Page 23 - Government Of India

SC seeks data as Centre says no starvation death even during pandemic

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that due to "comprehensive policies and steps" taken by both Central and state governments, there have been no starvation deaths in recent times

No one can be forced to get vaccinated against their wishes: Centre to SC

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that COVID-19 inoculation guidelines issued by the Union health ministry do not envisage forcible vaccination without obtaining the consent of an individual. On the issue of exempting persons with disabilities from producing vaccination certificates, the Centre told the apex court that it has not issued any SOP that makes it mandatory to carry the vaccination certificate for any purpose. The Centre said this in its affidavit filed in response to a plea by NGO Evara Foundation seeking door-to-door, priority COVID-19 vaccination for persons with disabilities. "It is submitted that the direction and guidelines released by Government of India and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare do not envisage any forcible vaccination without obtaining consent of the concerned individual. "It is submitted that vaccination for COVID-19 is of larger public interest in view of the ongoing pandemic situation," the affidavit filed by the Union health ministry ...

Haryana govt submits proposal to develop Delhi-Hisar Rapid Transit System

Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said the state government has given a proposal to the Centre to develop a Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) connecting Delhi to Hisar.

Centre surveys 17.78 lakh acres of defence land using advanced technologies

In a first such comprehensive exercise since Independence, the government has surveyed 17.78 lakh acres of defence land using the latest technologies

Centre not to impose anti-dumping duty on certain steel products

The government has decided not to impose anti-dumping duty on certain steel products being imported from countries like China, Japan, and Korea

What is the Consolidated Fund of India?

Apart from the equity market, effects of pandemic will also reflect on the upcoming Union Budget. In this episode, we explain the Consolidated Fund of India, a key component of the Union budget

Released 50% funds earmarked for States, UTs under ECRP-II: Centre

Centre on Tuesday clarified that it has released 50 per cent of funds earmarked for States and Union Territories, and not 26.14 per cent as claimed in some media reports.The Centre further added that the funds were released by August 24 and not in November, as claimed.The Union Health Ministry, in a press release, said, "A news channel has recently made a claim that the Union Government has only disbursed 26.14 per cent of the Emergency COVID Response Plans-II (ECRP-II) funds to the states. The news channel further claims that funds were disbursed by the Centre by November 2021 and states have utilized 60 per cent of the approved funds.""The news report is misinformed and claims are false, misleading and based on misrepresented facts," it added.The Ministry further informed that the Cabinet approved the "India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package - Phase-II" (ECRP-Phase-II) on July 8, 2021 for an amount of Rs 23,123 crores (Central Share - Rs 15,000 ...

NEET-PG admissions: Centre seeks urgent hearing of EWS quota case

The Centre requested the Supreme Court to schedule a hearing in a matter related to the EWS quota in connection with the NEET-PG admissions on Tuesday, citing "some urgency"

Pro-talks ULFA doubtful over Centre's 'sincerity' towards peace parleys

The pro-talks faction of ULFA has expressed doubts over the Centre's "sincerity" in taking forward the decade-long peace parleys with it, claiming that no dialogue has been held in the last two years

BJP govt gives 'inflation' as new year gift to people: Cong leader Sapra

Bharatiya Janata Party has given 'inflation' as a new year gift to the people of the country, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Sapra said on Sunday.Addressing the media persons on Sunday, he said, "BJP government gave inflation as a new year gift to the public. Every day, things are becoming expensive due to an increase in GST rates."He said that GST has increased on various commodities and will have an impact on buying daily needs.Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls are going to be held this year.

Govt to set up 157 medical colleges but land availability issues: Minister

The Centre has decided to set up 157 new medical colleges in the country but in some states, these projects are hit by issues like the availability of land, Union minister Bharati Pawar said.

