Page 34 - Centre

Centre imposes stock limits on wheat till March 2024 to check prices

For the first time in 15 years, the government on Monday imposed stockholding limits on wheat with immediate effect till March 2024 in order to contain rising prices of the key commodity. The government also decided to offload 15 lakh tonnes of wheat to bulk consumers and traders from the central pool in the first phase under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS). "There has been an uptick in wheat prices in the past month. There has been an increase of close to 8 per cent at mandi level. Though wholesale and retail prices have not gone up that much, the government has imposed stock limit on wheat..." Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra told reporters here. The stock limit has been imposed on traders, wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors till March 31, 2024. On reducing wheat import duty, the Secretary said there are no plans to tweak the policy as the country has enough supplies and even the ban on wheat exports would continue. "The country has enough stock of wheat.

Centre releases Rs 1.18 trillion as tax devolution to state govts

The government is releasing an additional advance installment to the states in this month

Govt releases 3rd instalment of tax devolution of Rs 1,18,280 cr to states

The Centre on Monday released the third instalment of tax devolution to states amounting to Rs 1,18,280 crore, as against normal monthly devolution of Rs 59,140 crore

Security stepped up ahead of AAP's 'maha rally' against Centre's ordinance

Elaborate security measures have been put in place in and around Ramlila Maidan where the Aam Aadmi Party will hold a "Maha Rally" on Sunday against the Centre's ordinance on control of services in the national capital, police said. The rally is likely to be attended by around one lakh people, an AAP spokesperson claimed. A senior police officer said around 12 companies of paramilitary forces, along with the local police, will be deployed at the venue. He said surveillance through CCTV will also be conducted. Metal detectors will be installed at the entry gates of the ground. Those entering the rally venue will be frisked. Senior officials from the district will be present at the spot, the officer said. A large number of people are expected to attend the rally due to which the Delhi Traffic Police has also been asked to regulate the vehicular movement during the programme. Fire tenders and ambulances will also be deployed there, police said. The traffic police has issued an advis

Govt launches online portal to monitor dredging projects real-time

ShipMin launches platform to save cost on Rs 1,000 crore dredging projects

Going to the bank with Rs 2,000 notes? Things you should keep in mind

The I-T department is keeping a close watch on cash transactions that deposit more than Rs 10 lakh in a saving account or more than Rs 50 lakh in current accounts

Centre's ordinance on control of services in Delhi: All you need to know

The Delhi CM reached out to Opposition leaders to garner their support against the ordinance so that the Centre is unable to replace it through a bill in the Parliament.

Won't notify fact-checking unit till July 10, Centre tells Bombay HC

The Union government on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it would not notify the fact-checking unit for identifying fake news against the government on social media till July 10. The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in its affidavit in response to stand-up comic Kunal Kamra's petition challenging the amended IT rules also said that the courts will be the final arbiters of what is true content and what is false. While the government defended the Rules, Editors Guild of India and Association of Indian Magazines also filed separate petitions challenging them on the ground that they are unconstitutional and arbitrary. The government's affidavit said the government has the obligation to not just protect the rights of those who post content on social media but also the rights of those who are consuming content. Any information identified as false and misleading by the fact-checking unit under the IT Rules would not result in automatic take-down of such ..

Course at IIT-M aligns with Centre's mission to make India electronic hub

The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras here on Wednesday unveiled a new full time online course on electronic systems in alignment with the Centre's mission to make India a global hub for electronic manufacturing. The course would enable students to take up a career in various sectors including electronics, semiconductor, defence, and automotive, officials said. Noting that majority of courses offered in the country were service sector oriented, IIT-M professor electrical engineering department Andrew Thangaraj said companies like Samsung have their own equipment but avail service from other countries including India. "This programme aims to create our own electronic equipment indigenously instead of importing the devices from other countries.." Thangaraj, also the associate chair of Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE) at IIT-M told reporters. The programme aligns with the India's semiconductor mission to make India a global hub for electronics manufacturing and ..

Won't notify fact-checking unit till July 10, Centre tells High Court

The Centre on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court it was extending till July 10 its earlier statement that it won't notify its fact-checking unit to identify fake news against the government on social media, even as two new petitions were filed challenging the recently amended IT Rules. The Union government had in April told the HC that the fact-checking unit would not be notified till July 5. The statement was made when the court was hearing a petition filed by stand-up comic Kunal Kamra challenging the constitutional validity of the Information Technology Rules. On Wednesday, a division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and Neela Gokhale was informed that two new petitions have also been filed challenging the Rules. The petitions filed by the Editors Guild of India and the Association of Indian Magazines claim that the Rules are arbitrary and unconstitutional. The court said it would hear all the three petitions from July 6. We shall take up the petitions for final disposal from J

Farmers protest for MSP; Congress dubs Centre, Haryana govt anti-farmer

The Congress on Wednesday slammed the BJP governments at the Centre and Haryana, accusing them of being "anti-farmer" and breaking their promises every day.

Centre willing to have discussion with protesting wrestlers: Anurag Thakur

Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has tweeted that the Central government is willing to have a 'discussion' with the protesting wrestlers

Those in power at Centre do not like criticism: Rajasthan CM Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday targeted the BJP and its leaders, saying those in power at the Centre do not like criticism. He also said Congress leaders and workers are being portrayed in such a way as if they are not Hindus. Gehlot was addressing the foundation stone-laying ceremony of Agricultural Products Trade Building of Rajasthan Food Trade Association here. "A magnificent corridor of Rs 100 crore will be built in the Govind Devji temple. There is no shortage. But we, the Congress people, are being portrayed in such a way as if we are not Hindus at all. This is unfair," he said. The corridor project is being built at the Govind Devji temple here. The senior Congress leader said, "We have no enmity with the BJP and RSS. The fight is about ideology in a democracy. Everyone has to be taken along and everyone has to be listened to. Criticism has to be tolerated. Unfortunately, the people who are in power in Delhi today do not like to listen to criticism, wherea

Government extends timeline for submitting bids for OALP Round-VIII

Since March 30, 2016, seven rounds of Open Acreage Licensing Programme (OALP) have been completed

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