Page 5 - Indian Government

DST NIDHI scheme led to over 1,200 tech-based products, 233 patents

A government initiative to promote knowledge-based and technology-driven innovation has led to the development of over 1,200 products and prototypes and generated 233 patents. The National Initiative for Developing and Harnessing Innovations (NIDHI) of the Department of Science and Technology, supported 1,074 Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) who set up 571 companies which created 3,693 jobs, a report released by S&T Secretary Abhay Karandikar said. Since its inception in 2016, NIDHI has contributed to India's S&T entrepreneurial landscape and played a crucial role in nurturing technology startups, including a substantial proportion led by women entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) Programme is one of the programs introduced under NIDHI to inspire the best talents to be entrepreneurs, to minimise the risk involved in pursuing start-ups, and to partially set off their opportunity costs of high paying jobs. The NIDHI-EIR programme provides opportunities for innovative .

Centre asks states, UTs to report on security of doctors before Sep10

It comes after Supreme Court had directed on Aug 22 to hold meeting with secretaries and directors general of police so as to ensure that states, UTs put into place certain basic minimum requirements

Govt to amend CPSE capital restructuring guidelines for dividend payment

The government is working to amend its 2016 guidelines with regard to dividend payment, bonus issues and share buyback by CPSEs, officials said. The finance ministry had in May 2016, issued a comprehensive guidelines on 'Capital Restructuring of Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs)' in 2016 for efficient management of government investment in CPSEs. "With the CPSEs now more strong in terms of balance sheet and having improved on their market capitalisation, it is now time for a relook of the capital restructuring guidelines," an official told PTI. The amended guidelines are expected to be issued by the finance ministry this month, another official said. As per the capital restructuring guidelines issued, CPSEs that do not have plans to deploy their capital optimally for business purposes should have a professional look at the surplus funds available to them. As per the guidelines issued by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) in May 2016, every CPS

Let me finish term in RS, I'll write story set in Parliament: Sudha Murthy

Parliamentarian and author-philanthropist Sudha Murthy on Sunday said although she has read a book set in Parliament way back in the 1980s, about Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, since so much has changed about India and the Parliament since then, that she would not mind writing about it. "Although, I have to finish my term as a Rajya Sabha member first, before I could attempt to do that," said Murthy on Sunday. Murthy was in conversation with fellow author and actor Twinkle Khanna, at the celebration of the launch of her 300th book title and 46th book 'Grandpa's Bag of Stories' here. The event was organised by Bengaluru-based Lit Spirit Foundation. But in her immediate list of wishes is a book on 'shlokas' that her grandfather used to recite, she said. "Like the one my grandfather used to recite when someone went travelling or stepped out of the house," said Murthy. Murthy also said it is not likely that she will not set her stories in the United Kingdom, even though it is the place of

Govt asks public input on LGBTQI+ policies as new measures are implemented

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has sought inputs from stakeholders and the general public to ensure the inclusivity and effectiveness of policies related to the LGBTQI+ community. The government has initiated several measures aimed at safeguarding the rights and interests of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) community, following the Supreme Court's directive in October 2023 in the Supriya vs Union of India case. In compliance with the SC judgment, the government established a high-level committee chaired by the cabinet secretary to define and elucidate the scope of entitlements for the queer community, the ministry said in a statement. The L"lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and quee This committee, constituted in April 2024, includes key officials from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development and Health and Family Welfare, with the DoSJE secretary serving as the Member Convenor. The committee convened a meet

Centre decreases public grievances redressal time from 30 to 21 days

The Centre has reduced redressal time of public grievances, raised on a dedicated portal, to 21 days, from the existing 30 days. In an order mentioning revised guidelines, it has suggested appointment of dedicated officers to handle complaints besides emphasising "whole of the government approach. "This means that in no case grievance shall be closed by stating 'Does not pertain to this Ministry/Department/ Office' or its equivalent language. Efforts shall be made to transfer the same to the right authority if the subject of the grievance does not pertain to the receiving Ministry," said the order issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG). In the ministries/departments where a large number of public grievances are received, it is advised to appoint a dedicated nodal officer with independent charge on sufficient rank so as to ensure timely and qualitative disposal of public grievances, it said. The order mentioning revised guidelines was issued

