New Delhi [India], July 24 (ANI): Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met with a 12-member delegation of farmer leaders from different states, who apprised him of various issues they have been facing. After the meeting held at his office in Parliament House Complex, Gandhi emphasized the Congress partys commitment to providing a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) in their manifesto. He stated that an assessment has shown that the legal guarantee of MSP can be implemen

A major step in this regard to help pensioners financially the Indian government has moved a proposal of raising the tax deduction of family pension from 15,000 to 25,000. Budget speech of the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the Union Budget 2024-25 had this announcement. An Insight into Family Pension and Why it Matters Since family pensions created a life-time revenue for the families of the deceased government employees and pensioners, they are very important. These pensions are criti

New Delhi, July 23 (Reuters) Indias finance minister unveiled $576 billion in spending plans in the current fiscal year on Tuesday,marginally higher than interim budget estimates, aiming to boost manufacturing and jobs in the worlds fastest growing major economy. The government will spend 2.66 trillion rupees ($32 billion) on rural development, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, while unveiling new programmes in the annual budget for states led by two key allies who shore up Prime Minist

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): As the BJPs key ally in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), JD (U) demanded a special category status for Bihar, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, in a written reply, said that special status cannot be granted to Bihar as per the Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) report 2012. Chaudhary in a written reply to the question of JDU MP Ramprit Mandal informed Lok Sabha, The Special Category Status for plan assistance was granted in the past by the Nation

NEW DELHI, July 22 (Reuters) Economy of India will grow at 6.5% to 7% in the current financial year ending March 2025, a finance ministry report said on Monday, projecting growth at below 7.2% forecast by the countrys central bank. The growth projection in the annual Economic Survey, tabled in parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ahead of the federal budget on Tuesday, is also lower compared to 8.2% growth in the previous year, and the upwardly revised estimates of 6.8% to 7.2% by

New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) The Congress on Monday slammed the Centre over its order removing the ban on the participation of government employees in RSS activities, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to politicise employees on an ideological basis. The attack by the Congress, which also said that the move would be a challenge to the sense of neutrality of public servants, came after a government order became public about the ban being lifted and several opposition leaders criticised i

Prayagaraj, July 21 (Reuters): Sunil Kumar, a 30-year-old, has spent the last 9 years of his life chasing a job in the Indian government. Packed with scores of others in makeshift classrooms under tin roofs with barely enough light and air, Kumar has spent years cramming for a variety of tests, including the prestigious civil services exam needed to get a job as a federal government bureaucrat. He has also tried for a provincial civil services post and two other tests for lower level government

New Delhi, July 18 (Reuters): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will seek to mend his relationship with voters in the federal budget to be announced next week, economic analysts said, citing possible steps to boost jobs and incomes as growth in the economy remains uneven and food prices continue to surge. Modis party fell short of reaching the half-way mark in the general election that concluded last month as jobs and the high cost of living overshadowed his high voltage Hindu nationalist camp

New Delhi [India], July 17 (ANI): The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Pune initiated an inquiry on Wednesday against Dilip Khedkar, the father of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, regarding unaccounted wealth. After issues surrounding Puja Khedkar surfaced, the complainant, who had approached the Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau a few months ago to report Dilip Khedkar, again contacted the bureau to request action against the former Director of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). The

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) Seasoned diplomat Vikram Misri, regarded as an expert on China, assumed charge as Indias new foreign secretary on Monday. A 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Misri succeeded Vinay Kwatra. Misri assumed charge of the key position at a time India is looking to navigate various foreign policy challenges, including its frosty ties with China following the lingering eastern Ladakh border row. Shri Vikram Misri assumed charge as Foreign Secretary today. #TeamMEA extend

New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP for its allegation that Rahul Gandhi encouraged violence against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying cheap politics should not be played on the issue of security of leaders. The BJP on Sunday had targeted the Leader of Opposition following the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump. Third Time Fail Rahul Gandhi has often encouraged and justified violence against Prime Minister Modi, who he has lost election to, se

