Page 3 - Government

Govt notifies wider scope for fast track mergers under Companies Act

The government has notified rules expanding the scope of fast track mergers under the Companies Act, 2013, bringing in more categories of companies within the simplified route for amalgamations and demergers, an official statement said on Thursday. The move will provide quicker turnaround for corporate restructuring. The framework will particularly benefit unlisted entities and groups looking at internal reorganisations without the need for lengthy tribunal approvals. The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has amended the Companies (Compromises, Arrangements and Amalgamations) Rules, 2016, through a notification issued on September 4, 2025, following stakeholder consultations. The changes flow from the Union Budget 2025-26, which promised measures to ease doing business and cut delays in approvals. Under the revised framework, fast track mergers or demergers can now be undertaken two or more unlisted companies (other than section 8 companies) which meet prescribed thresholds of ..

France's prime minister loses confidence vote, toppling his government

Legislators toppled France's government in a confidence vote on Monday, a new crisis for Europe's second-largest economy that obliges President Emmanuel Macron to search for a fourth prime minister in 12 months. Prime Minister Franois Bayrou was ousted overwhelmingly in a 364-194 vote against him. Bayrou paid the price for what appeared to be a staggering political miscalculation, gambling that lawmakers would back his view that France must slash public spending to repair its debts. Instead, they seized on the vote that he called to gang up against Bayrou a 74-year-old centrist who was appointed by Macron last December. The demise of Bayrou's short-lived minority government now constitutionally obliged to submit its resignation to Macron after just under nine months in office heralds renewed uncertainty and a risk of prolonged legislative deadlock for France as it wrestles with pressing challenges, including budget difficulties and, internationally, wars in Ukraine and Gaza and t

From complexity to clarity: GST Council ushers in a new era of tax reforms

The shift from four slabs to a leaner two-tier structure 5% for merit goods and 18% for standard goods, with 40% for sin and luxury items is the most far-reaching change since GST's inception

Kerala's professional talent pool grows 172% in five years: Report

A new LinkedIn Talent Insights report released on Friday highlights a 172 per cent growth in Kerala's professional talent pool over the past five years, the Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC), an advisory body to the state government, said. The findings were presented at the Skill Kerala Global Summit in Kochi. According to K-DISC, this growth places Kerala ninth among Indian states, with nearly 40 per cent of its workforce concentrated in Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kozhikode. The most common roles among professionals include software engineers, accountants, and teachers, reflecting technology, finance, and education as the backbone of Kerala's economy, the advisory body said in a statement. The report highlights a significant inflow of skilled professionals returning from abroad, particularly from the Gulf region. About 52 per cent of Kerala's global returnees came from the UAE, bringing expertise in business operations, finance, and ...

Minority affairs ministry adds UMEED portal module to aid women, orphans

In a significant step toward strengthening inclusive welfare mechanisms, the Ministry of Minority Affairs on Wednesday launched an additional module on the UMEED Portal, which enables widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from certain Waqf properties. The new functionality enables widows, divorced women, and orphans to apply for maintenance support from Waqf-alal-aulad properties, in accordance with Rule 8(2) of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Rules, 2025, framed under a section of the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. In a significant stride toward strengthening inclusive welfare mechanisms, the Ministry of Minority Affairs has launched the additional module on the UMEED Portal, an official statement said. The launch of this module marks a forward-looking step in making Waqf administration more people-centric, transparent and digitally enabled, the Ministry of Minority ...

