New Delhi: The GST rate on work contract services provided to government agencies under the definition of government authorities and government entities will be hiked to 18 percent from today. The rate hike does not apply to contracts awarded directly by Central Government Departments, State Government Departments, and Local Self Government Institutions.

They will continue with the current tax rate of 12 percent. The tax exemption will continue to apply to full-fledged services provided to local bodies for performing the functions prescribed by the Constitution and to work contract services involving less than 25 percent of the goods. However, if such services are made available by government authorities through government entities, they will be subject to 18 percent GST, the general rate, from January 1. The State Goods and Services Tax Commissioner has said that the new rate will be levied from January 1 on work contract services provided to government agencies subject to the rate hike.

New Delhi: The price of a cylinder of LPG for commercial use has been reduced. Today, the price of a 19 kg LPG cylinder has been reduced by Rs. 102.50.

With this, the price of a commercial cylinder in Kochi became Rs.1994. On November 1, the price of a commercial cylinder was hiked by Rs 278.

Chennai: Orange alert was issued today in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, amid heavy rains. The Met Office has warned of thundershowers in the state till 8.30 am tomorrow. Puducherry and Karaikal also received heavy rainfall.

Intermittent rains are creating a crisis as authorities try to avoid flooding. More than 10 cm of rain fell in many places. The Chennai Co-operation Commissioner said that these days are the heaviest rainfall in Chennai in 100 years. The rain continues as the hurricane is still close to the coast. The Chennai Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rains in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

Srinagar: Twelve pilgrims were killed in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Jammu and Kashmir. More than a dozen people were injured. A large number of people came to pay their respects on the occasion of the New Year. Many of the injured are in critical condition, hospital sources said. Authorities said that many people had entered the Vaishno Devi Bhavan without permission, causing congestion.

Jaipur: Omicron’s death has been reported again in the country. A 73-year-old man has died of omicron in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He was being treated at the hospital for high blood pressure and diabetes. On December 21, the covid test result was negative. On the 25th, covid became positive again and Omicron confirmed.

He died of pneumonia, hospital officials said. The country’s first Omicron death was confirmed in Maharashtra yesterday. A 52-year-old man traveling to Nigeria died on Tuesday. He died of a heart attack on Thursday after being diagnosed with an Omicron variant.