Page 9 - Indian Government

Amidst war on DVC, Bengal Power secy Santanu Basu steps down from board

Amid a war of words between West Bengal government and Centre over release of water from reservoirs of Damodar Valley Corporation, state Power secretary Santanu Basu has stepped down from the Board of DVC, officials said on Sunday. The Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Waterways of West Bengal has also quit the Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC), they said. Basu in an email to DVC chairman on September 21 said "In view of the unprecedented and uncontrolled release of water by the DVC from its dam systems, leading to widespread inundation causing immense sufferings to the people in vast areas of the state, I do hereby tender my resignation as the member of state from the Board of DVC." State Information and Cultural Affairs Department in a statement on Sunday said "apart from the Power secretary, the Chief Engineer, Irrigation and Waterways, West Bengal, also resigned to voice protest on the same issue from Damodar Valley Reservoir Regulation Committee (DVRRC)." The

Govt approves sale of FSNL to Japan's Konoike Transport for Rs 320 cr

The government on Thursday approved the privatisation of Ferro Scrap Nigam Ltd (FSNL) to Japanese corporation Konoike Transport Co Ltd for Rs 320 crore. Under the Steel Ministry, FSNL is a 100 per cent subsidiary of MSTC Ltd. The government had received two technically qualified financial bids for the company. The Alternative Mechanism, comprising Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Steel Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, have approved the highest bid amounting to Rs 320 crore of Konoike Transport Co Ltd for sale of 100 per cent equity shareholding of MSTC Ltd in FSNL along with transfer of management control, a finance ministry statement said. The 320 crore bid was higher than the reserve price of Rs 262 crore set by the government on the basis of valuation carried out by the Transaction Adviser and Asset Valuer. The strategic sale of FSNL received two technically qualified financial bids. The bid submitted by Konoike Transport Co. Ltd at Rs 320 cr

Govt may allow more compute capacity based on requirement: IT secretary

The government may look at creating more "compute capacity" through viability gap funding after building high-tech capability under the Rs 10,372-crore India AI mission, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Thursday. Addressing a Deloitte India event, Krishnan said that India AI Mission has an outlay of about 10,372 crore of which more than Rs 4,500 crore is intended for compute capacity. "Later on, there is a possibility, and we will decide based on how much compute capacity actually gets created in the country. There is a possibility that we would actually support more compute capacity being created on the viability gap funding," Krishnan said. The government has invited bids for the empanelment of entities for providing artificial intelligence services on the cloud under the India AI mission. Under the IndiaAI Mission, supercomputing capacity, comprising over 10,000 GPUs, will be made available to various stakeholders for creating an artificial intelligence (AI) ...

India on way to becoming third-largest economy by FY31: S&P Global report

India is on track to becoming the third-largest economy by 2030-31, driven by a projected annual growth rate of 6.7 per cent this fiscal, S&P Global said in a report on Thursday. The report also said that with 8.2 per cent growth rate in FY2024, continued reforms are crucial to improving business transactions and logistics, boosting private sector investment, and reducing reliance on public capital. It said equity markets are expected to stay dynamic and competitive due to strong growth prospects and better regulation, and foreign inflows into Indian government bonds have surged since the country joined major emerging market indexes, with further growth anticipated. To maximize trade benefits, India must develop infrastructure and geopolitical strategies, particularly regarding its extensive coastline, said the first edition of 'India Forward: Emerging Perspectives' report. Nearly 90 per cent of India's trade is seaborne, necessitating robust port infrastructure to manage ...

Modi 3.0 100 days: Commerce ministry takes steps to support MSME exporters

The commerce ministry has taken a host of steps during the 100 days of the Modi 3.0 government for MSME exporters who are facing global challenges due to geo-political tensions. The measures included launching of 'Trade Connect e-Platform' to empower SMEs by giving them access to information and guidance on trade, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday. This platform will connect these enterprises to over six lakh IEC (import-export code) holders, 185 Indian Mission officials and over 600 Export Promotion Council members with the Department of Commerce. Briefing the media, Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal said that in the first 100 days, the ministry held meetings with exporters to understand their problems and find ways to resolve those issues. "This e-connect portal will provide all sorts of information to an exporter," he said adding for MSME and other exporters, this portal will become a single point by which they can explore new geographies for shipments. The secretary said t

Centre asks platform aggregators to register workers on e-Shram portal

The government has invited platform aggregators to register their gig workers on the e-Shram portal that could help them access various social security benefits. This registration is crucial to ensure workers' access to social welfare schemes, the Ministry of Labour and Employment in a statement said, adding that aggregators will help develop an accurate registry of beneficiaries. "The Ministry of Labour & Employment has taken another major step in extending social security benefits to gig and platform workers by inviting platform aggregators to register their workers on the e-Shram portal," it said. The e-Shram portal serves as a nationwide database of unorganised workers, designed to provide them with access to social security and welfare schemes. To guide the process, the statement said the ministry has issued an advisory with a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlining aggregator responsibilities, including registering workers and updating their data. Upon registration, ...