India-Africa trade surpassed $100 bn in 2024-25: MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh

Union minister Kirti Vardhan Singh on Wednesday said India-Africa trade has crossed USD 100 billion and New Delhi has emerged as one of the top-five investors in the continent. Addressing the inaugural session of the 20th CII India-Africa Business Conclave in the national capital, Singh said India has extended concessional loans worth over USD 12 billion and USD 700 million in grant assistance for projects across Africa, apart from offering 50,000 scholarships for African youth, of which more than 42,000 have already been utilised. "This year's theme is different as we have decided to move from project partnership and growth partnership to the spirit of 'Co-creating a Shared Future', which signifies the sentiment attached to this remarkable journey," the minister said. "India's bilateral trade with Africa has crossed the magical figure of USD 100 billion in 2024-25 compared to USD 56 billion in 2019-2020. With cumulative investments over USD 75 billion from 1996-2024, India is among

Centre tightens wheat stock norms for wholesalers, retailers and processors

The government on Tuesday further tightened wheat stock-holding norms for wholesalers, small and big chain retailers, and processors to curb hoarding and check price rise. "As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat before the upcoming festive season, The central government has decided to revise the wheat stock limit applicable until 31st March 2026," the food ministry said in a statement. According to the revised norms, wholesalers are allowed to maintain wheat stock up to 2,000 tonnes instead of 3,000 tonnes, retailer can hold 8 tonnes for each outlet instead of 10 tonnes, while big chain retailer can hold eight tonnes for each outlet instead of 10 tonnes earlier. Processors will be allowed to maintain 60 per cent instead of 70 per cent of their monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months of this fiscal year. In 2025, the government revised wheat stock limits twice: first on February 20, reducing limits to 250 tonne for traders and four tonnes per

Govt hikes registration renewal fee of motor vehicles older than 20 years

The transport ministry has raised the registration renewal fee for motor vehicles older than 20 years to discourage people from keeping them. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), in a notification, announced that the renewal fee for light motor vehicles (LMVs) older than 20 years has been doubled to Rs 10,000 from Rs 5,000. According to the notification, for motorcycles older than 20 years, the renewal fee will rise from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000. For three-wheelers and quadricycles, the renewal cost will increase from Rs 3,500 to Rs 5,000. In case of imported two- or three-wheelers, the cost of the renewal of the certificate of registration will be Rs 20,000, while for imported vehicles with four or more wheels, it will be Rs 80,000. The draft amendment was issued in February and finalised on August 21. The ministry, in October 2021, increased the registration and renewal fee for motorcycles, three-wheelers and cars. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ordered ...

Peak power demand unlikely to reach 277 GW this summer due to rains: CEA

Peak power demand is unlikely to touch the projected 277 GW this summer as intermittent rains have reduced the use of cooling appliances such as air conditioners, a top government official said on Friday. "No, I don't think that it (peak power demand) will go to that level now. If this kind of rain continues, then it will not reach," Ghanshyam Prasad, the Chairperson of Central Electricity Authority (CEA) told PTI on the sidelines of BNEF Summit in the national capital. The regulatory body chief was responding to a question whether the peak power demand would touch the projected level of 277 GW. The CEA formulates short-term and perspective plans for the development of the electricity system, and coordinates the activities of the planning agencies. The government had projected 277 gigawatt (GW) of peak power demand for 2025-26. Various government sources had expected the peak demand to hit the 277 GW level by September. Prasad also said that 277 GW was not a target, but a projecti

Karnataka HC slams govt bike taxi ban, upholds operators' right to work

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday came down on the state government's ban on bike taxis, calling its arguments against the service 'thin' and "legally untenable". Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, heading the bench, noted that bike taxis are permitted in at least 13 states across the country and have emerged as a lawful and essential mode of urban transport. He observed that such services are not a luxury but a necessity, especially for affordable and efficient last-mile connectivity. Rejecting the government's stance that the Motor Vehicles Act prohibits bike taxis, the court said the State cannot deny livelihoods by citing the absence of a formal policy. A mere lack of regulation cannot be the basis for a blanket ban that deprives thousands of their right to work under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution, the Chief Justice remarked. The court also asked the Advocate General (AG) to ensure that no coercive or punitive action is taken against bike taxi operators in the interim. Th

Centre speeds approvals for critical minerals, no exemption from green law

The Environment Ministry has set up a separate category on its online clearance portal to speed up approvals for mining projects involving critical minerals, a move aimed at boosting domestic supply of resources considered essential for clean energy and advanced technologies, the government informed Parliament on Monday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh said the Mines Ministry had in February requested faster clearances for such projects, following which the new facility was added to the Parivesh 2.0 portal on March 13. The step comes after amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, which gave the Centre powers to auction 24 minerals identified as critical and strategic. These include lithium, nickel, tungsten, titanium and graphite, which India largely imports but needs for sectors such as defence, electronics and renewable energy. So far, 34 blocks of these minerals have been auctioned acr

Steel firms hail govt for recommending safeguard duty on flat steel imports

The domestic steel industry has welcomed the commerce ministry's move to recommend imposition of a safeguard duty on imports of certain flat steel products, saying that such measures help India become self-reliant in the sector. In a statement, Naveen Jindal, President of Indian Steel Association (ISA), said recommendation of a safeguard duty on flat steel imports for three years is a welcome step. "While the proposed 12 per cent duty may not fully reflect the geopolitical context where 25 per cent is often considered the norm, it demonstrates clear government support for using such measures to promote Aatmanirbhar Bharat in steel," he said. Jindal, who is also the chairman of Jindal Steel, said introducing a safety net through minimum import prices, below which the recommended duty would be triggered, is also a positive move to protect and support the downstream industry. The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce, has recommended final ...

Delhi govt to test emission retrofits in 30 end-of-life official vehicles

The Delhi government will soon conduct trials by fitting catalytic converter-based retrofit emission control devices in up to 30 government-owned BS-IV and older heavy vehicles, potentially offering a cheaper and cleaner alternative to scrapping. In a first-of-its-kind move aimed at cutting toxic emissions from older diesel vehicles, the Delhi government decided to conduct a pilot project following a presentation by a clean-tech firm at a meeting which was chaired by the Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa on August 11. The company claimed its retrofit technology could reduce particulate matter and other harmful emissions by more than 70 per cent. The trial comes in the wake of the Commission for Air Quality Management's (CAQM) directive banning the entry of non-BS-VI commercial goods vehicles into Delhi from November 1, with limited exemptions for essential services until October 31, 2026. Officials said while the order is crucial for reducing pollution, it poses challenges

Parliamentary panel questions accuracy of data in Jal Jeevan Mission system

A parliamentary standing committee has flagged concerns over the authenticity of data being fed into the Jal Jeevan Mission's (JJM's) Integrated Management Information System (IMIS), recommending that the Centre institute checks to verify figures uploaded by states. It warned that without reliable data, assessing ground realities and plugging gaps in rural water supply would remain difficult. "Being aware of the fact that actual veracity of uploaded information is essential for realising the actual ground situation and filling the visible gaps, the Committee reiterate its recommendation that the Department makes sincere efforts to ensure the authenticity of the data being fed on the IMIS," the Standing Committee on Water Resources said. In its sixth report on the Ministry of Jal Shakti's 2024-25 Demands for Grants, tabled in Parliament on Monday, the Committee said actual verification of state-uploaded figures was "essential for realising the actual ground situation" and reiterated

Govt rules out changes to DPDP act, FAQs to address concerns soon: Report

The government does not see any scope for making changes in the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 and may issue a detailed reply soon to explain issues raised by journalists and civil rights bodies, an official source said on Friday. Civil rights and journalists' bodies on Wednesday expressed apprehension over the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, saying the provisions under it may fail the Right to Information (RTI) Act and end press freedom. "The (DPDP) Act has been passed by Parliament. Therefore no changes can be made now. Rules are being processed which can only be framed within the ambit of the Act," the source said. Government sources said the DPDP Act and draft rules under it have been framed after receiving thousands of inputs from multiple entities. About government assurance on frequently asked questions (FAQs), the source said it will be issued soon. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said deletion of the proviso in the RTI Act that ...

Govt aims to accelerate pace of highway construction to 100 km/day: Gadkari

Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Friday said the government's aim is to accelerate the pace of highway construction to 100 km a day from 38 km/day at present. Speaking at the Business Today India@100 event, Gadkari said so far this year, the road ministry has awarded highways projects worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore, and by March next year, it will award highways projects worth Rs 10 lakh crore. "Currently, the pace of National Highways construction in India is 38 km/day. We aim to accelerate the pace of highway construction to 100 km a day. This is our target, whether it will happen next year, I can not say," he said. The ministry constructed 10,660 km of national highways in 2024-25, 12,349 km in 2023-24 and 10,331 km in 2022-23. Responding to the growing concern over social media about E20, rolled out by the government, is damaging the vehicle and there is no reduction in fuel cost, Gadkari rejected the claim, saying that the petroleum sector is lobbying again

Govt urges BSNL circles to boost service quality, fix tower power issues

Minister of state for telecom Chandra Sekhar Pemmsani on Friday asked four BSNL circles including UP and Bihar to improve quality of service, resolve tower power issues and take other measures to boost the company's presence. In July last week, Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had asked the state-run telecom firm to add customers and grow its mobile service business by 50 per cent in the next year. During a review meeting of BSNL of all circle and business unit heads, the minister asked each unit to increase enterprise business by 25-30 per cent and fixed line business by a minimum of 15-20 per cent. "Reviewed @BSNLCorporate performance of UP, Bihar, MP & West Bengal circles today. Emphasised improving quality of service, resolving tower power issues, timely rectification of fibre cuts, and adopting innovative, locally-suited sales & marketing strategies to strengthen BSNL's footprint," Pemmasani said on social media platform X. The government has pumped in over Rs .

BCCI kept out of RTI as amended sports bill targets funded bodies

In what can be construed as a relief to the BCCI, the Sports Ministry has amended the RTI-related provision of the National Sports Governance Bill, placing only those bodies under its ambit which rely on government grants and assistance. The bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on July 23 and its clause 15 (2) stated that "a recognised sports organisation shall be considered as a public authority under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 with respect to the exercise of its functions, duties and powers under this Act." The RTI has been a thorny issue for the BCCI, which has steadfastly opposed coming under it as the Board is not dependent on government funds unlike a majority of other National Sports Federations (NSFs). The amendment proposed in the bill effectively puts an end to that apprehension. "The amended clause defines public authority as an entity that is relying on government funds or assistance. With this amendment, there is a clear .

Govt proposes 2022-23 as new base year for GDP and IIP: Minister

The government has proposed 2022-23 as new base year for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Index of Industrial Production (IIP), and 2024 for Consumer Price Index (CPI), Parliament was informed on Wednesday. "The Ministry is underway to revise the base year of GDP, IIP and CPI. The base year is revised periodically to better capture the structural changes happening in the economy by updating the methodology of compilation and incorporation of new data sources," Minister of State for Statistics & Programme Implementation said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. For the CPI, list of items and their respective weights derived from the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey of 2023-24 is used in the revised index. The Ministry has conducted its first Forward-Looking Survey on Private Corporate Sector CAPEX Investment Intentions from November 2024 to January 2025 and the findings of the survey have been published. The Ministry has also conducted a Pilot Study on Annual Survey of ...

Nitish Kumar announces domicile policy for Bihar teacher jobs before polls

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday announced a 'domicile policy' in the recruitment of government teachers. The CM, however, did not specify what percentage of recruitments was to be reserved for those born and raised in the state. The announcement came ahead of the assembly elections in the state, which are due this year. "The Education Department has been directed to make necessary amendments to the relevant rules to give priority to the residents (domicile) of Bihar in the recruitment of teachers," Kumar said in a post on X. "Since the formation of the government in November 2005, we have been continuously working to improve the education system. A large number of teachers have been appointed to strengthen the education system," he said. This will be implemented from the Teachers Recruitment Exam (TRE)-4, which will be conducted this year, while TRE-5 will be held in 2026, the chief minister said. Instructions have also been given to conduct Secondary Teachers Eligibi