Page 4 - Union Cabinet

Govt appoints Arvind Panagariya as chairman of 16th Finance Commission

D K Srivastava, a member of the 12th Finance Commission, said Panagariya is well suited for the job as he has a very good understanding of the Indian economy and looked after the Niti Aayog

Cabinet nod to open Consulate General of India in New Zealand's Auckland

India will soon open a consulate general in Auckland, which is home to a large number of non-resident Indians in New Zealand. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, approved the proposal to open a Consulate General of India in Auckland, an official statement said. The consulate is likely to be opened and fully operationalised within 12 months, it added. India currently has a consulate in Auckland, which is headed by a honorary consul. The opening of a consulate general would pave the way for the appointment of a consul general, a post usually held by an officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). Opening the Consulate General of India in Auckland would help increase the country's diplomatic footprint and strengthen its representation in view of its increasing global engagement, the statement said. "This will also help promote India's strategic and commercial interests and better serve the welfare of the Indian community in Auckland,"

Union cabinet approves road, construction projects in Bihar, Tripura

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for widening of the 135-km stretch of Khowai-Harina road in Tripura, according to an official statement. The project involves investment of Rs 2,486.78 crore which includes a loan component of Rs 1,511.70 crore (JPY 23,129 million), the statement said. The loan assistance will be from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) under Official Development Assistance (ODA) scheme, it added. The project is envisaged to facilitate better road connectivity between various parts of Tripura and to provide alternative access to Assam and Meghalaya from Tripura apart from existing NH-8. "The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for improvement and widening to two lane with paved shoulder of road from km 101.300 (Khowai) to km 236.213 (Harina) of NH-208, covering a total length of 134.913 kms in Tripura," the statement said. The statement noted that development of the project

Rs 2500 cr approved for continuation of interest equalisation scheme up

The Union Cabinet on Friday approved an additional allocation of Rs 2,500 crore for the continuation of interest equalisation or subsidy scheme on pre- and post-shipment rupee export credit up to June 30 next year. This would help exporters from identified sectors and all MSME manufacturer exporters to avail rupee export credit at competitive rates at a time when the global economy is facing headwinds. Exporters get subsidies under the 'Interest Equalisation Scheme for pre and post-shipment Rupee export credit. The decision in this regard was taken by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It "has approved an additional allocation of Rs 2,500 crore for continuation of Interest Equalisation Scheme till 30th June 2024," an official statement said on Friday. The additional outlay of Rs 2500 crore, over and above the current outlay of Rs 9,538 crore under the Scheme, is made available to bridge the funding gap to continue the Scheme up to June 2024. Manufacturer

As MPs, Union ministers win Assembly elections, how likely are by-polls?

Resignation from Lok Sabha, replacing Union ministers and possible cabinet reshuffle months ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024, are all on the table, with BJP MPs stating state Assembly seats

Finance Commission terms of reference takes a conservative stance

Press release on terms of reference doesn't name people who will be part of the commission

Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan

The Union Cabinet has approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) to focus on 11 critical interventions through various ministries, Union minister Anurag Thakur said Wednesday. The scheme, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas in Jharkhand's Khunti, will have a total outlay of Rs 24,104 crore. The Central share will be Rs 15,336 crore and states will contribute Rs 8,768 crore. The nod to the scheme was given by the Union Cabinet on Tuesday night. Seventy-five communities located in 18 states and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been categorised as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). These PVTGs continue to face vulnerability in social, economic and education sectors, the government noted. The PM-JANMAN will focus on 11 critical interventions through nine ministries, including the Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The Ministry of Ayush will set up Ayush Wellness Centre as per existing norms and

PM hails Cabinet's nod to Jamrani Dam project's inclusion under PMKSY-AIBP

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday hailed the Union Cabinet's approval to the inclusion of the Jamrani Dam Multipurpose Project of Uttarakhand under the accelerated irrigation benefit programme, saying it is a significant stride towards a prosperous and sustainable Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. The government on Wednesday approved the inclusion of the project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (PMKSY-AIBP), which will cost Rs 2,584 crore. The project envisages the construction of a dam near Jamrani village across river Gola, a tributary of river Ram Ganga in Nainital district of Uttarakhand. The dam will feed the existing Gola barrage through its 40.5 km length of canal system and 244 km long canal system completed in 1981. In a post on X, Modi said, "This decision by the CCEA will bolster irrigation, enhance hydro power generation and provide clean drinking water to over 10 lakh people." "It is a significant stride towa

Centre approves Rs 22,303 cr subsidy on P&K fertilizers for rabi season

The FY24 Budget had estimated the subsidy expenditure on non-urea fertilisers at Rs 44,000 crore for the 2023-24 financial year

India-Japan pact on semiconductor supply chain gets Cabinet green light

Japanese government-backed semiconductor venture Rapidus is likely to be a major element of the new partnership

Union Cabinet hikes dearness allowance, approves PLB for rail staff

The last revision of the dearness allowance was undertaken on March 24, 2023, and was effective from January 1, 2023

Cabinet hikes DA by 4% for central govt employees; MSP hiked for 6 crops

The DA hike, effective from July 1, 2023, will lead to enhanced salaries for the month of November, along with arrears for the period from July to October

Cabinet approves royalty rates for mining of Lithium, Niobium REE

To ensure consistency, the Ministry of Mines has devised a formula for calculating the ASP of these minerals, which will aid in setting bidding parameters

Recalibrating SEZs in DESH Bill: Net foreign exchange criterion may return

The announcement of the DESH Bill was made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget in February 2022

Parliament LIVE: Lok Sabha unanimously passes Women's Reservation Bill 2023

Catch all the latest LIVE updates related to the Parliament's special session here

Parliament LIVE: RS adjourned amid arguments over Women Reservation Bill

Day 2 of Parliament's special session will commence today in the new building. Catch all the latest updates related to the session here

The long journey of the Women's Reservation Bill in India explained

Since 1996 nearly every government has attempted to pass the Bill in Parliament but has failed to find consensus

Women's Reservation Bill not being openly discussed by govt: K Kavitha

Citing sources, the BRS MLC claimed that the Cabinet has cleared the introduction of the Bill

Bill was initiated by UPA: Adhir Ranjan on Women's Reservation Bill

The meeting of the Union Cabinet was held at Parliament House Annexe in Delhi

PM Modi chairs meeting of union cabinet in Parliament House Annexe

The meeting was held in the evening after the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day. The two Houses will hold their sittings in the new Parliament building on Tuesday