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Indian Biogas Association has pitched for a scheme to provide Rs 10,000 per unit subsidy for reviving 50 lakh biogas units, which are ready with basic infrastructure, saying it can spur mass adoption of the cleaner fuel, especially in rural India. Indian Biogas Association (IBA) Chairman Gaurav Kedia told PTI that the overall government spend on the scheme would be Rs 5,000 crore, which could be recovered in two years. He stated that IBA has called for the government to lead a bold, forward-looking attempt to support 50 lakh biogas units across the country. Infrastructure for these units is already in place and incentives are needed to spur mass adoption in rural India, he noted. "A focused, mission-driven approach like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan can deliver meaningful results in this direction. Most of these systems are underutilized or idle because of insufficient funding, maintenance, and long-term incentives. It is high time we move from potential to performance and convert biogas
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a Rs 37,216 crore subsidy on phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the Kharif (summer-sown) season this year as part of its efforts to provide soil nutrients at a reasonable rate. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal for fixing the Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Kharif season 2025 (from April 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025,) on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers. The budgetary requirement for Kharif season 2024 will be Rs 37,216.15 crore, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters here. The minister said the government has ensured that the retail prices of DAP (Di-ammonium phosphate) remain at the present level. The subsidy fund requirement for the Kharif season is around Rs 13,000 crore, more than the budgetary requirement for Rabi seasons 2024-25. The decision will ensure "availability of fertilisers to farmers at subsidised, affordable and ...
National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Wednesday asked the government to grant industry status to the food services sector while seeking an equitable and fair e-commerce policy to provide a level-playing field to protect restaurants, delivery partners and consumers from potentially exploitative practices of platforms. In its pre-Budget recommendations, National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) said restaurants should be allowed to operate for longer hours, and also sought targeted subsidy schemes and access to debt financing for SMEs. NRAI said the industry is expected to reach Rs 7,76,511 crore and grow at an 8.1 per cent CAGR by 2028, making it the third-largest food services market globally. "Given the size (and) immense contribution of the food services industry to the country's economy, it should be accorded an industry status," NRAI said in a statement. Industry status helps in getting lower utility tariffs, reduced property taxes, easier access to finance,
The government on Tuesday launched phase-II retail sales of wheat flour and rice under the Bharat brand at subsidised rates to provide relief to consumers from high prices. Wheat flour (atta) will be sold at Rs 30 per kg and rice at Rs 34 per kg in 5kg and 10kg packets through cooperatives NCCF, Nafed and Kendriya Bhandar and e-commerce platforms. "This is a temporary intervention to provide relief to consumers," Food Minister Pralhad Joshi said after flagging off the mobile vans of these cooperatives. The government has allocated 3.69 lakh tonne of wheat and 2.91 lakh tonne of rice from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the phase-2 retail intervention under the Price Stabilisation Fund. "This intervention will continue till the allocated stock gets exhausted. If more (is) required, we have enough stock and will allocate again," Joshi said. Under the new pricing structure, wheat flour will be available in 5kg and 10kg packs at Rs 30 per kg, while rice will be sold at Rs 34 p
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday asked the industry to focus on making high quality products to tap global markets as export competitiveness will not come from government subsidies or support. He also said that the government is putting its effort to nudge industry to get into the manufacturing of high quality products as it is a "tough" task to get industry to accept that they should be making quality goods. Initially, the government faced a huge amount of opposition from the industry on quality control orders. "Our export competitiveness is not going to come from subsidies or government support. It is not going to come from our closing the doors to the rest of the world. If we are looking at self-reliant India, it can only happen when India will be self-confident and that confidence will only come when we all decide that quality is not our job, it is our duty," the minister said. He added that if the Indian industry is not competitive in any product, that
Union minister Nitin Gadkari has said the Maharashtra government's Ladki Bahin scheme, introduced to provide financial assistance to women, could affect the timely payment of subsidies in other sectors. Latching onto the BJP leader's comments, the opposition NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) said if those in the government were saying the state's economy is in distress, then it is a matter of concern. Under the state government's flagship 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana', married, divorced, and destitute women aged 21-65 will receive Rs 1,500 per month, with the annual family income of beneficiaries capped at Rs 2.5 lakh. The scheme, introduced ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, is expected to cost the state exchequer Rs 46,000 crore annually. Addressing a public event in Maharashtra's Nagpur on Sunday, Gadkari said, "It is uncertain whether investors will receive their subsidy payment on time, as the government also has to allocate funds for the Ladki Bahin ...