New Delhi, Jul 18: Textiles Minister Smriti Irani was today given the additional charge of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned from the Cabinet to contest the vice-presidential poll.
The portfolio of urban development, which too was with Naidu, was given to Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, the PMO said.
The BJP had yesterday decided to field Naidu as NDA's candidate for the post of vice president.
May 11: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said many states were amending labour laws, but the fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic cannot be an excuse to exploit workers, suppress their voice and crush their human rights.
Gandhi said there cannot be any compromise on the basic principles by allowing unsafe workplaces.
"Many states are amending labour laws. We are together fighting against corona, but this cannot be an excuse to crush human rights, allow unsafe workplaces, exploit workers and suppress their voice," he said.
"There cannot be any compromise on these basic principles," he added.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also said it would be dangerous and disastrous to loosen labour, land and environment laws in the name of economic revival and stimulus.
"In the name of economic revival and stimulus, it will be dangerous and disastrous to loosen labour, land and environmental laws and regulations as the Modi govt is planning.
"The first steps have already been taken. This is a quack remedy like demonetisation," Ramesh tweeted.
New Delhi, Jul 13: The Land & Development Office, which comes under the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has sent a notice to news agency PTI, demanding it to cough up more than Rs 84 crore as penalty. The notice dated July 7 says that the penalty has been imposed due to "breaches" at its office in Delhi.
The notice that sought Rs 84,48,23,281 argues that "the less will be pleased to regularise the breaches in the premises temporarily up to 14.07.2020 and withdraw the right of re-entry of the premises subject to the following conditions being fulfilled by you within 30 days from the date of issue of this letter."
The notice also stipulates that the news agency needs to give an undertaking on non-judicial stamp paper stating that it will pay the difference of "misuse/damage charges" if the land rates are revised with effect from 01.04.2016 by the government and will also remove the "breaches" by 14.07.2020 or get them regularised by paying charges.
The notice also warns that further action to execute the deed has to be subject to complete payment and putting the premise to use according to the masterplan.
The Land & Development Office so warned that an additional 10 per cent interest may need to be coughed out by PTI if it fails to furnish the concerned amount within the stipulated time period.
Additionally, if the news agency fails to comply with the terms within the said period, the concession will be withdrawn. In other words, they will have to pay the penalty up to the actual date of payment then and will also be subject to actions.
This stern notice for alleged violations by PTI comes closely on the heels of national broadcaster Prasar Bharati locking horns with PTI over its reportage that it called "anti national".
Prasar Bharti had recently sent a letter threatening to end its "relationship" with PTI after it carried an interview of Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong, where he blamed India for the India-China violent standoff that saw 20 Indian bravehearts getting martyred.
Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 14: Only three fresh COVID-19 cases were reported in Kerala on April 13, while 19 confirmed patients, who were undergoing treatment, tested negative for the infection, according to the COVID-19 Outbreak Control and Prevention State Cell, Health and Family Welfare Department, Kerala government.
As of Monday evening, there are just 178 positive COVID-19 cases in the State.
Twelve patients from Kasargod district, three each from Pathanamthitta and Thrissur districts, and one from Kannur district are among those who have recovered from COVID-19 and tested negative.
To date, there have been a total of 378 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Kerala.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has demanded that State Relief Funds be made eligible for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding by making changes to the Companies Act.
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said, "The Government of Kerala is of the opinion that contributions to the Chief Minister's Disaster Relief Funds should be included as an eligible expenditure under CSR. In a federal setup, the Relief Funds set up by the States for a public purpose cannot be excluded from the eligibility criteria when the same is available for a Central Fund set up with similar objectives and aims."
The Kerala CM said that he has written to the Prime Minister in this regard urging him to make the necessary changes.
Vijayan once again reiterated the demand of the State government to bring back stranded Keralites from overseas and added that, "We will extend all possible help and support to the Pravasi Malayalees when they come back also including rehabilitation of those who would lose their jobs in the backdrop of the pandemic outbreak."
He added that a decision on extending the lockdown in the State will be taken after taking into account the decision of the Central government in the address by the Prime Minister scheduled for April 14.
HATS-OFF TO BOLD CHIEF MINISTER OF KERALA MR. VIJAYAN... BAHUBALI
THE ONLY CHIEF MINISTER TO APPROACH GCC FOR HIS PEOPLE.... A ROLL MODEL FOR OTHER STATES AND CENTER
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We better prepare another list of those who got killed by saffron terrorists and send it to President of India.
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