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If you woke up in <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword> recently, you might have noticed more than just the nip in the air – a thick, toxic smog has blanketed the city, turning the air almost unbreathable. On Monday, Delhi’s <keyword id="19920379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="air-quality-index" source="keywords">Air Quality Index</keyword> (<keyword id="19916482" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aqi" source="keywords">AQI</keyword>) hit 481, placing it in the "severe plus" category. For context, the “severe” category begins at an AQI of 401, and anything above 450 poses serious health risks even for healthy individuals. According to Swiss group IQAir’s live rankings, Delhi is currently the most polluted city in the world, with an air quality score of 1,081 – a “hazardous” level that is 130.9 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit for PM2.5. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">Major contributors to Delhi’s smog</h3>The root causes of Delhi’s pollution are manifold: <ul><li>Stubble Burning: On Saturday, crop residue burning contributed 25% of Delhi’s air pollution. By Sunday, this figure had climbed to 40%, according to SAFAR (System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research). Satellites recorded 1,334 stubble-burning incidents in six northern states on Sunday alone, the highest number in four days.</li><li>Vehicles: On Sunday, vehicular emissions accounted for 15.8% of the city’s pollution, according to the Centre’s Decision Support System for Air Quality Management.</li><li>Construction Dust and Industrial Emissions: PM2.5, a deadly pollutant, remains the most prominent factor, capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and leading to severe respiratory and cardiac diseases.</li></ul><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;"><keyword id="24020184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="GRAP-Stage-4" source="keywords">GRAP Stage 4</keyword></h3>To combat the rising pollution levels, authorities have enforced Stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). Here’s a breakdown of the restrictions: <ul><li>Vehicle Restrictions:</li><ul><li>Diesel medium and heavy goods vehicles (BS-IV and below) registered in Delhi are banned unless carrying essential goods.</li><li>Non-essential light commercial vehicles from outside Delhi can only enter if they use CNG, BS-VI diesel, or are electric.</li><li>Trucks carrying non-essential items are barred unless they use cleaner fuels like LNG, CNG, or BS-VI diesel. </li></ul><li>Workplace and School Adjustments:</li><ul><li>Classes for students in grades 6 to 9 and class 11 have moved online.</li><li>Offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) are advised to work at 50% capacity, with the rest operating remotely. </li></ul><li>Construction Ban: </li><ul><li>Construction and demolition (C&amp;D) activities have been halted, including large projects like highways, flyovers, and pipelines. </li></ul></ul>Out of Delhi’s 40 monitoring stations, 32 reported AQI levels above 400 on Monday. Visibility in parts of the city dropped to just 100 metres due to the thick smog. The health implications of these numbers are alarming. <keyword id="20118319" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PM2-5-levels" source="keywords">PM2.5 levels</keyword> in Delhi were recorded at 130.9 times the safe limit set by the WHO. According to experts, long-term exposure to such air quality could lead to an 11% increase in premature mortality rates due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Studies have shown that Delhi residents may lose an average of 10 years of life expectancy if pollution levels persist. Despite the restrictions, life in Delhi continues under a cloud of smog. Iconic landmarks like India Gate have become barely visible through the haze. While flights and trains are operational, some delays have been reported.

GRAP Stage 4 restrictions take effect as air quality in Delhi deteriorates; PM2.5 levels 130 times higher than WHO limits

A recent study suggests that <keyword id="11898020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cooking" source="Orion">cooking</keyword> with gas stoves poses a significant health risk due to the emission of harmful nanoparticles. These nanoparticles, significantly smaller than the width of a human hair, are easily inhaled and can bypass the body's natural defenses, potentially reaching deep into the respiratory system and other organs. The study's findings reveal that <keyword id="6664163" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gas-stove" source="Orion">gas stove</keyword> emissions can be 10 to 100 times higher in concentration than nanocluster aerosols found in car exhaust fumes on busy streets. This raises concerns, as these nanoparticles are linked to an increased risk of developing asthma and other respiratory illnesses. The research team, led by Professor <keyword id="20792870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nusrat-jung" source="keywords">Nusrat Jung</keyword>, measured the emission of nanocluster aerosols during various cooking activities, including boiling water and grilling sandwiches. Their findings showed that even short cooking periods released trillions of these nanoparticles into the air, potentially impacting the entire household. While the study doesn't advocate for drastic measures like switching to historical steam appliances, it highlights the importance of using kitchen exhaust fans while cooking with gas stoves. Ideally, these fans should automatically activate to effectively remove harmful nanoparticles from the indoor environment. However, further research is needed to determine the exact effectiveness of exhaust fans in mitigating <keyword id="119851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nanoparticle" source="Orion">nanoparticle</keyword> exposure. Additionally, the researchers call for recognising nanocluster aerosols as a distinct category of air pollutants in future regulations, emphasising the need for stricter controls to safeguard indoor air quality. The findings of this research have been published in PNAS Nexus.

