Tag: Centre

Centre notifies appointment of 5 new judges to Supreme Court

[ad_1]
New Delhi: Amid the long-drawn tussle between the Centre and the judiciary over appointment of judges, the Centre on Saturday cleared the names of five judges for appointment to the Supreme Court.
On December 13, 2022, a statement uploaded on the apex court website had said: “The Supreme Court collegium in its meeting held on December 13 has resolved to recommend elevation of the following chief justices/judges of the high courts as judges in the Supreme Court: Justice Pankaj Mithal, Chief Justice, Rajasthan High Court (parent high court (PHC): Allahabad); Justice Sanjay Karol, Chief Justice, Patna High Court (PHC: Himachal Pradesh); Justice P.V. Sanjay Kumar, Chief Justice, Manipur High Court (PHC: Telangana); Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Judge, Patna High Court; and Justice Manoj Misra, Judge, Allahabad High Court.”
The Centre has now notified all the above five names as judges to the apex court.
The Supreme Court collegium is headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud. The top court has a sanctioned strength of 34 judges and is presently functioning with 27 judges. Thus, there are seven clear vacancies.
On Friday, Attorney General R. Venkataramani had informed a bench comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S. Oka that the names of the five judges will be cleared very soon.
The Supreme Court had warned the Centre over the delay in clearing the transfer of high court judges recommended by the apex court collegium, saying it may result in both administrative and judicial actions which may not be palatable.
The bench had said, “Don’t make us take a stand which will be very uncomfortablea,” adding that if transfer of judges is kept pending, it becomes a serious issue.

[ad_2]
#Centre #notifies #appointment #judges #Supreme #Court
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 4, 2023
Telangana allocated Rs 4,418 crores in rail budget from Centre

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: Telangana has been allocated Rs 4,418 crore, by the Centre for various railway projects for the fiscal year 2023-24 as against Rs 3,048 crore allocated in 2022-23 which is 45 percent more than last year.
South Central Railway (SCR), on the other hand, has been sanctioned a gross amount of Rs. 13,786.19 crores for the year 2023-24 compared to Rs 8,349.75 crores for the year 2022-23, which accounts for a nearly 65 percent increase over last year.
SCR general manager Arun Kumar Jain while addressing a press conference on Friday, stated “there has been a consistent increase in the funds’ allocation to Telangana in successive budgets in recent times.”
Giving details of the budgetary allocations of the ongoing New Line Projects in Telangana under the SCR jurisdiction, the manager stated, ” Rs 345 crores were allotted for Munirabad to Mahbubnagar railway line, Rs 185 crores were allotted for Manoharabad–Kothapalli line and Rs 10 crores allotted for Manuguru to Ramagundam line.
He further stated that Rs. 600 crores was allotted for the MMTS Phase II project doubling and electrification.
Likewise, Rs. 337.52 crores were allotted for Kazipet to Vijayawada and Rs 450.86 crores were allotted for Kazipet to Balharshah third-line projects.
Adding on to the details, Arun Kumar stated that Rs 60 crores were allotted for Guntur to Bibinagar doubling project, while Rs 315.6 for the electrification of the Manmad to Mudkhed to Dhone section and Rs 82 crore was allotted for the development of the satellite terminal at Cherlapally station.
For doubling, third line, and bypass line works, the capital outlay is Rs 3,374.44 crore for the fiscal year 2023-24, as against Rs 1,531 crore in the last financial year.

The total budget allocated for new lines, including capital and safety Fund (excluding Deposit) is Rs 819 crore when compared to Rs 285 crore last fiscal year.
For electrification works, the budgetary grant is Rs. 588 crores, said the manager.
“An amount of Rs 68.34 crores has been allocated for implementation of Kavach, the indigenously developed Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS),” he said.
Arun Kumar further added that Rs 1,360 crore was allocated for Track Renewal works and Rs 768.14 crore for Road Safety Works.
[ad_2]
#Telangana #allocated #crores #rail #budget #Centre
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 4, 2023
Centre asks Vodafone Idea to convert Rs 16,000 dues into equity

