Page 4 - National Democratic Alliance

Limit chemical fertiliser use, promote organic farming: Ramnath Thakur

Union Minister Ramnath Thakur said on Saturday that the Centre is focusing on limiting the use of chemical fertilisers in agriculture and promoting organic farming, especially in the northeastern states. He maintained that budgetary allocation for the agriculture sector has increased manifold under the BJP-led NDA government, with special attention on minimising problems faced by farmers. Addressing a press conference on the provisions of Union Budget 2024-25, Thakur said, You must have seen in media that two states have been given special attention in this Budget Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. But our Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ji has already clarified that not just two states, allocations have been made for all states across sectors, be it railways, health, agriculture or other." The Union budget had been prepared under the guidance of the prime minister, after taking into account the problems faced by different states, he said. In the agriculture sector, where the use of ..

MP Kangana Ranaut asks if CISF jawans on duty are monitored; govt responds

Kangana Ranaut assault case: Web-based personal information system is maintained for each CISF personnel, Union minister Murlidhar Mohol told the Lok Sabha

Congress govt in Telangana presents Rs 2.91 tn Budget; major announcements

The government spent Rs 34,579 crore on various schemes from December until now, said Telangana finance minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka

Can we bank on the Budget?

With the structural change in the ruling National Democratic Alliance, will the government be able to move on the bank privatisation front in this Budget?

Bihar CM should 'strike', he's in position to get it done, says Congress

The Congress on Monday sought to know what Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is doing about the demand for special category status for the state and asserted that "he should strike" as he is in a position to get this done now. The opposition party's remarks come after Bihar ministers claimed that the latest report of NITI Aayog's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) India Index 2023-24 vindicated the state's long-standing demand for greater central financial assistance. On July 12, NITI Aayog released the SDG India Index 2023-24 -- an assessment of the country's sustainable development. Bihar has figured at the bottom of the index despite improvements on some parameters. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said senior ministers in Bihar are now arguing that NITI Aayog's latest analysis vindicates their demand for special category status in the matter of Central assistance to the state. "Basically this would mean that instead of 70 per cent of such ...

Highlights of the day: My aim is to make Mumbai a global fintech capital, says PM Modi

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Assembly bypolls results: INDIA bloc candidates lead in 11 of 13 seats

Candidates of INDIA bloc parties -- Congress, AAP, TMC and DMK -- on Saturday were leading in 11 of the 13 assembly seats where bypolls were held earlier this week, according to the counting trends on the Election Commission (EC) website. While the BJP was in the lead in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur, its partner in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the JD(U), was leading in Rupauli in Bihar. Voting for the bypolls in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Tamil Nadu were held on Wednesday. In Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Jalandhar West assembly bypoll candidate Mohinder Bhagat appears to be heading for a victory from the seat as he was leading by more than 23,000 votes against his nearest rival and Congress nominee Surinder Kaur, according to the EC. Trinamool Congress (TMC) candidates Krishna Kalyani, Mukut Nami Adhikari, Madhuparna Tahkur and Supti Pandey are in the lead in assembly bypolls in Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda and ...

New government, new homes: Ministers compete for Delhi's top addresses

Some ministers of the new government reportedly visited Lutyens' Delhi bungalows before formally submitting their requests to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

PM Modi faces Budget pressure as Nitish Kumar seeks Rs 30,000 crore aid

Modi's biggest ally in the coalition - N Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party - has already made a request for more than $12 billion in aid over the next few years for Andhra Pradesh

CM Naidu scheduled to meet PM Modi, likely to discuss funds for Amaravati

Sources in the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) underlined that it was Naidu's first visit to the national capital after taking oath as the Andhra chief minister last month

With four more bridge collapses in a day, Bihar tally touches 10 in 2 weeks

Four bridges collapsed within 24 hours in Bihar on July 3, marking the tenth such event in the state over the past 15 days. Here is why the bridges aren't able to stand tall in bad weather

