News for 'Centre for Public Interest'

'Centre can't abdicate its responsibility'

'Centre can't abdicate its responsibility'

Rediff.com24 Apr 2023

'The Centre and state need to take a unified approach and take concerted action before this matter assumes menacing proportions because unemployment, the drug trade and the levels of frustration among the youth make them vulnerable to any maverick who promises something better.'

'Judgment Is A Constitutional Earthquake'

'Judgment Is A Constitutional Earthquake'

Rediff.com21 Nov 2024

'It has changed the political character of India by ejecting socialism as an ideology from the Constitution of India.'

Munambam: The Politics Of Waqf Land

Munambam: The Politics Of Waqf Land

Rediff.com27 Nov 2024

The specter of how the Munambam issue was exploited during the November by-elections is proof of the price Kerala is paying for its emergent politics. Controversies become the stuff of slow-burn and brinkmanship. The former promises mileage; the latter searches for an advantage, notes Shyam G Menon.

Govt saved Rs 10,000 crore in interest costs in FY22

Govt saved Rs 10,000 crore in interest costs in FY22

Rediff.com9 Jun 2022

Union finance secretary T V Somanathan recently said the Centre had saved Rs 10,000 crore in FY22 on interest payments after adopting new accounting mechanisms for central government agencies and centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) for state governments. Speaking at an event, Somanathan said due to these, there was an unspent balance of Rs 1.2 trillion with state agencies from CSS as on March 31, 2022. This means this amount will be reduced from the Centre's borrowing for now and it can be considered a short-term saving for the exchequer.

Indexation, A Plot Twist For Homebuyers

Indexation, A Plot Twist For Homebuyers

Rediff.com24 Jul 2024

The finance minister clarified that indexation benefits offered until April 1, 2001 would be protected. This means older properties, including legacy assets, would benefit.

Relief for patients as court strikes down Centre's ban on 344 drugs

Relief for patients as court strikes down Centre's ban on 344 drugs

Rediff.com1 Dec 2016

Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw allowed 454 petitions moved by various pharma and healthcare majors, like Pfizer, Glenmark, Procter and Gamble and Cipla, challenging the government's March 10 notification banning the FDCs, saying the decision was taken by the Centre without following procedure prescribed in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

SC seeks Govt's view on making Radia tapes public

SC seeks Govt's view on making Radia tapes public

Rediff.com24 Jan 2011

The Supreme Court sought the Centre's response on a plea for disclosure of the entire contents of corporate lobbyists Niira Radia's conversation with politicians, journalists and corporate tycoons, which were tapped by government authorities.

A Neat Tragedy Called NEET

A Neat Tragedy Called NEET

Rediff.com25 Jul 2024

NEET is a court-ordered examination, supposedly aimed at meritocracy. However, over the past years when the incumbent Narendra Modi government at the Centre began implementing it, it took on political and casteist colours, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

SC to hear on Nov 20 plea against prior nod to probe babus for corruption

SC to hear on Nov 20 plea against prior nod to probe babus for corruption

Rediff.com6 Oct 2023

The plea came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan.

SC dismisses appeals against Agnipath verdict, will hear plea on IAF hires

SC dismisses appeals against Agnipath verdict, will hear plea on IAF hires

Rediff.com10 Apr 2023

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed two pleas challenging a Delhi high court judgment that upheld the Centre's Agnipath scheme for recruitment into the armed forces.

MP hides behind national security clause on Project Cheetah

MP hides behind national security clause on Project Cheetah

Rediff.com24 Jul 2024

The Madhya Pradesh forest department has refused to provide information under the Right to Information Act on management of cheetahs brought from Africa and their cubs born in India.

Govt at advanced stage of 're-examining' sedition law: Centre to SC

Govt at advanced stage of 're-examining' sedition law: Centre to SC

Rediff.com1 May 2023

Sedition, which provides a maximum jail term of life under Section 124A of the IPC for creating "disaffection towards the government", was brought into the penal code in 1890, 57 years before Independence and almost 30 years after the IPC came into being.

Govt to set up e-comm hubs to promote exports

Govt to set up e-comm hubs to promote exports

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The government on Tuesday announced setting up of hubs to promote exports through e-commerce medium in public-private-partnership (PPP) mode and initially 10-15 hubs will be established. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that these hubs, under a seamless regulatory and logistic framework, will facilitate trade and export-related services under one roof. "To enable MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises) and traditional artisans to sell their products in international markets, e-commerce export hubs will be set up in PPP mode," she said.

Who Will Win Sri Lanka's Presidential Poll?