Cabinet may approve 12 new industrial cities to boost manufacturing

The Union cabinet is expected to approve this week 12 new industrial cities in different states on the lines of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and Dholera in Gujarat to boost domestic manufacturing, an official said. Out of the 12 industrial cities, two are coming up in Andhra Pradesh and one in Bihar, the official said. The government in the Budget has announced the development of 'plug and play' industrial parks in or near 100 cities in partnership with states and the private sector to boost manufacturing. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh earlier told PTI that eight such cities are already under different stages of implementation. Trunk infrastructure has been created in four cities - Dholera (Gujarat), Auric (Maharashtra), Vikram Udyogpuri (Madhya Pradesh) and Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and allotment of land plots is underway for the industry. Similarly, in the other four, the government's special purpose vehicl

Centre to spend $300 mn to mitigate floods, conserve water in big cities

The federal government spending, the first flood control measure focused on water bodies, was approved recently and will also incorporate early-warning systems, said Krishna S. Vatsa

Govt's lateral entry U-turn due to criticism by Oppn in LS, RS: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday claimed that the Centre's move to withdraw the latest advertisement for lateral entry in bureaucracy was due to the criticism by the Leaders of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha -- Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge -- along with others. The remarks came after Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh wrote to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Chairman Preeti Sudan and asked her to cancel the advertisement so that marginalised communities get their rightful representation in government services. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh tagged Singh's letter and said on X, "A letter from a Union Minister working under a non-biological PM to a Constitutional authority without a date. What pathetic governance this is." "Even so, this is clearly the impact of the criticism of the Leaders of the Opposition in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and others," he said in another post. Reacting to the ...

India directs airports, ports, to stay alert as Mpox cases rise globally

Earlier, PK Mishra, Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, led a review meeting to assess the nation's preparedness for Mpox

Some put political interest above national interest: Vice President Dhankar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar on Saturday said here that some people in the country have put their political interest above the national interest and wished that wisdom would prevail on them. The Vice President expressed hope that such people would take counsel from the supreme sacrifices made for achieving freedom for our country. Some people in the country for reasons which are not appropriate have put their political interest above national interest. Let us hope and pray they get wiser, said Dhankar, addressing a Swarna Bharat Trust meeting at Venkatachalam in Nellore district. Dhankar's remarks came a day after he expressed concern that a person holding a constitutional position is asking the Supreme Court to take suo-motu cognisance to give wings to a narrative aimed at destroying our economy. The Vice President comments were seen as an apparent attack on Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. He noted that the freedom achieved through supreme sacrifices should be .

Centre implementing several schemes for development of villages: Shivraj

Observing that the Union government is implementing several programmes for development of villages, Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said poverty-free villages were his dream. The Minister was addressing the gathering after attending the 66th General Council meeting of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj here on Tuesday, an official release said. Chouhan also launched an online Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) course. Two MoUs with JNU, New Delhi, for PhD programmes and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi, were signed. "Nobody should be poor in villages and everyone should be employed. Mahatma Gandhi's vision was Gram Swaraj. When we talk about the development of villages, infrastructural development takes the front seat. Villages need proper road connectivity, potable water, strong and spacious school buildings, Panchayat Bhawan, health facilities, etc," the release quoted him as saying. Recalling tha

In view of PM's assurance, state govt has to make rehab plans: Kerala Guv

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said with Prime Minister Narendra Modi assuring that resources will not be an issue in rehabilitation of those affected by the landslides in Wayanad district, it is for the state government to chalk out a detailed plan for the same. Responding to reporters' queries here, Khan said the Prime Minister has suggested the preparation of a long-term plan for the rehabilitation of landslide victims, and assured that resource constraints will not hinder its implementation. "I feel very confident after this assurance from the PM. It is a blanket statement," he said. He also pointed out that help for the victims was coming from all quarters across the country. Khan said that on Monday he received Rs 3.5 lakh from Sathrughna Swami temple towards the relief and rehabilitation work. Besides that, his office has been receiving cheques from other parts of the country which have been sent to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. "So people are coming forwa

Oppn defaming country, refugees know India is safe for minorities: Rijiju

Six recognised minorities, technically and by definition we are minority but by no means, emotionally, socially.... no one in this country is minority, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju added

