States

The states - including Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat - are estimating expenditure to have risen 21.5% in 2022-23, and plan to increase it further by 11% in 2023-24

In the largest-ever state government securities auction so far this fiscal, 12 states on Tuesday raised Rs 35,800 crore at an average annualised price of 7.74 per cent. The current drawdown is 15 per cent higher than the amount indicated for the week in the auction calendar and 66 per cent higher than the year-ago period. This is the penultimate week in the borrowing calendar for the states this fiscal. Despite increased supply, the states were forced to offer better yields to investors as the weighted average cut-off rose by 7 bps to 7.74 per cent over the past week's auction, according to an analysis by ratings agency Icra. The agency also noted that the weighted average cut-off rose by 7 bps in spite of the weighted average tenor declining mildly to 14 years from 15 years. This also had the spread between the 10-year state bonds and the yield on the 10-year gilt widening to 43 bps today from 34 bps last week.

If target missed, part of loans to be deducted in 2024-25

Centre has no proposal under its consideration for bifurcation of any state even though demands are received from various individuals, organisations, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said.

Ten sensitive installations in six states and one Union territory have been declared out of bounds for the general public, with the Centre saying any information with respect to certain activities carried out at these premises may be useful to India's enemies. Invoking the Official Secrets Act, the Union Home Ministry said in a notification that the sensitive installations are situation in Telangana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Kerala and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. "...the central government is satisfied that the information with respect to certain activities carried on in the places specified...shall be useful to an enemy. And, whereas, the central government considers it expedient that special precautions shall be taken to prevent access of unauthorised persons to such places. "Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by...the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (19 of 1923), the central government hereby declares the places specified...a prohibited place f

All the states, union territories and 32 central government departments will integrate with the National Single Window System (NSWS) by December this year, through which companies can seek all approvals and clearances for their businesses, a top official said on Thursday. So far 19 states/UTs and 27 central government departments are already onboarded, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka, the Secretary in the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) Anurag Jain said here. He was speaking at a joint meeting of the India-Japan business cooperation committee meeting. The system is aimed at reducing duplicity of information submission to different ministries, reduce compliance burden, cut gestation period of projects, and promote ease of starting and doing business. NSWS enables the identification, applying and subsequent tracking of approvals for all integrated states and central departments. "Going ..

Murmu also pointed out that digitisation and expanded use of technology and artificial intelligence have brought its own challenges

The 50 year interest free capex loans worth Rs 1.3 trillion are part of the Centre's FY24 capex budget of Rs 10 trillion

Among a few tweaks to surcharges, Sitharaman announced the Centre would reduce the highest surcharge levied under personal income tax from 37 per cent to 25 per cent under the new tax regime

Only 285,226 new state government employees joined the NPS, as compared to 321,255 subscribers in the corresponding period last year

The parade was kicked off in Delhi by the guest contingent of the Egyptian Armed Forces, followed by a show of strength by the Indian Armed Forces

After remaining stable for many weeks, the cost of borrowing for states inched up by 5 basis points to 7.64 per cent at Tuesday's auction when 15 of them raised Rs 25,700 crore from the market. The amount of debt raised today is a 13-week high and for the first time shows an annualised growth of 8 per cent year-to-date -- a first as throughout the year, the weekly borrowing has been below the year-ago weeks, yet 15 per cent lower than the indicated amount in the borrowing calendar, according to a note by Icra Ratings. The weighted average cut-off on state government loans rose 5 basis points to 7.64 per cent over the previous week, and the weighted average tenor rose to 13 years from 11 during the week. The spread between the 10-year state bonds and G-sec (government securities) yield stood at 30 basis points today, amidst an inverted yield curve, according to Aidti Nayar, chief economist and head research and outreach at Icra, said. States have cumulatively raised Rs 5.12 lakh cro

States are not impervious to global geopolitical challenges the country faces and should be sensitive about these issues, Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri suggested during a national conference of chief secretaries on Friday. Misri along with Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran made a presentation on "Global Geopolitical Challenges" on the second day of the three-day conference which was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The presentation talked about China trying to emerge as a new global power and also mentioned challenges and threats to globalisation, sources said. Several presentations were made at the national conference of chief secretaries, including by Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Sanjay Seth, on economic growth and job creation. DPIIT Secretary Anurag Jain made a presentation suggesting reducing the compliance burden as it discourages private investment, sources said. A presentation by Department of Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malho

We the People of the States of Bharat offers an excellent account of the considerations that have given the country its present internal boundaries to whet your appetite for history

A mock drill will be held on Wednesday across a number of health facilities in several states and Union territories to ensure their readiness to deal with any eventuality related to COVID-19, following an advisory by the Centre. The exercise will focus on parameters such as availability of health facilities (covering all districts), capacity of isolation beds, oxygen-supported beds, ICU beds and ventilator-supported beds, and optimal availability of doctors, nurses, paramedics, AYUSH doctors, and other frontline workers, including ASHA and Anganwadi workers. It will also focus on human resource capacity in terms of healthcare professionals trained on COVID-19 management, healthcare professionals trained in ventilatory management protocol for severe cases, healthcare workers trained in operation of PSA plants etc and availability of Advanced and Basic Life Support (ALS/BLS) ambulances, testing equipment and reagents and that of essential drugs among others. Referring to the surge in

Puducherry has the highest SPI score of 65.99 in the country, attributable to its remarkable performance across components like Personal Freedom and Choice, Shelter, and Water and Sanitation

Five more states and union territories -- Haryana, Andaman and Nicobar, Tripura, Jharkhand, and Arunachal Pradesh) -- are likely to integrate with the National Single Window System (NSWS) by December 15. The system currently accepts applications for 248 government-to-business clearance and approvals from 26 central ministries and departments, including states. So far 16 states/UTs are already onboarded, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka, the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) said in a statement on Thursday. "The teams are working with 5 more states to integrate by 15 December," it said, adding, "it is expected that the onboarding of remaining 8 ministries/departments of Government of India would happen by 31 December and the balance states/UTs by 31 March 2023." It said over 44,000 approvals have been facilitated through NSWS and over 28,000 approvals are currently under process. The system

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The commission recently heard the responses of the Chief Secretaries of Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh in connection with its suo motu cognizance of unabated air pollution in Delhi- NCR

Lack of coordination between depts and ministries within the govt on the one hand, and between the Centre and the states on the other, has proved to be a hurdle