Page 21 - Central Government

Govt officials, experts brainstorm on use of AI for grievance redressal

Senior government officials and industry experts discussed the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for redressal of public grievances and promotion of universalised face authentication processes for simplification of service delivery during a brainstorming session, said an official statement issued on Friday. The session -- 'Emerging and Future e-Governance Initiatives, e-Commerce Initiatives, and Emerging Technologies' -- was organised by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) here on Thursday. The session marked a significant effort to promote knowledge exchange among key players in the realm of e-service delivery, e-governance and innovative technology implementation, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry. Fifteen domain experts and distinguished representatives from leading organisations, including Deloitte, PwC, Primus Partners, KPMG, QCI, and EY attended the session along with the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public ...

Govt rolls out mandatory quality norms for electrical accessories

The government has issued mandatory quality norms for electrical accessories such as switch-socket-outlets and cable trunking to curb the import of sub-standard goods and boost domestic manufacturing of these goods. The Electrical Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2023 was issued in this regard by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on January 1 this year. Under this order, items cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported and stocked unless they bear the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark. The order will come into force from six months of the date of publication of the notification, DPIIT said. It added that "nothing in this order shall apply to goods or articles manufactured domestically for export". In order to safeguard the MSME sector, relaxations have been granted to comply with the order. Small industries have been given additional nine months time, while 12 extra months will be given to micro enterprises. DPIIT in consultation with BIS and

Centre not hostile to TN on funds flow, even made advance payment: FM

The Centre was never hostile towards Tamil Nadu, Kerala or any other state on ensuring funds flow and had made advance payments and even released funds to foster infrastructure development, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday. Responding to a criticism from the DMK government that the central government was not disbursing funds or settling its share, she said from 2014 to 2023 the Centre received Rs 6.23 lakh crore as direct tax (income tax and corporate tax) from Tamil Nadu but gave back Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state during the same period. "I will get the update on the current figures only in March. But as per the available statistics, from 2014 till 2022-23, Tamil Nadu's direct tax collection was Rs 6.23 lakh crore. But we gave Rs 6.96 lakh crore to the state," she said while speaking at the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra programme here. "It is a wrong assumption that this Rs 6.23 lakh crore is paid only by the people of Tamil Nadu. Among them were ...

Govt reviews captive coal mines status; urges allottees to rise production

The coal ministry on Thursday reviewed the status of commercial and captive coal blocks that have already started production as well as those which are expected to commence production. During a high level meeting to review the status of 'producing and expected to produce' captive and commercial coal mines, Additional Secretary at the ministry M Nagaraju also urged the allottees to put in further efforts to achieve the committed coal output target for the current fiscal, an official statement said. As of December, 50 captive and commercial coal mines were under production. According to the statement, Nagaraju also "impressed upon the allottees to take necessary steps to operationalise the coal blocks that are in advanced stages of operationalisation". Within three-and-a-half years of commencing commercial coal mines auction in 2020, 6 mines with a cumulative Peak Rated Capacity (PRC) of 14.87 million tonnes (MT) have already started production. In December 2023, the total coal ...

Getting calls from international numbers? Here's what Centre advises

The government has directed all the telecom service providers to block the "malicious" calls from such numbers and advised the citizens to report them to the authorities

India may surpass FY24 target for state-run firms' dividends by Rs 12K-cr

So far this fiscal, India has received Rs 43,800 crore in dividends from state-owned firms, according government data.

Govt may lower disinvestment goal by 20% after missing FY24 target: Report

The government had set a disinvestment target to raise Rs 51,000 crore for the current financial year. However, only about 20 per cent of this target has been met so far

Centre asks UP, Punjab, two other states to tap saline land for aquaculture

The Centre on Wednesday directed Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh governments to take steps to tap the potential saline land resources not suitable for farming purposes for promoting aquaculture. In a virtual review meeting, Fisheries Secretary Abhilaksh Likhi said Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh should focus on adopting shrimp aquaculture in identified 25 districts to generate employment and livelihood. The four states should include the project proposals for development of their saline affected areas in the Annual Action Plan for the next year for requisite support under a central scheme. "Saline affected areas are not suitable for agriculture. However, there is huge potential to convert these saline affected areas into aquaculture areas," an official statement said. It was agreed in the meeting that there are a number of challenges for saline land aquaculture in these States. To address these challenges, it is felt that an awareness campaign may be ...

Govt bans imports of cheap screws to support domestic manufacturing

The government on Wednesday imposed a ban on imports of certain kinds of screws priced lower than Rs 129 per kg, a move which would help promote domestic manufacturing. "The import policy of screws...is revised from free to prohibited. However, import shall be free if CIF (cost, insurance, freight) value is Rs 129 or above per kg," the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. Products included in the ban are coach crews, machine screws, wood screws, hook screws, and self-tapping screws. India imported screws, bolts, nuts, washers and similar articles worth USD 827 million in 2022-23 and USD 468.15 million during April-October this fiscal. These are imported from countries like France, China, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, and Belgium.

