Page 4 - Government Of India

Govt proposes to repeal 141-year-old Explosives Act, 1884 to bring new law

The government has proposed to repeal the 141-year-old Explosives Act of 1884 and introduce a new law stating that the existing legislation is based on the old British pattern and is not adequately meeting the country's growing requirements. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has sought comments and suggestions from the general public, industry associations and other entities concerned on the proposal before July 17 this year. It said the Explosives Act, 1884 is a pre-constitutional act and it was comprehensively modified in 1978. Many large and small companies began to manufacture high explosives after independence. "It is observed that the Explosives Act, 1884, which is based on the old British pattern and is not adequately meeting the country's growing requirements and development in the explosive sector thereby resulted in difficulties for the industry," the DPIIT's note for public and stakeholder consultations said. To remove shortcomings in t

India declares Pakistani official persona non grata, second in a month

The Charge d'Affaires of the Pakistan High Commission was issued a demarche to this effect today

Krishnamurthy Subramanian's termination was India's call, says IMF

Sources said the reasons for Subramanian's termination included alleged impropriety in using his position to promote and publicise his latest book India@100

Vodafone Idea to amend shareholders' pact to let promoters keep control

Debt-ridden Vodafone Idea on Friday said its board has approved an amendment in shareholders' agreement to enable promoters Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group to retain governance and management rights in the company notwithstanding the increased government's stake at 48.99 per cent. The company will convene an extraordinary general meeting on June 3 to seek shareholder's nod for the same, according to a regulatory filing. "The Board of Directors at its meeting held today i.e. on 2 May 2025 have inter-alia resolved to...amend certain clauses of the Shareholders' Agreement (to which the Company is a party) so as to modify, amongst others, the 'Qualifying Threshold' from 13 per cent to 10 per cent and, solely for this purpose, to disregard the equity shares originally issued to the Government of India," the filing said. Pursuant to the government increasing stake from 22.6 to 48.99 per cent in Vodafone Idea, the shareholding of the Aditya Birla group companies and the Vodafone grou

Bank of Maharashtra Q4 results: Net profit rises 23% to ₹1,493 crore

Total income increased to ₹7,711 crore during the quarter under review against ₹6,488 crore in the same period of the previous year

Improved prospects, attractive valuation for oil marketing companies

OMCs hold 45 days inventory priced at around $75 per barrel crude

Assam APSC recruitment 2025: Application invited online for 195 posts

Assam Public Service Commission has declared the online application window for Agricultural Development Officer posts under the state's Agriculture Department. Applications are accepted until April 17

Paytm, DPIIT partner to support fintech startups with mentorship & funding

This support initiative is aimed at fostering innovation and accelerating the growth of manufacturing and fintech startups in India

Govt opposes lifetime ban on convicted lawmakers, defends 6-year period

In this matter, the Supreme Court observed that there is an "apparent conflict of interest" in allowing a law-breaker to be a lawmaker

Govt offices in Delhi to stay closed on Feb 12 for 'Guru Ravidas Jayanti'

In honor of Guru Ravidas Jayanti, Delhi LG declares February 12 a holiday for all government offices, independent bodies, and public projects in the National Capital Territory of Delhi

Govt to share selected data, maps from PM Gati Shakti with pvt sector: FM

The government on Saturday announced to provide certain data and maps from the PM Gati Shakti portal to the private sector, a decision which could help them optimize last-mile delivery services and develop infrastructure-based applications. PM Gati Shakti national master plan initiative was launched in October 2021 for integrated and planned development of critical infrastructure projects to reduce logistics costs. "For furthering PPPs (public private partnerships) and assisting the private sector in project planning, access to relevant data and maps from the PM Gati Shakti portal will be provided," Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in her Budget speech. Using these data layers like track length details, railway stations, DFC (Dedicated Freight Corridor), Good Sheds, national and state highways/ district layers, MMLPs (Multi Modal Logistics Parks), ware houses, existing airports from different ministries will help private sector to optimize last mile delivery services, ...

