Highlights of the day: Govt approves Rs 1,179.7 cr for women safety scheme

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10:53 PM

India extends 20% export tax on parboiled rice until further order

India has extended its 20 per cent export tax on parboiled rice until further order, according to a government notification issued on Wednesday.
 

India would also continue with duty-free imports of yellow peas "subject to Bill of Lading issued on or before April 30, 2024," the order said.

10:50 PM

Govt reviews FDI on space sector

The government on Wednesday eased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in the space sector by allowing 100 per cent overseas investment in making components for satellites, as part of efforts to attract overseas players and private companies into the segment.

 

The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Now, the satellite sub-sector has been divided into three different activities with defined limits for foreign investment in each such sector, according to an official statement.

 

Presently, FDI in the space sector is allowed up to 100 per cent in the area of satellite establishment and operations through government route only.

 

By changing the current policy, the government has allowed up to 74 per cent FDI under automatic route in satellites-manufacturing and operation, satellite data products, and ground and user segments.

 

Beyond this limit, government approval will be required in these areas for FDI, it said.

10:43 PM

Govt approves inclusion of additional activities in National Livestock Mission

Establishment of entrepreneurship for horse donkey, mule, camel with 50 per cent capital subsidy up to Rs 50 lakhs will be provided to the Individuals, FPO, SHG, JLG, FCO and Section 8 companies. Also the state government will be assisted for breed conservation of horse, donkey and camel. The Central Government will provide 10 cr. for establishment of semen station and nucleus breeding farm for horse, donkey and camel.
 

The Livestock Insurance programme has been simplified. The beneficiary share of the premium for the farmers has been reduced and it will be 15% as against the current beneficiary share of 20 per cent,30 per cent, 40 per cent and 50 per cent.

10:40 PM

Six forensic libraries for the safety of women, says Anurag Thakur

nurag Singh Thakur briefs the press on Cabinet Decisions at National Media Centre.

10:40 PM

Govt approves Flood Management and Border Areas Programme

Cabinet approves Flood Management and Border Areas Programme (FMBAP) for the period 2021-26 with total outlay of Rs. 4,100 crore for a period of 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26 (15th Finance Commission period)

10:36 PM

Govt approves Rs.1179.72 crore for Safety of Women scheme

Cabinet approves Proposal for Implementation of Umbrella Scheme on “Safety of Women”. At a total cost of Rs.1179.72 crore during the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

10:32 PM

FRP for sugarcane increased to Rs 340/qtl, says Anurag Thakur

Anurag Singh Thakur briefs the press on Cabinet Decisions at National Media Centre New Delhi. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for Sugar Season 2024-25 at Rs 340/quintal at a sugar recovery rate of 10.25%. This is the historic price of sugarcane which is about 8% higher than the FRP of sugarcane for the current season 2023-24. The revised FRP will be applicable w.e.f. 01 Oct 2024, says Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA).

9:21 PM

Wipro wins deal to design Intel's latest chips

Though the exact size of the deal is not disclosed, the deal will see Wipro engineers work on Intel’s latest ‘18A’ chip node that will be used in cutting-edge consumer electronics devices next year onward.

9:18 PM

Renuka Chowdhury elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed from Telangana

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury elected to Rajya Sabha unopposed from Telangana. She received the certificate of nomination from the Electoral Returning Officer at the State Assembly.

9:17 PM

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai visits specially abled children's home on the occasion of his birthday

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said, " Being the CM, this time, I got the opportunity to celebrate my birthday differently. I celebrated my birthday with specially abled children and I felt very happy when I cut the cake with them...gave them tricycles also..."

9:17 PM

PM Modi on a two-day visit to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh starting tomorrow

PM will be on a two-day visit to Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh starting tomorrow, 22nd February. Tomorrow's programmes will be in different parts of Gujarat. In Ahmedabad, PM will take part in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation in the presence of several farmers from different parts of the state. Later, PM will be attending programmes in Mehsana and Navsari where key projects will be inaugurated pertaining to connectivity, infrastructure, urban development, textiles and more.

8:17 PM

CM Sangma presents Rs 2,029 crore deficit Budget in Meghalaya Assembly

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday presented a Rs 2,029 crore deficit budget for the 2024-25 financial year, calling the document 'Mission 10', an action plan for making the northeastern state a USD 10 billion economy by 2028. In his budget speech, Sangma, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that the total receipts stood at Rs 27,072 crore, of which revenue receipts were at Rs 23,515 and capital receipts at Rs 3,557 crore.

7:31 PM

Govt implementing largest digital programme for TB surveillance, says official

India has made "significant progress" in scaling up molecular diagnostics and is implementing the largest digital programme for TB surveillance and monitoring, an official said during a convention for health writers in the national capital on Wednesday. Experts discussed the latest innovations, challenges and collaborative solutions in the fight against TB at the National Health Writers and Influencers Convention held at AIIMS, Delhi.

7:08 PM

Air India enters into 12-year pact with SIA Engineering Co for A320 family planes

Air India has entered into a 12-year agreement with SIA Engineering Company Ltd for extensive component support coverage for the airline's A320 family planes. "Under this 12-year agreement, Air India Group's current fleet of Airbus A320 family aircraft will receive extensive component support coverage from SIAEC.

