Nearly 65% of adults in the Arab region remain excluded from formal financial systems, according to a new report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The Annual SDG Review 2025 paints a sobering picture of persistent financial exclusion that is undermining the region’s ability …
The Supreme Court order is unlikely to bring any big relief to metal and mining companies. With the global markets in the grip of a slowdown, export of iron ore from the country has already hit an all-time low level of 18 million tonne in 2012-13 and any increase in …
The government was all for creating a viable and competitive domestic production base and incentivise use of clean energy in the country, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said at the fourth Clean Energy Ministerial here on Wednesday. Efforts were on to encourage domestic production and usage. …
BHOPAL: Union government continues to short-change gas victims and favour interests of Dow Chemical Company (Dow), alleged NGOs working for the Bhopal gas victims, realising a new set of documents from WikiLeaks 'Kissinger Cables' at a press conference here on Wednesday. Citing extracts from leaked cables the activists said union …
The Planning Commission has recommended switching to the international pricing formula for natural gas — which presently works out to $14.5 per MBTU, almost three times more than the present price of $4.2 mBtu (per million British thermal unit) — by the beginning of the 13th Plan (2017-22). This is …
Energy department has urged bulk power purchaser Gridco & Ipicol to study similar policies of other states Coming under a veiled attack from independent power producers (IPPs) due to its demand for free power, the Odisha government has now decided to scrutinize policies of other states before taking any final …
The government is gearing up for the next big leap under the Direct Cash Transfer (DCT) scheme to bring a huge number of nearly 14 crore LPG consumers under its ambit. The scheme, which is likely to be launched from July 1, is aimed at directly putting the subsidy component …
The Annual Plan for Himachal Pradesh for 2013-14 was finalised at Rs. 4,100 crore at a meeting here on Wednesday between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. The Plan size for the current fiscal is almost 11 per cent higher than the Rs. 3,700-crore …
Recognizing that the plethora of dams built and planned in the Ganga basin could almost empty the river of its waters in the winter season, an inter-ministerial group has recommended that the projects be re-engineered to maintain 30-50% of water flow in the lean period of December-March. The group, headed …
The annual plan of the state for 2013-14 has been finalised at Rs 4,100 crore, which is Rs 400 crore more than the last year’s plan. The plan was given its final shape during a meeting between Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, at …
Montek lauds proposal to set up separate capital development fund Kerala’s annual Plan for 2013-14 has been fixed at Rs.17,000 crore, which is 21 per cent higher than that for the year 2012-13. This was decided at a meeting held by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and his team with …
Says river’s catchment area is fragile and falls under Zone V seismic belt Citing the fragility and seismic nature of the Yamuna catchment as one of the reasons for not going ahead with the construction of dams, a Delhi-based non-government organisation, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan, has written to the Planning Commission …
New Delhi: The government doesn’t want to be legally obliged to provide subsidized rations to the poor — under the National Food Security Bill — when they need them most such as during droughts, floods, fire, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural calamities. In the proposed bill, the government has inserted …
Aid Not Extended To Gosikhurd Dam Plan In Bhandara Mumbai: In a face-saver for the Maharashtra government, the Centre on Thursday released Rs 270 crore for 10 irrigation projects in the state under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP). But significantly, the Gosikhurd project in Bhandara district near Nagpur—the largest …
The Annual Plan for Rajasthan for 2013-14 was finalised at Rs.40,500 crore at a meeting here on Wednesday between Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. At this level, the Plan size for the new fiscal beginning April 1 is almost 21 per cent higher …
Central Fund Scaled Down By 100cr Ahmedabad: The lion’s share of conversation funds in the country are meant only for the tiger. For the Asiatic lion, found only in Gujarat, the central government seems to have only peanuts. The Planning Commission has asked the Gujarat government to slash its project …
As many as 47 real estate projects, mostly residential, have been stalled in Mumbai over the last 12 months for failing to adhere to a Union environment ministry office notification that links the height of a building to the width of the road on which it is located, and to …
Punjab continues to paint a grim picture so far as the growth rate of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is concerned. Among the big non-special category states, Punjab is a laggard. Though against the growth rate target of 5.9 per cent, fixed for the state in the 11th Five-year …
Project marks CIL's foray into power sector, will take proposal to board in few months Barely a week after Finance Minister P Chidambaram proposed a public-private partnership (PPP) model in coal, Australian mining major NRW has evinced interest in the same, according to sources. NRW is one of the leading …
As the Congress-led Centre braces itself for its ambitious National Food Security Bill whose revised version is slated to be placed during this Parliament session between March 19 and 21, activists of the Right to Food Campaign have announced a fresh round of demonstrations to push for universal comprehensive food …
About 30% of people in India were below the poverty line in 2009-10 that was based on the monthly per capita consumption expenditure (MPCE) of R673 for rural areas and R860 for urban areas, Parliament was informed today. “As per the latest available information, the poverty line at all India …