Who Will Win Sri Lanka's Presidential Poll?

Rediff.com20 Sep 2024

'The Indian government is better prepared this time and has reached out to all contenders and not putting all eggs in one basket.'

HC orders Haryana govt to remove barricades at Shambhu border

HC orders Haryana govt to remove barricades at Shambhu border

Rediff.com11 Jul 2024

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday ordered the Haryana government to remove within a week the barricading set up at the Shambhu border near Ambala where farmers have been camping since February 13 when their 'Delhi Chalo' march was stopped.

UK clears decks for 500 mn grant for Tata Steel's Port Talbot project

UK clears decks for 500 mn grant for Tata Steel's Port Talbot project

Rediff.com12 Sep 2024

The Labour government in the UK has cleared the decks for a 500 million grant to Tata Steel, paving the way for decarbonisation of the company's British business and a sustainable financial future. In a statement, Tata Steel said that it has signed a 500 million Grant Funding Agreement (GFA) with the UK government, allowing it to "proceed at pace with the project to install a state-of-the-art electric arc furnace (EAF) at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales". This is part of the 1.25 billion green steel project in Port Talbot, of which Tata Steel's investment is to the tune of 750 million.

Meet Nirmalaji's Core Budget Team

Meet Nirmalaji's Core Budget Team

Rediff.com23 Jul 2024

The finance minister continues to be backed by the same policy team in charting out the broad strategy as in the few earlier Budgets.

Udhayanidhi Stalin And The Sound of Silence

Udhayanidhi Stalin And The Sound of Silence

Rediff.com11 Oct 2024

Tamil Nadu's Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has reacted to Andhra Pradesh counterpart Pawan Kalyan's out-of-turn taunts with a one-liner, 'Let's wait', and thereby hangs a tale, notes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Centre says door-to-door vaccination not possible

Centre says door-to-door vaccination not possible

Rediff.com8 Jun 2021

The Centre told the Bombay high court on Tuesday that a door-to-door COVID-19 vaccination programme for senior citizens, specially-abled, bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound people is currently not possible, but it has decided to start 'near-to-door' inoculation centres.

How Do We Prepare For LA 2028? We Don't.

How Do We Prepare For LA 2028? We Don't.

Rediff.com15 Aug 2024

You don't prep for 2028 but for 2040, or even 2044. Sustained sporting excellence is based on mass support, grassroots development, and funding - and it is this trifecta India needs to work on, systematically, asserts Prem Panicker.

Surveillance by State unacceptable unless absolutely necessary: SC ex-judge

Surveillance by State unacceptable unless absolutely necessary: SC ex-judge

Rediff.com1 Apr 2023

Justice Chelameswar said the State has reasons to keep surveillance depending upon the situations, but there should be "an amount of transparency in the process".

'Hindutva Can't Be Written Off'

'Hindutva Can't Be Written Off'

Rediff.com26 Jun 2024

'There is a huge constituency that upholds this ideology.' 'Hindutva will remain relevant in our public life in the near future as an ideology and in politics as well.'

Giving last chance to reply on PIL for identifying minorities: SC to Centre

Giving last chance to reply on PIL for identifying minorities: SC to Centre

Rediff.com7 Jan 2022

The Supreme Court Friday granted the 'last opportunity' to the Centre to file its reply on a public interest litigation seeking directions for framing of guidelines identifying minorities at the state level as Hindus are in a minority in 10 states and are not able to avail the benefits of schemes meant for minorities.

'TCS Is Not A One-Trick Pony'

'TCS Is Not A One-Trick Pony'

Rediff.com26 Jul 2024

'We are sure FY25 is going to be better...But to call out that all problems are behind us is a bit early.' 'The underlying business sentiment has not changed significantly.'

Should citizens be allowed to petition Parliament? SC to hear plea

Should citizens be allowed to petition Parliament? SC to hear plea

Rediff.com17 Feb 2023

The Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear after four weeks a plea seeking a direction to the Centre and others to take steps to create an appropriate system which empowers citizens to petition Parliament and seek initiation of deliberations on issues highlighted by them.

India's Neighbourhood First Policy Crumbling

India's Neighbourhood First Policy Crumbling

Rediff.com26 Aug 2024

The fundamental construct of India's neighbourhood policy still needs to be what Vajpayee postulated, Manmohan Singh embraced, and Modi energised. It's just that we need to junk domestic politics and excessive religiosity, while acquiring much humility and a renewed respectfulness towards our neighbours, recommends Shekhar Gupta.

Bombay HC refuses to stay formation of govt fact-checking unit

Bombay HC refuses to stay formation of govt fact-checking unit

Rediff.com11 Mar 2024

The Bombay high court on Monday refused to grant an interim stay on setting up a fact-checking unit (FCU) under the recently amended Information Technology (IT) Rules to identify fake and false content on social media against the government, noting that no grave and irreparable loss would be caused.

Centre soon to bring law to regulate digital media: Anurag Thakur

Centre soon to bring law to regulate digital media: Anurag Thakur

Rediff.com24 Nov 2022

In a statement, he said that the government has left most of the print, electronic, and digital media to self-regulation.

India Inc to tap pvt credit for new projects: PwC

India Inc to tap pvt credit for new projects: PwC

Rediff.com25 Apr 2024

Private credit is fast emerging as a major source of finance for projects in India as several entrepreneurs are looking for short-term debt to bridge the funding gap due to difference in pricing for equity dilution, top officials at PwC India said. They said while new private equity (PE) investments during the past two years have declined, several public market exits by PEs were observed during that period. Several companies are likely to approach capital markets in the near future to provide liquidity to PE fund investors.

HC says govt has power to delete articles on RAW ops, rejects plea

HC says govt has power to delete articles on RAW ops, rejects plea

Rediff.com19 Feb 2024

The bench added it was the petitioner who was putting the identity of intelligence officials at risk of getting exposed by discussing the issue in the court.

How The US Helps India Counter The China Threat

How The US Helps India Counter The China Threat

Rediff.com4 Nov 2024

Reports (not denied by India) that the USA had 'for the first time provided real-time details to their Indian counterparts on the Chinese positions and force strength in advance of a PLA incursion' into Tawang at the LAC in December 2022, helping India thwart China's expansionist designs, show how operationally effective the USA-India friendship has become on the ground. A engaging excerpt from Sreeram Chaulia's must-read new book, Friends: India's Closest Strategic Partners.

'I've Been Fortunate To Have Lived The Life Of An Athlete'

'I've Been Fortunate To Have Lived The Life Of An Athlete'

Rediff.com26 Aug 2024

As Archana navigates her new path, her time as a top athlete continues to shape her perspective and inspire others.

Sebi Tightens Grip Against Fraudulent Messages, Apps

Sebi Tightens Grip Against Fraudulent Messages, Apps

Rediff.com30 May 2024

The directions follow a report by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, which has seen a new pattern of transnational cyber-enabled financial fraud and investment scam, impersonating as stockbrokers and company executives.

SC notice to centre, CBI, Essar on corporate-bureaucrat nexus

SC notice to centre, CBI, Essar on corporate-bureaucrat nexus

Rediff.com24 Mar 2015

A PIL had sought probe into the Essar e-mail leak case.

'He Will Always Be Gafoormama, The Indulgent Uncle'

'He Will Always Be Gafoormama, The Indulgent Uncle'

Rediff.com6 Sep 2024

'The intellectual A G Noorani and A G Noorani the family man sound like a contradiction in terms, but both aspects were integral parts of the individual.'

Supplier of 'aatank' struggles for 'atta' now: Modi's veiled attack on Pak

Supplier of 'aatank' struggles for 'atta' now: Modi's veiled attack on Pak

Rediff.com19 Apr 2024

Taking a dig at Pakistan without naming it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said a country which was a supplier of aatank (terror) is struggling for aata (flour) these days.

Govt tweaks rules, 1st division in BA/MA made must for IIM directors' post

Govt tweaks rules, 1st division in BA/MA made must for IIM directors' post

Rediff.com13 Nov 2023

The Centre has notified new norms for the appointment of directors of Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), making it mandatory for applicants to have first class degrees in both Bachelor's and Master's, along with a PhD or equivalent from a reputed institute.

Centre's delay in accepting names 'effectively frustrates' judges' appointment: SC

Centre's delay in accepting names 'effectively frustrates' judges' appointment: SC

Rediff.com28 Nov 2022

I would say, unhappiness of the Government of the fact that NJAC does not pass the muster, Justice Kaul observed.

HC asks ED to submit note on Kejriwal passing orders in custody

HC asks ED to submit note on Kejriwal passing orders in custody

Rediff.com1 Apr 2024

The court disposed of a public interest litigation that sought directions to prevent Kejriwal from issuing orders in his capacity as the chief minister while in ED custody, contending that it was against the legal framework.

Centre expands talent pool, to induct 17 private sector experts

Centre expands talent pool, to induct 17 private sector experts

Rediff.com30 May 2023

This is the fourth such recruitment drive proposed to be undertaken by the Narendra Modi government which had in 2018 initiated lateral entry.