27-Feb-2015
The survey added
that the high growth rate can be expected because of the reforms taken forward,
like deregulation of diesel prices, taxing energy products, replacing cooking
gas subsidy by direct transfer, etc, by the new NDA government at the Centre led
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
24-Feb-2015
The proposed
four-day bank strike that was to begin on Wednesday has been called off after a
memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between nine bank unions and the
Indian Bank Association (IBA). A 15 per cent hike on pay slip components was
agreed upon. The total annual wage rise will work out to be Rs 4,725 crore, a
release issued by IBA said.
22-Feb-2015
Most businessmen
that TOI correspondents have spoken to over the past few months - including a
few who do not necessarily agree with everything that the government has done -
say there's been a conscious effort to curb corruption, at least in the upper reaches
of government.
"I can
speak of at least the economic ministries, and I've heard this about defence
too — ministers and top bureaucrats don't ask for anything when you go to meet
them. There isn't even a hint of any expectation of an under-the-table quid pro
quo," a prominent businessman told this paper recently during an informal
chat.
21-Feb-2015
After a series
of reports published highlighting the devastating effects of addiction to meow
meow, the Centre has finally taken serious cognisance of the issue and made the
drug illegal. A finance ministry notification has declared the drug as a
psychotropic substance under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(NDPS) Act, 1985, deeming it illegal.
21-Feb-2015
Executives from
five leading energy companies, a former journalist and an energy consultant
were arrested Friday, taking to 12 the number of arrests made so far in
connection with the alleged leak of official documents from the Petroleum
Ministry. Police sources said two senior officials from the ministry were also
under the scanner.
20-Feb-2015
A memorable suit
worn just one time by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — with pinstripes
that spell out his name in tiny letters — has sold for 43.1 million rupees
($693,234) at a charity auction.
The two-piece
suit was put up for auction on Wednesday along with 454 items given to Mr. Modi
as gifts since he took office in May. This isn’t the first time Mr. Modi has
auctioned off gifts he has received. As chief minister of the state of Gujarat
for more than a decade, Mr. Modi held regular auctions of gifts, donating up to
950 million rupees to charities that work to educate girls. The proceeds from
this auction will go to the “Namami Gange Fund,” a project to clean the Ganges river.
20-Feb-2015
Experts and
policymakers feel Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nepal last year has
strengthened relations between the two countries and cleared several roadblocks
for bilateral ties. At the first-ever Indo-Nepal Border Summit, organised by
the Consulate General of India, India reiterated Modi’s thrust on the
“neighbourhood first” policy and said that “integrated customs will be ready by
year-end”.
Former Nepal
minister of state for home affairs Rizwan Ansari said, “We were greatly
impressed with Narendra Modi when he said India cannot sleep well if its
neighbour feels uneasy. Islam says as much about neighbours. His visit did
boost people’s morale and now both sides have to work together to sort out
bilateral issues.”
19-Feb-2015
The government
today approved over Rs 8,600 crore of highway projects in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha
and Chhattisgarh. "The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has
given its approval for the six laning of the Chakeri-Allahabad section of
National Highway in Uttar Pradesh," an official statement said. The total
cost of this project is estimated to be Rs 1999.85 crore and total length of
the road will be approximately 145 kms.
17-Feb-2015
"Everyone
has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice
without coercion or undue influence. My government will not allow any religious
group, belonging to majority or minority to incite hatred against others
overtly or covertly," he told the gathering where Delhi Archbishop Anil
Couto was also present.
“There are
indications that the UK parliament’s APPG report on tribal peoples will use
Priya Parameswaran Pillai’s testimony to rate India at a low level, leaving
Indian open to a potential sanction regime… Unlike at the United Nations, these
reports by US, UK and EP do not provide opportunity to the Government of India
or the local Embassy/High Commission to record their opinion and are heavily
biased against the targeted country,” stated the MHA affidavit filed through an
Under Secretary of the Foreigners Division (FCRA Wing).
17-Feb-2015
Prime Minister
Narendra Modi and the visiting Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on
Monday decided to expand bilateral defence and security cooperation. New Delhi
also signed a pact with Colombo to assuage their concerns on Indian nuclear
facilities coming up on the southern coast, which may have an impact on Sri
Lanka.
16-Feb-2015
Inflation
declined to a five-and-a-half-year low of (-)0.39 per cent in January on
falling prices of manufactured and fuel items.
16-Feb-2015
Union Cabinet
meetings will soon go paperless. The government is finalising a plan to put all
Cabinet notes on Kindle devices, which ministers will use at meetings and
return to the Cabinet Secretariat immediately after.
The government’s
technology arm, the National Informatics Centre (NIC), has been instructed to
implement this within six months.
