Page 10 - Central Government

Centre releases Rs 1.11 trillion interest-free loans to states in Apr-Jan

The Centre has released about Rs 1.11 lakh crore loan to states during April-January under the scheme for special assistance to states for capital expenditure, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said on Monday. In the 2024-25 Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman hiked the allocations for interest-free loans to states for capital expenditure, enabling states to spend more on infrastructure and specified reforms. The allocation was hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh crore, up from disbursal of Rs 1.10 lakh crore made in 2023-24. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Chaudhary said under the scheme for special assistance to states for capital expenditure, the Centre has approved loans worth Rs 1.22 lakh crore till January 31. Of this, about Rs 1.11 lakh crore has been released Chaudhary said out of the total allocation of Rs 1.50 lakh crore, an amount of Rs 55,000 crore under Part-I of the scheme is untied. This amount has been allocated to the states in proportion to their share o

Centre reviews PM-AJAY scheme, focuses on inclusive growth for SCs

Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar on Saturday chaired a meeting of the central advisory committee for PM-AJAY scheme, reviewing its progress and discussing strategies for the socio-economic upliftment of Scheduled Caste (SC) communities across India. The Pradhan Mantri Anusuchit Jaati Abhyuday Yojana (PMJAY) is aimed at reducing poverty among the SC communities through various initiatives like the generation of additional employment and improving socio-economic indicators in SC dominated villages. The meeting saw the participation of state cabinet ministers, senior officers from states and Union Territories, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and representatives from key Union Ministries, including Finance, Agriculture, Rural Development, and Women and Child Development, along with NITI Aayog members, according to an official statement. Kumar emphasised the scheme's focus on the holistic development of SC-populated village

Probe agencies line up measures to crack down on illegal travel agents

According to the data that the government provided in Parliament last year, the Centre and states had notified 3,094 'illegal agents' on the eMigrate Portal until October 2024

Centre charting 5-year road map to boost ethanol blending in petrol

Panel to submit report on taking blending beyond 20%

India Inc investments set to rebound as Economic Survey signals recovery

The RBI's report on private investments highlighted that investment intentions increased to Rs 2.45 lakh crore for FY25, compared to Rs 1.6 lakh crore for FY24

Govt likely to stay with flexible PPP contracts on inland waterways

Nascent sector requires ability to be flexible with contracts, according to officials

India's port cargo rises 3.2% in December on higher container volumes

FY25 cargo sailing slow at 2.7 per cent growth

Union Budget 2025-26: Here are the key challenges in the MSME sector

MSMEs face informational asymmetries, limited consumer visibility, and weak branding and marketing capabilities

Around 10,000 special guests attend R-Day parade including ASHA workers

Village sarpanches, disaster relief workers, ASHA workers and Paralympic athletes were among around 10,000 special guests who attended the Republic Day parade here at Kartavya Path on Sunday. The invitation was sent to the special guests from diverse fields in line with the government's objective to increase 'Jan Bhagidari' in events of national importance. These included people who made the best use of government schemes. Sarpanches whose villages achieved targets in selected government initiatives were invited. A national-level competition was announced by the Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances among panchayats. Sarpanches, under whom targets in at least six flagship schemes were achieved, were selected as special guests. Over 500 of them from top-performing villages were among the special guests. Around 300 disaster relief workers, 300 guests from vibrant villages, 400 water warriors, 200 representatives from Primary Agriculture Credit (PAC) Societies, 400

Railways likely to receive Rs 3 trillion Budget boost on February 1

The government is likely to continue with a zero or minimal borrowing plan for the national transporter

Centre to meet with farmers on Feb 14; Dallewal agrees to take medical aid

The Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, thus ending a stalemate over the resumption of a dialogue with the agitators, who have been demanding a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Following the announcement of the proposed meeting, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose fast-unto-death entered the 54th day on Saturday, agreed to take medical aid. However, he will not end his indefinite fast till a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops is given, said farmer leader Sukhjit Singh Hardojhande. The breakthrough came after a delegation of officials from the Union agriculture ministry, led by Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan, met Dallewal and held a meeting with the representatives of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, which are spearheading the agitation for the last 11 months. Following the announcement of the meeting on February 14, farmer leaders ...

