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The West Bengal government did not implement the PMMSY central scheme for fisheries for two years and has spent only Rs 58.51 crore of the sanctioned amount, Union Minister for Fisheries Rajiv Ranjan Singh informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was launched by the Union Ministry of Fisheries to bring about ecologically healthy, economically viable and socially inclusive development of the fisheries sector of India. For two years after the scheme was launched in 2020-21, the West Bengal government did not cooperate with the Central government in implementing it, the minister said. In 2022-23, the West Bengal government accepted it and sent proposals of Rs 221 crore. Of this, Rs 114 crore proposals were approved by the Central government. "Out of the sanctioned amount, just Rs 58.51 crore has been spent by the West Bengal government so far," Singh said. The minister said it is very difficult to implement any programme if a state government
The government on Monday sought Parliament's nod for net additional spending of Rs 41,455 crore in the current fiscal, which includes over Rs 18,000 crore expenditure towards fertiliser subsidy. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the first batch of Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2025-26 in the Lok Sabha. It seeks Parliament's approval for a gross additional expenditure of Rs 1.32 lakh crore. This includes proposals with a net cash outgo of Rs 41,455.39 crore and gross additional expenditure, matched by savings of the Ministries/Departments of Rs 90,812 crore. As per the Supplementary, approval of Parliament is being sought for spending Rs 18,525 crore on fertiliser and related subsidies, and about Rs 9,500 crore by the Petroleum Ministry to compensate oil marketing companies for under-recoveries.
Two select committees were on Monday granted more time by the Lok Sabha to submit their reports on the insolvency law and Jan Vishwas provisions amendment bills. The matters were taken up amid Opposition din over the issue of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The House has allowed time till the last day of the Winter session for a select committee to present its report on the Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025. The bill was referred to the committee on August 12 immediately after introduction in the Lower House. The bill seeks to amend the insolvency law, proposing a raft of amendments, including an out-of-court mechanism to address genuine business failures, group and cross-border insolvency frameworks. On Monday, Lok Sabha also gave time up to the last day of the second week of the Winter session for another select committee to present its report on the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025. The government had introduced the bill on
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid Opposition protests demanding a discussion on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The first day of the Winter Session, which will have 15 sittings, saw two adjournments till 2 pm. The proceedings went on for around 12 minutes after the House reconvened at 12 noon following an earlier adjournment. Several Opposition members trooped into the Well shouting slogans and protesting over SIR, as they have been demanding a debate on the issue. During the 12 minutes of the Zero Hour, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced three bills besides tabling supplementary demands for grants for 2025-2026. Two bills to levy excise duty on tobacco and tobacco products, as well as a new cess on the manufacture of pan masala, were introduced. They are the Central Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Health Security and National Security Cess Bill, 2025. The Manipur Goods and Services Tax (Second Amendment) Bill
A bill seeking to open up the civil nuclear sector for private players is among the 10 new proposed legislations listed by the government for introduction in the winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1. Besides the crucial 'The Atomic Energy Bill, 2025', which seeks to govern the use and regulation of atomic energy in India, the Higher Education Commission of India Bill is also on the agenda. According to a Lok Sabha bulletin, the proposed law seeks to set up a Higher Education Commission of India to facilitate universities and other higher educational institutes to become independent and self-governing institutions and to promote excellence through a robust and transparent system of accreditation and autonomy. It has long been on the government's agenda. The National Highways (Amendment) Bill, also listed for introduction, seeks to ensure faster and transparent land acquisition for national highways. Another proposed legislation is the Corporate Laws (Amendment) Bill, .
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday accused the BJP government and the Election Commission of conspiring to delete more than 50,000 voters from each Assembly segment where his party and the INDIA bloc fared strongly in the last general elections. The allegations came amid the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh and 11 other states. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on the birth anniversary of his father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said, "We have received information that in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the BJP, in collusion with the Election Commission, is making major preparations." The Samajwadi Party chief opined that SIR should not be carried out during the wedding season and demanded that the poll panel extend the timeline for the voter roll cleanup exercise in Uttar Pradesh. Citing electoral data, he said that while the BJP, which won 255 seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, led in only 162 Assembly
Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is serving a life term in connection with a rape case, has been allotted work as a library clerk in Parappana Agrahara prison. According to prison authorities, his responsibilities include issuing books to fellow inmates and maintaining records of borrowings. "He is entitled to Rs 522 for each day of work, provided he completes the prescribed duties. In line with prison rules, life convicts are required to perform some form of labour, and assignments are made depending on their skills and willingness," a jail official told PTI on Sunday. Sources said Revanna had shown interest in handling administrative work, but the jail administration decided to place him in the library instead. He has already completed one day of work in this role. Inmates are normally expected to work at least 12 days a month, spread over three days a week. However, Revanna's schedule is currently limited as he spends time attending court proceedings and meeting his ...