The Rajya Sabha did not function for the eight consecutive day on Thursday. Opposition members say the government has failed to make any effort to run the House, and many point the finger at Chairman Venkaiah Naidu. The BJP is not ready to resolve the issues, the Congress has alleged. …
Read More »Monthly Archives: December 2018
A worried Speaker reaches out
Upset over repeated disruptions and washout of proceedings, Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Thursday met leaders of all parties including Congress leader in the House Mallikarjun Kharge and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. The Speaker has learnt to have conveyed to the leaders that the image of the …
Read More »Oppn. must commit to loan waiver, higher MSP: Shetti
Political parties joining any opposition alliance must commit to a one-time comprehensive farm loan waiver and agree to implement the M.S. Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations on minimum support prices, said Maharashtra farmer leader Raju Shetti. “That must be on the election manifesto. That is our main condition for joining the gathbandhan …
Read More »No check on use of highly toxic pesticide
How easy is it to access a bottle of monocrotophos pesticide, which was allegedly used to poison the ‘prasada’ served to devotees at the Sulwadi temple in Chamarajanagar district that claimed 15 lives? A farmer can simply knock on the door of the local pesticide dealer, who is not too …
Read More »Centre seeks Rs. 41,000 crore more to recapitalise banks
The government on Thursday moved a proposal in Parliament for an additional Rs. 41,000 crore to recapitalise public sector banks, over and above the already budgeted Rs. 65,000 crore, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told a press conference. If approved by the House, this would take the total recapitalisation package for …
Read More »Astronauts back in grasp of earth’s gravity
Apollo-8 astronauts Frank Borman, James Lovell and William Anders, on their return from a spectacular whirl round the moon, to-night [December 25] sped back into the grasp of earth’s gravity at 23-09 I.S.T., after successfully breaking free of lunar gravity. Their spaceship dashed unerringly “right down the corridor” towards a …
Read More »U.S. offers fresh economic aid
The aid climate showed signs of distinct improvement with the announcement here [New Delhi] to-day [December 19] that the United States would sign aid agreements with India in the next few days for $231 million of project and non-project aid, and $167 million of food aid. At the same time, …
Read More »Chasing peace in Yemen
The events that led to the Stockholm peace agreement, and the way forward What triggered the truce? The ceasefire between Yemen’s Houthi rebels and forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi in the port city of Hodeida came into existence on December 18. The agreement was reached in UN-mediated talks …
Read More »Rights, revised
The passage of a Bill in the Lok Sabha to secure the rights of transgender persons is a progressive step towards extending constitutional protection to this highly marginalised community. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018, as passed, is an improved version of the legislation introduced two years ago. …
Read More »Change in Mizoram
In the din over the Bharatiya Janata Party’s losses to the Congress in three States in the Hindi heartland, the dismal defeat of the ruling Congress party to the Mizo National Front in Mizoram has gone insufficiently noticed. With this, the Congress has lost its last remaining State in the …
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