Highlights of the day: Above normal heatwave projected for next 3 months

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was brought to Tihar Jail today after the Rose Avenue court sent him to judicial custody till April 15, officials said. "He was brought to Tihar jail and will be lodged in Jail number 2. He was taken for a medical examination. He will be kept in a separate cell," a jail official said, news agency PTI reported.

The Supreme Court today refused to stay an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) study to determine the religious character of the Bhojshala complex in Madhya Pradesh. The bench sought the response of the central and state governments and the ASI in the matter but refused to stay the survey.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been sent to jail till April 15 after Enforcement Directorate's custody ended today.

Speaking at the 90th anniversary of the Reserve Bank of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the RBI plays a pivotal role in advancing our nation's growth trajectory. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her address noted that the RBI has been able to stabilise G-sec yields despite monetary tightening. She further said that the central bank has been successful in anchoring inflationary expectations.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday alleged that  that Prime Ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island and gave away Indian fishermen’s rights despite legal opinions to the contrary.

The Enforcement Directorate custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will end today and the probe agency investigating the alleged liquor policy irregularities scam is likely to produce him in court. On March 21, Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and has been running his government from the ED lock-up since then. The Rose Avenue court had extended his custody for four more days till April 1. Leaders from the Opposition who participated in a mega rally at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan Sunday afternoon asked for the release of Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the ED in January in a different case.

Rejecting the suggestion that the electoral bond issue caused a setback to his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stated those who are "dancing" over the matter will repent it. He added that no system is perfect, and any shortcomings could be improved upon. "Tell me what we have done that I should see it as a setback? I firmly believe that those dancing over it (bond details) and taking pride in it are going to repent," he told Thanthi TV in an interview when asked if the electoral bond details have caused a setback to the ruling BJP.

Referring to the Pannun murder plot,  US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said that a "red line" should not be crossed and "no country" or "no government employee" should be involved in the assassination of a foreign national. Garcetti commended the Indian government in an interview with news agency ANI for doing "everything that's been asked for". "I think, strongly, but so far, everything that's been asked of the Indian government has been done. And I would say vice versa. Whenever there are accusations (from) the other direction, we take that incredibly seriously," Garcetti said.

10:57 PM

Women outfits condemn BJP advertisement parodying 'INDIA' bloc leaders

Several Left-leaning women organisations on Monday condemned an advertisement released by the BJP that parodies INDIA bloc leaders and shows them fighting over a "bride". The advertisement should be withdrawn, they demanded in a statement. It was signed by All India Democratic Women's Association general secretary Mariam Dhawale, National Federation Of Indian Women general secretary Annie Raja, All India Progressive Women's Association general secretary Meena Tiwari and Poonam Kaushik of the All India Coordination of POW- PMS-IJM-G, Jhansi.

10:36 PM

Odisha registers 10.73% increase in gross GST collection during FY24

Odisha has recorded a growth of 10.73 per cent in gross GST collection in the 2023-24 fiscal, a statement said on Monday. The state has collected Rs 54,747.97 crore in gross GST from April 2023 to March 2024. The highest-ever monthly collection of gross GST of Rs 5,135.81 crore was recorded in February, said the statement issued by the Commissionerate of CT & GST, Odisha.

10:03 PM

Nabard provided Rs 6,200 cr in development assistance to J'khand in FY 2023-24

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Monday said it has provided Rs 6,200 crore in development assistance to Jharkhand during the 2023-24 fiscal. "Nabard, India's apex rural development financial institution, has provided a record development support of Rs 6,20,000 lakh (Rs 6,200 crore) to Jharkhand.

9:49 PM

Infosys gets Rs 341 crore tax demand for assessment year 2020-21

Infosys has received a tax demand of Rs 341 crore for assessment year 2020-21 from the Income Tax Department, the IT services company said on Monday adding it is evaluating filing an appeal against the said order. The Bengaluru-headquartered company said it is in the process of evaluating the impact of the order on its financial statements for the quarter and year ending March 31, 2024. Infosys also said it is evaluating filing an appeal against this order.

9:01 PM

Passenger vehicle sales soar to record high in FY24, dispatches cross 4.2 million mark

Driven by robust demand for sports utility vehicles, passenger vehicle sales in India soared to a record high in FY 2023-24 with dispatch of over 4.2 million units. The overall passenger vehicle dispatches from manufacturers to dealers last fiscal rose to 4.23 million units, an increase of 9 per cent, as compared with 3.89 million units in FY2022-23 on the back of record sales by manufacturers, including Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor India and Toyota Kirloskar Motor.

8:46 PM

Govt initiates anti-dumping probe into import of a chemical from China, Japan

India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into the import of a chemical used in the rubber industry from China and Japan following a complaint by a domestic player. The commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) is probing the alleged dumping of 'Insoluble Sulphur'. Oriental Carbon & Chemicals Ltd has filed an application before the authority to undertake a probe into the alleged dumping of the chemicals coming from these two countries.

8:17 PM

Consultants urge govt to allow local deals involving foreign currencies via RBI

Consultants and service providers have urged the government to stop routing domestic deals involving foreign currencies like dollars via the US banking system to avoid transaction fees and save foreign currency. Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT) chairman K K Kapila said at present a transaction fee is levied on US dollar transactions within the country.

7:48 PM

SC notice to Delhi finance secretary on plea of AAP govt alleging non-release of DJB funds

The Supreme Court on Monday issued a notice to Delhi's Principal Secretary (Finance) on a plea of the AAP government alleging that the official was not releasing funds to the Delhi Jal Board despite being approved by the legislative assembly. "My civil servants do not listen to me," the counsel representing the Delhi government told a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and added that Rs 1,927 crore is yet to be released for the DJB.

7:07 PM

Katchatheevu issue: EAM says Cong PMs did not care, gave away fishermen's rights

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday claimed that prime ministers from the Congress displayed indifference about Katchatheevu island as if they did not care and gave away Indian fishermen's rights despite legal views to the contrary. Prime ministers such as Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi dubbed Katchatheevu, given to Sri Lanka in 1974 as part of a maritime boundary agreement, as a "little island" and "little rock", he told a press conference, asserting that the issue has not cropped up abruptly but was always a live matter.

6:38 PM

TMC urges EC to restrain central agencies from action against Oppn till LS polls

The Trinamool Congress on Monday urged the Election Commission to immediately restrain central agencies like the ED, CBI, Income Tax Department and NIA from taking action against candidates, leaders and workers of the Trinamool Congress and other parties opposed to the BJP till the conclusion of Lok Sabha elections. A delegation of TMC leaders that included Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghose met the Chief Election Commissioner and Election Commissioners and submitted a memorandum alleging misuse of central agencies by the BJP against the opposition parties.

6:01 PM

Govt pushing ACC battery storage scheme, budget hiked 6x in last few years: Official

The budget for the advanced chemistry cell sector has gone up 6x in the last few years, reflecting the government's continuous focus to boost the country's energy storage ecosystem, a senior official said. The National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) battery storage was approved by the Union Cabinet on May 12, 2021 with budgetary outlay of Rs 18,100 crore.

5:54 PM

Increased heat unlikely to impact wheat crop, says IMD

The increase in maximum temperatures will not have any impact on the harvest-ready wheat crop, the IMD said on Monday. India is set to experience extreme heat during the April to June period, with the central and the western peninsular parts expected to face the worst impact, India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

5:42 PM

LS polls: SDPI extends support to Congress-led UDF in Kerala

The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), the political arm of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), on Monday extended its support to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly V D Satheesan told the media that the UDF has not reached any understanding with the SDPI.

4:42 PM

Above-normal maximum temperatures likely over India during Apr-Jun

Above-normal heatwave days likely over most parts in plains during April-June period, IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra annouced today. Ten to twenty days of heat wave expected in different parts of country against normal of four to eight days during Apr-Jun period, IMD added. 

4:40 PM

BJP's only objective is to put Kejriwal in jail during Lok Sabha polls: Sunita Kejriwal

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal today accused the BJP of having only one motive -- to put her husband in jail during the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal, the AAP's national convenor, was arrested on March 21 and subsequently remanded in Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody