Page 32 - Central Government

Kejriwal accuses central agencies of bias action on party's foundation day

On this day in 2021, Kejriwal founded AAP from the India Against Corruption movement in 2011, which was launched, under the leadership of anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare

Centre to convene all-party meet on Dec 2 ahead of Winter session

The government has convened an all-party meeting on December 2 ahead of the Winter session of Parliament, sources said on Saturday. The session will begin on December 4 and conclude on December 22. Though the all-party meet is convened a day before the session begins, this time it has been advanced by a day apparently due to counting of votes for five states on December 3 where polls are underway. The results of the assembly elections will have a major bearing on the session during which the government is keen to pass key bills. The report of the Ethics Committee on the "cash-for-query" allegations against TMC MP Mahua Moitra will be tabled in Lok Sabha during the session. The House will have to adopt the report before the expulsion recommended by the panel comes into effect. Three key bills which seek to replace the IPC, CrPC and the Evidence Act are likely to be taken up for consideration during the session as the standing committee on Home has already adopted the three reports

FM Sitharaman dismisses Kerala govt's fund allocation 'negligence' charge

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday dismissed allegations by Kerala's Left government of negligence in fund allocation and claimed that the Central government promptly sends the required funds to the people of the southern state without any delay. Responding to the Left government's allegations of not releasing funds under various categories, she pointed fingers at the state government, alleging that it was due to the state's failure to meet the necessary criteria. Criticising the ruling CPI(M)-led alliance, which has announced a protest in New Delhi in January against the alleged neglect by the Central government, the finance minister claimed that the highest amount of Finance Commission Grants has been released to Kerala from 2009-10 to 2023-24 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), all the pending liabilities and the first tranche of 2023-24, covering senior citizen pensions, amounting to Rs

Centre announces phased introduction of biogas blending for domestic use

The mandatory phased introduction will start at 1% for use in automobiles and households from April 2025, it said. The share of mandatory blending will then be increased to around 5% by 2028

Supreme Court asks Centre to constitute fresh delimitation commission

The Supreme Court directed the Centre on Thursday to set up a fresh delimitation commission for ensuring a proportional representation of the communities specified as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), as mandated under the Constitution. While asking the Centre to set up the delimitation panel, the top court, however, said it cannot direct Parliament to amend or make laws for giving proper representation to other communities that form part of the STs as that would amount to "venturing into the legislative domain". "For the court to direct that in addition to the reservation made ... Parliament must legislate to enact proportional representation for all other communities forming part of Scheduled Tribes, that would be venturing into the legislative domain," it said. The directions were issued by a bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra on a plea seeking a proportionate representation of the Limbu and Tamang tribal communities

Onus of stopping coal, cattle smuggling Centre's job: West Bengal CM Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday indicated that the onus of stopping the smuggling of coal and cattle lies with the central government as its agencies are responsible for producing and safekeeping of the dry fuel and guarding the international border. "Coal India Limited (CIL) is run by the Centre. Coal mines are guarded by CISF, which is a central force. The border is also guarded by the BSF," Banerjee said, implying that the onus of illegal mining and smuggling lay with the central government. Addressing a party programme at the Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata, she also alleged that those "big leaders" who are involved in cattle and coal smuggling are "sitting elsewhere". The TMC boss, however, did not name any individual or political party. The Trinamool Congress supremo's assertion came at a time when several party leaders are being accused of being involved in the smuggling of coal and cattle. Abhishek Banerjee, her nephew and considered number 2 in the .

SC defers hearing on pleas for reconsideration of 2022 PMLA verdict

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned by eight weeks the hearing on pleas seeking reconsideration of its July 27, 2022 verdict, which had upheld the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) powers to arrest and attach property under the PMLA. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul deferred the hearing, which continued since Wednesday, after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, sought time to address the arguments raised by the petitioners in detail. The bench also comprising justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M Trivedi allowed the amendment application moved by the petitioner's side, by which various 'new aspects' have been raised, and asked the Centre to file its reply within four weeks. The apex court said that the rejoinder to the Centre's reply be filed within four weeks thereafter. "The deferment will leave really no time for this court to pen down the order," the bench said, adding, "the Chief Justice of India will have to reconstitute the bench, i

