Central Government

Govt plans to replace $189 bn of imports through domestic manufacturing

The Centre and states plan to replace $189 billion of imports by boosting domestic production of 1,272 products through targeted manufacturing and industrial clusters

Datanomics: AAY food quota revision sparks backlash from southern states

Tamil Nadu and Kerala have opposed the Centre's proposal to revise AAY foodgrain entitlement, saying it would reduce monthly rations for the poorest households

Govt close to accepting sweetened Fairfax Financial offer for IDBI Bank

The Centre is close to accepting Fairfax Financial's revised offer for IDBI Bank, with the Canadian firm's bid expected to be raised slightly ahead of final regulatory and Cabinet approvals

Centre mandates licensing for medicinal formulations with over 12% alcohol

The Centre has withdrawn the licensing exemption for medicinal formulations containing more than 12 per cent of ethyl alcohol and brought them under stricter regulatory oversight, including mandatory licensing and prescription-only sale, to curb misuse and prevent diversion for intoxication, officials said. Certain medicinal products, including tinctures of cardamom, ginger and other aromatic preparations, have been exempted from licensing requirements under Schedule K of the Drugs Rules, 1945, the ministry said. Some of these formulations contain high concentrations of ethyl alcohol, in certain cases up to 80-90 per cent volume per volume (v/v), making them susceptible to misuse for intoxication, it said. References were also received from certain state governments in this regard, the ministry said. To address this concern, the government has mandated that all formulations containing more than 12 per cent v/v ethyl alcohol, in quantities exceeding 30 ml, shall no longer be covered

Centre extends anti-dumping duty on Chinese tubes, pipes till Jan 2027

India has extended the anti-dumping duty imposed on certain Chinese tubes and pipes till January 27, 2027 to guard domestic makers from cheap inbound shipments, according to a finance ministry notification. The duty on 'seamless tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of iron, alloy or non-alloy steel' was first imposed on October 28, 2021 for five years. Amending a notification, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has said it extends "the levy of anti-dumping duty... up to and inclusive of 27th January, 2027 unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier". The existing duty ranges between USD 961.33 and USD 1,610.67 per tonne. The CBIC has also announced continuation of an anti-dumping duty on imports of 'Normal Butanol' or 'N-Butyl Alcohol' exported from Malaysia, South Africa, and the United States of America for five years. It is used in different sectors such as chemicals, paints, adhesives, and coatings. Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and pr

Centre to refer 'Satluj' to committee under IT Rules after takedown

The Centre plans to refer the Diljit Dosanjh-starrer "Satluj" to an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) constituted under the IT Rules 2021 for a detailed examination and future course of action, government sources said on Tuesday, two days after streaming platform ZEE5 was directed to take down the film over "security concerns". The film, which was earlier titled "Punjab '95" and details the life of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra in Punjab in the turbulent 1990s when the state was reeling under terrorism, was stuck with the censors for more than three years. Released uncut on ZEE5 under the new title of "Satluj" on July 3, the film was removed from the platform on July 5. Sources said the matter will now be examined by the IDC, a committee constituted under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to consider grievances relating to content published by OTT platforms and digital news publishers and make recommendations to the ...

Delhi HC directs Centre to restore Cockroach Janta Party's X account

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered unblocking of the Cockroach Janta Party's X handle, which was withheld in May. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the judgement on a petition filed by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke against the Centre's blocking order. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the CJP's social media handle was blocked to avoid "chaos" among students and parents ahead of the June 21 NEET re-test. "Since NEET is already over, the primary concern is no longer of any relevance. In these circumstances, the order is revoked. The petition is allowed," Justice Sharma ordered. The original X handle of the CJP, which started as a satirical digital outfit on May 15 following a controversy over Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's remarks, was withheld in India on May 21. Soon after, the group resurfaced with a new handle, 'Cockroach is Back', which presently has over 2,27,000 followers. The movement has drawn attention for its unconventional ...

HC asks Centre to defer July 7 eviction hearing against Delhi Gymkhana Club

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the stand of the Centre on pleas by Delhi Gymkhana Club members and staff against the show-cause notice for eviction from its 27.3-acre premises on Safdarjung Road here. Justice Avneesh Jhingan issued notice to the central government on applications seeking a stay on the operation of the show-cause notice, and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to ensure that the July 7 hearing before the Estate Officer is adjourned to a day after the next date of hearing in court on July 28. SG Mehta said the Centre would file its response to the applications. Noting that a hearing before the Estate Officer was scheduled for July 7, he added, "They can seek an adjournment there." "Mr Mehta, we are keeping this for the date already fixed (in the main case). Just see it (Estate Officer's hearing) is adjourned beyond that date," Justice Jhingan told the law officer. The pleas by Vijay Khurana and Delhi Gymkhana Club Ltd Staff Welfare Association form part of t

Govt orders removal of some Chinese apps linked to e-rickshaws stalling

Amid reports that e-rickshaws could be remotely shut down through the Chinese smartphone application BAT-BMS, the government said on Friday that two such apps had come to its notice and have since been removed from app stores. IT Secretary S Krishnan asserted that app stores must exercise due diligence, and said the government would take up the matter with them to ensure that potentially harmful apps are not made available. Confirming that action has been taken in the matter, Krishnan said, "That is right...there are a couple of apps, which came to our notice yesterday and both of them have been taken down from the app stores." He was speaking on the sidelines of a CII Cybersecurity summit. The issue drew public attention on Thursday after reports surfaced that some e-rickshaws were being rendered inoperable through a remote shutdown feature linked to the Chinese smartphone application BAT-BMS. The videos sparked widespread concerns over the cybersecurity risks posed by such ...

Govt allows 4 China-linked power equipment firms to bid for key projects

Since a 2020 border clash, New Delhi ​has required Chinese bidders to register with a government panel and ‌secure political and security clearances before competing for any state contract

GoDaddy fears India's crackdown on fake websites could damage internet

Soaring smartphone and internet use has coincided with a worsening problem of online fraud in India, the world's most populous nation

Govt 'proactively monitoring' Telegram over concerns about illegal content

The Indian government said in the report it is concerned about Telegram's privacy features, which allow users to interact without needing to reveal a phone number, making identity detection difficult

Govt extends QCO deadline for non-leather footwear MSMEs to July 2027

The government has provided one more year till July 31, 2027 to micro and small enterprises from non-leather footwear sector to comply with the mandatory quality control order. The move would give smaller footwear manufacturers more time to obtain BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification. It has also allowed footwear manufacturers to import up to 4,500 pairs annually for research, design development, testing, and other non-commercial purposes without meeting QCO (quality control order) requirements. However, these imported footwear have to be marked as "NOT FOR SALE" and have to be disposed of as scrap. Amending the footwear made from all rubber and all polymeric material and its components (Quality Control) order, 2024, the Department For Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) order said in a provision, "for figures, letters and word '31st July, 2026', the figures, letters and word '31st July, 2027' shall be substituted". Commenting on the order, think tank GTRI s

Centre takes possession of Jaipur Polo Ground in Delhi after eviction order

Officials of the Land & Development Office under the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry on Saturday took physical possession of the 15.20-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in the Race Course area of the national capital, officials said. The development follows a May 20 eviction order under which the L&DO sought possession of the land parcel, citing its need for a "larger public purpose and benefit". The order, however, offered no details about the intended use of the land. On June 8, the Delhi High Court asked a district court to decide on a plea by the Indian Polo Association seeking a stay on the eviction notice. However, the district court declined to grant interim relief against the order.

Govt focusing on automation of explosive units for safety: DPIIT official

The Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) is focusing on moving towards 'automation' in processes involved in manufacturing explosives to make operations safer, a senior government official has said. The department, which functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has undertaken major regulatory reforms to strengthen safety and ease of doing business, DPIIT Joint Secretary Dr Kajal said on Thursday. Talking to PTI in Nagpur on the sidelines of 'Awareness workshop on reforms undertaken by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO)', she asserted DPIIT is making concerted efforts to prevent accidental blasts at explosives manufacturing factories. Asked what safety precautions DPIIT and PESO, which comes under the department, are taking to prevent blasts at explosives manufacturing units, the official said both agencies are making their best efforts to prevent such tragedies in the future. She was asked specifically in the contex

Govt to cut taxes, relax bond ownership rules to attract foreign investment

The cabinet on Wednesday is expected to consider a significant cut in the taxes paid by global funds on the nation's bonds

Centre expands QR tagging of FCI foodgrain bags to boost traceability

The Centre has decided to expand its QR tagging initiative for Food Corporation of India (FCI) foodgrain bags, with plans to implement the system across three states -- Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha -- in the ongoing marketing season. The plan will cover 20 lakh tonnes of rice moved from milling points to distribution centres. The move, aimed at tracking end-to-end movement of foodgrains and curbing the recycling of grain bags, follows a successful pilot in Andhra Pradesh for rice in December 2025-January 2026, and in Punjab for wheat during April-May 2026. "We are planning to put QR tags on foodgrain bags transported from procurement states to distribution states," a senior Food Ministry official told PTI. "In the ongoing marketing season, we are going to do this in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha for rice." Under the expanded pilot, select districts from each of the three states will be covered. Approximately 10 lakh tonnes of rice will be moved with QR tagging from

Annapurna Bhandar scheme 2026: Check eligibility and how to apply online

The Annapurna Yojana, a new financial aid scheme that offers eligible women financial benefits through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), was launched by the West Bengal government on June 1, 2026

Govt slashes expenditure by ₹60K cr to meet fiscal deficit target in FY26

In FY26, while revenue expenditure was cut by Rs 26,636 crore, capital expenditure was reduced by Rs 33,055 crore, leading to a dip in total expenditure by Rs 59,691 crore to Rs 49 trillion

Centre signs agreement with ISRO, rolls out new water research initiatives

The Ministry of Jal Shakti and space agency ISRO on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the use of satellite technology and space-based applications for water resource management in the country. The agreement was signed during a national workshop on research and development (R&D) in the water sector organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here. Under the MoU, the department of water resources and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will jointly work in 24 key research areas, including reservoir monitoring, water-spread assessment, river-flow analysis, satellite-based water quality assessment and studies on macroplastic distribution in water bodies. Addressing the workshop, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said water security is critical for achieving the goal of "Viksit Bharat" by 2047 and that water-related challenges must be addressed through technology, innovation, traditional knowledge and public