Page 30 - Central Government

Govt bans sugarcane juice, syrup for ethanol making in 2023-24 supply year

The Centre on Thursday banned the use of 'sugacane juice and sugar syrup' for ethanol production in the 2023-24 supply year that started this month, in order to maintain adequate sugar availability for domestic consumption and to keep prices under check. However, the government has allowed use of 'B-molasses' for ethanol production in 2023-24, a move which sugar industry bodies welcomed. In a letter issued to all sugar mills and distillers, the Food Ministry directed them "not to use sugarcane juice /sugar syrup" for ethanol production during the 2023-24 ethanol supply year (December-November). The directive was issued as per clause 4 and 5 of the Sugar (Control) Order 1966. "Supply of ethanol from existing offers received by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) from B-Heavy molasses will continue," Food ministry said in the letter. The decision by the ministry comes in the backdrop of estimated fall in sugar production in 2023-24 marketing year (October-September). Welcoming the move,

Centre permits export of 20 MT of non-basmati rice to earthquake-hit Nepal

The government has provided a one-time exemption from the export ban to Indian Rice Exporters Federation for shipping 20 metric tonnes (MT) of non-basmati white rice as a donation to Nepal for earthquake-affected people. Last month, the government provided a similar exemption to Patanjali Ayurved. Though exports of non-basmati white rice were banned on July 20 to boost domestic supply, exports are allowed on the basis of permission granted by the government to certain countries to meet their food security needs and on request. "One time exemption from prohibition is granted to Indian Rice Exporters Federation for exports of 20 MT of non-basmati white rice (semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not polished or glazed)...as donation to Nepal earthquake victims," the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) said in a notification. In a separate DGFT notification, the government permitted exports of 2.40 lakh tonnes of non-basmati white rice to five countries, including ...

Submit bids for green hydrogen, electrolyser mfg projects by Dec 12: Govt

The last date to submit bids for green hydrogen and electrolyser manufacturing projects under the government's SIGHT Scheme ends on December 12, Parliament was informed on Thursday. In January 2023, the Union Cabinet approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) with an outlay of Rs 19,744 crore with an aim to make India a global hub for manufacturing this clean source of energy. The mission is expected to lead to development of 5 Million Metric Tons per annum of green hydrogen production capacity by 2030, New and Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said in Lok Sabha. "Request for selection (RfS) has also been issued for selection of green hydrogen producers for setting up production facilities of 4,50,000 tonnes for green hydrogen in India under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) Scheme (Mode-1-Tranche-I) on July 10, 2023. Last date for submission of bids is December 12, 2023," he said. Singh further said that December 12, is also the last date

Probe panel constituted on US inputs: Jaishankar on Pannun plot case

India has constituted an inquiry committee to look into the inputs received from the US as these have a bearing on the country's national security, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, days after Washington alleged an Indian link to a foiled plot to kill a Sikh separatist on its soil. Replying to a supplementary question on the US charges, the minister said it was not directly connected to the original question which was on the foreign visits of Union ministers. "Insofar as the US is concerned, certain inputs were given to us as part of our security cooperation with the United States. Those inputs were of concern to us because they (were) related to the nexus of organised crime, trafficking and other matters. "Because they have a bearing on our own national security, it was decided to institute an inquiry into the matter and an inquiry committee has been constituted," he said. The minister was also asked why there was no equitable treatment with

Cyclone Michaung: MHA to release Centre's aid to SDRF to AP, TN in advance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to release in advance the second installment of the Centre's contribution to the SDRF of Rs 493.60 to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu in view of floods caused by cyclone Michaung. Union Home Minister Amit Shah shared this in a post on X. The prime minister has approved the first urban flood mitigation project of Rs 561.29 crore for Integrated Urban Flood Management Activities for Chennai Basin Project under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), which also includes central assistance of Rs 500 crore, Shah said. The severe cyclonic storm Michaung left behind a trail of destruction in Andhra Pradesh, damaging 770-kilometre roads, uprooting trees and killing livestock. According to data shared by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), nearly 40 lakh people from 194 villages and two towns were affected by Michaung's impact, including the inundation of 25 villages. In Tamil Nadu's capital city Chenn

Kashmir suffered for years due to Nehru's two major blunders: Amit Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday blamed India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru's "two major blunders" -- declaring a ceasefire without winning the entire Kashmir and taking the issue to the United Nations -- for the sufferings of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill and the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, Shah said if Nehru had taken the right steps, a large chunk of territory would not have been ceded and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir would have been part of India. "I support the word that was used here -- Nehruvian blunder. Because of the blunder that was committed during the time of Nehru, Kashmir had to suffer. With responsibility, I want to say that the two big blunders that happened during the tenure of Jawaharlal Nehru, happened due to his decisions, because of which Kashmir had to suffer for years," Shah said. "Kashmir had to suffer due to Nehruvian blunders. One

