News for 'Public Affairs Centre'

What BJP's Gujarat Win Proves

What BJP's Gujarat Win Proves

Rediff.com9 Dec 2022

What these elections prove beyond any doubt (if ever there was one) that Modi's hold over public mind and Shah's mastery of election management are unparalleled. It doesn't seem likely that they will be matched any time soon in the Indian political scene, reaffirms Shreekant Sambrani.

E-commerce rules to get stricter; flash sales may soon be history

E-commerce rules to get stricter; flash sales may soon be history

Rediff.com21 Jun 2021

The Centre on Monday proposed amendments to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 and sought public comments on banning mis-selling and fraudulent flash sale of goods and services on e-commerce platforms, and also on making registration of these entities mandatory with DPIIT. Ban on misleading users by manipulating search results, appointment of chief compliance officer and resident grievance officer are some of the other amendments being proposed. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 were first notified in July last year.

All Indians can now buy land in Jammu and Kashmir

All Indians can now buy land in Jammu and Kashmir

Rediff.com27 Oct 2020

Before repeal of Article 370 and Article 35-A in August last year, non-residents could not buy any immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the fresh changes have paved the way for non-residents to buy land in the union territory.

Power centre Delhi holds key to Modi's India revival dream

Power centre Delhi holds key to Modi's India revival dream

Rediff.com22 Dec 2014

Modi government must push reforms at a fast pace to restore growth.

Illegal immigrants living on every inch will be deported: Amit Shah

Illegal immigrants living on every inch will be deported: Amit Shah

Rediff.com17 Jul 2019

Currently, the NRC is being updated under the strict monitoring of the Supreme Court in Assam and July 31 has been set as a deadline for final publication of the registered data.

MHA issues fresh advisory to states amid rising Omicron cases

MHA issues fresh advisory to states amid rising Omicron cases

Rediff.com27 Dec 2021

In the advisory, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said States and Union Territories may consider imposing need based, local curbs and restrictions, to control the crowd during the festive season.

30 municipal areas account for 79% of India's COVID caseload

30 municipal areas account for 79% of India's COVID caseload

Rediff.com15 May 2020

A total of 27,920 people have been cured of the disease with 1,685 in the last 24 hours, taking the recovery rate to 34.06 per cent, the ministry said.

Amid rebellion in TMC, Shah on two-day visit to Bengal

Amid rebellion in TMC, Shah on two-day visit to Bengal

Rediff.com18 Dec 2020

Speculations are rife that heavyweight Suvendu Adhikari, who quit the Trinamool Congress and gave up cabinet portfolios in the Mamata Banerjee government, may join BJP during Shah's visit along with a slew of disgruntled TMC leaders, including some MLAs such as Silbhadra Dutta and Jitendra Tiwari.

Stalin Prepares For Battle Of 2024

Stalin Prepares For Battle Of 2024

Rediff.com6 May 2022

The going is not going to be easy for the DMK and its allies in Elections 2024. Despite the seats sweepstake in the 2021 assembly polls, the vote-share difference of 5.6% (DMK's 45.38% versus AIADMK-BJP's 39.72%) is not insurmountable on a bad day, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.

PLA Unrest: Why Xi Is Worried

PLA Unrest: Why Xi Is Worried

Rediff.com22 Sep 2021

Protests at this time when efforts are underway to strengthen the PLA and keep morale high would be worrying for the military leadership, observes Jayadeva Ranade, the retired senior RA&W officer and distinguished China expert.

What I Saw When The Kashmiri Pandits Fled in 1990

What I Saw When The Kashmiri Pandits Fled in 1990

Rediff.com25 Mar 2022

Threats were often communicated to Pandit homes through notes tied to stones chucked through a window, or a notice pasted on a wall. Those sometimes came from neighbours eyeing that Pandit family's property. Those threats often worked in the atmosphere of terror during that awful season of vacuous exercise of State authority, writes David Devadas, longtime Kashmir watcher and author of two books on the Valley.

Winter session ends, Centre says Congress stalled bill triple talaq

Winter session ends, Centre says Congress stalled bill triple talaq

Rediff.com5 Jan 2018

The productivity of the Lok Sabha was 91.58 per cent while that of Rajya Sabha was 56.29 per cent.

