Cabinet approves modification to Mega Power Policy

October 7th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In a bid to introduce competitive bidding for allocation of coal blocks and benefit consuming industries, the government will soon replace the Mines and Minerals Development Regulation Act, 1957, a senior official said Wednesday. "The new draft bill would be placed before the cabinet soon.

October 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - The cabinet Thursday approved amendments in the mega power policy to encourage setting up of new power plants. According to the new norms, the states that control the power distribution network can also buy electricity from mega power plants.

September 17th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The cabinet Thursday approved a proposal to avail Japanese assistance to create the western arm of a dedicated freight corridor costing Rs.26,124 crore. In the first phase, Japan will provide a soft loan of Rs.17,700 crore to cover the Rewari-Vadodara section, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters here after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

September 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry for the formation of a company 'Invest India' under Section 25 of the companies Act, 1956, for promotion of foreign investments during the XI Five Year Plan. The proposed company which will be a joint venture between the Government of India, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the State Governments will be responsible for promoting Foreign investments into the country in a more focussed, comprehensive and structured manner.

September 9th, 2009 ISLAMABAD - The Pakistani cabinet has approved a new education policy Wednesday after deliberating on the subject for four years, the Online agency reported. Education Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani said all federal and provincial educational institutions were consulted before finalising the policy.

August 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved fifty percent reservation for women in panchayats all across the country. "The Cabinet has approved the amendment of Article 243 (d) of the Constitution to reserve 50 per cent of the total number of seats in panchayats filled by direct election for women," said Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni here after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

August 19th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) Chairman Dr. Anil Kakodkar has ruled out allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) for establishing nuclear power stations in the country.

July 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government is promoting an export policy regime for the textiles industry that will cover all potential markets including South East Asia, said Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran Wednesday. The government is also promoting textiles mega shows in potential markets.

July 14th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The police commissioners of six states have held discussions with the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) to prepare plans for mega city policing needs, parliament was informed Tuesday. The police commissioners of six states have held discussions with BPR&D to prepare a perspective plan for the sub-scheme of mega city policing under the 'modernisation of state police force scheme' with a view to prioritise mega city policing needs, Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government will set up mega industrial clusters in five states to boost the traditional textile and carpet industries and generate "thousands of jobs", Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Monday. Presenting the union budget for 2009-10 in the Lok Sabha, Mukherjee said: I propose to add one handloom mega cluster each in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and one powerloom mega cluster in Rajasthan.

May 19th, 2009 GHAZIABAD - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Rajnath Singh, who won the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat in the polls, admitted Tuesday that his dream to bring a mega project to the area may not turn into reality following the defeat of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). The BJP chief, who was on a 'thanksgiving' visit to the constituency, told IANS that he was confident of the NDA winning power, and then ensuring projects worth Rs.2,000-2,500 crore (Rs.20-25 billion) to Ghaziabad.

February 12th, 2009 RANCHI - The Jharkhand government Friday cleared a new rehabilitation policy for Maoist rebels, designed to encourage them to surrender. 'The surrender and rehabilitation policy has been cleared by the advisory committee of the governor.

February 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government Thursday handed over the letter of intent for the Tilaiya ultra mega power project (UMPP) to Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (R-ADAG), being set up at an investment of over Rs.120 billion (Rs.12,000 crore/$2.4 billion). This is the third UMPP awarded to group company Reliance Power, with the other two being at Sasan in Madhya Pradesh and Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh.

January 27th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group was Wednesday awarded its third ultra mega power project, set to come up at Tilaiya in Jharkhand with an investment of over Rs.12,000 crore (Rs.120 billion/$2.4 billion). 'We have been awarded the Tilaiya project.

January 11th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India will have to invest Rs.1.5 trillion in nuclear power plants if it is to meet an ambitious target of generating 63,000 mega watts (MW) from nuclear power by the year 2020, a leading parliamentarian said Monday. 'India would require Rs.1.5 lakh crore (Rs.1.5 trillion) if we are to meet the target of generating 63,000 MW using nuclear power.