Highlights: Interest rate on small savings scheme to remain unchanged

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8:08 PM

Our priority is to win maximum seats, defeat PM Modi in Lok Sabha polls 2024: Congress leader KC Venugopal

After releasing the first list of 39 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said that the party's priority is to win maximum seats and defeat PM Modi in the election.

8:05 PM

NIA releases video of suspect linked to last week's blast at Bengaluru's Rameshwaram Cafe

7:37 PM

Lok Sabha 2024: Congress releases first list; Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad, Baghel from Rajnandgaon

Congress announced first list of 39 candidates for LS polls on Friday. The list revealed that Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad in 2024 LS polls. Also, ex-Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will contest Rajnandgaon, said Cong general secretary K C Venugopal.

 

7:00 PM

PM-JANMAN: Tribal hamlet in Karnataka's Mysuru gets power supply for first time

A tribal hamlet in Karnataka's Mysuru has received electricity supply for the first time, thanks to the PM-JANMAN scheme which aims to provide basic facilities to particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs) in the country. Situated on the fringes of the Hediyala range of the Bandipur Tiger Reserve, the hamlet was recently connected to the power grid of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC), the Tribal Affairs Ministry said on Friday. While nearby villages had power connections, a portion of the tribal hamlet remained without electricity. It took 75 years to provide power supply, according to the ministry's statement. Muzib, a Gram Panchayat member, said the 20 families have been living in sheds without power for generations. Though houses were constructed for them 15 to 20 years ago, power supply was not provided for some reason. Despite many requests, power lines were not drawn to fix the issue, he said.

6:57 PM

Rameshwaram Cafe blast: NIA, CCB detain 2 including cloth merchant in connection with cafe blast in Bengaluru

A cloth merchant from Kaul Bazaar in Ballari district in Karnataka and a PFI cadre have been detained by the National Investigation Agency and Central Crime Branch in their joint investigation of the March 1 blast at the Rameshwaram Cafe here, sources said on Friday. The teams suspect that one of the two detenues, who was an active member of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), was part of the plot. The investigating team believes that he had proximity with some terrorist organisations.

6:55 PM

Road Ministry sanctions Rs 2,094 cr for widening, strengthening of various NH projects in J&K

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has sanctioned Rs 2,093.92 crore for widening and strengthening of various National Highway projects in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Friday. Road transport and highways minister Gadkari, in a series of posts on X, said that in Jammu and Kashmir, an allocation of Rs 1,404.9 crore has been approved for the widening and strengthening project of the Rafiabad-Kupwara-Chowkibal-Tangdhar-Chamkot section of National Highway-701. He said this initiative, executed under Project Beacon in Baramulla and Kupwara districts on EPC Mode under Package I, aims to transform the 51 Km route into two lanes.

6:52 PM

'MSCB 'scam': ED attaches sugar mill of Sharad Pawar's grandnephew

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 50 crore of a sugar mill owned by a company of Rohit Pawar, the grandnephew of NCP (SP) supremo Sharad Pawar, PTI reported. The action pertains to the money laundering investigation being conducted by the federal agency in the alleged Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) scam. A total of 161.30 acres of land, plant, machinery and building of the Kannad Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Limited (Kannad SSK) located in Kannad village of Aurangabad district has been provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said in a statement. The total value of these assets is Rs 50.20 crore, it said.

6:04 PM

Interest rate on small savings scheme to remain same for for the quarter beginning April 1, says Centre

The Centre today declared that the interest rate on small savings scheme will remain unchanged for the quarter beginning April 1.

5:17 PM

News update: Army JCO abducted in Manipur, search ops launched

 A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) with the Indian Army was abducted from his residence in Manipur’s Thoubal district today morning, The Indian Express reported today. The abducted officer is a resident of the valley district of Thoubal. Security agencies are involved in a search operation and all vehicles plying National Highway 102 are being checked, IE reported citing sources.

5:08 PM

O Women's Day, France inscribes guaranteed right to abortion

France inscribes the right to abortion in its constitution as world marks International Women's Day

5:07 PM

Delhi cop suspended for allegedly kicking people offering namaz

The Delhi police has suspended its sub-inspector for allegedly kicking people offering namaz in Inderlok, an official said today.

5:06 PM

I-T tribunal denies Cong request to stop action against bank accounts

 Weeks ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal has refused to accept the Congress' plea to stop the department's action against its bank accounts.

4:33 PM

Rajasthan mishap: 17 children suffer electric burns in Kota while collecting water for Shivratri event

Shivratri festivities in Rajasthan’s Kota, seventeen children and a woman suffered electric burns today. One of them is critical, officials said. The incident took place in the Kali Basti area at around 11:00 AM. The children admitted to Kota’s MBS Hospital Kota are between 9 and 16 years of age, officials said. 

