Finance Minister P Chidambaram and BJP leader Jaswant Singh were asked by reporters on what it takes for a government to be re-elected. ...
12:47 PM, May 08, 2013
New Delhi: The Empowered Group of Ministers on Drought, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, on Wednesday approved an additional assistance of Rs 256 crore for rejuvenation of orchards in drought-hit Maharasthra. However, the decision on extension of duty-free import of oilcakes to boost fodder supply was left to the Finance Ministry, which will take a call after assessing the demand and supply situation. "The proposal on providing additional assistance...
12:28 PM, May 08, 2013
Mumbai: At a time when the independence of the CBI is being questioned, the police forces in most states continue to function under political influence. Former top police officers have taken on the Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil for direct interference in police transfers and postings in the state. More than three years after the then Home Minister P Chidambaram lamented the interference of the political executive in police transfers...
07:47 AM, May 04, 2013
New Delhi: Despite BJP escalating confrontation in Parliament, government has listed two key bills, including the ambitious National Food Security Bill, for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Thursday. The Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill piloted by Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh is also on the legislative agenda of the Lok Sabha Thursday. Congress has often dubbed the Food Bill and the Land Bill as "game-changers" as...
09:15 PM, May 01, 2013
New Delhi: FM radio services would now spread to 294 cities across the country with the government on Wednesday approving a proposal which will involve private agencies. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the auction of 839 channels in 294 cities to be awarded through ascending e-auction through private agencies. It decided that the authority to make any other minor change in Request...
06:58 PM, May 01, 2013
Washington: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are among 16 Indians who have found a place in the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine's list of the 500 most powerful people on the planet. Apart from them, Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Defence Minister AK Antony and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid are also in the list. Indian spiritual leaders Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravishankar are also in the...
04:45 PM, May 01, 2013
New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said Enforcement Directorate should be extremely careful while choosing cases for prosecution under the money laundering law and focus its energies on important ones. "A word of caution is necessary. We must be extremely selective in deciding which cases to prosecute under the money laundering law. Otherwise, we will be overwhelmed with cases that we would be required to prosecute," he said...
04:32 PM, May 01, 2013
New Delhi: With the Lok Sabha passing the Finance Bill and Demands for Grants for various ministries, Government on Tuesday said it will continue with its efforts for passage of other bills on food security and land acquisition, which are "equally important". "I don't think it is correct to say that with the passage of Finance Bill, the government's concerns are over or its interest is over. All other bills...
03:42 PM, Apr 30, 2013
New Delhi: Despite the political deadlock over the coal scam, the key Finance Bill is likely to be passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday. A temporary truce has been achieved between the government and the opposition to pass the money bills. The crucial Finance Bill can't be delayed beyond Tuesday as per the rules. Government has to pass all money bills within 75 days of the Budget speech. After being...
07:19 AM, Apr 30, 2013
New Delhi: With Assembly polls just months away, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday requested Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde not to effect any unilateral transfer of senior officials of her government by his Ministry as it may hamper implementation of a number of key schemes. In a meeting with Shinde, Dikshit also urged him to fill the vacant posts at senior level at the earliest. "I have...
11:10 PM, Apr 29, 2013
New Delhi: Amidst reports that the government had finally managed to get the Opposition on board on the key Finance Bill, senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha on Monday wrote to P Chidambaram demanding certain amendments to the Bill. Sinha reportedly sought the amendment to ensure that farmers whose land was being attached for non-payment of wealth tax were provided some relief. Naresh Gujaral of Akali Dal had raised this matter...
06:18 PM, Apr 29, 2013
New Delhi: Amid demands by opposition members for the outright rejection of the draft report on 2G, JPC Chairman PC Chacko on Monday said he was ready to take their amendments in the form of dissent notes but would not change the text of the documents. "I am willing for a detailed discussion on each of the (10) chapters. The text cannot be changed. The opposition's amendments can be in...
04:40 PM, Apr 29, 2013
New Delhi: A Parliament deadlocked yet again over corruption scandals threatens Finance Minister P Chidambaram's ambitious reform agenda, dealing a harsh dose of political reality on the heels of his North American roadshow to sell the India story. Two long-stalled reforms - one to lift the foreign ownership cap in insurers to 49 per cent from 26 per cent and another that would simplify land acquisition for factories - were...
08:38 AM, Apr 29, 2013
New Delhi: The government plans to provide subsidy to 14 crore LPG subscribers directly in their bank accounts from October 1, using the Aadhaar payment platform. The government, official sources said, has decided to launch "Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) for LPG throughout the country tentatively from October 1". "This (transfer of LPG subsidy) would require a much larger number of beneficiaries to be covered for opening of bank accounts and...
12:41 PM, Apr 28, 2013
Patna: Making a strong pitch for special category status for Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said it would be better if the privilege was given sooner or else people would themselves take a decision in this regard in the 2014 general elections. "Amendment in criteria for according special status itself symbolises half victory for Bihar," Kumar said addressing a rally at Purnea. The CM reiterated demand for special...
02:59 AM, Apr 28, 2013
Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has urged the Centre to reconsider amendment in Income Tax Act to disallow levies imposed by state governments on PSUs for imposition and computation of income tax. "The working of the proposed amendment is such that it would give wide discretionary powers in this regard," Modi, who is also state's Finance minister, said in his letter to Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram....
12:40 AM, Apr 28, 2013
New Delhi: As Saradha group promoter Sudipta Sen and the Trinamool Congress drag Finance Minister P Chidambaram's lawyer wife Nalini in the chit fund scam, her client Manoranjana Sinh has stepped in to defend her. In a video message on YouTube, she said Nalini advised her and her husband against accepting Saradha funds for her channel. "Mr Sudipta Sen according to me is a white collar criminal who is trying...
10:15 AM, Apr 26, 2013
It isn't just the TMC, but the Congress too that has to answer questions in the West Bengal chit fund controversy. ...
10:31 PM, Apr 25, 2013
New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram's wife Nalini Chidambaram was engaged as a senior advocate to appear on behalf of Manoranjana Sinh and her husband and a Narasimha Rao government minister Matang Sinh in a company petition filed by her before the company law board against M/4 Positive TV Ltd, sources close to the Union Minister's wife have said. The case is still pending before the Company Law Board. Sources...
01:35 PM, Apr 25, 2013
New Delhi: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meeting, which will be held in the national capital on Thursday to adopt the draft report on 2G spectrum allocation scam, is expected to be a stormy affair with the Opposition planning to corner the panel's chairperson PC Chacko over clean chit to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Sources said the Opposition might also force a vote on the...
08:39 AM, Apr 25, 2013