Kashmir Politics Stands Bereft Of Its Propellers

Kashmir Politics Stands Bereft Of Its Propellers

Rediff.com5 Aug 2022

At the moment, there appears to be no alternative political narrative to the one lying buried under the debris of havoc caused on this front by the fallout of 'August 5, 2019', asserts Mohammad Sayeed Malik, the distinguished commentator on Kashmir affairs.

'BJP leaders were sympathetic, but nobody came forward to help us'

'BJP leaders were sympathetic, but nobody came forward to help us'

Rediff.com23 Nov 2021

'What the UP administration wanted was political mileage, and they also had the silent approval from the central government.'

PSBs get more teeth to checkmate defaulters

PSBs get more teeth to checkmate defaulters

Rediff.com23 Nov 2018

The Ministry of Home Affairs amended its guidelines on October 12 to include the chairman, managing director or chief executive officer of each public sector bank on the list of authorities who can issue requests for opening look-out circulars against whom an FIR is yet to be filed.

What farmers fear the most

What farmers fear the most

Rediff.com30 Sep 2020

'The UPA was the gang that couldn't shoot straight. The NDA is the gang that can't stop shooting. They (the Modi government) are shooting at anybody, everybody, all directions, shooting themselves in the foot.'

'We started as a democracy, but have regressed to a banana republic'

'We started as a democracy, but have regressed to a banana republic'

Rediff.com25 Jan 2021

'Governments, democratically elected governments, are custodians for a short- specified time.' 'Parents don't let baby sitters decide the course of their child's future.'

Freedom of speech is most abused: SC on 'fake news' on Tablighis

Freedom of speech is most abused: SC on 'fake news' on Tablighis

Rediff.com8 Oct 2020

The apex court pulled up the Centre for its "evasive" and "brazen" affidavit on the issue.

When R K Krishna Kumar Spoke To Rediff

When R K Krishna Kumar Spoke To Rediff

Rediff.com2 Jan 2023

Few people know Ratan Tata as well as R K Krishna Kumar does. Widely perceived to be among the managers closest to Tata, Krishna Kumar assesses Ratan Tata, the man and business leader, in this exclusive interview to Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.

Last act in long, acrimonious Bengal polls on Thursday

Last act in long, acrimonious Bengal polls on Thursday

Rediff.com28 Apr 2021

Over 84 lakh voters in West Bengal will decide the political fate of 283 candidates on Thursday, when 35 assembly constituencies go to polls in the eighth and final phase, amid a raging second wave of Covid-19.

WhatsApp's new privacy policy challenged in Delhi HC

WhatsApp's new privacy policy challenged in Delhi HC

Rediff.com14 Jan 2021

The plea was filed by advocate Chaitanya Rohilla who stated that WhatsApp changed its privacy policy in "most arbitrary manner" and had made it compulsory for its users to accept its terms and conditions, failing which the accounts and services would be terminated after February 8, 2021 for the respective user.

Charanjit Channi: 'Sidhu camp' leader who revolted against Amarinder

Charanjit Channi: 'Sidhu camp' leader who revolted against Amarinder

Rediff.com20 Sep 2021

He had along with three other ministers rebelled against Amarinder Singh while choosing to side with the camp of state Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu.

Why Was Agnipath Introduced Suddenly?

Why Was Agnipath Introduced Suddenly?

Rediff.com24 Jun 2022

Nobody bothered to articulate the upsides; instead, the four-year tour of duty and denial of life-long pensions got played up.
Job-seekers for government and related opportunities found that their future was at risk, points out Shreekant Sambrani.

Modi Has Enormous Curiosity About The World

Modi Has Enormous Curiosity About The World

Rediff.com24 May 2022

'From the very start, PM Modi was insistent that visiting foreign leaders should be exposed to an India beyond its capital.' 'Through these experiences, he felt that the full Indian narrative would be much better understood across the world,' explains External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. A riveting excerpt from Bluekraft Digital Foundation's Modi@20: Dreams Meet Delivery.

The men behind Sitharaman's 2nd Budget

The men behind Sitharaman's 2nd Budget

Rediff.com30 Dec 2019

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her second Budget a little more than a month from now. Like any other FM, Sitharaman will depend on her team of bureaucrats and advisors to frame and present the Budget.

