Page 3 - Centre

Engaged with US on Section 301 probe over forced labour concerns: Govt

India is engaged with the US on the Section 301 investigations over concerns related to forced labour and excess industrial capacity, the government said on Wednesday. The country is also "parallelly" engaged with the US for finalisation of an interim trade agreement, a framework for which was announced through a joint statement on February 7. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) launched two separate Section 301 investigations on March 11 and 12, 2026, covering 60 economies over concerns related to forced labour and excess industrial capacity. The USTR on June 2 issued its findings in the forced labour investigation and proposed additional tariffs on imports from 60 economies. The proposal includes a 10 per cent tariff on imports from Canada, Ecuador, the European Union, Indonesia, Mexico, and Pakistan, and a 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from 54 other economies, including India and China. Pakistan and Indonesia are India's competitors in the trade front.

Centre expands QR tagging of FCI foodgrain bags to boost traceability

The Centre has decided to expand its QR tagging initiative for Food Corporation of India (FCI) foodgrain bags, with plans to implement the system across three states -- Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha -- in the ongoing marketing season. The plan will cover 20 lakh tonnes of rice moved from milling points to distribution centres. The move, aimed at tracking end-to-end movement of foodgrains and curbing the recycling of grain bags, follows a successful pilot in Andhra Pradesh for rice in December 2025-January 2026, and in Punjab for wheat during April-May 2026. "We are planning to put QR tags on foodgrain bags transported from procurement states to distribution states," a senior Food Ministry official told PTI. "In the ongoing marketing season, we are going to do this in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha for rice." Under the expanded pilot, select districts from each of the three states will be covered. Approximately 10 lakh tonnes of rice will be moved with QR tagging from

Govt to phase out WPI, launch new Producer Price Index in 5 years

The government will gradually phase out the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) and introduce a detailed Producer Price Index (PPI) covering output, input and services prices, in a bid to offer a more realistic assessment of inflationary trends in the economy. Addressing media on the subject, Praveen Mahto, Principal Economic Adviser in the Commerce and Industry Ministry, also said that the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) will release the revised series of WPI with new base year 2022-23 on June 15, which would replace the existing series with base year 2011-12. In addition, the department would release a new series of Output Producer Price Index (OPPI), Trial Input Producer Price Index (IPPI), and Service Producer Price Index (Service PPI) of seven services - Banking, Securities Transaction, Insurance, Management of Pension Funds, Railways, Air (Passenger), and Telecom with base year 2022-23 on June 15. "Considering the wide usage of WPI in price escalation .

Seamless pipe industry urges PM Modi to curb imports, save foreign exchange

Industry body STMAI has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to curb rising imports of seamless pipes, particularly from China, warning that unchecked inflows are eroding domestic capacity utilisation and causing a substantial outflow of foreign exchange. The development assumes significance in the wake of Prime Minister Modi's call for energy conservation and austerity measures amid the West Asia crisis. In a representation to the Prime Minister, Seamless Tube Manufacturers' Association of India (STMAI) said India's installed seamless pipe manufacturing capacity stands at about 1.95 million tonnes per annum. However, fluctuating domestic demand and a sharp rise in imports, particularly from China and other countries, have led to sustained underutilisation of the country's manufacturing base. "Over the past several years, the Association has continuously represented these concerns before the Ministry of Steel, Ministry of Commerce, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence ...

Centre signs agreement with ISRO, rolls out new water research initiatives

The Ministry of Jal Shakti and space agency ISRO on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the use of satellite technology and space-based applications for water resource management in the country. The agreement was signed during a national workshop on research and development (R&D) in the water sector organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre here. Under the MoU, the department of water resources and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will jointly work in 24 key research areas, including reservoir monitoring, water-spread assessment, river-flow analysis, satellite-based water quality assessment and studies on macroplastic distribution in water bodies. Addressing the workshop, Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil said water security is critical for achieving the goal of "Viksit Bharat" by 2047 and that water-related challenges must be addressed through technology, innovation, traditional knowledge and public

Centre unveils AI-enabled chatbot to help citizens launch grievances online

The Centre on Saturday unveiled an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled chatbot to help citizens raise grievances against government departments online. Launching the chatbot named 'Samadhan Didi' here, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh termed it as "democratisation of the public grievance mechanism" in the nation showcasing the government's unwavering commitment to enhance ease of using public services for citizens. The chatbot marks a significant step towards making public grievance redressal simpler, more accessible and truly multilingual, he said. A citizen can now lodge a grievance simply by speaking, in their own language, describing the concern in plain words ' without needing to know which ministry/department, category or sub-category it belongs to, Singh said. The chatbot understands the concern, asks a few relevant clarifying questions, automatically identifies the appropriate ministry, department, category and sub-category, and files the grievance wit

Social stock exchanges set for boost as Centre tweaks CSR investment norms

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has amended CSR rules to allow companies to route funds through social stock exchanges, expanding funding options for eligible not-for-profit organisations

Mythos threat: Govt, tech firms test their softwares for vulnerabilities

Technology giants Infosys Ltd. and Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. are among companies carrying out the tests of their software for vulnerabilities in a secure environment to Mythos

'Around 6,500 lives shaken': Delhi Gymkhana Club staff seek job security

General Secretary of the Staff Welfare Association, Amit Acharya, said the staff's primary concern was the continuation of their employment and the uninterrupted functioning of the club

Centre may have to tweak VGF rules for strategic Rs 48,862-cr Galathea port

The Great Nicobar transhipment port project may require major tweaks to viability gap funding norms amid strategic imperatives, commercial risks and environmental concerns

Centre forms high-level panel on demographic change to tackle infiltration

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced that the Centre has constituted a high-level committee under retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar to assess demographic changes across India due to "illegal immigration and other unnatural causes". In a message on 'X' in Hindi, he said infiltration and other reasons are causing "unnatural" demographic change, which poses a significant challenge to the present and future of any nation. "To address this very challenge, on August 15, 2025, Prime Minister @narendramodi ji had announced the 'high-level committee on demographic change'. I am delighted to inform you that the government has now constituted this committee," Shah said. The home minister said the committee will be chaired by Justice Naolekar (retd) and will also include the census commissioner, along with retired IAS officer Durga Shankar Mishra, ex-IPS officer Balaji Srivastava and Dr Shamika Ravi as members. "The joint secretary (foreigners-l), ...

HC sets aside stay on eviction proceedings against Delhi Race Club

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday set aside an order staying a show-cause notice issued to the Delhi Race Club in relation to its proposed eviction from the 84-acre premises in Lutyens' Delhi. A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia allowed the Centre's appeal as it refused to uphold the single judge order passed on April 26 on a petition by the Delhi Race Club. "The instant appeal is allowed and the order dated April 24, 2026, of the single judge so far as it directs the estate officer not to proceed further with the show-cause notice is hereby set aside," the bench said. A detailed copy of the order is awaited. The Centre issued a notice to the Delhi Race Club on March 13, claiming that it was in continued unauthorised occupation of the premises and sought its peaceful possession on the grounds that the land was needed for public purpose. Subsequently, on April 17, the authorities initiated proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised ...

No forceful possession of Gymkhana Club land on June 5: SG to Delhi HC

The central government will not take forceful possession of the Delhi Gymkhana Club Land on June 5, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Delhi High Court on Tuesday. Followings the submission, Justice Avneesh Jhingan said no interim order was required on the lawsuits by members and staff of the club against the Centre's May 22 order asking the club to hand over the premises. The top law officer submitted before Justice Jhingan that the Centre's notice to the club was to terminate the perpetual lease in favour of the club and seek re-entry. However, any proceedings for eviction from the premises will be initiated as per the law after giving due notice to the occupants, SG Mehta assured. The judge issued summons to the Centre and the club's management on the lawsuits and sought their written statements, Mehta also informed that the club's present governing body, which comprises nominees of the Centre, has already written to the authorities to raise their grievances. The Centre h

SC agrees to Reliance plea for conciliation with Centre in KG basin dispute

The Supreme Court has agreed to a fresh request from Reliance Industries Ltd to resolve the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute amicably with the Centre. A bench of Chief Justice of India and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of mentioning by senior advocate Kapil Sibal. Sibal told the court that a plea for conciliation has been made, after which Attorney General R Venkataramani said the government is willing to consider the request. The top court agreed to adjourn the hearing to the third week of July after Venkataramani said the government was not averse to exploring the bilateral dispute resolution process. "We will be most happy if the dispute is resolved through conciliation. If you come out with a settlement, we will dispose of the appeal," the CJI said. On May 20, the apex court had declined a submission by Reliance Industries to put the hearing in the Krishna-Godavari basin gas migration dispute on hold for the time being as the company and t

SC seeks Centre's response on plea to ban child employment in orchestrax

The Supreme Court on Monday sought responses from the Centre, child rights body NCPCR, and the NHRC on a PIL seeking an absolute ban on the employment of children and adolescents in orchestras, dance troupes, massage parlours, and spas. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi took note of the submissions of senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for child rights collective 'Just Rights for Children Alliance' (JRCA), and issued the notices to Union ministries of labour and law and justice. Phoolka argued that minor girls aged 10 and 11 years were being employed in orchestras and dance bars. "For spas and massage parlours, some states have made rules of 18 years as the minimum age," he said. Terming the situation "serious", the bench also issued notices to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on the PIL. "Issue a writ of mandamus or appropriate directions ..

Delhi Gymkhana Club to write to L&DO seeking clarity on handover order

The Delhi Gymkhana Club on Saturday said it will write to the Land and Development Office seeking clarity on several issues after the Centre asked the club to hand over its premises by June 5. In an official communication to its members, the club said the Centre has asked it to hand over its premises in Lutyens' Delhi to "strengthen and secure defence infrastructure" and for other public security purposes. The club said it received the notice on May 22 from the Land and Development Office (L&DO) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, seeking "re-entry and resumption" of the 27.3-acre land parcel, which is located on 2, Safdarjung Road, adjacent to the prime minister's residence on Lok Kalyan Marg. "Pursuant to the sudden development, the Gymkhana Club met today on an urgent basis and after detailed deliberation decided to file an immediate response to the L&DO requesting clarity on several issues in the interest of the members and employees of the club," it said. The

Ahead of nationwide rollout, Centre releases draft rules on VB-G RAM G Act

Provides labour budget for 45 crore persondays of work in June 2026 ahead of rollout

Centre, Rajasthan pitch ₹76,000 crore semiconductor push to investors

Highlighting incentives, policy support and infrastructure push for the sector, the Centre and the Rajasthan government on Saturday pitched the state as a key destination for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, urging investors to set up units while assuring full support. Union Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Rajasthan has "immense potential" to emerge as a major hub in electronics manufacturing, noting that the sector has seen rapid growth under the leadership of Narendra Modi. He said the groundwork for setting up around 450 factories has been laid in the past two years, while 75 factories have been approved under the Electronic Components Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) in the last year. Addressing an interactive session on the electronics and semiconductor sector along with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the Chief Minister's Office, Vaishnaw urged investors to set clear targets for establishing manufacturing units, assuring that the "double-engine ...

Centre launches Bhavya scheme to set up 100 industrial parks across country

According to the minister, the Centre expects states to provide a favourable environment to encourage industrial development

'Crackdown' on CJP, access to all accounts lost: Founder Abhijeet Dipke

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Saturday alleged a crackdown on the satirical digital outfit, saying it does not have access to any of its social media accounts following a series of takedowns and hacking incidents. In a post on X, he claimed his personal Instagram account has also been hacked. This comes a day two days after the CJP's account on X was withheld in India and Dipke created a new one. The outfit on Friday launched a campaign seeking Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation over alleged systemic failures in the education sector and the NEET-UG 2026 paper "leak". Later in the day, Dipke claimed that he was receiving death threats and shared screenshots of the threat messages. In a post on X on Saturday, Dipke listed what he described as coordinated action against the movement. "Crackdown on Cockroach Janta Party. Instagram page hacked. My personal Instagram hacked. Twitter account withheld. Back up account also taken down," he ...