Page 17 - Central Government

Govt empowers states, UTs to act against 3 banned J-K-based groups

The Centre on Friday authorised all states and Union Territories to take action against three banned Jammu and Kashmir-based groups under the UAPA. The three groups are the Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Sumji faction), Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Bhat faction) and Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir. In three identical notifications, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs said the Centre directs that all powers exercisable by it under Section 7 and Section 8 of the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, shall be exercised by state governments and Union Territory administrations in relation to the three unlawful associations. On February 27, the home ministry extended the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Jammu and Kashmir, for five years for continuing activities against the security, integrity and sovereignty of the nation. A day later, it announced that the Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Sumji faction) and the Muslim Conference Jammu and Kashmir (Bh

SC directs Centre to clarify process of empanelling of Army officers

Noting a discrepancy in the process of empanelling of Army officers, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to clarify the procedure for male officers as compared to their female counterparts. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to file an affidavit explaining the central government's position. The direction came after senior advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for women Army officers, alleged discrimination in the empanelment of women officers. He referred to an earlier order passed by the apex court last year on November 3 and submitted that it required the consideration of all women officers who are considered by the earlier special selection board 3B (for promotion as colonel) except for those officers who are already empanelled. Hence, it is submitted that considering other empanelled officers would amount to a breach of the directions, he said. Venkataramani stated that the concept of empanel

Central Secretariat staff plan multiple protests over 'delay in promotions'

A delegation of the CSS Forum - representing the officers - also submitted a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) over the issue

YouTube channel linked to Indians falsely drafted in Russian army: Details

The Centre said last week that several Indians hired as support staff to the Russian army were discharged following India's demand

Farmers will remain at borders until govt opens roads: Sarwan Singh Pandher

The farmer leader said that the groups of farmers will remain at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders till the government opens the roads to Delhi

State govt bonds to yield better returns under new investment regime

Under the new norms, banks must categorise bonds as "held-to-maturity" on a permanent basis, with the exception of 5 per cent of the portfolio that can be withdrawn throughout the year

Companies line up Rs 16,620 crore corporate bonds as yields soften

Market participants expect that states' borrowing for both the current quarter and the entire financial year will be significantly lower than the calendar projections

Indian sentenced to 20 years jail term over Uzbekistan cough syrup deaths

The Supreme Court of Uzbekistan found Singh Raghvendra Pratap guilty of charges, including tax fraud and forgery, following a six-month long trial in the matter

'Sitting with eyes closed': SC rebukes Centre over misleading Patanjali ads

The Supreme Court had warned Patanjali Ayurved against disseminating 'false' and 'misleading' claims in its advertisements

Bharat Tex: What is 'Five F' roadmap, Centre's plan to boost textile sector

To boost the textile sector's capabilities, India is organising a four-day event, 'Bharat Tex 2024', a global textile event being held at Delhi's Bharat Mandapam

How the government lost the script on MSP to farmers

An agitation, perhaps scripted to end in a compromise, is unexpectedly rewriting itself

Centre adopts anti-Kerala stand as people of state reject Sangh Parivar: CM

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday charged the union government with adopting an "anti-Kerala" stand and 'choking' the state financially as the people have rejected the sangh parivar and their politics. People of the state are not recognising the sangh parivar and their politics, as a result of which the BJP has failed to gain foothold in Kerala, he said. Vijayan was speaking after laying foundation stone of a memorial building for CPI (M) strongman late Azhikodan Raghavan. "Is it appropriate to persecute a state and it's people using the Centre's power as the BJP has failed to win seats here?" the CM asked. He claimed that the Centre was intervening into the state's affairs in violation of principles enshrined in the Constitution and imposing restrictions on its borrowing limit. "The union government is adopting an anti-Kerala stand as they have no love for the state," the Left leader added. He also accused the Congress-led UDF opposition of not strongly opposing the Ce

BKS condemns violence by farmers, blames govt for not listening to problems

The BKS is affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi

'We are aware': Govt on Indian youths wrongly drafted into Russian army

MEA said that the Indian Embassy has regularly taken up the issue with the Russian authorities and is seeking the earliest possible discharge of those trapped

Farmers observe 'black day', attack AAP govt on protestor's death: Updates

The farmers have also planned a tractor rally across India on February 26. A mahapanchayat in Delhi's Ramlila Ground has also been called on March 14

Is this mother of democracy?: Rahul Gandhi asks Centre over X's statement

Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Centre is focussed on suppressing "every voice of truth" and questioned if India still remains the mother of democracy

Amid ongoing protest, govt should hold talks with protesting farmers: Hooda

Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday said the Centre should immediately hold talks with the protesting farmers to resolve their issues, terming the prevailing situation arising out of the stir as "worrisome". The former chief minister also appealed to the farmers to maintain peace. "The situation which prevails is worrisome. The government should immediately hold talks with farmers and resolve the issue," Hooda, who is Leader of the Opposition in Haryana, told reporters here on the sidelines of the ongoing Budget session of the state assembly. Farmers leaders on Wednesday put the 'Delhi Chalo' march on hold for two days after a protester was killed and about 12 police personnel injured in clashes at Khanauri, one of the two protest sites on the Punjab-Haryana border. Thousands of farmers will remain camped at the two border points during the pause in the agitation over their demands, including a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt ..

BJP-led Centre indulging in 'financial terrorism', alleges Congress

The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP-led Centre of indulging in "financial terrorism" against it and alleged that the government had "looted" over Rs 65 crore from its accounts to economically cripple the party ahead of Lok Sabha polls. The Congress also alleged that the ruling party was attempting to "murder democracy" and drag the country to a "dictatorship raj". Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters along with Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Ajay Maken, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said "tax terrorism attacks" were being carried out against it. "A conspiracy is being hatched to make the Congress financially crippled. This is an attempt to murder democracy," Ramesh said. He also said that the action shows that the BJP government is rattled by the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, the farmers' movement and rising inflation. Maken said the BJP-led Centre had "looted" about Rs 65 crore from its accounts through the Income tax ...

Govt committed to fulfilling pledge for farmers' welfare: PM on cane hike

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underlined his government's commitment to fulfilling its pledge for the welfare of farmers, asserting that a "historic" hike in sugarcane's price is part of such efforts. This will benefit crores of sugarcane farmers, he said in a series of posts on X, highlighting several decisions taken by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday. The Cabinet meeting headed by Modi hiked the minimum price that mills have to pay to sugarcane growers by Rs 25 to Rs 340 per quintal for the 2024-25 season starting October. An official statement had said after the decision, "The new FRP will ensure prosperity of sugarcane farmers. It is noteworthy that India is already paying the highest price of sugarcane in the world and despite that the government is ensuring the world's cheapest sugar to domestic consumers." Reacting to other Cabinet decisions, he said the step taken by it relating to the National Livestock Mission will bring exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs

Farmers pause protest march for 2 days; no breakthrough in talks yet

The fresh offer came even as thousands of farmers gathered at the Haryana and Punjab borders to march towards Delhi