Page 53 - Modi Govt

Congress attacks govt over Income Tax survey operation at BBC offices

The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at the government over the Income Tax survey operation at the BBC offices, saying while they are demanding a JPC on the Adani issue it is after the BBC. The Income Tax Department on Tuesday conducted a survey operation at the British Broadcasting Corporation's (BBC) offices in Delhi and Mumbai as part of a tax evasion investigation, officials said. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh also used a Hindi idiom to attack the government, saying "Vinash Kale, Vipreet Buddhi" (When doom approaches, a person's intellect works against his interest). "Here we are demanding JPC on the Adani issue but the government is after the BBC. Vinash Kale Viprit Buddhi," Ramesh said. As part of a survey, the Income Tax Department only covers the business premises of a company and does not raid residences and other locations of its promoters or directors.

Govt working on maximising net revenue from fisheries: Union fisheries secy

The top fisheries official added that appropriate technologies are crucial in maintaining sustainability in the marine fisheries sector of the country

BJP govt in UP has failed to come up with new projects in 6 years: Akhilesh

Amid the Global Investors Summit in Lucknow, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, alleging it has failed to come up with any new project in its six-year rule. In a statement, he alleged that the BJP dispensation is showcasing projects implemented by the erstwhile Samajwadi Party government during the summit. "The state government has restarted fountains and lights in Old Lucknow. Janeshwar Mishra Park is being opened round the clock. The river front is being decorated...," he said. Janeshwar Mishra Park and the Gomti river front were developed during the Samajwadi Party government. The statement further alleged that a solar plant inaugurated by then president has been shut due to a lack of budget. "JP International Centre in Lucknow is being damaged in the absence of care. The facilities could have been used to hold sessions of the investors summit," read the statement. The Samajwadi Party president alleged that the ..

'Does govt have hand in Adani's growth,' Congress' Venugopal attacks Centre

Amid the row over the Hindenburg-Adani issue Congress secretary KC Venugopal attacked the Centre and said people of the country need an answer whether the govt has hand in Adani Group's growth or not

Govt not doing enough to remove hurdles in agri exports, says Sharad Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar has slammed the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for not doing enough to remove hurdles in the export of fruits and vegetables. He was speaking to the media at an event in Sanpada in Navi Mumbai on Saturday. The Centre is not paying attention to issues being faced in the export of fruits and vegetables, which was distressing farmers, especially those growing onion, a crop that needs to be exported in order to fetch a good price domestically, Pawar said. He also flagged the increase in land acquisition for infrastructure projects like highways and expressways, rail routes and airports, all of which he claimed also put load on the agriculture sector. "The Centre must provide support for the modernisation of agriculture. The production of fruits and vegetables is on the rise but there are hurdles in its export, which the Centre is not paying attention to," he added.

Annual nuclear power generation stood at 35,333 mn units in 2021-22: Govt

In past India's nuclear installations were mostly confined to the South Indian States or in the west in Maharashtra and Gujarat, the Modi govt is also promoting its expansion to other parts of India

Almost all 100 cities under smart cities initiative doing fairly well: Govt

The government on Thursday said almost all 100 cities selected under the smart cities initiative are progressing "fairly well" with some facing a slowdown in work due to Covid and local factors. The Centre's assertion came in response to a question in Lok Sabha by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who asked about "discrepancies" in the implementation of the projects under the smart city programme. Tharoor cited a comparison between Varanasi with Atal Nagar in Chhattisgarh, saying while most projects are complete for the former, only a few had wrapped up for the latter. In response to the question during Question Hour, Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri said, "When you read facts and figures, you have to be careful." Sometimes, very little work is left for a project under construction to be completed but till the completion certificate comes, it will be shown as work under progress, Puri pointed out. "Almost all 100 cities are doing fairly well. In some due to the

Opposition wants Parliament to function but Modi govt afraid: Congress

Amid the logjam in Parliament over the Adani-Hindenburg issue, the Congress on Tuesday said the Opposition wants the two Houses to function but the government is "afraid" and isn't even allowing it to raise the demand for a JPC probe. The opposition party also alleged that the government is making "no effort" to break the logjam in Parliament. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against the Gautam Adani-led group, which has dismissed the allegations as lies. The Opposition has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe or a Supreme Court-monitored investigation into the allegations. "Today Opposition parties meet at 10 am to decide the day's strategy. No effort from the government to break the logjam caused by its refusal to allow Opposition to even raise its demand for a JPC into the PM-linked Adan

Union Budget a silent strike on poor by Modi govt, says Sonia Gandhi

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday said Union Budget 2023-24 is a "silent strike" on the poor by the Modi government and hits at the heart of all far-reaching rights-based legislation enacted during the UPA rule. In an opinion piece in The Indian Express, Gandhi also made an apparent reference to the allegations against the Adani Group, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his ministers are resorting to loud chants of 'vishwa guru' and 'Amrit Kaal', even as "financial scandals" erupt over his "favourite and favoured businessman". "The prime minister's policy to benefit his few rich friends at the expense of poor and middle-class Indians has led to continuous disasters from demonetisation to a badly-designed GST hurting small businesses, to the failed attempt to bring about the three farm laws and the subsequent neglect of agriculture," Gandhi alleged. "Destructive" privatisation has handed over priceless national assets to selected private hands cheaply, leading to

