Page 4 - National News

Ensure faster grievance redressal, claims settlement: FinMin to insurers

Financial Services Secretary M Nagaraju on Tuesday asked Public Sector Insurance Companies (PSICs) to ensure timely resolution of public grievances and to provide seamless, prompt claims processing, in order to provide efficient services to customers. Chairing a meeting to review the financial performance of PSICs for FY25 and the first half of FY26, Nagaraju emphasized that PSICs should focus on increasing profitable business and devise strategies to reduce loss ratios, while maintaining market share and consistently strengthening their retail portfolios. The meeting was attended by Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) CEO and MD R Doraiswamy, General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC) ED Hitesh Joshi, New India Assurance Co. Ltd (NIACL) CMD Girija Subramanian, National Insurance Co. Ltd (NICL) CMD Rajeshwari Singh Muni and United India Insurance Co Ltd (UIICL) CMD B S Rahul. Besides, Oriental Insurance Co Ltd (OICL) CMD Sanjay Joshi and Agriculture Insurance Company of Indi

Poll promises turn deadly: 500 stray dogs killed in Telangana in a week

In a fresh incident of stray dog killings, around 200 canines were allegedly killed in Telangana's Kamareddy district, taking the toll to about 500 in the last one week, police said on Tuesday. Sources from villages said (some) elected representatives, including sarpanches, allegedly carried out the killings to "fulfill promises made to villagers" during the recent gram panchayat elections to tackle the stray dog menace. Police said a case has been registered against six persons, including five village sarpanches, for their alleged involvement in the incident. Earlier, police in Hanamkonda district had booked nine persons, including two women sarpanches and their husbands, in connection with the alleged killing of around 300 stray dogs in Shayampet and Arepally villages. "Ahead of the gram panchayat elections held in December last year, some candidates promised villagers they would tackle the stray dog and monkey menace. They are now allegedly fulfilling' those promises by killing

Land-for-jobs case: CBI says Lalu's acts not part of official duties

Opposing Lalu Prasad Yadav's petition to quash its FIR in the land-for-jobs scam case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday said the decisions made by RJD supremo on appointments in Railways did not fall under the discharge of his public duties as railway minister, and only the general managers could make such decisions. Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for the CBI, submitted this before Justice Ravinder Dudeja to argue that there was no need to obtain prior sanction under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act to proceed against Lalu Prasad as his conduct could not be said to be within the ambit of "discharge of his official functions or duties". "Our case is, in discharge of his official duties or functions, he (Lalu) was not required to make any recommendation or take a decision. Therefore, whatever decision or recommendation is made, it was not in discharge of his official duties. The recommendation or decision could only be taken by the general ...

MoSPI plans transition to chain-based approach for IIP data compilation

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has proposed transition towards the chain-based method of index of Industrial Production (IIP) compilation, as it is undertaking a base-revision exercise of macroeconomic data. In the process of revising the base, the MoSPI is revisiting methodologies, exploring new data sources, and incorporating changes following comprehensive consultations with experts, academicians, users, and other stakeholders, an official statement said. Traditionally, the IIP was compiled using a fixed-base Laspeyres framework, in which sectoral and industry weights remain unchanged until a base-year revision. However, it stated that, with production shifts in response to demand, technological changes, and policy shifts, some industries expand, while others decline or disappear, and entirely new industries or production lines within an industry emerge. Therefore, fixed weights become progressively less relevant, thereby affecting the efficacy o

UPI user base can more than double to 1 billion: RBI Deputy Governor

There is a lot of scope and opportunity for expanding digital payment in the country and UPI has the potential to more than double to 1 billion users from the current base of 400 million, Reserve Bank Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar said on Tuesday. About 50 per cent of global retail payment transactions are done in India but even then in terms of the number of digital transactions per person, it has to catch up with many advanced economies. Citing an example of Kenya, the RBI Deputy Governor said, digital transaction per person in Kenya is roughly double than what India has. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), an RBI-0promoted body which created and operates UPI, had launched a USSD-based service to enable UPI access for feature phone users, within months of the launch of the main platform for smartphone users in 2016. " The active users of UPI are about 400 million. We are targeting 1 billion users. So...there is a lot of scope, there is a lot of distance that we nee

MUDA case: Court reserves order on Lokayukta B-report against CM

The Special Court for Public Representatives on Tuesday reserved its order on a 'B-report' (closure report) in the MUDA land allotment case involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi B M and others to January 22. The Lokayukta police had filed a B-Report against Siddaramaiah and others citing lack of evidences', which the complainant Snehamayi Krishna had challenged. On Tuesday, the case came up before the Special Court where the former MUDA Commissioner Dinesh Kumar was present as an accused. The Special Public Prosecutor of the Lokayukta submitted the synopsis of relevant portions of the case. Krishna, who was present as the party-in-person, filed a written submission before the court. The Court reserved its order on B-Report on January 22. It also ordered for the physical appearance of the accused on January 17. In the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in