Gas stoves create more nanoparticle pollution than a busy street with diesel and gas cars, study finds

As the world embarks on living a normal life post the pandemic amid declining cases, the <keyword id="6356311" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="world-health-organisation" source="Orion">World Health Organisation</keyword> (<keyword id="6366244" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WHO" source="Orion">WHO</keyword>) has warned that one person with Covid-19 is still dying every 44 seconds globally. <keyword id="3685849" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus" source="Orion">Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus</keyword>, WHO Director General, said that this virus will not just fade away. "The global decline in reported cases and deaths is continuing. This is very encouraging. But there is no guarantee these trends will persist. The most dangerous thing is to assume they will," he said in his latest remarks. "The number of weekly reported deaths may have dropped by more than 80 per cent since February, but even so, last week one person died with Covid-19 every 44 seconds," Ghebreyesus said during his regular briefing. "Most of those deaths are avoidable. You might be tired of hearing me say the pandemic is not over. But I will keep saying it until it is. This virus will not just fade away," he added. WHO will publish a set of six short policy briefs next week, outlining the essential actions that all governments can take to reduce transmission and save lives. The briefs will cover the essential elements of testing, clinical management, vaccination, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, and managing the infodemic. "We hope countries will use these briefs to reassess and readjust their policies to protect those most at risk, treat those who need it and save lives. The pandemic is always evolving, and so must the response, in every country," said the WHO chief. On monkeypox, he said that the WHO is continuing to see a downward trend in <keyword id="28249" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="europe" source="Orion">Europe</keyword>. "While reported cases from the Americas also declined last week, it's harder to draw firm conclusions about the epidemic in that region," said Ghebreyesus. A total of 52,997 people have been infected with the monkeypox virus, according to the WHO. Of the cases registered in the last four weeks, 70.7 per cent came from the Americas and 28.3 per cent from Europe. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/bank-unions-call-for-forensic-audit-of-uti-amcs-2000-crore-exposure-in-dhfl/articleshow/94127713.cms">Bank unions call for forensic audit of UTI AMC's ₹2,000 crore exposure in DHFL</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/levies-on-on-petrol-diesel-jump-even-as-crude-remains-below-80/bbl/articleshow/94127643.cms">Levies on on petrol, diesel jump even as crude remains below $80/bbl</a>

One person dying every 44 seconds due to Covid: WHO chief

<ul><li>Sunflower oil prices are going up due to supply disruption and its cheaper option palm oil is pricier too due to an export ban by Indonesia. </li><li>The Indian government allowed pharmacos to hike prices of 800 generic medicines by as much as 10%, adding to healthcare costs. </li><li>State governments proposed hikes in electricity tariffs which might come in sharper and higher due to the crises. </li><li>Kerosene prices also increased sharply in April, affecting the most economically vulnerable communities. </li></ul>Long before India’s central bank made the surprise move to tame inflation, Indians have been grumbling about petrol and diesel prices, spiked by the onset of Russia-Ukraine war driving crude oil prices above $100 a barrel. But that’s not the only price hike that the central bank governor was worried about before he called an emergency meeting that culminated into a sudden interest rate hike. Higher fuel prices add to the transport costs of most food as well as non-food products. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="89766856" title="All you need to know about Russia-Ukraine crisis’ impact on Indian kitchens, pharma sector, crude oil prices and more" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Pricier snacks, oil, wheat and medicines" comment="subhead" text="Pricier snacks, oil, wheat and medicines">Pricier <keyword id="15004" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="snacks" source="Orion">snacks</keyword>, oil, wheat and medicines</cmsannotation> Then, there is another oil that’s more important for Indians than motor fuel --- <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/russia-ukraine-crisis-impact-on-indian-kitchens-pharma-sector-crude-oil-prices-and-more/articleshow/89766856.cms">cooking oil</a>. “Prices of edible oils may firm up further due to export restrictions by key producing countries and the loss of sunflower oil output due to the war,” said Shaktikanta Das, the governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on May 5, in a statement. Householders trying to shift to the cheaper option of palm oil would also be disappointed too. Palm oil prices have been going up after Indonesia banned its exports. Input cost prices pressures would make snacking too an expensive affair. “The risks of unprecedented input cost pressures translating into yet another round of price increases for processed food,” said Das. Top FMCG players like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/the-big-boss-of-indias-largest-consumer-company-is-worried-about-stagflation-and-unprecedented-inflation/articleshow/91251341.cms">Hindustan Unilever</a>, Britannia, Nestle and Coke have already hiked prices ranging from 3-10% across the wide product range. Higher feed costs are driving the prices of milk, diary, poultry and other meats. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="91251341" title="The big boss of India's largest consumer company is worried about stagflation and unprecedented inflation" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Since inflation is an international problem, even products which see no supply disruptions in India – like wheat – are also firming up due to a rise in global prices. A Barclays research report predicts that food inflation might touch 7.8% in April - which would lead to another round of interest rate corrections by the central bank. The second most unavoidable cost is healthcare - will also dent home budgets since the government allowed pharma companies to hike prices by 10% for generic medicines. This hike will affect 800 formulations covering major medicine groups like painkillers, antibiotics, cardiac medicines and more. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="90930779" title="Wholesale inflation in India is now near the same level as it was during the 1991 economic crisis" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Higher energy bills" comment="subhead" text="Higher energy bills">Higher energy bills</cmsannotation> The good news on this front is that the government is trying to compel power companies to export more coal to ensure there are no power cuts. The bad news is that this might put more pressure on power generators and also power distributors who are already in deep financial crises of their own. “Revisions in electricity tariffs also likely pushed up power costs in some states, though a planned reduction in tariffs in Punjab should provide some relief in coming months,” said a research report on inflation by Barclays. “We expect this trend to continue through the year, as many state governments implement proposed power price revisions to support the distribution companies, under the union government’s reform directive,” the report added, hinting at a difficult few months ahead. Kerosene prices also increased sharply in April, as an after-effect of international oil prices – affecting the most economically vulnerable communities. The middle class too is reeling from the rising cooking gas prices which have been hiked several times in the last three months. A 14.2 kg cylinder now costs over Rs 1,000 in several cities, creating as much political heat as much as domestic stress. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Home loan EMIs all set to rise" comment="subhead" text="Home loan EMIs all set to rise"><keyword id="6354730" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-loan" source="Orion">Home loan</keyword> EMIs all set to rise</cmsannotation> Many experts believe that the central bank will raise the interest rates - the rate at which it lends to the banks - a few more times in the coming months. The rate is now at 4.40% allowing most people to bear the burden of home <keyword id="847253" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="loan-emis" source="Orion">loan EMIs</keyword> at a benign interest rate. “This (interest rate) hike signals an imminent end to the all-time low interest regime, which has been one of the major drivers behind home sales across the country since the pandemic began,” said Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock group. Particularly, new home buyers who have been banking on lower EMI outgo will face more stress for a long time to come, as low interest rates are unlikely to come back anytime soon. By the Central Bank’s own assessment, it will take another 12 years for India to overcome Covid-19 losses. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/reliance-industries-first-indian-company-to-near-100-billion-in-revenue/articleshow/91381614.cms">Reliance Industries first Indian company to near $100 billion in revenue – profit remains under stress due to weaker petrochem margins</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-results-q4-fy22-profit-revenue-subscriber-growth/articleshow/91374478.cms">Reliance Jio reports its strongest profit growth in five quarters as it offloads millions of low quality subscribers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tata-motors-has-registered-a-surge-of-74-and-maruti-suzuki-reported-6-declined-in-sales-in-april-2022/articleshow/91262607.cms">Auto sales data April 2022: Tata Motors vrooms, Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai sales hit a bump</a>

Snacks, health bills, electricity bills and more will add to your chunkier home loan EMIs

