Late cartoonist Mario Miranda, actors Dharmendra and Shabana Azmi, top mathematician M S Raghunathan, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal and industry leader B Muthuraman were among those conferred the Padma awards by President Pratibha Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The government has assured that all suggestions such as raising the land ceiling limit for the waiver will be considered. The loan waiver scheme would also cover all agricultural loans disbursed by private scheduled commercial banks as well. Congress MP Mohsina Kidwai wanted to know whether the government would raise the land ceiling for the waiver to farmers from the existing limit and whether it would come out with a package for the farmers to pay off money lender loans.
The new Hyderabad international airport, which was inaugurated by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on March 14, will become operational from March 23. The Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamsabad near Hyderabad was to become operational on March 16. However, the process was delayed due to "operational" reasons including shifting of equipments from the old Hyderabad airport, which will be closed down for commercial operations.
President Pranab Mukherjee talked though on the ordinance to protect convicted lawmakers as he questioned three Union ministers -- Law Minister Kapil Sibal, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. He sought minutes of the Cabinet and all party meetings after which the United Progressive Alliance withdrew the decree.
In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh, the activists expressed concerns over the negative impact of the project.
He pointed out that the CBI has documented evidence of direct payments into Quattrocchi's accounts in connection with the Howitzer deal.
Sushilkumar Shinde on Wednesday assumed charge as the new home minister and promised to work closely with the states in dealing with internal security challenges and contentious issues like setting up of National Counterterrorism Centre.
Scripting a new chapter in his illustrious career, Pranab Mukherjee will on Wednesday take over as India's 13th President. Watch the momentous ceremony LIVE on rediff.com
Scripting a new chapter in his illustrious career, Pranab Mukherjee will on Wednesday take over as India's 13th President.
With UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi pushing for increased wages for labourers, the government on Thursday came out with a new structure for payment of wages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) that will be linked to inflation.
A convention would be held in Delhi at the end of October on the issue of foreign policy, he added. \n
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi discussed the Rs 225,040 crore (Rs 2250.40 billion) revenue loss oil PSUs face without raising price of petrol, diesel, LPG and kerosene and duty cuts this fiscal on three occasions but failed to give a clear verdict.
The National Socialist Council of Nagaland Isak Muivah on said the recent statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the territorial integrity of Manipur was 'unfortunate' and it might affect the on-going Naga peace process.
After UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had intervened and asked government to take consent from 80 per cent land owner for purchase of land.
Amid prayers and a 21-gun salute, his body was consigned to flames at Smriti Sthal on the banks of Yamuna where Vice President Hamid Ansari and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi were also present.
Following Sonia Gandhi's suggestion, the percentage of landowners, whose consent is necessary for acquiring land for private purpose, has been raised from 67 per cent to 80 per cent in the proposed bill.
DLF extends fall on corporate governance issues, down 10% in two days DLF is trading lower by 2.2% at Rs 219, extending its previous day's over 7.4% after Arvind Kejriwal, a social activist-turned-politician has accused the real estate developer of favouring Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress chief and the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, with easy loans for some undue gains.
The Trinamool Congress and Nationalist Congress Party, have indicated that their party chiefs have better credentials for the post than the newly-elected Congress head, reports Archis Mohan
The fourth meeting of the United Progressive Alliance and Left Front's joint committee to resolve concerns about the Indo-US nuclear deal ended on a lukewarm note on Tuesday. The committee is scheduled to meet again on October 22. "The fourth meeting of the UPA-Left Committee on the India-United States civil nuclear cooperation was held today. All members of the committee took part in the meeting, which was held in a cordial atmosphere," Pranab Mukherjee said.
Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday formally took over as the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, occupying the seat hitherto held by senior BJP leader L K Advani.
Official sources said an ATC official had been suspended pending the DGCA probe, which would establish accountability and find out lapses in the system.
A national initiative guaranteeing free delivery, free medicines and diet for pregnant women in government health institutes was unveiled by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Mewat, Haryana, on Wednesday.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee would resign as Railway Minister on Thursday, a day ahead of being sworn in as West Bengal Chief Minister.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad was at his humourous best while presenting the Interim Railway Budget in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with a fair sprinkling of quotable quotes, couplets and witty replies to interventions.
The lawmakers will meet PM Singh and Sonia Gandhi.
Distressed over the events in Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Singh said the government was willing to talk to anybody or any group but asserted that it could not happen till the end of violence, some of which is "orchestrated by certain groups".
India's services sector income is on the rise, but what of the quality of people, asks Sanjaya Baru.
India's services sector income is on the rise, but what of the quality of people, asks Sanjaya Baru.
Monday was the 3rd anniversary of the terrorist attack on the apex seat of Indian democracy.
Patil was administered oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan.
The prime minister was elected unopposed on May 18 after independent candidate Matang Singh withdrew from the contest.
Meira Kumar was elected Lok Sabha Speaker unanimously on Wednesday.
Details of the coordination panel, including its role, is likely to be announced in the evening.
Hansda's name will be proposed when JMM supremo Shibu Soren meets UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi shortly, the JMM central committee decided on Thursday night, party sources said. "My name has been added to the list as I am the only woman MLA in JMM and a four-time MLA," Hansda told media persons.
The meeting of the Left parties comes in the wake of the letter written to them by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, conveying the government's decision that the BHEL disinvestment has been kept in abeyance.
The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday attributed the drubbing the Congress-led UPA has received in polls mainly to the "communication deficit" on part of outgoing prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and also to issues like hike in prices of fuel and LPG cylinders by the ruling dispensation.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday chaired his first meeting of the newly constituted Congress Working Committee two days after the no-confidence motion in Lok Sabha which the Opposition lost.
Akali Dal, the Left and the BJP walked out in protest.
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