LIVE: FASTag mandatory for all vehicles in India from Jan 1, says Gadkari

Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news updates

6:37 PM

PM Modi to launch Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme to cover all residents of J&K on Dec 26

6:16 PM

Nitin Gadkari lays foundation stone of Rs 8,341-crore road projects in Rajasthan

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of Rs 8,341-crore highway projects in Rajasthan. Addressing a virtual event on the occasion, the road transport, highways and MSMEs minister also said highway works worth Rs 1 lakh crore are either ongoing or at the DPR (detailed project report) stage.

 

"Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 18 highway projects in Rajasthan today (Thursday). "These projects carry a road length of nearly 1,127 kilometres, involving a construction value of Rs 8,341 crore," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.

 

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presided over the virtual function. Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, V K Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Kailash Choudhary and former Union Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore as well as several ministers of the state also attended the event. READ ON...

5:53 PM

FASTag mandatory for all vehicles in India from Jan 1, 2021: Nitin Gadkari

5:44 PM

Earthquake of magnitude 4.6 hits Nagaland's Mokokchung district

An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 on the Richter scale hit Mokokchung in Nagaland on Thursday, said National Center for Seismology.

 

"Earthquake of Magnitude:4.6, Occurred on 24-12-2020, 13:39:52 IST, Lat: 25.58 and Long: 96.53, Depth: 100 Km , Location: 217km ESE of Mokokchung, Nagaland, India," said National Center for Seismology.

 

No damage to life and property has been reported so far.

 

5:12 PM

Kerala gold smuggling case: ED attaches FDs worth Rs 1.85 crore

In a major action in the Kerala gold smuggling case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Thursday that it has attached fixed deposits (FDs) and cash to the tune of Rs 1.85 crore, a significant portion of which belong to M. Sivasankar, former Principal Secretary to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The ED said in a statement that it has attached FDs along with seized cash recovered from bank lockers totalling to Rs 1.85 crore in the Kerala gold smuggling case.

 

Amon the attached assets, Rs 1 crore belongs to Sivasankar, a senior IAS officer and former Principal Secretary to Vijayan who is one of the prime accused in the case. The ED has registered a case of money laundering on the basis of an FIR filed by the National Investigation Agency before the special NIA court in Kochi against Sarith P.S., Swapna Suresh, Faisal Fareed and Sandeep Nair.

4:51 PM

BCCI AGM: New IPL teams from 2022, board to discuss tax exemption for ICC events with govt

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held its 89th Annual General Meeting in Ahmedabad on Thursday. While Rajeev Shukla officially took over as the vice president of the board, the members also deliberated on the introduction of the two new Indian Premier League teams and the all-important tax issues that the board needs to sort with an eye on the two ICC events - 2021 T20 World Cup and the 2023 50-over World Cup.

 

Speaking to ANI, a board member who attended the meeting said that the secretary and treasurer will speak to the government and look at a way to get tax exemption for the two showpiece events that India is to hold.

 

"We are set to host the 2021 T20 World Cup as well as the 50-over World Cup in 2023. We need to speak to the government to see if we can get tax exemption and for this we have decided that our secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal will speak to the government. If the government doesn't agree, we will then decide on how to go about it. We also have the 2016 World T20 matter pending, so that will also have to be worked out," the member said.

 

4:28 PM

BCCI AGM approves 10 teams for 2022 IPL

The BCCI's governing body on Thursday ratified the entry of two new franchises in the IPL to make it a 10-team affair from 2022 during its Annual General Meeting (AGM). In another major development, the Board, in principle, decided to back the ICC's bid for inclusion of cricket, in the T20 format, in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics "after getting some clarifications from the International Olympic Committee".

 

"Two new teams will be introduced in the 2022 IPL," a Board source told PTI.

 

Also, it was decided that all first-class players, both men and women, will be suitably compensated for the curtailed domestic season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The BCCI plans to get the domestic season underway, after several months' delay, in January with the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 championship.

 

In other decisions, veteran Congress leader Rajiv Shukla was officially anointed the Board's vice president in place of his protege Mahim Verma from Uttarakhand. It was also learnt that the general body decided in favour of Sourav Ganguly continuing as a director in the ICC Board. Secretary Jay Shah will be the alternate director as well as India's representative at the Chief Executive Committee meets of the global body.

4:03 PM

BCCI approves 10-team IPL from 2022 in its annual general meeting (AGM) today

3:56 PM

Indian economy recovering fast, growth to turn positive in Q3: RBI article

The economy is coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic's deep abyss faster than most of the predictions, and the growth will enter positive zone in the third quarter of the current financial year, said an article on the 'state of economy' in the RBI Bulletin.

 

"...more evidence has been turned in to show that the Indian economy is pulling out of COVID-19's deep abyss and is breaking out amidst winter's lengthening shadows towards a place in the sunlight...it is reflating at a pace that beats most prediction," said the article written by the officials of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

 

Impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian economy dipped by a historic 23.9 per cent in the first quarter of the current financial year. The contraction narrowed down to 7.5 per cent in the second quarter. READ MORE...
 

3:27 PM

Man arrested in Delhi for allegedly forcing woman to convert after marriage

3:14 PM

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan announces slew of welfare schemes

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a slew of welfare measures to herald the second 100-day programme. He said that all the welfare pensions will be hiked by Rs 100 a month and with this increase the social welfare pension will rise to Rs 1,500 per month.

 

He said that since the Left government came to power the social welfare pension has been raised step by step and from the Rs 600 per month it has now increased to Rs 1,500 per month.

 

The Chief Minister also said that the free provision kits which were distributed through public distribution schemes will continue for four more months. Vijayan also announced that 50,000 more jobs will be created and added that there will be more job openings through 'Kudumbasree Social security Mission'. READ MORE...

2:01 PM

Madan Lal-led cricket advisory panel to get extension in today's BCCI AGM

The BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), tasked to pick the three national selectors ahead of the England series, is set to get an extension at the board's 89th Annual General Meeting in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

 

According to BCCI sources, the CAC, headed by former World Cup-winning seamer Lal and comprising RP Singh and Sulakshana Naik, will continue to perform their duties as usual. The trio's extension is set to be ratified at the AGM.

 

Lal, Singh and Naik met once earlier when Sunil Joshi and Harvinder Singh became national selectors. International cricket is set to return to India with England's full tour in February for four Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is. The tour starts from February 5 in Chennai and Ahmedabad will host a day-night Test from February 24. READ MORE...

 

11:18 AM

PM Narendra Modi attends centenary celebrations of Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, West Bengal

11:07 AM

Air Quality Commission directs enforcement of dust control measure in Delhi

The Commission of Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR reviewed the deteriorating air quality situation and has directed strict enforcement of dust control measures to curb air pollution in the region.

 

According to a press statement from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, commission's direction came after it reviewed dust control measures for National Capital Region including NCT of Delhi. The body also issued statutory directions to Central Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Boards and Delhi Pollution Control Committee to constitute teams for inspection and strict enforcement of dust control measures. Read on...

10:55 AM

Palghar mob lynching case: 24 more people including at least four minors arrested earlier this week

Palghar mob lynching case: 24 more people including at least four minors arrested earlier this week, adult accused sent to judicial custody, says Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Maharashtra