News for 'Empowered Group of Ministers'

States worry as Centre plans to trim schemes in Budget

States worry as Centre plans to trim schemes in Budget

Rediff.com31 Jan 2021

'It is just an excuse to say that the Centre has run out of money.' 'Pruning these schemes would mean hard time for the people of India.'

Tharoor lost Cong prez poll but score many political points

Tharoor lost Cong prez poll but score many political points

Rediff.com19 Oct 2022

Amid questions over his future, many political observers believe he has enhanced his political stature.

Will solve border dispute with Assam in remaining 6 areas: Meghalaya CM

Will solve border dispute with Assam in remaining 6 areas: Meghalaya CM

Rediff.com1 Apr 2022

Sangma said finding the solution was not an easy decision, but for the political will of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

Covid-hit India needs 5000 tonnes of medical oxygen a day

Covid-hit India needs 5000 tonnes of medical oxygen a day

Rediff.com20 Apr 2021

According to industry figures, the pre-Covid demand for liquid medical oxygen (LMO) before the pandemic was 700 tonnes per day across the country. Now, with the second wave, the demand has gone up more than seven times, reports Jyoti Mukul.

PM stresses on manufacturing base in telecom

PM stresses on manufacturing base in telecom

Rediff.com5 Dec 2013

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said a strong domestic manufacturing base in electronics and telecommunications will mitigate burden of growing imports for the sector.

Koregaon-Bhima: Pawar submits affidavit, seeks repeal of sedition law

Koregaon-Bhima: Pawar submits affidavit, seeks repeal of sedition law

Rediff.com28 Apr 2022

Pawar filed an additional affidavit before the probe panel on April 11, a copy of which was made available on Thursday.

CBI probes Air India's 68 Boeing aircraft order

CBI probes Air India's 68 Boeing aircraft order

Rediff.com9 Nov 2014

Air India had placed an order for 68 aircraft, including Boeing 737s, 777s and 787s, all valued at $11 billion in Dec 2005.

Centre justifies creation of PM Cares Fund in SC

Centre justifies creation of PM Cares Fund in SC

Rediff.com9 Jul 2020

It also opposed the suggestion that the contributions be transferred to the National Disaster Response Fund.

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.

Elections Are MUST For Democracy

Elections Are MUST For Democracy

Rediff.com8 Nov 2022

Democracy is the heart of our body politic and elections are its life blood. Because there is some disease that affects it, we cannot apply leeches to drain it off, killing the body in the process, asserts Shreekant Sambrani.

Kharge takes over as Cong chief with 'daro mat' slogan

Kharge takes over as Cong chief with 'daro mat' slogan

Rediff.com26 Oct 2022

Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday took charge as the Congress' first non-Gandhi president in 24 years, citing Rahul Gandhi's slogan 'daro mat' to energise workers and declaring that the party will demolish the government's 'system of lies, treachery and hatred'.

AFSPA withdrawn from large parts of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur

AFSPA withdrawn from large parts of Nagaland, Assam, Manipur

Rediff.com31 Mar 2022

A home ministry spokesperson, however, said the decision does not imply that the AFSPA has been completely withdrawn from the three insurgency-hit states but will continue to be in force in some areas of the three states.

Quad Is Not In A Quandary

Quad Is Not In A Quandary

Rediff.com25 Sep 2021

More than India's alignment with the Quad, India's defence cooperation and partnership with the USA is of critical importance, notes Rup Narayan Das.

Sonia Gandhi keen to involve Prashant Kishor for Congress revival: Moily

Sonia Gandhi keen to involve Prashant Kishor for Congress revival: Moily

Rediff.com19 Apr 2022

The former Union minister said it is 'quite heartening' to see that Gandhi has taken up the initiative to involve Kishor to come out with a strategy for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and the party's revival plan.

Better times ahead for Indian telecom companies: Fitch

Better times ahead for Indian telecom companies: Fitch

Rediff.com12 Dec 2013

Global credit rating agency Fitch upgraded outlook for the Indian telecom sector from 'negative' to 'stable'.

Amid rise in COVID-19 cases, govt says India better positioned

Amid rise in COVID-19 cases, govt says India better positioned

Rediff.com9 Jun 2020

The death toll due to the coronavirus infection rose to 7,466 and the cases mounted to 2,66,598 in the country.

Spectrum sale to fetch Rs 40,000 cr this fiscal

Spectrum sale to fetch Rs 40,000 cr this fiscal

Rediff.com2 Dec 2013

Despite getting lukewarm response from the earlier two auctions, the government on Monday said it is confident of meeting the revenue target of Rs 40,000 crore (Rs 400 billion) from spectrum sale this fiscal.

Covid: Centre, states equally to blame

Covid: Centre, states equally to blame

Rediff.com9 May 2021

The oxygen shortage was inevitable to an extent given the tsunami of Covid cases, but the problem is the lack of even basic preparation by both the Centre and states, notes Shyamal Majumdar.

Govt gifts Rs 1.45-trillion incentive for 10 manufacturing sectors

Govt gifts Rs 1.45-trillion incentive for 10 manufacturing sectors

Rediff.com12 Nov 2020

The government hopes that the PLI schemes would provide 200,000-300,000 direct employment over five years, according to sources in the know.

OBC quota in medical education is Modi's masterstroke

OBC quota in medical education is Modi's masterstroke

Rediff.com14 Aug 2021

This step by the Modi government is in the right direction and will go a long way in safeguarding the interests of socially and economically backward communities, asserts Professor T V Kattimani, Vice-Chancellor, Central Tribal University, Andhra Pradesh, Vizianagaram.

Political parties wake up to women, but is it too little, too late?

Political parties wake up to women, but is it too little, too late?

Rediff.com7 Feb 2022

Women, if addressed properly, have the potential to become a decisive factor in elections.

85 districts haven't reported COVID-19 cases in 14 days: Govt

85 districts haven't reported COVID-19 cases in 14 days: Govt

Rediff.com27 Apr 2020

However, two districts -- Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar in Punjab -- which did not record a fresh case in the last 28 days, reported new COVID-19 cases on Monday, it added.

What India Inc says about Budget 2022

What India Inc says about Budget 2022

Rediff.com2 Feb 2022

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday unveiled a Rs 39.45 lakh crore Budget with a view to fire up the key engines of the economy to sustain a world-beating recovery from the pandemic. This was Sitharaman's fourth Budget. While the taxpayers were left in the lurch, once again, was she able to cheer Corporate India?

Start-up Inc urges policy push, focus on smaller towns for sector's growth

Start-up Inc urges policy push, focus on smaller towns for sector's growth

Rediff.com17 Jan 2022

While welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement on Saturday to celebrate January 16 as National Start-up Day, six years after the Start-up India Action Plan was launched by the government, stakeholders in the ecosystem say that more needs to be done at the policy level to unleash the next phase of growth in the sector. "The Start-up India programme's launch in 2016 was a turning point - that is when the promoter came to be known as the founder in the country and the word 'entrepreneur' entered the common lexicon. "But now we need a Start-up India 2.0 now for the next phase of growth of the ecosystem", said Siddarth Pai, managing partner of venture capital (VC) firm 3one4 Capital. Pai says that Startup India 2.0 must look at promoting Startups headquartered in tier II,III & IV cities and solving the problems of Bharat.

Maharashtra govt unhappy over ease of doing business ranking

Maharashtra govt unhappy over ease of doing business ranking

Rediff.com16 Sep 2015

The govt plans to seek Centre's help for a re-assessment by the World Bank.

GST a disruptive change and tribute to India's democracy: Prez

GST a disruptive change and tribute to India's democracy: Prez

Rediff.com1 Jul 2017

GST will also make our exports more competitive and also provide a level playing field to domestic industry to compete with imports, the President said.

Full text: President Murmu's address to Parliament's Budget Session

Full text: President Murmu's address to Parliament's Budget Session

Rediff.com31 Jan 2023

'Wherever in the world there is political instability, those countries are beset with severe crises today. But India is in a much better position than the rest of the world due to the decisions taken by my government in the national interest,' President Droupadi Murmu said in her address to both Houses of Parliament.

States get 'last chance' to comply with SC order on mob lynching

States get 'last chance' to comply with SC order on mob lynching

Rediff.com24 Sep 2018

"People must realise that mob violence and taking of law into the hands will invite wrath of law," said the bench.

Power Grid out of ETF; FinMin files offer document

Power Grid out of ETF; FinMin files offer document

Rediff.com25 Feb 2014

The Finance Ministry has filed the offer document with market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India for the Central Public Sector Enterprises ETF, which could fetch the exchequer about Rs 3,000 crore (Rs 30 billion).

ONGC, OIL may buy Indian Oil pie at 10% discount

ONGC, OIL may buy Indian Oil pie at 10% discount

Rediff.com13 Feb 2014

As per the current market price, the government is expected to fetch Rs 5,300 crore (Rs 53 billion) by selling 10 per cent equity or 24.27 crore (242.7 million) shares at discounted price to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India Ltd.

'GST structure is complex'

'GST structure is complex'

Rediff.com12 Mar 2015

A well-functioning GST will enhance tax compliance and boost growth: IMF

32 ex-civil servants support farm sector laws

32 ex-civil servants support farm sector laws

Rediff.com28 Sep 2020

The farm bills passed by Parliament mark the watershed in the liberation of India's farming community from the shackles of exploitative practices that slow-pedaled their progress, the former civil servants said.

RSS chief seeks population control policy applicable to all

RSS chief seeks population control policy applicable to all

Rediff.com5 Oct 2022

Speaking at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Dussehra rally in Nagpur, Bhagwat said community-based population imbalance is an important subject and should not be ignored.

When will Modi announce a Caste Census?

When will Modi announce a Caste Census?

Rediff.com1 Sep 2021

The caste census has already become a hot-button issue. Unless settled earlier, it will echo loudly in the coming assembly elections and eventually in the 2024 parliamentary poll, notes Virendra Kapoor.

ONGC, Oil India to buy 10% stake in Indian Oil Corp

ONGC, Oil India to buy 10% stake in Indian Oil Corp

Rediff.com6 Mar 2014

State-owned ONGC and Oil India Ltd (OIL) are likely to buy a 10 per cent stake in Indian Oil Corp (IOC) from the government at Rs 220 per share, aggregating about Rs 5,300 crore (Rs 53 billion).

CEA Subramanian to return to academia after three-year stint

CEA Subramanian to return to academia after three-year stint

Rediff.com8 Oct 2021

Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) K V Subramanian will be leaving the finance ministry and returning to academia on completion of his three-year term. The government had appointed Subramanian, an ISB Hyderabad professor, as the CEA in December 2018. He had succeeded Arvind Subramanian, who quit the position close to a year ahead of his extended tenure. Subramanian's three-year term would have come up for renewal in December but he decided to return to academia.

'The RSS is no longer in charge'

'The RSS is no longer in charge'

Rediff.com22 Apr 2022

'The RSS ideology has been borrowed from fascism and is not borne out of Hinduism.' 'They want India to have one historical identity whereas India is a land full of divergence which goes in every direction.'

Modiji, A Sure Shot Way To Win 2024

Modiji, A Sure Shot Way To Win 2024

Rediff.com12 May 2022

Ramesh Menon, the veteran journalist suggests Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi what he should do if he wants to win 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Keshav Maurya: Yogi's BJP Challenger

Keshav Maurya: Yogi's BJP Challenger

Rediff.com31 Jan 2022

Keshav Prasad Maurya's election from Sirathu in Kaushambi will be among the keenly watched contests in UP. If he and the BJP win, will he be luckier this time?

Chirag rejects decisions of LJP faction headed by uncle; targets JD-U

Chirag rejects decisions of LJP faction headed by uncle; targets JD-U

Rediff.com17 Jun 2021

Lok Janshakti Party leader Chirag Paswan on Wednesday blamed Janata Dal-United for engineering the split in his party and rejected the decisions taken by the faction headed by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, saying the party's constitution does not authorise them any such power.