<ul><li>The <keyword id="13537856" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="XE-strain" source="Orion">XE strain</keyword> was first detected in the UK on January 19 this year and till then over 600 cases have been reported.</li><li>The WHO further said that the transmission rate of this new variant is 10% faster than that of BA.2, which makes it the fastest transmissible mutant.</li><li>The new mutation has emerged when most countries are removing the <keyword id="8763838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19" source="Orion">COVID-19</keyword> restrictions and are reporting a decline in the daily number of cases.</li></ul>A new mutant strain of the <keyword id="1609796" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="omicron" source="Orion">Omicron</keyword> variant of COVID-19 or SARS CoV-2 is raising concerns in parts of the United Kingdom, which has a higher transmission rate, reportedly. The XE strain was first detected in the UK on January 19 this year and till then over 600 cases have been reported. The <keyword id="43588" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="Orion">World Health Organization</keyword> said that it is a recombination of both BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron strains. The WHO further said that the transmission rate of this new variant is 10% faster than that of BA.2, which makes it the fastest transmissible mutant. “Early-day estimates indicate a community growth rate advantage of about 10% as compared to BA.2, however, this finding requires further confirmation,” said WHO in a statement. Earlier, Omicron was known to be the fastest transmitting mutation. However, to confirm this, WHO said that they require more facts and studies. The world health body has also kept this strain under the Omicron variant until any new major differences are established in terms of transmission, severity, or characteristics. However, on the other hand, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), which tracks the COVID cases, has analysed three recombinants — XF, XE, and XD. It further informed that XD and XF are recombinants of Delta and Omicron BA.1, while XE is a recombinant of Omicron BA.1 and BA.2. Recombination of variants happens only when a person gets infected with two or more variants at the same time, which further leads to the mixing of genetic material in the body. “The earliest of these has a specimen date of 19 January 2022. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about growth advantage or other properties of this variant,” said UKHSA in a statement. Further commenting on the severity of the XE variant, WHO said, “XE continues to belong to the Omicron variant until significant differences in transmission and disease characteristics, including severity, may be reported.” WHO further said that they continue to closely monitor and assess the public health risk which are associated with the recombined variants and will also provide updates if further evidence is recorded. The new mutation has emerged when most countries are removing the COVID-19 restrictions and are reporting a decline in the daily number of cases. The third wave of the pandemic was triggered by the Omicron variant, which was comparatively less severe than the Delta variant, where people were largely suffering from normal cold, cough, and fever. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/international/news/26-ministers-resign-amidst-worst-economic-crisis-in-sri-lanka/articleshow/90636894.cms">26 ministers resign amidst worst economic crisis in Sri Lanka</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/grammys-2022-award-meet-falguni-shah-who-won-the-best-childrens-music-album-of-the-year-2022/slidelist/90634995.cms">Meet Falguni Shah who won the best children’s music album of the year award at the Grammy’s</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/petrol-and-diesel-prices-hiked-for-the-12th-time-in-two-weeks-in-india/articleshow/90632950.cms">Petrol and diesel prices hiked for the 12th time in two weeks</a>

The new XE mutant of the COVID-19 pandemic – all you need to know about it

<ul><li><keyword id="61430" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="fuel-prices">Fuel prices</keyword> in India reached an all-time high again today partly owing to the continued depreciation of the rupee. </li><li>Rather than cutting taxes on fuel, the government is instead trying to stem the slide in rupee by selling rupee-denominated bonds to foreigners and NRIs. </li><li>A cut in fuel duties runs the risk of increasing the <keyword id="6365485" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fiscal-Deficit">fiscal deficit</keyword> further, which will, in turn, lead to the rupee’s depreciation. </li></ul>Fuel prices in India reached an all-time high again today as <keyword id="6367091" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="petrol">petrol</keyword> was being sold for ₹80.87 a litre in Delhi and ₹88.26 a litre in Mumbai while <keyword id="6356109" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="diesel">diesel</keyword> hit ₹72.97 a litre in Delhi and ₹77.47 a litre in Mumbai. The backlash has been resounding. In addition to political mudslinging, The Congress and other Opposition parties staged a “Bharat Bandh” or series of peaceful protests around India. Some schools and government offices were shut. Truck drivers also staged demonstrations. The central government, led by the BJP, has ruled out a cut in duties on fuel. In addition to a customs duty of 2.5%, the excise duty on fuel is currently ₹19.48 per litre while it is ₹15.33 per litre for diesel. The rates have been raised nine times and decreased only once since the BJP government came to power in May 2014. The rising price of fuel is mainly due to the fact that India imports most of its oil and the rupee is currently at an all-time low against the dollar. Rather than cutting taxes on fuel, the government is instead focusing on trying to stem the slide in rupee by selling rupee-denominated bonds to foreigners and NRIs, which will make the rupee appreciate. Why is the government refusing to cut fuel prices? While protests from the Opposition indicate that the central government has a choice in the matter of fuel duties, which it does in principle, the actual reality is that it is lodged between a rock and a hard place. A affects B which affects C which affects A The government is currently dealing with a large, and growing, fiscal deficit - which occurs when its expenses outweigh its revenues. It is able to keep this deficit in check (within the range of 3% of GDP) partly owing to the duties it imposes on fuel and fuel products. However, if the government were to cut fuel duties and risk a widening of its fiscal deficit, the rate of yield on its rupee-denominated bonds would be higher in light of the increased risk associated with them. This, in turn, would make them less attractive to investors, potentially leading to further depreciation of the rupee. Hence, in order to cut fuel prices, the government would find itself in a position where the rupee was worse off than it was before, which would counteract the effects of the initial reduction in fuel duties. However, this does not mean that the government will never be able to cut taxes on fuel. Once it is able to increase revenues from duties and taxes on non-oil products, which will follow heightened GST compliance and the continued crackdown on tax evasion, then its fiscal deficit will be able to bear the brunt of a reduction in fuel duties. Countries which feature a high rate of tax compliance usually have much lower duties on fuel, relative to India. Rates can also be cut at the state level, wherein <keyword id="463828" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="value-added-tax">value-added tax</keyword> (VAT) is imposed on fuel products. Once again, though, this depends on the state’s financial situation. Some states like Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, which are in better financial health, have been able to cut the VAT rate on fuel products. However, for most states like Maharashtra and Bihar, which run a deficit, a cut would be hard to stomach. Banking on RBI intervention The Indian government has asked the RBI to intervene in capital markets and prevent the rupee from depreciating further. The central bank has been withdrawing funds from its foreign exchange reserves to prop up the rupee and prevent volatility in recent months, however this hasn’t proved an adequate solution. It will likely raise interest rates for the third successive time to keep inflation and check and to prevent capital outflows.

