Budget 2018-19

  The NDPS (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by a voice vote and some amendments moved by opposition members were rejected Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to rectify errors that had crept into the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Act with Finance Minister  Nirmala Sitharaman  asserting that the retrospective provision made in the bill was not substantive in nature. The NDPS (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by a voice vote and some amendments moved by opposition members were rejected by the House. Responding to concerns raised by members that the provision for implementing the law with retrospective effect was in violation of Article 20 (1) of the Constitution, Sitharaman said according to the opinion of the Solicitor General, the amendment could be permitted as it was not substantive, but clarificatory in nature. She said the retrospective amendment was allowed as the government did not want to create a new law but only correct a mistake… Read Mor...

  Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister   Sachin Pilot   will reach Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh by road via the Ghazipur border on Wednesday, party sources said here. Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot will reach Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh by road via the Ghazipur border on Wednesday, party sources said here. He will land at the Delhi airport and head to Sitapur from there, they added. He also has plans to go to Lakhimpur Kheri, where four farmers were killed in violence that erupted during a protest on Sunday, the sources said. AICC general secretary  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra  has been in detention in Sitapur since Monday. “Pilot is leaving Jaipur shortly,” the party sources said…

  Agriculture is India’s real strength, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday, adding the government intends to diversify it into the energy and power sector Agriculture is India’s real strength, said Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways  Nitin Gadkari  on Wednesday, adding the government intends to diversify it into the energy and power sector. “India’s fuel energy security can be well supported by Agriculture as it provides opportunities for concepts such as waste to wealth and waste to energy and ultimately leading to the benefit of all,” said Gadkari while virtually addressing Bio-Energy Summit 2021 ‘Farm-2-Fuel: Sustainable Bioenergy Solutions for Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. The Minister said these targets will be achieved through a five-phased strategy which includes adopting biofuels and renewables, implementing energy efficiency norms, improving refinery processes, increasing domestic production and achieving demand sub...

  International community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that were not immediately available in the country, the govt said International community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that were not immediately available in the country during the second wave of COVID-19 and material from 52 countries have been received till date, the government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said in a written reply that India has imported 31.5 lakh units of Sputnik Component 1 and 4.5 lakh units of Sputnik Component 2 vaccine till date. “During the unprecedented crisis of the second wave of COVID pandemic, the International community came forward with offers of solidarity and assistance for specific medicines and equipment that weren’t immediately available in country till such time our own domestic production improved,” he said. ...

  Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday announced a special package for the setting up of medical oxygen production plants with various incentives and facilities To prevent high number of casualties from Covid-19, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday announced a special package for the setting up of medical oxygen production plants with various incentives and facilities. According to the official release, the decision is aimed to overcome the medical oxygen shortage caused by the COVID-19 epidemic in the state. To get the advantage of the package, an investment of Rs 1 crore will be required and the plant will have to generate oxygen by September 30, 2021. “Under the package, these entrepreneurs will be exempted from the regulatory approvals and inspections for three years as per the provisions of the MSME Act, 2019,” the release reads. The state government will also help in getting necessary approvals from the central government, and an early connection of...

  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked all Ayush practitioners to join the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has asked all Ayush practitioners to join the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. In a virtual interaction with Ayush practitioners, late on Thursday evening, Yogi Adityanath said that they should provide treatment to Covid patients. Ayush doctors have been asked to coordinate with local administration and the Integrated Command and Control Centre to create awareness and offer treatment. “There are currently 2.52 lakh people in home isolation and doctors of Ayush, homeopathy and Unani should be given access to them to give them consultation. The Ayush department should distribute kadha in every home,” the Chief Minister said. He further said that a team comprising Ayush, Homeopathy and Unani doctors should be set up in each district and this team should give advice on health to people. They should also be link...

  ‘Indian Railways will never be privatised. It is a property of every Indian and will remain so,’ the minister said Railways Minister  Piyush Goyal  on Tuesday asserted that Indian Railways will never be privatised but said private investment should be encouraged for more efficient functioning.Replying to a discussion on Demands for Grants for Railways, Goyal said there has been no death of any passenger due to a rail accident in two years and the railways has been putting enormous focus on passenger safety. He said the country can progress towards high growth and create more employment opportunities only when the public and private sectors work together.”Indian Railways will never be privatised. It is a property of every Indian and will remain so,” the minister said, adding that it will remain with the government of India.Goyal said the Modi government has hiked investment in railways to Rs 2.15 lakh crore in 2021-22 fiscal, from Rs 1.5 lakh crore in 2019-20 fiscal. “We...

  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the coronavirus crisis is yet to be over and the laid down protocol should be followed to prevent it. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said the coronavirus crisis is yet to be over and the laid down protocol should be followed to prevent it. A UP government spokesperson said Adityanath, while reviewing the COVID-19 management and steps towards preventing its infection, said, “The corona crisis is yet to be over. Hence it should be ensured that every precaution is taken and the laid down protocol is adhered to.” He directed all the district magistrates to hold meetings at the integrated command and control centres and COVID hospitals in the mornings and evenings. Directions were also issued for operation of the COVID help desk. Adityanath also said the vaccination drive should be accelerated and the public should be made aware of its benefits…

  Rahul Gandhi to lead Congress MPs’ protest march against farm laws “Rahul Gandhi along with Opposition leaders met President and submitted the memorandum to resolve farmers’ issue. But there was no action from the President and the government. Rahul Gandhi will lead a demonstration tomorrow at 10:45 am from Vijay Chowk to Rashtrapati Bhavan with Congress MPs,” Congress MP K Suresh told ANI on Wednesday. After that, he and other senior leaders will meet the President of India and submit a memorandum containing 2 crore signatures for his intervention to resolve the farmers’ agitation, he added. Farmers are protesting at the borders of Delhi since November 26 against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020; and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. The Central government on Sunday invited farmer leaders for a fresh round of talks amid a...

  Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister urging him to direct Finance Ministry for early approval of loan for the long-pending Rajiv Gandhi lift canal phase III project Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct the Finance Ministry for early approval of loan for the long-pending Rajiv Gandhi lift canal phase III project, an official statement said. The Rajasthan government has started efforts to get early loans for the project for the supply of clean drinking water to five cities and 2,104 villages in the western region of the state. Gehlot also urged the prime minister to direct Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to get a loan of Rs 1163.2 crore approved soon, it said. In the letter, he wrote that the  Rajiv Gandhi lift canal project  needs to be executed quickly for the supply of clean drinking water in the cities of Jodhpur, Phalodi, Bilara, Pipar City and Samdari in the desert region and 2,...