CURRENT AFFAIRS : BUDGET EXPECTED TO FOCUS ON DIRECT TAXES THE IMPACT : The Goods and Services Tax Council, Budget 2018 could have several positive changes on the direct tax side, according to analysts.

THE PLAN : The key consideration while reducing direct taxes, either for individuals or corporates, would be to ensure that the changes don’t reduce government revenue too much.

WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE CHANGES ? • To reduce the tax burden on the salaried and middle class was one of the government’s key focus areas. • There is a chance the government may introduce a long term capital gains tax on equity shares, or may remove the dividend distribution tax. • There could be some changes on the corporate tax front as well • The GST has subsumed most of the indirect taxes, and so there are very few avenues for changes.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : INDIA CAN’T BE REFUGEE CAPITAL: GOVT.

ISSUE BEFORE SUPREME COURT : Rohingya refugees alleged that the Border Security Force (BSF) at the borders was “pushing back” their compatriots fleeing persecution in Myanmar with chilli spray and stun grenades

FOR WHICH THE GOVT REPLIED : “We do not want India to become the refugee capital of the world.

CURRENT AFFAIRS : ‘BHU SEVA’ PROJECT TO BE ROLLED OUT BY OCT.

WHAT IS BHU SEVA ? Land administration programe in Telungana.

THE TRIAL AREA : It is being successfully piloted in the Jaggaiahpet mandal and the Vuyyuru municipality in Krishna district.

WHAT IS THE IDEA ? Each land will be 11 digit assigned a unique ‘Bhudhaar’ number, which will be the single point of reference for all transactions.

POINT TO NOTE : It was part of the e-Pragati programme to creating a foolproof database of both agricultural and non-agricultural lands whose ownership and other details could not be manipulated.

THE SCIENCE TO HELP : The survey and mapping of lands were being done using high-resolution satellite imagery and Differentiated Global Positioning System (DGPS) and Electronic Total Stations (ETS) wherever possible.