The Reserve Bank of India has left the key interest rate, or the repo rate, unchanged at 6.5% in its fifth bimonthly monetary policy review for the year on Wednesday. It also maintained its stance of ‘calibrated tightening’, despite lowering inflation projections. All six members of the monetary policy committee …
Read More »State policy soon on steps to curb man-animal conflict
In a bid to minimise the damage caused to forests and wildlife due to infrastructure projects, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday directed all implementing agencies of proposed projects to hold a joint meeting and check whether a single, consolidated and elevated road can be constructed instead of multiple ones. …
Read More »Citizens may soon be able to leave Aadhaar
The government is in the last stages of finalising a proposal to amend the Aadhaar Act to give all citizens an option to withdraw their Aadhaar number, including biometrics and the data. This follows the Supreme Court judgment in September that upheld the validity of Aadhaar, however, with certain riders. …
Read More »Manifesto of tribal rights issued
Charter of demands presented to all parties in Rajasthan for action by next govt. Tribal groups in Rajasthan have demanded that the next elected government in the State reveal the status of each of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with reference to tribal communities and declare their status targets. …
Read More »‘Air pollution cause of 1 in 8 deaths’
Study says 26% of global premature death and disease burden by air pollution occurs in India India, with 18% of the world’s population, has a disproportionately high 26% of the global premature deaths and disease burden due to air pollution. Moreover, one in eight deaths in India was attributable to …
Read More »Demonetisation pushed up direct tax collections: CBDT
Centre expects receipts to exceed the budgeted target this year, says chairman Demonetisation was beneficial in terms of increasing the tax base as well as increasing direct tax collections, Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman Sushil Chandra said on Tuesday. The government expects to exceed the budgeted target for direct …
Read More »Russia partially unblocks Azov Sea route
Russia has begun allowing some ships to enter Ukrainian ports on the Sea of Azov, Kiev said on Tuesday, in what could signal an easing of tensions in the flashpoint area. Ukraine has accused Moscow of blocking merchant vessels from entering and leaving the ports. In late November, the situation …
Read More »France postpones increase in fuel tax following protests
No levy merits putting the nation’s unity in danger, says PM The French government on Tuesday backed down on planned fuel tax hikes in a bid to draw the heat out of fierce protests that have escalated into the deepest crisis of Emmanuel Macron’s presidency. The concessions, coming after an …
Read More »Britain can unilaterally stop Brexit: EU adviser
‘U.K. doesn’t need support of other members to end process’ In a boost for those campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union (EU) or hold a second referendum, a top EU legal adviser confirmed that Britain could withdraw its notice to leave the EU unilaterally, without getting the …
Read More »‘No legal import to the PSU tag’
Facing a public outcry, J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday said “the word Public Sector Undertaking (PSU)” for the J&K Bank had no legal connotation. Former State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, however, said the Governor’s statement reflected “utter ignorance”. “J&K Bank is registered as a Government company under the …
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