As a measure to boost domestic small and medium industry, the government may consider a hike in customs duty on over 300 items like toys, furniture, footwear, coated paper, rubber items among other in the Union Budget. Besides giving relief to the domestic industry and boosting employment, the move to keep imports down and help to raise revenue. Many of these are industries which are essentially concentrated in the small and medium sectors and employment intensive. The Commerce and Industry Ministry in its budget recommendations has proposed rationalisation of basic customs on over 300 items across sectors including furniture, chemicals,…
Author: Our Correspondent
As December 16 gang rape and murder convicts’ hanging was postponed yet again, BJP MP Gautam Gambhir publicly expressed his disgust. Taking to Twitter, the East Delhi MP said: “Each day these monsters get to live is a blot on us and our legal system!” “A mother had to wait for 7years. When will her wait get over? Hang them now!” Earlier, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also expressed similar sentiments, ruing that the convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case are finding ways to delay their execution. “I am sad that the convicts in Nirbhaya case are avoiding…
The Bharatiya Janata Party promised a clean, corruption-free and transparent government, along with better education and clean air and several other things for a better Delhi, as it released its manifesto for the February 8 Assembly elections on Friday. The ‘Sankalp Patra’ titled ‘Desh Badla, Ab Delhi Badlo’ (the country has changed, now change Delhi), was released by Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Prakash Javadekar, Harsh Vardhan and Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari. It said the BJP is “committed to provide a clean, corruption-free and transparent government to the people of Delhi and we will take all steps in this regard”.…
Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Friday said that the new bill regarding the medical termination of pregnancy will be a milestone in the sector of reproductive rights of women. Irani took to twitter and said: “Worldwide, abortion is acknowledged as an important aspect of reproductive health of women. The new Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020, aligning the reproductive rights of women with 21st century medicine will be a milestone.” The Union Cabinet had recently approved the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 to…
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday released its manifesto for February 8 Assembly elections in Delhi. The election document was unveiled by senior party leader Nitin Gadkari, Union minister Harsh Vardhan, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, party’s Delhi election in-charge Prakash Javadekar, Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel and other leaders. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold four public rallies in Delhi today. The rallies will be held in Pitampura, Tri Nagar, Ashok Vihar Phase 1 and Kamla Nagar. BJP national president JP Nadda will also hold three public meetings in the national capital today. The rallies will…
Saffron outfit, Hindu Mahasabha, on Friday demanded Presidents rule to be imposed in the nation capital here in view of the Shaheen Bagh protest and the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking to IANS, the outfit chief Swami Chakrapani said: “The Shaheen Bagh blockade has created a law and order situation. The JNU violence has also contributed to the break down. In light of this, postponing the Delhi Assembly election scheduled for February 8 will be a logical decision.” Chakrapani also condemned the gun assault at the protest site on Thursday that left one student injured. This is not the first time, the…
Amid the coronavirus outbreak in China, the Air India will send its special flight from New Delhi to China’s Wuhan along with a team of five doctors to evacuate the Indian nationals, officials said on Friday. A senior Air India official said that the national carrier’s Boeing B747 aircraft with a capacity of 423 passengers will fly from New Delhi at 12.30 p.m. for Wuhan in China and then return on Saturday morning around 2 a.m. Air India’s jumbo jet B747 will fly along with a team of five doctors to screen the Indians stranded in Wuhan before allowing them…
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday said that with the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the government has fulfilled the will of Mahatma Gandhi and condemned the atrocities being perpetrated on minorities in Pakistan. Addressing the joint sitting of Parliament ahead of the Budget Session, the President said, “I am happy that the will of the Father of the Nation has been fulfilled by enacting Citizenship Amendment Act by both Houses of the Parliament.” Kovind also condemned the atrocities on the minority communities in Pakistan and “urged the world community to take cognizance of this and take necessary…
President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday described the central government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution from Jammu and Kashmir as a historic one and said that it has paved the way for equal development of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Addressing the joint session of Parliament here ahead of the Budget Session, Kovind said, “The abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35A of the Constitution by Parliament is not only historic but it has also paved way for equal development of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.” The President stressed that rapid development of Jammu and Kashmir and…
Election Commission today issued a notice to AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his reported remarks related to setting up of a mohalla clinic. The Commission has termed his comments as a violation of the model code of conduct and asked him to explain his position by tomorrow, 5 pm. A Delhi BJP leader had filed a complaint against Mr. Kejriwal demanding action against him for his remarks. Earlier in the day, the Commission imposed a 72-hour ban on campaigning, on BJP leader and Union Minister Anurag Thakur for his objectionable remarks. The poll panel also barred…