Centre to sell up to 8% stake in state-run IRCON International this week

The government owns 73.18% in the engineering and construction company, and the 8% stake sale will help the government to raise about 11.59 billion rupees ($139.11 million)

Govt bond yields dip marginally tracking US peers, RBI policy stays key

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to hold rates at 6.50% for a fifth consecutive meeting at its monetary policy meeting on Friday, according to a Reuters poll

Shree Cement plans to bid for lithium mining rights in Jammu-Kashmir

Shree Cement, India's second biggest cement company by market capitalisation, will also bid for blocks in the eastern state of Chhattisgarh, said a source

No proposal to raise reservation for OBCs in local body polls: Govt in RS

The Centre informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that there was no proposal to increase reservation for Other Backward Castes as per population in the local body elections. Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Kapil Moreshwar Patil, during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha, said OBCs are provided one-third reservation under Article 243D of the Constitution. "However, 21 state governments have increased the reservation up to 50 per cent. The member has sought increasing the reservation for OBCs as per the population in the local body elections. There is no such proposal before us," he said. In local bodies, there is a 50 per cent reservation for women. Under this quota, there is a provision to accommodate OBCs, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Patil added. However, the state governments have the right to provide reservations for OBCs. "On this subject, the states should take a call at their level," the Union minister said while replying to another supplementary question.

228 agri credit societies applied for retail petrol/diesel dealership: Shah

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said in the Rajya Sabha that around 228 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) have so far applied for retail petrol/diesel dealership. Shah, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, said the government has allowed PACS to operate retail petrol/diesel outlets and LPG distributorships. In this regard, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has issued revised guidelines for selection of dealers for regular and rural retail outlets, as well as unified guidelines for selection of LPG distributorship, he said. As per the revised guidelines, PACS have been included under Combined Category 2 (CC-2) for retail petrol/ diesel dealership and Combined Category (CC) for LPG distributorship for which they can apply online as per the advertisements issued by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Further, PACS have also been given one-time option to convert their wholesale consumer pumps into retail outlets, for which Ministry of Petroleum and Natural

Committee to frame guidelines on seizure of electronic devices: Govt to SC

The Centre on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that a committee is being constituted and guidelines will be framed regarding the seizure of electronic devices such as phones and laptops by investigating agencies. The apex court had on November 7 asked the Centre to put in place guidelines on the seizure of electronic devices of individuals, particularly media professionals, and had termed it a serious matter. "In this matter, I was to come back with guidelines. The committee is being set up and we will come out with guidelines," Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, appearing for the Centre, told a bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia. Raju requested the bench to grant him some time. The top court was hearing two petitions, including one filed by 'Foundation For Media Professionals', seeking comprehensive guidelines for the search and seizure of digital devices by investigating agencies. During the hearing, senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, ...

Open to advice from state govt, not pressure: Kerala Guv Arif Mohammed Khan

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday said he was open to advice from the state government, "but not pressure from them." Khan's statement assumes significance as he has admitted that he succumbed to the pressure from the state government with regard to the re-appointment of Gopinath Ravindran as vice-chancellor (VC) of Kannur University a decision that has been quashed by the Supreme Court. The Governor, speaking to reporters here, said he succumbed to the government pressure only because there was a legal opinion from the Advocate General (AG), the highest law officer in the state, in favour of the re-appointment. "I have said before the whole of the media that what I did was wrong. But, I succumbed to that pressure only because there was a legal opinion from the AG. Otherwise, the political pressure I would have resisted. "If I have some confusion about the legality of something, to whom would I go? The AG. He is the highest legal officer in the state," Khan said. He

Govt seeks nod from LS for additional spending of Rs 58,378 cr this fiscal

The government on Wednesday sought Lok Sabha nod for a net additional spending of Rs 58,378 crore in the current fiscal. The first batch of supplementary demands for grants for 2023-24 fiscal was tabled in the lower house of the parliament by Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary. The supplementary demands for grants include gross additional spending of over Rs 1.29 lakh crore, which would be matched by savings of Rs 70,968 crore. The proposal involves the net cash outgo aggregating to Rs 58,378.21 crore, said the document tabled in Lok Sabha. The additional spending includes an expenditure of Rs 13,351 crore towards fertiliser subsidy.

Kharge asks Centre to release Rs 18,171 crore for Karnataka drought relief

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Wednesday asked the Central government to release Rs 18,171 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for Karnataka reeling under the impact of severe drought. Raising the matter in the House during the Zero Hour, the Congress president said Karnataka is grappling with the most severe drought in 123 years and the damage to crops is estimated at over Rs 35,162 crore. According to him, the damage to crops ranges from 40-90 per cent. Kharge said the state government has sought Rs 18,171 crore from the NDRF to help the affected people. "This financial support is crucial for providing input subsidies, gratuitous relief and implementing other immediate growth measures due to low rainfall (in Karnataka)," the senior Congress leader said. He further highlighted that water levels in various reservoirs have reached an alarmingly low mark and there may also be a shortage of drinking water in the coming days. Kharge also

810 mn dependent on free foodgrains from govt due to inflation: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati Wednesday said neither the freedom fighters nor the architect of the Indian Constitution Bhimrao Ambedkar would have thought that more than 81 crore poor people of the country would be dependent on free foodgrains from government as she slammed the Centre for rising inflation. Paying tributes to Ambedkar on his death anniversary, she said the condition of the poor, labourers, farmers, small businessmen, and the middle class could have been improved considerably had the Constitution been implemented in the right manner. "Immense reverence to Bharat Ratna Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, the messiah of the poor, labourers, Dalits, tribals and backward classes of the 140-crore strong India and the architect of the country's humanitarian and egalitarian constitution, on his death anniversary," Mayawati said in a post on X. On the occasion, she, however, took potshots at the Union government, saying neither the freedom fighters nor Ambedkar could have thought of the plight

Tamil Nadu seeks Rs 5K cr Central aid for flood-ravaged Chennai: DMK MP

An interim Central assistance of Rs 5,000 crore has been sought by the Tamil Nadu government to provide relief to people and rebuild infrastructure damaged by incessant rains in Chennai and some other districts of the state. Raising the issue through a zero-hour mention in the Rajya Sabha, Tiruchi Siva, a leader of the DMK which rules the state, said heavy rains due to severe Cyclone Michaung have submerged Chennai and other districts. At least nine people, including a child, were killed in the flooding and the havoc caused hours before the cyclone was due to make landfall. Cars were swept and airport operations shut down as the streets of Chennai got inundated. "Roads have become rivers because of non-stop running waters and rivers have become like seas... all the water bodies are overflowing. Many tanks have been breached," he said. Informing the Rajya Sabha that roads have been badly damaged due to the fury of nature, Siva said essential supplies have been hampered. Tamil Nadu

Disbursal of Rs 79 cr under PLI for white goods expected in last quarter

The government is expected to disburse Rs 79 crore fiscal incentives under PLI for white goods in the last quarter of this financial year as certain selected beneficiary firms have started production, a senior official said. The production linked incentive (PLI) scheme on white goods seeks to encourage domestic manufacturing of air conditioners and LED light components. The official also said that the target of Rs 11,000 crore incentive disbursement for different sectors under the scheme during the current fiscal may fall short. "Lot of the disbursement will come in the last fiscal. Lot of projects are in gestation period. In the white goods sector, we are expecting about Rs 79 crore disbursement in the last quarter," the official said. Of the 64 selected beneficiaries of the PLI scheme under the white goods segment, 15 have started production. These 15 beneficiaries had opted for a gestation period of up to March 31, 2022. Rest of the beneficiaries who opted for gestation period o

Govt to approve 10-11 testing labs set ups for cotton, textiles by Dec 16

The government is planning to approve setting up of 10-11 testing laboratories across the country to ensure high quality of cotton and textiles for both the domestic consumers as well as for the export markets, Union Minister Piyush Goyal said on Saturday. "I have discussed with the Textile Ministry, the Consumer Affairs Department, who will work together with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for setting up high quality cotton and textile testing laboratories," Goyal, the Union Minister for Textiles, Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food and Public Distribution, said. "In the next 15 days, by December 16, we will approve a series of laboratories across the country with an investment of about USD 6-7 million," he said. Addressing the four-day 81st Plenary Meeting of the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) that started on Saturday, the minister said, "We want the most modern and high-quality testing laboratories to come up in different parts of the country, s

Kerala objects to Centre's call to deduct Rs 332 cr from IGST settlement

The Kerala government on Saturday raised an objection to a deduction of around Rs 332 crore from the settlement of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) for November 2023 to the state and said it will affect the fiscal situation in the southern state. Addressing the media here, state Finance Minister K N Balagopal said it was not clear as to why this amount was deducted in this manner or what are the calculations underlying such deduction. The senior Left leader also said that a letter in this regard was sent to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking her "urgent intervention". He said an amount of approximately Rs 332 crore was deducted from the settlement of IGST towards "adjustment of advance apportionment to make up the shortfall in the IGST balance". "This deduction is a substantial chunk of the state revenue and adversely affects the fiscal situation in the state," Balagopal said. In the letter, the state finance minister said the calculations of settlements nee