Page 9 - Central Government

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

Over 50 firms sign up for race to develop India-specific AI models

Of these, nearly a dozen have expressed interest in building the foundation model and LLM

V Anantha Nageswaran's term as CEA extended by 2 years until March 2027

Nageswaran, in his pre-Budget Economic Survey for FY25, made a strong case for deregulation, particularly at the state level, to spur capital formation and drive employment and output growth

'Why sell excess tickets'? Delhi HC asks authorities over deadly stampede

On the day of the stampede, the chaos unfolded due to multiple factors. The primary cause was the station authorities continuing to sell tickets - issuing approximately 3,000 within just two hours

Kerala to request extension for Rs 529.50 cr loan for Wayanad rehab

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Tuesday said the state government would approach the Centre to request an extension for utilising its conditional loan of Rs 529.50 crore allocated for Wayanad rehabilitation. The state government had already termed the union government's stipulation to utilise the amount by March 31, as a "huge practical problem." Addressing reporters here, the FM said the Centre's directive to spend the loan amount within one and half months has triggered widespread criticism. It is normal to seek an extension of time in such a circumstance. Balagopal further said the state government is making all efforts to speed up necessary procedures and a high level meeting has already been convened in this regard. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is also making direct interventions to augment things, he said. "We are making efforts to complete requisite things on one side. We will also try to get an extension of time (to utilise the loan amount) on the other ...

MSP logjam: Govt, farmers resume talks after a year, next round on Feb 22

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi met a section of farmers in Chandigarh

Centre should resolve farmers' issues in Feb 14 meeting: Pandher

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said that the Centre should resolve the farmers' issues in the upcoming meeting that comes after a year-long protest over legal guarantee to MSP for crops, among other things. The Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, thus ending a stalemate over the resumption of a dialogue with the agitators, who have been demanding a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Pandher spoke to the reporters at the Shambhu border point, where a Kisan Mahapanchayat was held to mark the completion of one year of the ongoing agitation. He said that they will make efforts to move the Centre towards resolving the farmers' issues in the meeting. Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said that Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, will make his best efforts to participate in the meeting to put forth farmers' demands. He said that Dallewal will try to participate in the meeting bu

Debt-to-GDP over fiscal deficit: Will FM Sitharaman's strategy pay off?

Since the finance minister announced a glide path based on debt-to-GDP ratio to measure fiscal deficit, opinion has been divided on the move since it would also reflect on government borrowings

Centre to reimburse tomato storage, transport costs for MP farmers

In view of falling tomato prices, the Centre on Wednesday said it will reimburse the storage and transportation cost of tomato in Madhya Pradesh under the market intervention scheme through cooperative NCCF. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the implementation of transportation component of market intervention scheme (MIS) for tomato in the state through NCCF. "NCCF is preparing to start transportation operations from Madhya Pradesh soon," an official statement said. Under this scheme, where there is a price difference of TOP crops (tomato, onion and potato) between producing and consuming states, the operational cost incurred in storage and transportation of crops from producing state to other consuming states will be reimbursed to the central nodal agencies like NAFED and NCCF. This has been done in the interest of farmers of producing states, the statement added.

Legalising land leasing across states continues to face multiple hurdles

While the Economic Survey last month hailed a Kerala model of land leasing, there exist multiple blocks to a comprehensive policy, in part due to differing state laws

Lottery distributors not liable to pay service tax to Centre, says SC

Lottery distributors are not liable to pay service tax to the Union government, the Supreme Court held on Tuesday while dismissing an appeal of the Centre on the issue. A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and NK Singh did not agree to the appeal of the Centre against the Sikkim High Court judgement. Since there is no agency in the relationship, the respondents (lottery distributors) were not liable to pay service tax. However, the respondents will continue to pay the gambling tax levied by the state under Entry 62, List II of the Constitution, Justice Nagarathna said while pronouncing the verdict. "Service tax is not leviable on the transactions between the purchaser of the lottery tickets and firmIn view of the aforesaid discussions, we find no merit in the appeals filed by the Union of India and others. Hence, these appeals are dismissed," the bench said. Upholding the Sikkim High Court verdict, the top court said it is only the state government that can impose taxes on ..

Govt likely to use reserve oil funds to finance fertiliser subsidy gap

The Oil Industry Development Act allows for the OIDF money to be utilised for fertilisers

Centre extends soyabean procurement in Maharashtra, Telangana for farmers

The Centre has extended procurement of soyabean in Maharashtra by 24 days and Telangana by 15 days, beyond normal purchase period of 90 days, to protect farmers' interest. Groundnut procurement in Gujarat has been extended by six days, and in Karnataka by 25 days. According to an official statement, the government approved the procurement of soyabean under the price support scheme (PSS) in Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Telangana for Kharif 2024-25. A quantity of 19.99 lakh tonnes of soyabean has been procured till February 9, 2025 benefitting 8,46,251 farmers. "Minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the proposal to extend the period of procurement in Maharashtra by 24 days and in Telangana by 15 days beyond the normal procurement period of 90 days keeping the interest of farmers of the state," the statement said. Similarly, the government approved the procurement of groundnut under the PS