogs as well. There are many other types of creative work. Our aim is not to see the quality

march 2021

DAWN

health

Creatives naturally tend to think more, and think about their very thoughts too. This rumination to depression process is evident not only in creatives, of course, but everyone.

of that work, but many people do a great job during this time. Those who are creative can create a new kind of art during depression. Yes, it can be good, it can be bad. It is good to keep them active."

Is There Really a Link Between the Two?

positive thoughts helps to drive even more motivation to do more creative work. The upswing of coming out of a creative slump is enough motivation to produce immense amounts of work. And it’s a very real boost, identical to one you would get if you received a random gift or really great news.

To find out, we turn to the science of the mind and the theory of human evolution. From a macro perspective, depression usually leads to a lack of motivation (often motivation to eat, exercise, or do much of anything) and can lead to thoughts of suicide. There is a link between creativity and depression, but it’s not what most people think it is. A myriad of psychologists and psychiatrists tend to agree that major depression is amplified in those who tend to ruminate on their thoughts. Rumination is one of the major keys of thinking like a creative genius. To be creative is to make sense of and connect the small details of everything we experience, the good and the bad. Creatives naturally tend to think more, and think about their very thoughts too. This rumination to depression process is evident not only in creatives, of course, but everyone. Creativity is all about thinking, so it only makes sense that all of that thinking would lead to manic episodes of feeling hopeless, alone, or like a failure. Maybe you’ve felt those emotions a lot yourself. Once whatever initially caused the depressed feelings to rise up have been sorted through in the mind, the shift into more

DAWN March 2021

According to Dr. Pooja Shivam, we should not see creativity in physical form only. She says, "Achievement is not just what is in the eyes of society, it is a big achievement when you break the boundaries made in your mind and you understand that this is also a possibility for me. This is where the change starts." "I have two cases in which those people started doing things that they didn't do before, started meeting different people, they started to see life in a different way." The effect of this was that they started doing good work at professional, social and personal levels. '' Art therapy also proves useful for many people. Art therapy is about creativity, for those who like art and enjoy doing some kind of art, you feel that you have done something good. Not only in depression, this therapy is also very good for various types of mental illnesses. It can work on people of all ages. It is a supportive therapy that helps people get out of their current mental state. '' Having said this, there is no hard and fast rule that this method will prove to be effective on everyone. Every person's mind is different, it helps some people and some do not. And it is not just the treatment to focus on any creative work, support of family and friends, yoga, physical activity and other therapy given by doctors are also very important. The most important thing is to have an open dialogue on mental health in the society.

Career

9 THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE CAREER BUILDING

aking a career in today’s fast- paced competition is not so easy. Now it is not enough to take a degree only in the preferred subject. Learning new things and reading books does not just end with school-college. Nowadays once you get a job, you still have to learn and study different things to stay in it. Although there are many ways to make a career, but it is not so easy to find a way to build a career in the desired field. To get a good career in today’s changing environment, one has to excel in many fields and continuously develop their abilities. Let’s know, 9 such important things, which will help you in building your career.

1. Strive for excellence In the current situation, successful career cannot be achieved merely by becoming a bookworm or by gaining a pile of degrees. Tap your talent by looking inside yourself in which areas you can develop your skills and win. Increase your skills by consulting the experts in the field which you find most appropriate.

2. Develop confidence Half the battle of life is fought with confidence. If confidence is developed with competence, then no one will be able to defeat you. Along with studying,

participate in activities that will boost your confidence. All this could be done in workshops and institutions with personality development.

3. Network more Remember, this era is completely dependent on information technology. The more information you have, the easier will be the road to career building. Quit complacency, meet more and more people, give them your information, and get their information. The longer the network of people you know, the closer the success will be to you because network plays a catalyst in success.

4. Follow along with the technology Even though the old is considered to be pleasant, the importance of new technology in today’s competition cannot be denied. The world around us is basically operating on smartphones and computers and gadgets, so this is a plus anyway.

5. Value your support system It is often seen that people forget family and friends in the quest of career building. Family comes in handy during troubles, so give enough time to your support system. Family conflict makes career struggles easier and you can get rid of stress and move forward on the path of career building.

6. Learn how to treat others Your struggle is your personal matter. Do not let this affect your dealings with others. One who learns to work together with everyone does not look back because working as teamwork is the key to management.

7. Don’t brag, be honest The lie doesn’t last long. Make an accurate assessment of yourself and present the real picture. Everyone appreciates loyal behavior. Your honesty towards your work can give you the highest position in career building. Do not forget, work is worship.

8. Do not become over-ambitious As good as ambition is in every human being, over- ambition is just as harmful. Do not expect any miracle overnight. All things are received on right time. Get experience first, and then aspire.

9. Be open to change Today, career creation has become like the consumer goods available in the market. In the competition market, only the person that has a tendency to mold over time can survive. Understand your value in the career market and try to make yourself available. Keep in mind ‘Change is the rule of the world’.

march 2021

DAWN

special story

GENDER EQUALITY BY 2030 A LONG WAY TO GO International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by common women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. By Shrishti S. Nagar

DAWN March 2021

special story

The

world has made unprecedented advances, but no country has achieved gender equality. The emerging global consensus is that despite some progress, real change has been agonizingly slow for the majority of women and girls in the world. Today, not a single country can claim to have achieved gender equality. Multiple obstacles remain unchanged in law and in culture. Women and girls continue to be undervalued; they work more and earn less and have fewer choices; and experience multiple forms of violence at home and in public spaces. Furthermore, there is a significant threat of rollback of hard-won feminist gains. The full and equal participation of women in all areas of society is a fundamental human right. Yet around the world, women and girls are considerably underrepresented - from politics and entertainment to the workplace. Here, we are trying to present you some scenarios that take a closer look at this gender-imbalanced landscape over time and reveal the slow pace of progress.

Politics The political representation of women in the world has doubled in the last 25 years. However, this represents only one woman in four people in parliaments, leaving more than three-quarters of seats held by men. Women are still considerably underrepresented in the highest political positions. In October 2019, there were only 10 women Heads of State and 13 women Heads of Government in 22 countries. In 1995, there were four Heads of State and eight Prime Ministers in 12 countries.

