Page 14 - Central Government

UP urges Centre to consider setting up panel to tackle air pollution

The Uttar Pradesh government has asked the Centre to consider establishing an airshed coordination committee to manage air pollution in the Indo-Gangetic Plains, officials have said. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) is a major hotspot for atmospheric pollution in India. During winter, pollution levels in the IGP sharply increase due to unfavourable weather conditions such as low temperatures and slow wind speeds. This decline in air quality has reduced life expectancy in the region -- home to 40 per cent of India's population -- by around seven years, according to the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). In a letter dated July 22, the Uttar Pradesh government requested the Union environment ministry to consider setting up an airshed coordination committee for the IGP. "Uttar Pradesh is located in the heart of the IGP. We have been advocating for addressing air pollution at the airshed level. Significant progress can be made if all states work together," a state

Delhi High Court quashes govt's 1987 eviction notice to Express Newspapers

The Delhi High Court has held as arbitrary and malafide the Centre's decision to terminate its lease deed with Express Newspapers for the Express Building' at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg here and quashed the 37-year-old notice seeking ejection of the media house from the premises. Justice Prathiba M Singh, while dealing with the lawsuits by both the central government and Express Newspapers Ltd filed over three decades ago, said the action of the authorities was an attempt to "muzzle Express Newspapers and dry up its source of income." The court nonetheless directed Express Newspapers to pay around Rs 64 crore to the Centre as payment towards conversion charges, ground rent and additional ground rent in relation to the building. The termination of the lease dated 17th March, 1958 by notice dated 29th September, 1987 and 2nd November, 1987 is arbitrary and mala fide, it ruled on Friday. The re-entry notice to Express Newspapers as also the notices to the tenants (in Express building) b

Decide plea on exclusion of penalty for unnatural sex in BNS: HC to Centre

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed the Centre to treat as representation a PIL against exclusion of penal provisions for the offences of unnatural sex and sodomy from the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the Indian Penal Code. A bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gelela asked the Central government to expeditiously decide the representation, preferably within six months. The court disposed of the petition and granted liberty to the petitioner to approach the court for revival of plea in case there is a delay on the government's part to decide his representation. The court was hearing a PIL by Gantavya Gulati, a lawyer who was appearing in person, seeking to address the "exigent legal lacuna" resulting from the enactment of the BNS which has also led to the repeal of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The bench passed the order after the central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia submitted that the issue was under ...

Unified Pension Scheme - A Game-Changer for Central Government Employees

On August 25, the government announced the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS), set to roll out on 1st April, 2025. What is the UPS all about and what are its benefits? Watch the video to find out.

UPS no burden on future govts: Cabinet Secretary-designate Somanathan

Fiscally prudent, funded within Centre's projections, stresses pension panel head

Centre to spend $300 mn to mitigate floods, conserve water in big cities

The federal government spending, the first flood control measure focused on water bodies, was approved recently and will also incorporate early-warning systems, said Krishna S. Vatsa

Ladakh council's representation, decision-making powers retained: Govt

The democratic representation and decision-making powers of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) have been retained following the formation of the Union Territory of Ladakh in 2019, the government informed Parliament on Thursday. These LAHDCs continue to exercise executive powers over different subjects within their respective districts, the government also said in response to a query regarding the extension of tribal area status to the Union Territory (UT). The LAHDCs in Leh and Kargil function as District Planning and Development Boards and prepare plans for different programmes and policies. They reflect the demands and aspirations of the local population, Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey said in response to a question by Congress MPs Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka and Tanuj Punia. Ulaka and Punia had asked whether the government intends to extend the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to Ladakh, and the reasons behin

Centre plans tougher ad curbs on liquor makers such as Carlsberg, Pernod

Now they could bring fines for companies and bans for celebrities endorsing tobacco and liquor ads deemed misleading, according to the top civil servant for consumer affairs

Refund of mineral royalties could cost Rs 70k-80k crore: Centre to SC

On July 25, a nine-judge constitution bench ruled that the power to tax mineral rights lies with the states and that royalty paid on minerals is not a tax.

