The current census process leaves no scope for duplication, C Chandramouli, registrar general and Census commissioner, tells Saubhadro Chatterji
However, storage capacity way behind even present public distribution system procurement need.
Delhi may become the first state to move to direct cash pay-outs of subsidies on kerosene sold through the public distribution system (PDS). The petroleum ministry said it has "welcomed" a proposal to this effect from the Planning Commission, which acted on a plan suggested by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
"For 2010-11 and beyond, the Kirit Parikh report will be the benchmark. The report is being studied.These decisions are politically sensitive issues and have to be sustained over a period of time," Petroleum Secretary S Sundareshan told Business Standard. "It is impossible to insulate the Indian consumer against the movement in international oil prices."
If the finance ministry finally allows the railways to expand its list of goods exempted from the service tax ambit, instead of a complete rollback to the 10 per cent service tax imposed on frieght movement, it could come as a reprieve for Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Expanding its commitment to provide subsidised foodgrain to the poor, the Manmohan Singh government is looking at a host of social sector initiatives along with its soon-to-be-unveiled Food Security Bill.
'Prices can be adjusted now. The government can even temporarily cut taxes'.
According to railway ministry sources, Banerjee is in a hurry to start the train services she had announced in her Budget in July last year.
The first cargo of 25,000 tonnes of Euro-IV grade diesel from RIL's refinery at Jamnagar was shipped by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd on Friday, said an informed source. This is also the first coastal supply of Euro-IV diesel for the Indian market.
Retail prices of sugar dipped 6 per cent after the government announced a slew of measures on January 13. Prices of grain and pulses have remained unchanged.
After the infrastructure sector, the public-private partnership model will be extended to rural job generation as well.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has asked Communications Minister Andimuthu Raja to complete the auction of the third generation (3G) spectrum within the agreed deadline (February 15), so that the revenue from it can be reflected in the Union Budget for 2009-10. Mukherjee had earmarked Rs 30,000 crore as revenue from 3G auction, which has already been delayed by a year, in the Budget.
The Budget is likely to implement the Congress's poll promise of a Food Security Bill, apart from increasing funds for schemes under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, earlier known as NREGA.
New government policy on biofuels may consider financial incentives. Indian Oil Corporation, the country's biggest oil marketing company, is looking to acquire 50,000 hectares of wasteland in Uttar Pradesh for plantation of non-edible oilseeds, such as jatropha and karanjia, that are used for biodiesel production.
Under political pressure, the Centre had to drop a proposal which made the state government pay for the difference between the fair and remunerative price fixed by the Union government, and the state advisory rate.
Industry experts say that even though international companies face problems in setting up new projects on their own, given the problems associated with acquiring land and rehabilitating the displaced people, their keenness to become a part of the growing Indian market remains intact.
The sugar industry is all set to challenge the recent amendment to the Essential Commodities Act, which seeks to introduce a fair and remunerative price (FRP) for sugarcane, besides absolving the government of a Rs 14,000-crore levy price obligation arising out of several court rulings.
The Congress top brass late Thursday night assured its agitating legislators of Andhra Pradesh that "no whip" will be issued to vote in favour of a separate statehood resolution, if and when it comes in the Assembly.
It not only wants the ministry of petroleum and natural gas to rework the under-recovery figure for the current year but has also decided to look at the issue of oil subsidies only in February 2010, when the next Budget will be announced.
They want more cash, forex, higher bond coupons and increase in market prices for petrol, diesel, LPG.
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