Page 8 - Central Government

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

Centre asks states to activate heat action plans, boost preparedness

The weatherman has also warned of "double heatwave" days in northwest India this summer season

Govt seeks to drop 6% equalisation levy on online advertisements

Google, Meta, and X set to be among beneficiaries

Central govt urged to merge two pacts to find solution to Naga issue

Various civil society organisations of three northeastern state adopted a resolution urging the Centre to merge the two agreements it signed with the NSCN(IM) and a conglomerate to bring about a solution for the decades-old Naga political problem. The central government inked the Framework Agreement with NSCN(IM) in 2015 and a pact of Agreed Position with the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPGs) two years later. This is the first time that a unanimous call has been made by the key Naga bodies from different states for merger of the two agreements towards bringing about a common solution. Nagaland Gaon Burahs Federation Peace Committee (NGBF-PC) on Friday said the resolution seeking the merger of the two agreements was adopted at a meeting at Dimapur. Several Naga civil society organisations of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam took part in the meeting held on Thursday. Representatives of a similar body of Manipur could not attend the meeting, the NGBF-

Centre's disinvestment receipts in FY25 set to hit an 11-year low

The union government stopped setting specific disinvestment targets beginning in the 2023-24 financial year

Starlink to set up control center in India? Centre cites security concerns

According to a news report, the Starlink control center will help in maintaining law and order by enabling the suspension or shutdown of communication services when necessary

Suspend graft-accused director or send him on leave: Govt to IIM Rohtak

The Union Ministry of Education on Thursday asked the Board of Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Rohtak to either suspend institute Director Dheeraj Sharma or send him on leave till the completion of probe against him over alleged misappropriation of funds, according to sources. The director has also been asked to stay away from the IIM campus/rented area of IIM Rohtak until further orders. The allegations against Sharma include wrongfully inflating the financial health of IIM Rohtak and using such manipulated figures to pay a huge amount of variable pay (more than Rs 1 crore for each year) to the director of IIM Rohtak from 2018-19 onwards. President Droupadi Murmu had earlier this month ordered an inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of public funds at IIM Rohtak during the tenure of Sharma as director of the institute. The inquiry will also include the verification of the educational qualification certificates of Sharma and other staff recruited at IIM. The probe again

Centre introduces Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025 in Lok Sabha

The matters relating to foreigners and immigration are presently administered through the Foreigners Act, 1946 and the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act, 2000

No study conducted on air pollution's impact on tourism: Govt in Parliament

No study has been instituted by the Ministry of Tourism to assess the impact of air pollution on tourism and revenue loss due to travel advisories and cancellations related to it, the government informed Parliament on Monday. Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said this in a written response to a query in the Lok Sabha. The ministry was asked whether the government has conducted any assessment of the economic impact on tourism due to deteriorating air quality in major tourist destinations, particularly in north India. The government was also asked the details of estimated revenue loss to the tourism sector during the last three years due to travel advisories and cancellations related to air pollution. "No such study has been instituted by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India to assess the impact of air pollution on tourism and revenue loss due to travel advisories and cancellations related to air pollution," the minister said. The ministry was also asked whether t

Women's Day 2025 special: Key government schemes driving women empowerment

PM Modi will attend the Lakhpati Didi program in a Gujarat district on International Women's Day. In light of this, let's list some Indian govt schemes that have been crucial for women empowerment

Private investment conundrum: Policy intervention to improve prospects

India's gross fixed capital formation at constant prices is expected to be at 33.4 per cent of GDP this financial year

T'gana CM Revanth Reddy urges Centre for releasing dues of Rs 1,468.94 cr

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday met Union Food and Renewable Energy Minister Prahlad Joshi to demand the release of Rs 1,468.94 crore pending dues to the state for rice supplied to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in 2014-15 kharif season. Accompanied by State Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, the CM explained to the Union minister that the amount related to the additional levy collection was borne by the state government. The CM informed that the dues are pending for last ten years and requested the central government to clear it immediately, an official statement said. Reddy also sought clearance of Rs 343.27 crore arrear for the additional rice supplied by the state government between May 2021 and March 2022 under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana. He also requested the Union minister to immediately release the arrears of Rs 79.09 crore for rice distributed under the non-NFSA (National Food Security Act) from June 2021 to April 2022. Besides

Centre to cut states' share of federal taxes from 41% to 40% from 2026

The panel, headed by economist Arvind Panagariya, will submit its recommendations by October 31 to be implemented from fiscal year 2026-27. The recommendations are binding

Govt opposes lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers, defends 6-year period

In this matter, the Supreme Court observed that there is an "apparent conflict of interest" in allowing a law-breaker to be a lawmaker

Share of people under social security coverage rises to 49% in India: ILO

He further said that the consolidation of 29 labour laws into four simplified labour codes has promoted labour welfare

CM Stalin asks Centre to convene Joint Working Group over fishermen arrest

Expressing concern over the 'alarming' rise in arrest of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday urged the Centre to immediately convene the Joint Working Group to find a permanent solution to the issue. The CM wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, flagging the latest detention of 32 Indian fishermen and five boats by the Lankan navy. "I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish as the number of incidents of apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy have risen alarmingly in the recent times. In the latest incident, 32 fishermen have been apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on 23.02.2025 along with their five mechanised fishing boats...these fishermen had ventured for fishing from the Rameswaram fishing harbour on 22.02.2025," Stalin said in his letter. The apprehensions of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy are still continuing in large numbers inspite of his repeated requests to prevail