Centre defends PMLA act, petitioners question provisions of summoning

Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing petitioners in the matter, said that the ED summons a person without telling them whether he is being called as an accused or witness

Samyukta Kisan Morcha to hold 3-day protest from Nov 26 on pending demands

The Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which spearheaded a protest against the now-repealed three farm laws, on Wednesday announced a three-day protest starting November 26 to press the Centre to accept their pending demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP. The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) is an umbrella body of various farmer unions. Addressing the media here, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said farmers will hold an agitation against the non-acceptance of their pending demands, which include the withdrawal of cases registered against farmers during the year-long stir against the now-repealed farm laws, compensation and jobs for one of the family members of farmers who died during the stir, debt waiver and pension for farmers Bharti Kisan Union (Dakunda) president Buta Singh Burgill said as part of the protest, farmers will proceed towards the governor's residence, and if they are prevented, they will stop and hold their protest at the spot. A large numbe

SC to hear pleas on constitutional validity of sedition law in January

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear in January a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the IPC provision on sedition, months after the Centre introduced in Parliament bills to replace the colonial-era penal statutes, proposing among other things the repeal of the sedition law. Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said he would constitute an appropriate bench to hear the matter. It appointed advocates Prasanna S and Pooja Dhar as nodal counsel to facilitate the compilation of case laws and other statutory material before the hearing. The apex court had earlier declined to accept the Centre's fervent request that reference of the petitions to a larger bench be deferred as Parliament is in the process of "re-enacting" the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and a bill has been placed before a standing committee. The court had said assuming that the bill, which proposes among other things the repeal of the sedition law and introduction of a new provision

Viksit Bharat Yatra: 166k footfall in rural health camps during launch week

The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday said 1,232 health camps have been conducted in 203 gram panchayats under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra in the first week of its launch, recording a footfall of more than 1,66,000. More than 33,000 Ayushman cards were created at the camps and over 21,000 physical cards distributed, the ministry said. Under the initiative, Ayushman cards are being created using the Ayushman app and physical cards are being distributed to the beneficiaries. The ministry said screening of patients for TB is being carried out for symptoms, sputum testing and by using NAAT machines wherever available. It said more than 41,000 people have been screened by the end of the first week, as on November 21, and over 4,000 of them were referred to higher public health facilities. The ministry added that under the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan (PMTBMBA), consent of the patients suffering from TB is being taken for receiving assistance from Nikshay Mitras. The atte

Centre, Punjab govt negligent in stubble management: Farmers leaders

Farmer leaders in Punjab on Wednesday accused the Centre and the state government of not making proper arrangements for stubble management and said it is vehicular and industrial pollution which affects the air quality in Delhi and not farm fire. They also said the governments should guarantee minimum support price on alternative crops such as maize and pulses to wean away growers from the water-guzzling paddy crop, which is not even native to Punjab. Their remarks came a day after the Supreme Court, while hearing a matter related to stubble burning, observed farmers are being made "villains" and that they have not been heard. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Sudhanshu Dhulia had also suggested why should there be any purchase under the minimum support price (MSP) system from farmers who indulge in crop residue burning, irrespective of the fact that citizens and children were affected due to pollution. Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh ...

Bihar govt passes resolution for special status to state after caste survey

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar upped the ante on the Chief Minister's long-standing demand for grant of special status to the state with a resolution to the effect on Wednesday being passed by the cabinet. Kumar broke the news himself, announcing the development on social media, shortly after the cabinet meeting he chaired here was over. "The cabinet has passed a resolution (prastaav) requesting the Centre for grant of special category status to Bihar", Kumar wrote in a lengthy post in which he also said that the fresh demand was necessitated by findings of the caste survey his government carried out in the state. Kumar said that while the rise in percentage of population of the deprived castes has led to increase in the quotas for SCs, STs and OBCs from 50 to 65 per cent, his government also planned to undertake a number of welfare measures for the benefit of "94 lakh families", which according to the survey lived in abject poverty. "We intend to provide, in instalments, an

Only govt should do food certification, not NGOs: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said food certification should be done only by governmental agencies, and not by non-governmental organisations. In a press conference, replying to a query on the Uttar Pradesh government banning the production, storage, distribution and sale of food products with halal certification, she said it is not right for any organisation other than the government ones to give certification. Food quality and food testing are essentially a government job. Government should do it. We have our Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)," she said, adding it is the government agencies that should ascertain whether there are chemical additives, artificial or harmful colours and so on. "They (government bodies) will have to be the authority to certify which is quality food for people to consume. Non-Governmental Organisations doing it is not right, she said. The Uttar Pradesh government on November 18 banned the production, storage, ...