Here’s why the Indian government is not being able to cut fuel prices

Education, healthcare and pilgrimages will continue to be out of service tax even under the <keyword id="6354679" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST">GST</keyword> regime as the Centre is against giving any shock in the first year of the rollout by bringing in new services, according to a <keyword id="6367495" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="PTI">PTI</keyword> news report. 
 Besides making a strong case to the <keyword id="6355040" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="GST-Council">GST Council</keyword> for not touching services that are out of tax net currently, the Centre will also pitch for keeping concessional rate for services like transport at the current level, Revenue Secretary <keyword id="6377137" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hasmukh-Adhia">Hasmukh Adhia</keyword> told PTI in an interview. 
 The GST Council, headed by Union <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword> and comprising representatives of all states, is scheduled to meet in <keyword id="41568" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Srinagar">Srinagar</keyword> on May 18-19 to decide on rates various good and services will be charged in the new indirect tax regime that is being targeted for rollout from July 1. 
 <keyword id="265326" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Adhia">Adhia</keyword> said the endeavour would be to maintain the current tax incidence on a commodity or service at the same level in the new Goods and <keyword id="645517" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="services-tax">Services Tax</keyword> (GST) regime. 
 
GST will subsume central levies like excise duty on manufactured products and service tax on rendering of services as well as state VAT on sale, to make for a national sales tax that will be levied at the time of consumption of a product or service. 
 
Adhia said the approach for the GST rollout would be to avoid any shock in the first year and any review for inclusion of a service or change in rate could be done in the second or third year of the implementation based on revenue realisation. 
 
"Our entire purpose will be that we don't upset anything that is there now. We will try to do some smooth landing. So we will recommend to GST Council that whatever is the existing exemption list for service tax they should continue because we cannot do too many things at the same time," he said. 
 
Currently, there are 17 items in negative list of services on which service tax is not levied. 
 
On top of that there are over 60 services, like religious pilgrimage, healthcare, education, skill development, journalistic activities which are exempt from service tax. 
 Rajat <keyword id="1051" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mohan">Mohan</keyword>, Director at tax consultant <keyword id="2632542" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nangia-Co">Nangia &amp; Co</keyword>, said: "GST is the biggest change that our country would see in last 50 years. I see that it was imperative that the government should continue exemptions on the current list of services which are tax neutral under the service tax regime." 
 
"I am ecstatic that there would be no levy of GST on services rendered by Government, Reserve Bank of India, public conveniences, educational institution, services relating to agriculture, transmission or distribution of electricity, renting of residential dwelling for use as a residence, burial, healthcare, specified schemes of general insurance etc," Mohan said. 
 
Mohan, however, felt that this might lead to cascading effect of taxes, but by maintaining the status quo government has ensured that neither the consumer nor the small and medium-sized companies are not in a state of shock. 
 
Asked if these services would be kept exempt from GST, Adhia said: "We presume so... We will recommend to the GST Council that whatever is in the exemption list they should continue in the first year." 
 
He said the main service tax rate will be standard rate of 18 per cent. 
 
"But there may be items of services where abatement (concessional rate) is given for valid reasons. So those items, because there will be no provision for abatements (in GST), we will have to fit them in the rates closed to the present incidence," he said. 
 
The GST Council has approved a four-rate tax structure of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. 
 
Adhia said transport sector, for example, currently gets abatement of 60 per cent and only 40 per cent of the present service tax rate of 15 per cent is being collected. 
 
And so, the tax in the GST will be fixed in the closes bracket of 5 per cent, he said. 
 
Asked if rates for certain services will go up because current tax rate is 15 per cent and the nearest bracket that would not upset the revenue collections is 18 per cent, he said, "some services may become a little more expensive." 
 
The exact ones that become expensive or cheaper will be decided by the GST Council, he said. 
 On the issue of crude oil, petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel (<keyword id="44833" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ATF">ATF</keyword>) and natural gas being kept out of GST net for the time being by continuing with existing taxes of excise and VAT, Adhia said the GST Council decided that to give states comfort of revenue collections. 
 
"For them it is some kind of a risk insurer. That 30 per cent income is already assured. Now 70 per cent (of products and services) they are putting it into the common kitty," he said. 
 
States, he said, want to wait and see how much revenue is generated in the GST regime. 
 
