RBI to block Greenpeace funding
Home Ministry directs the Reserve Bank of India to keep on hold contributions originating from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation.An Intelligence Bureau (IB) report had earlier blamed the NGOs for creating obstacles to India’s economic growth.
Centre to go ahead with NPR
Will issue national biometric identity cards to citizens, a departure from Aadhaar card that is meant for all the residents. National Population Register will have linkages with birth and death registration system.
Rail passenger fares hiked 14.2 per cent
Freight charge also up by 6.5 per cent. Hike aimed at mobilising resources for the cash-strapped Indian Railways.
Greater access for IAEA to Indian nuclear programme
The agreement allows India to have commercial relations with other countries in the civilian atomic field despite not being a signatory to the NPT.
India has notified its decision to exempt Bhutan from any ban or quantitative restriction on exports of five food items - milk powder, wheat, edible oil, pulses and non-basmati rice.
Delhi becomes first kerosene-free city in India
Free gas connections along with LPG cylinders, gas stoves were issued to the Jhuggi Ration Card (JRC), Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Antodaya Ann Yojana (AAY) ration card holders who were using kerosene oil for cooking.
Sops for electronics manufacturing in eight cities
Focus on Ghaziabad, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Nagpur, Nasik, Aurangabad and Thane as electronics manufacturing hubs.
Cairn gets environmental nod to raise oil production
Rajasthan fields to raise production by 50 per cent to 300,000 barrels per day (15 million tons a year)
Boost likely for agriculture under MGNREGA
Ministry of rural development proposes to make it mandatory for states to spend at least 60% of the MGNREGA money on creating infrastructure linked to agriculture. This will bring Rs 25,000 crore investment into agriculture.
This is a weekly roundup of policy news from June 15-22, 2014. Compiled by Alan David