Pawan Kumar, organising secretary of the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), tells Aditi Phadnis it will join forces with other trade unions if necessary to oppose the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) provisions in the Union Budget.
Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu aligns priorities, funding and organisation to shape a transformation agenda.
The finance minister hiked the total defence expenditure from Rs 203,672 crore in FY 2013-2014 to Rs 229,000 crore for FY 2014-2015. Though the increase appears substantial, it is insufficient to undertake the military modernisation necessary to meet the emerging threats, feels Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd).
'I have no problems with the finance ministry or with state governments treating petrol pump prices as the last resort for meeting their ambitious spending targets with very limited revenue resources.' 'But let's do away with this smokescreen of free pricing of petrol and diesel and go back to administered pricing regime,' says Dr Sudhir Bisht.
Rediff.com looks at some prominent leaders in our past who evinced an affection for the words of Shakespeare. An anniversary special.
Reform ideas do not occur overnight and evolve over the years.
The absence of a clear underlying economic ideology in the Budget was quite evident, say experts.
We are spectators who have no voice and no power to influence the giant changes being imposed on all of us, says Aakar Patel.
"The prime minister's post is very dignified and he should not have made personal attacks, but I did not mind. He does not give answers, but only makes promises which are hollow," Rahul said, addressing an election rally.
Issuance of new bank licences proves that the apex bank wants the financial sector to flourish.
Bollywood actor Anupam Kher, who had criticised those behind a recent flashpoint event at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, has alleged that the university has refused to screen his film "Buddha in a traffic" considering the present atmosphere at the campus, a charge denied by the university.
Addressing the joint session of Parliament at the beginning of the Budget Session, President Ram Nath Kovind said, "The government has been working to fulfill hopes and aspirations of all sections of people."
An exercise to rationalise coal linkages which will optimize transport of coal and reduce cost of power is underway.
India lost around 38.5 thousand hectares of tropical forest in the last decade. Nearly 14 per cent of the country's tree cover! It is one thing for Modi to announce that India will reach a net-zero level of emissions in 2070. But if it is serious, it needs to start today, points out Ramesh Menon.
The government was also faced with problems on its balance of payments. It took steps to conserve declining foreign exchange reserves, and began to regulate the production, supply and distribution of gold. It banned forward trading in the yellow metal in November 1962, and introduced gold bonds as well, reveals the RBI's annual report for the year ending June 1963.
The SIT on black money has widened its probe.
The National SC/ST Hub, under the micro, small and medium enterprises ministry, with an initial outlay of Rs 490 crore, will work towards strengthening market access/linkage, monitoring, capacity building, leveraging financial support schemes and sharing industry-best practices.
The reason behind issuing new bank licences is to allow more private sector entities to set up banks
ISRO chairman K Sivan said all activities related to the third lunar mission -- Chandrayaan-3 -- were going on smoothly but its launch may shift to next year.
Nitish Kumar has said the only remarkable thing during the period was that prime minister has more selfies than all his cabinet colleagues put together.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Congress and its erstwhile government in Puducherry, saying the V Narayanasamy led dispensation had 'different priorities' than public welfare and flayed party leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent 'north-south' remarks.
Participating in the debate on the triple talaq bill on Thursday, Khan made certain observations on a ruling party member.
The apex court observed that the government could not deny benefits to those who did not have not Aadhaar numbers.
Arun Jaitley said he would put the DTC Bill in cold storage.
The centre's promise of a new deal for the states is a welcome development.
The reshuffle is likely to take place after the ongoing Budget session ends on April 12, reports Archis Mohan.
Facing opposition criticism over alleged inaction by the Delhi police during the violence last month, Shah appreciated the police for not allowing the riots to spiral.
Amid controversy over Centre's move to give priority to Hindi on official social media, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday said the Samajwadi Party government and the party had always been in favour of Hindi and Urdu.
Voters gave Johnson the huge mandate so that he can get the UK out of the European Union by January -- no ifs, no buts.
Rajya Sabha took up the discussion on The Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020 and The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill that have already been passed by Lok Sabha.
"Call it a craze, fever or national interest but HSR is our window to the outside world."
The amendments will also allow the NIA to probe cyber crimes and cases of human trafficking.
The prime minister's August 15 address was undoubtedly inspirational and outlined important economic and social objectives, such as making India a global hub for manufacturing, ensuring bank accounts for all poor families, major thrusts in sanitation and cleanliness, and a radical restructuring of the Planning Commission.
Outlining the Budget estimates for the coming year, the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu put the plan size at Rs 1.21 lakh crore.
'I could have joined the BJP in 2014, the doors were open.' 'I stayed on with the TMC, a party I was involved with since its very inception.' 'But today enough is enough.'
He said the migrants and poor people had great expectations after the prime minister's address to the nation, but sadly...
Anjuli Bhargava reports on how the Aam Aadmi Party is making quality education more inclusive and at no cost to parents.
'No right thinking student of politics can name one state where the BJP gains in double digits.'
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of posing a threat to the Indian ethos of pluralism and trying to wipe out the Nehruvian legacy of tolerance.
Sandhya Ravishankar describes the thorny relationship between the two political titans of Tamil Nadu, M Karunanidhi and J Jayalalithaa, both now part of the ages.
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