Centre closely monitoring food prices to ensure stability, affordability

The central government on Friday said it is closely monitoring the prices and availability of essential food commodities to ensure affordability to consumers and maintain a stable price regime. Measures like incentivising domestic production and import and export policies to ensure the overall availability and affordability of essential food commodities are being taken up. "The Centre is taking pre-emptive and timely decisions to maintain price stability in the interest of consumers and farmers," according to a statement issued by the Food Ministry. The production of pulses and onion in the 2024-25 crop year (July- June) is estimated to increase over the last year due to good monsoon rains and favourable weather conditions. The tur production is estimated to be 35.02 lakh tonnne in 2024-25, 2.5 per cent higher than the previous year's production of 34.17 lakh tonne. The agriculture ministry has issued sanctions for the procurement of tur. Kharif and late Kharif onion production h

Cabinet clears setting up of 8th Pay Commission for central govt employees

In a major decision, the Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to set up the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of central government employees and allowances of pensioners. The decision to set up the 8th Pay Commission was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The 7th Pay Commission was set up in 2016, and its term will end in 2026. Vaishnaw further said the chairman and two members of the Commission will be appointed soon.

Centre approves oil and gas exploration in Assam Wildlife Sanctuary area

The Centre's wildlife panel has approved a proposal to carry out oil and gas exploration in the eco-sensitive zone of the Hoollongapar Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam's Jorhat district. The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL), chaired by Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, approved the proposal by Vedanta Group's Cairn Oil & Gas during its meeting on December 21, according to the minutes of the meeting. Assam's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) and chief wildlife warden had recommended clearance for the project in August last year, citing "national interest". The Forest Advisory Committee of the Union Environment Ministry had also granted in-principle approval during its meeting on August 27 last year. According to the minutes of the NBWL meeting, a team comprising officials from the Union Environment Ministry, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), and the Assam Forest Department inspected the project site, located about 13 km ..

Govt likely to conduct interviews for RBI deputy governor next week

Government panel consisting of RBI governor, Cabinet secy, DFS secy to interview candidates

Centre clears Rs 120 crore for immediate Wayanad rehabilitation: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court on Friday said the Centre has agreed to the freeing up of Rs 120 crore for immediate use by the Kerala state government in connection with the rehabilitation proceedings ongoing at Wayanad, where a massive landslide occurred on July 30 last year. While hearing a case taken on its own for prevention and management of natural disasters in the state in the wake of the landslides that devastated three villages in Wayanad district and claimed over 200 lives, a Division Bench of Justices A K Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S recorded the Central government's consent to free up Rs 120 crore of arrears owed by the state to the Centre in airlift charges over the years. "The said amount can accordingly be used in relaxation of the SDRF/NDRF norms of the Central Government," an order of High Court stated. Additional Solicitor General of India A R L Sundaresan placed before the High Court a letter, dated January 2, of the Assistant Director (DM), Ministry of Home Affairs

Only the centre has the power to cancel Neet, clarifies TN CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday said the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test would have been abolished had the Indi alliance captured power, but only the Central government can now cancel the test. The DMK has consistently opposed NEET and was involved in efforts aimed at scrapping the test, he told the Assembly. "NEET did not enter Tamil Nadu as long as our leader Kalaignar (late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi) and late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa were in power. The exam was introduced only during your regime," Stalin said responding to the Leader of the Opposition AIADMK Edappadi K Palniswami's charge that the ruling dispensation had done precious little to abolish NEET despite its promise in the run-up to the 2021 assembly election. "Does Opposition Leader Palaniswami not know that only the Union Government can cancel NEET? If the Indi alliance had come to power at the Centre, then NEET would have definitely been cancelled," Stalin said responding to a volley of

Projects worth Rs 50,000 crore mooted for robust inland waterways

The discussions around projects and potential interventions in the sector took place at the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC)

Centre releases tax devolution of Rs 1.73 trillion to state govts

A higher amount is being devolved this month to enable states to accelerate capital spending and finance their development and welfare-related expenditures

Punjab govt rejects Centre's agricultural marketing policy blueprint

Further concerns were raised about the policy's focus on promoting direct purchase from farms by exporters and bulk buyers, which could bypass the established mandi system and commission agents