LIVE: Rajasthan Governor orders state govt to call for assembly session

Rajasthan HC dismisses petition by BJP against merger of six BSP MLAs in the state with Congress. Stay tuned for latest news live updates

7:57 PM

Rajasthan political crisis: Maharashtra Congress protests in front of Raj Bhavan

Amid the crisis in the Ashok Gehlot government in Rajasthan, senior Maharashtra Congress leaders on Monday protested in front of Raj Bhavan here claiming the Centre was trying to topple non-BJP governments.

 

State ministers Balasaheb Thorat, Ashok Chavan and Varsha Gaikwad along with party workers shouted slogans against Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra who they said had created an impasse by not convening the Assembly session there to allow the Gehlot government to prove its majority.

 

7:49 PM

All 5 Rafales have landed safely at Al Dhafra airbase in UAE after a sortie in excess of 7 hours: Indian Air Force

7:48 PM

PM-KISAN scheme: Government adds over 40 lakh Kisan Credit Cards in just 24 days

The Government has launched special drive to provide all PM-KISAN scheme beneficiaries with Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) on the fast track. In just 24 days of this month, more than 40 lakh KCCs have been issued to farmers providing credit limit of close to Rs 27,000 crore, according to an IANS report.

 

As part of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' relief package, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in May had announced additional credit support for farmers through the Kisan Credit Card facility. While around 7 crore KCCs have been issued already, the Finance Minister had said that another 2.5 crore cards will be issued to cover all PM-KISAN beneficiaries.

 

In a tweet, the office of the Finance Minister said: "As on 24.07.2020, 111.98 lakh Kisan Credit Cards have been sanctioned with credit limit of Rs 89,810 crore out of Rs 2 lakh crore concessional credit under the #AtmanirbharBharat package. This will benefit 2.5 crore farmers, including fishermen & dairy farmers."

 

The process has gained momentum in recent days as government wants to complete issuing 2.5 crore KCC by next month.

7:41 PM

Rajasthan crisis: Congress holds nationwide protests against BJP's 'anti-democratic' actions

The Congress staged a nationwide protest in front of the Raj Bhavans of various states with the slogan 'Save Democracy and Save Constitution" against the actions of the BJP amid the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, on Monday. When we point out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government mistakes, we were stamped as anti-Indians, the Congress said.

 

Speaking on the issue, Tamil Nadu Congress chief Azhagiri said, "We do not know whether Prime Minister Modi is fighting against coronavirus or not, but he is trying to fight wherever the Congress party rules."

 

During the protest in Bihar, party members accused the BJP of overruling democracy and attacking the ruling party by sending ED, IT and CBI departments to the leaders' houses. They called it a misuse of power.

7:07 PM

Will not hesitate to take more action to fuel growth: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das assures India Inc

RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Monday assured the industry that the central bank was closely monitoring the economic situation and will not hesitate to take appropriate action, as he underlined the need for stepping up investment in the infrastructure sector to reignite growth hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

 

Addressing members of industry chamber CII, Das said a big push to certain targeted mega infrastructure projects can spur the economy, as was done by the Golden Quadrilateral project in the past.

 

"This could begin in the form of a north-south and east-west expressway together with high speed rail corridors, both of which would generate large forward and backward linkages for several other sectors of the economy and regions around the rail/road networks. Both public and private investment would be key to financing our infrastructure investments," he said.

6:55 PM

Assembly session can be called at short notice, if agenda is floor test: Rajasthan Governor

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra indicated Monday that an assembly session can be called at a short notice if the state government says the agenda is to hold a floor test to prove its majority.

 

The suggestion figures in a note sent by Mishra while returning for a second time -- Ashok Gehlot Cabinet's recommendation to call a session. The governor asked the state government to draft a fresh proposal, addressing three points. His note said a session can be called if the government agrees to give a 21-day notice.

 

But it also made clear that the notice can be shorter if the agenda of the sitting is to hold a floor test, which the Congress has indicated that it wants but has not specified in its proposal. Mishra's second point is that the state government should undertake to broadcast live the proceedings of a floor test, if it takes place. It should also ensure precautions during the proposed Vidhan Sabha sitting against the spread of coronavirus, his note said.

6:39 PM

Union Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar flagged off 10 diesel locomotives

6:29 PM

We were engrossed in procurement of these 126 aircraft: Retired Air Marshal on Rafale deal

6:08 PM

Latest News LIVE update: Gold jumps Rs 905, silver zooms Rs 3,347

Gold prices in the national capital continued to hit new highs, rising by Rs 905 to Rs 52,960 per 10 gram on Monday, in line with the rally in international market, according to HDFC Securities.

 

The yellow metal had closed at Rs 52,055 per 10 gram in the previous trade. Silver was also in huge demand as it zoomed by Rs 3,347 to Rs 65,670 per kg from Rs 62,323 per kg in the previous trade, according to a PTI report.

 

"Spot gold prices for 24 carat in Delhi continued to hit new highs, witnessing a jump of Rs 905 with rally in international prices," HDFC Securities Senior Analyst (Commodities) Tapan Patel said.

 

5:47 PM

Female rhinoceros, child spotted searching for food in Morigaon district of Assam

5:37 PM

Indian economy to see sharp V-shaped recovery in Q3, Q4: N K Singh

India will see a sharp V-shaped recovery in the third and fourth quarter of the current fiscal, but FY21 GDP growth would ultimately be in negative territory as the coronavirus lockdown led to serious demand and supply dislocations, 15th Finance Commission Chairman N K Singh said on Monday, according to a PTI report.

 

Stating that global economic depression will continue to cast shadow on growth prospects next fiscal, Singh said the economic expansion in 2022-23 would determine whether or not the initiatives to revive growth are sustainable.

 

"This pandemic has led to enormous economic consequences by way of lockdown which brought serious dislocation both on demand and supply sides...," Singh said at an AIMA event here.

 

"Q1 and Q2 will not be lofty performances to say the least, I think Q3 and Q4 of the current fiscal year, there would be a very sharp V-shaped recovery, not necessarily that anything fundamental will happen or may happen but because of a lower base. Nonetheless, fiscal year as a whole would end on a negative trajectory," he added.

5:28 PM

Govt bans 47 clones and variants of 59 Chinese apps banned in June

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has banned 47 apps, which were variants and cloned copies of the 59 apps banned earlier in June.

 

These banned clones include Tiktok Lite, Helo Lite, SHAREit Lite, BIGO LIVE Lite and VFY Lite. The order regarding ban on these apps came on Friday, July 24.

 

The 59 apps, most of which were Chinese, had been banned by the Centre in June in view of the information available that they are engaged in activities which are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence" of the country. READ MORE...

5:24 PM

Farmers protest in Amritsar against agriculture-related ordinances by the Centre

5:15 PM

Board of Secondary Education in Odisha to announce class 10 results on July 29

The Board of Secondary Education (BSE) Odisha will announce High School Certificate Examination (Matric) 2020 results on July 29, informed School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash on Monday.

"In view of COVID-19 situation, the Board has made all necessary arrangement to publish the result on July 29. The deceleration of the results got delayed this year due to COVID-19 lockdown," said Dash.

"The students will get their scores through two official websites of BSE, students can also get their results through SMS. They will just have to send their roll number through SMS and subsequently, their results will be sent to them," he added.

According to the state government, a total of 5.6 lakh students appeared in class 10 Odisha BSE board examination at 2888 centres across the state, according to an ANI report.

5:05 PM

Astonished and anguished by the attitude of the Governor of Rajasthan: P Chidambaram