Must Read News Articles – June 30, 2018

GS: 1

Social Issues:

Reform 101(The Hindu)

The provisions of the new Higher Education Commission of India (HECI) Bill drafted by the Centre have far-reaching implications for the expansion and quality of human resource development, at a time when access to skill-building and educational opportunity are vitally important.

GS: 2

International Relations:

‘Grey-listing’ nothing new: Pak.(The Hindu)

In a blow to Pakistan, the global financial watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has placed it on the ‘grey list’ for failing to curb terror financing despite Islamabad submitting a 26-point action plan and launching a concerted diplomatic effort to avert the decision, officials said on Friday.

Iran not just an energy supplier: Ansari(The Hindu)

Iran ensures overland connectivity between Eurasia and India and it is not just an energy supplier, former Vice-President Hamid Ansari said here on Friday.

In the city of refugees(The Hindu )

As the monsoon rains threaten to ravage the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, relief workers struggle to balance the vital work of damage control with the pressing demands of inter-personal conflict resolution.

Government schemes:

We want best healthcare at the lowest cost: Modi(The Hindu)

Mr. Modi talked about the two pillars of the Centre’s ambitious Ayushman Bharat, as part of which 1.5 lakh sub-centres are being converted into health and wellness centres to screen tuberculosis, leprosy, diabetes, hypertension and breast, oral and cervical cancers.

GS: 3

Economy:

Not all Swiss bank money illegal: govt(The Hindu)

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that the reported 50% rise in deposits by Indians in Swiss banks could not be presumed to be a case of black money parked abroad.

A broken tax chain(The Hindu)

The GST’s faulty design has prevented the economy from benefiting fully from the indirect tax regime

‘Reserves firepower to help stem rupee’s losses’(The Hindu)

India believes the current slide in the rupee will not be prolonged as it has adequate “firepower” of foreign exchange reserves to deal with the current volatility, a senior finance ministry official said.

Gadkari meets top banks to seek credit for projects((The Hindu)

The HAM is a variant of public-private partnership, which was launched by the government in January 2016. Through this model, the government bears 40% of the cost of the project and the rest comes from the developer.

India ‘waiting and watching’ Iran issue unfold before taking a decision: Pradhan(The Hindu)

India is “waiting and watching” the unfolding events surrounding the U.S.’ announcement that it will impose sanctions on any country importing oil from Iran after November 4, according to Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Now, it’s PM’s word on kharif MSP(The Hindu)

The Union Cabinet will approve minimum support prices (MSP) at 150% of input costs for kharif crops at its next meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured a group of sugar cane farmers, who met him at his residence on Friday evening.