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As the MPs of the INDIA alliance gathered at Jantar Mantar today to protest against the suspension of the Opposition legislators during the Winter Session of Parliament, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Central government of silencing crores of Indians by removing their representatives from the House.
By IANS
NEW DELHI: In a festival bonanza for lakhs of Central government employees and pensioners, the Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its clearance for the release of an additional installment of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief at 4 percent.
This would be due from July 1, 2022.
A total burden of Rs 12,852 crore would be borne by the exchequer towards payment of these allowances for the current fiscal, official sources said.
From July 1, 2022, till March 31, 2023, a total of Rs 8,568 crore would be spent on it. DA hike will be beneficial for over 50 lakh Central government employees and 62 lakh pensioners.
With this, the DA has been increased from 34 percent to 38 percent for all the employees.
NEW DELHI: In a festival bonanza for lakhs of Central government employees and pensioners, the Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its clearance for the release of an additional installment of Dearness Allowance and Dearness Relief at 4 percent.
This would be due from July 1, 2022.
A total burden of Rs 12,852 crore would be borne by the exchequer towards payment of these allowances for the current fiscal, official sources said.
From July 1, 2022, till March 31, 2023, a total of Rs 8,568 crore would be spent on it. DA hike will be beneficial for over 50 lakh Central government employees and 62 lakh pensioners.
With this, the DA has been increased from 34 percent to 38 percent for all the employees.
By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The debate over the new Forest Conservation Rules brought in by the Central government is heating up ahead of Parliament’s monsoon session. Some fireworks are expected in the two Houses when the government places it for approval, with Congress readying its arsenal to mount an attack on the Modi government for trying to ‘dispossess’ tribals of their rights even as it seeks to bolster its pro-ST credentials by nominating Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to the Santhal tribe, as presidential candidate.
The government, of course, refutes the charge. Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda alleged that the Congress allegations were “just a futile attempt to divert the attention from the fact that NDA’s presidential candidate is a tribal lady”. Here’s a look at the rules that have triggered a verbal spat between the two sides:
New rules to ‘streamline’ green clearance process
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) notified the Forest Conservation Rules, 2022 on June 28, that will replace the earlier rules notified in 2003
The new rules will be placed for approval of both Houses of Parliament in the coming monsoon session
What is the change?
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, popularly known as the Forest Rights Act, 2006, confers land and livelihood rights both individual and community to tribal, Dalit and other families living in forest areas. Under the law, FRA compliance is mandatory before clearance is accorded for diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes
The Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2022, delinks mandatory FRA compliance for seeking forest clearance for infrastructure projects and puts onus on states/UTs to ensure that it is complied with before the forest land is handed over to the project proponent
How will the new rules affect tribal rights?The new rules allow the Union government to permit the clearing of a forest for a project before prior consent of the forest dwellers, as mandated under the 2006 Act
Opposition’s charge
The new rules will dilute Forest Rights Act, 2006
Will disempower forest tribals and may displace them
Once forest clearance is accorded, dwellers’ claims of resettlement will be ignored
States will be under greater pressure from Centre to accelerate land diversion process
Centre’s claim
New rules do not dilute or infringe on the provisions of the Forest Rights Act, 2006
They have been promulgated to streamline approval process
Will allow parallel processing of the proposals and eliminate the redundant processes
States/UTs can ensure compliance of the FRA “at any stage”
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Central government to explain its stand on a plea by a lawyer seeking direction to prepare the layout and execute the work of construction of ‘Judicial Vista’ over the land adjoining the present premises of the top court.
A division bench comprising Justice Vineet Saran and Justice JK Maheshwari said that the apex court needs proper infrastructure to carry out its judicial functions.
“… Judicial Vista in a planned way is a logical and correct thing,” the Court orally said.
The writ petition was filed seeking directions directing to the departments/ministries of the Union of India to prepare the layout and execute the work of construction of ‘Judicial Vista’ over the land adjoining the present premises of this Court enabling access to better and dignified working conditions for the Judges, the members of the Bar and the officials of the registry of this Court as well as to provide better facilities to the litigants visiting the premises of this Court for hearing of their cases.
The plea filed by Ardhendumauli Kumar Prasad says that the plea has been filed in the interest of infrastructural independence of the judiciary across the country by the establishment of an independent Central authority under the administration of the Chief Justice of India for the purposes of catering to the infrastructural requirement of judicial forum across the country. The petition has also said that as per the information available on the website of the Ministry of Law and Justice, while there is sanctioned strength of 24291 Judicial officers in the country, there are only 20115 Court Halls available, only 17705 residential units for the judges of subordinate Judiciary.
“The present writ petition in the public interest is being filed in view of the infrastructural deficit in this Court in terms of the space and other infrastructure for the smooth functioning of this Court, keeping in mind the needs of the Judges, the Registry and its staff, the Senior Advocates, Advocates on Record and the Advocates, their staff, and most importantly the Litigants, and seeks a direction for the construction and development of a ‘Judicial Vista’, ” the plea reads.
By ANI
NEW DELHI: The Central government has imposed a quantitative restriction on the export of syringes to boost domestic production and supply, said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Saturday. According to a statement issued by the ministry, the restriction applies to just three categories of syringes for three months.
It further said, “With a firm political commitment to vaccinate India’s last citizen, fulfilling the philosophy of ‘Antyodaya’ espoused by Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay, the Government has put in place a quantitative restriction on the export of syringes to boost their domestic availability and uptake.”
The ministry stated that syringes are vital to sustaining the momentum of the program to vaccinate all eligible citizens in the shortest possible time.
It further added that with a view to ensure adequate availability of the syringes, used to administer the vaccine, the Government of India has enacted this quantitative restriction on the export of following denominations of the syringes only on 0.5 ml/ 1ml AD (auto-disable) syringes, 0.5 ml/1 ml/2 ml/3 ml disposable syringes, and 1ml/2 ml/3 ml RUP (re-use prevention) syringes.
Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a marathon meeting of his council of ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan auditorium. It was their first in-person meeting since the expansion of the ministry in July last. The meeting was designed to be an extensive brainstorming session. The BJP had recently held seven such brainstorming sessions on specific themes.
The meeting came in the backdrop of the NDA government seeking to expedite the implementation of the BJP’s vision documents for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections amid important Assembly polls early next year. The meeting went on for about five hours, sources said. It also took place on a day when the BJP named Modi as its prime ministerial candidate in 2013. Then BJP chief Rajnath Singh had announced Modi as the PM candidate of the party on September 14 that year.
Government officials were stoic in their silence over what transpired during the meeting. However, it is understood that the ministers were given an account of the status of the Covid-19 vaccination in the country in the backdrop of the threat of a third wave of the pandemic and the approaching festive season.
One source said issues concerning the agriculture ministry were also taken up during the marathon meeting, but there were no official confirmation. The NDA government at the Centre continues to grapple with the farmers’ protests over three farm sector reform laws passed by Parliament. Their agitation has gone on for over nine months, with the BJP bracing for its electoral fallout in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, which are due to go to the polls next year.
Incidentally, the prime minister had held two such online meetings with his council of ministers after the reshuffle during which he had tasked the newcomers to study in-depth the BJP’s vision documents for the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections and draw up an actionable agenda for the short and medium terms.
Chintan shivirPresentations were made at the Chintan Shivir by Mandaviya and Pradhan on efficiency and time management. Four more such Chintan Shivirs will be held, sources said
By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Centre informed the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the armed forces have decided to induct women into the National Defence Academy (NDA).
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Centre, told a bench headed by Justice S K Kaul that a decision has been taken at the highest level of the armed forces as also the government that females will be inducted for permanent commission through the NDA.
The ASG sought apex court’s permission to place the details on record through affidavit and sought status quo in this year’s exams as this needs procedure and infrastructural changes.
The top court said it has been periodically nudging the authorities to do it themselves and it believes that they are best suited to evolve the whole.
“The idea is when nothing happens, the court steps in. Let me assure you it’s not a happy situation to step in and we would like the armed services to do it themselves. They are very respected forces of the country but on gender equality they have to do more and sometimes the resistance does not come out well,” said the bench, also comprising Justice M M Sundresh.
“I am happy that the heads of armed forces have taken a positive decision. Put on record, we will take up the matter. We are happy with the stand. Let us hear the matter next week. Reforms cannot happen in a day. We are also conscious of that,” it said.
The ASG told the bench that the thought was already there in their minds but it was only in the seeding stage.
The matter is listed after two weeks.
The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Kush Kalra raising the issue of exclusion of eligible and willing female candidates from joining the prestigious NDA solely on the ground of sex which allegedly is a violation of fundamental right of equality.
Express News Service
HUBBALLI: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi held opposition parties responsible for the washout of the monsoon session of Parliament, and specifically pointed out some Trinamool Congress and Congress members for creating a ruckus in the Rajya Sabha.
While advocating punishment for MPs who behave in an unruly manner, Joshi said he will continue to talk with “sane and sensible opposition leaders” for smooth functioning of Parliament. Excerpts from Joshi’s interview:
The monsoon session was a complete washout with continuous disruptions. Did the treasury bench fail to reach out to the opposition for smooth conduct of the House?
I don’t agree that the session was a complete washout. Several bills were passed and amendments brought to the Constitution. Parties such as BJD, TRS, YSRCP and others took part in discussions and passing of bills.
Lok Sabha deputy leader Rajnath Singh and Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to opposition leaders for smooth conduct of the Houses. Rajya Sabha leader Piyush Goyal and I were also holding talks with them. The government was ready to discuss every issue, including the COVID situation and vaccination, farm laws and economic situation, as they demanded.
Even on the Pegasus issue, the government made a suo motu statement, but a TMC member misbehaved with the IT minister. The intention of the opposition was quite clear: not to allow the Houses to function. It was clear right from the first day.
Opposition leaders are recalling how Pramod Mahajan and Sushma Swaraj would manage floor coordination. Did you fail in your duty in holding an uninterrupted session?
When they were in charge of floor coordination, the opposition used to behave responsibly. They respected Atalji’s government. But after 2014, the behaviour of the opposition has changed.
They are not ready to digest the mandate given to the NDA-BJP government in 2019. If they are not in agreement with the policies and programmes of the government, let them go to the people on these issues.
Why did the Prime Minister not call an all-party meeting to end the logjam?
Earlier, no Prime Minister would attend the all-party meeting before the session. PM Modi started this tradition and at the meeting before the monsoon session, he made it clear that discussions and debates are necessary before the passing of any bill.
But some opposition leaders tried to disrupt that meeting also. As floor leader, Modi deputed Singh and Shah to break the logjam. This is the practice being followed for 72 years.
Will you initiate action against the MPs responsible?
The government has taken it quite seriously, and allegations by opposition parties that marshals manhandled the MPs is obnoxious. We will appeal to the Rajya Sabha chairman to hold an inquiry by a separate committee.
I am not blaming the entire opposition for the ruckus on August 9, but the unruly behaviour of 10-12 members of the TMC and a few Congress MPs.
Both treasury and opposition benches are adamant. What is the way forward?
We will inquire into the Rajya Sabha incident and ensure punishment for the persons responsible, to send a clear signal. The Modi government believes in debate and discussion and is ready to create a congenial atmosphere in the Houses. There are sensible leaders in the opposition, I will hold talks with them.