# GST on covid relief goods

• The GST council on saturday decided to wave the tax levied on two critical drugs against covid-19 and mucormycosis.

• Non-BJP ruled states registered a strong dissent, terming the continued imposition of GST on critical covid-19 supplies and drugs as “insensitive” and totally anti-people.

• The 5 % GST levied on vaccines was left unchanged, following the recent changes in the country’s vaccine procurement strategy.

• Ambulances which are currently taxed at 28 % will attract a GST levy of 12%, while temperature checking equipment and electric furnaces used in crematoriums will attract a 5% GST instead of 18%.

# New declassification policy

• Defence minister Rajnath singh on saturday approved a policy on archiving , declassification compilation and publication of war and operations history by the ministry of defence.

• However, declassification of older wars like the 1962 war is not automatic and will be taken up on a case by case basis by a committee to be constituted under the policy.

• According to the policy, records should originally be declassified in 25 years.

• Records older than 25 years should be appraised by archival experts and transferred to the national archives of India once the wars/operations histories have been compiled.

# Operation “0livia”

• Every year, the Indian coast guard’s “operation olivia” initiated in the early 1980s, helps protect olive ridley turtles as they congregate along the odisha coast for breeding and nesting from November to December.

• The olive ridley is listed as vulnerable under the International union for conservation of nature’s red list.

• All five species of sea turtles found in India are included in schedule 1 of the Indian wildlife protection act, 1972.

# Coast guard

• The coast guard on saturday inducted the first batch of three Advanced light helicopter MK-III designed and manufactured by HAL.

• The Advanced light helicopter MK-III marine version has been designed and developed with in house customisation of 19 additional equipment by HAL to meet coast guard requirements.