‘210 approved, only 62 completed’ Tardy implementation of projects under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP) between 2008-2017 led to an almost threefold jump in the cost of these projects to Rs. 1.20 lakh crore, according to a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), tabled in Parliament on …

PM calls up U.S. President, extends New Year greetings Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump discussed strategic cooperation on Afghanistan and trade issues on Monday. The conversation came days after the American leader argued for greater Indian contribution for ending the civil war in Afghanistan. A White …

CM, Finance Minister welcome move; leaders of communities concerned sniff an ‘election gimmick’ Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday welcomed the Union Cabinet’s nod for granting Scheduled Tribe status to six communities listed as Other Backward Classes in Assam. Leaders of these communities, however, were more sceptical than happy …

It allows regulated use of genetic information to establish identity of persons The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill that allows regulated use of DNA technology to establish the identity of certain defined categories of persons, including offenders, suspects, and undertrials. The DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill …

Allows U.S. firm to pursue patent suit on Bt cotton variants The Supreme Court on Tuesday set aside a Delhi High Court Division Bench decision that held that U.S. agro major Monsanto did not have patent for its genetically modified BT cotton seed variants and had allowed it to claim …

Protects investigative agency from political interference The Alok Verma divestment case has led the Supreme Court to further protect the tenure of the CBI Director and the independence of the country’s premier investigative agency from interference by political higher-ups. The judgment by the three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of …

If the Supreme Court rejects the idea, the reservation can be provided only by eating into the SC, ST and OBC quota share Who will the new 10% quota apply to? To all those who are not covered in existing quotas and have a family income below Rs. 8 lakh …

Shutdown called by several organisations against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill Violence marked Tuesday’s 11-hour shutdown across States in the northeast, called by several organisations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. In Tripura, at least six tribal protesters were injured, two critically, as violence erupted near Agartala during a highway blockade called …

Descibes decision as a ‘political illusion’ and an ‘election stunt’ Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday welcomed the 10% reservation announced for economically weaker sections of the general category but questioned the timing of the decision by the Narendra Modi government months before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. She …

The Supreme Court on Tuesday notified that a five-judge Bench, consisting of the incumbent Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and the next four future Chief Justices of India in line of seniority, will hear the Ayodhya title dispute appeals on January 10. The Bench, besides Chief Justice Gogoi, will …