New Delhi [India] July 14 (ANI): Delhi University (DU) has no plans to hold separate PhD entrance exams like Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh on Sunday stated. The DU Vice-Chancellor added that the university is awaiting guidance from the University Grants Commission (UGC). The uncertainty surrounding PhD admissions arose after the Centre cancelled the UGC NET exam, which had been crucial for entry into PhD programs. The UGC NET exam, conducted by the National Test

BUTLER, Pennsylvania, July 13 (Reuters): Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a Saturday campaign rally, in an attack that left the Republican presidential candidates face streaked with blood and prompted his security agents to swarm him, before he emerged and pumped his fist in the air, mouthing the words Fight! Fight! Fight! The shooter was dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, the Secret Service said in a statement. The incident was being investigated a

Shimla, Jul 13 (PTI) Congress candidates, including Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhus wife, are in the lead in all three assembly constituencies in the state where bypolls were held earlier this week, officials said on Saturday. The counting of votes for the by-elections in Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh, held on Wednesday, began at 8 am. Sukhus wife Kamlesh Thakur was leading by 1,815 votes against her nearest rival and BJP candidate Hoshiyar Singh in the Dehra assembly seat

Chandigarh, July 13 (PTI) |AAPs Jalandhar West assembly bypoll candidate Mohinder Bhagat appears to be heading for a victory from the seat in Punjab as he was leading by more than 23,000 votes against his nearest rival and Congress nominee Surinder Kaur, officials said on Saturday. Bhagat, a leader of the ruling party in Punjab, was ahead by 23,240 votes after eight rounds of counting of votes that began at 8 am at the Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women here. There will be a total of 13 rounds of

New Delhi, 13 Jul 2024 (GBNEWS): Cinnamon has been shown to deliver a one-two punch to diabetes and high cholesterol. The finding is encouraging because the two conditions often go hand-in-hand. Diabetes damages the lining of your arteries. This means its more likely that cholesterol will stick to them, making them narrow or even blocked. If you have diabetes, you will usually have lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of LDL/non-HDL cholesterol. This is the bad type that rais

Guwahati, Jul 12 (PTI) Two days after a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was removed for the construction of a clock tower in Assams Doomdoma town, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said he was unaware of such a move and would verify the facts. His comment comes after the Tinsukia administrations move to dismantle the statue drew widespread criticism. Sarma, reacting to a post by Mahatmas great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, wrote on X: I am not aware of this decision taken by the district administr

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 12 (ANI): The voting for the Maharashtra Legislative Council Elections is underway at Vidhan Sabha for the 11 seats of the Council and will go on till 4 pm on Friday. A total of 12 candidates are in the fray. The elections come just months ahead of the Assembly elections slated to take place in the state later this year. Ahead of the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, BJPs MLC candidate Pankaja Munde visited and offered prayers at Siddhivinayak Temple i

New Delhi [India], July 12 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Friday granted interim bail to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the now scrapped excise policy case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). A bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna referred to his petition challenging his arrest by the ED to a larger bench. Supreme Court while granting interim bail to Kejriwal in the ED case observed that the Delhi Chief Minister has suffered incarceration of 90 days and its conscious that he i

WASHINGTON, July 11, 2024 (Reuters) The United States will start deploying longer range missiles in Germany in 2026, the two countries announced at a meeting of the NATO alliance on Tuesday, a major step aimed at countering what the allies say is a growing threat Russia poses to Europe. The decision will send Germany the most potent U.S. weapons to be based on the European continent since the Cold War, in a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin. A U.S.-German statement said the epis

Washington (AP): President Joe Biden, in a letter to congressional Democrats, stood firm against calls for him to drop his candidacy and called for an end to the intraparty drama that has torn apart Democrats about whether he should stay in the race after his dismal public debate performance. Biden wrote in the two-page letter Monday that the question of how to move forward has been well-aired for over a week now. And its time for it to end. He stressed that the party has one job, which is to de

