Page 12 - Centre

Increase personal I-T exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh in Budget: Assocham

Industry body Assocham on Thursday made a strong case for doubling the income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh in the forthcoming Budget so that the economy gets a consumption boost. Currently, the maximum amount of income which is not chargeable to income tax is Rs 2.5 lakh. In case of persons in the age bracket of 60-80 years, it is Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for senior citizens who are above the age of 80. During a media interaction, Assocham President Sumant Sinha opined that companies in sectors like steel and cement are now beginning to make plans to increase capacities. Talking about the downside risks, he shared that globally, the world might go into recession and that will impact the external sector, and therefore may affect India's gross domestic product (GDP). In its pre-Budget recommendations, the chamber said the government should increase the exemption limit for income tax to at least Rs 5 lakh so that more disposable income is left in the hands of consumers and the econ

Govt to support farmers to produce more pulses, streamline imports

The government on Thursday said it will take steps to support farmers for increasing pulses production and also streamline imports as part of its objective to make available the products at affordable rates. The Department of Consumer Affairs will take all necessary steps required to support Indian farmers to produce more pulses, according to an official statement. Importers will also be supported for seamless imports of pulses so that the pulses are available to the consumers at affordable prices, throughout 2023, said Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary Department of Consumer Affairs during a meeting with pulses associations. Further, Singh reiterated the importance of both domestic production and the imports of pulses especially Tur, Urad and Masoor. "Global availability in the coming year is expected to be better with increase in production expected from Myanmar, where arrivals have started and pulses sowing intentions in African countries indicating increase in area coverage under ..

Delhi High Court reserves order on batch of pleas regarding Agnipath scheme

The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its order on three batches of pleas challenging Centre's Agnipath scheme

Wheat stocks to fall further by 13% but will be sufficient, says Centre

Wheat stocks in India's government warehouses will fall by about 13% by early next month from current levels but will be sufficient for welfare schemes of the country

Delhi HC asks Centre to justify different pay scale for Agniveers, sepoys

The Delhi High Court questioned the Central government's decision for different pay scale for Agniveers and regular sepoys (soldiers) in the Indian Army if their scope of work is the same

Nearly 979,000 posts vacant in central government departments: Centre

There are around 9.79 lakh vacancies in the central government for different posts and departments, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday. As per Annual Report of Pay Research Unit of Department of Expenditure, 9,79,327 posts are vacant under various ministries/departments of the central government, as on March 1, 2021, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in a written reply. "Occurrence and filling up vacancies is a continuous process, as per the requirement of various ministries/departments/organisations of central government," he said. The government has already issued instruction to all ministries/ departments for timely filling up of the unfilled posts, Singh said. The Rozgar Melas being organised by Government of India are expected to act as catalyst in further employment generation and provide meaningful opportunities to the youth for their empowerment and participation in national development directly, he added. In another reply, the minister said th

400 died while cleaning sewers and septic tanks since 2017: Centre

As many as 400 people have died while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewers and septic tanks since 2017, the government said on Tuesday. Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale said no death has been reported due to engaging in manual scavenging. "However, 233 persons have died due to accidents while undertaking hazardous cleaning of sewer and septic tanks during the last three years and current year," he said in a written response. He gave data of number of such deaths recorded since 2017. According to the data, 48 such deaths were recorded in 2022, 49 in 2021, 19 in 2020, 117 in 2019, 67 in 2018 and 100 in 2017.

Special board to consider 246 women Army officers for promotion: Centre

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court a special selection board has been convened from January 9 to consider around 246 women Army officers for promotion. Senior advocate R Balasubramanian, appearing for the Centre, informed a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice P S Narasimha that the special selection board-III will consider the issue of promotion of these officers. "We are seized of the matter. They are saying special selection board will be over by January 23. We will keep it after January 24," the bench noted and posted the matter for further hearing on January 30. The apex court said the respondent shall file an updated report before it setting out the results of the special selection board. The top court was hearing a plea by 34 women Army officers who have alleged junior male officers are being considered over them for promotions to perform "combat and commanding roles" in the force. While hearing the matter on December 9, the apex court had asked the

Agnipath scheme voluntary, those having problem don't join: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the petitioners who have challenged the Centre's Agnipath scheme as to which of their rights have been violated and said it was voluntary and those having any problem should not join the armed forces under it. The high court said the Agnipath scheme has been formed by experts in Army, Navy and Air Force and judges were not military experts. What is wrong in the scheme? It is not compulsory.To be frank, we are not military experts. You (petitioners) and me are not experts. It has been framed after great efforts by experts in Army, Navy and Indian Air Force. "There is a particular policy that the government has framed. It is not compulsory, it is voluntary, a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad said. The bench further said, You have to show us that a right is taken away. Don't join then. There is no compulsion. If you are good you will be absolved thereafter (after 4 years). Are we the persons to decide it .

