Cabinet approves Prez rule in Delhi after AAP's exit
The move comes a day after AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal stepped down as Delhi chief minister, hours after the Jan Lokpal Bill was not tabled in the Delhi cabinet.
FIR against Ambani, Moily on gas prices
Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily, RIL Chief Mukesh Ambani, former Union Minister Murli Deora and retired Director General of Hydrocarbons V.K. Sibal were named in an FIR by Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi. It was alleged that Union ministers had taken a decision to double the gas price to benefit Reliance Industries Ltd.
Delay in trial can get lenient sentence
The Supreme Court has said that an accused, found guilty of an offence after a protracted trial process, is entitled to a lenient sentence on the ground of delay. The ruling came in the case of a man accused by the CBI of accepting a bribe of Rs 265 in 1984. He would now escape a prison term by paying a fine of Rs 50,000.
Now pay online through e-PIO
India Post launched electronic Indian Postal Order (e-IPO) which can be used to pay online fee for RTI application. The e-IPO can be bought through e-Post Office Portal https://www.epostoffice.gov.in or India Post web-sitewww.indiapost.gov.in. After paying the fee online one just need to annex the print out of the receipt to the RTI application.
2G spectrum auction gets over Rs 61,000 cr
Major telecom companies Airtel and Vodafone have bagged spectrum in the crucial 900 MHz band in important markets like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
No fare hike in railways
The intern Railway budget left the train fares and freight rates unchanged ahead of national elections. Railways Minister Mallikarjun Kharge said the department would rely on budgetary support as well as market borrowing to invest in new tracks.
Sebi tightens corporate governance norms
The board of market regulator Sebi restricted independent directors to serve as directors on a maximum of seven listed companies and limited their total tenure to two terms of five years each. The board also recommended the government to provide additional tax incentive on investment of Rs 50,000 in mutual fund-linked retirement plan.
Clearance to 12 coal mines in two months
The Union Ministry of Environment And Forests has scrutinised conditions fulfilled, some of which include forest clearances, for about 10-12 mine blocks over the past two months.
Gujarat HC orders govt to stop mining
The Gujarat High Court directed the state government to stop all mining activities without environment clearances. It cited the Supreme Court in which the apex court had said that the states can grant leases (or renew them) for mining minor minerals even in less than five hectares area only after prior approval from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest.
NGT directs Punjab on straw burning
The National Green Tribunal has directed the Union Agriculture Ministry to hold a meeting with Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi to prepare guidelines for prevention of pollution caused by straw burning.
Madras HC cautions against privatisation of water
The judge questions the ambitious Tirupur water supply and sewage disposal scheme which involves an MNC that raised water prices by over 200 per cent in Bolivia and dragged the country into international arbitration after being thrown out.
Punjab offers 'Rahat' to traders
Those having the new 'Rahat Card'would have to file self-declaration on a single page application for registration and could run their trade without keeping record books, and no excise official would inspect their premises. Traders opting for this will also get accidental insurance of Rs 2 lakh, cashless treatment up to Rs 50,000 and Rs 5 lakh insurance cover in case of any natural calamity.
HP directed to upload info on forest encroachment
Himachal Pradesh's chief information commissioner has ordered the state forest department to upload all information related to encroachment on forest land on its website within a month.
Agra's petha units move out
Around 800 units within 80 km radius around Taj Mahal were ordered to either switch to gas-based technology or move out, if they are still using coal. Supreme Court had in 1996 banned the use of coal in the Taj Trapezium Zone.
SC orders Karnataka to check Devdasi practice
The Supreme Court directed the chief secretary to ensure that no girls are offered on Thursday night or Friday to temples as 'devadasis'.
NGT bans coastal mining
The National Green Tribunal ordered an immediate ban on all illegal sand mining in the coastal areas and those falling in the coastal regulation zone in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa,
Rs 51k crore for semi-conductor units
The Union Cabinet approved proposals by Jaiprakash Associates and Hindustan Semiconductor to give boost to the electronics industry.
This is a roundup of policy news from Feb 9-16, 2014