A committee set up to redress complaints of victims of sexual harassment at workplace can recommend transfer of the charged officer or grant leave to the affected woman upto three months, the government told Parliament today. Minister of State for the Department of Personnel and Training ( DoPT) Jitendra Singh said instructions have been issued by his department vide an Office Memorandum of November 27, 2014 regarding Alignment of Service Rules with the sexual harassment of women at workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.

Salaries of central govt staff to exceed Rs 1 lakh crore in FY'16
Central government's salary expenditure will exceed Rs 1 lakh crore in the current fiscal and is projected to increase further with the recommendations of 7th Pay Commission, posing risk to public finances, Finance Ministry said today. According to the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework Statement tabled in Parliament, the salary outgo of central government employees will go up by 9.56 per cent to Rs 1,00,619 crore in current fiscal.

Sushma to Rahul: Read your family history and ask Sonia about Quattrocchi & Anderson
Reiterating her stand that she has "done no wrong", External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday said, "Rahul Gandhi accuses me of hiding things. I didn't hide anything. If something was hidden, it was Quattrocchi and Anderson at the time of Congress." Directly targeting Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi Swaraj said, "I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that he loves taking holidays...next time he decides to take a holiday, he should read his family history. Then he should come back and ask his mother (Sonia Gandhi), how much did his family earn from the Quattrocchi scam and why his dad (Rajiv Gandhi) let Anderson go."

India bid for permanent seat suffers blow as US, Russia, China oppose UNSC reform talks
In a setback to India's bid for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, the US, along with Russia and China, has opposed negotiations to reform the powerful UN body, refusing to contribute to a text that will form the basis for the long-drawn reform process. UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa achieved a breakthrough of sorts by circulating a text to UN members that will form the basis for the negotiations on the reform of the Security Council. Kutesa had appointed Jamaica's Permanent Representative Courtenay Rattray to chair on his behalf the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform.

831 CISF women personnel deployed in Delhi Metro
A total of 831 women CISF personnel have been deployed in the Delhi Metro to help and assist female passengers, the Parliament was informed today. "At present 831 women CISF personnel are deployed to help women commuters (in Delhi Metro). Frisking of women passengers is done by women CISF personnel," Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

GST watered down, can still add 0.6% to GDP growth: HSBC
Terming GST as one of the most promising reforms on anvil, global giant HSBC has said the bill has been "watered down" but can still add a "sizeable" 60 basis points to India's GDP growth rate. The Goods and Services Tax (GST) seeks to replace all indirect taxes with a uniform nationwide levy. The bill has been approved by the Lok Sabha and it was referred to a Rajya Sabha Select Committee during the last Parliament session.

SC gives interim relief to Dayanidhi Maran, stays arrest till September 13
The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave interim relief to former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran on his plea against cancellation of bail by Mardas HC. The court was hearing a case related to alleged setting up of an illegal telephone exchange. The apex court has stayed Madras HC order cancelling bail of Dayanidhi Maran till September 14. SC has also issued notice to CBI and has sought its response in two weeks on Maran's plea. The Madras High Court had on Monday cancelled Maran's interim anticipatory bail in the controversial telephone exchange case and directed him to surrender before the CBI within three days while rejecting his charges of political vendetta.

Jantar Mantar sit in grievances considered by Govt
The grievance received from people sitting on protests at Jantar Mantar is considered by the Government and action is initiated as per the guidelines for redressing public grievances, Lok Sabha was informed today. Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh in a written response said every Wednesday of the week has been earmarked for receiving and hearing of grievance petitions in person by the Director of Public Grievance in each Central Ministry and Department.