Shaji K V took charge as NABARD Chairman from Dec 7: Govt in Parliament

Shaji K V has taken the charge as Chairman of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) with effect from December 7, 2022, the government on Monday informed Parliament. He has taken over from Suchindra Misra, Additional Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, who was holding additional charge, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. Further, Karad said there are two board level vacancies in the organisation while 514 vacancies are at the group A level. Replying to a question, the minister said more than 12 lakh loans have been extended by public sector banks in rural areas across the country for setting up business, after the Covid period, that is, from April, 2020 to November, 2022. It has been conveyed by the RBI that they have received 1,230 complaints under RBI Ombudsman pertaining to 'Delay in loan sanction/disbursement or non-observance of prescribed time schedule for disposal of loan .

Govt not to make public RBI report on reasons for inflation target breach

The government on Monday ruled out making public the RBI report detailing the reasons why the central bank could not keep inflation within the targeted 6 per cent upper limit for the three consecutive quarters. "Yes sir, RBI has furnished a report to the central government, as mandated under Section 45ZN of the RBI Act, 1934 and Regulation 7 of RBI Monetary Policy Committee and Monetary Policy process Regulations, 2016," minister of state for finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply. The said provisions of the RBI Act, 1934, and regulations therein does not provide for making the report public, he said. The average inflation was above the upper tolerance level of the inflation target, that is 6 per cent for 3 consecutive quarters during January-September, 2022. During the January-March quarter, the average inflation was 6.3 per cent, in April-June period it was 7.3 per cent and it eased to 7 per cent in September quarter. It was the first time since the monetary policy ...

3,936 Indian fishermen, 468 boats taken in foreign custody in 5 yrs: Centre

'Indian fishermen were generally apprehended by countries on charges of allegedly fishing in their territorial waters'

Biggest challenge is to get Centre, states work together: CII president

Bajaj said even in states where it is the same party ruling as the Centre, one doesn't see the same level of focus, energy and interest

Govt notifies amendments with more tie-ups for corporate agents

As per the notification, corporate agents can now tie up with nine insurers each in the general, life, and health insurance sectors

Advise Centre to exercise restraint on comments: SC tells attorney general

In his maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha on December 7 and at a public event last week, vice president Jagdeep Dhankar criticised the Supreme Court's judgement overturning the NJAC

Restricted judicial review doesn't mean court will sit back: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said limited scope of a judicial review in economic policy matters does not mean that court will fold its hands and sit back, observing that the manner in which a decision is taken by the government can always be examined. The top court was hearing a batch of 58 petitions challenging the demonetisation exercise announced by the Centre on November 8, 2016. During the hearing, the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) submitted that "temporary hardships" were there and that they are also an integral part of the nation-building process but there was a mechanism by which problems that arose were solved. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice S A Nazeer said legal compliance of an economic policy can be examined by a constitutional court. "Court will not go into the merits of the decision taken by the government. But it can always go into the manner the decision was taken. But, just because it is an economic policy, does not mean court will fold its hands an

Sisodia's claims regarding non-cooperation of officials vague: Centre to SC

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that no Union Territory has its own services under the Constitution and the present status of Delhi is in existence since 1993

High ICAO rankings to help domestic airlines expand globally: Centre

India is among the top 50 countries with best aviation safety in the latest ICAO rankings and the major break through will help domestic airlines in international expansion, the government said on Sunday. In the rankings by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), India is now at the 48th position, a "quantum leap" from the 102nd rank it had in 2018. In a series of tweets, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said the ICAO has given the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) the highest Effective Implementation (EI) score of 85.49 per cent. "India is now among the top 50 countries with best aviation safety according to the latest @icao rankings. This major break through will also help Indian airlines to expand internationally," it said. The rankings are for 187 countries and assessments were done at different points of time. Under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach, an ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM)

Govt issues guidelines for PLI scheme to boost domestic drone industry

The Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued guidelines for the implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to support the indigenous drone industry

NCP slams Maha govt, BJP and Centre for 'silence' on Karnataka CM's remarks

The Nationalist Congress Party on Saturday questioned the "eerie silence" of the Maharashtra government, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Centre on the "uncalled for" statements made by Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on the border dispute between the two states, which it claimed brought the differences to the fore again. Bommai had recently sought a merger of "Kannada-speaking" areas in Maharashtra's Akkalkot and Solapur and had also said some villages in Jat taluka in Sangli district wanted to join the southern state. A day earlier, he said the visit of Maharashtra ministers Chandrakant Patil and Shambhuraj Desai to Belgaum was not good in the given situation. Maharashtra and Karnataka have been involved in a long-standing border dispute, with the former seeking administrative control of Marathi-speaking Belgaum and some other villages of the neighbouring state. "'Why is an eerie silence being maintained by the Central government, BJP and CM of Maharashtra on the ...