Amid criticism over engaging experts from multilateral agencies like World Bank, Planning Commission on Wednesday asserted that none of the "outside bodies"
"We have recommended that at least 20 per cent of coal should be sold through e-auction," said Kirit Parikh, member (energy), Planning Commission. CIL currently puts for sale about 10 per cent of its annual production through online bidding. The National Coal Distribution Policy has already recommended increasing this quantum in a bid to ensure better price discovery of the fuel.
In the midst of the high-octane legal battle between the two Ambani brothers over gas supply from KG-D6 fields, the Planning Commission said on Thursday that it is not concerned about the outcome of the dispute, but only wanted to promote the use of the fuel for the power and fertilizer sectors.
A parliamentary panel on Tuesday opposed the privatisation of six AAI-developed airports including Kolkata and Chennai, and charged the Civil Aviation Ministry with doing "a great disservice" by "using public property for private profits".
Here's a map that visualises the official numbers for percentage of households availing banking facilities as published by the Planning Commission of India in June 2014.
In view of declining inflation and recessionary conditions, the Planning Commission expects industry to cut prices in the normal course to battle economic slowdown.
Rajiv Kumar will continue as vice-chairman of the body, along with other full-time members V K Saraswat, Ramesh Chand and V K Paul.
The Planning Commission's latest poverty estimates, based on the 2011-12 consumption expenditure survey, shows that across India, the number of people living below the poverty line declined by more than 15 percentage points -- from 2004-05 to 2011-12 and from 37 per cent to 21.9 per cent.
Even though present times were fraught with challenges, there is still inherent, vast and untapped opportunity in India, concludes the 10th India Business Conference at Columbia Business School.
The current account deficit is the difference between inflow and outflow of foreign exchange.
The Centre assures to restore demolished Ambedkar Bhavan at Dadar in Mumbai.
Rajan Committee has evoked divergent reactions from the states.
With a sub-normal monsoon looming, the government is worried about spiralling food inflation and its debilitating impact on the nascent economic recovery.
The Planning Commission may go for a correction in the 11th Five Year Plan targets as it gears up for mid-term assessment of goals next year in view of the global financial meltdown's impact on the economy.
"I could say 40,000 Mw is certainly achievable, 60,000 Mw is a possible target but 77,000 Mw looks a bit difficult," said Kirit Parikh, member (energy), Planning Commission. He attributed the apprehension over meeting the capacity addition target mainly to the non-achievement of financial closures of some projects. About 15 per cent -- 12,000 MW -- of the power generation target for the current Plan period has been achieved.
It is likely to have a similar tax efficient pass through status, for PPP and other infrastructure projects.
A Planning Commission panel has suggested allowing foreign investors to own a larger share in domestic insurance companies. The group, chaired by Planning Commission member Anwarul Hoda, has also said that foreign direct investment restrictions on reinsurance companies should be removed.
To deny visa to trade officials planning to scrutinise country's trade and industrial practices.
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel on Tuesday lashed out at the Planning Commission, holding it responsible for the delay in the modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports.
Parents, relatives and friends of Hyderabad-born Satya Nadella are elated after the news of his elevation as Microsoft's CEO broke on Tuesday evening, even as neighbours gathered at Nadella's posh Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad to congratulate his parents.
Can India meet the target for infrastructure spending without foreign capital?
Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways TR Baalu has said the new toll policy has been finalised by the government, while the toll rules are under formulation.
'Who are these people on the streets?' 'They are youth and students who were hoodwinked, bluffed by Modi for the last seven years, with a promise of 2 crore jobs every year.' 'And Mamata sings the same tune.' 'But the youth can see that as long as there is Mamata or Modi, there is no hope.'
'All of us have believed in decentralisation. You may not like property taxation, neither do I. My solution is that the Centre does the tax collection, but we can give a matching grant instead of redistribution,' says the outgoing CEA, Arvind Subramanian.
"For the Lok Sabha elections, we are making meticulous planning on all fronts including electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT)," he said.
More needs to be done to boost farm growth
The government of Gujarat has been projecting its industrial growth as a model for other states but it does not appear so industry-friendly in the number of labour laws one needs to comply with, shows a survey.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced its imminent replacement in his Independence Day address, but the new name, structure and key personnel became known only a week ago.
In addition, the government also plans to float power bonds -- Vidyut Vikas Patra to mobilise Rs 50,000 crore (Rs 500 billion) to finance various projects in the sector under the Eleventh Plan period. The VKP to be floated on the lines of the Kisan Vikas Patra will have a lock-in period of five years.
The IEO, which has been entrusted to assess public programmes, has found that 57 per cent of the subsidised foodgrains distributed in Delhi, do not reach the target group with close to 36 per cent siphoned off the supply chain.
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat account for 85 per cent of India's maize production.
The ministry was supposed to send the policy for Cabinet clearance by February end.
The government will push for the passage of a long-pending bill to provide statutory status to the Unique Identification Authority of India in the winter session of Parliament.
Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje claimed the deputy chairperson of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia was very pleased with the performance of the state.
During Vajpayee's tenure, he was there as an indispensable insider, witness to every action that had an impact on history: Pokhran-II (nuclear tests in 1998), the 1999 Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan, the Indo-Pak Agra Summit in 2001, intense engagement with the United States on nuclear issues besides the Kandahar hijack.
In a bid to transform Mumbai into a world-class financial hub, the Centre has asked the Maharashtra government to upgrade its ports, railway and other infrastructure at the earliest.
The Planning Commission on Tuesday projected a 8.5-9 per cent economic growth for this fiscal despite a slowdown in industrial growth in July.
"The world economic slowdown will not affect the medium term growth prospects," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, while addressing the 'TIE Entrepreneurial Summit 2007' in New Delhi on Tuesday. The economy was likely to clock a growth rate of 8.5 to 9 per cent during the current financial year, he said, adding that the gross domestic product growth rate was expected to be 9 per cent during the next three years.
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