Page 24 - Government

Agnipath scheme: A burgeoning pension bill is the govt's big headache

Pension is growing faster than the salaries of state employees, accounted for a third of revenue expenditure by armed forces in 2013-14 and 2020-21

Govt considers allowing some exports of raw sugar piled up at ports: Report

Additional shipments from India, the world's biggest exporter of sugar after Brazil, could weigh on raw sugar futures, which are trading near their lowest in four months.

Manufacturers protest ban on rigid single-use plastics, fear loan default

Industry grouse - 22 products have been banned although they are fully recyclable, while non-recyclable packaging used by FMCG firms have been let off

Procedural issues continue to hinder commercialisation of GM crops in India

Two decades after Bt cotton made its debut in India, commercialisation of genetically modified crops remains mired in complex procedural rules

Recovery tracker: Workplace visits rise despite spurt in Covid-19 cases

Power generation, vehicle registrations dip

Parameswaran Iyer, new Niti Aayog CEO, is an accidental bureaucrat

The man who helmed the Swachh Bharat mission once worked as a journalist and cut vegetables in a hotel

Govt issues new ad for chief of oil regulator PNGRB, vacant since Dec 2020

The government has for a second time in as many years re-advertised the post of chairman of oil and gas regulator PNGRB, which has been lying vacant since December 2020. The oil ministry this week issued an advertisement inviting applications for the post of chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB). It sought applications by July 21 from those who fulfill the qualifications and are not more than 62 years of age, according to the advertisement. The post of chairman of PNGRB has been lying vacant since December 4, 2020, when Dinesh K Sarraf completed his three-year term. A search-cum-selection committee headed by V K Saraswat, Member (S&T), Niti Aayog in June 2021 picked former power secretary Sanjeev Nandan Sahai for the job. But that appointment was not confirmed by the government and so the post was re-advertised in November 2021. The panel, which also comprises secretaries to the ministries of oil and commerce, secretary legal affairs and economic ...

Google executive warns against sharing of citizen data, even if anonymized

India in February published a draft data policy for public consultation saying all data collected, stored by government ministries and departments will be open and shareable barring exceptions

Plenty of gaps in food inflation control measures, complain industry bodies

They say some measures have spawned malpractices on the part of exporters, others have been partial to a certain section of traders

A primer on GOI's hidden power centre and why the CSS calls the shots

The overwhelming number of officers in the CSS cadres are an indication of the clout it wields on key policy decisions across ministries

GST enforcement: A fine balance in catching fraud, not harassing taxpayers

The government has tightened GST norms. But some of the changes have caused "inconvenience" to taxpayers, to say the least.

Govt playing with India's security, future of youth: Surjewala on Agnipath

Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala opposed the Agnipath scheme and said the Narendra Modi government is playing with the country's security and future of the youth

Governance policy will ensure fair access to non-personal data: MeitY

Draft plan focuses on improving institutional framework for government data sharing and principles on privacy

Xi's infamous zero-covid policy takes toll on cash-strapped local govt

Amid the rising covid infections, Xi Jinping's infamous Zero-Covid Policy has taken a toll on already cash-strapped local governments

Govt to monetise assets worth Rs 75,200 cr in coal mining sector in FY23

According to the National Monetisation Pipeline, 160 coal mining assets with an estimated worth of Rs 28,747 crore have been identified for monetisation during FY22-25.

Centre issues advisory to states, UTs to phase out single-use plastic

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban 2.0 currently being implemented by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, plastic-waste management, including elimination of SUP, is a crucial area of focus

BoB to benefit from govt thrust on infra spending: Chairman Hasmukh Adhia

The banking industry of course would be benefited due to increase in the demand for bank credit and Bank of Baroda would be a key beneficiary of these developments," he said.

Centre will next arrest Manish Sisodia in false case: Delhi CM Kejriwal

Health Minister Satyendar Jain's arrest is part of conspiracy to harass AAP government, he says

ONGC board has 'best persons' in upstream sector to head company: Chairman

ONGC is without a regular chairman since March-end 2021.

Govt's total liabilities rise 2% to Rs 128.41 trn in Dec quarter

The government's total liabilities rose to Rs 128.41 lakh crore in December quarter from Rs 125.71 lakh crore in three months ended September 2021, according to latest public debt management report