Page 3 - Centre

'Govt denies, distracts, lies': Congress slams Centre after SC raps Rahul

The Congress accuses the Centre of evading accountability on China border issue, calls it a 'DDLJ policy', after SC questions Rahul Gandhi's remarks on Chinese occupation of Indian territory

Centre sanctions ₹821 crore as special assistance to Delhi: CM Gupta

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday said the Central government has sanctioned Rs 821.26 crore as special assistance to accelerate the transformation of the national capital into a "developed Delhi". The chief minister said that 66 per cent of the sanctioned amount has been released as the first instalment, enabling immediate commencement of key projects. The funds will be utilised for critical public service sectors, including health, education, housing, drinking water, electricity and transport. Gupta said the Union Finance Ministry has approved the allocation under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 202526. Of the total amount, Rs 716 crore under Part-I has been earmarked for 33 major infrastructure projects, while an additional Rs 105.26 crore under Part-III has been sanctioned for the Priority Corridor of MRTS Phase-IV, an official statement said. Expressing her gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Sha

Centre refutes Congress's allegations on organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh

The Centre on Sunday refuted the Congress's allegations regarding irregularities in organic cotton certification, calling the remarks unfounded and misleading. The commerce ministry said the aspersions cast against the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) were baseless and unwarranted. "Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India," the ministry said in a statement. The Congress on Saturday demanded a court-monitored CBI probe into an alleged scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh alleged that India's image is being hurt globally as the country has lost credibility in the certification of organic products. "It may be mentioned that in a press briefing by an oppositi

Centre approves price deficiency payment scheme for AP's Totapuri mangoes

The Centre has approved first-ever Price Deficiency Payment Scheme for 162,500 tonnes of Totapuri Mangoes in Andhra Pradesh, aiming to support farmers impacted by price crashes due to a bumper harvest

25-minute Delhi-Gurugram commute? Centre mulls direct express corridor

The Centre is exploring new express corridors to cut travel time between Delhi and Gurugram to 25 minutes and ease traffic across NH-48, Ring Road, and key city routes

Centre shows fake 'Supreme Court of Karnataka' account in HC against X

: Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta on Friday highlighted the dangers of unchecked online activity by revealing to the Karnataka High Court that a fake, yet verified, X (formerly Twitter) account was successfully created in the name of the "Supreme Court of Karnataka." Appearing for the Centre in its ongoing face-off with social media giant X Corp, Mehta presented the account as evidence of how easily digital platforms can be misused to mislead the public. "We created this account. It is verified. I can now post anything, and lakhs would believe that the Supreme Court of Karnataka has said it," Mehta argued, underscoring the anonymity and lack of accountability that currently exists online. The dramatic reveal came during a hearing on X Corp's petition challenging takedown orders issued by government officials under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. X Corp contends that only the procedure under Section 69A of the Act, read with the IT Rules, allows for content ..

SC raps govt over NIA trial delays, says bail likely without special courts

Supreme Court gives Centre, Maharashtra four weeks to respond on setting up exclusive NIA courts; says failure to act may lead to bail being granted in delayed terror-related trials

Delhi seeks ₹1,500 cr from Centre to revamp roads, decongest key corridors

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta seeks ₹1,500 crore from Centre under CRIF to improve 600 km of roads, ease congestion on 12 key corridors, and reduce dust pollution across the national capital

Centre adds 7 new farm products to e-NAM platform for better pricing

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday announced the inclusion of an additional seven products, including Banarasi paan, on the e-NAM platform in a bid to provide more opportunities and better prices to farmers. The seven commodities include sugarcane, Marcha rice, Katarni rice, Jardalu mango, Shahi litchi, Magahi paan and Banarasi paan. With this, the total number of products on the e-NAM platform has now increased to 238. "This move will assure farmers better market access, better pricing and improved quality, thereby boosting their economic well-being," according to an official statement. The Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) under the agriculture ministry has prepared tradable parameters for seven additional agri-products, which are available on the e-NAM portal (enam.gov.in). Creation of tradable parameters provides a category or range for each product and helps farmers get remunerative prices based on the quality of the produce. The new ..

Census to begin from March 1, 2027; Centre issues official notification

India's first population census since 2011 will be conducted in two phases, beginning on October 1, 2026, and concluding with the main count on March 1, 2027

Growers welcome Centre's move to include tea in weather insurance scheme

Tea growers hailed the government's decision to bring the sector under the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), which they said would help mitigate losses due to erratic rainfall and rising temperatures. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare issued a notification on June 10, stating that the insurance scheme would come into effect from the Kharif 2025. States and UTs were asked to expedite the floating of tenders, finalisation of the insurance company and other modalities by June 20 to ensure that farmers can avail the benefit of the scheme. Indian Tea Association (ITA) secretary general Arijit Raha told PTI this is the first time the sector has been brought under the purview of a weather-based insurance scheme. "The tea sector is witnessing frequent fluctuations in production due to erratic rainfall, waterlogging and a rise in temperature, exceeding 35 degrees Celsius. Climate change adaptation and mitigation have become a major challenge to keep

Louder chorus now for hike in states' share of central tax revenue

Southern states like Kerala have held conclaves of Opposition-ruled states to demand a 50 per cent share for states

1 year of Modi 3.0: Operation Sindoor, Viksit Bharat hold centre stage

The results of the elections to elect the 18th Lok Sabha were declared on June 4, while the Council of Ministers, led by the prime minister, took oath on June 9

'Youth at risk': SC issues notice to Centre on plea to ban betting apps

The Supreme Court asked the Union government to respond to a plea raising alarm over betting-related addiction, suicides and celebrity endorsements of gambling platforms

SC seeks Centre's response on 700 heatwave deaths, calls for urgent action

The Supreme Court has sought the Centre's response on a plea over 700 heatwave deaths, urging urgent action to enforce disaster guidelines amid rising climate risks

Shashi Tharoor dropped by Congress, chosen by Centre. Why the big switch?

Dropped by the Congress, but chosen by the government, Shashi Tharoor will lead India's global effort to highlight its stance on terrorism from Pakistan

India slaps 20% export duty on parboiled, milled rice for food safety

A 20% export duty on parboiled and milled rice kicks in May 1, 2025, as India aims to secure food stocks and regulate rice trade amid inflation worries

'Interim stay violates separation of powers': Centre to SC on Waqf Act

The Centre tells the Supreme Court that it will defend Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying an interim stay would violate the separation of powers and that the law was passed after thorough debate

Datanomics: Centre unmoved even as states call for capping cess, surcharge

Centre unmoved even as states cry for capping cess, surcharge

Supreme Court bars Waqf Council appointments as Centre seeks time to reply

The Supreme Court bars Centre from making appointments to Waqf Council and boards after government seeks a week's time to file preliminary reply in the ongoing matter; next hearing on May 5