Page 32 - Central Government

'Toughen up', not 'man up': Govt releases gender-neutral language guide

In a bid to promote the use of gender-neutral language, Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday released a guide which administrators and educational institutions will be encouraged to refer to. The Guide on Gender Inclusive Communication' has been compiled by the National Gender and Child Center, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UN Women. The guide highlights the importance of the gender spectrum, and also provides a lexicon on gender neutral language. The guide attempts to give a breakdown of gendered use of language and stresses on making a deliberate effort to become conscious of existing biases in commonly spoken language. The guide has over 60 words and phrases, and recommends the use of 'toughen up' instead of 'man up', 'owner' instead of 'landlord or landlady', 'humankind or humanity' instead of 'mankind', 'workforce or workers' for 'manpower', 'transgender .

Punjab farmers end protest, warn of 'bigger agitation' if promises not met

Farmers who had gathered at Mohali and Panchkula along Chandigarh's borders on Tuesday ended their three-day protest after their meetings with Punjab and Haryana governors, but warned the Centre of a "bigger agitation" if it does not show "seriousness" towards their pending demands. "This was a trailer," said farmer leader from Punjab, Harinder Singh Lakhowal, on the three-day protest. "A bigger agitation will be held if the government does not show seriousness towards our demands," Lakhowal told PTI. He said there are some demands which pertain to the state government which they have separately taken up with it and a meeting in this regard with the chief minister will be held on December 19. Separately, a delegation of farmers from Haryana met Governor Bandaru Dattatreya here concerning various demands. After the meeting, farmer leader Suresh Koth told reporters that they "want to give a clear warning to the government that we have and we can fight for our rights." "If the gover

Govt asks coal block owners to take necessary steps to operationalise mines

The government on Tuesday asked coal block owners to take necessary steps to operationalise mines that are at an advanced stage of commissioning. In FY24, India might produce 145 Million Tonnes (MT) of coal from commercial and captive blocks, that would help bring down the country's import of fossil fuel. M Nagaraju, Additional Secretary and Nominated Authority, Ministry of Coal, chaired a review meeting of producing and expected to produce captive and commercial coal mines during 2023-24. During the meeting, Nagaraju asked the companies allotted coal blocks to take necessary steps to achieve production target of the current fiscal. "The total coal production from captive/commercial coal mines during April 1, 2023 to November 20, 2023 was around 80 MT, indicating a year-on-year growth of 23 per cent from the same period of FY 2022-23," the coal ministry said in a statement.

Govt mulls introducing legal safeguards for healthcare workers: Panel

The government may consider introducing appropriate legal safeguards for healthcare workers, who at times face violence from relatives or attendants of patients, a parliamentary panel has said. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs headed by BJP member Brij Lal, which examined the proposed three criminal laws, discussed a memoranda submitted by various medical associations requesting it to introduce provisions under Clause 115 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) to penalise acts of violence against healthcare service personnel. The committee, in its report, said it was submitted before the panel that unlike in any other professions, healthcare professionals are vulnerable to "violent attacks" by relatives of patients, in cases where patients die during treatment. Such violent attacks against healthcare personnel are prevalent throughout the country and there is a need to provide some legal safeguards for the benefit of healthcare workers, the medical associations tol

Mines ministry preparing policy for critical minerals to boost supply chain

The Mines Ministry is in the process of preparing a policy for critical minerals which will include a road map for strengthening the supply chain of these essential resources, an official release said on Monday. Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential components in many of today's rapidly growing clean energy technologies from wind turbines and electricity networks to electric vehicles. "The strategy will also identify the responsibilities of different ministries of Government of India in ensuring the resilience of the supply chain of critical minerals," the Mines Ministry said in a statement. The ministry is also preparing a strategy for recycling of metals which will help to increase the recycling capability and streamline the recycling process and will also work with partner countries to co-develop mineral processing and raw material manufacturing capabilities. Apart from strengthening the domestic mechanisms, collaborati

Centre calls all-party meeting on Dec 2 ahead of Parliament Winter session

The Winter session of Parliament 2023 will conclude on December 22

Himachal govt helped disaster-affected people by changing rules: CM Sukhu

According to the officials, in rain-related incidents in this year's monsoon so far, 400 people have lost their lives and over 13,000 houses have been damaged

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