Some projects under the Smart Cities Mission would not be able to meet the June 30 deadline and the respective state governments would be responsible for completing them thereafter, Union Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary told the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs. In its report on the …
New Delhi Despite deficient monsoon rains, the country’s foodgrain output this year is likely to surpass that of the 2009 drought year, the government said on Thursday. Monsoon rains have been 15% deficient between June 1 and August 1, and four states — Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra — are …
Prime Minister’s adviser TKA Nair met coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to discuss on how the government should deal with the fallout of the CAG reports on coal block allocation, after they are tabled in Parliament on Thursday. The meeting on Tuesday is understood to have fine-tuned Jaiswal’s response to both …
Report on Companies Bill tabled in the Lok Sabha also wants clearer definition of private placement A parliamentary panel has asked the government to make corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending mandatory for companies above a certain threshold. It also wanted the government to clearly define in the Companies Bill the …
New Delhi The Delhi government is drafting a new legislation that will provide a one-time amnesty to several illegal constructions, currently exempt from demolition on a temporary basis. The Union government had cleared a special legislation in 2006, offering amnesty to thousands of illegal constructions that were in line to …
The highways ministry is planning to set up a corporation for building Greenfield expressways across the country. The move comes after the ministry shelved its earlier plan of floating an autonomous authority on the lines of NHAI. Government sources said that the idea of corporation has found the favour since …
A house panel, headed by BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, said that the new Companies Bill should be modified to ensure that companies spend 2 % of their profits on CSR activities in and around the area where they operate. Besides, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance, has also sought that …
Environmentalists have called for stopping all field trials of genetically (GM) modified crops and a wider public debate on the issue. They welcomed the 492-page report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture, headed by CPI(M) member Basudeb Acharia which raised a red flag on GM crops. The 31-member panel …
The government has decided not to reconstitute the Group of Ministers (GoM) which was formed to evolve a consensus on opening up of coal sector for commercial mining. The group was being headed by former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee. “The Cabinet Secretariat has said that the GoM (constituted to obtain …
The food ministry has submitted a ‘Plan B’ for the proposed Food Security Bill to the parliamentary standing committee for consideration after getting clearance from the prime minister, a source in the food ministry said. The new plan will provide food to a larger crosssection of population than originally thought. …
A Parliamentary Panel has pointed out serious lapses (some dating as far back as the Gujarat earthquake of 1991) in monetary help for undertaking rehabilitation work and providing relief to people affected by severe natural calamities, in this case the MPLADS funds, lying unutilised with some states despite several reminders. …
‘Probe how Bt brinjal seed was allowed to be commercialised’ In a major setback to the proponents of genetically modified technology in farm crops, the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture on Thursday asked the government to stop all field trials and sought a bar on GM food crops (such as Bt. …
NO GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD Standing committee orders probe into Bt Brinjal row; says proper tests not conducted before introduction, ‘collusion of worst kind’ Aparliamentary panel has recommended a thorough probe into the controversy surrounding Bt Brinjal and indicated the approval committee was under tremendous pressure from the “industry and a …
A Parliamentary panel Thursday recommended a thorough probe into the controversy surrounding the approval given to Bt Brinjal and its subsequent withdrawal, saying it had found indications that the industry, a minister and the regulator for genetically engineered substances had colluded to push it in India. The Genetic Engineering Approval …
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has come down heavily against the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in the country. The Committee, which took almost three years to complete its report on the controversial issue, concluded that GM crops, particularly Bt cotton, had not helped farmers. The Committee, headed …
In what will prove to be an explosive day in the ongoing Parliament session, the government is likely to table three controversial audits reports on allocation of coal blocks, diversion of excess coal from Sasan power project and on Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) next week. While finance ministry sources …
Digitisation of land records, mutations & maps to be done by 2017 so that individuals can become conclusive owners of property A bill will be brought in the next session of Parliament to guide states in completion of digitisation of land records, mutations and maps by 2017 so that individuals …
The changes are aimed at boosting industrial growth, which had suffered considerably because of the enormity of challenges associated with acquiring land. The changes are aimed at boosting industrial growth, which had suffered considerably because of the enormity of challenges associated with acquiring land. NEW DELHI: The government has made …
To allow states to acquire land for certain public-private partnership projects The government is likely to stand firm on its proposal to allow states to acquire land for certain public-private partnership (PPP) projects and private projects in the land acquisition bill. The cabinet will consider later this month the revised …
It will have guiding principles on laws States may adopt In a move that will have far-reaching implications, the Centre has decided to frame a new National Water Framework Act with guiding principles on water laws the States may adopt. States that adopt and reform will be incentivised for water …
THE UPA government’s Food Security Bill (FSB) has managed to draw flak from almost every quarter, starting with agencies within the government led by the Minister of Agriculture himself, followed by several experts and public interest groups. This controversial law originates from the National Advisory Council which has drafted it …