Mumbai, July 8 (Reuters): The first budget by Prime Minister Narendra Modis new government may tilt towards, but not pivot to welfare spending, with a focus on rural economy and job creation, economists at Goldman Sachs said in a note on Monday. The budget proposal for the financial year ending March 2025 will be presented on July 23, the government said over the weekend. Goldman economists expect the government to stick to its fiscal deficit target of 5.1% of GDP set in the interim budget but s

After a ceremonial kissing of hands with King Charles III, Labour Leader Keir Starmer has become prime minister and can form a majority government. Starmer has led Labour to a landslide election victory, and becomes the first leader from the center-left party to win a U.K. national election since Tony Blair, who won three in a row starting in 1997. Top jobs in Starmers new Cabinet announced Several other top jobs in Prime Minister Keir Starmers new Cabinet have just been announced. David Lammy h

LONDON (AP): Labour leader Keir Starmer officially became British prime minister on Friday hours after his Labour Party swept to power in a landslide victory after more than a decade in opposition. Starmer was elevated to the nations leader after a private ceremony with King Charles III in Buckingham Palace. In the merciless choreography of British politics, Starmer is taking charge in 10 Downing St. shortly after Conservative leader Rishi Sunak and his family left the official residence and Kin

Hemant Soren, the youngest Chief Minister of Jharkhand, embodies resilience and leadership. His career has been marked by significant challenges, including a five-month imprisonment related to a money laundering case, which he claims was politically motivated. Soren, who debuted in politics after his brothers untimely death, has consistently advocated for tribal rights and social welfare. From his initial days as a Rajya Sabha member to leading mass agitations against land amendments, his journe

New Delhi, July 4 (Reuters): Indian police said on Thursday they had arrested six people in connection with the stampede at a Hindu religious event in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh this week in which 121 people were killed. The stampede happened on Tuesday in Phulrai Mughal Garhi village of Uttar Pradeshs Hathras district, where about 250,000 people had gathered to listen to preacher Suraj Pal Singh, also known as Bhole Baba. The organisers of the event had taken permission for a gathering

New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) A PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Bihar government to undertake a structural audit and set up an expert committee to identify bridges that can be either strengthened or demolished based on the findings. Ten incidents of bridge collapse have been reported in Bihars Siwan, Saran, Madhubani, Araria, East Champaran and Kishanganj districts in over a fortnight. Many have claimed that heavy rainfall might have contributed to the incidents. The P

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 4 (ANI): NCP-SCP leader and Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule on Thursday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his speech in the Rajya Sabha about the efforts being made to normalise the situation in Manipur and said that they are still not satisfied with the efforts unless there is 100 per cent peace in the violence-hit state. We are still not satisfied unless there is 100% peace. Women are crying, children are devastated, family are distraught. How can you have p

New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): The woman staff member of the West Bengal Raj Bhawan, who had alleged sexual harassment by Governor CV Ananda Bose, has approached the Supreme Court challenging the immunity granted to the Governor under Article 361 of the Constitution. She has asked the apex court to decide whether sexual harassment and molestation form part of discharging or performing duties by the Governor, to grant him a blanket immunity under Article 361 of the Constitution. According to Ar

Jaipr, July 04 (PTI): BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena has stepped down from the Rajasthan Cabinet, his aide confirmed on Thursday. Meena had pledged to resign from his ministerial post if the BJP lost any of the seven parliamentary seats he was overseeing in the recent Lok Sabha polls. Following the partys loss of some seats, including his hometown Dausa, he fulfilled his promise. Kirodi Meena resigned as minister. He submitted his resignation to the chief minister 10 days ago, the aide stated. The

In a significant political shift, Jharkhands Chief Minister Champai Soren resigned on Wednesday, clearing the path for Hemant Soren to form the government. Hemant, who is currently out on bail in a money laundering case, was unanimously chosen as the legislature party leader by the JMM-led alliance. The dramatic day unfolded with Champai Soren tendering his resignation to Governor CP Radhakrishnan at Raj Bhavan. He cited the decision of the coalition partners, emphasizing the alliances unity. He

The Union Cabinet has recently reviewed a proposal to update pension amounts under the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, according to reliable sources. Under the OROP scheme, pensions are revised every five years. The most recent update took effect in July 2019. While the proposal was included in the agenda for Wednesdays Cabinet meeting, no official statement has been released as of yet. This report is given by Press Trust of India (PTI). The Sen Times holds no responsibility for its content.

Washington, July 3 (Reuters): Vice President Kamala Harris is the top alternative to replace U.S. President Joe Biden if he decides not to continue his reelection campaign, according to seven senior sources at the Biden campaign, the White House and the Democratic National Committee with knowledge of current discussions on the topic. Bidens fumbling, sometimes-incoherent and widely-panned first-debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump last week set off a wave of panic within the

Phulrai Mughal Garhi, India, July 3 (Reuters): More than three times the permitted number of people attended a Hindu religious event in north India that culminated in a stampede, killing at least 121 people, authorities said on Wednesday, adding that most of the victims were women. About 250,000 people gathered for Tuesdays event in the Hathras district of Uttar Pradesh state, about 200 km (125 miles) from the Indian capital, New Delhi, despite permission being granted only for 80,000, an initia

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], June 28 (ANI): After being released from jail on bail, former Jharkhand chief minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader Hemant Soren claimed that a conspiracy was hatched against the party, but the JMM will continue to fulfil the resolutions it made. Speaking to the media on his bail on Friday, Hemant Soren said, I was kept behind bars for 5 months. We are seeing how the judicial process is taking years, not just days or months. Today, it is a message for the whole c

It is one such festivity which is enthusiastically celebrated with a lot of fervor as the T20 Finals near. The up-coming India-South Africa cricket match is assured to be one of the most interesting ones due to the talents and skills level between the two teams. Top Order Showdown: Rohit Sharma of India vs Kagiso Rabada of South Africa Rohit Sharmas Dominance Indias cricket team captain and opening batsman Rohit Sharma has the capacity of giving brilliant start and carry on the innings. Due to t

TOKYO/SEOUL, June 28 (Reuters): While the first U.S. presidential debate of the 2024 race dwelled little on foreign policy, a shaky performance by President Joe Biden will have Americas allies steeling for the return of Donald Trump, analysts say. Bidens supporters had hoped the debate would erase worries that he was too old to serve, but several lawmakers, analysts and investors said the event had given Trump a boost. Mr. Trump didnt win but Mr. Biden might have imploded, said Kunihiko Miyake,

Further availability for iPhone Users Amar Subramanya, Vice President of Engineering for Gemini AI Experiences said that iPhone users can look forward to having access to Gemini by using the Google app in the next few weeks. This expansion will increase the overall user base that can take advantage of this platforms sophisticated options. Finally, it can be summed up the successful First Year in India. Gemini has had a great first year run in India with wide range of users be it students or dev

NEW DELHI, June 11 (Reuters): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has retained all key cabinet ministers in their portfolios in the new government, signalling that he still calls the shots despite having to rely on coalition allies for a majority in parliament. Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell well short of the majority mark on its own in the election that ended this month, but the government announced there will be no change in personnel at the four senior-most ministries finance, home

This was further aggravated by the recent stock market crash on June 4 and has sparked off a lot of debate and hence there is a call by the enforcement directorate for investigation. The most prominent figure demanding a special investigation has been the former IAS officer Dr. Rajesh Sharma who has been demanding that a detailed investigation should be carried out so as to establish what led to the market to crash within a short span. Explaining the factors for the June 4 stock market crash Thi