[ad_1]
Delhi: Financially-stressed telecom company Vodafone Idea said on Friday that the government has directed it to convert a portion of its dues worth Rs 16,000 crore it owes to the exchequer into equity in the government’s favour.
“It is hereby informed that the Ministry of Communications has [directed] the company to convert the NPV of the interest related to deferment of spectrum auction instalments and AGR dues into equity shares to be issued to the government of India,” the company said in a filing.
The government will take 33 per cent equity in Vodafone Idea after converting all interest related to payments for spectrum and other dues into equity.
This will make the government the largest shareholder in the telecom company.
Vodafone Idea will convert dues of Rs 16,133 crore into equity and issue shares for Rs 10 each, the company informed.
“We had sought a firm commitment that the Aditya Birla Group would run the company and bring necessary investments. The Birlas have agreed and hence we have agreed to convert. We want India to be a three-player market plus BSNL and ensure healthy competition for consumers,” Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a statement.
Subscribe us on

[ad_2]
#Centre #asks #Vodafone #Idea #convert #dues #equity
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 4, 2023
Telangana’s farmer suicides have reduced between 2017-2021: Centre

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: The Centre acknowledged on Friday that Telangana’s farmer suicide rate has drastically decreased from 846 in 2017 to 352 in 2021.
This was ascribed to a number of state government measures, whereas farmer suicides in BJP-ruled Maharashtra were on the rise and in Karnataka showed little change.
Friday in the Rajya Sabha, MP Narain Dass Gupta asked a question, and on that day, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar presented information about the number of farmer suicides in various States since 2017.
According to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Telangana had 846 farmers and cultivators commit suicide in 2017, which subsequently declined to 352 in 2021.
The declaration from the Centre is significant in light of the accusations made by the opposition parties regarding an increase in farmer suicides in the State.
In response to the news, Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy hoped that the BJP and other opposition parties would refrain from circulating untrue information about farmer suicides and making charges against the State government.
Over the past four years, Maharashtra and Karnataka have continued to have the highest rate of farmer suicides. From 2,426 in 2017 to 2,640 in 2021, the comparable period saw a rise in farmer suicides in Maharashtra.
In Karnataka, the number of farmer suicides increased slightly from 1,157 in 2017 to 1,170 in 2021. The number of farmer suicides in Andhra Pradesh increased from 375 in 2017 to 481 in 2021.

[ad_2]
#Telanganas #farmer #suicides #reduced #Centre
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
SC seeks Centre, 6 states reply on transfer of religious conversion cases from HC

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from Centre and six state governments on a plea by Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind seeking transfer of over 20 cases, challenging laws regulating religious conversion, to the top court.
A bench, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, issued a notice on the Muslim body’s plea moved through advocate M.R. Shamshad.
The bench, also comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha, said: “Issue notice in petitions, in which no notices have been issued till now, including the transfer petition.” The bench also asked Attorney General R. Venkataramani to file a reply.
Five petitions are pending in Allahabad High Court, one petition in the Karnataka High Court, three in the Gujarat High Court, three in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, three in the Jharkhand High Court, and six in the Madhya Pradesh High Court. These petitions have challenged the respective state laws. The Muslim body has sought transfer of all these petitions from the high courts to the apex court.
Also, two separate petitions have been filed by Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat governments challenging the interim orders of the respective high courts, which put on hold certain provisions of the state laws on conversion.
The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing after three weeks.
On January 30, the top court had agreed to examine a clutch of pleas challenging the controversial state laws regulating religious conversions.
NGO “Citizens for Justice and Peace” of activist Teesta Setalvad, had also moved the apex court in the matter but Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had challenged the locus standi.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), in a written response to a petition filed by NGO ‘Citizens for Justice and Peace’, said: “The petitioner is guilty of collecting huge funds exploiting the agonies of riot affected people for which criminal proceedings are going on against Teesta Setalvad and other office bearers of the petitioner.”
It further added, “under the guise of serving public interest, the petitioner deliberately undertakes, and consciously and surreptitiously espouses, divisive politics in an attempt to divide the society on religious and communal lines. Similar activities/endeavors of the petitioner organization are also found in other states. Presently this activity is going on in the state of Assam”.
The NGO has challenged the laws passed by the Uttar Pradesh government and Chhattisgarh government.
Attorney General R. Venkataramani had submitted that the high courts concerned should hear these petitions instead of the apex court.
[ad_2]
#seeks #Centre #states #reply #transfer #religious #conversion #cases
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
‘Don’t make us take a hard stand’, SC warns Centre on delaying judges’ transfer

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday warned the Centre on the delay in clearing the transfer of high court judges recommended by the apex court collegium, saying it may result in both administrative and judicial actions which may not be palatable.
A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Abhay S Oka told Attorney General R. Venkataramani, representing the Centre, “Don’t make us take a stand which will be very uncomfortable…”, and further added that if the transfer of judges is kept pending then it is a serious issue.
Justice Kaul said transfer is a very serious issue and warned against the interference of third parties in the process. He told the AG that sometimes the government does it overnight and sometimes it takes longer and there is no uniformity, and added that even chief justice transfers are also pending.
The bench orally observed, “We will have to take a difficult decision. Do not make us take a hard stand”, and told the AG, who said the court may not record anything as it is happening.
The top court stressed, “It has been happening! But when will this happen? Things have not been happening for years together…”
During the hearing, advocate Amit Pai, counsel representing the petitioner, said that the court is being attacked from the outside. Justice Kaul said, “We are used to it. Be rest assured that it does not bother us. It is for the authorities to know where to…” After hearing detailed arguments, the bench scheduled the matter for further hearing on February 13.
The AG submitted that recommendations made for the appointment of the five Supreme Court judges would be cleared shortly.
On December 13, 2022, the apex court collegium recommended the elevation of justices Pankaj Mithal, Sanjay Karol, P.V. Sanjay Kumar, Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Manoj Misra to the Supreme Court.

On January 31, the collegium also recommended the elevation of Justice Rajesh Bindal, Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court and Justice Aravind Kumar, Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court as judges of the top court.
The top court was hearing a contempt petition filed by the Advocates Association of Bangalore against the Centre for breaching the timeline for judicial appointments. Earlier, the apex court had expressed its displeasure over the delay in clearing the names approved by the collegium for appointments.
[ad_2]
#Dont #hard #stand #warns #Centre #delaying #judges #transfer
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
Telangana: Airports at Warangal, Adilabad, Jakranpally under consideration by Centre

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: The establishment of two brownfield airports at Warangal, Adilabad and one greenfield airport at Jakranpally of Nizamabad district in Telangana is under consideration by the Centre.
In this context, the Centre had asked the state government to submit financial closure to consider giving necessary approvals from the Civil Aviation Ministry and other regulatory authorities for the development of these airports.
Civil Aviation Minister VK Singh while responding to a question raised by BRS MPs Maloth Kavitha, B Venkatesh Netha, and G Ranjith Reddy in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, said that the state government proposed three greenfield airports at Jakranpally (Nizamabad district), Palvancha (Bhadradri Kothagudem) and Devarakadra (Mahabubnagar) along with three brownfield airports at Mamnoor (Warangal district), Basanth Nagar (Peddapally district) and Adilabad.
The Airport Authority of India (AAI) conducted Techno-Economic Feasibility Study (TEFS), Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) survey, soil testing and other tests for all six airports in relation to the context and submitted the reports to the state government in June 2021.
The survey suggested that only three airports at Warangal, Adilabad (Brownfield) and Jakranpally (Greenfield) are technically feasible where the AAI suggested private operations of small aircraft to avoid the immediate requirement of land acquisition.
Subscribe us on
[ad_2]
#Telangana #Airports #Warangal #Adilabad #Jakranpally #consideration #Centre

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 3, 2023
BRS puts up poster targeting Modi, Centre over budget for Telangana

