Narendra Singh Tomar

"The government is committed in its mission to ensure housing for all by 2022. The interest subvention will not only reduce the equated monthly instalment (EMI) burden on the poor but will also help them in further construction or expansion of their current homes," Rural Development Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told PTI.

"Digital trade will grow many a times in the coming years in the country and India will reach its destination to become a cashless economy," the union minister said in the opening ceremony of Digi-Dhan Mela (fair) here at Indira Gandhi Agriculture University.

The Minister said house construction is not permissible under MGNREGS scheme. However, under PMAY-G convergence with MGNREGS, it has been made mandatory in the form of 90-95 days of unskilled labour wages for construction of house.

Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Narendra Singh Tomar informed Lok Sabha that Rs 4,373 crore was allocated to states under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme in 2015-16, of which Rs 4,369.55 crore has been utilised.

Emphasising on government's role in nurturing the industry, Union Minister Chaudhary Birendra Singh said a "roadmap" will be prepared for the steel sector facing issues on multiple fronts, including repaying bank loans.

Government will carry out a drive to clean ten iconic places in the country, including Taj Mahal, Vaishno Devi temple and Ajmer Sharif, as part of a pilot project under the Swachh Bharat mission, Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on July 8

India will auction 100 prospective mineral blocks of 100 sq km area each by November this year, a move that will boost the country's mining potential.

The pound took a particular hit from early results from Sunderland, which showed the city voted 61.3 percent in favor of leave, a stronger than expected outcome.

The instructions come in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a "serious note" on the delay in the modernisation and expansion programme of SAIL's largest steel making unit -- Bhilai Steel Plant.

In May last year, NRI billionaire Lakshmi Mittal-led ArcelorMittal and domestic steel giant SAIL inked a memorandum of understanding to look at the possibility of setting up an automotive steel plant in the country through a JV.

Country's largest steel maker SAIL will spend around Rs 6,000 crore this fiscal on various modernisation and expansion programmes as well as on research and development (R&D) initiatives.

The Lok Sabha on May 9 was informed that updating the National Mineral Inventory is underway and the process is expected to be complete by 2017.

"The concern of the member is justified. It has come to the notice of the government that the imports from China, Japan and Korea have increased, which is creating trouble for the domestic industry and also causing losses to it.

However, on the brighter side iron ore production has seen an 18 percent growth, while the total growth in mineral production has been pegged at 12 percent, Minister of Steel and Mines Narendra Singh Tomar said during Question Hour.

The Minister, who also holds the portfolio of mines, appreciated the concerted efforts by the government and all stakeholders, which has helped the steel sector in gradually coming out of the difficult condition it was in, Tomar was quoted as saying in a ministry's statement.

Union Steel and Mines Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was presented a cheque for Rs 260.72 crore by NALCO CMD Tapan Kumar Chand as interim dividend on the 80.93 per cent shares held by Government of India, a company release here.

"We are here to learn more about opportunities for Luxembourg companies to invest in India, which has shown strong economic growth and even overtook China last year in economic growth," Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Etienne Schneider said.

"A duty of 2.5 percent was imposed on coking coal in 2014. This has increased the cost of steel making in India that is impacting the competitiveness of manufacturing steel products in India," Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has said in a letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Amidst subdued demand and the specter of China flooding global markets with cheaper products, analysts predict a tough 2016 for the industry worldwide but expect India to remain more profitable than its Asian peers helped by higher domestic economic growth and rising demand.

The Minister emphasised on the need for working in close coordination with states and also bringing the beneficiaries from exploration and exploration agencies on same platform for better synergy and progress, the ministry said in a statement.