Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

Daily Current Affair - UPSC/KAS Exams - 21th March 2022

NEWS

Dishaank is an application developed by Karnataka to ensure easy access to land records

DETAILS

• Developed under the Geographical Information System (GIS) program of the Karnataka State Remote Sensing Applications Center (KSRSAC)
• The Survey Settlement and Land Records (SSLR) unit of Karnataka’s revenue department is ensuring easy availability of original land records through the app
• Leverages Karnataka’s decision to digitize land records under the Bhoomi project
• Availability of digitized, scanned & geo-referenced maps, made it easier to build the app
• Provides information about the land, which includes the name of the landowner, the extent of land, type of ownership, type of land, litigations, land category, and any other active transactions being done on the land
• Help in reducing land disputes and will bring transparency in the maintenance of land records
• Purpose is only to provide clarity on the original status of land and the app should not be used for legal purposes in any land-related disputes

NEWS

Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, have declared the Kashmir Files movie tax-free.

WHAT QUALIFIES A FILM TO BE DECLARED TAX-FREE?

• There are no fixed criteria for a film to claim or enjoy tax exemption
• Decision to give up its claim on tax revenues is taken by state governments on a film-by-film basis, and on the particular government’s assessment of the importance of the issues that the film deals with.
• As a general rule, when a film deals with a socially-relevant and inspiring subject, state governments may at times exempt it from tax with the intention of making it accessible to a wider audience.

Exactly how much cheaper is it to watch a film that is tax-free compared with other films?

• Before the Goods and Services Tax (GST) came into effect in 2017, state governments levied entertainment tax, which varied from state to state, and was higher in states like Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. When a film was declared tax-free, the entertainment tax was waived, making tickets significantly cheaper.
• In the GST regime, movie tickets initially attracted a GST of 28 per cent. Subsequently, two slabs were introduced — 12 per cent GST on tickets costing less than Rs 100, and 18 per cent on more expensive tickets. The revenue is shared between the central and state governments
• So when a state declares a film tax free now, only the SGST component is waived, while the CGST continues to be levied. Depending on the ticket price, the exemption could be 6 per cent or 9 per cent.
• Filmmakers look at a tax free tag as an endorsement from the government, and a boost to the film’s image and publicity, even if it does not make a huge difference to the money that the film makes.

Which other films have been made tax free in the country?

• Traditionally, widely-acclaimed and significant films such as Gandhi (1982), used to be declared tax free.
• In 2016, two socially relevant films, Dangal and Neerja, were made tax free in several states.
• Among the other films that have been made tax free in several states in recent years are Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017), which backed efforts to stop open defecation; Chhapaak (2020), the story of an acid attack victim’s fight for justice; Mary Kom (2014), the biopic of the world champion and boxing legend; Taare Zameen Par (2007), the story of a dyslexic child; Mardaani (2014), which is about a policewoman’s fight against human trafficking; and Nil Battey Sannata (2015), a feelgood film about the power of hope

NEWS

Bihar to become the first state to implement dynamic map to track land ownerships

DETAILS

• The dynamic map will automatically get updated, each time land ownership changes hands
• The objective of the move is to reduce legal disputes
• It is pertinent to mention that the state Assembly has recently passed the Bihar Land Mutation Amendment Bill, 2021, that made the mutation of maps mandatory.
• Every time a mutation takes place now, it will entail three changes, including
  • A change in the text
  • A change in the land parcel
  • A modification of the survey map

NEWS

Assam government informed the Assembly that nearly 1.44 lakh illegal foreigners had been identified in the state until January 31 this year based on the 1985 Assam Accord

Who is a foreigner under the Assam Accord?

• Signed in 1985
• Who are involved - Central government , Assam government ,  All Assam Student Union (AASU) ,  All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad
• All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad spearheaded the 1979-85 Assam Movement against migration from Bangladesh.
• The Accord set March 24, 1971 as a cut-off
• Anyone who had come to Assam before midnight on that date would be an Indian citizen, while those who had come after would be dealt with as foreigners
• The same cut-off was used in updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC)

 NEWS

World Sparrow Day is celebrated every year on 20 March

DETAILS

AIM - Spread awareness about the decline of the domestic sparrow

2022 THEME  - ‘I Love Sparrows’

SPARROW

• Most commonly found bird species in urban cities
• Widespread across the world, inhabiting every continent except Antarctica, and countries like China and Japan. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa.

In India

• Found throughout the country
• In the eastern Himalayas, the house sparrow species is replaced by the Eurasian tree sparrow.
• State bird of Bihar and Delhi.
• IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Causes of Decline:

• The unfriendly architecture of our homes.
• The use of chemical fertilizers in crops.
• Noise pollution.
• Exhaust fumes from vehicles.

NEWS

A “Green Triangle” named after Mahatma Gandhi was inaugurated in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar .

DETAILS

• The word green in the plaque (a flat piece of stone or metal) signifies their commitment to sustainable development and saving the environment.
• The naming of this park as Mahatma Gandhi Green Triangle is a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.
• Madagascar has a large diaspora from the Indian state of Gujarat and it is fitting that a green triangle named after Gandhi, who hailed from Porbandar in the state, is being unveiled in the capital of Madagascar (Antananarivo).
• Madagascar voiced appreciation for efforts by the Indian Embassy in greening the area, saying it meets the objective of the Urban Municipality of Antananarivo to create the maximum green space in the capital city of Madagascar.