"So, after a year or two if they find that the buoyancy (in tax revenues) is good, they could very well like to bring it (petroleum products) in GST," Adhia added.

No GST for education and health
care this year

International rating agencies have welcomed India’s decision to deregulate diesel prices. Moody’s has said that the decision to deregulate diesel prices and increase natural gas prices is “credit positive,” and it will reduce the burden of subsidy on the government. 
 
Moody’s further said the steady outlook on India’s Baa3 sovereign rating is based on the likelihood of incremental credit positive policy changes in various areas in the coming months, and “our assumption that fuel subsidy reforms, introduced some years ago, will continue.” Atsi Sheth, senior vice-president for sovereign risk group of the rating agency, said, "The decision to fully deregulate diesel prices signals fiscal discipline on the part of the sovereign, which we view as credit positive. <keyword id="445032" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="diesel-price-deregulation">Diesel price deregulation</keyword> will reduce the subsidy burden for the government, although fiscal savings are likely to be limited." 
 Another rating firm, <keyword id="82981" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Fitch">Fitch</keyword>, said that the decision would have a positive effect on the fiscal health of the oil marketing companies. 
 
“The expected direct impact of both the diesel reform and natural gas price rise on Fitch’s headline fiscal forecasts is limited but the fiscal balances will be more robust to future oil shocks, since both diesel and petrol prices are now determined by the market,” Fitch said. 
 
“By allowing diesel to be marketed profitably, the sector will once again be attractive for private companies that had left when price restrictions were put in place,” it added.

Rating Agencies Hail India’s Decision To
Deregulate Diesel Prices

This article is part of "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/workforce-innovation">Workforce Innovation</a>," a series exploring the forces shaping enterprise transformation.Since the launch of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-chat-gpt-2023-1">ChatGPT</a> in 2022, artificial intelligence has been hailed as the answer to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-tools-reality-vs-hype-letdown-big-tech-2024-8">technical challenges</a> such as optimizing systems and machinery and managing vast amounts of data. Now some companies are turning to AI to tackle the human side of business: <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/employee-wellbeing-programs-help-companies-perform-better-and-manage-cost-2024-7">employee well-being</a>.Employers including Navistar, Adidas, and Cisco are experimenting with AI to monitor employee sentiment, strengthen relationships, and provide opportunities for personal and professional growth. The goal is to help managers respond to emerging trends within their teams while making sure employees get timely access to support.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-high-earners-moved-office-work-from-home-remote-work-2024-3">rise of remote work</a> and a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-lazy-hiring-jobs-careers-hr-training-pandemic-2024-8">new generation of workers</a> with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-work-talking-about-mental-health-anxiety-depression-hr-2024-6">different needs and expectations</a> have forced companies to rethink the employee experience. With distributed teams and fewer face-to-face interactions, staffers are experiencing more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-friends-spouses-loneliness-remote-hybrid-benefits-of-work-connections-2024-6">loneliness</a> and disconnection. AI offers a way for some employers to bridge the gap.To be clear: As companies and investors channel <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-big-tech-spending-on-ai-investments-2024-7">billions of dollars into AI</a>, applications to boost employee well-being are a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/flexibility-can-increase-worker-well-being-2024-8">small fraction</a> of the focus. But while few companies are pursuing this now, more could follow, said Matt Beane, an assistant professor of technology management at the University of California, Santa Barbara."Companies might experiment because engagement is so important and the pain is significant — especially since talent today is mobile," he said.Beane said he found these efforts "genuinely exciting" but described many drawbacks. "When new technology rolls out, the first 10 to 40 years are often filled with waste, confusion, and sometimes even harm," he said.<h2 id="d1678e8e-7cbc-4f85-ab59-004f883505fe">Helping managers get a vibe check</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/workplace-well-being/index.html">Employee well-being</a> is a somewhat squishy term that encompasses workers' mental, physical, emotional, and economic health. But despite its seemingly nebulous nature, a workforce's well-being has real <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/employee-wellbeing-programs-help-companies-perform-better-and-manage-cost-2024-7">bottom-line implications</a>. Studies suggest that improving employee well-being can <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3870481/">increase engagement and productivity</a>. And Gallup's research indicates that organizations with higher engagement have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.gallup.com/workplace/236927/employee-engagement-drives-growth.aspx">greater profitability, retention, and performance</a>.Still, employers have long struggled to grasp how employees feel about their jobs, colleagues, and workload. Some have relied on annual engagement surveys, which can be slow to analyze and interpret.Mike Conover, the head of learning consultation and delivery at Navistar, a manufacturer of trucks and diesel engines, is familiar with this problem: His seven-member team is spread across the US. "When you don't see someone in the office and you can't pick up on their demeanor or facial expressions, it's hard to gauge," he said.For the past several months, Conover's team has piloted Rapport, an AI tool designed to support employees and managers. Rapport, which is integrated with email, Slack, and Teams, asks employees to rate their energy level and workload using emojis daily. It follows up with tailored questions to dig deeper into their responses, which are shared with managers only with the employee's permission.The tool alerts Conover about important changes or times he needs to step in, along with tips on how to handle the situation based on <a target="_blank" href="https://people.climate.columbia.edu/projects/view/1912">research from Columbia University</a>. The tool helps Conover connect employees with Navistar's internal resources, whether they need HR support or help with a work-related problem."It breaks down the walls of management," he said. "As a newer leader, sometimes you don't know how to handle things."<h2>From feedback to action items</h2>Many of these AI tools can also spot potential issues and make recommendations.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bjorn-gulden-is-trying-to-save-adidas-after-yeezy-controversy-2024-3">Adidas</a>, the sportswear giant, uses Qualtrics Assist, an AI agent that looks at pulse-survey data along with unstructured data like public reviews or anonymized conversations on internal communication platforms. Combining this with details like work hours, location, and tenure can help managers better understand employee engagement.Managers can use the tool to get advice on their engagement results. For instance, a manager might ask "How well is my team working together?" or "How can I improve my team's overall experience?" Qualtrics Assist analyzes the data and offers insights and suggestions based on industry benchmarks and best practices.The company says the aim is to let "managers have a conversation with the data to understand the lived experience of their team members.""We leveraged AI to democratize insights, reduce bias, and save time," Sebastian Projahn, a senior director of people insights at Adidas, said in May at a summit in Salt Lake City. "Managers can focus on driving impact rather than interpreting data and reading lots of comments."Trevor Keavney, a director in Gartner's HR advisory practice, said these AI tools could be helpful for new leaders, but he mentioned a few concerns. "There's still a lot of uncertainty about AI, and some employees may have reservations," he said. "They might wonder how their data is being collected and used, and whether they're comfortable with their manager having access to this information."Another challenge arises if managers take time to collect feedback but don't act on it. "When employees see no changes based on their feedback, they may lose trust in the process," Keavney said.<h2 id="aadc4eb1-83f2-4e35-a6a8-1d265c922a86">Practical support and help with HR</h2>Other companies are using AI to help employees make use of their benefits.This year, Cisco <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-is-using-ai-to-help-with-recruitment-2024-5">launched</a> an internal bot called WellNest on Webex. Employees fill out a brief intake survey and then receive daily personalized questions related to their financial health, physical fitness, focus, or social connections. Based on their responses, the bot offers two recommendations: a practical "<a target="_blank" href="https://thriveglobal.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360044471974-What-s-a-Microstep">Thrive Microstep</a>" and a relevant Cisco resource. The bot's suggestions are designed to become more personalized over time as it learns from employee conversations.In August, meQuilibrium launched an AI-powered dashboard focused on mental health and resilience. In a feature called Ask meQ, employees select prompts like "I want to boost my emotional intelligence" or "I want to be more present," and the dashboard provides relevant activities and articles.The tool's employee assessment is designed to help identify an employee's risk of anxiety, depression, and burnout and recommend relevant resources. If it detects a risk of depression, for instance, the dashboard might highlight employee-assistance-program resources or suggest virtual therapy. If it identifies a need for more physical activity, it might recommend a gym-membership benefit.The engineering company KBR is piloting this technology. "Most of the time employees approach us knowing that we have a lot of resources for them, but they don't know where to start," Ashley Owens, a senior specialist in global mental health and fitness at KBR, said in an email. "This dashboard gives us the ability to identify needs in a region or in a demographic and allows us to maximize our time, resources, and funding."Beane, the researcher at UCSB, suggested that companies with strong engagement and positive manager-employee relations are better positioned to benefit from these AI applications. In other words, AI reinforces existing strengths.But if AI is seen as replacing meaningful human interactions, it could face resistance. "If a company is struggling in these areas, investing in robots might be seen as problematic," he said.

Can AI help companies boost employee well-being?