BJP-led Centre constitutes 8 Cabinet committees; allies find space too

Composition of Cabinet Committee on Security remains unchanged

Rahul Gandhi enjoyed power without liability so far: Anurag Thakur in LS

BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Monday listed out various economic achievements of the NDA government in the last 10 years and took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying he was enjoying power without responsibility till he became the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Initiating the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on President's Address, Thakur said the Lok Sabha elections have kept those against the Constitution in the Opposition benches for the third time. While congratulating Gandhi on becoming the Leader of Opposition, Thakur said the Congress leader now has power with responsibility and "absentee landlordism will not work". For the last many years, Gandhi was enjoying power without responsibility, Thakur said and asserted that it was an "agnipariksha" for the Congress leader now. "Will he sit in Lok Sabha all day?... he is not there (even) now," the BJP leader remarked. Gandhi was not in the House when Thakur made the remarks and there were protests from the Opposition ...

Not just China, all PLI-led visas being fast-tracked: Piyush Goyal

On 100-day agenda, Goyal said the commerce department and DPIIT were still working on it and it was a "work in progress"

JD(U) names Sanjay Jha working prez, seeks special package for Bihar

The JD(U) appointed its Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Jha as working president on Saturday. The decision was taken at a meeting of its national executive where the party reiterated its demand for special category status for Bihar, while adding that the Centre could also consider an alternative in a special package, its senior leader Neeraj Kumar said. The BJP ally also demanded stringent action against culprits in exam paper leak cases and called for a strong law to rule out such incidents in the future. The decision to appoint Jha as working president is significant since he is known to have a good equation with the BJP leadership. He is also the party's leader in the Rajya Sabha. Party sources said Jha was well-suited to draw a good deal from the BJP and maintain a friendly relationship between the two parties, which have a history of bumpy ties. Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, Union ministers Lalan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, and other senior leaders from aro

NDA candidate Om Birla elected as Lok Sabha Speaker for second time

'Your sweet smile keeps the entire House happy,' Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, congratulating Om Birla on his appointment, passed through voice votes

LS Speaker poll: Om Birla vs K Suresh - a fight for dominance. Key updates

After the Opposition INDIA bloc put forth Kodikunnil Suresh as its candidate for Lok Sabha Speaker post against NDA's Om Birla, the Lower House is poised for an election after decades

LS set for first Speaker seat contest since 1976; NDA fields Om Birla

The INDIA bloc, in turn, pointed to the convention that the Opposition should be given the post of Deputy Speaker

LS Speaker election: BJP begins consultations, Oppn too weighs options

The BJP has begun consultations with its allies on the ruling NDA's candidate for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post while the opposition INDIA bloc is considering its options and may force a contest to score political points, sources said on Monday, a day before the filing of nomination for the key position. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which enjoys a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, gave little indication about its choice as it weighs its options and looks to deny the opposition any opportunity to mount a political attack. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and Union minister K Rammohan Naidu told reporters that the alliance's leaders, including his party's president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, will take a decision on the matter, adding that no final decision has been conveyed to them yet. A leader of another BJP ally said on the condition of anonymity that the BJP leadership has held consultations with him. He declined to discuss the details. With th

Lok Sabha session: People want substance not slogans, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said people have given his government mandate for a third consecutive term and have put a stamp of approval on its policies and intentions. He also said that the 18th Lok Sabha begins on Monday with a resolve of building a 'Shreshtha Bharat' and 'Viksit Bharat'. Addressing the media in Parliament complex at the beginning of the first session of the new Lok Sabha, PM Modi asserted that his government will take everyone along in fulfilling the aspirations of the people. Modi also noted that Emergency's 50th anniversary falls on June 25, and described it as a "black spot" on India's democracy when Constitution was discarded. Welcoming new MPs, he said the 18th Lok Sabha commences with a dream of building a developed India by 2047. People expect good steps from the opposition but it has been disappointing so far, he said while expressing hope that it will fulfil its role and maintain democracy's decorum. India needs a responsible opposition and