Govt to hike dearness allowance for 10 mn employees, pensioners to 42%

The central government is likely to increase dearness allowance (DA) for its over one crore employees and pensioners by four percentage points to 42 per cent from existing 38 per cent as per the agreed formula for the purpose. The dearness allowance for employees and pensioners are worked out on the basis of the latest Consumer Price Index for Industrial Workers (CPI-IW) brought out by the Labour Bureau every month. The Labour Bureau is a wing of the Labour Ministry. Talking to PTI, All India Railwaymen Federation, General Secretary, Shiva Gopal Mishra said, "The CPI-IW for December 2022 was released on January 31, 2023. The dearness allowance hike works out to be 4.23 per cent. But the government does not factor in hiking DA beyond decimal point. Thus DA is likely to be increased by four percentage points to 42 per cent." He further explained that the expenditure department of the Finance Ministry will formulate a proposal to hike DA along with its revenue implication and will put

'Modi critics weaving a dismal picture', says BJP leader Prakash Javadekar

BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Sunday denied the allegations raised by opposition parties, including the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala, that non-BJP states were discriminated against in fund allocation, and said critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi were "weaving a dismal picture". He said even though the country has "achieved remarkable progress" in all vital sectors, the Congress and Communists were making "concerted efforts to project India as a loser". Speaking at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL 2023), Javadekar accused the critics of Prime Minister Modi of spreading a false narrative on India's democracy and federalism. "Those who are peddling in falsehood should remember that lies have no life. You can tell lies, once, twice or thrice. But a lie has no life," Javadekar said. He said India is a vibrant democracy and all the fundamentals of the system are strong and safe. "We believe in the prosperity of all. We love and respect each other. Citizens are n

Modi, govt cannot hide from questions saying Hum Adani Ke Hain Kaun: Cong

The Congress on Sunday stepped up its attack on the Centre over allegations against the Adani group, alleging that the Modi government's "loud silence" over the issue "smacks of collusion". Adani group stocks have taken a beating on the bourses after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation at the Gautam Adani-led group. In a statement, Congress General Secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said that starting Sunday the Congress will pose three questions a day to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue. He said that amid the allegations against the Adani Group, the Modi government has maintained a "loud silence which smacks of collusion". Ramesh said that in a response to the Panama Papers expose on April 4, 2016, the Ministry of Finance had announced that Modi had personally directed a multi-agency investigative group to monitor financial flows to and from offshore tax ...

Prime Minister Modi pays tributes to Sant Ravidas on birth anniversary

Sant Ravidas belonged to the bhakti movement during the 15th to 16th century and his hymns are included in the Guru Granth Sahib

PM Modi to virtually address participants of Jaipur Mahakhel today

Jaipur Mahakhel has been organised in Jaipur by Lok Sabha MP from Jaipur Rural, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore since 2017

PM to inaugurate HAL's new helicopter manufacturing factory in Karnataka

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Tumakuru Industrial Township

Modi govt goes the extra mile to woo tribal population ahead of polls

The moves in the budget are just the latest in a string of efforts that have been employed by the BJP for quite a while

Govt doesn't want discussion on issues it feels would embarrass it: Tharoor

The Narendra Modi dispensation has been "stalling" the Opposition's demand for discussions on every issue which it feels would embarrass it, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor alleged Friday, slamming the government for "not allowing" discussion in Parliament on Adani Group stock rout. Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Friday due to protests by opposition members demanding a probe by a joint parliamentary committee into the fraud-allegation-triggered rout in Adani Group company stocks. The Thiruvananthapuram MP said Parliament is a place to discuss issues facing the nation so that people can see "the concerns of the MPs and what the MPs are focussing on". "Sadly, however, our government doesn't see the merit of it. So they are stalling (discussions). As a result, now we have lost two days," he charged. "All the opposition parties unitedly want to discuss this (Adani Group issue) extremely important issue as it affects the citizens of this country. They believe that this is

Budget session: Oppn gives Suspension of Business Notice for both Houses

On Friday, there will be a meeting of the leaders of opposition parties in the chamber of Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament

Centre reviews supply of atta at Rs 29.50 through Open Market Sale Scheme

These institutions agreed to supply Atta at Rs. 29.50 per kg, which is to be named as "Bharat Atta" or "any other suitable name" with bold mention of the MRP of Rs. 29.50 per Kg

PM Modi to discuss govt's strategy in Parliament with Union Ministers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with Union Ministers to discuss government strategy in Parliament on Thursday.Among the ministers who were present at the meeting include Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju.The Opposition like-minded parties also held a meeting in the Parliament to chalk out their strategy for the day.Various parties including Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction), and Aam Aadmi Party among others.Some of the Opposition MPs have demanded a discussion on the Hindenburg report against Adani Enterprises.A number of Opposition leaders have given a suspension of business notices to both Houses of Parliament demanding a discussion on the Hindenburg report against Adani ...