Page 40 - Central Government

Party in power at Centre concerned about itself, rather than nation: Cong

The Congress in Kerala on Sunday lashed out at the BJP, alleging that the party in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself rather than the country, a sharp contrast to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who put the nation first before everything. The view was expressed by veteran Congress leader and former Union Defence Minister A K Antony while speaking on the occasion of Rajiv Gandhi's death anniversary. "When he (Rajiv Gandhi) was Prime Minister he put the country first before the interests of the party. However, the party (BJP) in power at the Centre is more concerned about itself than the nation. "They are not concerned if the country burns, if there is communal violence or if there is any other form of unrest. They are only concerned with ensuring they remain in power," Antony alleged at the remembrance ceremony held at Indira Bhavan here. He claimed that when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, he ensured peace in Punjab, Assam and Mizoram at the cost of the Congress's power in

Centre plans to tone up communication ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the government on Wednesday held a day-long brainstorming session on improving its public outreach, particularly to those who do not have access to television and newspapers. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur, addressing over 100 communication officers of the government, stressed on the importance of reaching out to all sections of the society, particularly the underprivileged. He said a large part of India lives in a media shadow, bereft of facilities of television and newspapers, and it was the responsibility of the Indian Information Service (IIS) officers to reach out to that section of society. He said the IIS is a vital part of the government and the Chintan Shivir provided the officials a unique opportunity to collaborate, self-introspect and timely course correct the work in the ministry. Thakur also noted that the media landscape and the way people consume information was changing fast, and there was a need to adapt

RBI board expected to consider dividend payout to government on Friday

The government has budgeted to receive a total Rs 580 crore from the RBI and other financial institutions it holds stakes in

Keep language of laws simple for easy understanding: LS Speaker Om Birla

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday urged legislative draftspersons to keep the language of laws simple and clear to ensure that people understand it without difficulty. Addressing a training programme on legislative drafting for state and central government officials, Birla said giving clarity to legislations is very important as it saves time and resources when it comes to implementation and interpretation. Urging the draftspersons to be careful while drafting the laws, the Lok Sabha speaker suggested that they regularly update their knowledge on legislative drafting. "For the draftspersons, it is necessary to ensure that the language of the legislation is simple and clear," Birla said. He advised the draftspersons to familiarise themselves with constitutional provisions as well as contemporary issues. Birla said rules-making is equally important as lawmaking and the Lok Sabha Secretariat will continue to organise training programmes on these subjects. Birla also appealed for

To boost self-reliance, Centre approves indigenisation of 928 defence items

The defence ministry has approved a fresh list of 928 components and subsystems which will only be procured from domestic industry after a ban on their import kicks in under a staggered timeline of around five-and-a-half years. The ministry on Sunday said the aim of the move is in sync with the government's overall aim to promote 'Aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence production. It is the fourth such "positive indigenisation list (PIL)" comprising line replacement units, sub-systems and components used for various military platforms, equipment and weapons. "To promote 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence and minimise imports by defence public sector undertakings, the Ministry of Defence has approved fourth Positive Indigenisation List (PIL) of 928 strategically-important line replacement units/sub-systems/spares and components, including high-end materials and spares, with import substitution value worth Rs 715 crore," the ministry said in a statement. The aim of the indigenisation li

SC may grant 3-months extension to Sebi in Adani vs Hindenburg probe

From hearing a plea in the Adani vs Hindenburg case, to Delhi govt's decision to move the court, here are some of the important cases heard today

Centre ready for discussions on Manipur violence, says G Kishan Reddy

: Requesting the warring groups in Manipur to maintain peace, Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy on Sunday said the Central government was ready for talks and settle the issue. Stating that the Centre was not adamant when it came to people's welfare, Reddy said that it even withdrew three Farm Laws when agriculturists demanded the repeal of the controversial regulations. Riots broke out in Manipur between the Meitei community, which mainly live in Imphal Valley, and the Naga and Kuki tribes who are inhabitants of the hill districts, over the demand of the former for Scheduled Tribe status. Life started limping back to normalcy under the watchful eyes of army drones and helicopters deployed for aerial reconnaissance as curfew was relaxed on Sunday in parts of Manipur. "Please come forward to solve the issues in a peaceful manner. The Indian Government is ready. You have seen the farmers' issue. When it was peaceful, we tried to convince them. As t

Review of sedition law in advanced stage, Centre tells apex court

Attorney General says govt is keen to push reform; court to hear matter again in August

'Merely a proposal': Centre to Supreme Court on lifting pesticide ban

Registration committee is a technical statutory body that evaluates the efficacy and safety of insecticides under the specified conditions for use in the country

Same-sex marriage: Arguments on sexual orientation may be raised in future

The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court, which is hearing arguments on a clutch of pleas seeking legal sanction for same sex marriages, that arguments about freedom of sexual orientation and autonomy may be raised in future to challenge incest prohibition. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, told the bench that incest is not uncommon in the world but prohibited all over. It will be far-fetched, the five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud observed, adding sexual orientation or autonomy as an individual can never be exercised in all aspects of marriage including entry into wedlock and prohibited relationships, the grounds on which a marriage can be dissolved. All these, the CJI said, are subject to regulations by law. The arguments.... and I am saying this with a sense of responsibility, can be made, whether accepted or not is one thing, for challenging incest prohibition as well, Mehta told the bench, which also comprised ..

'Increased cooperation between govt, states necessary for new age skilling'

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday called for enhanced cooperation between the Centre and states for new age skilling in the country. Inaugurating the Odisha Skill Conclave 2023, the chief minister said skill development is not just a moral obligation, but an indispensable economic pre-requisite. Skilling youth leads to human transformation, he said. To achieve the goal, Odisha needs a collective, collaborative effort between the central ministries, state government departments, industry, academia and civil society to develop policies and programmes to promote skill development, and ensure that those skills are recognised and valued in the job market, Patnaik said. The country is going through a significant transformation, rapid technological advancements and changing job markets have made it imperative for us to invest in our human capital and equip our younger generation with the skill they need to succeed in the 21st century, the chief minister said. Expressing ho

Civil society, pesticide industry present contrasting picture on ban order

The Supreme Court also asked the government to place on record two reports on the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides in India

Centre scared of our party, preparing to arrest Kejriwal, alleges AAP

The AAP on Saturday alleged that the Centre was "misusing" probe agencies to "harass" its leaders and preparing to arrest Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who has been summoned by the CBI to its headquarters on April 16 for questioning in the excise police case. It also alleged that the Centre was "scared" of the Aam Aadmi Party and their aim was to finish it. Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi asserted Kejriwal was the only leader speaking out on the issue of corruption, which was why efforts were being made to stifle his voice. "Have the agencies found black money during their raids at his residence or anyone else? No. Kejriwal is the only leader talking about the issue of corruption. They want to stifle his voice. But they won't be able to do so," she said. Kejriwal has been summoned by the CBI at its office here to answer questions of the investigating team in connection with irregularities in formulation and implementation o

Centre asks states to enforce BIS certification on consumer products

The Centre on Monday directed state governments to enforce Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) certification on consumer products while stressing the use of digital technology to protect consumer rights and reduce pending cases in consumer courts. After inaugurating a day-long workshop on "Consumer Protection in the northern states" held in Chandigarh, Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh emphasized the role of technology in strengthening the consumer protection ecosystem and the importance of infrastructure and human resources in consumer commissions. The Secretary said, "State heads should ensure that BIS Certification is enforced on required products for consumer safety," an official statement said. He also discussed the time dissemination project by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to reduce India's reliance on Western countries for time accuracy. Nidhi Khare, Additional Secretary in the Consumer Affairs Ministry, stressed the use of digital technology to protect .

WHO tracking VOI XBB.1.5, six other variants under monitoring: Centre

During a review meeting on the Covid-19 situation, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya virtually interacted with the health ministers of the states and union territories

Govt exploring possibilities of investing in lithium mines abroad

With requirement for lithium rising manifolds, the Central government is exploring the possibilities of investing in mines abroad, especially in Argentina and Australia

Centre to provide financial aid to poor prisoners unable to secure bail

The Central government will provide financial support to states in order to extend relief to those poor prisoners who are unable to avail bail or get released from prison

Judiciary vs govt: The more things change, the more they remain the same

The problem, as many experts have pointed out, lies with the power of judicial review. The judiciary has invested it to mean absolute judicial supremacy, while the govt begs to differ

SC allows Centre's plea seeking Rs 5,000 cr from SEBI-Sahara fund

The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a plea by the Centre seeking allocation of Rs 5,000 crore out of Rs 24,000 crore deposited by the Sahara group with market regulator Sebi to repay its depositors. The direction came on an application filed by the Centre in a PIL by a person, named Pinak Pani Mohanty, who sought a direction to pay the amount to the depositors who invested in several chit fund companies and Sahara credit firms. A bench of Justices MR Shah and CT Ravikumar said the amount shall be disbursed to depositors duped by the Sahara group of cooperative societies. The entire process will be monitored by former apex court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, the bench said. The Centre had sought money from the SEBI-Sahara Sahara-Sebi escrow account that was formed after the top court in August 2012 directed two Sahara firms -- Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Limited (SIRECL) and Sahara Housing India Corporation Limited (SHICL) -- to refund investors.

Mamata starts dharna to protest Centre's 'discrimination' against Bengal

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday started her two-day sit-in demonstration in Kolkata to protest the BJP-led Union government's alleged discriminatory attitude against the state. Banerjee, accompanied by senior party leaders Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas, Subrata Bakshi and Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, reached the venue in front of Dr B R Ambedkar's statue on Red Road around noon and started her protest against the Centre's alleged stoppage of funds to the state for MGNREGA and other schemes of the housing and road departments. The sit-in demonstration will continue till Thursday evening. "The Centre has stopped releasing funds for MGNREGA and Indira Awas Yojana (Grameen). Besides, it has also stopped scholarships for OBC students," she said on Tuesday, while launching a project to construct 12,000 km of rural roads. She alleged that the Centre has not released over Rs 7,000 crores pending under MGNREGA despite West Bengal topping the list of states in completing the