HYDERABAD/NEW DELHI, June 5 (Reuters): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis National Democratic Alliance formally named him on Wednesday to lead a new coalition government for a third straight term, a day after it regained power with a surprisingly slim majority. Modi, a populist who has dominated Indian politics since 2014, will for the first time head a government dependent on the support of regional allies whose loyalties have wavered over time, which could complicate the new cabinets reform

Three years ago, Nara Chandrababu Naidu stormed out of the state assembly in anger, vowing to return only as the chief minister. On Tuesday, he appeared poised to make good on that promise, leading his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to a resounding victory in the Andhra Pradesh assembly elections. According to recent figures, Naidus TDP was ahead in 135 out of 175 assembly seats. This marks a significant political comeback for Naidu, who was arrested months earlier in connection with an alleged corrup

New Delhi, June 4 (Reuters): Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, mocked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his supporters for a decade as an entitled dynast, marked a stunning comeback on Tuesday, emerging at the centre of an alliance that made deep inroads into ruling party strongholds. The scion of Indias fabled Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty, he embarked on two cross-country marches against what he called Modis politics of hate and fear, giving a jolt of enthusiasm to his Congress party a

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has secured a remarkable third consecutive win in the Varanasi seat, defeating Congress candidate Ajay Rai. This hard-fought victory came with a margin of 1,52,513 votes, a notable decrease from the 4,79,505 votes in 2019 and 3,71,784 votes in 2014. During the last election in 2019, Modi defeated SPs Shalini Yadav with Congress Ajay Rai trailing as the runner-up. Similarly, in 2014, Modi outperformed AAPs Arvind Kejriwal by a significant margin. Despite the lower vic

NEW DELHI, June 4 (Reuters): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led alliance raced to a clear majority in the 543-member lower house of parliament in early vote-counting trends on Tuesday, TV channels showed. The channels showed the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was ahead in more than 300 seats, with BJP alone ahead in 255. The opposition INDIA alliance led by Rahul Gandhis Congress party was ahead in 172 seats, with Congress alone ahead in 71. Based on

New York (AP): The typical compensation package for chief executives who run companies in the S&P 500 jumped nearly 13% last year, easily surpassing the gains for workers at a time when inflation was putting considerable pressure on Americans budgets. The median pay package for CEOs rose to $16.3 million, up 12.6%, according to data analyzed for The Associated Press by Equilar. Meanwhile, wages and benefits netted by private-sector workers rose 4.1% through 2023. At half the companies in this ye

New Delhi, June 3 (Reuters): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans a raft of business-friendly measures if he wins a third term this week, including pushing through regulations making it easier to hire and fire workers, according to two government officials familiar with the matter. As part of an election pledge to transform India into a global manufacturing hub, Modi wants to offer subsidies for domestic production modelled on recent packages for semiconductor firms and electric vehicle mak

A heatstroke in the eastern states of Bihar and Jharkhand over the past 24 hours, officials said on Friday. While 14 fatalities were recorded in Bihar, four were reported from neighboring Jharkhand, they added. Odisha government confirmed five deaths due to sunstroke over the past few days, with investigations ongoing into 18 suspected cases. In a statement by Bihars disaster management department, the majority of fatalities were reported from Bhojpur, where five officials on election duty died

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 31 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday appealed to the party workers, office bearers and candidates to remain vigilant and not get misled by BJPs exit polls. In a post on X, the SP chief said, Just as you have been cautious throughout the elections, similarly you have to stay outside the strong room and be alert till you get the certificate on the day of counting. Akhilesh Yadav alleged that as soon as the elections are over, the BJPs media

NEW DELHI, May 30 (Reuters): Indias capital Delhi recorded its first heat-related death this year as temperatures reached record highs, media reported on Thursday. Parts of northwest and central India have been experiencing heat wave to severe heat wave conditions for weeks, and the temperature in Delhi reached a record high of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.22F) in Mungeshpur neighbourhood on Wednesday. That reading may be revised however, as maximum temperatures in other parts of the city ranged fr