Page 43 - Central Government

Board formed to fix tariff at major ports, PPP dispute resolution

New Board to take over functions of the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP)

The bicycle theory of the 2023 Budget

Lowering the fiscal deficit to sustainable levels will be the biggest challenge for the government, but there are enough reasons for it to keep pedalling hard

Tough to accept that federalism not relevant to UT: SC on Delhi-Centre row

SC observed orally it was difficult to accept the Centre's submission that federalism does not apply to a union territory as even panchayats' are an example for decentralisation of power

Govt widening economic inequality; policies 'increasing' poverty: Congress

The Congress accused the BJP govt of widening the economic inequality in India and said the richest one per cent owns more than 40% of the country's wealth, while half the population has only 3% of it

SC unhappy with 6 states, UTs for not giving comments to govt on minorities

The Supreme Court expressed displeasure over six states and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, not yet giving their comments to the Centre on the issue of identification of minorities

Reduce pendency of public grievances, official work: Centre to secretaries

In a move aimed at furthering ease of governance, the Centre has asked secretaries of all its departments to reduce pendency of public grievances and government works to the minimum. It has also asked them to devote at least three hours a week for ensuring that pendency of work is at its lowest level. Pendency of work includes references from members of Parliament, parliamentary assurances, inter-ministerial and state government references, files to be weeded out by them, public grievances and their appeals, and pending swachhata campaign sites where cleanliness activities need to be intensified and office space freed from unwanted material or scrap. The move is inspired by the success of the country's largest cleanliness drive, spearheaded by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), undertaken in October last year. "Government has decided to institutionalise the special campaign 2.0 activities of 'swachhata' and reduce pendency on a continuing basis

India's counter response shows country won't be coerced by anybody: EAM

India's counter response to terrorism emanating from Pakistan and to aggressive cross-border skirmish with China displayed that the nation will not be coerced by anybody, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Saturday. He added that the country will do everything to ensure its security. The Balakot air strikes conducted by the Air Force in response to the Pulwama terror attack had sent the much-needed message across, he said referring to the incident in 2019. "On the northern borders, China is today seeking to change the status quo by bringing in large forces and violating our borders. Despite COVID-19, our counter response was strong and firm. Our troops deployed in thousands safeguarded our frontiers in extreme terrain and harsh border and (protection of borders) continues to this day," Jaishankar said while addressing the Tamil weekly Thuglak's 53rd anniversary here on Saturday evening. "The national wellbeing has many facets and national security is without question th

SII's free Covishield supply to govt: First 8 mn doses set for dispatch

Amid a rise in Covid cases in some countries, Serum Institute of India has started supply of Covishield to the Centre free of cost with the first lot of 80 lakh doses set to be dispatched from Saturday, official sources said. Since the launch of the anti-Covid vaccination drive, SII has so far provided 170 crore doses of Covishield to the government. According to an official source, Prakash Kumar Singh, Director Government and Regulatory Affairs at Serum Institute of India, had written to Union Health Ministry mentioning that the Pune-based firm will provide two crore doses of Covishield vaccine worth Rs 410 crore to the Government of India free of cost. The Health Ministry has issued a consignee list for the supply of 80 lakh doses of Covishield which will be supplied by the company Saturday, an official source said.

Mid-day meal scheme in West Bengal now under central govt's scanner

A field inspection team from the Union Education Ministry will be arriving in the state to review the implementation of the scheme

Hamleys, Archies and WHSmith toys seized for lack of BIS quality mark

On the non-compliance of quality standards, a penalty will be imposed on the manufacturers. However, retailers and wholesalers will also be held accountable

Food security scheme to cover 800 mn poor named as PMGKAY: Centre

The central government's integrated food security scheme has been named as the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), under which free foodgrains are being given to more than 80 crore poor people from January 1. The move also comes amid Opposition's criticism over the government discontinuing free monthly distribution of 5 kilograms of foodgrains to poor people under a scheme that was also known as PMGKAY. This scheme, which was launched in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in April 2020, ended in December last year. Last month, the government decided to subsume PMGKAY into two existing food subsidy schemes and consequently, the new integrated food security scheme came into force. "The new scheme has been named as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY)," the food ministry said in a statement. Keeping in view welfare of the beneficiaries and in order to maintain uniformity across the states, free foodgrains will be provided under the PMGKAY for the year 2023 t

PAN as single business ID set to get legal backing in Budget 2023-24

The provision will also ensure the mapping of PAN of an entity with multiple existing identifications. Accordingly, it will be notified under various central and state legislations

Find balance, decide who will control services: SC on Centre-Delhi row

Terming collective responsibility, aid and advice as bedrocks of democracy, SC said it will have to find a balance and decide whether the control over services should be with Centre or Delhi

Centre to revamp agricultural education, emphasis to skill development

Sponsored by Agricultural Education Division of the ICAR, the Winter School is aimed at providing an opportunity to update the analytical skills of social science researchers and make them familiar

Fiscal deficit in FY24 may be capped at 5.9%, says Goldman Sachs

The upcoming pre-election Budget will carry forward the trend of the increased capital expenditure seen in recent years

Small, mid CPSEs likely to be on Centre's FY24 disinvestment list

Government officials hinted that efforts were being taken to conclude stake sale of Shipping Corp and BEML by March

5-judge Constitution Bench starts hearing Delhi vs Centre power dispute

State list is like concurrent list for Delhi, observes CJI Chandrachud

Centre gets extension to frame CAA rules for 7th consecutive time

The Rajya Sabha committee has accepted the Centre's request for six more months to frame rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for the seventh time in a row

Centre, states working together for development of Northeast: NS Tomer

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that agriculture is the country's fastest growing sector and there will be no constraint of central funding for its development. Referring to the northeast, he said the Centre and the northeast states governments are working together to develop the agriculture sector given its potential for organic farming. Agriculture is the fastest growing sector in the country and the Center is making continuous efforts to make farming profitable. There will be no constraint of central funding for development of agriculture sector, the union minister said inaugurating the newly constructed administrative and academic buildings of Pasighat Agriculture College in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. The Centre has endeavoured to establish a link between research and farming and provide scientific advice to farmers at the ground level. The setting up of the institute as visualised by Prime Minister Narendra

PM to chair second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi today

With the aim to boost the partnership between the Centre and the State governments, PM Narendra Modi will chair the second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi today and tomorrow