7:02 PM

Govt allows Nafed, NCCF to sell maize to ethanol makers at base rate of Rs 2,291 per quintal

To ensure uninterrupted supply of maize for ethanol makers, the government has allowed cooperatives Nafed and NCCF to sell maize at a base price of Rs 2,291 per quintal to distilleries this year. Nafed and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) will procure maize at a minimum support price of Rs 2,090 per quintal in the 2023-24 crop year and supply to the distilleries at a mutually agreed rate of Rs 2,291 per quintal, a senior food ministry official told PTI.

6:16 PM

21-year-old farmer dies in clash with Haryana security personnel

A 21-year-old farmer was killed and a few others injured following a clash between security personnel and protesting farmers at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border. Farmer leaders said this was the first death in clashes since the 'Delhi Chalo' march began on February 13.

6:06 PM

'INDIA' finalises seat sharing pact in UP, Cong to fight on 17 seats

Congress Uttar Pradesh in-charge Avinash Pande says, "I am delighted to tell you that it has been decided that in Uttar Pradesh the INC will contest on 17 seats and the remaining 63 seats will have candidates of INDIA Alliance - from SP and other parties."

6:02 PM

Jubilant Foods expects Rs 1,000 crore business from Popeyes

QSR chain operator Jubilant Foods Ltd (JFL) expects its fried chicken brand Popeyes to cross Rs 1,000 crore in sales in the next 3-4 years, its CEO and MD Sameer Khetarpal said on Wednesday. Besides, JFL, which is also a master franchisor of Domino's, is expanding its reach and is expected to have around 3,000 outlets in the medium term.

5:35 PM

UP has become paper-leak Pradesh: Congress slams BJP

The Congress on Wednesday hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the "dangerous trend" of paper leaks and asserted that all such examinations should be conducted again with the age limit raised for those appearing for them. Jairam Ramesh, the Congress general secretary in charge of communications, said Rahul Gandhi is continuously raising the issue of paper leaks during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state.

5:05 PM

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav signals seat-sharing talks with Congress nearly complete

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday suggested seat-sharing discussions with the Congress - for Uttar Pradesh's 80 Lok Sabha seats - were nearly completed.

 

4:58 PM

Coal India may exceed capex target of Rs 16,500 cr for FY24

The Centre today stated that the state-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL) is likely to exceed its capex target of Rs 16,500 crore for the current financial year. Coal India accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output.

"As we navigate through the current fiscal year of 2023-24, both CIL and NLCIL are on track to exceed their capex targets yet again... both CIL and NLCIL will exceed their annual capex targets, further bolstering India's economic growth trajectory," the coal ministry said in a statement.

4:56 PM

Youth Congress workers march to gherao Rajasthan CM's residence

Cops today employed water cannons and resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the protesting Youth Congress workers, who were demanding the re-employment of people working under the Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra scheme. Weeks after coming to power in Rajasthan, the BJP government dumped the Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra scheme, a flagship programme of the previous Congress regime. 

4:52 PM

God was speaking through the Chief Justice of India: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a day after the Supreme Court (SC) overturned the January 30 Chandigarh mayoral election victory. "There is so much sin that Lord Krishna has decided to interfere himself. It was no coincidence that cameras captured their [BJP] sins in Chandigarh's mayoral election... The way the Supreme Court has given its verdict, it seems God was speaking through the Chief Justice of India [CJI]," Kejriwal said.

2:51 PM

Mephedrone 'meow meow' worth over Rs 2,000 crore seized in Delhi, Pune

Following raids in Pune and New Delhi, cops have seized 1,100 kg of synthetic stimulant drug mephedrone (MD), estimated to be worth more than Rs 2,000 crore. Three people have been arrested in this connection and detained two others. Mephedrone, also known as "meow meow", is a synthetic stimulant substance banned under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

2:43 PM

India, Greece agree to expand cooperation on migration, mobility, and trade

 

Besides ramping up their overall cooperation in the areas of trade, defence production and to combat terrorism, India and Greece agreed today to firm up a migration and mobility agreement soon. Strategic cooperation figured prominently during discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

2:38 PM

News update: President Droupadi Murmu condoles demise of iconic radio host Ameen Sayani

2:21 PM

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav says tie-up with Congress is on

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday stated that  he has no dispute with Rahul Gandhi and he has no problem in forging an alliance with the Congress.

2:17 PM

BJP slams Bengal police over "Khalistani" slur row

The BJP on Wednesday claimed that Bengal police was "more interested in being a political player than policing". The party also accused the officer of violating the Calcutta High Court order that allowed Suvendu Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali. The BJP took jabs at the Bengal police after reports emerged its Bengal leader Suvendu Adhikari used "Khalistani" slur against a Sikh IPS officer during a face-off between BJP workers and police near Sandeshkhali island. In a post on X, Bengal BJP said state police officers had reduced themselves to "doormats" of Trinamool.

2:11 PM

News update: No dispute with Rahul Gandhi, says SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

1:22 PM

RJD's Rabri Devi on BJP's push to win 370 seats in General Elections

"They do a 'khela' with the EVM, and that's why they are making such a claim," said former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi.