Page 13 - Centre

Centre 'modifies' 62 unsold coal mines to make them attractive for buyers

Out of the 141 coal blocks which the Centre has put up for commercial auction, 62 mines are old which had gone unsold during previous attempts; hence they have been modified

Over 3 mn central govt pensioners used digital life certificates: DoPPW

More than 30 lakh Central government pensioners used digital life certificates (DLCs), the Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) said on Thursday. Submission of life certificates is an important activity to be carried out by pensioners every year in the month of November (with special provision for pensioners aged 80 years and above to submit their life certificates in October) to ensure continuity of their pension. In the traditional mode, pensioners had to present themselves before the pension disbursing authority for physical submission of their life certificate which entailed waiting at the bank branches in queues for this purpose. This was found inconvenient for the old, ailing pensioners. Further, there was no mechanism for the pensioners to get a status regarding updation of their life certificates in the records of the pension disbursing authority. To enhance ease of living' of Central government pensioners, the DoPPW has been promoting DLC i.e. 'jeevan ...

Any compelling reason for environmental release of GM Mustard? SC to Centre

Amid concerns over environmental contamination due to genetically modified crops, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Centre whether there was any compelling reason for the environmental release of GM Mustard failing which the country will be doomed. The top court said Indian farmers, unlike their western counterparts, are not literate and they do not understand about genes and mutations notwithstanding events like 'Krishi Melas' and 'Krishi Darshan' which is the ground reality. The Centre told the top court that opposition by activists, experts and scientists to GM crops is "ideological" rather than based on scientific rationale. On October 25, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) under the Union environment ministry approved the environmental release of transgenic mustard hybrid DMH-11 and the parental lines containing barnase, barstar and bar genes so that they can be used for developing new hybrids. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and BV Nagarathna told

Climate for investment vitiated, appetite for investment poor: Congress

The Congress on Wednesday attacked the Centre over India's economy slowing down to 6.3 per cent in the July-September quarter of this fiscal, saying it is a pity that the government is helpless against external factors and in denial about internal factors. Senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram alleged that the climate for investment is "vitiated" and the appetite for investment is "poor". India's economic growth slowed down to 6.3 per cent in the July-September quarter of this fiscal, dragged down mainly by the poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors, official data showed on Wednesday. However, India remained the fastest-growing major economy as China registered an economic growth of 3.9 per cent between July and September 2022. "As expected (except by the government), GDP growth rate in Q2 has come down from 13.5 per cent to 6.3 per cent. I am afraid it may be lower in Q3. There are both external factors and internal factors that have pulled

Centre's housing initiatives will benefit middle class, slum dwellers: Puri

The middle class, slum dwellers and the poor in Delhi will benefit from the BJP-ruled Centre's various initiatives related to housing such as increase in floor area ratio (FAR) and regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday. Ahead of the December 4 election to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Puri addressed a press conference along with party MPs from the national capital. He said a total of 1.35 crore residents of Delhi will benefit from the government's various redevelopment initiatives -- 50 lakh people through regularisation of unauthorised colonies under the Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY), 75 lakh through the land pooling exercise in rural areas and 10 lakh people through the 'Jahan Jhuggi Wahin Makan' scheme. The Delhi BJP, in its manifesto for the MCD polls, has promised to work with the Centre to provide economically weaker sections (EWS) flats to all slum dwellers in the

Cannot be asked to compensate for deaths due to Covid-19 vaccines: Centre

The government cannot be held liable to compensate for the deaths due to an adverse event following immunisation (AEFI) post administration of Covid-19 vaccines, the Centre has told the Supreme Court. The affidavit filed in the apex court by the Centre assumes significance in view of the fact that the government has been zealously pursuing the Covid-19 vaccination programme to fight the pandemic and, as per latest reports, over 219 crore doses have been administered. The affidavit was filed in response to a petition by the parents of two girls who died allegedly due to adverse effects following Covid vaccination. It claimed vaccines manufactured by third parties had successfully undergone regulatory review, and holding the state directly liable to provide compensation may not be legally sustainable. "The vaccines in use under the vaccination program are manufactured by third parties and have successfully undergone thorough regulatory review in India as well as other nations, being

Centre asks for reconsideration of Saurabh Kripal's name as Delhi HC judge

Last year, the Collegium headed by then Chief Justice of India NV Ramana had recommended the elevation of Saurabh Kirpal

J'khand govt demands Rs 9,682-cr package for drought-hit blocks from Centre

The Jharkhand government demanded a financial package of Rs 9,682 crore from the Centre for drought-hit blocks in the state, a minister said on Saturday. The JMM-led government had on October 29 declared 226 of the 260 blocks of the state as drought-affected and decided to provide a cash relief of Rs 3,500 to each affected farmer family under the chief minister's drought relief scheme. The state government has submitted the memorandum of finance to the Centre for assistance. We have demanded a package of Rs 9,682 crore, state Agriculture Minister Badal Patralekh said during a review meeting with deputy commissioners and his department's officers of all districts through a video conference. The Centre will review the state's proposal and send a team to Jharkhand to assess the situation, an official said. The minister also stated that the compulsory requirement of a land possession certificate to avail of benefits of the drought relief scheme will be removed. "Every farmer whose nam

