In a bid to provide functional and financial autonomy to prestigious institutions of higher learning, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a modified block grant scheme for funding institutions like IITs and IIMs.\n\n
Seven women, including two in the Cabinet role, have been inducted into the new council of ministers in the 18th Lok Sabha.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday night is understood to have cleared the agenda for action initiated by the Planning Commission to spur economic reforms in the current fiscal.
After being elected president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in 1999, Najma Heptulla rang up the then Congress chief Sonia Gandhi from Berlin to convey the news but had to hold the phone line for an hour as a staff told her that 'madam is busy'.
The final rites of renowned industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata were performed with full state honours at a central Mumbai crematorium on Thursday evening. The Mumbai police paid tribute to Tata with a gun salute.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Bannerjee is 'almost certain' to enter the Cabinet.
The government reiterated its strong commitment to combat terrorism in all its forms.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said he would be making "minor changes" in his Cabinet and a new external affairs minister will be in place "as soon as possible".
The government on Thursday cleared 65-day bonus for 16 lakh Railway employees for the year 2005-06, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav announced in New Delhi on Thursday.
The pension bill is listed in the name of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the agenda papers of the Lok Sabha for Wednesday.
The Union Cabinet is likely to be reshuffled on Sunday. Speculation has been rife about a possible reshuffle in the wake of the exit of Trinamool Congress ministers and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam representatives A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran in the last two years.
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the dissolution of the Central Inland Water Transport Corporation Limited as part of the government's move to identify and close down "irretrievable" cases.
The telecom giant has asked FinMin for a settlement.
The decision to make these changes to the Union Cabinet was apparently taken last week, but the timing of its announcement could not have been more unfortunate, writes Neerja Chowdhury
The Centre on Thursday evening took the first significant step towards creation of a separate Telangana state from out of Andhra Pradesh and decided that Hyderabad will be the joint capital of the two states for 10 years.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi had a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday. The meeting comes amid speculation in party circles that an expansion-cum-reshuffle of the Union Cabinet could be carried out soon.
If the Cabinet approves the long-pending Forward Contracts (Regulation) Amendment Bill, the regulator will be empowered to levy penalties besides getting the powers to approve options trading. In addition, it will pave the way for the entry of institutional players like mutual funds and foreign institutional investors into the trading arena, which many believe will deepen the markets. Similarly, the FMC will be able to decide on who can set up commodity exchanges.
For Yogi Adityanath the successful management of the fair is a crucial part of building 'Brand UP' and making the state a $1 trillion economy.
Several amendments to the long-awaited Competition Bill, proposed by the parliamentary committee including more powers to the proposed Competition Commission, was cleared by the Union Cabinet.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Railway Minister P K Bansal's continuance in the Union Cabinet hung in balance on Saturday night as the Congress and the government received a fresh battering in the wake of the arrest of his nephew on the charge of accepting bribe to fix plum position in the Railway Board.
The Modi government had touched the maximum strength of 78 in 2021 after expansion, but the outgoing council of ministers had 72 members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday questioned Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman over the Union Budget and claimed that the plates of all states except Bihar and Andhra Pradesh were empty in the budget allocation.
The government on Friday said the Lokpal Bill is ready and will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval in its next meeting where a decision on whether to put the prime minister in its purview would be also taken.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta issued notice to the Centre on a plea filed by an NGO, Association for Democratic Reforms, and listed the matter along with other pending petitions on the issue for hearing in April.
A head count to identify the poor, including their caste and religion, was on Thursday approved by the government, which aims at ensuring that the benefits of the targeted subsidy programme reach them. A meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its nod for conducting a census in rural and urban areas to identify those living below poverty line. The enumeration on the basis of caste and religion would be part of the census.
This was one of the 43 cases the state Cabinet decided to withdraw at its meeting on Thursday following a petition by the Anjuman-e-Islam to the Home Minister G Parameshwara, official sources said.
Concerned over the huge losses to oil PSUs including Indian Oil Corp in the absence of suitable revision in petro product prices, Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar on Monday said he would raise the issue at the Union Cabinet.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday ruled out his resignation, following the Governor granting sanction to prosecute him, in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment 'scam', and said he had done no wrong to step down.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the first elected government in the Union Territory since 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated.
Amid speculation over Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal-United's next move in the wake of vote counting trends, senior party leader K C Tyagi on Tuesday said they are in the National Democratic Alliance and 'we will be in the NDA'.
After her elevation as defence minister, Sitharaman has become a member of the cabinet committee on security headed by the prime minister.
The Union Cabinet's nod is required to give effect to the government decision to allow private carriers to fly to Colombo, Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy said on Wednesday.
Singh said it is the principle of BJP not to promote nepotism and fight against dynasty rule and his decision to resign is in line with the party's principles.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Saturday said all members of the Union cabinet are equal, comments that come in the midst of a stand off between the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress on issues including the Number 2 slot to Sharad Pawar.
The government told Portugal on December 12 that the gangster would not be given capital punishment if he were extradited to India.
While leaders alleged wrongful rendition of the Tamil anthem and BJP said mother Tamil has taught the Dy CM a 'lesson', Udhayanidhi dismissed such claims and asserted the microphone did not function properly and that it was a technical fault.
The deadline set by anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare for passing the Lokpal Bill is inching closer, but the government seems to be in no hurry. Sources in the government said that the Union Cabinet is unlikely to discuss the Lokpal Bill on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his cabinet colleagues Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, J P Nadda and several other leaders and prominent personalities were present at the ceremony.
The Union Cabinet on Monday deferred a decision on hiking the salary and allowances of Members of Parliament though the issue was discussed in detail.
Singh's stand is untenable and his departure as inevitable.
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