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Chinese submarine officers — except for engineers — tend to have the lowest entry exam scores.</li><li>The lack of selectivity is remarkable. Submarines are likely to be critical in a conflict. </li></ul>The job of commanding a nuclear submarine should go to smart and well-qualified officers. Or at least that's the case in Western navies.Not so in the Chinese navy. Chinese submarine officers — except for engineers — tend to come from candidates with the lowest college entrance test scores, according to a US analyst. This suggests that People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) sub commanders are not the best and the brightest officers most poised to cope with the stresses and challenges endemic to submarine warfare."Based on Gaokao national college entrance exam scoring information for PLA [People's Liberation Army] academic institutions, the PLAN Engineering University on average ranks number two on test scores across PLA academic institutions," according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1026&amp;context=cmsi-maritime-reports">paper</a> written by Roderick Lee, an expert on the Chinese military, for the China Maritime Studies Institute at the US Naval War College. "Meanwhile, the Submarine Academy consistently ranks among the bottom three of all PLA institutions.""Assuming a student's Gaokao score is generally indicative of overall performance potential, this suggests that PLAN submarine officer cadets tracking towards non-engineering department positions are inferior to their engineering brethren," Lee said.Rivalry between the engineers on the lower decks who keep the ship's engines running, versus bridge officers such as captains, navigators and weapons officers, isn't unusual in any navy; in the US, by contrast, all submarine officers and commanders are trained in nuclear engineering. By the time a Chinese officer reaches submarine command, they've had more than a decade of training and fleet experience since taking their college entry tests.Still, the selectivity disparity inside the Chinese navy is remarkable, given that submarines would be one of China's most important weapons in a conflict with the US, Japan or Taiwan. The PLAN currently operates around 60 submarines, including 6 armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, plus 6 nuclear- and 46 diesel-powered attack subs armed with a variety of anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.Whether academic prowess equates to military competence has always been up for debate. History is full of commanders — such as George McClellan in the American Civil War — who proved more impressive in the classroom than on the battlefield. On the other hand, the legendary George Patton nearly flunked out of West Point.Regardless, the Chinese navy seems to have had doubts about those commanding its surface ships and submarines: higher-level officers would often sail with them to supervise. "Historically, a PLAN submarine captain's authority could be eroded by the presence of more senior officers onboard," Lee noted. "The issue of flotilla-level leadership deploying to single-ship formations and 'babysitting' ship captains was such an issue for the PLAN surface fleet that the PLAN explicitly prohibited the practice in 2019."It is not clear to what degree senior officers continue to babysit submarine skippers, who already have to share authority with a political commissar aboard each vessel. There is evidence that having a senior officer effectively take command of a submarine <a target="_blank" href="https://jamestown.org/program/trust-deficit-in-pla-navy-submarine-command-origins-and-consequences/">breeds resentment</a> among a sub's crew. Perhaps not coincidentally, Lee notes that flotilla commanders and staff were aboard when the Ming-class diesel sub <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/east/05/02/china.submarine/">SS-361</a> sank in 2003, as well the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1584450/pla-reveals-how-captain-stopped-submarine-falling-3000-metre-trench">near-loss</a> of the Kilo-class SS-372 in 2014.<div type="image" title="chinese submarine" height="2250" width="3500" msid="109356988" hostid="261" sizebytes="757384"></div>Submarine duty is already arduous and isolating, and command conflicts only exacerbate what appears to be a mental health crisis among Chinese commanders and crews. When researchers from China's Second Military Medical University conducted a <a target="_blank" href="https://academic.oup.com/milmed/article/187/5-6/e696/6067548?login=false">survey</a> in 2021 of submarine crews in the PLAN's South China Sea fleet crews, 21 percent reported experiencing mental health issues. Sailors and officers "in the submarine force in the South China Sea are facing mental health risks and suffering from serious psychological problems," concluded the study, which listed education — along with age and experience — as the best predictors of mental health for sub crews."Life in the PLAN submarine service is difficult," Christopher Sharman, director of the China Maritime Studies Institute, told Business Insider. "Conditions are challenging and China has suffered submarine accidents in the past. These variables contribute to making a life in the submarine force less attractive."The thought of a submarine — especially one powered by a nuclear reactor or even armed with nuclear missiles — being commanded by an officer with a low SAT score is less than reassuring. Nonetheless, Lee believes that China's submarine fleet is still a capable force. There are "no clear and glaring flaws in how the PLAN leads its submarine force. Although its educational system underwent some turmoil in the beginning of the 21st century and continues to encounter challenges today, these challenges do not appear to be substantial enough to dramatically affect operational performance."Yet the poor educational qualifications of Chinese sub skippers may be a vulnerability that US anti-submarines can exploit, Lee suggests. China's submarine force is more likely to make mistakes since it "draws its leaders from some of the worst-performing officer cadets," Lee said. "Even if the Gaokao score is not indicative of overall human performance, it does reflect some level of intelligence and individual dedication. The PLAN submarine force must therefore rely on its least talented officers to lead forces that may be cut off for days if not weeks at a time."By stressing Chinese submarine commanders, such as confronting them with multiple or unexpected challenges, they could be goaded into making a mistake. "This may make PLAN submarine officers more likely to suffer from the error precursors of poor proficiency, poor problem-solving skills, inappropriate attitudes towards tasks, imprecise communication habits, and inability to handle stress."On the other hand, a Chinese submarine captain will have had years of experience and additional training before assuming command. It remains to be seen if his college test scores impact his combat performance.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

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