
Committed to releasing Keezhadi findings, but ASI officer report lacks details: Union Min Shekhawat
Replying to questions from DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian, Shekhawat said there is no practice of rejecting a report and that the organisation is fully committed to releasing the findings of Keezhadi after due scientific process.
To a question on the rationale behind the repeated transfer of the lead archaeologist within nine months and its impact on excavation continuity, the union minister said the allocation of works to archaeological officers is a routine administrative matter.
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Mint
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Central govt employees can take 30 days leave to take care of elderly parents: Union Minister Jitendra Singh in RS
Central government employees can take leave for up to 30 days due to personal reasons, including taking care of elderly parents, Union Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. According to the service rules, government employees are entitled to 30 days of leave, which can be used for personal reasons, such as looking after elderly parents. The Union Minister's statement was a response to a question regarding whether there is any provision for government employees to avail leave to take care of their elderly parents. "The Central Civil Services (Leave) Rules, 1972 provides for 30 days of earned leave, 20 days of half pay leave, eight days of casual leave and two days of restricted holiday per annum, apart from other eligible leaves to a Central government employee, which can be availed for any personal reasons, including that of taking care of elderly parents," Singh said in a written reply. The Central Civil Services(Leave) Rules, 1972, took effect from June 1, 1972. These statutory rules regulate the granting of leave to all government employees, except for those covered by separate rules, such as Railway employees and members of All India Services. Under the service rules, there are different kinds of leaves, such as earned leave, half-day leave, commuted leave, leave not due, extraordinary leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, child care leave, study leave, special disability leave, seamen's sick leave, hospital leave, and departmental leave. According to the policy of the Government, leave is credited in advance to the 'Leave Account' of a Government servant twice a year, on January 1 and July 1, respectively. It is debited when leave is taken by the employees. However, there are certain 'Special Kinds of Leave' that are not debited to the leave account. Executive instructions issued by the government from time to time govern holidays such as casual leave, restricted holidays, compensatory off, and special casual leave.
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Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
No intention to remove 'socialism', 'secularism' from Preamble: Govt
The Union government has "no current plan or intention" to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' from the Preamble of the Constitution inserted during the Emergency period, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday. The House was also told that the government has not "formally" initiated any legal or constitutional process to remove the two words from the Preamble of the Constitution. In a written reply, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said while there may be discussions or debates in certain public or political circles, "no formal decision or proposal has been announced by the government" regarding amendments to these terms. "The government's official stand is that there is no current plan or intention to reconsider or remove the words 'socialism' and 'secularism' from the Preamble of the Constitution. Any discussions regarding amendments to the Preamble would require thorough deliberation and broad consensus, but as of now, the government has not initiated any formal process to change these provisions," the minister asserted. He pointed out that in November 2024, the Supreme Court had also dismissed petitions challenging the 1976 amendment (42nd Constitutional Amendment), which affirmed that Parliament's power to amend the Constitution extends to the Preamble. The court clarified that "socialism" in the Indian context signifies a welfare state and does not impede private sector growth, while "secularism" is integral to the Constitution's basic structure. Regarding the atmosphere created by the office-bearers of some social organisations, Meghwal said certain groups may be expressing opinions or advocating for reconsideration of these words. "Such activities can create a public discourse or atmosphere around the issue, but this does not necessarily reflect the official stance or actions of the government," he said. Last month, then vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar had asserted that the words inserted in the Preamble of the Constitution through an amendment during the Emergency era were a "festering wound", lending weight to the call by a top RSS leader for a review of the added terms 'secular' and 'socialist'. Wading into the political row sparked by RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale's call for a national debate on whether the terms 'secular' and 'socialist' to define India's foundational values should remain in the Preamble, Dhankhar had said the Preamble is sacrosanct and "not changeable". He further said the added words were a "sacrilege to the spirit of Sanatan". (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)


News18
an hour ago
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Drass (Kargil), Jul 24 (PTI) The nation will pay homage to the brave officers and soldiers who laid down their lives while pushing back Pakistani intruders during the Kargil War in 1999. On the occasion of 26th Kargil Vijay Diwas, three Union ministers including the minister of state for defence are scheduled to visit the Kargil War Memorial here on Friday and lay floral wreath as a tribute to the valiant soldiers as they fought a mix of Pakistani army and terrorists. The Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed every year on July 26. The Indian Army has planned a series of events on Friday and Saturday to commemorate the bravery and valour of officers and soldiers who took part in the two-month-long battle with Pakistanis. After flag hoisting and interaction with the next of kin of the martyrs, there will be cultural performances including Yak dance. Artists from various parts of the country will perform a national integration dance. There will be a rendition of patriotic songs before felicitation of the next of kin of the martyrs. Then there will be Beating Retreat and a rendition of the national anthem to mark the closure of the formal celebrations. The Kargil War Memorial has attracted a large number of tourists over the past two decades. The busts of eight national heroes — Major Rajesh Adhikari, Major P Acharya, Major Vivek Gupta, Captain Vikram Batra, Captain Anuj Nayyar, Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum, Captain Neikezhoue Kenguruse and Lieutenant Manoj Pandey — line up the sides of 'Vijaypath' which leads to the memorial where the national tricolour flies high. Captain Batra and Lieutenant Pandey were awarded Param Vir Chakra while the other six martyrs were awarded Mahavir Chakra. The other 'heroes" of the 1999 war — the Bofors guns and QF 25-Pounder guns — are also prominently displayed at the memorial, in recognition of the stellar role they played in targeting the enemy positions. PTI MIJ KVK KVK view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 19:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.