Kerala not alone, Centre will spare no effort to help rehabilitation: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited the landslides-hit Wayanad district and assured that the Central government will "spare no effort" in helping Kerala in the relief and rehabilitation while describing the tragedy as "nature displaying its furious form". Modi, who arrived in the hill district by helicopter from Kannur airport, conducted an aerial survey, walked through the disaster-stricken Chooralmala to get a firsthand view of the destruction caused by the July 30 landslides, visited one of the relief camps and interacted with survivors, including two children who lost their loved ones in the tragedy. He spoke to survivors, heard their concerns and needs, and tried to comfort them. Modi placed his hands on the heads and shoulders of the victims as they broke into tears while recounting their ordeal. Ayyappan, a survivor of the devastating landslides that swept through Mundakkai hamlet in Wayanad and one of the few who got to interact with Modi, said that the "PM ...

V-P expresses concern over narrative of B'desh unrest taking place in India

Taking strong exception to some remarks by a few Congress leaders comparing the situation in Bangladesh with India, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday said efforts by some to infuse a narrative that what happened in our neighbourhood is bound to happen in our country is deeply concerning. "How can a citizen of this country having been a Member of Parliament, and the other who has seen enough of Foreign Service takes no time in saying that what happened in the neighbourhood will happen in India," Dhankhar said while addressing the legal fraternity here at a platinum jubilee function of the Rajasthan High Court. "Efforts by some to infuse a narrative that what happened in our neighbourhood is bound to happen in our Bharat, is deeply concerning," he said. Though Dhankhar did not name anyone, he was apparently referring to the recent remarks by senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Mani Shankar Aiyar. At a recent event, Khurshid had said what is happening in Bangladesh c

'Caught napping at wheels': Cong slams govt over trade deficit with China

The Congress on Saturday hit out at the Centre over the issue of trade deficit with China and said that while other countries around the world had taken measures to restrict uncontrolled Chinese imports, "our government has been caught napping at the wheels". Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the data revealed by the government in the Rajya Sabha shows that India's trade deficit with China has surged by about 16% over the last two years from USD 73,306.2 million in FY22 to USD 85,079.03 million in FY24. "Governments across the world are taking note of China's industrial overcapacity and its dumping of goods overseas. However, unlike most governments that have taken proactive measures to restrict uncontrolled Chinese imports, our government has been caught napping at the wheels," Ramesh said in a post on X. "Our domestic industries are being decimated and shutting down, unable to compete with the onslaught of cheap Chinese goods," the Congress ...

Congress slams govt over bid to privatise steel plants, suffocate industry

The Congress on Saturday attacked the government over attempts to privatise steel plants, alleging the country's industrial base is being "suffocated" and Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy is party to it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh cited a written reply in the Rajya Sabha by Kumaraswamy. "Yesterday in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister for Steel revealed that the Modi Government has attempted and failed to privatise 4 steel plants and is currently attempting to privatise another 2," Ramesh said on X. None of these six privatisations were necessary, he argued. "Perhaps the Government's incompetence in enacting its own decisions, however ill-founded, is a small mercy," he said. However, these PSUs are now in a state of inactivity, and will be for an indeterminate period of time, Ramesh said. "The Government will not invest in them - in fact, there is evidence that the Government is actually systematically trying to further throttle these units t

Govt panel considering major cut to food weighting in new CPI basket

The panel, under the statistics ministry, is discussing a proposal to reduce the weight of food in the consumer price basket by as much as 8 percentage points

Commerce ministry developing e-platform to connect exporters, MSMEs, govt

The government on Tuesday said it is developing a trade connect e-platform to connect exporters, MSMEs and entrepreneurs with various stakeholders including Indian missions abroad, export promotion councils, and other partner government agencies. Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha that the platform will provide information on trade events taking place in different parts of the world, benefits available due to India's free trade agreements (FTAs) and other international trade-related information and data. "The government has initiated the creation of a trade connect e-platform to connect Indian exporters, MSMEs and entrepreneurs with various stakeholders including Indian Missions Abroad, Export Promotion Councils, and other partner government agencies," he said. Replying to a separate question, Prasada said that the major districts which are recording healthy export growth include Jamnagar, Kanchipuram, Mumbai, Pune, ..