Latest LIVE: Core sector output rises by 5.4% in November vs 3.2% YoY

Live news updates: Noting that doubling of tracks and electrification is underway at a record speed, he said that the eastern and western freight corridors will bring revolutionary changes

5:19 PM

Core sector output rises by 5.4% vs 3.2% YoY

Combined Index of Eight Core Industries increases by 5.4% (provisional) in November 2022 compared to November 2021: Government of India

 

2:37 PM

BJP can't win a single seat on its own in Tamil Nadu, asserts Stalin

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin has accused the BJP-led Union Government of trying to usurp the rights guaranteed to state governments and also assume the subjects in the Concurrent list to be their own.

 

Alleging that many of the Union Government's actions are in contrast to the Constitutional values, Stalin accused the saffron party of making attempts to run a "parallel government" through the Governors, especially in the states that are ruled by non-BJP dispensations.

 

"The behaviour and approach of 'appointed' Governors trying to control 'duly elected' governments amounts to mockery of our constitution," Stalin told PTI in an exclusive interview.

2:21 PM

Centre receives Rs 903 cr as dividend from Indian Railway Finance Corporation

The Central government has received Rs 903 crore and Rs 78 crore from the Indian Railway Finance Corporation Ltd (IRFC) and RITES Ltd respectively as dividend tranches.

 

Department of investment and public asset management (DIPAM) tweeted the information through the Twitter handle of DIPAM secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey.

2:11 PM

PM Modi attends National Ganga Council meeting via video conferencing

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the meeting of the National Ganga Council in Kolkata, West Bengal via video conferencing

2:02 PM

Commerce Ministry seeks cut in gold import duty in Budget to push jewellery exports

The commerce ministry has sought a reduction in the import duty on gold in the forthcoming budget with a view to push exports and manufacturing of the gems and jewellery sector, sources said.

 

In July this year, the centre hiked gold import duty to 15 per cent from 10.75 per cent to check the current account deficit (CAD) and rising import of the yellow metal. The basic customs duty on gold is 12.5 per cent. Along with the agriculture infrastructure development cess (AIDC) of 2.5 per cent, the effective gold customs duty will be 15 per cent.

 

"As the gems and jewellery industry has recommended the commerce ministry for a cut in the duty, the commerce ministry has urged the finance ministry for the same. The ministry has also asked for tweaking import duty on certain other products to boost manufacturing and exports," the sources said.

1:51 PM

Centre making record investment for railway infra modernisation: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that the Union government is making record investment for railway infrastructure modernisation.

 

In an address after virtually flagging off Howrah-New Jalpaiguri Vande Bharat Express, the Prime Minister said that railway stations, including New Jalpaiguri, are being developed on the lines of airports.

 

Noting that doubling of tracks and electrification is underway at a record speed, he said that the eastern and western freight corridors will bring revolutionary changes to the country's economy.

 

"Today's Vande Bharat train was launched from the land where 'Vande Mataram' slogan was coined," he pointed out.

 

The Prime Minister added, "The launch date of December 30 is significant as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose had hoisted the tricolour in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on this day in 1943."

1:44 PM

Centre makes RT-PCR report mandatory for international arrivals from six countries from Jan 1

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Friday issued revised Covid guidelines for passengers arriving in international flights, ahead of RT-PCR negative test report being made compulsory for travellers from six countries, including China and Thailand.

 

From January 1, 2023, a pre-departure RT-PCR negative test report will be mandatory for passengers coming in all international flights from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Japan.

 

Airlines are directed to modify their check-in functionalities to incorporate the changes and issue boarding passes only to those international passengers travelling from the six countries who have submitted self-declaration forms on the Air Suvidha portal, the ministry said in a communication.

1:34 PM

Exit from Rajiv Chowk metro station won't be allowed from 9 pm on Dec 31

Passenger won't be allowed to exit from Rajiv Chowk metro station in the heart of Delhi, from 9 pm onwards on the New Year's Eve to manage crowd, officials said on Friday.

 

The Rajiv Chowk metro station, located on the Blue Line, is nestled in the historic Connaught Place area where revellers gather in large numbers every year on New Year's Eve and New Year Day.

 

"As advised by the Delhi Police, to ease overcrowding on New Year's Eve (December 31), exit from Rajiv Chowk Metro station will not be allowed from 9 pm onwards. However, entry of passengers will be allowed till the departure of the last train from the Rajiv Chowk Metro station," the DMRC said in a statement.

