Six of India’s coal-fired power plants do not have enough stocks to weather even a “small” disruption in supplies, with fuel reserves sufficient for only up to two days, the country’s largest power producer has warned. State-run NTPC  has asked the power ministry to ensure more coal is sent to the six plants – which have a combined capacity of 16,840 megawatts or 15 percent of India’s total energy capacity from coal-fired plants – particularly as the incoming monsoon rains could disrupt supply deliveries. India, which uses coal to generate more than half of its electricity, is struggling to provide enough power to meet rising demand and the country is regularly hit with blackouts. “With the ensuing monsoon, it will ...

In protest against the upcoming Polavaram Multipurpose Project in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, the Odisha ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for a 12-hour bandh in the undivided Koraput district on Monday. Rayagada district BJD leader N Bhaskar Rao said the party is staging demonstrations in front of all Central Government offices in Koraput, Nabarangpur, Rayagada and Malkangiri district headquarters. It may be recalled that the BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, in Lok Sabha on Friday, had said the proposed irrigation project in Andhra Pradesh would submerge many parts of Malkangiri district and demanded a change in the design of the proposed dam. “Our party is not against the project per se but is against the ‘arbitrariness’ with which the height ...

Modi showed what he meant by his oft repeated belief – ‘Minimum Government, Maximum Governance’. In the very 1st cabinet meeting, Modi’s Govt passed an ordinance instead of choosing to discuss the issue pertaining to a State’s border in Parliament. And worse, it lied about it in the press conference soon after the cabinet meet saying the issue pertaining to the ordinance wasn’t even discussed! See Ravi Shankar Prasad, the law minister lying on Camera here - The Ordinance became public news only after 24 hours when it reached the President. It is such a shame a Govt. which got such an overwhelming mandate can’t deliberate and decide in this democracy and instead chooses the ordinance path to alter a ...

The Union Cabinet today approved constitution of Special Investigating Team (SIT) to implement the decision of the Hon’ble Supreme Court on large amounts of money stashed abroad by evading taxes or generated through unlawful activities. The SIT will be headed by Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.B. Shah, former Judge of the Supreme Court as Chairman and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Arijit Pasayat, former Judge as Vice Chairman. The Members of the High Level Committee will comprise: i. Secretary, Department of Revenue ii. Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India, iii. Director (IB), iv. Director, Enforcement v. Director, CBI vi. Chairman, CBDT, vii. Director General, Narcotics Control Bureau viii. Director General, Revenue Intelligence ix. Director, Financial Intelligence Unit x. Director, Research and Analysis Wing ...

The EC has released notification for by-elections in 8 out of the 9 vacant Rajya Sabha seats. The EC notification said it wont be holding election to the RS seat of Dr. Nedurumalli Janardhan Reddy, who expired sometime back, as the RS Chairman has to decide to who among AP or Telangana the seat should be allotted, in view of the ongoing bifurcation. The decision would be made as per sub clause (ii) of the 1st schedule of Andhra Pradesh Re-organization Act, 2014. The RS Chairman may take this decision when the 1st session of RS commences in June. There is a strong buzz that Nirmala Seetharaman, who joined the Modi’s Ministry, is tipped to contest for this election. It ...