Cases with fever, sore throat, breathlessness should be tested: Centre

Amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Friday called upon states and union territories to consider anyone with fever, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body ache as a suspect case of COVID-19 and conduct tests."lt is also emphasized that during the current upsurge of COVID-19 cases, any individual with fever with/without cough, headache, sore throat, breathlessness, body ache, recent loss of taste or smell, fatigue and diarrhoea should be considered as a suspect case of COVID-19 unless proven otherwise by confirmation of another etiology. All such individuals must be tested. While awaiting the test results, they should be advised to immediately isolatethemselves and follow the home isolation guidelines of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare," Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in a letter to states and UTs.Bhushan also asked the states and UTs to ramp up rapid antigen tests (RAT) as RTPCR-based testing leads to delays in confirming the diagnosis due to its ...

Central govt notifies new rules for enhancing consumer protection

The Centre on Thursday notified rules for Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021."In exercise of powers conferred by provisos to sub-section (1) of Section 34, sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 47 and sub-clause (i) of clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 58 read with sub-clauses (o), (x) and (zc) of sub-section (2) of section 101 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Central Government has notified the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021," the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said.According to the notification, district commissions will have jurisdiction to entertain complaints where the value of the goods or services paid does not exceed Rs 50 lakh. Further, the State commissions can look onto complaints in the range of Rs 50 lakh- Rs two crores.The ...

NSF, NPF to hold democratic agitations till Centre withdraws AFSPA

The Naga Peoples' Front (NPF) and Naga Students' Federation (NSF) will hold democratic agitations till the Centre reconsiders its latest extension of AFSPA by six months in the state

Govt extends FY21 GST annual return filing deadline till February 28

The government has extended by two months till February 28 the deadline for businesses to file GST annual returns for 2020-21 fiscal ended March 2021. "The due date for furnishing annual return in FORM GSTR-9 & self-certified reconciliation statement in FORM GSTR-9C for the financial year 2020-21 has been extended from 31.12.2021 to 28.02.2022," the Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC) said in a late-night tweet on Wednesday. GSTR 9 is an annual return to be filed yearly by taxpayers registered under the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It consists of details regarding the outward and inward supplies made or received under different tax heads. GSTR-9C is a statement of reconciliation between GSTR-9 and the audited annual financial statement. Furnishing of the annual return is mandatory only for taxpayers with aggregate annual turnover above Rs 2 crore while a reconciliation statement is to be furnished only by the registered persons having aggregate turnover above Rs .

Govt panel recommends EUA for Covovax, Corbevax, Covid pill molnupiravir

An expert panel of the country's central drug authority has recommended granting emergency use authorisation to SII's Covid-19 vaccine Covovax and Biological E's vaccine Corbevax

Raining injustice: Rahul slams Centre for police action on doctors' protest

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday slammed Centre for alleged police brutality against resident doctors, who were protesting in Delhi over delay in NEET-PG counselling

Planning wider implementation of mandatory gold hallmarking: Centre

The rollout of mandatory hallmarking of gold jewellery in 256 districts has been smooth so far, according to the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

Centre to work together with Punjab: Kiren Rijiju on Ludhiana explosion

In the wake of explosion in Ludhiana District Court Complex, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju assured the residents of Punjab that Centre will work together with the state government

Govt mandates telcos to keep call data, internet usage record for 2 years

Department of Telecom (DoT) has extended the duration of archiving call data and internet usage records of subscribers to two years from one year due to security reasons. The amendments in the licences were issued on December 21 and extended to other forms of telecom permits on December 22. "The licensee shall maintain all commercial records/call detail record/exchange detail record/IP detail record with record to the communications exchanged on the network. Such records shall be archived for at least two years for scrutiny by the licensor for security reasons...," the DoT circular said. Telecom companies may destroy the data stored thereafter if there is no direction from the DoT thereafter. The circular said that the amendment is necessary in "public interest or in the interest of the security of the state or for the proper conduct of the telegraphs". The amendment mandates telecom companies to maintain internet data records of subscribers including login and logout details of a