Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal to ensure that the report of the Inter Ministerial Group -- which is reviewing the allotments of coal blocks -- is on his table on September 16.
Amidst the storm over CAG report on coal block allocation, the Prime Minister's Office has expressed displeasure over inaction by the Coal Ministry in cancelling blocks where mining has not taken place and asked it to expedite the matter by September 6.
As many as 43 Indians are under the captivity of Somalian pirates, the government said on Monday.
Govt gave 36,000 seats per week more than inter-ministerial group's recommendations.
A prime minister-appointed panel on inflation has pitched for opening FDI in multibrand retail in a 'properly regulated fashion', cautioning that the global corporations can also become monopolistic and hike prices.
Amid the raging row over coal block allocation, as many as 90 mines face the threat of de-allocation as these are under scanner for non-production. Of these, 58 coal blocks are in the immediate focus with an Inter-Ministerial Group set to decide their fate on Monday.
The Inter-Ministerial Group for modernising Delhi and Mumbai airports would shortlist the preferred bidders for the airport revamp joint ventures within the next few days, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Wednesday.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday created an uproar in the Lok Sabha over the government's 'failure' to provide long-term solutions to the recurring problems of droughts and floods in various parts of the country. "I assure the House that the inter-ministerial group and central teams will carefully look into the reports of floods and droughts and take a view sympathetically and compassionately," Home Minister P Chidambaram said.
Panel to submit recommendations to the Cabinet for approval.
The government will soon work on a plan to make electricity distribution grids 'smart', which may enable users to choose tariff plans and help distributors check power theft. The Power Ministry would shortly be setting up an 'India Smart Grid Task Force', to be chaired by Sam Pitroda, advisor to the Prime Minister on innovation.
The finance ministry is also collating the data on entire food supply chain to identify the bottlenecks in the process.
The government by mid-January will appoint merchant bankers for the mega Rs 13,500 crore (Rs 135 billion) public offering of Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC), which is targeted to hit the market in March.
government approved on Thursday expansion of community radio stations by non-profit organisations after ensuring security clearances from the defence and home ministries.
With the information and broadcasting ministry still unsatisfied over Star's responses to concerns raised by it, the Inter-Ministerial Group is unlikely to give its nod to the group's proposal to uplink its 24-hour news channel from India.
A group of ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is scheduled to meet on April 30 to finalise its recommendations for a policy that would attempt to balance the interests of the common man and the industry. The GoM is also expected to give recommendations on the regulation of trade margins on all medicines, public procurement of drugs, price negotiation of patented drugs and medical devices, in addition to the legislation of new Acts.
Outlets of telecom companies such as Airtel and Vodafone may soon double as bank kiosks for financial services like funds transfer or bill payment, especially in parts of the country where there are very few banks or none at all.
The Inter-Ministerial Group on restructuring of Delhi and Mumbai airports asked global consultant ABN-AMRO to shortlist the bidders, ten of whom have expressed interest in modernising these airports, by Thursday.
A senior civil aviation ministry official said this was one of the key issues discussed during Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday to ask for a relief on ATF. Top airline executives like Jet Airways Chairman Naresh Goyal and Kingfisher Airlines Chairman Vijay Mallya also met the PM to highlight the issue.
A year after it declassified steel and its products from the list of essential commodities, the government is preparing to bring it back under the ambit of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Act gives power to the government to control production, supply and distribution of essential commodities at a fair price.
Seven companies including Royal Dutch/Shell, BP Amoco, Reliance Industries and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation were left in the fray for acquiring government stake in oil PSU Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd after bidders were shortlisted.
As many as six merchant bankers including UTI Bank are in the fray for a government mandate to act as advisors for the privatisation of Mineral Exploration Corporation.
The government is likely to sell 20 per cent of its equity in Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd in the overseas market while another 15 per cent stake would be offloaded in the domestic markets.
The divestment ministry said on Thursday that the inter-ministerial group on the divestment of Bharat Petroleum Corporation would meet next week to discuss the quantum of shares to be offered in the domestic and global markets.
The divestment ministry is now all set to flag off the process of divestment in Bharat Petroleum Corporation with the Inter-Ministerial Group scheduled to meet on February 13.
A meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Group may be held next week to discuss the draft shareholders and share-purchase agreements for divestment of the State Trading Corporation.
With a view to attract small investors, the government will offer in lots of 10, the shares of state-owned exploration firm Oil and Natural Gas Corporation for public issue to divest 10 per cent of its equity.
The government will invite bids by next week from advisors for selling its 8.0 per cent stake in Maruti Udyog Ltd.
The government on Friday gave Star another fortnight's extension for temporary uplinking of its news channel, even as the Inter-Ministerial Group is expected to finalise its views on the matter when it meets on Saturday.
Worried that Star's proposal for uplinking its 24-hour news channel smelt of "proxy" editorial control by foreigners, the government has shot off another list of queries to it even as the inter-ministerial group of officials met on Saturday.
Government is expected to invite initial bids for sale of majority stake in Manganese Ore India by next week.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances