'The CBI and its independence was discussed in great detail. We invited and sought the views of the CBI director as well as several government officials. But the ingenious solution to the problem came from within the committee. The effort was to somehow find a solution. It would not have been possible to draft this Bill if members had not been liberal in their views and if they had not been prepared to rid themselves of their political bias.' Congress MP Satyavrat Chaturvedi, who headed the Parliamentary committee which proposed the recommendations for the Lokpal Bill, speaks to Anita Katyal in an exclusive interview.
The Prime Minister-appointed B K Chaturvedi panel is believed to have suggested raising fuel prices every month to bring them at par with production cost and has sought imposition of a 'Super Profit Tax' on oil fields awarded before 1999.
The top court asked state governments to understand the agony of children starving on the streets and directed the district authorities that they be immediately taken care of without waiting for any further orders from the courts.
Under the banner of the CII, domestic drug majors have approached Cabinet Secretary BK Chaturvedi for being allowed to present their views on the new pharmaceutical policy, scheduled to be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Thursday.
The government is set to dump B K Chaturvedi panel's recommendation for a monthly increase in fuel prices till they are at par with costs, but may accept the high-powered committee's suggestions for imposing a tax on oil produced from fields awarded before 1999.
As per the order of General Administration Department's Additional Secretary K K Katiya, the MoS status has been accorded to Narmadanand Maharaj, Hariharanand Maharaj, Computer Baba, Bhayyu Maharaj and Pandit Yogendra Mahant.
On Saturday, Delhi unit of the Congress unanimously adopted a resolution urging Rahul to take over as the president.
A Kuwait Airways plane took a left turn instead of right while taking off on Monday and headed to the no-fly zone in Delhi.
A committee headed by Cabinet Secretary BK Chaturvedi has turned down the request for constituting the Sixth Pay Commission to review the salaries and perks of all central government employees.
The victim has been diagnosed with cancer. She was also forced to consume abortion pills by the perpetrators.
The veteran leader quit the party and formed a new outfit to pursue the demand for a separate Vidarbha state.
The quitline number -- 1800-11-2356 -- is a dedicated toll-free number to help tobacco users receive free support and guidance to subdue their addiction.
Keeping in view the approaching Lok Sabha elections, the All Indian Congress Committee has appointed a battery of high-profile spokesmen for the Congress to showcase the achievements of the last 10 years of United Progressive Alliance government and publicise the various sectors where the UPA has performed. Renu Mittal reports
'While they were respectful of the PM, it was clear that as ministers, they owed their positions as much, if not more, to Mrs Gandhi.' 'When attacks were mounted on the PM, there was very little coordinated effort by the Congress, UPA ministers or other politicians to speak up in his favour and strongly defend him.' B K Chaturvedi, Cabinet Secretary during the early years of UPA1, reveals how the Manmohan Singh-Sonia Gandhi equation worked. A riveting excerpt from Chaturvedi's memoir, Challenges Of Governance: An Insider's View
In a veiled attack on 'Team Rahul' over Congress' poll debacle, a section of party leaders on Thursday said only those having experience of field work should be given "leadership posts" and wanted a "ruthless introspection" to help it bounce back.
Gujjars remained adamant for calling the committee of ministers at Bayana in Bharatpur for holding talks to resolve the issue
FII's too have invested in huge amount in the country
Talks resumed in Jaipur on Wednesday between Rajasthan government and agitating Gujjars who have been blocking rail tracks and roads in three districts for a week now to press for five per cent quota in government jobs.
Experts believe scrapping some projects is likely to bring some stability in road sector.
Whistle-blower officer Ashok Khemka has been shunted again, in breach of rules by BJP government in Haryana. All actions of the previous Congress govt against him still stand even as the Narendra Modi government has chosen to keep away.
The Essar group hinted at challenging the verdict, citing last week's Supreme Court order that upheld the August 2018 amendment to the IBC law.
'I will say all this happened because of ignorance coupled with arrogance,' says G Madhavan Nair.
The Bill has already been passed by the Lok Sabha.
'All the hoardings showed only Rahulji. No pictures of Indiraji and Rajivji. What is the Congress's worth without its history? It is unthinkable that none of our hoardings shows Indira and Rajiv. It was a total fiasco to see that many advertisements were in black and white. In such competitive politics, how can you experiment?' fumes a Congress leader.
The Indian Space Research Organisation has refused to disclose the contents of letters written by its former chief G Madhavan Nair and others in connection with findings by a committee that went into controversial Antrix-Devas deal, saying they were "personal" that may impede process of investigation or apprehension of offenders.
Coming down heavily on Delhi Police, an NHRC probe team on Friday said that the physical assault on JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar in the court premises appeared to have been "organised and pre-planned".
Poor governance, constant interference of promoters, opposition from unions and talks of being an acquisition target seen as main deterrents.
Amid talk that BJP Maharashtra unit chief Devendra Fadnavis could be party's chief ministerial choice, Nagpur-East MLA Krishna Khopde on Wednesday offered to quit and vacate his seat to pave way for his mentor Nitin Gadkari, after voices grew louder on bringing back the Union Minister to the state to don the mantle.
In the Narendra Modi-Shah masterminded regime, organisational elections have acquired the gravity, authority and colour of a national or state poll, reports Radhika Ramaseshan.
Tiwari said on Amarinder's remark that when the latter was PCC president, he had himself demonstrated as to how the EVMs can be gerrymandered.
Since 2004, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, one of the commission's longest serving deputy chairmen, has been trying to mould it to fit into the new economic order, without much to show for his efforts.
The Bharatiya Janata Party can hold elections any time in Delhi but it is afraid to do so, says Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal
'People will realise sooner or later that there are no jobs, inflation is unchecked and loads of corruption charges are coming from various states which the government is totally brazen about.'
Expenditure on health in India is at a global low of 1.2% of GDP.
According to party insiders, the revamp will be aimed at serving the dual purposes of fixing accountability for the loss and bringing in a new leadership in the run-up to 2014 polls. The demoralised Congress unit desperately needs a new lease of life, if it has to give any competition to the reenergised Bharatiya Janata Party under Narendra Modi.
In a serious allegation, former Coal Secretary PC Parakh had made a claim that ministers of coal were used to issuing oral orders and wanted file notings which suited them and not the "public interest".
