Page 44 - Centre

Centre opposes Vedanta's $3-bn zinc asset sale over concerns of valuation

In a setback to billionaire Anil Agarwal's mining group, the government has opposed Vedanta Ltd's proposal to sell its international zinc business to Hindustan Zinc Ltd for USD 2.98 billion over concerns of valuation. The government has threatened to take legal action to stop the sale of the Africa-based assets to HZL, in which it holds a 29.54 per cent stake. In a letter to HZL, posted by the company to stock exchanges, the Ministry of Mines said the deal is a "related party transaction" and the government would "like to reiterate'' its dissent. HZL in January agreed to buy THL Zinc Ltd Mauritius from its parent, Vedanta Ltd, for USD 2.98 billion in phases over 18 months. Vedanta holds a 64.92 per cent equity share of Hindustan Zinc ltd (HZL), which is an integrated producer of zinc, lead and silver. HZL in a separate filing said it would place the ministry's letter before the board and that a meeting of the shareholders to approve the deal was yet to be called. The Rajasthan-ba

Centre appoints B Subrahmanyam as NITI Aayog CEO; lyer moves to World Bank

Subrahmanyam earlier served as the chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and played a key role in the state's bureaucracy

Farm to fork: Going in favour of the grain ahead of Assembly elections

MP, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan go to polls in less than a year. They produce important agri-commodities. Centre in dilemma: higher prices will be inflationary, lower prices will trigger farmer wrath

Govt boosts PMAY budget while previous targets only partially met

Centre has increased budget for housing scheme, although older targets haven't been met

Centre making roads worth Rs 3 trn in NE to help eradicate poverty: Gadkari

The Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is making roads valued at Rs 3 lakh crore in the North East to help eradicate poverty and reduce the suffering of the people, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Saturday. The Union minister for roads, transport and highways said road projects worth over Rs 25,000 crore are being implemented in Meghalaya. Addressing election rallies in South Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills districts, Gadkari said, To eradicate poverty and reduce the suffering of people, we have to make good roads and in NE, the Modi government is making roads worth 3 lakh crore which will be completed by 2024. The minister said that the network of road connectivity in NE has increased by 25 per cent since 2014. National Highway projects worth Rs 4000 crore are going on in 351 projects in NE, he said, listing out a number of projects which are nearing completion and also those which are in the pipeline. Gadkari also named various road projects undertaken i

Centre allows sale of excess tobacco produced by registered growers

The government on Saturday said it has allowed sale of excess tobacco produced by registered growers on auction platforms for the crop season 2022-23. It has also permitted sale of unauthorized tobacco produced by unregistered growers without any penalty on the platforms in Karnataka for the crop season 2022-23. "Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has considered to allow the sale of the excess flue cured Virginia tobacco produced by registered growers and unauthorized flue cured Virginia tobacco produced by unregistered growers without any penalty considering the low production during the 2022-2023 Karnataka Crop season," it said. In Karnataka, during this crop season, 40,207 farmers cultivated FCV tobacco in an area of 60,782 hectares. The total production of FCV tobacco in Karnataka remained at 59.78 million kgs against the crop size of 100.00 million kgs fixed by Tobacco Board , due to continuous rains during months of June and July 2022. The decision of imposi

Issue of alleged non-functional statutory panels in J-K under consideration

The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the issue of allegedly non-functional statutory panels in Jammu and Kashmir, including the human rights commission, is under consideration and sought three weeks to apprise it of developments. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala took note of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's submissions that the issue raised in the PIL is being considered at an appropriate level. The top court also directed petitioner, Pune-based lawyer Asim Suhas Sarode, to also make the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh parties to the PIL. List after three weeks, the CJI said. He added that the Centre will apprise the bench about developments in the matter on the next date of hearing. On November 28 last year, the top court had taken note of Sarode's PIL, which alleged the statutory panels were not functional in the union territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in the then state, and

Centre using J-K to divert attention from Adani issue, says Mehbooba Mufti

Criticising the ongoing anti-encroachment drive, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday accused the BJP-led Centre of using Jammu and Kashmir to divert attention of the country from pressing issues such as unemployment and the Adani row. "To divert the attention from the Adani issue and the damage it has done to the economy of the country, they (BJP) don't get anything better than Jammu and Kashmir, like demolition drive," Mehbooba told reporters here. Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments about the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, the former chief minister said, "They do not make statements, they make jumlas." "He himself said the promises of two crore jobs and Rs 15 lakh in every bank account were election jumla (rhetoric)," she said. Mehbooba said Shah was the first home minister in the history of independent India who turned a state into a Union territory. On the demolition drive, she said the BJP earlier used to brand the people of Jammu and ..