SC delivers split verdict on Section 17A of anti-graft law, refers to CJI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict on the constitutional validity of a 2018 provision of the anti-graft law which mandates prior sanction for initiating a probe against a government servant in a corruption case. While Justice B V Nagarathna said Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act is unconstitutional and needs to be struck down, Justice K V Viswanathan held the provision as constitutional while adding that sanction must be decided by an independent authority like the Lokpal or the Lokayukta. Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, introduced in July 2018, bars any enquiry or inquiry or investigation against a public servant for recommendations made in discharge of official duties without prior approval from the competent authority. The case will now be placed before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant for forming a larger bench to hear the matter for a final decision. "Having regard to the divergent opinions expressed by us, we direct th

Over 3,500 EWS applicants not admitted to Delhi schools in 2025-26: Govt

Over 3,500 applicants under the Economically Weaker Sections category could not be admitted to Delhi schools in the 2025-26 academic year, largely due to factors such as parents declining seats because of distance from schools and non-completion of documentation, according to official data. The data from the Directorate of Education (DoE) stated that 29,706 EWS students were admitted in 2025-26 against 33,212 applications, while 3,506 cases of non-admission were recorded. In the preceding academic year, 202425, 26,197 students secured admission out of 28,799 applicants, with 2,603 students not admitted, the data revealed. The department said that non-admission in several cases occurred as parents declined allotted seats due to long commuting distance, children were already enrolled in other schools, or required documents were not submitted within the stipulated time. Some applicants were absent during regional-level document verification or could not produce valid certificates, ...

Cold wave persists in Delhi for third day; IMD issues orange alert

Cold wave conditions prevailed over the national capital for the third consecutive day on Tuesday as temperatures dipped further and are likely to persist over the next day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The IMD said that Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, which was 1.7 degrees above normal, while the minimum temperature settled at 3.0 degrees Celsius, plunging 4.4 notches below the seasonal average. According to the weather department, the minimum temperature of around 3 degrees Celsius recorded at several stations made it the coldest January morning in the national capital in three years. Delhi had last recorded a lower minimum temperature of 1.4 degrees Celsius on January 16, 2023. Station-wise data recorded at 5.30 pm showed that Safdarjung Observatory, the city's principal weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 21.6 degrees Celsius. Lodhi Road logged the highest maximum at 22.0 degrees Celsius, while Ayanagar

SC directs govt to frame rules to implement 25% EWS quota under RTE Act

Observing that granting admissions to poor kids in educational institutions "must be a national mission", the Supreme Court directed authorities on Tuesday to frame rules to ensure that the 25 per cent quota in admissions for children from economically and socially weaker sections in private unaided non-minority schools is implemented. The court said the grant of admission to kids from the EWS category is "an obligation of the appropriate government and the local authority. Equally, courts, be it constitutional or civil, must walk that extra mile to provide easy access and efficient relief to parents who complain of denial of the right". The bench was dealing with aspects relating to difficulties faced by EWS category students in getting admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, which has mandated 25 per cent reservation for such children in private unaided non-minority schools. A bench of Justices P M Narasimha and Atul S Chandurkar was hearing a special leave petition fil

Haryana govt asks to avoid use of 'Harijan', 'Girijan' in official comms

The Haryana government has asked all its departments, public and educational institutes and others to "strictly avoid" using the terms 'Harijan' and 'Girijan' in official communications in respect of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) respectively. The Haryana Chief Secretary's Office issued a letter in this regard on Tuesday. Mahatma Gandhi had named the SCs as 'Harijans', meaning 'people of God'. However, BR Ambedkar was against the use of 'Harijans' and he preferred to call them Dalits. "The Haryana government has issued directions to all Administrative Secretaries, Heads of Departments, Boards, Corporations, Public Sector Undertakings, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Officers (Civil) and Registrars of Universities in the State to strictly avoid the use of terms such as 'Harijan' and 'Girijan' in all official matters and correspondence," an official statement said. It has been reiterated in the letter that the Constitution of India d

No advance payment under 'Ladki Bahin' scheme after SEC stand: Fadnavis

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said his government will not release the January instalment under the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' for eligible women in advance in compliance with a directive from the State Election Commission (SEC). Practice so far has been to give an advance instalment during major festivals to poorer women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, but monthly stipend under the scheme (Rs 1,500) will now be credited in their accounts after January 16, the day when votes polled in 29 civic corporations are counted, he told reporters in Pune. The SEC on Monday barred the government from releasing the January instalment under the scheme (Rs 1,500) in advance, citing the enforcement of the model code of conduct for the January 15 elections to 29 municipal corporations in the state. The SEC's clarification came after it received several complaints following media reports claiming that beneficiaries of the scheme would receive Rs 3,000 - covering the December and ..

India, China work to restore military trust amid push for border stability

In recent meetings with Chinese counterparts, Indian officials have made peace and stability along the 3,488-kilometer (2,167 miles) disputed Himalayan border central to efforts to normalize ties

Wife's high qualification no ground to deny maintenance: Allahabad HC

The Allahabad High Court has ruled that a wife cannot be denied maintenance under Section 125 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) merely because she is highly qualified or possesses vocational skills. Setting aside a family court order rejecting a woman's application seeking maintenance from her husband, Justice Garima Prashad observed that it is "misplaced for a husband to rely solely on the qualifications of his wife to evade his legal obligation to maintain her". The court said a wife's mere potential to earn is distinct from actual gainful employment. It emphasised that this is a reality faced by many women who despite their education find it difficult to join the workforce after years of domestic duties and childcare responsibilities. The court set aside an order of the additional principal judge, Family Court, Bulandshahr, who had rejected the wife's application moved under Section 125 CrPC seeking maintenance from her husband. The family court had rejected the wife's plea for

Delhi govt to upgrade ITIs with industry partners under PM-SETU scheme

The Delhi government has started the process of upgrading its Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), seeking to engage industry partners under the PM-SETU scheme, officials said. The Department of Training and Technical Education of the Delhi government is the implementing body of the Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs (PM-SETU) scheme's hub and spoke model for the transformation of the ITIs in the city. The Dheerpur-ITI cluster comprising Dheerpur-ITI (hub) and four constituent spoke ITIs at Jail Road, Narela, Sirifort and Jaffarpur has been chosen for the implementation of the PM-SETU scheme in Delhi, the officials said. In such a cluster, the hub ITI might specialise in high-end advanced manufacturing trades, while the spoke ITIs provide foundational courses feeding into the hub. A cluster special purpose vehicle (SPV) led by an industry partner would upgrade the infrastructure across all five ITIs, introduce the latest course like ...

Two suspected Nipah cases detected in Bengal; Centre sends response team

Two suspected cases of Nipah virus disease have been identified at the Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL), ICMR, AIIMS Kalyani, West Bengal.Taking immediate action, the central government has deployed a National Joint Outbreak Response Team to support the State Government in containment and public health response measures, according to official sources.The team comprises experts from the All India Institute of Health and Public Hygiene, Kolkata; the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune; the National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE), Chennai; AIIMS Kalyani; and the Department of Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.The Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, held discussions with the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary (Health), Government of West Bengal, to review the situation and ensure swift and coordinated action.Central Government guidelines on Nipah Virus Disease under the Communicable Disease ...

Delhi HC flags plight of patients' kin, seeks PIL on night shelters

The court noted that the article highlighted distressing conditions for people waiting for treatment in hospitals who have no place to stay

Banks must ensure year-round operational discipline: RBI deputy governor

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Swaminathan J has asked banks to put in place stronger operational discipline and data governance throughout the year, as supervision needs to shift from periodic snapshots to continuous awareness. Speaking on 'Issues and Challenges in Banking Supervision in the Digital Era', the deputy governor said for decades, supervisors were trained to read balance sheets and inspect processes, and it is still being done the same way. But today, he said a bank can look perfectly healthy on paper and still be one incident away from severe disruption. "The reason is that the centre of gravity is shifting from the 'branch and product' to the 'pipes and code'," he said. In other words, stability now depends as much on operational resilience, data integrity, and third-party dependencies as much as it does on capital and liquidity, Swaminathan said at the at the Third Annual Global Conference of the College of Supervisors here on Friday. In a digital ...

Lok Sabha Speaker hints at action over alleged e-cigarette use in House

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday did not rule out "exemplary punishment" over the alleged use of e-cigarette in the House, asserting that maintaining the dignity of Parliament was non-negotiable. BJP member Anurag Thakur had sent a complaint to the Speaker alleging that one Trinamool Congress (TMC) member was "openly using" e-cigarette in the House during the proceedings despite such devices being banned across the country. "No one has the right to undermine the sanctity of the House," the Lok Sabha Speaker told reporters here. Birla said the matter was under investigation and would be later referred to an appropriate committee of the House for further action. "We will act on the recommendation of the committee. Everyone will have to maintain decorum in the House. A member could even lose his membership," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. "Nobody will be allowed to lower the dignity of the House," Birla said. "It is a responsibility. You will have to maintain decorum inside the Hou

Goa economy grew 14.94% in FY24, 'Viksit' state target set for 2037: Guv

Goa's economy has shown a positive growth trajectory of 14.94 per cent in 2023-24 (provisional) as per estimates received from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, Governor P Ashok Gajapathi Raju said on Monday on the first day of the Winter Session of the state assembly. In his first address in the House since taking over as governor in July last year, Raju said the preparation of Vision Document 'Viksit Goa @ 2037' is in its final stages, adding it would act as an all-inclusive, long-term blueprint by aligning with the vision of Prime Minister Modi of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. "I am happy to state that Goa's economy continues to show a positive growth trajectory of 14.94 per cent in 2023-24 (provisional) as per the estimates received from Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. 28," he said. Based on the enthusiasm and passion with which the state government was functioning, Raju said he was confident that the target of Goa becoming a developed state would