Page 18 - Central Government

SKM to hold crucial meeting with farmers from across the nation: Tikait

Farmer leader Rakesh Tikait has declared that a memorandum outlining crucial demands of the farmers will be submitted to both the state and central governments

Onion export ban to continue till Mar 31 to keep prices under check: Govt

The ban on export of onion will continue till its previously announced deadline of March 31 as the government is keen to keep prices under check and ensure domestic availability, a top official said on Tuesday. On December 8, 2023, the government had banned export of onion till March 31. "Ban on onion exports has not been lifted. It is in force and there is no change in the status," Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told PTI. The government's supreme priority is to ensure enough domestic availability of onion at reasonable prices to consumers, he added. On reports of lifting of the export ban on the commodity, the modal wholesale onion prices shot up 40.62 per cent to Rs 1,800 per quintal on February 19 in Lasalgoan, the country's largest wholesale onion market, from Rs 1,280 per quintal on February 17. Ahead of general elections, the ban is unlikely to be lifted even after March 31 as rabi (winter) onion production is expected to be lower due to less coverage of area .

Day after rejecting proposal, farmers ask Centre to accept their demands

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Tuesday sought that the Centre accept their demands, including a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm loan waiver, and said they will head to Delhi on Wednesday. His statement came a day after the farmer leaders taking part in the "Delhi Chalo" agitation rejected the Centre's proposal for procuring pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP by government agencies for five years, saying it was not in favour of farmers. In the fourth round of talks with the farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers proposed that government agencies would buy pulses, maize and cotton at the MSP for five years after entering into an agreement with farmers. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are spearheading the "Delhi Chalo" march. Talking to reporters at the Shambhu border point between Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, Pandher, who represents the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, said the farmers hav

Notice issued to Centre, Delhi govt on plea against Manual Scavengers Act

he plea also sought a direction to rehabilitate the sewer cleaners and provide them with all the benefits received by manual scavengers under the act

Farmers' march on 'standby' till Feb 21 as Centre offers MSP proposal

The farmer leaders said that they will hold discussions on the government's proposal on MSP and the march will resume 'peacefully' on February 21

Farmers gear up for another round of talks after almost week of protests

The farmers have been massing at the Punjab-Haryana border since Feb. 12, prevented from marching toward Delhi by police barricades of barbed wire and metal barriers.

CM Siddaramaiah asserts commitment to implement Mekedatu, other schemes

Asserting his government's commitment to implement various irrigation and drinking water projects related to inter-state rivers including Mekedatu over Cauvery, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday in the state Assembly detailed clearances and approvals pending with the Central government. Presenting the 2024-25 budget in the Assembly, he listed out steps to implement various projects such as Mekedatu, Kalasa-Banduri, Upper Krishna, Upper Bhadra and Yettihanole, among others. A separate project division and two sub-divisions have already been set up to implement the ambitious Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and drinking water project of Cauvery river valley, Siddaramaiah said, adding that a survey to identify land that will be submerged under this project and the counting process of trees have already been initiated. He also said action will be taken on priority to commence work early after obtaining remaining necessary clearances from the competent authorities. The Chief .

Centre giving tax benefits to few chosen big corporates: Jairam Ramesh

The Congress on Wednesday accused the central government of giving tax benefits to a few chosen big corporate conglomerates and doing "anyay" (injustice) to the poor and common people of the country. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the money generated from personal income tax is higher than corporate tax and alleged this is a direct result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi giving corporate tax cut to his chosen friends while the poor are reeling under the onslaught of price rise and high taxes. "For the first time in over three decades (excluding the 2020-21 pandemic), the Union government is generating more money from personal income tax (Rs 10 lakh crore) than it is from corporate tax (Rs 9 lakh crore). "This is the direct result of PM Modi giving his close friends a Rs 1.84 lakh crore handout in the form of the September 2019 corporate tax cut just before he left for Houston's Howdy Modi event to boost Trump's re-election campaign," he said in a post on X. "This ...

People not getting jobs, their pockets being robbed: Rahul attacks Centre

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday hit out at the BJP-led Centre while claiming that people in the country were not getting employment and were facing the wrath of inflation. Addressing a gathering in Chhattisgarh's Korba district during his 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', Gandhi asked the people to wake up, claiming their pockets were being robbed and they were being misled. The backward classes, Dalits and Adivasis (tribals) comprise 74 per cent of the country's population, but not a single person from these communities is the owner or in the management of India's top 200 companies which are being given "all the money of the country", he claimed. The BJP calls it a "Hindu Rashtra", but 74 per cent of the population and the poor from the general country have been getting nothing. They are only for beating "thali" (steel plate), ringing "ghanta" (bell), showing mobile phones and dying in hunger, he further claimed targeting the Centre. Tell me, have you seen any poor, labourer, ...

GPS-based toll collection system in India: Things to know about this tech

Nitin Gadkari said that it has been decided to initially implement the GNSS-based Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System at selected sections of National Highways

SC issues notice to central govt on GST anti-profiteering provisions

Petitioner appeals against Delhi HC order upholding provisions; more companies may approach apex court

PM to distribute 100,000 appointment letters to recruits in govt depts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will distribute more than 1 lakh appointment letters to newly inducted recruits in central government departments on Monday via video conferencing. On this occasion, the prime minister will also lay the foundation stone of Phase-I of the Integrated Complex "Karmayogi Bhavan" here. This complex will promote collaboration and synergy among various pillars of Mission Karmayogi. Prime Minister Modi will distribute more than 1 lakh appointment letters to newly inducted recruits on February 12 at 10:30 am via video conferencing, a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. The Rozgar Mela will be held at 47 locations across the country and the recruitments are taking place across central government departments, and state and Union Territory governments are supporting this initiative. The new recruits will be joining the government in various ministries and departments vis-a-vis Department of Revenue, Ministry of Home Affairs, Department of ..