Issue of FCA, FRA clearances to be taken up with Union govt: Himachal CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said his government would take up with the Centre the issue of delay in obtaining Forest Conservation Act (FCA) and Forests Rights Act( FRA) clearances so that developmental projects in the state do not get delayed. Presiding over a forest department meeting here on Tuesday, he said the state government is committed to maintain a balance between development and environment. But development projects of utmost importance like heliports, electric vehicle charging stations and day-boarding schools are affected by the delay in getting FCA and FRA approvals, a statement issued here said. Directing the forest officers to expedite FCA and FRA cases, he said officers will also be held accountable for delays. Earlier, presiding over the 11th meeting of the Himachal Pradesh State Board for Wildlife, Sukhu urged the department to explore tourism potential of activities like water sports and hot air balloon operations in Pong Dam

112,000 daily wage earners committed suicide in 2019-21: Govt to Lok Sabha

A total of 1.12 lakh daily wage earners committed suicide in three years -- 2019 to 2021, Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav said in Lok Sabha on Monday, quoting reports of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Yadav said 66,912 housewives, 53,661 self-employed persons, 43,420 salaried persons and 43,385 unemployed persons also committed suicide during the period. As many as 35,950 students and 31,839 persons engaged in the farming sector such as cultivators and agricultural labourers also committed suicide in three years -- 2019, 2020 and 2021, he said during the Question Hour. The minister said that according to the Unorganised Workers Social Security Act, 2008, the government is mandated to provide social security to workers in the unorganised sector, including daily wage workers, by formulating suitable welfare schemes on matters relating to life and disability cover, health and maternity benefits, old age protection, and any other benefit as may be determined by the ...

Sebi probing Hindenburg Research allegations against Adani Group

SC hearing: Govt agrees to form expert panel to strengthen regulatory regime

March heat to shape up wheat output this year in North India: Experts

A significant drop in per hectare yields of wheat for second year this year due to unusually high temperatures could have an impact on Centre's annual wheat procurement plan

Popularisation of millets to boost income of small, marginal farmers: Govt

The government on Saturday said popularisation of millets in the country will lead to increase in the income of small and marginal farmers and urged international organisations, academia and hotel industry to revive the forgotten glory of "miracle millets". The year 2023 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of the Millet, following a proposal by India, which wants to position itself as a global hub for millets. Several initiatives are being undertaken in this regard. Addressing 9th International Chefs Conference organised by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations here, Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said millets are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples. "Millets are important by virtue of its mammoth potential to generate livelihoods, increase farmers' incom

Govt working to level number of medical UG, PG seats in 4 yrs: Health min

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said the government was working to equal the number of undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats within four years so that all MBBS graduates can pursue PG courses. Speaking at the 11th annual conference of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO) here, he also invited healthcare professionals from the Indian diaspora to invest in research and open hospital chains in the country with "assured business." More than 70 countries will sign hospital-to-hospital, country-to-country and country-to-hospital MoUs at the 'Heal In India, Heal By India' expo to be held in April-May this year, he said. "When we open a dispensary, we also need doctors. Eight years ago, India had 51,000 MBBS seats. Today, we have 1,00,226 under-graduate seats, and post-graduate seats grew from 34,000 to 64,000," the minister said. "We have set a target to make the number of MBBS UG and PG seats equal so that all our doctors get the ...