4:09 PM

Spectrum auction to begin from 20 May 2024, says DoT

The forthcoming spectrum auction will start from May 20, according to the notice inviting application released by the Department of Telecom today. The government will auction eight spectrum bands for mobile phone services at a base price of Rs 96,317.65 crore. Spectrum which is held by firms undergoing insolvency processes as well as the frequencies expiring this year will also be put on auction.

4:06 PM

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra news update: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reaches Gujarat's Godhra today

3:49 PM

News update: Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah launches National Cooperative Database

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah launched the National Cooperative Database in New Delhi. The Minister also released the 'National Cooperative Database 2023: A Report'.

3:40 PM

Made significant investments in upskilling women in manufacturing sector: Ashok Leyland

Hinduja Group flagship company Ashok Leyland on Friday said it has made significant investments in training and upskilling women in the manufacturing sector aimed at promoting gender diversity in the male-dominated industry. Commemorating International Women's Day, the heavy commercial vehicle maker said it has joined forces with the Delhi Government's initiative 'Parivartan' to train 180 women.

Ashok Leyland has been spearheading the drive to empower women in the male-dominated manufacturing sector. The company already showcased its 'Women Centric Cabin Trim Line' at its Pantnagar facility (Uttarakhand) and also the 'all women production line' at its unit in Hosur (Tamil Nadu), aimed at encouraging more women into the industry, the company said in a statement today. The city-based heavy commercial vehicle maker has rolled out new television commercials aimed at encouraging women to pursue their aspirations with the message 'Koi Manzil Door Nahin (No Dream too far) by showcasing them as protagonists.

3:36 PM

India's policy towards Nepal remains unchanged, assures envoy after meeting top new ministers

India has assured Nepal that its policy towards the Himalayan nation remains unchanged following the scrapping of the alliance between the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the formation of a new government, the Nepalese media reported on Friday. This assurance was conveyed by India's Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava who made separate courtesy calls on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun on Thursday, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported.

2:15 PM

Latest news update: CBI team detains a person during probe in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas

CBI officials today searched the residence of suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh in Sandeshkhali in connection with its investigation into an attack on an ED team in the area, officials said.

2:10 PM

News update: PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate Sela Tunnel project tomorrow

PM Narendra Modi will unveil Sela Tunnel project to the Nation tomorrow. The tunnel has been constructed at an altitude of 13,000 feet with a total cost of Rs 825 crore and will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang Region of Arunachal Pradesh. 

1:37 PM

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray writes to Maha Governor over Gokhale Bridge construction issue

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray wrote to the Maharashtra Governor on Thursday over the Gokhale Bridge construction issue. "A fair inquiry is expected on this issue and therefore Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and the railways' officials must be suspended," Aaditya Thackeray wrote.

 

1:30 PM

New Zealand's Deputy PM Winston Peters to visit India from March 10-13

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand, Winston Peters will be paying an official visit to India on March  10-13  at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

1:05 PM

News update: Sudha Murty nominated to Rajya Sabha by President Murmu

Author and philanthropist Sudha Murty has been nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X that her presence in the Upper House is a powerful testament to Nari Shakti (women power), exemplifying the strength and potential of women in shaping the nation's destiny.

12:49 PM

West Bengal teacher recruitment scam: Enforcement Directorate raids six places linked to 'middlemen'

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today searched six places in West Bengal allegedly linked to "middlemen" in the State teacher recruitment scam. The places searched by ED officials included the Patharghata area. 

12:40 PM

Creators' Awards: Data revolution, cheap mobile phones created new world for content creators, says PM Modi

12:30 PM

Let us start 'create on India movement' to share India's stories: PM Modi

Let's start 'create on India' movement to share with the world stories about India, its culture, heritage, PM Modi said today.

12:18 PM

CBI to continue probe at suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan's Sandeshkhali residence

A team of CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) has reached the residence of Sheikh Shahjahan, who has been accused of land grab and harassment, in Sandeshkhali, North 24 Parganas.

 

12:16 PM

Every citizen has right to criticise decision of state: Supreme Court

Asserting that every criticism is not an offence, and if it were, democracy would not survive, the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday upheld the right to dissent. The top court added that the police should be sensitised about the freedom of speech granted by the Constitution. It dismissed a case against a man who had made adverse comments on the scrapping of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. "The Constitution of India, under Article 19(1)(a), guarantees freedom of speech and expression. Under the said guarantee, every citizen has the right to offer criticism of the action of abrogation of Article 370 or, for that matter, every decision of the state. He has the right to say he is unhappy with any decision of the state," the court said.

12:15 PM

PM Modi to inaugurate several projects in Assam today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to embark on a two-day visit to Assam starting on Friday where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated that PM Modi will arrive in the state on Friday evening and is scheduled to spend at least two hours in the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve.

11:12 AM

PM Modi presents first-ever National Creators Award