LIVE: Rs 1.81-trn I-T refunds issued to 17.4 mn taxpayers so far in FY21

Personal income tax refunds of Rs 62,231 crore have been issued to over 17.1 million taxpayers. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Latest News LIVE updates: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday said it has issued over Rs 1.81 trillion worth refunds to more than 1.74 crore taxpayers so far this financial year.

Meanwhile, a soldier was killed and three others were injured in an IED explosion triggered by militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district today.

Earlier in the day, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was today taken to a private hospital in Kolkata for a "checkup for his cardiac condition". Several tests conducted on the 48-year-old former Indian cricket captain at the emergency ward of the hospital revealed that his vital parameters are stable.
 

In another news, expelled AIADMK leader V K Sasikala was released today after serving four years imprisonment in a corruption case at a prison. She was sentenced to imprisonment in February 2017 in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case along with her sister-in-law J Ilavarasi and and Jayalalithaa's foster son V N Sudhakaran.

Stay tuned for the latest news of the day.

3:38 AM

New supercomputer in Wyoming to rank among world's fastest

A new supercomputer in Wyoming will rank among the world's fastest and help study phenomena including climate change, severe weather, wildfires and solar flares.
 

Houston-based Hewlett Packard Enterprise won a bid to provide the dollar 35 million to dollar 40 million machine for a supercomputing center in Cheyenne, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, announced Wednesday.
 

The HPE-Cray EX supercomputer will theoretically be able to perform almost 20 quadrillion calculations per second — 3.5 times faster than the existing machine at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center.
 

The new machine's maximum speed per second will be roughly equivalent to each person on Earth completing a math equation every second for an entire month.

That power will enable some of the most sophisticated simulations yet of large-scale natural and human-influenced events.
 

The supercomputer should rank among the world's 25 fastest after it's installed this year and goes into operation in early 2022, according to the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
 

It “will support basic research in ways that will lead to more detailed and useful predictions of the world around us, thereby helping to make our society more resilient to increasingly costly disasters and contributing to improved human health and well-being," center Director Everette Joseph said in a news release.
 

3:37 AM

Sullivan dials Indian NSA Doval, reaffirms commitment for strong, enduring relations

America's new National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in his first call with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval on Wednesday reaffirmed the commitment of President Joe Biden to a strong and enduring bilateral strategic partnership based on shared commitment to democracy, the White House said.
 

“Sullivan reaffirmed President Biden's commitment to a strong and enduring US-India strategic partnership based on our shared commitment to democracy,” said the National Security Council of the White House in a statement.
 

This was the first call between the two national security advisers.
 

“They discussed the importance of continuing close cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, promoting regional security, and renewing efforts to collaborate on global challenges, including COVID-19 and climate change,” said the statement.
 

Sullivan, a close confidant of Biden, has so far spoken with his counterparts from eight countries.
 

They are Emmanuel Bonne, Diplomatic Adviser to the French President; Jan Hecker, Foreign and Security Policy Adviser to the German Chancellor; Dominic Raab, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs; Shigeru Kitamura, Secretary General of Japan's National Security Secretariat.
 

He has also spoken with National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib of Afghanistan; National Security Adviser Suh Hoon of the Republic of Korea and National Security Adviser Meir Ben Shabbat of Israel.
 

10:33 PM

Bird flu: Rajasthan reports 88 more bird deaths

Over 6,930 birds have died in Rajasthan since the outbreak of the avian influenza about a month ago, officials said on Wednesday. According to an animal husbandry department report, 54 crows, four peacocks, 10 pigeons and 20 other birds died in the state on Wednesday.

Seventeen districts of the state have reported the outbreak of bird flu. As many as 6,937 birds have died in the state since December 25. These include 4,853 crows, 413 peacocks, 593 pigeons and 1,078 other birds.

9:51 PM

Internet suspension extended in parts of Haryana till 5 pm of Jan 28

Haryana government extends suspension of internet and SMS services in Sonipat, Palwal, and Jhajjar districts till 5 pm of Jan 28 to check misinformation, the state government says

8:09 PM

SC stays defamation proceedings against BJP's Manoj Tiwari, Vijender Gupta

Supreme Court on Wednesday stayed the criminal defamation proceedings against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Manoj Tiwari and Vijender Gupta.

 

The proceedings against the BJP leaders were initiated after a complaint by Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia. Later, Tiwari and Gupta moved to the apex court seeking the quashing of the summons issued against them in a defamation case.

 

On December 17, 2020, Delhi High Court dismissed the petitions by MP Tiwari and MLA Gupta challenging trial court order issuing summons against them in a defamation case filed by Sisodia. Justice Anu Malhotra dismissed the petitions challenging trial court order issuing summons against them and sought quashing of an order passed by Rouse Avenue Court on November 28, 2019. All the accused including Tiwari and Gupta were earlier granted bail after they appeared before the trial court.

7:41 PM

Soldier killed, three injured in IED blast in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district

A soldier was killed and three others were injured in an IED explosion triggered by militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Wednesday, police said. Four soldiers of an Army patrol team sustained splinter injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast inside an abandoned building of a school at Subhanpora in Kulgam district, a police spokesman said here.

 

The injured soldiers were provided first aid locally and then evacuated to 92 Base Hospital, PTI reported. One of the injured soldiers succumbed to injuries at the hospital, the spokesman added.