Women should be centre of decisions for future-ready society: Smriti Irani

Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday said women have to be at the centre of any discourse and decision for a future-ready society. Speaking at the G-20 Empower Inception meeting, the women and child development minister said India is keen to play a key role in finding pragmatic global solutions for the well-being of all and, in doing so, manifest the true spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (the world is one family). Irani particularly emphasised the scale of India's self-help group (SHG) story and highlighted the importance of women's leadership at the grassroots levels and efforts towards ensuring the availability of banking and financial services to every woman. "If you want to get your future right, if you want to be future-ready, make sure that women are at the centre of the discourse and that women are at the centre of your decisions," the minister said on the first day of the two-day meet. Besides, she also cited the quest for gender justice in India through a gender inclus

India's toy exports touch Rs 1,017 cr during Apr-Dec in FY23: Govt data

The country's toy exports have touched Rs 1,017 crore during April-December period this fiscal, according to the government data. In 2021-22, the exports stood at Rs 2,601 crore. "Made in India toys continue to tap global markets! India's toy exports rose to more than 6 times in April-December 2022 as compared to the same period in 2013," commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet. During April-December 2013-14, the shipments were at Rs 167 crore. The government is taking steps to promote domestic manufacturing and exports of toys from the country and reduce imports from countries like China, which are of low quality. In 2018-19, toys worth Rs 2,960 crore were imported into India. With the philosophy of 'vocal for local', the government took several steps to promote indigenous toys designed on Indian culture and history. The overall import of toys in India reduced by 70 per cent to Rs 870 crore in 2021-22. In February 2020, import duty on toys was raised from 20

Over 13,500 houses connected with running water taps in Kargil: Centre

More than 13,500 households have been connected with functioning water taps under the centrally-sponsored Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Kargil district of Ladakh, an official spokesman said on Saturday. The information was given at a meeting chaired by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Kargil, Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din Wani as he reviewed the progress on JJM projects in the district, the spokesman said. "Till January 2023, as many as 13,506 households have been connected with FHTCs in Kargil. In 2019, before the start of JJM, only 1,610 households in the district had tap water," the spokesman said. He said that in the meeting the officials reviewed the status of JJM scheme and discussed strategy for "improving Functional Household Tap Connections (FHTCs) coverage, installation of solar water heaters in schools, 100 per cent saturation of villages, and availability of material." Wani also reviewed the physical and financial progress on all JJM projects in the district, and tap connection in .

Govt to start digital philately exhibition through reels: Ashwini Vaishnaw

The Department of Posts will start a Digital Philately exhibition where it will show reels or short videos about stamps on social media platforms, Communications and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. During the inaugural session of the five-day National Philatelic Exhibition, Amritpex 2023, the minister said that the digital exhibition will start within 20 days. "We will start Digital Philately Exhibition where information about one stamp per week will be shown on reels," Vaishnaw said. He said that the short video will be made available on Sunday or Monday of every week to show information about stamps. "We will start this within 20 days,' Vaishnaw said. The last National Philatelic Exhibition was organised in 2008. The exhibitors at the event are selected from across the country and the winners at the national exhibition are selected for participation in international philately competition. Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said that the postal

17.64% of exclusive POCSO cases reported conviction: Centre tells Lok Sabha

Conviction was reported in nearly 18 per cent cases in which the accused were booked under the The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the government told Lok Sabha on Friday citing a third party evaluation. In a written reply in Lok Sabha, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju also said fast track special courts have disposed of more than 1, 37,000 cases up to December, 2022. "As per third party evaluation conducted by National Productivity Council, 17.64 per cent of exclusive POCSO cases reported conviction." Regular review meetings have been conducted by the Department of Justice to expedite the robust implementation of the scheme including establishment of remaining fast track special courts.

Public feedback invited on fact check by PIB to boost due diligence: MoS IT

The proposal of fact check by government's media arm Press Information Bureau under the IT Rules has been made with a view to strengthen the due diligence by intermediaries and public feedback has been invited on the same, Parliament was informed on Friday. In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of state for electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said with the expansion of the Internet and more and more Indians coming online, the number of Indians exposed to false and untrue or misleading information available on the Internet has also grown. He said that the centre under Information Technology Act, 2000, has made the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (IT Rules) which cast specific obligations on intermediaries, including social media intermediaries, to observe due diligence while discharging its duties. The due diligence under the rule includes making reasonable efforts by the intermediaries to check their users from