Month: May 2023

Sisodia got ₹2.2 crore bribes in Delhi excise case: ED quantifies for the first time

Manish Kumar

The ED has claimed in its charge sheet that Manish Sisodia received kickbacks worth ₹2.2 crores through his close aide.  This is the first time that an agency probing the alleged irregularities in the excise policy has quantified and directly linked a bribe amount to Sisodia.   The AAP rejected the allegation, saying in a statement, “This is completely fake. ED chargesheet is complete fiction.  ED, citing Amit Arora’s statement, said that the first installment of ₹1 crore was paid in the second week of April 2021, and the rest…

Government invites applications for setting up Semiconductor and Display Fabs as per Modified Semicon India Programme from 1st June

Manish Kumar

Government has decided to invite new applications for setting up of Semiconductor Fabs and Display Fabs in India from  June 01, 2023 under the Modified Semicon India Programme. The applications will be received by India Semiconductor Mission, the designated nodal agency entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the Modified Semicon India Programme for development of semiconductors and display manufacturing ecosystem in India. Under the Modified Programme, Fiscal Incentive of 50 per cent of the project cost is available to companies/consortia/ joint ventures for setting up of Semiconductor Fabs in India…

Cabinet approves establishment of a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi, India by entering into an Agreement with UPU

Manish Kumar

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved to establish a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi, India to undertake UPU’s development cooperation and technical assistance activities in the region by entering into an agreement with UPU. The approval enables India to play active role at multilateral organizations in postal sector with emphasis on South-South and Triangular cooperation.  India will provide a Field Project Expert, staff and office set up for UPU’s regional office.  Projects on capacity building and…

Twitter Now Worth One-Third of What Elon Musk Paid for It: Report

Manish Kumar

Musk has acknowledged he overpaid for Twitter, which he bought for $44 billion, including $33.5 billion in equity. Twitter is now worth just one-third of what Elon Musk paid for the social-media platform, according to Fidelity, which recently marked down the value of its equity stake in the company. More recently, Musk said Twitter is worth less than half what he paid for it. It’s unclear how Fidelity arrived at its new, lower valuation or whether it receives any non-public information from the company. Fidelity first reduced the value of…

Startup20 Engagement Group hosts ‘Startup20-Embassies Meetup’ on Policy Communiqué at Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog

Manish Kumar

In a step that heralds a new era in the global startup ecosystem, the Startup20 engagement group today hosted an Embassy meetup at Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. With a singular objective of provoking an impactful response from the leadership of G20 countries, this meeting marks a significant milestone in shaping the future of startups worldwide. Esteemed representatives from countries like Denmark, Austria, Australia, Sweden,  EU, Brazil, Oman, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico and Estonia actively participated in shaping policies that will drive the growth and success of startups across their respective…

Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy Inspects Ongoing Excavation at Purana Qila, Delhi

Manish Kumar

Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy visited the historic site of Purana Qila in Delhi to inspect the ongoing excavation work today. The site, identified as the ancient city of Indraprastha, has been a subject of archaeological interest for several decades. The excavation has unearthed significant findings, providing insights into Delhi’s continuous history spanning over 2500 years. Highlighting the significance of Purana Qila, Union Minister Shri G Kishan Reddy stated, “This is the only site in Delhi NCR where one can witness the continuous history of Delhi from the Pre-Mauryan…

Rahul Gandhi slammed the PM Modi-led BJP government at the ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ event in the US

Manish Kumar

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, is in San Francisco for a three-city US tour.  Rahul slammed the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government in India and said that PM Modi is lying down, and his government cannot work on unemployment, inflation, and crumbling education.  He told the Indian diaspora, “If you believed in anger, hatred, and arrogance, you would be sitting in a BJP meeting.”  Beginning with San Francisco where he planned to interact with students at the prestigious Stanford University, Gandhi will address a public interview and…

US House poised to vote on urgently needed debt ceiling suspension

Manish Kumar

Legislation brokered by President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to lift the $31.4 trillion U.S. debt ceiling and achieve new federal spending cuts passed an important hurdle, advancing to the full House of Representatives for debate and an expected vote on passage. The House Rules Committee voted 7-6 to approve the rules allowing debate by the full chamber. Two committee Republicans, Representatives Chip Roy, and Ralph Norman, bucked their leadership by opposing the bill. That vote underscored the need for Democrats to help pass the measure in the…

States should adopt innovative models and offer package deals for faster investments: Sh. Piyush Goyal

Manish Kumar

Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman today chaired the 2nd meeting of the Apex Monitoring Authority constituted to review the activities of National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT). Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways & Ministry of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal also attended the meeting. The Apex Monitoring Authority comprises of Finance Minister as Chairperson, Minister-in- charge, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Minister of Railways, Minister…

​​​​​​​DGCA Simplifies Process for Grant of Heliport License

Manish Kumar

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has simplified the process for the grant of Heliport License. Now the applications for NOC/Clearance to five external organizations can be routed through a single tab in the applicant’s eGCA profile. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) grants Heliport License/ Operational Authorization to the heliports at the surface level as well as at elevated /rooftop of the buildings in compliance with Aircraft Rules and the relevant Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs). Applicants desirous of obtaining a license/ authorization are required to submit an online application…