11 firms expressed interest in port project in Great Nicobar Island: Govt

The government has received expressions of interest (EOIs) from 11 players for the Rs 41,000-crore international transhipment port project at Great Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal, Union minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Wednesday. Last year, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in a statement said the project is expected to be completed with an investment of Rs 41,000 crore (USD 5 billion), including investment from both government and public-private partnership (PPP) concessionaires. "11 players have submitted expressions of interest for the international transhipment port project at Great Nicobar Island," the ports, shipping and waterways minister said. The EOI was sought on January 28, 2022. The proposed port in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will have the ultimate capacity to handle 16 million containers per year, and in the first phase, to be commissioned by 2028 at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore, it will handle more than 4 million containers. Other projects plann

Union Budget 2024: 10 terms to boost the know-how of key financial exercise

The Union Budget, laid out on February 1 annually, is the financial roadmap that shapes the country's economy. Here are 10 key Budget terms for better insights into the key financial exercise

India logs 602 fresh Covid-19 infections, five deaths; active cases dip

Five deaths were reported due to Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. The uptick in the cases has been attributed to the emergence of the new 'JN. 1 variant' and cold weather conditions

SC notice to govts on PIL alleging caste-based discrimination in jails

The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought responses from the Centre and 11 states, including Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, on a PIL alleging that the prison manuals of these states encourage caste-based discrimination in jails. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of senior advocate S Muralidhar's submissions that the jail manuals of these 11 states discriminate in allocation of work inside their prisons and caste determines the places where inmates are lodged. Certain de-notified tribes and habitual offenders are treated differently and discriminated against, the senior lawyer said. The court asked Muralidhar to compile jail manuals from the states and listed the plea for hearing after four weeks. Issuing notices to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and others, the bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist the court in dealing with the issues raised in the PIL filed by Sukanya Shantha, a native of Kalyan in

Here's why truck drivers demand roll-back of new 'hit and run' law

Protests erupted in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat. Uttar Pradesh and Punjab where the agitators blocked roads over the hit-and-run provision under the new law that attracts stringent punishment

Union Budget 2024: Why India's' budget presentation was moved to February 1

India's Union Budget is presented on February 1 annually. This tradition began in the year 2017, until which the budget presentation took place on the last day of February every year

Sidhu Moosewala murder 'mastermind' Goldy Brar declared terrorist by Centre

Goldy Brar is an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, which had claimed responsibility for the murder of Moosewala, killed on May 29, 2022

Centre stands with those affected in Tamil Nadu: PM Modi after Michaung

Significantly, during his address at the event, Chief Minister MK Stalin urged PM Modi to declare the Tamil Nadu floods as a national calamity and commit more central funds

Safety measures to prevent train accidents: SC seeks details from Centre

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought to know from the Centre about the protective measures implemented or proposed to be implemented, including the automatic train protection system 'Kavach', to prevent train accidents in the country. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan was hearing a petition which raised the issue of safety measures to prevent train accidents. The bench asked petitioner Vishal Tiwari to hand over a copy of his plea to the office of the Attorney General. It said the Attorney General shall apprise the court about the protective measures which are implemented or proposed to be implemented by the government, including the 'Kavach' scheme. The bench posted the matter for hearing after four weeks. Tiwari told the apex court that his plea raises issue of public safety measures. Referring to the train accident in Odisha's Balasore district in June last year that had left 288 people dead, the petitioner said a protection system was launched by the governmen

Govt project announcements, capex at new low, completion rates slow

It was at Rs 26,987 crore in the three months ended December, according to data from project tracker Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE)

Focus on workforce boost in health sector considering global demand: Govt

The Indian health sector has a good image globally and the government is working to increase the workforce in view of growing demand, Union minister Bharati Pawar said here on Saturday. The Minister of State (MOS) for Health reiterated that there is no need to fear the JN.1 subvariant of coronavirus but states have been asked to be alert about its spread. Dr Pawar was speaking to reporters after reviewing OPD and IPD services, and government schemes like AB-PMJAY, and Jan Aushadhi Kendra at the AIIMS Nagpur. "India is progressing in all sectors globally. There is a lot of demand for Indian healthcare professionals across the globe. The Indian health sector has a good image. It is trusted and the demand for healthcare personnel is growing in many countries," the Union minister said. She said Indian nurses are in good demand in many countries including Japan. "Considering the demand for nurses, the Central government has started Japanese language courses in some Northeastern states,