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 …
Bhopal: Expressing concern over increasing water pollution in the world, Madhya Pradesh Urban Administration and Development Minister Shri Babulal Gaur said if effective measures were not undertaken right now then water war will erupt in future. Shri Gaur was addressing the third International Water Conference here today. The two-day conference …
New Delhi In a bid to provide states greater say in formulating social sector programme, the rural development ministry on Thursday proposed setting up a flexi-fund of R40,000 crore of which 70% will be contributed by the Centre during 12th plan period. The Rural Development Flexi-Fund (RDF) would be available …
Responding to the Environment Ministry’s criticism of the National Investment Board (NIB) proposal on grievance redress mechanism — aggrieved investors will be allowed to approach the NIB for redressal in the event any ministry hands out an unfavourable verdict — the Finance Ministry has argued that aggrieved parties can equally …
New Delhi: The government will have to secure the nod of two-thirds of landowners to acquire a patch of land for private/PPP projects while acquisition in tribal areas would be possible only with the approval of local institutions of self-governance. The enshrining of owners’ willingness to sell land forms a …
MUMBAI: The Western Railways on Monday sought state government permission for commercial exploitation of 1.13 lakh sq m of land along the Churchgate-Virar route to make the crucial elevated corridor viable. Besides certain stations along the proposed 63-km corridor, estimated to cost Rs 20,800 crore, the Railways in a presentation …
MUMBAI: By 2019, you can expect to travel between CST and Panvel within 35 minutes on the proposed elevated corridor, against the 77 minutes it now takes to cover the stretch on the Harbour line. In a meeting with the state group of ministers on infrastructure, presided over by chief …
The wood panelled office in Delhi's Paryavaran Bhawan is now a 'no-go' zone. Its reigning green queen, Jayanthi Natarajan , once a daily fixture on television shows as Congress spokeswoman, presides in imperious silence. Over the last 15 months, as minister for environment and forests, she has successfully stalled every …
New Delhi They can do so by paying a fee, but must sell the mined fuel back to govt at a discount Stepping up the gas on coal production, the government proposes to allow companies exploring coal bed methane (CBM) to simultaneously mine coal from the same block. Permission may …
‘Poverty Line Fixed At 32, But Antibiotics Priced At About 60’ New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday promised to notify a new drug pricing mechanism for essential medicines by the end of November, but the Supreme Court said a change in policy must not force a sharp rise in drug …
Two sides also discuss possibility of technological cooperation in gas hydrates that are tough to extract In the second interaction of its kind this year, India has agreed to test-run Japanese projects intended to improve or utilise the country’s basic energy resources such as coal and water. During the India-Japan …
Giving itself discretionary powers on release funds to States under various Central schemes, the Planning Commission has decided to restructure 16 Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) into Additional Central Assistance (ACA) Schemes. The new funding pattern will be effective from 2013-14. While restructuring the CSSs will give more flexibility to the …
Contrary to apprehensions in official circles here, talks between India and Japan on a civil nuclear cooperation agreement are on the track with both sides appearing keen to expedite the negotiations. This became quite clear today at the end of the sixth round of the India-Japan energy dialogue in Tokyo. …
Projects review needed to make it more robust and less prone to abuse Following the mixed experiences of two urban transportation projects — GMR’s Delhi airport and Reliance Infrastructure’s Delhi airport metro — sector experts are calling for a review of two critical aspects of the public-private partnership (PPP) architecture …
New Delhi: Reacting to a TOI report titled, “MEA, MoEF team up against. Montek Ahluwalia on Green Pact with US”, appearing on October 5, vice chairman Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said, “Low Carbon Growth is part of the Indo-US MoU to enhance cooperation on Energy, Security, Energy Efficiency, …
New Delhi The government is likely to postpone the implementation of coal price pooling because of the strong opposition from consuming states who feel it would raise the cost of power generators and increase tariff for consumers. Under price pooling mechanism, CIL would have subsidised the price of imported coal …
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has proposed to raise its Plan outlay for the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17) from Rs one lakh crore to Rs 1,24,373 crore. The move to increase the outlay followed the recommendation made to this effect by a working group on state's finances, official sources said …
New Delhi: Close on the heels of the controversy over the climate change chapter in the 12th five year plan, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has got into another row on the subject. This time over agreeing to ink a bilateral agreement with the US on Low Carbon …
New Delhi More than half of the irrigation projects that are to be taken up in the current 12th Five-Year Plan are a spillover from the 11th Plan. Huge time and cost overruns are the major cause of concern in the creation of major and minor irrigation projects in the …
The Union commerce ministry has set up a directorate exclusively to look after the welfare of small tea growers. The directorate, approved by the Planning Commission, will soon start functioning under the aegis of the Tea Board. “This is a very important imperative for the welfare of small tea growers. …
New Delhi The Planning Commission on Tuesday said that the country's coal demand is likely to touch 1,000 million tonnes (MT) by 2016-17, much higher than estimated supply of 750 million. "The demand of coal is estimated at 1,000 MT and we are assuming that domestic availability would be 750 …
