Page 13 - Indian Government

An agenda for next government

India's growth model needs a serious course correction

Road execution in India to grow 5-8% in FY25 to 12,500-13,000 km: ICRA

Road execution in India is likely to grow 5-8 per cent to 12,500-13,000 km in the current fiscal, after recording a robust expansion of 20 per cent in 2023-24, rating agency Icra said on Tuesday. It added that the pace of execution in this fiscal will be supported by a healthy pipeline of projects, increased capital outlay by the government and focus on completion of projects by Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Icra noted that road execution was impacted in the first half of FY24 on account of a prolonged monsoon in certain geographies, which affected productive days. According to Icra, the ministry's project award pipeline is healthy, at above 45,000 km as of March 2024. This is despite the awarding being significantly impacted in FY24 amid delay in approval from the Cabinet for the revised cost estimates of Bharatmala Pariyojana Phase 1 (BMP), it added. Consequently, the overall awards declined by 31 per cent to 8,551 km in FY24 from 12,375 km in FY23. Icra poin

VP moves Dhankhar into new official residence with secretariat, pool

New Vice-President Enclave near North Block in central Delhi is the first completed residence under the Central Vista redevelopment plan

Govt hikes windfall tax on crude to Rs 6,800 for 5th time since Feb

The windfall tax, which is revised fortnightly, remains at zero for diesel and aviation turbine fuel

India's income inequality at 100-year high; worse than colonial era: Study

The top 1 per cent of Indians hold the maximum national income share at 22.6 per cent compared to key peers

India plans economic data improvements, long-delayed population census

The Statistics Ministry has made a number of proposals that have been discussed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office in the past month, the people said

'Govt exploring partnerships with UN agencies for betterment of tribals'

The government is proactively exploring collaborative partnerships with UN agencies and international foundations to leverage their expertise and resources for the betterment of tribal communities in the country, officials said on Wednesday. Senior officials of the tribal affairs ministry held a crucial meeting with representatives of UN agencies, including World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank, United Nations Development Programme and United Nations Environment Programme, on Tuesday to explore potential collaborations and partnerships in different sectors to enhance tribal development. Vibhu Nayar, the secretary in the ministry, said these partnerships are crucial to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) in India. The meeting sought to identify key areas of intervention where UN agencies and international foundations can contribute to tribal development. The participants discussed potential projects and initiatives that can be undertaken in the health, education, ...

International Women's Day 2024: 5 key government schemes for women

International Women's Day 2024: The government has launched several schemes to develop women's skills and help them tackle multiple challenges at their workspaces

Govt's AI advisory leaves experts discontent and calls for clarity

The AI advisory needs to clearly distinguish between 'significant platforms' and startups or smaller companies

AI regulation: Govt needs to be more cautious about what it says and does

The Indian government is in the middle of a longer-term battle with big tech companies, especially those based in the US

Boost GI products as premium goods globally to boost exports: Experts

The government should promote GI (Geographical Indications) products like Kala namak, rice, and Nagpur oranges as premium offerings on the global stage to boost exports of these items as they hold huge potential in different countries, according to experts. They said that a key weakness of Indian GI products compared to similar international goods is the lack of strong marketing and global brand recognition. Many Indian GI products, despite their unique quality and cultural significance, are not as well-known internationally, Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) Founder Ajay Srivasatava said. He said that this is due to inadequate branding, promotional activities, and limited access to global markets. Additionally, issues related to consistent quality assurance and the efficient management of GI tags can also hinder the potential for Indian GI products to compete effectively on the international stage. "Strengthening these areas could significantly enhance the global presence a

Scrap 5% Customs duty on newsprint to manage operation cost: INS to govt

The Indian Newspaper Society has urged the government to scrap the five per cent Customs duty on newsprint to allow publishers to manage their operational costs more effectively. In a statement, the INS said a combination of factors affecting the price and availability of newsprint -- geopolitical uncertainties, logistics, rupee depreciation and Customs duty -- have created a formidable burden for publishers in the country. The escalations in the conflict in West Asia, as well as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, have significantly affected the global supply chain, including for newsprint, the organisation said in its statement issued here on Monday. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) urgently appealed to the government to reconsider the imposition of five per cent Customs duty on newsprint. "This measure, if withdrawn, would provide much-needed relief to the print media industry, allowing publishers to manage their operational costs more effectively and ensure the continued

Govt sets wheat procurement target of 30-32 mn tonnes for 2024-25 season

The government has fixed a conservative target of wheat procurement in the range of 30-32 million tonnes for the 2024-25 rabi marketing season, according to the food ministry. The lower target has been fixed despite the Ministry of Agriculture hoping for a record wheat production of 114-115 million tonnes in the 2023-24 crop year (July-June). The target was fixed after a deliberation with state food secretaries in a meeting chaired by Union Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra in the national capital on Wednesday. "After deliberations, the estimates for wheat procurement during the ensuing rabi marketing season of 2024-25 were fixed in the range of 30-32 million tonnes," the ministry said in a statement. Apart from wheat, the ministry has fixed a rabi paddy procurement target in terms of rice in the range of 9-10 million tonnes. The government has also set a procurement target of 6,00,000 tonnes for rabi coarse grains /millets (Shri Anna). In the meeting, the Centre has asked states and

Working with Indian govt over therapy for sickle cell anaemia: Bill Gates

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, in a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, said that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the government of India are working with the private sector to come up with a cost-effective therapy for sickle cell anaemia for the whole world."India has a sizeable disease burden; it is an even bigger challenge in Africa. Currently, the costs of available therapies are unaffordable--even for high-income countries like the US--and it might be an area for partnership between the foundation and the Government of India, working with the Indian private sector to come up with a cost-effective therapy for sickle cell anaemia for the whole world," Bill Gates said.He further said, "The foundation has been privileged to have a strong partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, working on a range of health priorities, including maternal and child health, anaemia, infectious diseases, including vaccine-preventable diseases, digital .

Govt's semiconductor strategy makes progress with $21 billion in proposals

Israel's Tower Semiconductor Ltd. is proposing a $9 billion plant, while India's Tata Group has put forward an $8 billion chip fabrication unit

Govt hopes to sell 1.5 mn tonnes each of 'Bharat' rice, atta in 4-5 months

The government hopes to sell 15 lakh tonnes each of FCI rice and wheat flour (atta) under the 'Bharat' brand in the next 4-5 months, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said on Thursday. The government is retailing Bharat atta and rice through three agencies -- National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (Nafed), National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) and Kendriya Bhandar. The government started retailing of 'Bharat Atta' since November last year, while sale of 'Bharat rice' commenced from February 6 in order to keep prices under check. State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) is providing the grains to these agencies for retail purposes. Briefing the media, the Secretary said, "after the introduction of Bharata atta, prices are stable in the market... We are thinking as it has an impact on atta, similarly Bharat rice will ensure moderation in prices." Bharat Rice sale quantity is low at present but it will pick up in the coming days, he

UPSC CSE 2024: Registration for prelims exams started on upsc.gov.in

The registration for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary exam 2024 has been started today, on February 14. The test will be held on May 26 and the application window will be open till March 5

India considering to extend parboiled rice tax in risk to world supply

Any such move could add to the rally in benchmark Asian rice prices, which are hovering near a 15-year high after India began restricting sales of key varieties in 2023

Govt appoints members for new finance panel to recommend on federal taxes

The panel will submit its report by Oct. 31, 2025 covering a period of five years commencing on April 1, 2026

Welfare schemes without discrimination true secularism, says PM Modi

Modi launched slew of development projects worth Rs 19,100 crore in Bulandshahr