Page 2 - Government Of India

PM Kisan Yojana 21st instalment: All you need to know on 'excluded' farmers

The PM Kisan Yojana's 21st instalment date is near. Eligible farmers must ensure their e-KYC is done to get payments via Direct Benefit Transfer of ₹2,000 to every farmer in each cycle

Aadhaar Card update: All you need to know about 3 big changes from Nov 1

UIDAI rolled out three new rules to make Aadhaar updates faster, simpler and fully digital from November 1. Citizens can update details online, complete KYC digitally, and access new fee structures

Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025: Registration details, theme, dates, and more

The registration process for Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 will close today, Oct 6. The schools can submit entries from October 14 to 31, 2025. The ministry will declare the winners' list in Dec 2025

Rajesh Agrawal takes charge as commerce secretary from October 1

Rajesh Agrawal, a 1994-batch IAS officer from the Manipur cadre, takes over as commerce secretary from October 1, succeeding Sunil Barthwal as India advances major trade negotiations

UPSC NDA NA 2 Results 2025 announced; details at upsc.gov.in and more

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has announced the NDA NA 2 Result 2025. Candidates can download their National Defence Academy and Naval Academy exam results at upsc.gov.in

Government extends CDS Gen Anil Chauhan's tenure by 8 months till May 2026

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan's tenure has been extended up to May next year, the government said on Wednesday. Gen Chauhan's current stint as the top military officer is scheduled to end on September 30. The defence ministry said the government has approved the extension of service of Gen Chauhan as Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, up to May 30 next year or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He has been serving as the Chief of Defence Staff since September 30, 2022.

150 Puja special trains from Sept 21 to Nov 30 to handle passenger rush

The Railway Board has issued notifications regarding the operation of 150 Puja special trains from September 21 to November 30, which will make a total of 2,024 trips to handle the extra rush of passengers. Railway officials said that under the Puja special train series, South Central Railway will run the maximum number of 48 trains, completing 684 trips. "These trains will be operated mainly from major stations like Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Vijayawada," a press note from the Railways said. "East Central Railway has notified 14 trains which will pass through major stations of Bihar like Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur and will make a total of 588 trips." Officials said that Eastern Railway zone, which is among the busiest routes, will run 24 special trains from crowded stations like Kolkata, Sealdah and Howrah, managing 198 trips. "While Western Railway has announced 24 special trains from cities like Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara to operate 204 trips, Southern Railway has als

Food Ministry raises gunny bag usage charges by 40% to ₹10.22 per bag

The Centre on Friday increased usage charges for gunny bags by 40 per cent to Rs 10.22 per used bag, a move aimed at providing financial relief to States and Union Territories as well as improving procurement operations. In an official statement, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, the "Government of India has increased usage charges for gunny bags by nearly 40 per cent, bringing financial relief to State Governments and Union Territories in the country." The decision is aimed at ensuring smooth procurement operations and supporting sustainable packaging practices, he said, adding that the Centre-State cooperation would also improve in foodgrain procurement and distribution. The Centre received requests from various states and UTs for the revision. The Department of Food and Public Distribution, under the Food and Consumer Affairs, constituted a committee to look into this issue. The committee comprised members from State Governments/UTs and the Food ...

ICSI CS December 2025 exam registration begins from today, August 26

ICSI has begun registration for the CS Executive and Professional December 2025 exams from August 26. Exams will be conducted from December 22-29, 2025. Late applications close on October 10, 2025

Govt's focus is on creating maximum job opportunities, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that his government is focused on creating maximum employment opportunities for the youth. Addressing an event in Ahmedabad via video link, he appealed to youngsters to support the country's efforts to become self-reliant by adopting indigenous products. "We launched Skill India Mission under which crores of youth are being prepared as skilled manpower in different fields. Today, a large part of the world is stuck in the problem of ageing; they need youth, and India has the capacity to provide youth to the world. "If the youth are skilled today, there are several employment possibilities for them. They become self-reliant, this gives them the power," Modi said after inaugurating a girls' hostel in Sardardham Phase-11 in Ahmedabad. He hailed the society's support in the progress of daughters. He said the Central government has introduced several changes to the education system through the new National Education Policy, with the biggest ..

Indian govt says it takes no position on Dalai Lama succession issues

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it has seen a statement issued by the 14th Dalai Lama in July about the institution of the Dalai Lama, and underlined that it "does not take any position" on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion. Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said this in a written response to queries in the Rajya Sabha. The MEA was asked whether it is a fact that the government has "openly backed Dalai Lama's right to decide on his own succession". "Government has seen a statement regarding the institution of Dalai Lama issued by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama on 02 July 2025. Government of India does not take any position on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion," the MoS said. "Government has always upheld freedom of religion for all in India and will continue to do so. Government's position has also been conveyed to the Chinese side," he said. In July, Central Tibetan ...

Real money gaming: 450 mn persons lose ₹20,000 crore annually, says govt

The government estimates that around 45 crore people lose close to Rs 20,000 crore every year in online real money gaming, an official source said on Wednesday. According to the source, the government has realised that online real money gaming is a major problem for society and chose to forego revenue loss in preference to people's welfare. "There is a rough estimate that 45 crore people lose money every year. The total impact of the loss is estimated to be tentatively around Rs 20,000 crore," the source added. The government has tabled "Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill 2025" in the Lok Sabha, which proposes to promote eSports and online social gaming while banning money gaming in any form. "Online gaming involving money has become a major problem for society. Every Parliamentarian has raised concerns about its ill effects. Between revenue from one-third of the industry segment and society welfare, the government has chosen society welfare," the source said. Accordin

23% of 560 million PM Jan Dhan accounts remain inactive, says govt

As many as 23 per cent of the total 56.04 crore Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) accounts are inoperative, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said on Monday. Out of 56.03 crore PMJDY accounts at the end of July 31, 2025, 13.04 crore such accounts are inoperative, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of inoperative Jan Dhan accounts of 2.75 crore, followed by Bihar at 1.39 crore and Madhya Pradesh at 1.07 crore, he said. As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines dated February 18, 2009, a savings account should be treated as inoperative/dormant if there are no transactions in the account for over a period of two years. The government has taken various steps to ensure smooth functioning of PMJDY accounts, including Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). These benefits are transferred even to the inactive accounts. Banks inform account holders in writing through letters or email or SMS about the accounts which are to beco

Over 40 mn women get maternity aid under PMMVY; drive till Aug 15: WCD

Over 4 crore women across India have received at least one installment of maternity benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), with total disbursements crossing Rs 19,028 crore, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said on Monday. The ministry, in a statement , called it a reflection of the government's "sustained commitment to maternal and child health" as it announced the extension of a special registration drive under the scheme till August 15. The ongoing door-to-door campaign, led by Anganwadi and ASHA workers, aims to ensure that all eligible pregnant and lactating women are enrolled on time. "The campaign is not only about ensuring access to financial benefits but also about encouraging positive attitudes towards the girl child," the ministry said in its statement. PMMVY, a centrally sponsored scheme under Mission Shakti's 'Samarthya' sub-scheme, provides partial wage compensation to mothers through direct benefit transfer (DBT). For the first chi

Mandatory to conduct audit of safety in schools: Govt tells states, UTs

The Ministry of Education has issued a directive to all states and Union territories mandating them to conduct audits of safety mechanisms and facilities for children in schools, officials said on Saturday. The Education Ministry has also called for schools to ensure structural integrity of buildings. This comes a day after a portion of a government school in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district collapsed on Friday, killing seven children and leaving 28 injured. States and UTs must take urgent steps to ensure student's safety and their well-being. This includes mandatory safety audits of schools and child-related facilities as per national safety codes, training for staff and students in emergency preparedness, and the provision of psychosocial support through counselling and peer networks. Structural integrity, along with fire safety, emergency exits, and electrical wiring, must be thoroughly assessed. It must be ensured that staff and students are trained in emergency preparedness, ...

Govt bans 25 OTT platforms including Ullu, ALTT for explicit content

MIB blocks platforms like Ullu, Desiflix and Big Shots citing violations of IT Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Indecent Representation of Women law

Amit Shah unveils policy to set up one cooperative unit in every village

The policy aimed to strengthen grassroots cooperative units and ensure inclusive growth, especially among villages, farmers, women, Dalits, and tribal communities

Jal Jeevan Mission hit by water scarcity, terrain, and fund delays: Govt

Water scarcity, difficult terrain, and delays in state funding are among the key hurdles slowing down the government's flagship Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) that aims to provide tap water to every rural household, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday. The deadline of Jal Jeevan Mission was extended from 2024 to 2028 in the last budget. In a written response, Minister of State for Jal Shakti V. Somanna said several states have reported constraints such as lack of dependable water sources in drought-prone and desert regions, groundwater contamination, scattered rural habitations, and delays in obtaining statutory clearances. Rising construction costs and limited technical capacity at the local level have further impacted the pace of implementation, he said. Some states have also failed to release their matching share of funds on time, leading to bottlenecks in ongoing projects. To overcome these issues, Somanna said the Centre has launched initiatives like the Nal Jal Mitra programme to t

CAG loss estimate on BSNL-RJIL deal misread, correction done: MoS Telecom

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India estimates on losses to BSNL from Reliance Jio Infocomm was based on the misinterpretation of a clause on add-on technology, and it has been rectified in a transparent and equitable manner, Parliament was informed on Wednesday. The CAG report tabled in Parliament in April had said the government suffered a loss of Rs 1,757.56 crore as state-owned telecom firm BSNL failed to bill Reliance Jio for 10 years since May 2014 as per their agreement on passive infrastructure sharing. "BSNL has Master Service Agreements (MSAs) with M/s RJIL, for leasing of BSNL's tower infrastructure to install their equipment. There is no revenue loss to BSNL and government. The estimate of CAG was based on the misinterpretation of the clause of add-on technology, which has now been rectified in a transparent and equitable manner. BSNL has since raised the revised invoices from RJIL," Minister of State for Telecom, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar said in the Lok Sabha in

Railways gave 45% subsidy on passenger travel in FY24, says govt

The Indian Railways provisionally spent Rs 60,466 crore in subsidy, 45 per cent of the cost of passenger travel, in the financial year 2023-24, the Centre informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw gave the information in response to the questions raised by several MPs on the recent rail fare hike. Vaishnaw said the Indian Railways provides affordable transportation service to more than 720 crore passengers and its fares are among the lowest in the world, even when compared with neighbouring countries. "The total amount of subsidy given in FY 2023-24 on passenger travel is provisionally estimated at Rs. 60,466 Crore. This amounts to a 45% subsidy on the cost of passenger travel," Vaishnaw informed the lower house in a written reply. He said the rail fares were "rationalized" with effect from July 1 this year after a gap of more than five years. "The increase in fares is very low, ranging from half paise per km to two paise per km for premium classes," h