Work The full and equal participation of women in all areas of society is a fundamental human right. Yet around the world, women and girls are considerably underrepresented - from politics and entertainment to the workplace

In June 2019, the Fortune 500 list reached a milestone and recorded the highest number of female CEOs. While each new woman is a victory, the sum total paints a worrying picture: of the 500 people in CEO positions who lead the highest-earning companies, less than 7 per cent are women. If the labor force as a whole is analyzed, the gender gap in labor market participation among adults of full employment age (25 to 54 years) has stagnated in

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DAWN

special story the last 20 years. The better education women receive has done little to change occupational segregation, which is deeply entrenched in developed and developing countries. Women continue to perform a disproportionate share of unpaid care and domestic work. In developing countries, this includes arduous tasks such as collecting water, the responsibility of which falls on women and girls that live in 80 per cent of households without access to water.

Culture and science The Nobel Prize, which is awarded annually in recognition of intellectual and academic achievement, has been awarded to more than 900 people over the course of its history, from 1901 to 2019. Only 53 of those winners have been women: 19 in the categories of physics, chemistry and physiology or medicine. Marie Curie became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1903, when she and her husband were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics together. Eight years later, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry alone, making her the only woman in history to win this Prize twice. Although women have been part of different scientific discoveries throughout history, only 30 per cent of those who research in the world and 35 per cent of students in science, technology, are women.

Journalism Progress is practically halted when one considers equality between men and women in the media arena. According to a study on the characterization, participation and representation of women in the media, which spanned 20 years and 114 countries, only 24 per cent of the people who are heard, read or seen in the written press, television or radio are women. There is also a glass ceiling for female journalists in articles and reports in the written press and on television: as of 2015, only 37 per cent of stories were authored by women, and this figure has not changed in 10 years. Despite the promise of democratization of digital media, the low representation of women in traditional media is also reflected in digital media: women are only 26 per cent of people who write news and journalistic tweets on the Internet. Only 4 per cent of traditional and digital newspaper articles openly challenge gender stereotypes. Among other factors, stereotypes and the considerable under-representation of women in the media play a crucial role in the formation of harmful attitudes, disrespect and violence against women.

Women in entertainment Like other media, film and television have a significant influence on cultural perceptions and attitudes towards gender, and are essential in changing the narrative of the gender equality agenda. However, an analysis of famous films in 11 countries

revealed, for example, that 31 per cent of the characters with lines of dialogue were women and that only 23 per cent of the films had a female protagonist, a figure that is very similar to the percentage of female filmmakers (21 per cent).

Like other media, film and television have a significant influence on cultural perceptions and attitudes towards gender, and are essential in changing the narrative of the gender equality agenda

The serious underrepresentation of women in the film industry is also flagrant in the most critically acclaimed film awards: in the 92-year history of the Oscars, only five women have been nominated in the Best Director category; of the five, only one won the award (Kathryn Bigelow). Jane Campion, for her part, remains the only female film director to win the most important and prestigious award at the Cannes Film Festival, the Palme d’or, in its 72-year history. The only other women to receive this award (jointly) were actresses Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, along with the film’s director, Abdellatif Kechiche. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the message is worth a million.

Women in sport Sport can inspire change and break gender stereotypes, and that’s what women have been doing for decades: showing that they are just as capable, resilient and strong as men, not only physically but also strategically as leaders. Today, women are much more visible than ever in sport. For comparison, only 22 women (2.2 per cent) out of a total of 997 athletes competed in the modern-era Olympic Games for the

DAWN March 2021

first time in 1900. Despite progress, women are still excluded from certain sports in some parts of the world and are paid much less than men in salaries and monetary awards globally. UN Women is working to balance the situation of women and girls, for example through partnerships with the International Olympic Committee and with Marta Vieira da Silva, Goodwill Ambassador for UN Women and all-time top scorer at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Culinary Arts

Although women are assigned stereotypical roles in the home kitchen, the most prestigious positions in the restaurant industry are relatively foreign to female chefs. As detailed in the documentary- A Fine Line, women often have to overcome situations of active discrimination and circumvent a culture that not only glorifies masculinity, but also tacitly condones harassment. Women face very big challenges when entering the restaurant business: long, unpredictable and inflexible working hours, unfriendly family and care policies, and low wages. Rooted in patriarchal norms and traditions, the consequences are far-reaching and negatively impact the personal, economic and future well-being of women and girls, their families and the community at large. There is a sharp need to actively change the scenario in order to achieve gender equality by 2030.

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defence

ARMY CHIEF APPRECIATES MYANMAR MILITARY’S POSITIVITY TOWARDS INDIA

India had cultivated the Myanmar’s military between the mid 1990s to 2011-12 when the country held its first polls after 1988. The Biden 10 current and retired top-ranking leaders in Myanmar’s military following the coup

espite the facts that sections of international community are slamming Myanmar’s military for appropriating power in a coup, India’s Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane acknowledged the role played by the military junta in helping curb insurgency in India’s northeast. Drawing a direct link between economic growth and development on the one hand and security on the other, Naravane noted that there had been “encouraging improvement” in the internal security situation in India’s northeast. Mizoram, Tripura, Meghalaya and large parts of Assam were practically free from insurgency with level of violence significantly going down, he said at a seminar in New Delhi. “While relentless operations by the security forces and proactive government policies have laid the foundation, favorable external environment with Myanmar and Bangladesh has struck at the roots of the insurgent organizations”, Naravane said in a speech at a seminar jointly organized by the New Delhi United Services Institute think tank and the paramilitary Assam Rifles which oversees security in India’s northeast in conjunction with Indian army. The reference was to Bangladesh and Myanmar having friendly ties with India as a result of which both had cooperated with New Delhi in its efforts to stamp out insurgency in its northeast. Bangladesh had handed over arrested Indian insurgents while Myanmar had taken part in coordinated operations with India along their common borders. “A series of operations under Operation Sunrise with Myanmar Army has witnessed growing

DAWN March 2021

cooperation and synergy between the soldiers on ground with reasonable operational dividends”, Naravane said referring to coordinated military operations by India and Myanmar to flush out insurgents using Myanmar as a base for anti India operations. The comments by the Indian army chief underline the importance of Myanmar and the role played by their army in India’s security calculus. They coincide with thousands of pro-democracy protestors gathering in Myanmar to demand the reversal of the 1 February coup that removed Aung San Suu Kyi from power. India had cultivated the Myanmar’s military between the mid 1990s to 2011-12 when the country held its first polls after 1988. The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on 10 current and retired top-ranking leaders in Myanmar’s military following the coup. In a statement, the Treasury Department announced it was freezing US based assets belonging to the sanctioned individuals. US president Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken in phone calls to Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and Foreign Minister, S Jaishankar, discussed the military rule in Myanmar. “Recent developments in Myanmar were discussed during the telephone conversations between President Biden and Prime Minister Modi on 8 February and EAM and his US counterpart Secretary Blinken on 9 February,” Indian foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava added. “As regards our position on the developments, it has been clearly stated in our press statement of 1 February.

defence

We believe that the rule of law and the democratic process must be upheld. As immediate neighbors with close cultural and people-to-people ties as well as relations strengthened by exchanges in trade, economy, security and defense, we are closely monitoring developments in that country. We will remain engaged with all concerned on this issue,” he added. Jaishankar also discussed

the situation in Myanmar with Australian foreign minister Marise Payne. India has so far refrained by calling the toppling of the Suu Kyi government as a coup though it has expressed concern over the anti-democracy moves in that country. In his speech, Naravane said the improvement of the security situation had resulted in a “realigned counter insurgency strategy” in the northeast. Troops tied down by counter insurgency operations had been freed up and were assigned to the northern borders, he said. Describing India’s North-East as “the Centre of Gravity for sub-regional connectivity ” and consequently “a launch pad for Act East initiatives,” Naravane said the region was however seen as “a laggard in terms of growth and development. Making a case for speeding up development given the relatively better security environment, Naravane said there was a need to speed up local and regional connectivity projects. These were “central to unleashing the potential of the North East and balancing the influence of China,” he said. Internally too, infrastructure development “has been marred by numerous challenges.

Multiple agency involvement and varied source of funds coupled with environmental factors remain major stumbling block,” the Army chief said. He added, “There is a need for body to coordinate multi-agency efforts”

Multiple agency involvement and varied source of funds coupled with environmental factors remain major stumbling block,” the Army chief said. He added, “There is a need for an apex body to coordinate multi-agency efforts”. An “umbrella organization” christened the North East Integrated Security Council that had been proposed to galvanise the strategy, efforts and resources amongst all stakeholders has been proposed”.

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defence

DISENGAGEMENT AT PANGONG TSO SEEMS IN FAVOR OF INDIA

R The Indian presence on heights is clearly a change in status quo that would need to be wound down as part of any agreed withdrawal. It was being ensured that PLA troops are well east of Finger 8, sources said

ecent disengagement at Pangong Tso will work well for India as it means vacation of the most prickly part of Chinese intrusions along the Line of Actual Control that defied resolution during the long military stand off since May last year.

Top government sources said concerns that India was giving up hard-won tactical gains of control of the heights along the south bank of the lake were misplaced as the Chinese were now removing the considerable infrastructure, including a helipad, they had set up in the ‘Finger’ area. The Indian positions on the strategic heights on the south bank had nullified the Chinese positions and were key factors in the PLA agreeing to withdraw from the area. In the past, the Chinese side had called on Indian forces to wind down its presence before reciprocating while now the disengagement is graded and mutual. The Indian presence on heights is clearly a change in status quo that would need to be wound down as part of any agreed withdrawal. It was being ensured that PLA troops are well east of Finger 8, sources said. The decision not to have any patrolling in the Finger areas under discussion was being incorrectly read as ceding of Indian rights, the sources said. The measure was

DAWN March 2021

temporary and it was important to note that a future agreement would be concluded by military and foreign ministry officials to their satisfaction. It was pointed out that while Indian patrols did go till Finger 8, this had become more contentious with run-ins with Chinese troops since the Kargil war when PLA, taking advantage of India’s preoccupation with Pakistan’s aggression, fortified its positions by building a motorable road. The next round of military talks will see a discussion on Patrolling Point 17 and the Gogra-Hot Springs areas where the number of troops involved is less and where Indian soldiers have taken positions that will be seen as “intrusions” by the Chinese. A bigger discussion awaited on the Depsang Plains where Indian patrols are being obstructed.

defence

INDIAN NAVY TO COMMISSION THIRD INDIGENOUSLY-BUILT INS KARANJ IN MARCH

he 3rd indigenously-built ScorpeneClass Submarine Karanj will be commissioned into the Indian Navy tentatively on March 10 after she completes sea trials for almost two years since being launched at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (“MDL”) on January 31, 2018. The submarine is the third out of the six submarines that will add teeth to the Indian Navy. Initially, the submarine was supposed to be commissioned into the Indian Navy by mid of 2019 but got delayed. “After 10 years and five months, the submarine INS Karanj will be commissioned into the Navy”, Defense sources said. The pressure hull fabrication of the submarine began in October 2010. The pressure hull is the primary structural element of the submarine and is designed to be able to withstand the external hydrostatic pressure. It is designed for a particular collapse depth, at which complete failure is expected within a very narrow range. The collapse depth is calculated by multiplying the maximum operable depth (MOD) or service depth with a factor of safety. The hydrostatic pressure at this depth is considered as the design pressure for all the pressure hull calculations. A Defense

spokesperson said, “Submarine INS Karanj has completed rigorous sea and harbor tests and is fitted with all the armament”. The time taken for constructing the sub-sections of the third submarine was lesser than that has been taken in the previous two submarines— INS Kalvari and INS Khanderi. The INS Kalvari, the first Scorpene-class submarine was commissioned into the Indian Navy, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 14, 2017. INS Khanderi, the second Scorpene class submarine was launched at MDL in January 2017 and commissioned into the Navy on September 28, 2019. The fourth submarine INS Vela was launched on May 6, 2019, and has commenced her sea trials. While the fifth submarine INS Vagir was launched on November 12, 2020, and has commenced her harbour sea trials whilst the sixth submarine INS Vagsheer is presently in the advance stage of outfitting. According to the Defense sources, the Scorpene project would not have achieved the current progress without the unconditional support and active encouragement of the Department of Defence Production (MoD) throughout its various phases.

