Daily Bulletin: Nirmala Sitharaman likely to announce steps to address economic slowdown today; BJP to observe 'Seva Saptah' from 14 September to mark Narendra Modi's birthday; day's top stories

Nirmala Sitharaman presser today, sector-specific announcements to address downturn expected

Amid concerns about the economic slowdown in the country, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is expected to announce more measure and other important decision on 14 September during a press conference.

According to PIB's twitter, she will address a press conference from 2:30 at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.

A government official told Mint that Sitharaman is expected to announce sector-specific solutions and targets.

This announcement comes four days after the auto industry revealed the sales figures for August, announcing that domestic passenger vehicle sales skidded for the 10th consecutive month, registering a 31.57 percent decline

BJP to observe 'Seva Saptah' from 14 September to mark Narendra Modi's birthday

BJP chief Amit Shah and working president JP Nadda will distribute fruits among patients at AIIMS on 14 September, as part of a Seva Saptah (service week) the party will observe to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday. The BJP will observe 'Seva Saptah' from 14 September across the country during which various welfare activities will be carried out, party general secretary Arun Singh said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Reuters

Singh said the service week will be celebrated by the party's all MPs and MLAs in their respective constituencies. As part of it, blood donation camps, free health checkup camps, distribution of food items among orphans and elderly people will be organised, Singh said.

The Seva Saptah celebrations will begin with Shah and Nadda visiting AIIMS in the national capital and distributing fruits among patients, Singh said. During this week-long drive, the focus will be on three things, cleanliness, shunning single-use plastic items and water conservation, he said, adding that the aim is to carry out a countrywide campaign to serve the people.

NCP MP Udayanraje Bhosale to join BJP today in Narendra Modi, Amit Shah's presence

Ending days of speculation about him joining the BJP, NCP's Lok Sabha member Udayanraje Bhonsle on Friday declared he is joining the ruling party in the presence of prime minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday.

Bhonsle, a descendant of Warrior King Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and among the four NCP MPs from Maharashtra, made the announcement on Twitter.

Sharing a graphic on the micro-blogging site, Bhonsle said Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil will also attend the Delhi event.

The development came a day after Bhonsle, MP from Satara in western Maharashtra, met NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Pune on Thursday.

GST Council to meet on 20 September, to consider tax cut based on revenue position

The GST Council will at its Goa meeting next week consider demands for reducing taxes on products ranging from cars to biscuits keeping in mind the revenue position as any cut will have a direct impact on earnings of states, a senior government official aid.

The GST Council, headed by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and comprising representatives of all states and Union Territories (UTs), is scheduled to meet on 20 September in Goa amidst a clamour for a cut in tax rates from various industries to beat the slowdown in the economy.

The economic growth hit a six-year low of 5 percent for the first quarter of the current fiscal and the government has announced a slew of measures to reinvigorate the sagging growth

Jordan Peele to be honoured with BAFTA's Britannia Award for directing

Filmmaker Jordan Peele will receive the John Schlessinger Britannia Award for excellence in directing. BAFTA Los Angeles, a branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, will honour the writer-director, behind films such as the Oscar-nominated Get Out and Us, for his socially relevant contribution in the horror genre. The filmmaker joins the list of previous recipients such as Steve McQueen, Ava DuVernay, Ang Lee, Sam Mendes, Mike Newell, Danny Boyle, Christopher Nolan, David Yates, Quentin Tarantino and Kathryn Bigelow.

With inputs from agencies