Page 8 - Central Government

Centre along with UNDP to empower waste pickers through inclusion, safety

The Centre on Labour Day signed a Letter of Agreement (LoA) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to improve waste pickers' access to finance and relevant technologies and ensure a safer and more sustainable work environment. The agreement was exchanged between Angela Lusigi, UNDP's Resident Representative in India and Amit Yadav, Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE). The collaboration would unravel as part of government's ongoing efforts under the National Action for Mechanised Sanitation Ecosystem (NAMASTE) Scheme, which added waste pickers as a key focus group in 2024, according to an official statement. Under the agreement, the UNDP will provide financial assistance to set up state project management units (PMUs) across multiple states to ensure better coordination between central and state authorities and streamline implementation. The waste picker component of NAMASTE aims to formally identify and support around 2.5 lakh people engage

Govt to put gur, khandsari under Control Order regulation, help farmers

This would ensure payment of fair and remunerative prices to cane farmers and help in accurate estimation of sugar production

Govt hopes to add another 15K GPUs in second round of IndiaAI mission

With these 15,000 GPUs, total number of GPUs in India could be 33,000

No question of fiscal deficit going out of control: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Sitharaman's comment comes at a time when forecasting agencies have pared down their FY26 growth estimates for India amid growing global uncertainty

India's largest cruise terminal starts operations at Mumbai port

Shipping minister Sonowal flagged off cruise ops at Mumbai Terminal

Centre set to amend the Atomic Energy and Nuclear Liability laws

On changes in the CLNDA too, many felt that the current law, which exposes suppliers to unlimited liability in case of accidents, is a deterrent for investors

Law ministry stresses need to reduce litigation involving govt decisions

"Ineffective" implementation of decisions aimed at public good may lead to court cases as intended beneficiaries excluded from such actions may take legal recourse, the law ministry has said while highlighting the importance of reducing litigations involving the central government. The central government is a party in nearly seven lakh cases pending across courts, according to official data. According to a Union law ministry document on efficient management of litigation, the objective of various decisions and actions is to promote public good and better governance. "Sometimes their ineffective implementation may lead to the exclusion of intended beneficiaries or the unintended ones being benefited. In some cases, affected parties may perceive certain decisions as unfair and pursue legal recourse through litigation," it said highlighting the importance of effective implementation of decisions by central ministries, departments and PSUs. "Directive for the efficient and effective ..

Centre approves over Rs 2K crore for MGNREGA wage payments in Bihar

The Centre on Saturday sanctioned the release of Rs 2,102.24 crore to Bihar for the payment of the first installment of funds under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) for the financial year 2025-26. The amount will be used to pay the wages of MGNREGA labourers in the state. A letter to this effect was issued by the Union Ministry of Rural Development from New Delhi. Commenting on it, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said, "The development comes barely five days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar. The NDA government is committed to the welfare of MGNREGA workers. To pay the wages of MGNREGA labourers, the Centre has approved the release of Rs 2,102.24 crore as the first installment. We thank the PM for it." Out of the total sanctioned fund, Rs 411.47 crore will be distributed among SC labourers, Rs 438.9 for ST labourers and Rs 164 crore for Other Class workers. The arrears of MNREGA workers will also be paid after ..

Arvind Shrivastava appointed revenue secretary in bureaucratic reshuffle

The central government has announced fresh appointment for culture secretary and head of expenditure department

Govt reviews medical emergency protocols at airports after pilot's death

On April 9, an Air India Express pilot suffered a cardiac arrest at Delhi airport shortly after flying in from Srinagar. The airline later confirmed his passing

Changing objectives: Centre must not lose sight of disinvestment

There seems to have been a subtle change in the approach of the government towards disinvestment

Former SC judge Dinesh Maheshwari appointed law commission chairperson

Law Commission to examine implementation of a UCC across the country

PSBs red flag technical glitches in implementing PM Vidyalaxmi scheme

Among the key issues highlighted are persistent technical glitches, including repeated login failures due to server-level errors and frequent auto logouts from the portal

DPE-Dipam merger may be completed in 6 months to streamline operations

The official further explained that the government's new approach to CPSEs has evolved

Pleas against Waqf Act: Govt files caveat in SC, hearing likely on Apr 15

The Centre on Tuesday filed a caveat in the Supreme Court and sought a hearing before any order was passed on the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025. Caveat is filed by a party in the high courts and the apex court to ensure that no orders are passed without hearing it. Over 10 petitions, including those by politicians and the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, were filed in the top court challenging the validity of the newly-enacted law. Lawyers privy to the development said the petitions were likely to be listed for hearing before a bench on April 15 though it is not reflected on the apex court website as of now. On April 7, a bench headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna assured senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, to consider listing the petitions. President Droupadi Murmu on April 5 gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which was passed by Parliament after heated deba

SC to hear pleas over Rs 50 lakh cap on Centre aid for rare diseases

The Supreme Court on Tuesday decided to examine pleas challenging the Rs 50 lakh cap on Centre's assistance for treating patients suffering from rare diseases like spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said the petitions on the cap of Rs 50 lakh central assistance to treat diseases would be heard by a bench headed by Justice P S Narasimha in the week commencing May 13. The bench said pharma firm M/s F Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, which manufactures the SMA drug Risdiplam priced at Rs 6.2 lakh a bottle, had agreed to supply the medicine for free for a year to 24-year-old Seba PA, who hails from Kerala, and suffers from the disorder. She had previously moved the Kerala High Court, which directed the Centre to provide an additional Rs 18 lakh worth of medicines to Seba beyond its Rs 50 lakh cap. The top court on February 24 stayed the high court order after taking note of the Centre's appeal that it couldn't be compelled to ..

India's industrial towns turn growth drivers for marquee hotel brands

States as well as the central government are also giving impetus to build infrastructure in and around these industrial hubs

Government rejects Opposition's offshore mining allegations in Kerala

Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday rejected the Opposition's allegations that offshore mining is impacting the fishermen community of Kerala, saying the mining activity is yet to begin. Moreover, he said that out of 13 offshore blocks, only three are in Kerala and that too, they are beyond 12 nautical miles, which comes under the exclusive economic zones. He said when the mining has not yet started, "How you are saying that it is impacting the fishermen". Replying to a Calling Attention Motion on hardships faced by the fishermen community, the minister said the government has taken a series of measures for the welfare of the fishermen. He accused the previous Congress government of framing a law on offshore mining. Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking the cancellation of tenders permitting offshore mining along the coast of Kerala, Gujarat, and Andaman a

India's export performance remains uninspiring amid weak global position

In 2015, the government said that it aims to increase India's exports of merchandise and services from $465.9 billion in 2013-14 to approximately $900 billion

Datanomics: Legislator paychecks remain fatter than average citizens'

The decision to adjust the salaries of MPs every five years, based on the cost inflation index, was taken for the first time in 2018. In that same year, their salaries doubled from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh