Page 32 - Centre

Centre aims at covering refractories in PLI 2.0 to support steel industry

The Centre is looking to include refractories in the upcoming Production Linked Incentive Scheme 2.0 for steel as it aims at doubling the country's production capacity for the metal to 300 million tonne by 2030, an official said. Refractories are a critical input for steel production, and India depends on the import of the raw material. The Ministry of Steel is currently in talks with the refractory industry to develop an incentive policy to boost domestic production and reduce the country's dependence on imports from China, he said. "The steel industry is a major user and consumer of refractories. Currently, 70 per cent of the refractory is consumed by the sector. The vision of doubling the steel capacity in the next 6-7 years requires focused attention on the development of the key raw material," Ministry of Steel Joint Secretary Abhijit Narendra said during a recent meeting with industry stakeholders in Kolkata. The PLI 2.0 scheme is expected to be announced soon, and consultati

Wrestlers' Protest: Punjab farmers' body protest against Centre, WFI chief

BKU Ekta Puadh, a farmers' body, on staged a protest against the central govt and Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh amid the ongoing stir by ace Indian grapplers

Centre bans 14 more fixed dose combination drugs on expert recommendation

One of the key FDCs banned by the Centre includes a commonly used medication - Nimesulide and paracetamol combination - which is used to relieve pain and fever

Centre announces new guidelines for granting deemed university status

Higher education institutions which are less than 20 years old will now be eligible to apply for deemed university status and private universities will have to create executive councils like central universities, according to the University Grants Commission's revised guidelines. The Centre on Friday released the revised guidelines for existing higher education institutions to get the deemed to be status by simplifying the eligibility criteria in order to establish more quality-focused deemed universities. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023, which will replace the 2019 guidelines. According to Pradhan, the new rules are built on the principle of a "light but tight" regulatory framework envisioned in the National Education Policy 2020. "The new simplified guidelines will encourage universities to focus on quality and excellence, strengthen the research ecosystem and have a long-term impact in ...

AAP's June 11 rally for people to express anger against Centre: Gopal Rai

AAP's rally on June 11 will serve as a platform for the residents of Delhi to express their indignation towards the Central government's ordinance, AAP Delhi Convenor Gopal Rai said on Friday. Holding a meeting to assign the preparation responsibilities to office bearers, Rai said AAP workers will start conducting a door-to-door campaign from June 5 and encourage Delhi residents to attend the rally. "The rally serves as a platform for the residents of Delhi to express their indignation and rage towards the Central government's ordinance. "It is essential to recognise that the Constitution grants every citizen the right to vote, and any attempt by an individual or organisation to undermine this right should be met with a united public voice of opposition," he said. Rai stated that a meeting will be held on June 4 to discuss the preparation of the mega rally, focusing on the involvement of 2,000 party mandals in Delhi. Party's vice presidents have been assigned the responsibility t

Our policy would be similar: Rahul Gandhi on Centre's stance on Ukraine war

In a rare endorsement of a position taken by the Union government under the leadership of PM Modi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi backed the BJP's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Delhi govt directs officials for compliance of Centre's services ordinance

The Delhi government's law department has directed all the top officials for a "strict compliance" of the Centre's ordinance related to services issued earlier this month, officials said on Thursday. In a communication sent to all the additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries and heads of departments on May 26, the law department asked for a "strict compliance" of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 issued by the Centre related to services. The move came following a letter from the lieutenant governor's (LG) office to the Delhi chief secretary on May 23, informing him to bring the ordinance to the notice of all the top officials of the city government for a "strict compliance". The ordinance issued by the Centre on May 19 brought back the executive control over matters related to services, including the transfers and postings of Delhi government officers, to its domain. It was issued close on the heels of a Suprem

Manipur violence: What is SoO pact Amit Shah warned of dissolving?

Manipur government withdrew from the Suspension of Operations (SoO) pact on March 10. Amit Shah today also warned of the dissolution of the pact in any further violation

Top Headlines: Adani to raise $3.5 bn, Centre to sell stake in Coal India

Business Standard brings you top news at this hour

Meiteis, Kukis urge Centre to control situation in violence-hit Manipur

As the ethnic unrest continues in Manipur, representatives of the Meitei and Kuki communities on Wednesday sought restoration of peace in the state even as differences remained stark. Members from the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo tribes held a protest at the Jantar Mantar here demanding that Chief Minister Biren Singh be sacked and President's rule implemented in the state. A press conference was held by representatives of the Meitei community who demanded the Centre's intervention in restoring peace in the state. Home Minister Amit Shah is in Manipur, monitoring the situation. Shah, who reached Imphal Monday night, will visit the India-Myanmar border town of Moreh in Tengnoupal district on Thursday, where he will meet Kuki civil society groups. The Kuki community members said more than 115 tribal villages, 4000 houses and 222 churches have been desecrated and burnt. They claimed Kuki houses were burnt even when Home Minister Amit Shah was in the state on May 29-30. Timothy Chongthu, a ...