Govt convenes an all-party meet on G20 preparations on December 5

The government has convened an all-party meet here on December 5 to inform leaders about India's preparations for the G20 meetings that New Delhi plans to host over the next one year, a senior leader of a party said on Friday. Presidents of nearly 40 parties have been invited for the meeting by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present, the leader said requesting anonymity. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is also likely to attend the meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, sources said. India will officially assume the G20 Presidency from December 1. The next G20 Leaders' Summit at the level of heads of state or government is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi. Several G20 meetings will be held in various parts of the country. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee had said on Thursday that she will travel to the national capital on December 5 to take part in the meeti

Demonetisation: Can't put the clock back, govt tells Supreme Court

Resisting the Supreme Court's attempt to revisit the 2016 demonetisation exercise, the government said on Friday the court cannot decide a matter when no tangible relief can be granted by way of "putting the clock back" and "unscrambling a scrambled egg". The remarks by Attorney General R Venkataramani came after the apex court asked the Union government to explain whether it consulted the the Central Board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) before undertaking demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 denomination notes in 2016. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice S A Nazeer is hearing a batch of 58 petitions challenging the demonetisation exercise. "The only submission you have made is that these are all economic issues done by experts (so) don't touch it. What is your opposition to the plea of the other side? Tell us what is your submission to counter their submissions. They said it is not in conformity with section 26 (2) of the RBI Act. "You are arguing that the objective

Former Bengal minister criticise Centre for rising exports from China

In the backdrop of China's rising exports to India, former West Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra Thursday took a dig at the Centre's dependence on trade with that country and termed it as a threat to the nation's security. Mitra, who is currently the principal chief adviser to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, predicted that India's dependence on imports from China is set to double that of 2014. "The dependence of India on China will widen Chinese premier Xi Jinping's Mona Lisa smile in the coming G20 summit in New Delhi September next year''. Chinese exports to India has witnessed a rise of about 31 per cent. "Modi regime's 'China nirbhar' (dependence on China) is a threat to India's national security. India's dependence on imports from China is set to double since 2014 ($60 billion to $120 billion in 2022). Now you can read more into Xi's 'Mona Lisa 'smile' at Modi at G-20," Mitra tweeted. India and China's bilateral trade has continued to boom despite tension on

Centre asks ministries, depts to identify new assets for monetisation

The report said the govt has been able to garner only Rs 33,443 crore in revenue from assets sale in the first 7 months

BJP creating confusion in J-K to rule directly from Centre: JKPCC president

Pradesh Congress Committee president Vikar Rasool Wani on Wednesday accused the BJP of creating an atmosphere of confusion in the union territory so that it can rule it directly from the Centre. "The BJP is indulging in falsehood and promotion of hate politics in the country in order to divert people's attention from its failures for the sake of power while adding more confusion in J&K aiming to continue ruling it directly from the Centre," Wani said at the party workers' convention at the Valtengo area in Kulgam district. Wani blamed BJP the government for the losses caused to J&K due to the "wrong policies adopted by it (BJP) while having failed people miserably on developmental, economic, employment and various other fronts". Wani said the developmental process initiated in J&K by UPA-I and UPA-II is nowhere to be seen "What the people of J&K got under the BJP rule is only unemployment, lack of development, unprecedented price hike on essentials and hardships which .

Centre to approve Rs 32k cr investment for power project in Arunachal

Union Power Minister RK Singh on Tuesday assured Arunachal Pradesh Deputy CM Chowna Mein that the Centre would soon approve an investment of Rs 32,000 crore for the Dibang hydroelectric project

'Nearly 15,000 Indian students learning online from Ukraine universities'

It added that though 382 students applied for academic mobility, their applications were not accepted either by the Ukrainian university or the receiving partner university, because of various reasons

Indian govt wants solar manufacturers to bid for $2.4 billion in aid

The state-run Solar Energy Corp. of India is seeking bids from solar manufacturers for 195 billion rupees of financial incentives, according to documents published on the agency's website

Number of beneficiaries under PM-KISAN has crossed 100 million, says govt

The Centre on Monday said the number of beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN scheme has crossed 10 crore, increasing more than three-fold from 3.16 crore farmers covered under the first instalment period in early 2019. The statement came hours after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge attacked the government over the scheme, alleging that the number of beneficiaries has gone down with every instalment. Under the scheme, announced in February 2019 but made operational with effect from December 2018, the Centre provides an income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments to all land holding farmer families. "The release of benefits for any instalment period under PM-KISAN has now crossed 10 crore farmers from 3.16 crore for the first instalment period -- more than 3 times increase in over 3 years," the Union Agriculture Ministry said in a statement. "PM-KISAN through a span of over 3 years has successfully provided assistance of more than Rs 2 lakh crore to crores of nee

E-commerce fake reviews: Centre to issue standard guidelines next week

According to sources, the e-commerce companies will also be asked to remove unverified buyers and reviewers, and on failing to do so, action will be taken against them

Govt extends tenure of ED Director Sanjay Kumar Mishra until Nov 2023

The Centre extended the tenure of enforcement directorate chief Sanjay Kumar Mishra by a year till November 18, 2023

Note ban was to counter black money, terror finance, Centre tells SC

'The withdrawal of the legal tender character of the specified bank notes was one of the critical steps in the series of transformational economic policy steps'