News for 'Department of Rural Development'

Rajya Sabha proceedings disrupted for 3rd day

Rajya Sabha proceedings disrupted for 3rd day

Rediff.com6 Feb 2019

The proceedings were washed out over various issues including the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and roster system for reservation in educational institutions.

M K Stalin: Emerging from Karunanidhi's shadow

M K Stalin: Emerging from Karunanidhi's shadow

Rediff.com2 May 2021

Stalin, 68, was contesting as the chief ministerial candidate for the first time during these polls. He was elected unopposed as the DMK chief in August 2018, after the death of his father, a post that Karunanidhi held for 49 years. That didn't come as a surprise to anyone, as during his lifetime, Karunanidhi, on multiple occasions made his preference for his successor abundantly clear and systematically groomed him for the job.

'Xi's Main Challenge Is Taking Over Taiwan'

'Xi's Main Challenge Is Taking Over Taiwan'

Rediff.com20 Oct 2022

'Even though as Xi will seemingly continue to stay in power beyond his third term, competitions for the post-Xi leadership would be inevitably unfolded beneath the surface of water, and that will be a big headache for Xi the dictator.'

Airport PPPs on a crowded runway; private sector bids could be subdued

Airport PPPs on a crowded runway; private sector bids could be subdued

Rediff.com30 May 2022

Airports hold pride of place in the government's National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) programme to monetise public assets. Private airport operators, including the Adani group, Fairfax, GMR and Zurich Airport, are expected to evince interest in the next round of public private partnership (PPP) development of state-owned Airport Authority of India (AAI) airports. Industry analysts, however, do not expect bids to be as high as the last round, which saw Adani group gain control of six airports.

Returning migrants face being jobless in Bihar once again

Returning migrants face being jobless in Bihar once again

Rediff.com15 Apr 2021

With more than 21 lakh migrant workers returning to the state as per official data, the Nitish Kumar government faces an enormous challenge in providing jobs for them.

Modi's new growth recipe - Just add water

Modi's new growth recipe - Just add water

Rediff.com16 Mar 2016

Modi's irrigation push in the Budget is aimed at scoring on the political front along with achieving growth targets

EXCLUSIVE: What the 'Modi Sarkar' will do

EXCLUSIVE: What the 'Modi Sarkar' will do

Rediff.com30 Apr 2014

Even as India gears up for election results on May 16, a group of senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have taken up an informal initiative to see how a 'Modi ministry' will look like, in case the party forms the government at the Centre.

Why I Quit The ED To Join Politics

Why I Quit The ED To Join Politics

Rediff.com11 Apr 2022

'I had done 23 years of very satisfying service -- 10 years in the police and 13 years in the Enforcement Directorate.' 'I had done law enforcement and thought the next step should be towards contributing to make good laws.'

Jharkhand suspends mining secretary Pooja Singhal arrested for MGNREGS scam

Jharkhand suspends mining secretary Pooja Singhal arrested for MGNREGS scam

Rediff.com12 May 2022

Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal, earlier arrested and remanded to the custody of the ED in a suspected money laundering case, was suspended by the Jharkhand government on Thursday, an official said.

Former Maharashtra home minister RR Patil passes away

Former Maharashtra home minister RR Patil passes away

Rediff.com16 Feb 2015

Former Maharashtra home minister and senior Nationalist Congress Party leader R R Patil, 57, who was undergoing treatment for oral cancer passed away on Monday afternoon.

'Make caste discrimination in schools and colleges a crime'

'Make caste discrimination in schools and colleges a crime'

Rediff.com1 Jun 2023

'The government should immediately enact an Act to make caste discrimination a criminal offence and lay down a procedure similar to that of the Anti-Ragging Act.' 'Ragging has nearly been eliminated because it is treated as a criminal offence.' 'Similar procedure should be used in case of caste discrimination.'

Rights of migrant workers can't be ignored: SC to govt

Rights of migrant workers can't be ignored: SC to govt

Rediff.com21 Jul 2022

Migrant workers play a very vital role in building the nation and their rights cannot be ignored at all, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while asking the Centre to devise a mechanism so that they receive food grains without ration cards.

What Tamil Nadu Does Today, India May Do Tomorrow

What Tamil Nadu Does Today, India May Do Tomorrow

Rediff.com23 Mar 2023

Tamil Nadu's latest budget offers path-breaking initiatives and major boost for social infrastructure, which other state governments are sure to follow in the coming years, predicts N Sathiya Moorthy.

