Sikkim News Today - Live Updates & Latest Sikkim News

16 May

Centre Today Announced End Of “Government Mining” In Coal Sector.

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A seamless composite exploration-cum-mining-cum-production regime will be introduced in the mineral sector as the government brings in commercial mining in the coal sector, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said this evening, unveiling the government's fourth tranche of Rs 20 lakh crore fiscal stimulus announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. Five hundred blocks of minerals will be auctioned "through open transparent mechanism" as a part of the production regime, she said. A joint auction of bauxite and coal blocks would be done to enhance the aluminium industry's competitiveness, the Finance Minister said, adding that this will help the aluminium industry…

16 May

Subsidy In The Power Sector To Be Provided Through Direct Transfer, Said Nirmala Sitharaman.

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The inefficiencies of power companies will no longer have to be borne by customers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Saturday, announcing several reforms in the tariff policy as part of the fourth tranche of the centre's coronavirus financial stimulus. She said power companies will have to provide adequate power and load-shedding will be punishable.Ms Sitharaman also announced privatisation of power distribution in Union territories under the new policy."There will be privatisation here based on the tariff policy, which will soon be in place. Inefficiencies of power companies will no longer have to be borne by customers. There will also…

16 May

Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Met With Migrants Squatting On Delhi Roads Today.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to the streets of Delhi on Saturday afternoon to meet migrant labourers camped out near the Sukhdev Vihar flyover in the southeast of the city. In photos circulated on social media, Mr Gandhi can be seen wearing a face mask and sitting on the pavement, talking to at least three men, while others, including women and young children, squat nearby.According to sources, Mr Gandhi interacted with the migrants to understand problems faced by them as they try to return to hometowns and villages in other states amid a nationwide coronavirus lockdown.Mr Gandhi was also trying…

15 May

Nirmala Sitharaman is Unveiling The Third Tranche Of Centre’s Rs 20 Lakh Crore Fiscal Stimulus.

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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is unveiling the third tranche of Centre's Rs 20 lakh crore fiscal stimulus which attempts to soften the blow of the coronavirus and the lockdown on the economy. Today's announcements will focus on agriculture and allied activities. She has already unveiled two tranches of measures - Day 1 focused on small businesses and the middle class and Day 2 was for migrants and farmers.Here are the Highlights of Nirmala Sitharaman's announcements on Day 3:Today's focus is agriculture and allied activities.Largest proportion of Indian population dependent on agriculture. The maximum being small and medium farmers.The Indian…

15 May

AIIMS, Raipur Have Recommended Restrictions On The Use Of Mobile Phones In Healthcare Institutions.

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A group of doctors from AIIMS, Raipur have recommended restrictions on the use of mobile phones in healthcare institutions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that such devices can be a potential carrier of the virus and lead to infection among healthcare workers.In a commentary published in the BMJ Global Health journal, the doctors stated that mobile phone surfaces are a peculiar ''high-risk'' surface, which can directly come in contact with the face or mouth, even if hands are properly washed and one study indicates that some healthcare workers use phones every 15 minutes to two hours.Though there have been many…

15 May

Nirmala Sitharaman Announces Measures As Part Of A Mega Stimulus Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.

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The government will amend Essential Commodities Act to enable better price for farmers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today, in her third set of announcements on the mega economic stimulus to tackle the coronavirus crisis.Agriculture food stuff including cereals, edible oils, oilseeds, pulses, onions and potato will be deregulated, Ms Sitharaman said.The government will also bring in law to implement agriculture marketing reforms to provide marketing choices to farmers. The law will provide adequate choices to farmers to sell produce at an attractive price, said the Finance Minister.

15 May

Bhupesh Baghel Asked The Centre To Return CSR Donations Made By Industrialists Of His State.

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday asked the Centre to return CSR donations made by industrialists of his state to the PM CARES fund, saying the money "is ours...of the people of the state".In an interview to news agency PTI, he also said the country has a right to know about the donations in the Prime Minister's Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM CARES) fund.The assertion comes days after Mr Baghel went public with details of contributions made to the chief minister's relief fund.

14 May

President Ram Nath Kovind Will Forgo 30 Per Cent Of His Salary For A Year.

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President Ram Nath Kovind will forgo 30 per cent of his salary for a year and drastically reduce spending on travel and ceremonial banquets to make more resources available for the fight against coronavirus.According to a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement, the President has given instructions to bring in austerity measures that include holding off on buying a limousine for ceremonial purposes and reworking the scale, decor and menus of banquets."In the President's estimation, this will be a small but significant contribution to realise the government's vision of making India self-reliant (aatmanirbhar) and energise the nation to take up the challenge to…

14 May

Additional Rs 30,000 Crore As Emergency Fund For Farmers Hit By The Coronavirus Crisis.

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An additional Rs 30,000 crore will be released as emergency fund for farmers hit by the coronavirus crisis. The move will help three crore farmers, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said today, unveiling the second tranche of announcements that are a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus to boost a coronavirus-hit economy.This will help small and marginal farmers in post-harvest Rabi crops, Nirmala Sitharaman said.This is in addition to Rs 90,000 crore support provided by NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), which gives credit for agricultural activities.

14 May

The Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Announced A Rs 70,000 Crore Boost To The Housing Sector.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced a Rs 70,000 crore boost to the housing and construction sectors that have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown, by extending an interest subsidy scheme meant to help middle class families build or purchase a house.Ms Sitharaman, unveiling the second tranche of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Rs 20 lakh crore stimulus package for a coronavirus-hit economy, said a credit-linked subsidy scheme for middle-income groups that had been operationalised in May 2017 and expired on March 31 would be extended by 12 months to March 2021.