The much-awaited Lokpal Bill was on Tuesday taken up for consideration by the Lok Sabha on a stormy note with the Opposition demanding its withdrawal contending it was full of deficiencies, even as the government asserted that it had sought to strike a fine balance.
Government on Tuesday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that makes it mandatory for every authority or department to publish a citizen's charter and address grievances within 30 days, failing which the official concerned would face action.
The central government on Wednesday informed that there are 7172 cases of corruption investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation are pending trial as on January 31, 2012 in various courts across the country.
Against a total authorised strength of 6,154 IAS officers in the country, there were only 4,377, Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy said during Question Hour.
Construction work at the controversial Koodankulam nuclear power plant has been stopped but essential maintenance activities are underway, Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office V Narayanasamy said on Thursday.
The Centre is looking into Tamil Nadu's demand for allocation of entire power to be generated from the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy on Friday said.
Environment scientist-activist G D Agrawal on Friday broke his fast after the government promised to convene a meeting of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-led National Ganga River Basin Authority in March. Agrawal, who was on a fast-unto-death since March 8 to press for the cleaning of Ganga, decided to take water and liquid food after he was informed about the government's decision to convene the meeting of NGRBA on April 17 by Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal.
Slamming Team Anna, Union Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday said there was lack of unity among members of Anna Hazare's team and dismissed the charge that the government was trying to break it.
The latest move to increase the cooling-off period for bureaucrats is meaningless.
Stalemate over the controversial Koodankulam nuclear power project continued despite efforts by the Prime Minister's emissary to break the ice even as the indefinite fast by locals demanding scrapping of the project entered the 10th day on Tuesday.
Former Indian Space Research Organisation Chairman G Madhavan Nair is pinning hopes on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to revoke the order banning him and three others from government jobs despite Union Minister V Narayanasamy ruling out its review, as he reiterated there is "no issue" vis-a-vis the Antrix-Devas deal.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy on Sunday accused former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair of misleading the nation by saying he was not given a chance to explain his case before the high level panel which indicted him and three other space scientists in the Antrix-Devas deal.
The government on Sunday said it was ready to hear the points of view of four scientists, including former Indian Space Research Organisation chief Madhavan Nair, who have been barred from occupying any government posts in connection with the controversial Antrix-Devas deal.
Under fierce attack from the Opposition, the government on Thursday night defended the move to adjourn the Rajya Sabha sine die saying it needs time to study the nearly 200 amendments moved by the Opposition on the Lokpal Bill.
The Right of Citizens for Time Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011 was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by V Narayanasamy, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The government has finalised the much-awaited rules of implementation of the nuclear liability law, a move that could pave way for the expansion of the atomic power sector by procuring equipment from foreign suppliers. "A PMO committee has approved the rules of implementation of the civil nuclear liability law. We will notify the rules within a month," V Narayanasamy said. The Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage law was passed by Parliament last year.
Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy said the 'cold run' of the power plant will begin in the presence of Atomic Energy Regulatory Commission officials within ten days time and the tests will go on for 15 days from then.
Narayanasamy has been deputed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit Koodankulam to talk to the people agitating against the project.
The Centre on Friday gave the go ahead to a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the murder of Madhya Pradesh Right To Information activist Shehla Masood in Bhopal.
Of these, the extra expenditure proposals involve net cash outgo aggregating Rs 42,480.10 crore (Rs 424.8 billion). The demands were laid in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State of Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy.
Appealing to Anna Hazare to end his fast, the government on Wednesday said it has forwarded Jan Lokpal Bill to Parliament's Standing Committee for consideration and it is up to it to take a decision.
The government on Wednesday said in view of the huge losses incurred by national carrier Air India, a committee had been appointed to look into the present policy of giving free and concessional air tickets in domestic sector to certain categories.
The much-talked about Lokpal Bill could be introduced in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday with the government writing to the Speaker to waive off the two-day period required before introducing a bill.
"There is a long way to go for 12 O' clock (midnight)." This is what Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari told Communist Party of India-Marxist Sitaram Yechury when he sought to know whether the session will continue beyond midnight.
"The absence of MPs will be taken note of very seriously by the Congress leadership and the parliamentary party leadership. Action will be taken against the MPs who were absent despite phone calls and SMSes issued to them," Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, who piloted the bills in Lok Sabha, said on Wednesday.
In the Upper House of Parliament, where the Lokpal Bill is likely to be taken up on Wednesday, the Congress does not have majority on its own or with its allies in the UPA.
Union Cabinet Ministers have accumulated dues of Rs 435 crore on the cash-strapped Air India, which is 93 per cent of the total bills incurred by them during their visits abroad, Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Refusing to yield to Anna Hazare's demand, the government has kept CBI out of the control of Lokpal and decided not to hive off the Directorate of Prosecution from the investigative agency.
The Group of Ministers, set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, met on Monday for discussion with Union ministry secretary-level officers.
Among the long queues of voters, there were some famous faces too who exercised their franchise.
Dorjee Khandu, who led the Congress to an absolute majority in the assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh, was on Saturday elected the Congress Legislature Party leader, paving the way for his second stint as chief minister. Khandu's election was announced by central observer V Narayanasamy after all the 42 Members of Legislative Assembly, in a resolution, authorised Congress president Sonia Gandhi to take a decision on the leadership.
The Central government will hold another all-party meeting this week to arrive at a consensus on the Women's Reservation Bill in Lok Sabha, Union minister V Narayanasamy said on Tuesday.
"The prime minister is likely to convene an all-party meeting (to evolve consensus). We are taking all efforts to bring the bill in the Lok Sabha in the winter session of Parliament," the minister of state for planning and parliamentary affairs told reporters in Chennai.
"The government is planning such a scheme (for urban poor)," minister of state for planning V Narayanasamy told reporters after assuming charge of his ministry in New Delhi on Wednesday. Under the NREGA scheme, which was launched in February 2006, the government provides 100 days of assured employment in a year to at least one person in a rural household.
After days of deliberations, a point of conclusion was reached late Saturday night and Congress leader and Tamil Nadu in-charge Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters that the agreement was signed in "a spirit of cooperation" when the country was facing a 'threat' from the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Anti-nuclear power activist S P Udayakumar will be the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Kanyakumari.
Anti-nuclear power activist S P Udayakumar will be the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from Kanyakumari.
Gandhi reportedly told them that he has already conveyed his decision to the Congress Working Committee and would not relent.
Among other dignitaries who paid tributes toSavarkar were Sushma Swaraj, S S Ahluwalia, V K Malhotra, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangawar, Maya Singh, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, members of Parliament and many former members of Parliament. Lok Sabha Secretary-General P D T Achary and Rajya Sabha Secretary-General V K Agnihotri, also paid floral tributes at the portrait of Savarkar.
A suspected explosive device was on Wednesday found under Union Minister V Narayanasamy's car which was parked outside his residence in Puducherry.
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