Infrastructure, agriculture key focus areas of 100 days of Modi 3.0

The BJP-led NDA government has approved infrastructure projects worth Rs 3 lakh crore, including linking 25,000 unconnected villages to road networks and building a mega port at Wadhawan in Maharashtra, during its first 100 days in office. Besides infrastructure, the focus of the government has also been on agriculture by increasing the minimum support price (MSP) for Kharif crops, removing of minimum export price (MEP) on onions and basmati rice and hiking the duty on the import of crude palm, soybean and sunflower oils. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office for the third consecutive term on June 9 this year. The thrust of the Modi government has been on providing stability on the policy front with a flexible approach to adopt certain changes to remove teething problems without diluting the original concept. A case in point is the Goods and Services Tax which has undergone 140 changes to reduce friction. The government approved the Wadhavan Mega Port in Maharashtra for Rs .

Govt notifies NaBFID as a public financial institution under Companies Act

The government has notified the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) as a public financial institution under the Companies Act. This will help the government fortify the nation's infrastructure finance structures. In a notification issued on September 10, the Corporate Affairs Ministry said that in exercise of the powers, Section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013, the Central Government, in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India, hereby notifies National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development as a "public financial institution". The move will enhance the bank's capacity to finance large-scale infrastructure projects, thereby bolstering the country's infrastructure development. NaBFID, a specialised Development Finance Institution (DFI), was set up in 2021, by an Act (The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act, 2021). The Bank was set up with the essential objectives of addressing the gaps in long-term non-recourse

PM E-DRIVE scheme to aid faster adoption of EVs in India: M&M, Tata Motors

Home-grown auto majors Mahindra & Mahindra and Tata Motors on Thursday hailed the PM e-drive scheme, saying it would help in higher adoption of electric vehicles in the country. On September 11, the Union Cabinet approved two major schemes with a total outlay of Rs 14,335 crore to promote the use of electric vehicles, including buses, ambulances and trucks. The two schemes are the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore over a period of two years, and the PM-eBus Sewa-Payment Security Mechanism (PSM) scheme with a budget of Rs 3,435 crore. "With continued focused support on 2Ws, 3Ws, e-buses and the thoughtful addition of e-ambulances, the scheme will drive higher EV penetration in the country," Mahindra & Mahindra Managing Director Anish Shah said in a statement. Investments laid out for fast charging infrastructure for all segments will help in increasing consumer confidence for faster adoption of ..

Cabinet approves Rs 12,461 cr support for 31,350 MW hydropower projects

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 12,461 crore outlay to support the development of 31,350 MW hydropower projects to be implemented over the next eight years. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Power for modification of the scheme of budgetary support for the cost of Enabling Infrastructure for Hydro Electric Projects (HEP) with a total outlay of Rs 12,461 crore, an official statement said. According to the statement, the scheme will be implemented from FY2024-25 to FY2031-32. The limit of the budgetary support for the cost of enabling infrastructure has been rationalised to Rs one crore/MW for projects up to 200 MW and Rs 200 crore plus Rs 0.75 crore per MW exceeding 200 MW, for projects above 200 MW.

Govt gives nod to Ayushman health insurance to all citizens aged 70, above

In a move that will benefit 4.5 crore families, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The coverage aims to benefit six crore senior citizens from 4.5 crore families with Rs five lakh free health insurance cover. Eligible beneficiaries will be issued a new distinct card under the scheme, the government said.

Standing, consultative committees of Parl to be constituted soon: Rijiju

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday asserted that department-related standing committees and consultative committees of Parliament will be constituted soon. His remarks come against the backdrop of certain opposition leaders questioning the delay in constituting standing committees, which scrutinise the functioning of Union ministries. Addressing an event of his ministry here, he said in the past too, the standing committees and consultative committees have been formed around September 15 and there was no delay. While a majority of the standing committees come under the Lok Sabha Secretariat, some are serviced by the Rajya Sabha. Department-related standing committees deal with various Union ministries and scrutinise their budgetary allocations and bills introduced in Parliament. They also recommend the government to bring bills and make policies on important issues. The consultative committees are chaired by the ministers in charge of their respective ministr

Govt dissolves Pronab Sen-led panel on statistics, cites 'overlap' in work

Formed in July 2023, the SCoS was supposed to advise the Union government on survey methodology, including sampling frame, sampling design, and survey instruments

DST NIDHI scheme led to over 1,200 tech-based products, 233 patents

A government initiative to promote knowledge-based and technology-driven innovation has led to the development of over 1,200 products and prototypes and generated 233 patents. The National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) of the Department of Science and Technology, supported 1,074 Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) who set up 571 companies which created 3,693 jobs, a report released by S&T Secretary Abhay Karandikar said. Since its inception in 2016, NIDHI has contributed to India's S&T entrepreneurial landscape and played a crucial role in nurturing technology startups, including a substantial proportion led by women entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) Programme is one of the programs introduced under NIDHI to inspire the best talents to be entrepreneurs, to minimise the risk involved in pursuing start-ups, and to partially set off their opportunity costs of high paying jobs. The NIDHI-EIR programme provides opportunities for innovative .

