1.Modi's 'clean up' drive: Ensure punctuality, no dust and paan stains in govt offices
In yet another directive aimed at improving the work culture in government offices, the cabinet secretary has asked all secretaries to improve the overall ambience of offices and ensure punctuality of officials especially in departments with major public interaction.
The top bureaucrat of the government has asked all the departments to increasingly emphasize on "cleanliness of work areas and improvement in the over-all ambience of office buildings as also punctuality on the part of the officials should be reviewed on sustained basis so that there is a visible improvement and there is no report of slipping up in this regard."
Soon after taking charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met all the secretaries and had asked them to begin workplace reforms with cleaning-up of offices and improving the conditions, which would automatically result in efficient services to the citizens.
2. RBI planning to introduce plastic currency notes next year
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to introduce plastic currency notes next year on a pilot
"The Reserve Bank of India is also looking at other alternatives for improving the life of bank notes,'' the central bank said in its annual report for 2013-14. The central bank floated a tender for plastic currency notes in January after years of deliberation. Depending on the trial, the notes should be introduced widely next year.
"Plastic notes are coming... Tender bids have come for 1 billion notes. In five cities, pilot testing would be done, including Shimla," RBI governor Raghuram Rajan said in May after a board meeting in Shimla. "In 2015, it would be launched based on the results of pilot testing."
basis and improve security features to defeat the efforts of counterfeiters. It also aims to set up a national bill payments system that could eliminate middlemen and bring in efficiencies.
3. Officers of public sector enterprises form joint forum
The officers’ association of public sector banking, power, telecom and PSU enterprises have formed a forum at the national level to protect the interest of public sector industries through a sustained movement.
In a statement issued here, Baby Thomas, General Secretary of the National Confederation of Officers’ Association (NCOA), said the political and economic situation in the country is not in the interest of employees serving public-owned enterprises and there is no serious effort to revive loss-making units.
He said public-owned enterprises were being discriminated against in the name of a level playing field and private use of public enterprises had become the rule of the day. He alleged that the Government was squeezing the public sector through various instruments including advance dividends, administered prices and social subsidies.
It was also decided to conduct a march to Parliament during the winter session to highlight issues being faced by public sector companies. The forum would organise joint general body meetings in six cities, including Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chandigarh shortly.
4. SC to interpret LoP provision for Lokpal selection
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to interpret Leader of Opposition (LoP)
provision for the Emphasising the importance of the post, a bench headed by Chief Justice R. M. Lodha said Leader of Opposition conveys the voice of a representative different from government in the House.
It said LoP is a very important component (under Lokpal law) and the issue needs objective consideration in view of current political situation where at present there is no Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
The bench also observed that the issue of LoP is relevant not only in Lokpal law but also in other existing and incoming legislations.
It said the issue cannot be prolonged and the act cannot be put in cold storage, while posting case for final disposal for September 9.
Congress, as the second largest party in the Lok Sabha with 44 seats, has been making a strong bid for the LoP post but the ruling BJP has not acceded, saying the opposition party does not have the requisite 10 per cent seats which meant it needed 55 to stake claim.
purpose of appointment of Lokpal in which LoP is a selection committee member and asked the Centre to make its stand clear within two weeks, saying the legislation cannot be put in “cold storage”.
5. Mahendra Ramdas is COINDIA president
Mahendra Ramdas, Managing Director of Mahendra Pumps Ltd, has been elected President of Coimbatore Industrial Infrastructure Association (COINDIA) for the year 2014-15.
K V Karthik, Managing Partner, Deccan Industries, and S Kuppusamy, Vice-President, PSG Foundry, were elected as Vice-Presidents, according to a COINDIA release.
6. Arvind Subramanian, US-based economist poised to become chief economic adviser
US-based economist Arvind Subramanian is poised to be named chief economic adviser to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, two sources at the finance ministry said on Friday.If confirmed, the appointment would bring in a second economist of international renown to a key policy post following the naming of former International Monetary Fund chief economist Raghuram Rajan as central bank chief last year.
7. Irom Sharmila re-arrested
Social activist Irom Sharmila was rearrested on Friday morning by about 30 women constables from the shed of the Save Sharmila Organisation where she has been undergoing fast along with other women activists.
"She has been rearrested on charges of attempt to commit suicide," Manipur ADG Santosh Macherla said.
After her release on Wednesday from a make-shift prison in Imphal, Ms. Sharmila supported by hundreds of womenfolk and social organisations had walked free from the make-shift prison at J N Government Hospital where a room has been converted into a jail for her. Soon afterwards she had begun her fast at a place near the hospital.
8. Modified housing scheme for beedi workers proposed
The Government is considering proposals to modify welfare schemes related to health and housing for over 60 lakh beedi workers in the country.
At a tripartite meeting held recently, the Labour Ministry’s Central Advisory Committee on Beedi Workers Welfare Fund, chaired by the Labour Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, proposed developing a modified housing scheme, with Rs. 75,000 as proposed contribution from the Beedi Workers Welfare Fund, for each beedi worker.
The meeting also discussed enhancing the rate of welfare cess from 5 per cent to 8 per cent, the Labour Ministry said.
Among the other proposals under consideration are reducing the cess-exemption limit for beedi manufacturers from the present turnover level of 20 lakh beedis to five lakh beedis, enhancing financial assistance under the group insurance scheme, earmarking 20 per cent of scholarship budget for skill development and sponsorship of beedi workers and their children for training in it is.
A proposal for mandatory wellness check-up for every beedi worker and their dependents, proposed by the tripartite committee may also be considered.
The meeting was attended by representatives of employers, worker unions and other organisations concerned.
Addressing the members, Tomar said, “60 lakh beedi workers spread across the country belong to the poor and downtrodden section of the society and their uplift is the primary objective of the welfare fund.
9. CBDT: Rs 90,000 cr of undisclosed income detected in 2013-14
Undisclosed income of Rs 90,000 crore was detected during 2013-14, according to KV Chowdary, Chairman, Central Board of Direct Taxes.
Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the official said the IT department had conducted surveys in 5,327 cases.
The main sectors in which undisclosed income was detected were power, mobile phone trading, real estate, iron and steel and chemicals, Chowdary said.
Search operations were conducted in 569 groups, which resulted in seizure of assets worth Rs 808 crore and admission of unaccounted income of Rs 19,792 crore, he said.
The national budget for collections during the current financial year was pegged at Rs 7,36,000 crore which was higher than last year's collection by 15 per cent.
10. PM dedicates Ranchi-Dharamjaygarh-Sipat transmission line to the nation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated to the nation the Ranchi-Dharamjaygarh-Sipat 765kv inter-regional power transmission line in Jharkhand.
This line is the first inter-regional link between eastern region and western region, an official statement said.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the commencement of work at state-run NTPC’s thermal power plant (3x660 MW) at North Karanpura at Chatra in Jharkhand.
Central transmission utility Power Grid Corporation has implemented the Ranchi-Dharamjaygarh-Sipat inter-regional transmission line at a total cost of Rs 1,600 crore.
Two new sub-stations have been built at Ranchi in Jharkhand and Dharamjaygarh in Chhattisgarh, the statement added.
No comments:
Post a Comment