According to the Defense sources, the Scorpene project would not have achieved the current progress without the unconditional support and active encouragement of the Department of Defence Production (MoD) throughout its various phases.

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Int’l Biz

US, INDIA BEGINS NEW TALK ON F- 15EX

he F-15EX is the most advanced and latest version of the multirole, all-weather and day and night versions of the F-15 aircraft family. Recently, the United States and India have held discussions on F-15EX fighter jets and the two respective air forces have exchanged information about it, a top Boeing official has said after the aerospace major received approval from the American government to offer its latest multi-role combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The F-15EX is the latest and most advanced version of the multi-role, all-weather, and day and night versions of the F-15 aircraft family. “There have been discussions between the two governments and the two Air Forces have exchanged information about the F-15EX, Maria H Laine, vice president, Boeing International Sales and Industrial Partnerships said the media during a joint interview with Jeff Shockey, vice president, Global Sales and Marketing, Boeing Defense, Space & Security and Boeing Global Services. Laine said, “Since the US Government approved our license request to offer F-15EX to India, we are starting to have more discussions about the platform”. She also said that the US Air Force awarded Boeing an indefinitedelivery cum indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling value of nearly USD 23 billion in July 2020. “It certainly sends a powerful signal when the US government makes a commitment to a platform like this that they’re in it or the long haul and are showing faith and confidence in the capability and price point of the F-15EX piques interest in the US and around the world”, Shockey

told the media. In April 2019, the IAF issued an RFI (request for information) or initial tender to acquire 114 jets at a cost of around USD 18 billion, which is billed as one of the world’s biggest military procurements in recent years. The top contenders for the deal include Lockheed’s F-21, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon, Russian aircraft MiG 35 and Saab’s Gripen. While, replying to a question, Laine said the Block III Super Hornet for the Indian Navy is the newest, highly capable, affordable and available attack fighter on offer to India. She added, “We look forward to responding to the RFP (request for proposal) when it is released later this year”. Headed to India to attend the Aero India show in Bengaluru this week, she argued that F/A-18 Super Hornet recently demonstrated its compatibility with Indian Navy carriers by successfully concluding the ski-jump test program. An F/A-18 Super Hornet selection offers several advantages to India, she said. With the Super Hornet being the frontline fighter for the US Navy, cooperation between the two navies in naval aviation can unlock the potential of cooperation in naval aviation,

DAWN March 2021

with the sharing of best practices in modern naval aviation systems, carrier integration know-how, services and training and weapon systems, she added. “The F/A-18 can act as force multipliers for the Indian Navy as it can interface with assets such as P-8I. In addition, with both one-seat and two-seat variants, Super Hornet is capable of performing all missions from the carrier, including training, Laine said. The F/A-18 Super Hornet has the lowest operation and support cost of any tactical aircraft in the US, including singleengine fighters, she said. The US Navy operates more than 600 Super Hornets and Growlers. Multibillion dollars investment has gone in infusing new technologies in the aircraft by the US Navy and several international customers. It is believed that the current economic environment, customers can benefit from its affordable acquisition cost and cost of operations. The Super Hornet costs less per flight hour to operate than any other tactical aircraft in the US forces inventory, including single-engine fighters, because of its durability and ease of maintenance.

Int’l Biz

ITALY MARKET REOPENS AFTER WEEKS-LONG PRE-CHRISTMAS LOCKDOWN

i t h t h e Va t i c a n M u s e u m s welcoming a trickle of visitors to the Sistine Chapel and locals ordering their cappuccinos at outdoor tables for the first time after weeks closer, Italy cautiously reopened on February 1, 2021. The entire nation was pre-Christmas coronavirus closures. While many European countries remain in hard lockdowns amid surging COVID-19 infections and variants, five more Italian regions graduated to the coveted “yellow” category of risk. That meant museums and the Colosseum could reopen, sit-down restaurant and bar service could resume during the day and many high schoolers could return to class part-time. Finally, we can breathe again after this long period of staying at home”, a restaurant waiter, Elsafty Rashad, said as he set up tables outside La Nonna Betta restaurant in Rome’s Ghetto neighborhood. Without work, staying at home every day is too difficult for us young people who work, who have to pay rent and everything else. Italy is by no means out of the woods: The country is averaging around 12,000-15,000 new confirmed cases and 300-600 COVID-19 deaths each day. But it appears to have avoided the severe post-Christmas surges in Britain and elsewhere thanks to tightened restrictions over the holiday that kept ski slopes closed and prevented residents from traveling outside their regions for big family get-togethers.

Many travel restrictions remain in place, along with indoor and outdoor mask mandates, a 10 p.m. curfew, limits on public transport and other social-distancing norms aimed at preventing the health system from buckling under. Tuscany, for example, was declared “yellow” last week and its famed Uffizi Gallery reported that around 7,300 visitors had already passed through its doors. Museum director Eike Schmidt said he hoped the government would allow the museum to reopen on weekends too even though for now, visitors are almost exclusively locals since interregional travel is still restricted. In Rome, the “yellow” designation meant that the Vatican Museums welcomed visitors for the first time in 88 days — its longest closure ever. Museum director Barbara Jatta said staff took advantage of the weeks-long closure to rearrange some exhibit halls and do maintenance work that would otherwise be difficult to complete with the nearly 7

million visitors who normally flock to see Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” and Raphael masterpieces each year. “I think it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see it so empty”, marveled, Julia Lammer, a visitor from Austria who said she had been in Rome for several weeks before being able to snap up a ticket online to see the Sistine Chapel on the first day it reopened. Italy, the first country in the West to be hit by COVID-19, shuttered its museums in early November during the peak of its autumn resurgence and divided the country up into a threetier zone of risk, with regions assigned the most severe restrictions (red) to the least (yellow) based on their infection rates and the health care system’s ability to respond. Hardest-hit Lombardy was declared a “red zone” as it once again succumbed to high numbers of infections and dead. But even Lombardy graduated to “orange”, allowing shops to reopen and takeout service at restaurants and bars. Not all stores took advantage, though, with many still shuttered on a typically slow. In Rome, where the “yellow ” designation and re-openings coincided with a hint of a spring day, residents were out taking full advantage. “We could not wait”, said Giulia Marcelli as she soaked in the morning sun. “Look, the very first morning I am here with my papa getting a cappuccino, sitting at a table, outside”.

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Int’l Biz

CHINA FACING FRESH PRESSURE UNDER BIDEN’S PRESIDENTSHIP

The last major development was a year ago, when Beiing promised in the “Phase One” agreement of January 2020 to buy more soybeans and other U.S. exports and stop pressuring companies to hand over technology. China fell short on those purchases

s expected the trade between the United States and China is not going away, even under President, Joe Biden. As per the economists, President, Biden, will not confront with Beijing right away, because he wants to focus on both, the coronavirus and the economy. But he looks set to renew pressure over trade and technology grievances that prompted President, Donald Trump, to hike tariffs on Chinese imports in 2017. The negotiators might tone down Trump’s focus on narrowing China’s multibillion-dollar trade surplus with the United States and push harder to open its state-dominated economy, which matters more in the long run, economists say. But no abrupt tariff cuts or other big changes are expected. Louis Kuijs, a renowned economist from the Oxford Economics said, “think Biden will focus more on trying to extract structural reforms”. It is going to take some time before we get any shift or explicit announcements. Biden is evaluating tariffs on Chinese goods and wants to coordinate future steps with allies, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the media. She gave no indication of possible changes. “The president is committed to stopping China’s economic abuses”, Psaki said. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, appealed to Washington to learn from Trump’s “erroneous policies” and adopt a “constructive attitude” but gave no indication of possible changes by Beijing. “Cooperation is the only correct choice for both sides,” Zhao told the media. Trump acted on complaints that are shared by Europe and other traders, but Washington has little to show for

DAWN March 2021

its bruising war. It brought President Xi Jinping’s government to the bargaining table but roiled global trade, raised consumer prices and wiped out jobs. The last major development was a year ago, when Beiing promised in the “Phase One” agreement of January 2020 to buy more soybeans and other U.S. exports and stop pressuring companies to hand over technology. China fell short on those purchases. Amid the coronavirus turmoil, it bought about 55 per cent of what it promised. As for tech policy, some economists say those changes matter but question whether it counts as a win. They say Beijing might have made them anyway to suit its own plans. China faces more opposition than ever in Washington due to its trade record, territorial disputes with neighbors, crackdown on Hong Kong, reports of abuses against ethnic Muslims and accusations of technology theft and spying. “The ground has shifted in a significant way,” said Nathan Sheets, a former Treasury undersecretary for international affairs in the Obama administration. Katherine Tai, Biden’s choice to succeed U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, sounded a hawkish note on China in a speech this month. Tai said, “We face stiffening competition from a growing and ambitious China”. China’s economy is directed by the central planners that are not subject to the pressures of political pluralism, democratic elections or popular opinion. That means China has to make changes if wants to make progress, said Raoul Leering, global trade analyst for ING. He said that while many of Trump’s statements were “close to nonsense,” he was right that China has more trade barriers and official intervention in the economy than the United States. “It will depend on China, the speed at which

Int’l Biz

they reform and change policies, to see whether Biden will roll back trade barriers,” he said. After 2 1/2 years and 13 rounds of talks, negotiators have yet to tackle one of the biggest irritants for China’s trading partners — the status of politically favored state companies that dominate industries from banking to oil to telecoms. Europe, Japan and other governments criticized Trump’s tactics but echo complaints that Beijing steals technology and breaks market-opening promises by subsidizing and shielding companies from competition. Those complaints strike at the heart of a state-led development model Communist Party leaders see as the basis of China’s success. They are building up “national champions” including PetroChina Ltd., Asia’s biggest oil producer, and China Mobile Ltd., the world’s biggest phone carrier by subscribers. The party in 2013 declared state industry the “core of the economy”. Outside the state sector, the party is nurturing competitors in solar power, electric cars, next-generation telecoms and other fields. Beijing could offer to drop its claim to being a developing economy, a status it insists on despite having become one of the biggest manufacturers and a middle-income society, Leering said. Under WTO rules, that allows the Communist Party to protect industries and intervene more in the economy. Giving that up “would be a very important gesture”, Leering said. Trump’s opening shot in 2017 was a tax hike on USD360 billion worth of Chinese imports. Beijing retaliated with tariff hikes and suspended soybean imports, hitting farm states that voted for Trump in 2016. The U.S. trade deficit with China narrowed by by 19 per cent in 2019 over a year earlier and by 15 per cent in the first nine months of 2020. That failed to achieve Trump’s goal of moving jobs to the United States. Importers shifted instead to Taiwan, Mexico and other suppliers. The total U.S. trade deficit dipped slightly in 2019, then rose nearly 14 per cent through November last year. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office estimates tariff hikes cost the average U.S. household nearly USD1,300 last year. Businesses postponed investments, undoing some of the

benefits of Trump’s 2017 corporate tax cut. A study by the U.S.-China Business Council and Oxford Economics found the U.S. economy lost 245,000 jobs due to the tariffs. It said even a modest reduction would create 145,000 jobs by 2025. Trump stepped up pressure by cutting off access to U.S. technology for telecom equipment giant Huawei Technologies Ltd. and other companies seen by American officials as possible security risks and a threat to U.S. industrial leadership. Americans were ordered to sell shares in Chinese companies Washington says have links to the military. The Communist Party responded by vowing to accelerate its two-decade-old campaign to make China a self-reliant “technology power.” Psaki, the White House spokeswoman, said Biden also was reviewing those issues but gave no indication of possible changes. Biden wants to hold Beijing accountable for “unfair and illegal practices” and make sure American technology doesn’t facilitate its military buildup, Psaki said. Zhao, the Chinese spokesman, called on Washington not to “politicize or weaponize” science and technology and to avoid “groundless accusations to smear China”. Biden’s envoys have the option of fine-tuning Trump’s penalties by dropping some in exchange for Chinese policy changes, said Kuijs. But he and other economists say rolling back tariffs and curbs on access to technology and financial markets is unlikely to be a priority. “It is difficult to see a U.S. reversal of the recent hawkish trends in China policy,” Sylvia Sheng of JP Morgan Asset Management said in a report. Tech curbs are unlikely to be eased because Washington “regards China as a competitor,” said Tu Xinquan, director of the Institute for WTO Studies at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing. Tariff cuts look like the only short-term option, Tu said. He said Biden could defend getting rid of taxes the World Trade Organization says were improperly imposed. “In that case, he wouldn’t lose face”, said Tu.

Biden wants to hold Beijing accountable for “unfair and illegal practices” and make sure American technology doesn’t facilitate its military buildup, Psaki said. Zhao, the Chinese spokesman, called on Washington

(Courtesy: AP)

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DAWN

Science & Technology

HOW HELPFUL IS

VITAMIN D IN FIGHTING THE

CORONAVIRUS?

itamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays a number of critical roles in your body. This nutrient is especially vital for immune system health, leaving many people wondering whether vitamin D may help reduce the risk of contracting the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. During the Corona epidemic, most people are locked up in homes. In such a situation, lack of vitamin D in the body is inevitable. On normal days people spend more time outside their homes. In this case, the skin gets sunlight and this natural source of vitamin D proves beneficial for us.

Researchers have also said that vitamin D increases the immunity of the body and helps in fighting infection. Some studies also say that common cold and flu can be avoided with adequate availability of vitamin D in the body.

Why is Vitamin D required?

Vitamin D deficiency is now a global public health problem affecting about 1 billion people worldwide and means that you do not have enough vitamin D in your body. Our lifestyle plays an important role in the development of this global problem. In the last decades, we have had a shift in spending less time outdoors. For some people, it is because of increased work hours and busy life; for other people, it is because of addiction to a sedentary life, unconsciously accepting that your health is slowly deteriorating, and you have less and less energy to get up from the couch. As a result, at a certain moment in your life, vitamin D levels begin to drop, leading to various health problems without you realizing it.

It is a very common but important fact that Vitamin D is very important for strong and healthy bones, teeth and muscles. Due to its deficiency, bones become weak and many diseases occur in children. Due to its deficiency in adults, a disease named Osteomalacia occurs.

Vitamin D was initially discovered to be essential in the treatment of rickets, though the health consequences of being deficient go far beyond rickets. Scientists have been focusing on those consequences and have found an alarming number of health issues.

Britain's National Health Service says that during this period of pandemic, people should take 10 micrograms of vitamins every day. Especially those people who are spending most of their time in homes. However, Public Health England (PHE) recommends taking vitamin D supplements throughout the year. PHE says that for those who are unable to go out or are living in care home, it is very important to take vitamin D separately.

DAWN March 2021

Many people do not realize they may have a vitamin D deficiency, but there are some symptoms to look out for. These symptoms can have a significant negative effect on the quality of your life and include muscle cramps, muscle weakness, bone pain, back pain, bone loss, hair loss, fatigue, and depression. Other signs of vitamin D deficiency are the increased sensitivity to colds and infections and impaired wound healing. The most important role of vitamin D is keeping our immune system strong, so we are able to fight off viruses and bacteria that cause illnesses. Vitamin D directly interacts with the immune cells that are responsible for fighting infection. Several studies have found a link between vitamin D deficiency and respiratory tract infections like colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia. So if you have an increased sensitivity to colds, the flu, and other infections, low vitamin D levels may be a contributing factor.

Can Vitamin D prevent corona? The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, in a review of research on vitamin D, has stated that there is no evidence on which one can rely to say that

Science & Technology

vitamin D supplementation can prevent Covid-19. But experts have no doubt regarding the fact that there are many benefits of vitamin D during the time of pandemic and there is a need to maintain its presence in the body adequately. According to a report by BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, "Vitamin D should be given for specific things and not as a treatment for Covid-19." It is absolutely true that the lack of vitamin D is a reasonable argument in the present times. Vitamin D is sufficient in our body; it is part of our healthy lifestyle. Some researchers also say that if a person is deficient in Vitamin D and gets infected with the Corona virus, then it is a little difficult to cure it. But heart disease is also common among corona sufferers, so it is not easy to reach any conclusion. Professor John Rhodes of Medicine at Liverpool University says, "Vitamin D has an anti-infection power and some research says that the disease also affects the body's immunity." Vitamin D may be required by people whose lungs have been badly affected due to corona virus infection, but more research is needed for this. Though research continues, evidence that vitamin D supplements reduce the risk of developing COVID-19 is still limited. Having healthy vitamin D levels can enhance immune health and may be helpful in people with COVID-19.

Should we take more vitamin D supplements? No. Although vitamin D supplement is very safe, but if you take more than the

If you is very important for good health, prescribed dose by doctor, it can want to but we should also know about be dangerous for long period. While supplement taking vitamin D supplement, keep the diet. Vitamin D occurs in fish vitamin D only by these things in mind and eggs. Apart from this, there sunlight, • Children from one to 10 years is also cereal, artificial butter and then this should not give more than 50 yogurt. is also not possible micrograms a day • The infant (below 12 months) If you want to supplement vitamin should not give more than 25 D only by sunlight, then this is micrograms a day also not possible. One needs • Adults should not take more than 100 to be cautious even from the sun. Cover micrograms a day your skin or apply sunscreen to avoid sun • Vitamin D supplement is not safe for burn skin. This can protect the skin from those who have kidney problems. sun damage.

Diet and Vitamin D A balanced diet keeps your immunity normal. In such a situation a person does not have to take anything separately. But it is difficult to find enough vitamin D only via the diet. A balanced diet

Children who drink mother's milk should be given 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily from birth to one year. Children who do not drink breast milk should not be given vitamin D supplementation unless the level is less than 500 mL because vitamin D is already present in the diet given to these children. Children aged one to four years should be given 10 micrograms of vitamin D supplementation every day. Pregnant and lactating women should also take 10 microgram doses every day.

Scientific research suggests that supplementing with vitamin D may protect against respiratory infections, especially among those who are deficient in the vitamin

Scientific research suggests that supplementing with vitamin D may protect against respiratory infections, especially among those who are deficient in the vitamin. Recent research denotes that sufficient vitamin D levels may help people with COVID-19 avoid adverse outcomes. Still, we don’t know whether taking vitamin D supplements reduces your risk of developing COVID-19 as a result of contracting the coronavirus. Talk to your doctor about taking additional supplements of vitamin D to enhance your overall immune response.

march 2021

DAWN

Tour & Travel

Haridwar is popularly regarded as "The Gateway to God". Haridwar is the largest center of Hinduism's faith in India. This holy Hindu pilgrimage site is named Haridwar, by combining two words Hari and Dwar; Hari means God and door means door. And when these two words are combined together, it means the entrance to the house of God.

Haridwar

The Gateway to God

Har ki Pauri

here are many ghats on the banks of the holy Ganges River flowing in Haridwar, but Har ki Pauri is the busiest ghat here. According to the legend associated with this place, Lord Vishnu's footprints are on top of a rock here, which is why this place is called Har ki Pauri. According to another legend, the nectar which fell from the urn in Haridwar fell at this place; hence Har ki Pauri is also called Bramha Kund. A crowd of devotees and people are seen in Har ki Pauri throughout the year. Ganga Aarti is a special attraction of Har Ki Pauri and the duration of the Aarti at the ghat is approximately two and a half hours. You experience a different energy here at the time of Ganga Aarti taking place here. After the Ganga Aarti, walking on the walkway built on the ghat is also a different pleasure.

DAWN March 2021

Tour & Travel

Mansa Devi Temple

eing a mythological religious city, the area around Haridwar has ancient and famous temples of many deities of Hinduism. The temple of Mansa Devi is one of the most famous temples of Haridwar. According to the belief, Mansa Devi is considered to be the Manas daughter of Lord Shiva.

It is widely believed that Lord Vishnu (disguised as the enchantress ‘Mohini’) whisked the kumbh out of the grasp of the covetous demons who had tried to claim it. As he took it towards heaven, a few drops of the precious nectar fell on four sacred sites, which we now know as Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik and Prayag. The flight and the following pursuit is said to have lasted 12 divine days, which is equivalent to twelve human years, and therefore, the mela is celebrated every 12 years, staggered at each of the four sacred sites in this cycle. The corresponding rivers are believed to have turned into amrit at the cosmic moment, giving pilgrims the chance to bathe in the essence of purity, auspiciousness, and immortality.

A mythological story related to the emergence of Mansa Devi is also heard and it is said that Mansa Devi was born from sage Kashyapa Kemastak. Mansa Devi is also worshiped as Naga Devi. Mansa Devi Temple is located just a few kilometers from Haridwar. Every year, lakhs of devotees come here to visit. There is an unwavering devotion towards Mansa Devi. There are two ways to reach the Mansa Devi temple, the first way is the foot way, in which you will have to climb the mountain which can be a bit of a tiring journey; the second is the way to get from the ropeway to the Mansa Devi temple which is the easiest way to reach the temple.

Ideally, when Devguru Jupiter completes its cycle through 12 zodiac signs and again enters the Aquarius sign, and with the Sun entering the Aries sign, the auspicious Yoga of “Kumbh Mahaparva” is formed in Haridwar. According to the astrological calculations for this Kumbh, Jupiter will complete this cycle in 11 years and enter the Aquarius sign in 2021. By the time the Sun enters Aries in 2022, Jupiter will have entered Pisces. Jupiter will be available in Aquarius and the Sun in Aries in 2021. Therefore, “Haridwar Kumbh Mahaparva Mela” will be organized in the year 2021.

march 2021

DAWN

Tour & Travel

ocated on the route from Haridwar to Rishikesh, Shantikunj is a social service organization and spiritual center run by the Gayatri family. Apart from being a social service organization, Shantikunj is also the head of the All India Gayatri Parivar. Shantikunj was founded in 1971 by Pandit Sri Ram Acharya of Gayatri family.

Chandi Devi Temple

People associated with Gayatri family also know Shantikunj as Yugatirth; many activities related to social welfare are organized in Shantikunj.

t is believed that worship of Chandi Devi started on Nil Parvat after she killed demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. The idol of the goddess was established in the 8th century by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in the Chandi Devi temple, located 2 kilometers from Haridwar, and the current temple of Chandi Devi was built in 1929 by the then ruler of Kashmir, Maharaja Suchit Singh. There are two ways to reach the Chandi Devi temple, a walkway and a far ropeway. On foot, you will have to climb 3 kilometers to reach the temple, which can be a tiring experience for you, but at the same time you have to walk through the plains from Nil Parvat to the very beautiful river Ganges Views are visible. Like the Mansa Devi temple, lakhs of devotees and tourists visit the Chandi Devi temple throughout the year.

Maya Devi Temple

aya Devi Temple located in Haridwar is the temple of Devi Maya, the presiding deity of Haridwar. According to the mythology associated with this ancient temple, Goddess Sati, the daughter of King Daksha, performed sati ritual at this place and after this, when Lord Shiva was taking her, her heart and navel fell around this place. The three oldest temples in Haridwar still exist today, the Narayana-Shila Temple, the Bhairava Temple and the Maya Devi Temple. The Maya Devi temple was built in the 11th century. The statue of Maya Devi installed in the temple has three heads and four arms. Situated in the center of the idol installed in the temple, the face is worshiped as Maya Devi, the left face is goddess Kali and the right and the left face is Kamakhya Devi. The goddess is worshiped as Shakti in this ancient Maya Devi temple. Maya Devi, located in the eastern part of Har Ki Pauri, is only 600 meters away from Haridwar railway station. During the Navratri, Maya Devi temple is full of devotees.

DAWN March 2021

Tour & Travel

Shantikunj / Gayatri Shakti Peeth Educational institutions also remain in the ashram, in these educational institutions, no fee is charged on education. In Shantikunj, many spiritual camps, meditation and other activities related camps are organized throughout the year, people from all over the world come to participate in these camps. Shantikunj is just 7 kilometers from Haridwar and one can visit any time of the day to see Shantikunj. No admission fee is charged in the ashram.

Saptarshi Ashram - Sapt Sarovar

Vaishno Devi Temple

he Vaishno Devi temple located in Haridwar has been constructed merely 10 years ago but due to its texture and beautiful architecture, this temple has become famous among the devotees and tourists. The distance of Vaishno Devi Temple from Haridwar railway station is only 5.6 km. To get to the temple you will easily get an auto rickshaw from the station. The Vaishno Devi temple built in Haridwar has been built like a replica of the ancient Vaishno Devi temple located in Katra, Jammu. To visit Vaishno Devi in Haridwar, a man-made cave has been built in the temple so that the tourists and devotees who come here feel like the real Vaishno Devi temple, made every effort to give natural form to the cave built till the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Devotees and tourists can visit Vaishno Devi from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm in the evening. No entry fee is charged in the temple.

apt Sarovar is situated near the Bharat Mata temple; here the Ganges River is divided into seven different streams. According to a legend, in the mythological period when the Sapta Rishi was simultaneously engaged in deep penance at this place, then at that time the river Ganga divided itself into seven different streams. Even today the river Ganga flows in different streams from this place. Sapt Sarovar is the most suitable place for mental peace and meditation sitting on the banks of Ganges River.

Bharat Mata Temple

harat Mata Mandir is not a mythological temple, but is a temple dedicated to the saints of India, freedom fighters, maternal power and the knights sacrificed in defense of the country. The Bharat Mata Temple is built at Sat Sarovar near the Ganges River in Haridwar.

Swami Nityananda Giri Maharaj built this eight-storey temple in 1983 and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi inaugurated the temple. Apart from the statue of Bharat Mata, the temple also houses statues of saints, freedom fighters, maternal power and knights. The eight floors of Bharat Mata Temple are divided into different parts. The distance of Bharat Mata Mandir from Haridwar railway station is 7 kilometers. Any type of photography in the temple is completely prohibited. Bharat Mata Temple is open for tourists from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. No entry fee is charged in the temple.

march 2021

DAWN

Lifestyle

Jeans Trends The

For

2021

Each season has its own trends. And among them is the famous denim which always interests us a little more than the others. Why? By its practical, even essential dimension that makes this basic one of the most worn garments in the world. For 2021, designers have gone to the 70s and 90s, reinterpreting (and infusing norm core touches) the star jeans of these inspiring eras.

hems 1. Straight jeans with h l of 2020, straight and hig The cut: The star mode in a slightly more relaxed waist, this time available bottom of the pants. version with cuffs at the possible, for a norm core To wear: As soberly as a (for example Converse), chic spirit, with sneakers . ket jac zer bla shirt and a white t-shirt or a men's

2. The baggy

low waist. In short, the The cut: ultra loose, ultra wide, ultra bad guys from Gangsta comeback of the dripping jeans of the room codes of prisoners rap who had appropriated the locker red by the pop stars in (deprived of belts) in the 80s. Recove street then disappear with the 90s - before going down in the in force with the return the appearance of slim - baggy is back of the Nineties trend. sneakers inspired by our To wear: With dad shoes, these XXL trench coat and above all a parents' no looks at the weekend, a . tighter top to make it all more feminine

DAWN March 2021

Lifestyle 4. The flare

70 The cut: seve nties, high wai st and elephan the ultimate t legs. A mod form, that o el that takes f the sailor's widen below uniform from the knee to 1900: the legs be easily rais cleaning the ed above th decks of boat e boots when s. Pants that the US Navy became an in uniform befo tegral part o re being diver by the stron f ted from thei g figures of r original use the seventies symbols of th and becomin e peace and g one of the love wardro be. To wear: lit erally, ultra 70 with a b wedges and ig belt, a pat big sunglasse terned t-shir s. t,

3. Bermuda shorts The fit: Straight, high waist and just below the knee. After having democratized the sports cyclist, the Maison de la rue de Cambon continues its momentum and unveils, for its cruise 2021 collection, a model of privateerinspired denim Bermuda shorts. To wear: summer! Or probably in the spring with a turtleneck and lots of accessories to make it all more feminine.

5. The pa

tchwork The fit: be tween carg o and flare and hip-ho , nautical in p. spiration To wear: once again on and 90s, h eadscarf, ro the borderline of th e mantic shir strong fash t desecrate 70s ion statem d by a ent (here a flat shoes: leather cors sneakers o et) and r espadrille s.

march 2021

DAWN

Beauty

Try These Tips to Get Healthy Beautiful

Lips

n almost any season, almost every woman has the problem of dry and cracked lips. For some, keeping lip balm is as important as a wallet. Because there are no oil glands on the lips nor do they have hair to protect them from the environment, they quickly turn dry and start to crack. In such a situation, follow these remedies to care for your lips:

Lip moisture Providing adequate moisture is most important for the skin. The body needs water in every season to retain sufficient moisture in the skin and lips. Therefore, drink sufficient water even in winter.

Include vitamin B in the diet Not taking enough vitamin B is not only affecting your digestive system, but it also affects the health of your lips. The edges of the lips and the corners of the mouth become dry. Lack of vitamin B also causes ulcer in the mouth. In such a situation, take enough vitamin B to keep lips healthy in winter.

Do not smoke Smoking makes lips black and dry, so stop smoking immediately for the wellbeing of lips. Cigarette smokers have black lips.

Household tips Mix a few drops of honey and lemon and apply on the lips regularly. The lips will be fine with this and they will also remain soft. Oil is also good for lips. You can apply olive oil, mustard oil or clove oil on the lips. This will keep lips soft and shiny. Castor oil is also excellent for lips. This prevents the lips from cracking or deterioration of the complexion.

Protection from UV rays On hot days, we want to spend most of the time at home, but in the cold, we like to stay outside for a longer time. Therefore, the lips get tarnished by exposure to the sun's UV rays. Like our skin, the lips also need to be protected from UV rays. To prevent lips from becoming dry and dark, use a balm or gel that gives protection from the sun's UV rays.

Lips also need scrubbing To keep the lips pink, it is necessary to scrub them regularly. You can use a mixture of olive oil and sugar powder to scrub the lips.

Improve lips • If you want to keep your lips from becoming black, then use lemon. Lemon contains natural bleach, due to which the spots of lips become light easily. • Use beetroot and rose water to give pink color to lips, keep them cool, moisturize and exfoliate. • You can also apply a few drops of rose water on the lips after mixing it with honey. • To nourish and moisturize your lips, you can also massage these with olive oil. • To make lips naturally pink, mash a few drops of pomegranate juice on the lips. Mix water and cream in pomegranate juice and apply it on the lips.

DAWN March 2021

Observer Dawn-Eng-Mar-2021

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