No panel formed to cover 70 plus citizens under Ayushman Bharat: Govt

No expert committee has been set up for extending health benefits to cover citizens aged 70 and above under Ayushman Bharat, Union Minister of State for Health Prataprao Jadhav told the Lok Sabha on Friday. He was responding to a question on whether the government proposed to cover citizens aged 70 and above by expanding Ayushman Bharat through the launch of a national health claims exchange and if an expert panel had been set up to strengthen the format of the scheme for the planned expansion. Jadhav, in a written reply, said all members of eligible families, irrespective of age, were covered under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. The scheme provides health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to 55 crore individuals, corresponding to 12.34 crore families, he said. "No expert committee has been set up for extending the health benefits to cover senior citizens aged 70 and above," he stated. Responding t

Courts can't be ruthless: SC orders rehabilitation for Haldwani residents

Haldwani encroachment case: Supreme Court directs the Centre and Uttarakhand govt to create rehabilitation plan for more than 50,000 people residing in Haldwani. Next hearing is scheduled for Sept 11

Centre denies Bihar's 'special category' status; no new designation allowed

The Centre said that no new states are being awarded 'special category' status at present, as the Indian Constitution does not accommodate such classification

Plea in SC seeks direction to Centre, states to eradicate superstition

A plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Centre and states for taking appropriate steps to eradicate the menace of superstition, sorcery and other similar practices. The plea says a strict anti-superstition and sorcery law is urgently needed to do away with the unscientific acts prevalent in the society that adversely impact the community and also to prevent fake seers from exploiting innocent people. The petition, filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, has also sought directions to the Centre and states for taking steps to develop a scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform among the citizens in the spirit of Article 51A of the Constitution, which deals with fundamental duties. "Petitioner is filing this writ petition as PIL under Article 32 seeking appropriate writ, order or direction to Centre and states to take appropriate steps to control superstition and sorcery in order to secure the fundamental rights guaranteed under ...

Centre fails to form policy on online sale of drugs ahead of HC deadline

The Delhi HC had in March this year, given the government a final opportunity to frame a policy within four months, failing which, the court had stated it would hear the matter on merits

Congress slams govt over 'private investment plans slumping to 20-year low'

Expressing concern over new private investment plans reportedly slumping to a 20-year low in the first quarter of this fiscal, the Congress on Monday alleged India has suffered due to "random policy changes" and an atmosphere of "fear and intimidation". Congress general secretary, in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, in a statement alleged that everyday in the "Modi-Made Anyay Kaal" is a new record of economic failure. "We have already seen a 45-year high unemployment rate, a 50-year low household savings rate, and the first-ever decrease in real rural consumption. Now, we have another disturbing fact to reckon with. The Hindu reports that in the April-June quarter of this 2023/24 fiscal year, fresh investments announced by corporates is just Rs. 44,000 crore. This is a 20-year low," Ramesh said in a post on X. "Compare the decade of Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister with that of the non-biological PM. Investment as percentage of GDP (average over time) was 33.4% during the UPA a

Scrapping NEET-UG not rational: Centre asks SC not to jeopardise med exam

NEET row: The central government told the Supreme Court that no widespread irregularities were found in the medical entrance exam

Govt to meet PSBs to review financial inclusion schemes: Check details

Ahead of Budget 2024, the Finance Ministry will meet state-owned banks and financial institutions on Tuesday to assess advancements in key financial inclusion schemes. Three key schemes explained

'Reach office by 9:15 am or lose half-day leave': Centre warns employees

The Centre has issued a circular instructing employees nationwide to record their attendance using the Aadhaar-enabled biometric system

Vijayan urges Centre to address NTA's 'incompetence' in conducting exams

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday urged the Centre to take immediate steps to resolve the crisis in the National Testing Agency (NTA), saying its "repeated incompetence" in conducting exams such as NEET and the UGC-NET cannot be accepted. A day after the Union Education Ministry ordered the cancellation of the UGC-NET following inputs that the exam's integrity may have been compromised, and handed over the matter to the CBI for investigation, Vijayan, also citing the controversy over the NEET exam, said such a situation leaves students in limbo and wastes public money. "The controversy over NEET has barely subsided, and now the Ministry of Education has announced the cancellation of UGC-NET, citing compromised exam integrity. This repeated incompetence is unacceptable, leaving students in limbo and wasting public money," the chief minister said in a post on 'X'. "The Central Government must take immediate steps to resolve this crisis at NTA and ensure a fair, ...

Mizoram govt yet to initiate biometric enrollment for Myanmar refugees

The Mizoram government is waiting for instruction from the Centre to initiate biometric enrollment for over 33,000 Myanmar refugees in the northeastern state, a home department official said. The official said that a new biometric enrollment portal has already been prepared. "We are waiting for an instruction from the Centre. We will start the process of collecting biometric data of Myanmar nationals once we receive the instruction," the official told PTI. Earlier, Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma had said that biometric enrollment portal has been in place for collection of the data and it will be utilised in near future. In April last year, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had directed Mizoram and Manipur, which share borders with Myanmar, to capture the biometric and biographic details of "illegal immigrants" in their states. In June last year, it directed the states that the campaign be completed by the end of September and directed both to prepare a plan and initiate the ...