Nearly 65% of adults in the Arab region remain excluded from formal financial systems, according to a new report by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The Annual SDG Review 2025 paints a sobering picture of persistent financial exclusion that is undermining the region’s ability …
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh struck a downbeat note on the challenges facing the Indian economy on Thursday, dubbing a five-year plan for average growth of 8 percent "ambitious". India's GDP growth has languished below 6 percent for three straight quarters, a far cry from the near-double-digit pace of expansion before …
Twenty-two organisations from across the country have written to members of the National Water Resources Council (NWRC) and chief ministers, demanding that village gram sabhas, wards in cities and civil society groups concerned should be involved in the formulation the national water policy. The organisations have urged the NWRC to …
Criticising the Planning Commission for taking “so lightly” its recommendation, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Environment and Forests has asked it to provide adequate funds for tiger conservation programme and the Environment Ministry to push the case “forcefully” with the plan panel. “The Committee is of the view that the …
During the year, govt also contemplated to open up sector for commercial mining Coal fired a minefield of controversies in 2012, fuelled by CAG estimates of a huge Rs 1.86 lakh crore loss for allocation of coal blocks to business houses without auction which served as fodder to the Opposition …
The Cabinet note on pooling the price of coal through blending domestic fossil fuel with imported coal costs is likely to be placed before the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) next month. “It was further agreed that the note on pooled prices would be placed for CCEA’s consideration by …
The Planning Commission has set a target for the pharmaceutical industry to reach $100 billion by 2020 and account for five per cent share of the global drug industry in the next five years. According to the final draft of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-17) by the panel, the objective …
State had projected Rs 68,000 cr worth needs JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir was all set to get Rs 44,000 crore for the 12th Five Year Plan, which has begun from the current financial year of 2012-13 as against the demand of Rs 68,000 projected by it before the Union Government …
Seeking to make Gujarat a major destination for holidayers, the state tourism policy, to be announced early next year, will be offering several incentives for investors. Apart from improving the infrastructure and amenities in the established spots around the state, the policy would aim at promoting private investments in a …
Chhattisgarh will bear an additional subsidy of Rs. 2,300 crore Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh does not favour proposed cash transfer for food and will not implement the scheme in his State. “Food security means taking food to people’s doorstep,” he told journalists here on Saturday. The Chief Minister said …
Difficult terrains, delays in nods, inhabitations in wildlife sanctuaries major impediments to power supply electricity The government is likely to miserably fall short of its rural electrification target for the current fiscal as most villages that were to be covered under the scheme are located in difficult terrains, making it …
In its first meeting, the 14-member panel discussed eligibility criteria for coal block applicants An inter-ministerial panel today discussed the mechanism for allotting coal mines to public sector firms. The 14-member panel, headed by Coal Secretary AK Srivastava, in its first meeting also discussed the eligibility criteria for coal block …
Chances of the food security Bill becoming a law in the near future have dimmed with Parliament’s standing committee on food not submitting its recommendations in the winter session, which ended on Thursday. “There is no possibility of submitting the report in the winter session of Parliament, as all the …
The irony was not lost on anyone when Meerut, part of the ancient Harappan settlement renowned for its sophisticated drainage systems, was promised a decent sewerage system under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) as late as 2005. The city seemed poised for a facelift after centuries of …
New Delhi: In a move that could trigger a fresh controversy over the valuation of natural resources, the Power Ministry has sought that the reserve price of coal blocks to be offered through the competitive bidding route be set at 90 per cent discount on the intrinsic value of the …
New Delhi: Seeks halting of work on 1,980-MW plant in coal-bearing area of Jharkhand The coal ministry has contested the suggestion made by a group of ministers (GoM) to allow NTPC to set up a 1,980-MW power plant in the coal-bearing area of North Karanpura in Jharkhand. Moving a Cabinet …
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 …
The coal ministry is likely to move a cabinet note seeking permission for Coal India to extract coal bed methane (CBM) in its leasehold areas, the chairman of the state-run miner has said. The development follows a request by Kolkata-based Coal India that instead of auctioning new CBM blocks in …
While the charges against then NCP minister Ajit Pawar may have forced the Maharashtra government to release a white paper on its delayed irrigation projects, an RTI reply shows that 120 of the 159 projects cleared under the central Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) across the country are running behind …
The Union Cabinet will on Thursday take up the proposal to set up the National Investment Board (NIB), a body mooted by the finance ministry to fast track project clearances and ensure their timely implementation. The Cabinet will also consider the new investment policy for urea. The NIB will be …