[ad_1]
Hyderabad: Taking a shot at the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government over the 2023-24 union budget that was released on Wednesday, the ruling BRS here put up posters targeting the Centre.
Targeting Modi and the Centre, a big poster stating ‘TELANGANA GETS ZERO IN UNION BUDGET’ was put up in Hyderabad on Thursday. Images of the same were shared on social media sites by Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS) members in the city.
BRS workers last year did something similar as well, when they put up ‘money heist’ posters targeting Narendra Modi when he had come to Hyderabad during the BJP’s national executive. The BRS has upped its social media game them by even putting up pink balloons near Modi’s public meeting venue.
‘Money Heist’ gang protesting in Hyderabad last year. (Image: Twitter)
As part of its ‘money heist’ campaign, BRS workers held hoardings and protests silently, which diverted attention of many on social media away from the BJP’s national executive, which was in the spotlight last year in July.
On the final day of the BJP’s national executive, just hours ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s rally at Parade Grounds in Secunderabad, pink balloons with the BRS slogan ‘Jai Jai KCR’ were positioned outside the venue, such that those were prominently visible from the venue of BJP’s National Executive meeting.
TRS balloons filling up the Secunderabad sky.
IT rebate up to Rs 7 lakh of no use to Telangana: Kavitha
After the union budget was released, BRS MLC K Kavitha Kalvakuntla on Wednesday said that the income tax rebate on income up to Rs 7 lakhs (as announced by union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman) in the new tax regime is of no use to the people of Telangana.
“This budget mathematical confirmation of the failure of Modi govt. This seems like a budget for few states. We hoped tax rebate of up to Rs 10 lakhs. In Telangana, we pay good salaries to people so this rebate is of no use to us,” she said speaking to ANI.

[ad_2]
#BRS #puts #poster #targeting #Modi #Centre #budget #Telangana
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 2, 2023
Why not create National Elephant Conservation Authority, SC asks Centre

[ad_1]
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought reply from Centre on a 2010 ‘Gajah Report’ recommendation on conferring statutory status to a proposed body National Elephant Conservation Authority (NECA) for the preservation of elephant corridors.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, “In the recommendations submitted in Gajah report, there was a recommendation to the effect that ‘Project Elephant’ be converted into a statutory agency.”
The top court was hearing a plea by activist Prerna Singh Bindra.
According to the government, the elephant population has reached 29,964 (as per the census 2017) in India, the elephant habitats are being consolidated across India, and the Elephant Reserves area has been increased.
The government emphasised that it is deeply committed to protect the safety of the elephants and continued to take various steps to prevent their death including electrocution. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati represented the central government in the apex court.
The bench, also comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and J.B. Pardiwala, added that the task force has proposed that the new body may be termed as the ‘National Elephant Conservation Authority’ (NECA). It further suggested that amendments can be introduced to effectuate the conferment of a statutory status on the authority.
“Since the proposal would envisage requisite legislative amendments, this is something of which would be appropriate for the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change to respond,” it said.
During the hearing in the matter, the bench also sought a status report on setting up of the central project elephant monitoring committee for the purpose of monitoring and implementation of relevant directions and guidelines in connection with the protection of elephants.

In a written response, the Central government said: “Continuous efforts have been made to minimise the human elephant conflict and also to ensure the welfare of captive elephants in India.”
After hearing arguments, the apex court directed the Ministry and the Central Electricity Authority to facilitate an inspection of the protected areas to avoid electrocution of elephants.
The bench gave Centre four weeks’ time to file a response in a PIL filed by activist Bindra.
The petitioner had contended that the electrocution is one of the major reasons for deaths of elephants and sought a direction for insulation of high voltage power transmission lines passing through protected areas, elephant reserves, identified elephant corridors and known areas of elephant movement.
[ad_2]
#create #National #Elephant #Conservation #Authority #asks #Centre
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023
Male student faints after finding himself among 500 girls in Bihar exam centre

[ad_1]
Patna: A Class 12 student fell unconscious in the examination hall on Wednesday after finding himself the lone male among 500 girl students in Bihar’s Nalanda district, his family said.
The student was identified as Manish Shankar Prasad, 17, who went to the Brilliant Convent School Sundargarh to give the mathematics examination.
His relatives claimed that he was the only male student at the centre. When he saw a large number of female students, he became nervous and collapsed on the floor. The school administration came to his aid and admitted him in the Sadar hospital for treatment. He regained consciousness after a few hours, his father Sacchidanand Prasad, said.
Another relative blamed the Bihar Intermediate Council for allotting him the examination centre dedicated for female students.
“There were more than 500 girls students in the examination center. The school administration has given the seat to my nephew in the main hall of the school surrounded by a large number of girls. Manish failed to handle the situation after saw a large number of girls and fell unconscious,” his aunt said.
The intermediate (class 12 board) examination started in Bihar on Wednesday and cheating has been reported in several districts including in Nalanda, neighbouring Nawada, Munger, Banka, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Araria and other districts. Videos in this regard went viral at several examination centers.
[ad_2]
#Male #student #faints #finding #among #girls #Bihar #exam #centre

( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 1, 2023