What is 'One Nation, One Time' and how will it benefit the country? Details

The Indian government has drafted comprehensive rules mandating use of Indian Standard Time (IST) across platforms to streamline timekeeping

Take decision on Balwant Singh's mercy petition by March 18: SC asks Centre

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to take a decision by March 18 on the mercy petition of death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the 1995 assassination case of then Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. "We are granting you time by way of a last chance. Either you take a decision or otherwise we will hear it on merits," a bench headed by Justice B R Gavai told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Centre. The bench, also comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and K V Viswanathan, was hearing Rajoana's plea seeking directions to commute his death sentence to life term due to the "inordinate delay" in deciding his mercy petition. At the outset, Mehta referred to the sensitivity involved in the matter and said the mercy petition was under consideration. He requested the bench to grant six weeks time. Rajoana's counsel told the bench that he has spent around 29 years in jail. "We will hear it on merits on March 18," the bench said, adding, "By

HMPV cases in India: Simple Do's and Don'ts to safeguard your health

Rising cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in China, and now India, have drawn attention to the virus. However, the govt advises people to follow specific Dos and Don'ts to protect themselves

Remembering Manmohan Singh: Top 20 quotes of India's former prime minister

Former PM Manmohan Singh passed away on Thursday due to age-related conditions. He is remembered for his key role in steering India's economic reforms in the 90s

Cabinet hikes copra MSP by upto Rs 420 to Rs 12,100 per quintal for 2025

The government on Friday announced an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) for copra by up to Rs 420 to Rs 12,100 per quintal for 2025 with a budget outlay of Rs 855 crore. A decision in this regard was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The MSP for 'milling copra' has been increased by Rs 420 to Rs 11,582 per quintal, while for 'ball copra' by Rs 100 to Rs 12,100 per quintal for 2025, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters. The total financial implication would be Rs 855 crore. Cooperative agencies Nafed and NCCF will be the central nodal agencies for the procurement of copra, he added.

Opposition slams govt over slow growth, high inflation, job crisis

Opposition members on Monday flagged the low economic growth rate of 5.4 per cent in the second quarter of current fiscal and sought to know from the Finance Minister what steps the government is taking to boost growth, control inflation and create jobs. Participating in the debate on Supplementary Demands for Grants in the Lok Sabha, TMC member Sougata Ray said the government is caught in "pincer movement" of whether to push growth or control inflation and the economy is not in a "fair shape". "There is a typical crisis in the economy. The crisis is our growth projection for Q2 slipped to 5.4 per cent. This is very damaging to the economy and there is a sharp slowdown in the manufacturing sector," Ray said. He also alleged that former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das had to leave the Reserve Bank because he did not heed to the demand of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to cut interest rate. Instead, Das decided to focus on containing inflation. "There was a dispute between the Fina

Need to differentiate between financial, non-financial regulation: CEA

Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran on Wednesday said there is a need to differentiate between regulation of financial and non-financial sectors as competition in financial sector can lead to excessive risk taking and bring instability. "We do need to make a distinction between regulation with respect to financial sector and regulation with respect to non-financial sector of the economy," Nageswaran said at the CII Global Economic Policy Forum 2024. He said in non-financial sector, except in case of natural utilities where one needs a regulator to protect customer interest, competition or market forces will take care of what the regulators do. In financial sector, regulators have the tendency to lean towards excessive regulations, as if things go wrong in this sector the state is expected to bail out and the effects are systemic. " In financial sector, competition sometimes leads to excessive risk taking and competition can be a source of instability rather than stability,

Rahul Gandhi demands Adani's arrest, accuses BJP govt of protecting him

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said businessman Gautam Adani should be arrested after his indictment in the US and accused the government of protecting him. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said when hundreds of people are arrested on "tiny" charges in the country, why is Adani not in jail? The reiteration by Gandhi comes hours after the Adani Group said the billionaire and his nephew Sagar Adani have not been charged with any violations of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) in the indictment filed by US authorities in a court in a bribery case. The duo has been charged with securities fraud that involves levy of monetary penalties. "You think the Adanis are going to accept the charges. Which world are you living in? Obviously, he is going to deny the charges," Gandhi said when asked about the denial of charges by the Adani Group. "The point is he has to be arrested. As we have said, hundreds of pe

NGT sends notice to Centre, others over expanding Himalayan glacial lakes

The National Green Tribunal has issued notice to the Centre and others in a matter regarding the rapid expansion of the Himalayan glacial lakes, raising concerns over the increasing risk of natural disasters. The NGT took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of a news report showing about 10.81 per cent increase of the glacial lakes in the last 13 years due to the rising temperatures. According to the report, the melting of glaciers due to increase in temperature paved way for larger glacial lakes, which held more water and, in turn, increased the risk of natural disasters like floods and landslides. In an order passed on November 19, a bench of NGT Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and expert member A Senthil Vel said, "The report also notes that the surface area of glacial lakes in India has increased by 33.7 per cent from 2011 to 2024." The tribunal noted the report had outlined the sudden growth of these lakes that posed a heightened risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF