News for 'Urban Development Ministry'

Modi inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan, the new seat of govt

Modi inaugurates Kartavya Bhavan, the new seat of govt

Rediff.com7 Aug 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Kartavya Bhavan, the first of ten Common Central Secretariat buildings, aiming to consolidate ministries for improved efficiency. The building will house several key ministries, relocating them from older, outdated structures.

Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb Waqf Properties

Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb Waqf Properties

Rediff.com10 Apr 2025

The Archaeological Survey of India informed the JPC that 280 protected monuments have been listed as Waqf properties.

PM for revamp of urban governance

PM for revamp of urban governance

Rediff.com21 Oct 2014

Modi pitched for revamping urban governance while linking it to the 'Digital India' mission and 'Swachh Bharat' campaign.

Centre Begins Historic Relocation of 30,000 Employees

Centre Begins Historic Relocation of 30,000 Employees

Rediff.com26 Jun 2025

The orders issued this month have selected ministries ranging from home affairs under Amit Shah to rural development, headed by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, to move to Building 3 -- currently named CCS-03 -- on Kartavya Path. The scale of the shift will be even larger than when most of Lutyens' Delhi's present crop of government buildings came up in the early 1930s.

Sitharaman Orders Banks to Return Unclaimed Citizens' Money

Sitharaman Orders Banks to Return Unclaimed Citizens' Money

Rediff.com23 Sep 2025

Given that a sizeable part of this money is part of the coveted current accounts and savings accounts, it is surprising that banks are not in a hurry to revive these accounts, notes Tamal Bandyopdhyay.

2.17 lakh fake notes of various denominations detected in FY25

2.17 lakh fake notes of various denominations detected in FY25

Rediff.com11 Aug 2025

As many as 2.17 lakh pieces of fake notes of various denominations were detected during 2024-25 compared to 2.23 lakh such notes in the previous year, Parliament was informed on Monday. Of this, highest -- 117,722 pieces -- counterfeit notes of 500 [MG (New) Series] were detected in FY25, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

Family nod for Manmohan memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal

Family nod for Manmohan memorial at Rashtriya Smriti Sthal

Rediff.com7 Mar 2025

The family of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has approved the proposed site for his memorial at the Rashtriya Smriti Sthal in New Delhi. The memorial, measuring around 900 square metres, will be located adjacent to the memorial of former President Pranab Mukherjee. A trust will be set up to oversee the construction of the memorial, which will be funded by a government grant of Rs 25 lakh.

Why Affordable Housing Will Remain Muted Despite Rate Cut

Why Affordable Housing Will Remain Muted Despite Rate Cut

Rediff.com10 Jul 2025

While demand for sub Rs 50-lakh affordable housing prevails, market players cite increased land rates, escalated construction costs and low margins as key prohibiting factors.

PSBs' share in household deposits falls to 63%; private banks gain ground

PSBs' share in household deposits falls to 63%; private banks gain ground

Rediff.com9 Sep 2025

Public sector banks (PSBs) have seen a sharp drop in household deposits from 70.6 per cent to 63 per cent in contrast with private banks, which witnessed a surge from 27.1 per cent to 34.1 per cent.

Obviously some ministers are unhappy with portfolios: Ajit Pawar

Obviously some ministers are unhappy with portfolios: Ajit Pawar

Rediff.com22 Dec 2024

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar acknowledged that some ministers are unhappy with the portfolios assigned to them in the new cabinet, which includes a high number of ministers. Pawar said that the work on pending projects will begin soon after the ministers take charge of their respective ministries. The budget session of the Maharashtra legislature will commence on March 3.

iPhone Affordability Index Reveals: Most Indians Can't...

iPhone Affordability Index Reveals: Most Indians Can't...

Rediff.com16 Sep 2025

The average Indian worker must labour for an extraordinary 160 full working days to afford Apple's latest iPhone 17 Pro.

Rare earth curbs to hit EV, RE, defence sectors

Rare earth curbs to hit EV, RE, defence sectors

Rediff.com28 Jun 2025

India's macroeconomic health is in a "relative goldilocks situation", and although the risk of higher landed oil prices, due to insurance cost surges and closure of choke points due to the brief Israel-Iran war, has receded, it is "too soon to sound the 'all clear' for the rest of the year", the Finance Ministry said on Friday.

Mid-Income Homebuyers Return as Banks Slash Loan Rates

Mid-Income Homebuyers Return as Banks Slash Loan Rates

Rediff.com29 Jul 2025

Home purchase affordability has improved in the first half of calendar year (CY) 2025, after the RBI reduced the repo rate by 100 basis points (bps), according to real estate consultancy Knight Frank India.

Govt urges banks to close inoperative Jan Dhan accounts

Govt urges banks to close inoperative Jan Dhan accounts

Rediff.com7 Jul 2025

State-owned banks have received guidance from the government to close Jan Dhan accounts whose beneficiaries are unwilling to keep them active, amid rising instances of such accounts being misused by fraudsters as mule accounts to defraud people, people aware of the development said.

Trouble Brewing Between Shinde, Fadnavis?

Trouble Brewing Between Shinde, Fadnavis?

Rediff.com21 Jan 2025

Is a sulking Eknath Shinde on the way out as Shiv Sena chief?

Remember Smart Cities? What Happened?

Remember Smart Cities? What Happened?

Rediff.com8 Apr 2025

Among the cities that have fully implemented their projects are Agra, Varanasi, Madurai, Coimbatore, Udaipur, Pune, Surat, and Vadodara

As Scorching Temp Grips India, NDMA Drafts Heatwave Plan

As Scorching Temp Grips India, NDMA Drafts Heatwave Plan

Rediff.com28 Mar 2025

With the summer approaching sooner than scheduled, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha, and West Bengal have already started experiencing heat waves with temperatures soaring above 40°C.

Bungalow allotted to foundation not Meira Kumar: Ministry

Bungalow allotted to foundation not Meira Kumar: Ministry

Rediff.com27 Dec 2013

A foundation in the name of former Deputy Prime Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram and father of Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has been allotted a bungalow in the prime Lutyen's Delhi for 25 years.

Not All Need Subsidies: Finance Secy

Not All Need Subsidies: Finance Secy

Rediff.com31 Mar 2025

'If in our cities, all urban bus transport services are free, then the taxpayers are paying for it, or if electricity were to be made free, that's a huge cost to the rest of the people'

Real estate could be exempted from central environmental rules

Real estate could be exempted from central environmental rules

Rediff.com13 Jul 2016

Urban ministry changes rule before public consultation by environment ministry

EV charging in 15 minutes could be a reality soon!

EV charging in 15 minutes could be a reality soon!

Rediff.com23 May 2025

'The testing and certification have been completed, and implementation could occur within a year, depending on the number of vehicles.'

Improve Customer Service, Banks Told, Or Else!

Improve Customer Service, Banks Told, Or Else!

Rediff.com28 May 2025

In 2023-2024, 95 scheduled commercial banks received over 10 million complaints from their customers. The process of KYC at many banks has become 'HYC' -- harass your customer, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

How UPI, AePS, Wallets Are Changing India

How UPI, AePS, Wallets Are Changing India

Rediff.com24 Jul 2025

UPI has catapulted India into the forefront on the global digital payments landscape. Working hand in hand, the AePS payments system is making life easy for rural folks, notes Tamal Bandyopadhyay.

Rs 1 Trillion Welfare Funds Idle in States

Rs 1 Trillion Welfare Funds Idle in States

Rediff.com25 Feb 2025

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen has the highest unutilised amount (Rs 13,111 crore) compared to any other centrally sponsored scheme.

Are we not creating class of parasites? SC slams poll freebies

Are we not creating class of parasites? SC slams poll freebies

Rediff.com12 Feb 2025

The Supreme Court on Wednesday deprecated the practice of announcing freebies prior to elections, and said people were not willing to work as they were getting free ration and money.

SC orders CBI probe on 'builders-banks nexus'

SC orders CBI probe on 'builders-banks nexus'

Rediff.com29 Apr 2025

Observing an "unholy nexus" between the banks and developers to dupe homebuyers, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the CBI to register seven preliminary enquiries against builders in NCR, including Supertech Limited.