12:57 PM

After CRPF, Delhi Police reiterates Rahul Gandhi breached security protocol

Days after Congress General Secretary, K.C. Venugopal wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah claiming lapses in Rahul Gandhi's security in the Delhi leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Delhi Police has also submitted its report alleging that Gandhi was seen breaking the cordon.

 

According to sources, the report submitted to MHA stated that Gandhi did not follow the security protocol, and that there were complete security arrangements.

 

"Delhi Police's security, traffic, and special branch units have submitted their reports," said the sources.

 

"Police had also deployed many policemen in plain uniform, and made a security cordon for Congress MP," said the sources.

12:48 PM

All manufacturing activities of Marion Biotech stopped after inspection

All the manufacturing activities at the Indian Pharma company, Marion Biotech Pvt Ltd, have been stopped following allegations by Uzbekistan that at least 18 children died in the country after consuming the medicine.

 

The manufacturing activities have been stopped after the inspection by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

 

A joint inspection of the manufacturer's Noida facility was carried out by the teams of the Uttar Pradesh Drug Control Department and CDSCO.

12:38 PM

Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans: Jay Shah provides update on wicketkeeper's health post accident

Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), provided an update on wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after he was injured in a road accident, saying that the left-handed batter is "stable" and is "undergoing scans".

 

Early on Friday morning, Pant, 25, suffered multiple injuries when his car collided with a road divider and caught fire on the Delhi-Dehradun highway. He has been admitted to Max Hospital in Dehradun after being initially taken to Saksham Hospital. Pant was reportedly on his way to his home in Roorkee.

 

"My thoughts and prayers are with Rishabh Pant as he fights his way back to recovery. I have spoken to his family and the doctors treating him. Rishabh is stable and undergoing scans. We are closely monitoring his progress and will provide him with all the necessary support," tweeted Shah.

12:11 PM

Will not compromise on national security for good relations with neighbours: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said that India wants to have and maintain friendly relations with its neighbours, but it will not be done at the cost of national security.

 

Speaking at the 90th annual pilgrimage of Sivagiri Mutt here, Singh recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's remark that we can change friends but not our neighbours.

 

"Therefore, we need good and friendly relations with our neighbours. However, we will not compromise on national security to maintain good relations. We do not want good relations with anyone at the cost of our national security," the Defence Minister said.

11:53 AM

Mamata Banerjee refuses to sit on dais at Howrah Station

High drama prevailed at Howrah Station on Friday as a visibly annoyed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to get up on the dais from where the Vande Bharat express to New Jalpaiguri will be flagged off.

 

Banerjee seemed upset by the loud sloganeering from a section of the invited crowd at the railway station.

 

Attempts by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Governor C V Ananda Bose to pacify her did not bear fruit, as the chief minister chose to seat on a chair along with the audience.

 

The Vande Bharat Express connecting Howrah and New Jalpaiguri, the gateway to the northeast, as well as several development projects, will be virtually inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.

11:36 AM

Uttarakhand CM promises all possible support to cricketer Pant following his accident

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has promised to extend all the possible support to Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant who met with a serious accident while returning from Delhi to his Roorkee home as his car collided with a divider on the Narsan border of Roorkee near Hammadpur Jhal.

 

"Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami instructed officials to ensure all possible arrangements for the treatment of the injured cricketer Rishabh Pant and to provide an air ambulance if required," as per the CMO statement.

 

Pant, who was alone in the car, suffered injuries on his back, forehead and leg. Pant was driving his car when he met with the accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway. According to photographs from the site, the car was seen in a badly burnt condition.

11:27 AM

Telecom space set for 5G, to attract Rs 1.5 trn investments in 2023; tariff hikes likely too

From connecting people with 5G services to lowering the cost of operations, the country's revitalised telecom sector is witnessing the bloom of reforms, and is set to attract more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore investments to build up networks in the new year.

 

Once the poster boy of India's growth story, then a debt-laden segment that saw many players withering away and now riding the wave of reforms as well as big-ticket investments, the telecom sector turned a new chapter in 2022.

 

While the Adani group is yet to unveil its full-fledged plan for the telecom business, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani has committed Rs 2 lakh crore investment for rolling out a 5G network across the country by December 2023.

 

"It has been an exciting year because of the launch of 5G, a much-awaited technology for 4-5 years. This is a big step forward. We look forward to a robust rollout of 5G next year because this year is just the beginning.

 

"We are all working on use cases. We are telling state governments, ministries, startups and innovators to come out with innovative use cases in the Indian context, which will unlock businesses and will also solve some public problems, some challenges," Telecom Secretary K Rajaraman told PTI.