India's inland fish production tripled in last 9 yrs: Union minster Rupala

Inland fish production in India has almost tripled in the last nine years, Union minister Parshottam Rupala said on Tuesday. He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of 'Global Fisheries Conference India 2023' organised by the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying at Science City here on the occasion of World Fisheries Day. "Fisheries is India's sunrise sector and PM Narendra Modi has given priority to it. Our country today ranks third globally in terms of fish production and we are connected with the world through this trade. Country's inland fish production has almost tripled in the last nine years and still, there are immense growth opportunities," said Rupala. Addressing a press conference later, Rupala said the Modi government, since 2015, has allocated Rs 38,000 crore under different schemes including the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojna, whereas only Rs 3,680 crore was allocated to this sector by the previous governments till 2014. Rupala said this was the .

Avoid sensationalising Uttarakhand tunnel rescue ops: Govt to TV channels

The government on Tuesday issued an advisory to private television channels, asking them to refrain from sensationalising the coverage of the rescue operations at Silkyara in Uttarakhand, where 41 workers are trapped inside a tunnel for 10 days. The advisory, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, also told private television channels to be sensitive in their reportage, especially while putting out headlines and videos of the rescue operations, considering the psychological status of family members of the trapped workers. "Telecast of video footage and other pictures relating to the operations by the TV channels specially by placing cameras and other equipment in close proximity of the rescue operations site have the potential to adversely affect the ongoing operations," the advisory said. It also advised the channels to refrain from sensationalizing the issue and from undertaking any live posts or videos from close proximity of the tunnel site where the rescue ...

Govt committed to boosting creative economy for cinematic quality: Thakur

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said the government is committed towards boosting creative economy, mentoring outstanding artists and encouraging youngsters to achieve cinematic excellence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in the energy of youth and he wants that more opportunities and platforms be given to them, Thakur said. He was speaking after inaugurating the '75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow' section on the sidelines of Film Bazaar of the ongoing International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2023 in Goa. This is the third edition of the section in which 75 young filmmakers have been selected from 19 states. Thakur said, Nine years back, India was nowhere in the startup domain, but with a new policy, India has emerged as the third largest startup ecosystem in the world with one hundred thousand startups in the country." When the world was facing the COVID-19 pandemic, India had 50 unicorns, he said. You can well imagine, when big comp

We are only getting betrayed: Omar Abdullah blames Centre for power cuts

Speaking to the media, Omar Abdullah said the Kashmiris are being betrayed in the name of elections, employment and development

New SATHI centres after approval from competent authority, says govt

The government on Monday said it will announce new centres to house major analytical instruments for sharing them with research institutions after approval from the competent authority. The recommendations of the empowered committee, chaired by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, to examine 12 proposals to identify Sophisticated Analytical and Technical Help Institutes (SATHI), are under the consideration of Ministry of Science and Technology, officials in the ministry said. "The recommendations of the expert committee meeting held in Noida for the proposals received for the SATHI scheme are being processed. They will be announced after approval of competent authority," the Department of Science and Technology (DST) posted on X. The DST said it was also reviewing the Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facilities (SAIF) programme, a separate scheme with a history of five decades. It said a high-level committee has been formed to improve the programme, intending to include more ..

At IFFI, Centre enhances incentives for foreign film production in India

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur on Monday announced enhancing incentive for production of foreign movies in the country, hiking the limit for reimbursement of expenses incurred in the country as he inaugurated the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The move was aimed at attracting medium and big budget international film projects to India, he said while addressing a star-studded gathering after opening the 54th edition of IFFI at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium near here. The paradigm shift in incentivizing film production serves as a testimony to India's commitment and support for artistic expression and reinforces its position as a preferred destination for cinematic endeavours, Thakur said. The minister said last year at the Cannes Film Festival, the central government introduced an incentive scheme for production of foreign films in India, offering reimbursement of up to 30 per cent of their expenses incurred in the .