Centre may evict Congress from Akbar Road HQ

Centre may evict Congress from Akbar Road HQ

Rediff.com24 Sep 2016

Can Congress keep Akbar Road HQ two yrs since notice?

Substantial allocation for Metro projects

Substantial allocation for Metro projects

Rediff.com28 Feb 2011

The government on Monday earmarked a substantial amount to the Urban Development Ministry for spending on extension of Metro networks in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai in the Budget 2011-12.

Illegal VIP structures in Lutyens's Delhi to stay

Illegal VIP structures in Lutyens's Delhi to stay

Rediff.com8 Nov 2007

According to the list being finalised by the Central Public Works Department, about 10 politicians and senior bureaucrats, who have been found violating building norms in the LBZ, may get relief from the Urban Development Ministry. The ministry will grant the relief to VIPs like former Deputy Prime Minister and senior BJP leader L K Advani, Union Ministers Suresh Pachouri and Kumari Selja, former Governor of Maharashtra P C Alexander and IB Director P C Haldar.

Govt eases rules, Gauba to stay as cabinet secretary till after 2024 LS polls

Govt eases rules, Gauba to stay as cabinet secretary till after 2024 LS polls

Rediff.com3 Aug 2023

With the completion of this third extension, Rajiv Gauba will become the longest serving cabinet secretary of the country. Till now, B D Pande had been the longest serving cabinet secretary from November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977.

Modi's top 4 retain portfolios; Nadda gets health, Shivraj agri

Modi's top 4 retain portfolios; Nadda gets health, Shivraj agri

Rediff.com10 Jun 2024

Among the new entrants to the Union cabinet, former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been given the agriculture and rural development portfolios, Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda the health portfolio and former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar the power portfolio.

Why Eknath Shinde Is Miffed With Thackeray Sarkar

Why Eknath Shinde Is Miffed With Thackeray Sarkar

Rediff.com21 Jun 2022

Was it Uddhav's back-seat driving of Shinde's ministry Did Shinde feel slighted by Aaditya Thackeray's rapid ascent in the Shiv Sena? Was his spat with Sanjay Raut on Monday the last straw?

SmartCity project to be rolled out after cabinet nod

SmartCity project to be rolled out after cabinet nod

Rediff.com1 Apr 2015

SmartCity project is in advanced stage.

The Politics of A Caste Census

The Politics of A Caste Census

Rediff.com2 May 2025

While data can empower communities, it reinforces identities, making local politics more caste-centric, with decisions increasingly contested on the grounds of representation.

Such dynamics could lead to shifting alliances and, in the worst case, local governance getting paralysed as each group demands proportional power-sharing, explain Amitabh Kundu and Mehebub Rahaman.

Smriti Irani gets I&B ministry after Naidu resigns

Smriti Irani gets I&B ministry after Naidu resigns

Rediff.com18 Jul 2017

The move comes after Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday resigned after he was chosen as the National Democratic Alliance's candidate for the vice presidential election.

Parliamentary panel to probe CWG irregularities

Parliamentary panel to probe CWG irregularities

Rediff.com14 Jan 2011

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Urban Development has called top officials from the ministry to brief it on the role and performance of various agencies under it in implementing the Games-related projects.

Crippling story of India's urban infra projects

Crippling story of India's urban infra projects

Rediff.com8 Feb 2016

Of the 538 projects examined, 294 suffered from cost overruns, 303 from time overruns, and 166 projects suffered both time as well as cost overruns.

Delhi Metro will be bigger than London Metro: Nath

Delhi Metro will be bigger than London Metro: Nath

Rediff.com20 Jan 2011

Kamal Nath on Thursday took over as Urban Development Minister with an ambitious plan of giving a boost to urban transportation for which he intends to expand Delhi Metro network to make it bigger than its London counterpart by 2017.

Will money in hand from tax breaks spur housing demand?

Will money in hand from tax breaks spur housing demand?

Rediff.com21 Apr 2025

Real estate developers are hoping that the slew of tax concessions announced in Union Budget 2025, set to take effect this financial year, will spur demand for affordable and mid-segment housing, even as the broader housing market shows signs of fatigue.