Centre asks states, UTs to report on security of doctors before Sep10

It comes after Supreme Court had directed on Aug 22 to hold meeting with secretaries and directors general of police so as to ensure that states, UTs put into place certain basic minimum requirements

Govt to amend CPSE capital restructuring guidelines for dividend payment

The government is working to amend its 2016 guidelines with regard to dividend payment, bonus issues and share buyback by CPSEs, officials said. The finance ministry had in May 2016, issued a comprehensive guidelines on 'Capital Restructuring of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)' in 2016 for efficient management of government investment in CPSEs. "With the CPSEs now more strong in terms of balance sheet and having improved on their market capitalisation, it is now time for a relook of the capital restructuring guidelines," an official told PTI. The amended guidelines are expected to be issued by the finance ministry this month, another official said. As per the capital restructuring guidelines issued, CPSEs that do not have plans to deploy their capital optimally for business purposes should have a professional look at the surplus funds available to them. As per the guidelines issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) in May 2016, every CPS

Let me finish term in RS, I'll write story set in Parliament: Sudha Murthy

Parliamentarian and author-philanthropist Sudha Murthy on Sunday said although she has read a book set in Parliament way back in the 1980s, about Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, since so much has changed about India and the Parliament since then, that she would not mind writing about it. "Although, I have to finish my term as a Rajya Sabha member first, before I could attempt to do that," said Murthy on Sunday. Murthy was in conversation with fellow author and actor Twinkle Khanna, at the celebration of the launch of her 300th book title and 46th book 'Grandpa's Bag of Stories' here. The event was organised by Bengaluru-based Lit Spirit Foundation. But in her immediate list of wishes is a book on 'shlokas' that her grandfather used to recite, she said. "Like the one my grandfather used to recite when someone went travelling or stepped out of the house," said Murthy. Murthy also said it is not likely that she will not set her stories in the United Kingdom, even though it is the place of

Govt asks public input on LGBTQI+ policies as new measures are implemented

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has sought inputs from stakeholders and the general public to ensure the inclusivity and effectiveness of policies related to the LGBTQI+ community. The government has initiated several measures aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community, following the Supreme Court's directive in October 2023 in the Supriya vs Union of India case. In compliance with the SC judgment, the government established a high-level committee chaired by the cabinet secretary to define and elucidate the scope of entitlements for the queer community, the ministry said in a statement. The L"lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and quee This committee, constituted in April 2024, includes key officials from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development and Health and Family Welfare, with the DoSJE secretary serving as the Member Convenor. The committee convened a meet

Centre decreases public grievances redressal time from 30 to 21 days

The Centre has reduced redressal time of public grievances, raised on a dedicated portal, to 21 days, from the existing 30 days. In an order mentioning revised guidelines, it has suggested appointment of dedicated officers to handle complaints besides emphasising "whole of the government approach. "This means that in no case grievance shall be closed by stating 'Does not pertain to this Ministry/Department/ Office' or its equivalent language. Efforts shall be made to transfer the same to the right authority if the subject of the grievance does not pertain to the receiving Ministry," said the order issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). In the ministries/departments where a large number of public grievances are received, it is advised to appoint a dedicated nodal officer with independent charge on sufficient rank so as to ensure timely and qualitative disposal of public grievances, it said. The order mentioning revised guidelines was issued

Cabinet may approve 12 new industrial cities to boost manufacturing

The Union cabinet is expected to approve this week 12 new industrial cities in different states on the lines of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and Dholera in Gujarat to boost domestic manufacturing, an official said. Out of the 12 industrial cities, two are coming up in Andhra Pradesh and one in Bihar, the official said. The government in the Budget has announced the development of 'plug and play' industrial parks in or near 100 cities in partnership with states and the private sector to boost manufacturing. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh earlier told PTI that eight such cities are already under different stages of implementation. Trunk infrastructure has been created in four cities - Dholera (Gujarat), Auric (Maharashtra), Vikram Udyogpuri (Madhya Pradesh) and Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and allotment of land plots is underway for the industry. Similarly, in the other four, the government's special purpose vehicl