Central govt is nervous, says Congress' Manish Tewari on 'White Paper'

Congress MP Manish Tewari referred to the 'White Paper ' presented on the Indian economy in Parliament by Centre as "nervousness", which he claimed was evident in the Union Finance Minister's response

Centre not solely responsible for Kerala's financial woes: Cong-led UDF

As the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala is holding a protest in the national capital against the alleged neglect by the Centre, the Congress-led UDF opposition on Thursday reiterated that the union government was not solely responsible for the southern state's financial woes. Leader of Opposition in the assembly V D Satheesan said that the UDF did not join the LDF protest in Delhi as "they created a narrative blaming the Central government for all the financial problems of the state to hide their mismanagement, extravagance and corruption". The opposition has been saying this for some time. He also termed as "lies" and "an inflated figure" the Left government's claims that around Rs 57,000 crore was to be received from the Centre. Satheesan also claimed that what the Left government said in the Supreme Court was different from what it said in Delhi and what was said in the state assembly regarding the financial woes of Kerala. He also claimed that the Left government moved t

Debts of states affect credit rating of country: Centre tells Supreme Court

Uncontrolled borrowing by states would affect the credit rating of the whole country and the fiscal edifice of Kerala has been diagnosed with "several cracks", the Centre has told Supreme Court on the issue of limits imposed on the state's borrowing capacity. In a note submitted before the top court, Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted that public finance management is a national issue. Venkataramani said if the State indulges in reckless borrowing to finance unproductive expenditure or poorly targeted subsidies, it will crowd out private borrowing from the market. "Debt of States affects the credit rating of the country. Moreover, default by any State in debt servicing would create reputational issues and will have domino effect endangering the financial stability of the whole of India," the note said. The AG said uncontrolled borrowing will lead to increase in the borrowing costs of private industries and adversely impact the production and supply of goods and services in

Rajya Sabha passes bill to amend water Act to decriminalise minor offences

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed a Bill which seeks to decriminalise minor offences related to water pollution, enable the Centre to prescribe service conditions of chairpersons of State Pollution Control Boards, and exempt certain categories of industrial plants from statutory restrictions. Piloting the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Bill 2024 in the Upper House of Parliament, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that development and environment protection must go together. There should be harmony in ease of living and ease of doing business, he added. Replying to a debate on the Bill, the minister said its provisions will lead to greater transparency in dealing with various issues related to water pollution. The Bill, which seeks to amend the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, was approved by the Rajya Sabha by voice vote. According to the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill, the amendment proposes to rationalise ..

Centre impartial in distribution of funds to state govts: Nityanand Rai

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Tuesday dismissed allegations that the central government was discriminating against non-BJP-ruled while disbursing funds for disaster relief. Replying to a question on flood relief to Tamil Nadu, Rai dismissed the allegations that the non-BJP-ruled states were being discriminated against while disbursing disaster relief funds. "In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is very sensitive to the need of the state governments during any natural disaster and the central government provides all kinds of help during any crisis," he said, dismissing the allegation that Tamil Nadu was being discriminated against. He also informed that Rs 2013 crore was still lying with the Tamil Nadu government under SDRF which it is free to spend for flood relief. He said under the present government, inter-ministerial central team is being dispatched even before a request from the state government comes. Rai said a total provision of Rs 33581 crore was made

Dharavi redevelopment: Maha govt to lease salt pan lands from Centre

The Maharashtra cabinet on Monday cleared a proposal related to the Dharavi slum redevelopment project, under which 283.40 acres of salt pan lands in Mumbai will be taken from the Union government on a 99-year lease for rehabilitation purpose. The proposal, moved by the state housing department, was approved at a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde here, an official statement said. A separate proposal for handing over the salt pan lands, to be used for rehabilitation of some Dharavi residents under the slum redevelopment project, will be submitted to the Union government soon, it said. The market value of the lands, 283.40 acres in total, would be recovered from the special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed for redevelopment of the Dharavi slum colony and then handed over to the Centre, said the statement. The Maharashtra government in July last year formally awarded the 259-hectare Dharavi redevelopment project to an Adani group firm. The multi-crore project,

Injustice to Karnataka in tax devolution, loss of Rs 45K cr in 4 years: CM

Alleging injustice to Karnataka by the Central government with reduction in tax devolution, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said this has resulted in a loss of over Rs 45,000 crore to the state in the last 4 years. He also claimed that the taxes paid by Kannadigas is not useful for the state's difficult times, and the money was going to northern states. "Karnataka has faced significant challenges with a reduced tax devolution share post the 15th Finance Commission, resulting in a loss of over Rs 45,000 crore in the last 4 years. This injustice cannot stand," Siddaramaiah said. "We stand united in demanding fair treatment and justice for Kannadigas to secure our state's welfare," he said in a post on 'X' with the hashtag "#SouthTaxMovement" The Chief Minister's comments have come ahead of all Congress lawmakers (also MPs) from the state, including Siddaramaiah, staging a protest in New Delhi on February 7, against the 'injustice' to Karnataka by the Union government when it .

Central govt spends 4% on schools while we spend 40%: Arvind Kejriwal

CM Kejriwal and Delhi Education Minister Atishi laid the foundation stone for new school buildings in the National Capital's Rohini today