Government Policy News and Press Release

Gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) as a proportion of GDP had reached a peak of 32.9 per cent in 2007/08, the year preceding the global crisis. It dropped to 32.3 per cent in 2008/09 and then to 31.6 per cent in 2009/10. Initial estimates are that in 2010/11 this ratio slipped further to 30.4 per cent. The AE for 2011/12 suggest that there may have been further slippage to 29.3 per cent. That is a decline of almost 4 percentage points over the last four years. Full Article

Extending benefits to its employees, the Centre has decided to remove the minimum age bar of five years for claiming educational allowance and hostel subsidy for their children. The move, which will benefit lakhs of workers, comes after the government received a number of representations and decided to get the matter duly examined by the Ministry of Finance. Full Article

The Ministry of Railways has advised the passengers travelling on the train on a short notice to use the facility of Current Reservation Counter situated at the train originating main stations. The Ministry has pointed out that vacant reserved seats available on train after preparation of reservation charts can be booked at the Current Counters of the train originating stations upto a specified time before departure of trains. Full Article

In a move to prevent misuse of Reserved Train Tickets and reduce cases of travelling on transferred tickets, Ministry of Railways has decided that with effect from 15th February 2012, anyone of the passengers/the passenger booked on the ticket issued from computerized Passenger Reservation System (PRS counters) and Internet (i-ticket) undertaking journey in AC-3 tier, AC-2 tier, 1st AC, AC Chair Car and Executive Classes will have to carry one of the nine prescribed pr.. Full Article

The Ministry of Railways has decided to increase the advance reservation period for booking reserved train tickets from existing 90 days to 120 days on experimental basis (excluding the date of journey) w.e.f. March 10, 2012. Full Article

(i) The policy recommends production of Concentrate of Poppy Straw (CPS) in India by a company or body corporate. This would enable India to retain its status of a traditional supplier of Opiate Raw Material (ORM) to the rest of world, while remaining competitive. (ii) The consumption of poppy straw by addicts will be gradually reduced and finally stopped in a time frame decided by the States. Full Article

The Supreme Court has ruled that mandatory death penalty for an offender under the Arms Act was unconstitutional as it violated fundamental rights guaranteed to a citizen.A bench of Justices Asok Kumar Ganguly (since retd) and J S Khehar said Section 27(3) of the Arms Act, which imposed mandatory death penalty, was also "ultra vires and void" as it restricts the powers of the court in awarding sentences to an accused in such cases. Full Article

A scheme was launched in 2007 to provide legal /financial assistance to the deserted or divorced overseas Indian women through the Indian Missions/Posts. It was revised and the revised scheme came into effect from November, 2011. The scheme would be available to Indian women who have been deserted by their overseas Indian / foreign husbands or are facing divorce proceedings in a foreign country, subject to the following conditions:- Full Article