Nirmala repeats her feat, breaches another male bastion

Nirmala repeats her feat, breaches another male bastion

Rediff.com31 May 2019

Sitharaman, who became the first full-time woman defence minister in the first tenure of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government -- will also head the Corporate Affairs ministry in the new cabinet.

COVID-19 situation 'especially serious' in these 5 cities: MHA

COVID-19 situation 'especially serious' in these 5 cities: MHA

Rediff.com24 Apr 2020

'The situation is especially serious in major hotspot districts or emerging hotspots like Ahmedabad and Surat (Gujarat), Thane (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Chennai (Tamil Nadu),' the MHA statement said.

Heritage buildings won't be demolished under Central vista: Govt

Heritage buildings won't be demolished under Central vista: Govt

Rediff.com31 May 2021

While the main building of the National Archives will remain intact, its annexe will be demolished and a new building will be constructed, officials said.

'Criminals happiest under BJP: Akhilesh

'Criminals happiest under BJP: Akhilesh

Rediff.com14 Oct 2021

'The BJP will never act against the minister because it stands with criminals.'

Plea against WhatsApp privacy policy: Delhi HC judge recuses

Plea against WhatsApp privacy policy: Delhi HC judge recuses

Rediff.com15 Jan 2021

During the short hearing, Justice Prathibha M Singh took strong objection to an email sent by WhatsApp to the court. "I was in any case not going to hear it," the court clarified and sent the matter to another bench recording that the email sent by WhatsApp should be withdrawn unconditionally.

What is China's action plan for Tibet?

What is China's action plan for Tibet?

Rediff.com16 Dec 2021

National security, consolidation of border defences and border security highlights China's Tibet policy, points out Jayadeva Ranade, the former senior RA&W officer and China expert.

Why Sri Lanka Is In Crisis

Why Sri Lanka Is In Crisis

Rediff.com4 Apr 2022

The protests brought home the fact that the Sri Lankan public is in no mood for halfway measures, as voices against Rajapaksa 'family rule' and 'securitisation' of the civilian administration began sidestepping the more critical economic crisis, affecting the nation and afflicting the individual, observes Sri Lanka watcher N Sathiya Moorthy.

Govt announces post-retirement jobs for Agniveers as protests erupt

Govt announces post-retirement jobs for Agniveers as protests erupt

Rediff.com15 Jun 2022

The Centre on Wednesday announced a raft of post-retirement employment possibilities for 'Agniveer' like priority in recruitment to the central armed police forces (CAPF) and Assam rifles but that failed to assuage the concerns of the opposition Congress which warned the 'transformative' 'Agnipath' scheme will reduce the operational effectiveness of the armed forces.

Top bureaucrat takes a jibe at RBI

Top bureaucrat takes a jibe at RBI

Rediff.com3 Nov 2018

Economic Affairs Secretary Subhash Garg is the finance ministry's primary liaison with the RBI.

For Taliban, US is Important

For Taliban, US is Important

Rediff.com9 Oct 2021

The Taliban knows that Washington holds the key, points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.

Situation under control: Bengal govt replies to MHA advisory

Situation under control: Bengal govt replies to MHA advisory

Rediff.com10 Jun 2019

State Chief Secretary Malay Kumar De wrote that 'firm and appropriate actions' were initiated in all cases of violence without any delay.

Piyush Goyal may present interim Budget on Feb 1

Piyush Goyal may present interim Budget on Feb 1

Rediff.com23 Jan 2019

The Budget is expected to make some key announcements, including relief package for farmers, poor and sops for the middle-class.

Maharashtra govt extends lockdown in till June 30

Maharashtra govt extends lockdown in till June 30

Rediff.com31 May 2020

The Maharashtra government on Sunday extended till June 30 the lockdown in the entire state, and announced easing of restrictions and phase-wise resumption of activities under the "Mission Begin Again".

SC stays Puri's Rath Yatra due to COVID-19

SC stays Puri's Rath Yatra due to COVID-19

Rediff.com18 Jun 2020

'Lord Jagannath won't forgive us if we allow this year's Rath Yatra to go on'

India bars all international flights, insists on work from home

India bars all international flights, insists on work from home

Rediff.com19 Mar 2020

The central government said the railways and civil aviation ministry must suspend all concessional travel on trains and flights, except for students, patients and disabled people.