The Centre has expanded the ambit of the rules issued under the citizenship law CAA through which Indian nationality will be given to persecuted minorities coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan. The Union home ministry announced that "any document" issued by the central or state governments or quasi-judicial body in India proving that either of the parents, grandparents or great-grandparents is or had been a citizen of one of the three countries will be acceptable. The clarification of the home ministry came after many applicants seeking Indian nationality under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 were reported to be facing difficulties due to a particular clause of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024. "Any document that shows that either of the parents or grandparents or great grandparents of the applicant is or had been a citizen of one of the three countries i.e of Afghanistan or Bangladesh or Pakistan," the earlier clause of the Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 202
The Centre granted the highest allocation to Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Assam under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) in the last two years, 2022-2024, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The funds were given for relief and rehabilitation of people affected in natural disasters. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said while Rs 941 crore was approved by the Centre's high-level committee for Karnataka, Rs 873 crore and Rs 594 crore were approved for Himachal Pradesh and Assam for floods and landslides in 2022-24. In a written reply, he said Rs 939 crore was released to Karnataka from the NDRF, Rs 812 crore to Himachal Pradesh and Rs 160 crore to Assam in the last two years. Rai said Tamil Nadu has been given Rs 276 crore for flood and cyclone, Sikkim Rs 267 crore for flood and landslides, Nagaland Rs 68 crore in the last two years. The minister said during 2024-25 (as on July 31, 2024), Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) have been constit
More than 5,200 money-laundering cases have been registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), with convictions obtained in 40 and acquittal in three since 2014, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday. The data was provided by Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. A total of 5,297 cases were lodged under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the ED between 2014 and 2024, the data said. It said 40 cases resulted in conviction during the said period. However, one case resulted in acquittal during this year while two cases led to acquittals in 2017, the data shared by the minister showed. A total of 375 accused are currently under arrest under the anti-money laundering law for the period between 2016 and 2024, he stated. Rai also provided similar data for cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), apart from acquittals and convictions under the anti-terror law between 2014 and 2022
The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958, which gives sweeping powers to the armed forces operating in disturbed areas to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary, has been removed from most parts of the northeast, except a few districts and some police station areas, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said there has been a considerable reduction in the number of "disturbed areas" under the AFSPA and the law has been withdrawn completely from Tripura (from May 27, 2015) and Meghalaya (April 1, 2018). The AFSPA has also been withdrawn from all districts except four in Assam, he said. Rai said the AFSPA has been withdrawn gradually in Arunachal Pradesh and it is currently applicable only in three police station areas in Namsai district and three other districts -- Tirap, Changlang and Longding. In Manipur, the law has been withdrawn from 19 police station areas in seven
Vikramaditya said that the topmost priority of the state government is to retrieve the bodies and restore connectivity
The Union Budget 2024-25 on Tuesday allocated Rs 2,19,643.31 crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs with the majority of it -- Rs 1,43,275.90 crore -- being given to central police forces like the CRPF, BSF, and CISF which are responsible for internal security, border guarding, and security of vital installations. The interim budget 2024-25 had allocated Rs 2,02,868.70 crore to the home ministry, helmed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has allocated Rs 42,277.74 crore to Jammu and Kashmir which is currently under the direct control of the central government after the abrogation of Article 370. Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its special status in August 2019 and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two Union Territories. In the budget, Rs 5,985.82 crore has been given to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Rs 5,862.62 crore to Chandigarh, Rs 5,958 crore to Ladakh, Rs 2,648.97 crore to Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and Rs 1,490.10 .
Highlighting the increase in drug consumption in India in recent years, Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera criticised the Union Home Ministry for making bold claims about controlling drugs in the country.Taking to social media platform 'X' on Saturday, Pawan Khera tweeted, "Mr. @HMOIndia, in June 2023, you had said, 'The Modi government will root out drugs from India; not allow smuggling of narcotics through the country.' But Sanjay Kumar Singh, Deputy DG at Narcotics Control Bureau, claims that 'The consumption of drugs among the youth is increasing, and there are roughly around 10 crore Indians who consume drugs. It used to be around 2 crore, 15 years ago.'""The DRI Report, 2021-22, mentions the seizure of 2,889 kg of heroin at Mundra Port, owned by Adani Port & SEZ (worth Rs21,000 crore), the highest ever so far in the world. In September 2020, heroin worth Rs9,000 crore was seized from the same port. Drug traffickers reportedly had links with Pakistani terror outfits," Khera
MANAS will have a toll-free number 1933, a web portal, a mobile app, and a UMANG app so that citizens of the country can anonymously connect
Ministry of Home Affairs' Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) issues a public notice advising citizens to verify e-notices they receive via email
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday spoke to chief ministers of Assam, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to take stock of the situation there due to floods and heavy rains and assured them of all central help, sources said. In his talks with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over the telephone, Shah enquired about the flood situation in the state. Sarma briefed Shah about the prevailing situation and steps taken so far, sources said. In his calls to Chief Ministers Yogi Adityanath and Bhupendra Patel, the Union home minister took stock of the situation in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat due to rising water levels in rivers following heavy rains. Shah assured the three chief ministers of all possible assistance from the Central government to tide over the situation, sources said. So far 109 people lost their lives in Assam in floods and rain-related incidents. More than 5,97,600 people were affected by floods in Assam's Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, ..
Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised MP for starting medical and engineering courses in Hindi for the benefit of students
The Centre has vested more powers to the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir for taking decisions on police, officers of all-India services such as the IAS and the IPS, and giving sanction for prosecution in various cases. Decisions regarding the appointment of advocate general and other law officers, besides matters related to the anti-corruption bureau will also be taken by the lieutenant governor (L-G). These powers were given to the L-G by the Union home ministry on Friday by amending the rules issued under the Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which was enacted for the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,? while abrogating Article 370. "No proposal which requires previous concurrence of the Finance Department with regard to 'Police', 'Public Order', 'All India Service' and 'Anti Corruption Bureau' to exercise the discretion of the Lieutenant Governor under the Act shall be concurred or rejected
The MHA has expressed concern that "if the SFJ's activities are not curbed, it may escalate its subversive activities, propagate anti-national sentiments, and incite violence in the country."
'PM Narendra Modi has launched the 'Drone Didi Scheme', so please train women to use drones for spraying fertilisers,' HM Shah said
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday described a report on his resignation as unfounded and asked the media not to spread rumours. Singh also claimed that it is an attempt by political rivals who want to take advantage of the prevailing situation in the state which has been in the grip of violence since May last year. His statement came three days after a media outlet reported that Singh is likely to resign soon. "Manipur is passing through a troubled time. In such a crucial time, the leaders of Manipur can't afford to be weak. We are fully confident of our abilities, the chief minister said. Addressing the Manipur issue is more important, Singh told reporters after attending a programme in Imphal on the implementation of three new criminal laws across the country. The rumours (on resignation) are possibly spread by those who want to be CM and ministers, as well as the opposition, he said. The chief minister said that his government communicates regularly with the PMO a
Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah is likely to address a party meeting in Pune on July 14 ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Nearly 4,500 party functionaries will attend a meeting of the BJP in Pune. We have requested Amit Shah to address the meeting and he has agreed to come to Pune. The meeting will be crucial ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections." The assembly elections are likely to be held in October this year. When asked about the Maharashtra legislative council polls scheduled next month, Bawankule said, "The names will be finalised either today or tomorrow. I am sure that our central parliamentary board will finalise some good names that will be beneficial for the state." "The BJP would like to have the chairperson post of the state legislative council, but we will discuss it with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Aji
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday chaired a high-level meeting in the national capital to review overall preparedness for flood management in the country.Union Minister of Jai Shakti, C R Patil, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, Secretaries of Ministries/ Departments of Home Affairs; Water Resources, River Development & River Rejuvenation; Earth Sciences; Environment, Forests & Climate Change; Road Transport & Highways; Chairman, Railway Board; Member & Secretary (I/c) NDMA; Director Generals of NDRF and IMD; Chairman(s) of CWC, NHAI and other senior officers of Ministries concerned attended the meeting.The meeting was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block.Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and a few other states witness landslides and other rain-related issues during the monsoon. Currently, Assam is facing floods with lakhs of people affected in several districts. Last month, Cyclone Remal also caused devastation across
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday launched a special programme under which the immigration process of pre-verified Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders will be fast-tracked, an official said. The Fast Track Immigration-Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) is a "visionary initiative" by the government, thoughtfully designed for Indian nationals and OCI cardholders, the official said. Eligible individuals will need to apply online and submit their biometrics (fingerprint and facial image) along with other required information as specified in the application form. The FTI registration will be valid for a maximum of five years or until the validity of the passport, whichever comes first, he said. Approved applications would receive a message to schedule an appointment to provide their biometrics details. Applicants may provide their biometrics at designated international airports in India or the nearest Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO)
MHA also working on launching a mobile application called 'Cyberdost' for reporting and alerting users about cybercrimes
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday reviewed the security situation in ethnic violence-hit Manipur amidst reports of fresh incidents of trouble in the northeastern state. At the high-level meeting, Shah was given a detailed briefing on the prevailing situation in the state by top security officials, sources said. The home minister took stock of the situation in Manipur a day after the state's Governor Anusuiya Uikey had called on him here. It is believed that Uikey apprised him about the law and order situation there. There were reports of fresh violence in capital Imphal and Jiribam recently. The Centre is said to be worried over the violence spreading to new areas like Jiribam, which has been by and large peaceful in the last one year, the sources said. During the meeting, Manipur government representatives said that adequate forces were deployed in the areas where fresh violence were reported, they said. Security Advisor to the Manipur government Kuldiep Singh, DGP Rajiv Si