UP CM Yogi orders schemes be renamed

UP CM Yogi orders schemes be renamed

Rediff.com7 Apr 2017

"All the schemes in which the term Samajwadi is used should be presented before the cabinet so that they can be reviewed and the word should be replaced with Mukhyamantri," the CM said at a review meeting late Thursday evening.

Govt in overdrive to put apps on tap

Govt in overdrive to put apps on tap

Rediff.com26 Dec 2015

Most of the apps have been developed in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarati and other regional languages

Centre asks UP, Bihar to prevent dumping of bodies in Ganga

Centre asks UP, Bihar to prevent dumping of bodies in Ganga

Rediff.com16 May 2021

The Centre directed Uttar Pradesh and Bihar on Sunday to prevent dumping of dead bodies in the Ganga and its tributaries, and focus on their safe disposal and a dignified cremation after corpses were seen floating in these rivers following a spurt in the number of coronavirus cases.

Jaitley releases Socio-Economic Caste Census, but no caste based data

Jaitley releases Socio-Economic Caste Census, but no caste based data

Rediff.com3 Jul 2015

The government on Friday refrained from releasing the caste-based data in its first Socio Economic and Caste Census released in eight decades and maintained that it was concerned with economic data which will help in effective implementation of its programmes.

Factional feud, poll promises major challenges for new Cong govt in Himachal

Factional feud, poll promises major challenges for new Cong govt in Himachal

Rediff.com11 Dec 2022

Allocation of portfolios would be the immediate vexatious issue for the party, with supporters of Virbhadra Singh already feeling sidelined after the elevation of the late chief minister's professed rival Sukhu.

Govt likely to seek review of SC's OBC quota rulings

Govt likely to seek review of SC's OBC quota rulings

Rediff.com21 Dec 2021

The development comes after the Supreme Court decided to strike down the recent 27 percent reservation in favour of OBCs in local bodies made by Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments.

Assam: Action plan to check crime against women on cards

Assam: Action plan to check crime against women on cards

Rediff.com21 Sep 2013

In view of rising incidence of crime against women, Assam chief minister Tarun Kumar Gogoi has set one-month deadline for the State's Home and Political Department to prepare a detail action plan to prevent and control such incidents.

Govt seeks Parl nod for Rs 1.07 lakh cr additional spend

Govt seeks Parl nod for Rs 1.07 lakh cr additional spend

Rediff.com14 Mar 2022

According to the third batch of supplementary demands for grants tabled in the Lok Sabha, approval is being sought for gross additional expenditure of over Rs 1.58 lakh crore.

Economy: Why Modi must be on guard

Economy: Why Modi must be on guard

Rediff.com20 Jul 2020

'The road ahead for the government's fiscal management will be full of many new challenges,' warns A K Bhattacharya.

Boy's death in borewell: HC raps civic authorities

Boy's death in borewell: HC raps civic authorities

Rediff.com29 Oct 2019

The court impleaded the civic authorities and directed them to produce details on the action taken against violators who had failed to comply with the conditions stipulated for digging borewells and tubewells.

Govt to raise legal marriage age of women from 18 to 21

Govt to raise legal marriage age of women from 18 to 21

Rediff.com16 Dec 2021

Experts, however, have raised concern over the decision, saying the move is akin to treating symptoms instead of the underlying causes.

Clicked selfies seeing water trench in dried-up river: Pankaja

Clicked selfies seeing water trench in dried-up river: Pankaja

Rediff.com18 Apr 2016

Undeterred by the attack, Munde said it was out of 'contentment' of seeing water in the trench due to the desliting work that she took selfies.

COVID-19 taught India to become self-reliant: PM

COVID-19 taught India to become self-reliant: PM

Rediff.com24 Apr 2020

Modi said the coronavirus pandemic made people learn new things.

Experienced hands Bhujbal, Thorat make it to cabinet

Experienced hands Bhujbal, Thorat make it to cabinet

Rediff.com28 Nov 2019

Chhagan Bhujbal, Jayant Patil (both from the NCP), Balasaheb Thorat and Nitin Raut (both from the Congress), Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai (both from the Sena) took oath as ministers along with Thackeray.

18 killed as bus falls into Beas river in Himachal Pradesh

18 killed as bus falls into Beas river in Himachal Pradesh

Rediff.com5 Nov 2016

At least 18 people were killed and 24 others injured on Saturday when a private bus plunged into the Beas river near Vindravani in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.

24 new ministers take oath in Gujarat, team Rupani out

24 new ministers take oath in Gujarat, team Rupani out

Rediff.com17 Sep 2021

Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath to 10 cabinet ministers and 14 ministers of state, including five ministers of state with independent charge.

Congress secures three fourths majority in Arunachal

Congress secures three fourths majority in Arunachal

Rediff.com16 May 2014

Facing a rout in other parts of the country, Congress retained power securing three-fourth majority in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly snapping up 40 of the 60 seats and leading in two.

Maha Vikas Aghadi teeters as allies pull in different ways

Maha Vikas Aghadi teeters as allies pull in different ways

Rediff.com5 Jul 2021

The Shiv Sena and the NCP suspect that either of them may walk into the waiting arms of the BJP. The Congress feels that the Sena and the NCP may eventually team up and marginalise it, reports Dhaval Kulkarni

Why India's healthcare system is near collapse today

Why India's healthcare system is near collapse today

Rediff.com10 May 2021

Shortage of ICU beds, oxygen, ventilators, vaccines, doctors, nurses and crematorium space in India has dominated headlines around the world in the past few weeks with Covid-19 cases surging beyond control and the government failing to deliver. Yes, election rallies, Kumbh Mela, blatant flouting of social distancing and mask protocols coupled with a messy vaccination process are said to be responsible for the health crisis of colossal proportions that India is facing today. But an analysis of Budget speeches made by finance ministers over 75 years also offers a glimpse of how low on the priority list healthcare has featured for the political class and policy-makers, which is a significant reason for the current situation.

FM Sitharaman seeks Parliament nod for Rs 6.3-trillion extra spending

FM Sitharaman seeks Parliament nod for Rs 6.3-trillion extra spending

Rediff.com12 Feb 2021

Of the cash outgo, Rs 64,598 crore is for enhanced expenditure on fertiliser subsidy under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan 3.0 and Rs 20,466 crore for the capital outlay in defence services.

Govt to take postal services to every village

Govt to take postal services to every village

Rediff.com21 Jul 2014

Prasad said country's postal department is 150 years old and needs improvement and the government is trying its best to do the needful.

'The epidemic is receding in India'

'The epidemic is receding in India'

Rediff.com9 Feb 2021

'But we still have to be very careful.'

Cabinet approves Rs 19,041 cr funding for BharatNet

Cabinet approves Rs 19,041 cr funding for BharatNet

Rediff.com30 Jun 2021

The Cabinet on Wednesday approved public private partnership mode for the rollout of BharatNet project for broadband services in villages in 16 states with viability gap funding of Rs 19,041 crore, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Prasad said the decision to involve private players was taken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on August 15, 2020 that around 6 lakh villages in the country will be connected with broadband in 1,000 days. "The Cabinet has in-principle approved implementation of BharatNet in 16 states in a public private partnership model with total expense of Rs 29,430 crore.

Prolonged lockdown to make India's water crisis worse

Prolonged lockdown to make India's water crisis worse

Rediff.com4 May 2020

Making water available is always a serious challenge in the summer for all public authorities. This year, the challenge is higher when hand-washing at every opportunity has become a necessity. So keeping potable water lines running without a glitch has become most necessary.

Will Govt Cut PSBs Loose?

Will Govt Cut PSBs Loose?

Rediff.com28 Jul 2022

Merely bringing down the government stake below 51% may not find any taker for the PSBs. The government must bring down its holding to at least 26%, recommends Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

Modi government plans to amend 145-year-old pension law

Modi government plans to amend 145-year-old pension law

Rediff.com9 May 2016

This Act had to be excluded from the list of the obsolete laws to be repealed as some of its provisions provide security to the pensioners against attachment of pension

Sonia writes to Munde's wife; Rahul visits BJP HQ to pay tribute

Sonia writes to Munde's wife; Rahul visits BJP HQ to pay tribute

Rediff.com3 Jun 2014

Political differences blurred as Congress president Sonia Gandhi wrote a personal letter to Union minister Gopinath Munde's family condoling his death and Rahul Gandhi visited the Bharatiya Janata Party office to pay respects to the departed leader.