 

Earlier, a defence spokesman had said the soldiers were injured in a grenade attack. However, the police spokesman said preliminary investigation revealed that a rudimentary IED with a low-powered explosive and ball bearings was planted in an abandoned building inside the school premises, where the Army jawans used to visit on a routine basis.

7:23 PM

FDI into India increases 37% to $43.85 billion during Apri-Nov 2020

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into India increased by 37 per cent to USD 43.85 billion during April-November 2020, according to data by the commerce and industry ministry.

 

Total FDI inflows (including reinvested earnings) during the eight-month period of the current fiscal grew by 22 per cent to USD 58.37 billion, the ministry said on Wednesday.

 

"FDI equity inflow received during 2020-21 (April to November, 2020) is USD 43.85 billion. It is the highest ever for the first 8 months of a financial year and 37 per cent more compared to the first 8 months of 2019-20 (USD 32.11 billion)," it said. READ MORE...

7:06 PM

Sourav Ganguly taken to hospital 'for check-up'; vital parameters stable

Less than a month after he underwent an angioplasty, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly was on Wednesday taken to a private hospital in Kolkata for a "checkup for his cardiac condition", a senior official of the medical establishment said. Several tests conducted on the 48-year-old former Indian cricket captain at the emergency ward of the hospital revealed that his vital parameters are stable.

 

Earlier, a source in Ganguly's family had said that he felt discomfort in the chest following which he was taken to the hospital. Union Home Minister Amit Shah enquired about his health.

 

Ganguly "has come for a checkup for his cardiac condition. There is no change in his parameters since his last hospitalisation and his vital parameters are stable," the hospital said in a statement. He will remain at the hospital on Wednesday night as doctors may conduct an angiography on him on Thursday, a senior doctor said. Ganguly had complained of chest pain while exercising at his residence around three weeks ago. He was diagnosed with three blocked coronary arteries.

6:47 PM

I-T refunds worth Rs 1.81 lakh crore issued so far in FY21

The Income Tax Department on Wednesday said it has issued over Rs 1.81 lakh crore worth refunds to more than 1.74 crore taxpayers so far this fiscal year.

 

Of this, personal income tax refunds of Rs 62,231 crore have been issued to over 1.71 crore taxpayers and corporate tax refunds of Rs 1.19 lakh crore have been issued in 2.12 lakh cases.

 

CBDT issues refunds of over Rs. 1,81,336 crore to more than 1.74 crore taxpayers between 1st April, 2020 to 25th January, 2021, the department tweeted.

6:11 PM

Surgeries, other health services at Delhi govt-run hospitals to be resumed

In view of the falling number of Covid-19 cases in the national capital, the Delhi health department has decided to resume surgeries, OPDs and other medical services at all city government-run hospitals, according to an official order issued on Wednesday.

 

Delhi recorded 157 fresh COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the fifth time the daily incidences' count stood below the 200-mark in January, even as the positivity rate dipped to 0.24 per cent.

 

The infection tally in the city stood at 6.34 lakh and the death toll mounted to 10,820 with seven new fatalities. On Wednesday, the Delhi Health Department issued an order saying, "In supersession of all previous orders in this regard and in view of the decrease innumber of COVID-19 cases in Delhi, it is hereby directed that all kinds of surgeries/ invasiveprocedures/ IPD/OPDs and other medical services shall be started in all hospitals under the governmentof Delhi, including the society hospitals".

6:03 PM

INLD MLA Abhay Singh Chautala drove a tractor to Haryana Assembly to hand over resignation letter to Speaker

5:28 PM

Govt plans $41 bn reform in Budget 2021 to revive ailing power discoms

India plans to spend 3 trillion rupees ($41 billion) on a new plan to revive regional electricity retailers, people with knowledge of the matter said, after a previous attempt failed to stem losses at the utilities.
 

The spending would be spread over a few years and is likely to be unveiled on Feb. 1 as part of the government’s budget for the year starting April 1, the people said, asking not to be identified as the proposal isn’t public. The plan for carrying out reforms for reducing losses of state distribution utilities was sought by the nation’s power ministry and is under discussion. READ MORE...

4:58 PM

Sasikala released from prison, but to be in hospital due to Covid-19

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J. Jayalalithaa's close aide, V. K. Sasikala was released from Bengaluru's central prison -- Parappana Agrahara Central Jail -- on Wednesday after prison authorities completed the release formalities.

 

The central jail authorities wore Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and completed the formalities at the hospital where she is presently undergoing treatment for Covid infection. Her sister-in-law, J. Ilavaris too was admitted in the same hospital on January 22.

 

She will, however, remain in the hospital as she is being treated for Covid.

4:17 PM

BCCI Chief Sourav Ganguly taken to Apollo Hospital in Kolkata after he complained of chest pain

3:44 PM

Sourav Ganguly hospitalised again with discomfort in chest

BCCI president Sourav Ganguly was on Wednesday hospitalised again with discomfort in the chest, less than a month after he underwent angioplasty. The 48-year-old, who underwent angioplasty earlier this month after he was diagnosed with three blocked coronary arteries, felt "dizzy and slight discomfort in the chest" as he was rushed to a private hospital in the Salt Lake area near Kolkata for further diagnosis, a family source told PTI.

 

"He was feeling dizzy and had some discomfort in the chest. So, he was rushed to the hospital for further diagnosis," he said.

 

The Kolkata Police created a green corridor for smooth travel from his Behala residence to the hospital off the E M Bypass, authorities at the medical establishment said. Earlier this month, the former India captain had complained of chest pain while exercising at his Behala residence.