The National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, met for the second time on Thursday after its recent revival and unanimously endorsed the idea of universal access to the public distribution system (PDS) in rural areas.
The National Advisory Council, chaired by Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, met for the second time on Thursday after its recent revival and unanimously endorsed the idea of universal access to the public distribution system in rural areas. It was agreed that a universalised PDS should be implemented initially in 150 districts, a member said.
Advani has said that the BJP's response led to Sonia's resignation.
Consulting Conclave at Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi
The National Advisory Council's Communal Violence Bill has already run into rough weather after it faced protests from various sections of the society. The bill is dangerous in nature and the provisions of this bill give the impression that every act of communal violence is presumably committed by a member of the majority community, say those opposing the bill.
With this the only minister without a portfolio is Oscar Fernandes
Popular anguish over the slow pace of economic reforms has grown more intense in the last few weeks even as Congress President Sonia Gandhi takes charge as the head of the National Advisory Council and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's grip on the policy-making apparatus of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government appears to get weaker.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi was on Monday appointed the chairperson of the National Advisory Council, four years after she quit the post in the wake of the office of profit controversy.
The Central government had earlier in the day introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha despite stiff opposition from the National Democratic Alliance.
Congress has hit out at the BJP-led NDA over its decision to oppose the bill on office of profit,
The demand for cash transfers was highest in Bihar at 54 per cent, followed by 34 per cent in Uttar Pradesh and 22 per cent in Jharkhand, where the access to PDS foodgrain was found limited.
The horrifying state of hunger in India adds urgency to the need to implement a new food security law, writes Praful Bidwai.
The National Security Strategy document should flag all major issues concerning security strategy and provide guidelines to concerned departments to work out suitable action plans. Since the global and regional geopolitical canvas is dynamic, the NSS document should be deliberated at length before formulation and should be reviewed periodically, recommends Commodore Venugopal Menon (retd).
Sheela Bhatt reveals how Sonia Gandhi has decided to take an active role in governance with the resurrection of the powerful National Advisory Council. A rediff exclusive!
Deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued a strong warning against threats to ban her Awami League party, calling the demands "audacious" and accusing Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus of being a "fraud" and "corrupt" for his role in the current interim government. Hasina, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 following a student-led uprising, claims Yunus assumed power through a "meticulous design" with funding from overseas and misled students and people. She asserts that her Awami League is the legitimate party, with a strong history of fighting for the people's rights, and accuses Yunus and his supporters of having no constitutional basis or people's mandate to rule the country.
After one stop-work order on the Rs 54,000-crore Posco project, a four-member panel appointed by the Union ministry of environment and forests has dealt a body blow to yet another big-ticket investor in Orissa, the London-based Vedanta Resources Ltd.
Prior to the Cabinet meeting, Gandhi had a meeting with senior Congress leaders at her residence amidst reports that she was averse to inclusion of NAC Chairmanship in the proposed law.
She charged that a high drama of sacrifice had been enacted, knowing that an Ordinance merely to protect her position would draw severe flak and not pass muster.
Congress supporters refused to disperse saying they will not go back until Sonia took back her resignation.
"Politics of revenge has recoiled back and Sonia Gandhi has become a victim of her own conspiracy. This grand standing will not help," party General Secretary Arun Jaitley told reporters.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Professor Vijay Kumar Malhotra (Bharatiya Janata Party) also wanted the government to make public the report of the Enforcement Directorate on the alleged receipt of payment.
Volcker: Opposition stages walkout in both Houses
'The focus of the legislation will be to minimise user harm and increase the accountability of platforms, while also promoting innovation.'
Patel has previously worked at the justice department as a trial attorney for three years before taking on roles at the National Security Council, the office of the director of National Intelligence, and the department of defence, the report said.
Telecom industry expert Sam Pitroda met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday and discussed a number of issues, including e-governance, education and science and technology.
The petition was 'under process' to ascertain whether Ramesh occupied the NAC post after he became a Rajya Sabha member, sources said.
Sonia Gandhi, who was also embroiled in the controversy is seeking re-election today.
Congress workers turned up in large numbers at 10 Janpath residence of party president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi Friday and extended full support to her, a day after she resigned from Lok Sabha and as chairperson of the National Advisory Council.
Indian American physician Dr Sampat Shivangi has been nominated the adviser to the US Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael O Levin, the Bush administration announced on Thursday.
