CATEGORIES

3 new rly corridors to reduce congestion

Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced the government will set up three major economic railway corridors to reduce congestion and logistics costs in India.

5-yr extension to PMAY(G); 20mn houses to be built

The Narendra Modi government has extended the housing scheme for rural poor or the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (Gramin), one of the most important welfare programmes to fight multi-dimensional poverty, for another five years to construct an additional 20 million houses, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Thursday.

Govt plans new housing scheme for middle class

The government will bring in a new housing scheme for the middle class to buy or build homes, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Thursday while presenting the Union interim budget for the 2024-25 financial year, without disclosing specifics.

Capex raised to 3.4% of GDP despite fiscal consolidation

The central government's capital spending in 2024-25, according to the interim budget, will be ₹11,11,111 crore, a number which is more like an auspicious figure than a hardheaded budgetary allocation. Beyond this, perhaps numerologically significant allocation, the message is clear as far as the Narendra Modi government's fiscal priorities are concerned.

Amnesty for small disputes relief to income-tax payers

{LINGERING DEFAULTS} CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURE

Govt stays the course on fiscal consolidation path

Centre revises fiscal deficit estimate for FY24 to 5.8% of GDP from 5.9% estimated in last year's budget; vows to bring it below 4.5% by 2025-26

In poll year, the interim budget's four poles

Women, youth, farmers, and the poor.

WILL THE BUDGET...

Roshan Kishore analyses the impact of the Narendra Modi government's interim budget ahead of the Lok Sabha elections

MQ-9B drone deal gets first-level clearance as State Dept notifies US Congress of sale to India

{DEFENCE TIES} DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP

Hindu prayers held at Gyanvapi cellar, Muslim side goes to court

THE MOSQUE COMMITTEE WAS NOT ABLE TO SECURE AN URGENT HEARING FROM THE SUPREME COURT

SC to hear Soren's plea, Champai to be next CM

Jharkhand governor CP Radhakrishnan on Thursday invited Champai Soren, the leader of the state's ruling coalition, to take oath as the next chief minister in a late-night development that resolved the instability convulsing the state after former CM Hemant Soren's arrest.

Budget reflects our govt's confidence in continuity: Modi

The interim budget carries the continuity of confidence and will empower all four pillars of developed India while building a future for the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday as he hailed the measures announced by finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for young people, the poor, women, and farmers.

Space To Economy, Prez Hails India's Growth Areas

The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the abrogation of Article 370, and the law against triple talaq, all long-standing demands of the majority of Indians, were achieved in the past decade, President Droupadi Murmu said on Wednesday, prefacing the last parliamentary session of the second Narendra Modi government with an opening address to a joint sitting of Parliament.

Salman Khan's production house cautions against fake casting calls

Actor Salman Khan and his production company Salman Khan Films (SKF) have issued a statement on social media cautioning fans, followers and budding actors against false casting calls under their name.

'CAN'T BELIEVE I HAVE STARTED A SECOND CAREER'

Parineeti Chopra has embarked on a new journey, as singer this a time

Kuldeep, Patidar and Sarfaraz hone their skills

What is common between the 2016 and 2021 home Test series against England, apart from the fact that both were ultimately bagged? Then too, India did not win the series opener.

The distraction game: Ringing in the sweep to take India off track

Though considerable, sweeps and reverse sweeps have also facilitated England's fluent scoring off orthodox shots

Javelin thrower Manu looks to rekindle Olympic dreams

Recovering after a dip in form last year Manu is now raising his game to qualify for the Olympics

FinMin cuts import duty on mobile spare parts to 10%

The finance ministry has reduced customs duty for certain goods used in manufacturing mobile phones from 15% to 10%, a decision that officials said would help India's mobile hardware industry and one that experts believe could lead to marginally cheaper devices.

Govt names 4 members of 16th FC

The government announced on Wednesday that it had appointed three full-time and one part-time members of the Sixteenth Finance Commission (16th FC): former expenditure secretary and former member of the 15th Finance Commission Ajay Narayan Jha, former special secretary-expenditure Annie George Mathew, and Artha Global executive director Niranjan Rajadhyaksha will be full-time members.

January records 2nd highest monthly GST revenue at ₹1.72 L cr

Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues surpassed ₹1.72 lakh crore in January, the second highest monthly collection and the third over the ₹1.70 lakh crore threshold, data released on Wednesday showed, with experts attributing the high number to the resilience of the Indian economy and better tax compliance.

HC refuses to grant interim relief; Mann says will move SC

{CHANDIGARH MAYORAL POLL} AAP CHALLENGES RESULT

No seats for Cong if it doesn't sever ties with Left: CM

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) will not spare a single Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal for the Congress till the latter severs ties with the Communist Party of India (Marxist), West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said, amid a growing rift in the INDIA bloc ahead of the general elections.

Nitish: Wanted another name for INDIA bloc

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Wednesday that he had asked the 27-party Opposition bloc to not name itself INDIA and added that he took the initiative to push for a caste survey in Bihar, dismissing claims by Rahul Gandhi that the Congress was instrumental in implementing the landmark exercise.

Bigwigs take the front row at joint sitting

Commerce minister Piyush Goyal sat next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi shared the only front row earmarked for the Opposition in the Lok Sabha chamber in the new Parliament building that hosted for the first time, the President's address to a joint sitting of both Houses.

CISF joins Delhi cops to monitor security at Parliament entrance

The Delhi Police and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Wednesday jointly manned the security at the gates of the Parliament complex, which opened for the Budget session, officials familiar with the matter said, adding this was the first time CISF personnel were deployed on the premises.

Murmu's speech was an advertisement of Modi govt, says Oppn

Several opposition leaders on Wednesday criticised President Droupadi Murmu's last address to the joint sitting of Parliament ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge describing her speech as a \"propaganda\" and \"advertisement\" of the Narendra Modi government.

Oppn MPs causing disruptions in House must introspect: Modi

The Budget session of Parliament is an opportunity for those members who frequently disrupted proceedings to introspect on their conduct and express remorse by contributing to nation-building, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday as he hurled criticism at the Opposition over the acrimonious Winter session marked by the suspension of an unprecedented number of members.

Soren files FIR against ED over searches at his Delhi residence

Acting on a complaint from Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, the state police on Wednesday registered a first information report (FIR) against senior Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials over searches conducted by the federal agency at his Delhi residence, officials familiar with the matter said.

Man at forefront of stir for J'khand tipped to be CM

Champai Soren, 68, transport minister in the outgoing chief minister Hemant Soren's cabinet, popularly known as \"Jharkhand Tiger\" for his vocal advocacy for a separate state of Jharkhand in the 1990s, will be the new chief minister of the state.