The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
The new Land Bill — cleared by the Union Cabinet last week — gives the government an ‘option’ to return the acquired land to its original owners if it remains unutilised for 60 months. Land owners can then transfer such land acquired by the government for its own use or …
The Centre’s current food subsidy burden stands at roughly Rs. 90,000 crores, which will shoot up to `1,10,000 crores if the proposed provisions of the Food Bill are implemented. “We are expecting the ministry of rural development to wrap up their ongoing Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) by the first …
A provision in the law is going to impact a large number of people who have been protesting against acquisition of land for decades The land Bill to be tabled in Parliament this week would renew hope for ‘victims’ of many a pending land acquisition case, forcing project owners to …
The Cabinet today cleared the controversial Land Acquisition Bill, making it mandatory to seek the consent of 80 per cent of affected landowners in case their land is acquired by private players. The Bill also provides for assent by 70 per cent of affected landowners in case their land is …
The contentious National Board on Investment (NIB) got the Cabinet nod today, albeit in a new avatar-Cabinet Committee on Investment. With this body, the Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure will be wound up, officials said. The Cabinet Committee on Investment will be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and will fast-track …
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today took a slew of important economic decisions, clearing a proposal to set up a Cabinet Committee on Investment to expedite approvals to mega projects of Rs 1,000 crore and approving the land acquisition policy for industrialisation. The Cabinet also approved …
In the latest flip-flop on the Land Acquisition Bill, which is slated to be discussed by the Union Cabinet on Thursday, the Rural Development Ministry has again diluted the consent provisions, reportedly against the wishes of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. According to sources in the government, the latest version of …
Exhibition “Breaking Margins” inaugurated to mark the UN Human Rights Day Unless manual scavenging becomes a social movement, we will continue to take this issue for granted. Unless we get a sense of anger and affront to our dignity that this despicable and abhorrent practice is continuing even to this …
Union Minister Jairam Ramesh today suggested states to replicate Jharkhand's performance in MNREGA under which it has constructed 78,000 wells in the last two years. "(As many as) 78,000 wells have been dug in the last two years, which is a record. I have suggested (the state) to put the …
After a gap of four years, roads in rural areas of the state will get a facelift under the Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). Centre has sanctioned more than Rs 3,000 crore for construction of new roads and maintenance of existing ones. The scheme, said rural development minister Jairam …
The Centre is planning to formulate a law against the use of dry toilets and the erring persons could even be sent to jail, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Friday. "The Government will soon formulate a law under which users of dry toilets will be punished and even sent …
This S R Hashim Committee report on urban poor submitted to UPA government in December 2012 set the criteria for identifying the poor living in urban areas for various government schemes.
New Delhi: The Congress scrambled on Tuesday to put the stamp of its “hand” on ‘direct cash transfers’, calling it an election promise fulfilled and lining up Rahul Gandhi to lead the celebrations in the build-up to the launch of what it sees as a “gamechanging” scheme. Finance minister P …
Amidst talks of a no-confidence motion or a vote on the FDI issue, the government has lined up key financial sector Bills including long-pending legislations for pension and insurance sector as well as the supplementary demand for grants for the forthcoming winter session of Parliament that begins on Thursday. But …
Acquisition of land for private purposes would require the consent of 80 per cent of the owners, goes the Bill finalised today, according to sources. Under consideration of a Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, it will soon be placed before the Cabinet and is expected …
The ministries of coal, mines and rural development have opposed setting up of Ultra Mega Steel Plants (UMSPs) in the country, saying that land and raw materials were scarce resources and cannot be dedicated exclusively for such units. In a proposal, the steel ministry had said that setting up of …
Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said public health system in the country had “collapsed”, noting that even poorer countries like Bangladesh and Kenya have superior health indicators. In a candid assessment of the country’s health sector, Mr Ramesh also said 70 per cent of the health expenditure …
The health system in India has “collapsed”, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh made this candid confession on Friday and lamented that even poorer countries like Bangladesh and Kenya had better health indicators. His comments assume significance in view of Planning Commission’s recent controversial proposal to restructure the country’s health …
Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Friday said public health system in the country had “collapsed”, noting that even poorer countries like Bangladesh and Kenya have superior health indicators. In a candid assessment of the country’s health sector, Ramesh also said 70% of the health expenditure is met from …
Eminent economist Abhijit Banerjee adds that cash transfer not the only answer to end poverty Seeking a new, renegotiated role for the state in development of India and ending poverty, eminent economist Abhijit Banerjee and Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said a fresh look was needed at what the …
