LIVE: Will bring law to recover damages from protesters, says Khattar

FM Sitharaman today said Budget 2021 has set pace for India to become Aatmanirbhar. Meanwhile, polling is underway in as many as 2,786 panchayats in Andhra Pradesh. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

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ITBP personnel looking for missing persons on the banks of Dhauli Ganga

4:16 PM

Uttarakhand disaster: ITBP continue to distribute ration to cut off vilagges

4:13 PM

Govt pursuing reforms to make India one of world's top economies: FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that the government, undeterred by the Covid-19 pandemic, has been pursuing reforms for achieving sustained long-term growth in a bid to make India one of the top economies of the world in the coming decades, according to PTI. Replying to debate on Budget 2021-22 in Lok Sabha, she said, the Prime Minister did not lose any opportunity to continue with the reforms and this Budget has set the pace for India to become self-reliant or Aatmanirbhar.

Earlier this month, the Finance Minister presented a Rs 34.5 lakh crore Budget for 2021-22, in the backdrop of the pandemic. The Budget has laid emphasis on increasing capital expenditure, raising allocation for healthcare capacity building and development of agriculture infrastructure, among others, which are expected to have a multiplier effect on the economy.

She said her Budget for 2021-22, has provided the highest capex growth of 34.4 per cent by providing more money to railways, roads and defence, as per PTI. Referring to a series of measures taken to stimulate the economy hit by the pandemic, she said, COVID-19 did not deter the government from taking up reforms, which are going to be necessary for sustaining long-term goals for this country.

3:31 PM

Lok Sabha passes Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021

Lok Sabha passes The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021, according to ANI

3:30 PM

No date fixed for resumption of all passenger trains operations: Railways

3:05 PM

Not even our enemies can say there was fraud during DDC polls in J&K: Shah

2:58 PM

J&K Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill has nothing to do with statehood of Kashmir: Amit Shah

I have no objection, I will give an account for everything. But those who were given the opportunity to govern for generations should look within if they are even fit to demand an account. We were asked what did we do about promises made during abrogation of Article 370. It has been 17 months since the abrogation & you are demanding an account for it. Did you bring the account of what you did for 70 yrs? Had you worked properly, you need not have asked us. Many MPs said that bringing Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 means J&K won't get statehood. I am piloting the Bill, I brought it. I have clarified the intentions. Nowhere it's written that J&K won't get statehood. Where are you drawing conclusion from?. I have said in this House & I say it again that this Bill has got nothing to do with the statehood of Jammu & Kashmi. Statehood would be given to Jammu & Kashmir at an appropriate time: Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha, according to ANI

2:35 PM

Rs 30,000 crore via agri cess will go to states to improve APMC infra: FM

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday clarified that the Union Budget proposal of collecting Rs 30,000 crore through Agriculture Infrastructure and Development Cess will go to states so that mandi infrastructure can be improved.

 

Amid ongoing protests by farmers and the Opposition to repeal controversial farm laws, Sitharaman said that not even one Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) has been shut in any state, and instead the Budget makes provision to strengthen such market places for farmers. She was replying to a general debate on the Budget for 2021-22 in the Lok Sabha.

 

Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sitharaman said that the United Progressive Alliance government can take credit for MGNREGA, but at the same time should own up to mismanagement in the rural employment scheme. Read more

2:35 PM

Those demanding repeal of farm laws including Rahul Gandhi know nothing about them: Tomar

Hitting out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said those who are asking to repeal the new farm laws including the Congress leader, do not even know about them, according to PTI. "People from political parties have nothing to do with these laws, those who are demanding the withdrawal of the laws from Rahul Gandhi to the rest, know nothing about them," Tomar told reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain late Friday on the sidelines of a two-day training program organised for BJP MLAs.

"I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that those who do dynasty politics do not have the right to comment on others," he added. The Minister further stated that even the Congress party does not take Rahul Gandhi's statements seriously. "What worries me is the three-fold pace with which the Congress is tumbling under his leadership which is weakening the opposition. A weak opposition is not good for democracy," Tomar said, as per PTI.

"As far as the farmers' movement is concerned, the government is holding discussions with the farmers, we have given them the best proposal. When they convey their opinion, then we will carry forward the discussion," he further added.

1:23 PM

Car bomb explodes near Somali presidential palace in Mogadishu

Car bomb explodes near Somali presidential palace in Mogadishu

1:13 PM

World Radio Day: I personally experience the positive impact of radio thanks to MannKi Baat, says PM Modi

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PM Modi to visit poll-bound Kerala, Tamil Nadu tomorrow

PM Modi to visit poll-bound Kerala, Tamil Nadu tomorrow.

11:58 AM

The dreams that you had shown after the abrogation of Article 370 have not been fulfilled: Congress

The dreams that you had shown after the abrogation of Article 370 have not been fulfilled. J&K has not returned to normalcy. More than Rs 90,000 cr of local business has finished. We want you to tell us how will you improve things in J&K: AR Chowdhury, Leader of Congress in LS

11:17 AM

Sitharaman counters Rahul Gandhi's 'Hum do, Hamare do' with MNREGA data

Giving back to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's 'Hum do, Hamare do' which Gandhi had raised in the Lok Sabha to attack the government over farm laws. “Years ago there was a family planning slogan — hum do, hamare do (We two and ours two), but just like Corona has returned in another form, this slogan too has made a comeback. Today, four people run the country — hum do, hamare do,” Gandhi had said, without taking any name.

Nirmala Sitharaman used the same slogan and said though Congress comes up with "very good schemes", it lacks the will of using those schemes properly as those schemes turn into devices to only favour "cronies" and "hum do hamare do".

"Take the credit of giving birth to MNREGA. But also take credit for mismanaging it, for giving money to ghost workers," Sitharaman said.

 

Addressing Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, Sitharaman said, "Kerala invited one crony to develop a port — no bidding, just invitation. Because Kerala has no damad, Damad is here. Damads get land in states which are governed by some parties - Rajasthan, Haryana once upon a time"

 

"The budget combines stimulus with reforms and has an element to provide impetus to make India one of the top economies of the world in the coming decades. The budget took a courageous approach," the finance minister said.

 

Attacking the tradition of India's post-Independence 'licence quota raj' Sitharaman said, "This budget draws on the experience of Prime Minister when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He saw how licence raj constricted India's economy."

 

Since Jan Sangh days, respecting India's entrepreneur skill and India's taxpayers has been followed, Nirmala Sitharaman said amid resistance from opposition leaders that the reference to Jan Sangh was irrelevant. "It is relevant as it was the precursor of the BJP," Sitharaman said.

11:08 AM

FM Sitharaman slams Congress over farm issues

Congress failed to fulfill promises to the farmers, says Nirmala Sitharaman