OTT platforms to display anti-tobacco warnings similar to cinema theatres

The new rules also prohibit OTT companies from displaying brands of cigarettes or other tobacco products or any form of tobacco product placement

Stalin urges Centre to resume direct flight between Chennai and Tokyo

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday urged the Centre to re-introduce direct flight connectivity between Tokyo and Chennai and increase the number of flights from Singapore to Madurai. Writing to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradiya Scindia, Stalin said the direct flight service between Chennai and Tokyo, launched in October 2019 by All Nippon Airways, was discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic. The service is yet to resumed and the lack of direct flight connectivity more than doubles the travel time between these two destinations by about 7 hours, he noted. "There have been persistent requests from the Japanese business community in Tamil Nadu to resume direct flight services between Chennai and Tokyo." Stalin pointed to the presence of a string of manufacturing facilities of Japanese conglomerates such as the Nissan and Mitsubishi in Tamil Nadu, the increase in the number of Japanese expatriates; Chennai being home to the largest Japanese community in India

Kejriwal to meet Stalin, Soren to seek support against Centre's ordinance

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced that he would be meeting his Tamil Nadu and Jharkhand counterparts to seek their support against the Centre's ordinance on the control of services

LDF govt seeks details from Centre on amounts it can borrow: Kerala FM

The LDF government has decided to seek details from the Centre regarding amounts that Kerala can borrow in the financial year 2023-24 as the figures have not yet been provided to it, State Finance Minister K N Balagopal said on Tuesday. Balagopal said that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan chaired a meeting earlier in the day to discuss the calculations referred to by Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Muraleedharan at a press conference a day ago. At the meeting, officials told the CM that no such calculations or figures were shared by the Centre with the State and therefore those details would be sought from the central government, the minister said. On Monday, Muraleedharan had claimed that Kerala was allowed to borrow Rs 55,182 crore in the financial year 2023-24 and out of that, the state has already taken around Rs 34,661 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 20,521 crore from which Rs 15,390 crore has been sanctioned for the first three quarters of the financial ...

Congress will 'compel' Centre to implement old pension scheme: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said the Congress will "compel" the Centre to implement the old pension scheme (OPS) in the entire country, asserting that the committee on the new pension scheme (NPS) was constituted under pressure mounted by his party. Gehlot also announced to increase old age pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500 if the Congress government retains power in Rajasthan. Under the chairmanship of finance secretary, the Centre has formed a committee to find out a way forward for what can be done after combining OPS and NPS. They formed the committee after we mounted pressure, he said. The chief minister was addressing a 'Kisan Mahasammelan' in Maulasar of Nagaur district on the sidelines of inflation relief camp review. On April 6, the Union Finance Ministry set up a committee under Finance Secretary T V Somanathan to review the pension system for government employees. The committee would suggest whether in the light of the existing framework and structure

HC asks Centre to inform result of consultations to regulate e-pharmacies

The Delhi High Court has granted six weeks' time to the Centre to inform it about the outcome of consultations and deliberations with stakeholders on draft rules to regulate e-pharmacies. The court was hearing pleas seeking a ban on "illegal" sale of drugs online and challenging the draft rules published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to further amend the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad made it clear that pendency of these matters will not come in way of the Central government in taking action against persons who are violating the court's December 12, 2018 interim order putting a stay on the sale of drugs without licence by online pharmacies. On perusing the latest status report filed by the Centre, the court noted it has been categorically stated that the Union of India has not yet finalised the draft notification of August 2018 and it is pending for consultation and deliberations. The Union of

From green hydrogen to circular economy, Centre goes for sustainable growth

As India emerges as the most populated country in the world, it calls for an analysis of the BJP-led Central governments environmental initiatives

Govts of same ideology in Centre, state have benefitted Maha: CM Shinde

Governments of the same ideology are working in the Centre and state, because of which people of Maharashtra were getting benefits of various schemes, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said here on Friday. Criticising the Opposition parties' stand of boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building, Shinde claimed that they were doing so to deny credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his work. Shinde was speaking at the inauguration of a 'Shasan Aplya Dari' event in Kannad area of Aurangabad, during which funds were disbursed to 1.49 lakh beneficiaries under various schemes. "Both the state and Centre have governments of the same ideology. Hence, people of Maharashtra are getting benefits of various schemes. The Centre has sanctioned proposals for urban development, roads and railways. Basic facilities have been sanctioned by the Centre without curtailing a single rupee," the chief minister said. He further expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also .

Kejriwal meets Uddhav to seek support for fight against Centre's ordinance

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence in Mumbai on Wednesday to seek support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi. He was accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha, as well as Delhi minister Atishi. Kejriwal, the AAP's national convener, will also meet Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar to seek his support against the Centre's ordinance. On Tuesday, Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata as part of their nationwide tour to garner support for the AAP's fight against the Centre's ordinance. The Centre on Friday promulgated an ordinance to create an authority for transfer and posting of Group-A officers in Delhi, with the AAP government calling the move a deception with the Supreme Court verdict on control of services. Th

Centre should explain why Rs 2,000 note was introduced: Digvijaya Singh

Days after the Reserve Bank's announcement of withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh has targeted the Centre saying the government should first explain why the Rs 2,000 note was introduced. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last Friday made a surprise announcement of withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes, but gave the public time till September 30 to either deposit the notes in accounts or exchange them at banks. The RBI said it had asked banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 notes with immediate effect. Asked about the RBI's decision, Singh on Tuesday told reporters in Indore, "First they (central government) should explain why these notes were introduced." In a major decision ahead of Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday announced that all unauthorised colonies that have come up till December 31, 2022 will be regularised. Former MP chief minister Singh termed the state government's announcemen