The New Year has begun with a bang and our national scientists made us proud that they were able to segregate the new virus of UK, which will be very effective to treat the mutant variant. India made a vaccine too and the expert body gave its approval for the vaccination and dummy trials have begun. Good news for all the poor nations of the world and India will be the world’s capital for supply of vaccines, even though Egypt, Peru, and Brazil have accepted the Chinese vaccine, even though they created the deadly virus in their laboratory at Wuhan. However some issues which will make headlines in the year 2021 are outlined.
There is a good chance that the digital yuan will enter circulation in the year 2021. It is a debut that will initially make little difference, but could, over time, change the way Central Banks conduct monetary policy. The People’s Bank of China has filed more than 100 patent applications for a digital currency and has overseen a range of trials, putting the eYuan into use in a few cities and on several apps. Till date the experiments have gone smoothly, and soon people will have the option of downloading a government – issued digital wallet. Unlike commercial ones such as WeChat Pay and Alipay, the official version will be equivalent to an account at the Central Bank with the same solidity as hard cash. I find this way the funding to terror hubs will get wheels. Countries will have to fight another war in the digital world. Post Corona scam to bring in cash using any means, it has the same logic as BRI! My prediction is that even Pakistanis would be reluctant to use this currency in future and China has stopped funding the CPEC in Pakistan. Who will fund a bankrupt nation!
Argentina has become the first and the largest Latin American country to legalise abortion up to the 14th week of pregnancy after the bill was approved by 38 votes in favour to 29 against, with one abstention. Earlier pregnancies due to rape were allowed to be terminated without any hassles or any child infected with sexually transmitted disease. The strict walls of the Catholicism is now breaking and breaking fast. Ireland, which is a pure catholic nation, changed its abortion rules and allowed pregnancies to be terminated after the death of an Indian software engineer. Similar changes can be foreseen in USA, Spain, Brazil and Italy. We Indians are progressive and so ahead of time and Indian law allows our ladies to terminate their pregnancies upto and including 24 weeks. They were fighting for their rights for long and their movement was called ‘green handkerchief’ revolution. Good sense prevailed over religion. A great tribute to the spirit of womanhood.
The USS Nimitz, the US Navy’s only aircraft carrier currently deployed near the Persian Gulf, has been sent home just a day after two B-52 bombers were sent to the area – despite supposed ‘chatter’ about a coming Iranian attack. Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller announced the Nimitz would be heading back to its home port of Bremerton, Washington on Thursday, avoiding so much as a mention of Iran in his remarks – even as Washington and Tehran have traded threats and barbs for weeks ahead of the anniversary of Quds Force Major General Qassem Soleimani’s killing by US airstrike. I wonder how Iran can take revenge, but their cyber warriors disrupted normal life in Israel recently. Sound move to withdraw till the anger subsidises and Uncle Sam does not want any high voltage drama till the inauguration to be completed on 21st January 2021.
It is a question Britain has grappled with off and on for centuries, and in recent decades British thinking has often been clouded by nostalgia for lost empire and great-power status. Membership of the European club provided an answer of sorts. Britain, as Tony Blair put it, could be a “bridge” between America and Europe, with influence in both Washington and Brussels. Now it must think afresh. This question was asked to Tony, what future lies ahead for Britain, who was called ‘poodle’ of USA, in ORF Conference in February 2020. His answer was very very diplomatic and which made a select crowd of 1000 of us burst into loud laughter. Sometimes Brits can laugh on themselves too. Britain will now discuss whether they can rejoin the EU back and it was a great folly which cost the political career of Dave Cameron and the rise of BoJo. Stakes are also high in Scotland and Ireland too.
Donald Trump is just a few days away from going to the “dustbin of history”, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has said, reiterating Tehran’s resolve to avenge the death of General Qassem Soleimani assassinated by the US. I beg to differ, Your Excellency! You have been squeezed in the region with Jews and Sunnis becoming bosom friends. Power makes men in vain and ignorant – most foolish fallacy. Investments between cash rich nations and Israel is growing and from next academic sessions, hundreds of young educated men and women will rush to Israel overflying Saudi Arabia. This has paved a new beginning. President Donald J. Trump. I will miss you.
Month Wise GST Collection in Rs crore
Sept 2019-20: 91916
Sept 2020-21: 95480
Oct 2019-20: 95379
Oct 2020-21: 105155
Nov 2019-20: 103491
Nov 2020-21: 104963
Dec 2019-20: 103184
Dec 2020-21: 115174
GST collections hit an all-time high of ₹1.15 lakh crore in December 2020. Punjab & Haryana have ~3 crore people each. Punjab GST collection: 1353 crore and Haryana GST: 5737 crore Is this Modi’s fault? People of Punjab need to understand that this is because their politics is stuck in time warp. Communist flags and Diljit Dosanjh cannot give economic growth. They will lead to total disaster like the nation saw in Bengal and continues under the great Didi closure of cotton mills in Lower Parel and Ahmedabad, and what everyone saw in Kanpur when labour movement brought down on knees the prosperous city under commies whose leader was Suhasini Ali. Kanpur’s loss was gain for Tamil Nadu and entire leather industry was welcomed with open arms and they became the export hub. Kanpur never recovered after closure of iconic Lal Imli mills and world famous Kohinoor Mills. I used to wear navy blue coats in my school dress made by Lal Imli, which used to cost a princely sum of Rs. 50/- in the year 1970 during my high school days!
The country will soon be vaccinated, inspite of dumb heads like Akhilesh Singh Yadav and Shashi Tharoor and praise by Rajasthan CM Gehlot and Chhattisgarh Health Minister and India guides the world to vaccinate the nations of neighbourhood and calls the bluff of obnoxious neighbour China, which was hell bent to create new world disorder.
I pray our economy comes back in full steam, our children get jobs and we are able to build a bright future for our children and BJP cross the Howrah bridge to hoist the Bhagwa colour in West Bengal.
