Amid growing speculation that BJP leadership may prefer his continuation as Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla on Sunday said the decision would be made by all political parties. Changes should keep happening. But I am nobody to comment on this. The Speaker's post will be decided by political parties in the House," he said. Speculation about Birla getting a second term as Speaker has gathered force amid strong indications that the constitutional position will stay with BJP, the single largest party in LoK Sabha by a huge margin and, also, that two of its crucial allies - TDP and JD(U) - are comfortable with the idea.
Taking a serious view of the row over National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for admission to medical colleges, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said no one, including officials of National Testing Agency that conducts the exams, would be spared if irregularities were found, and interests of all students who took the test would be protected. Govt is looking at reforms to ensure that such problems do not occur in future.
Steps to boost jobs by expanding the Production Linked Incentive scheme to furniture, toys, footwear and more segments of textiles, along with a focus on MSMEs, while increasing income levels of women and boosting infrastructure, are expected to be among the key thrust areas of the Modi govt's first Budget in its third term with several of the issues also being part of govt's 100-day agenda that will feed into the targets for 2030.
The issue of Russia’s absence loomed large at the peace summit in Switzerland, as India joined over a dozen other countries in not signing a joint communique that declared any peace agreement must be based on Ukraine’s territorial integrity. India backed out saying abiding peace isn’t possible in the absence of options acceptable to both sides, as the summit also could not elicit the kind of support Ukraine was hoping for from the Global South.
Starting July 2024, Assam government officials, including the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary, will pay their electricity bills, ending the 'VIP culture' of using taxpayer money. All public servants will be responsible for their electricity consumption, aligning with efforts to transition to solar power in medical colleges and universities.
President Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's commitment to enhancing the strategic partnership with Maldives on President Muizzu's birthday. Ambassador Wang delivered a congratulatory letter from Xi, highlighting the importance of bilateral relations and the goal of a shared future community. The discussion also focused on the recent Maldives-China defence agreement, military equipment supply, and soldier training.
Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw reviewed plans to upgrade Bandel Junction in the Eastern Railway's Howrah division, aiming to transform it into a world-class facility.
In Jhansi village, a tragic bus accident occurred on Sunday morning, injuring 12 pilgrims from Jharkhand and West Bengal on their way to Kedarnath shrine. Three seriously injured pilgrims were referred to Varanasi for treatment. The group of 30 pilgrims had hired the bus for the pilgrimage. The injured were taken to the district hospital for medical care.
Indian railway ministry conducts successful trial of train from Sangaldan to Reasi, including crossing the world's highest steel arch rail bridge Chenab, as part of the USBRL project.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday stated that all partners of the opposition INDIA bloc will aim to support the ruling ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) if it nominates a candidate for the Lok Sabha speaker's election. Asked about recent statements made by some Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leaders on the BJP after the Lok Sabha polls, Raut said it is good if the RSS wants to correct «mistakes» of the past.
On Sunday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi echoed Tesla CEO Elon Musk's worries regarding the susceptibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to hacking. In a recent post on X, Elon Musk expressed his concerns about electronic voting machines, stating that they should be eliminated due to the risk of being hacked by humans or AI, even if the risk is small.
A total of 58 child laborers, including 39 boys and 19 girls, have been rescued from a distillery in the Raisen district of Madhya Pradesh. This operation was spearheaded by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in collaboration with the Association of Voluntary Action, also known as Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA).
