India Archives - Page 111 of 268

02 Dec

Central Government Reportedly Approves Major Renaming of Key Institutions: Raj Bhavans to Lok Bhavans, PMO Becomes Seva Teerth

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaGovernment renaming, Kartavya Bhavan, Lok Bhavan, Raj Bhavan, Seva Teerth

New Delhi, December 2, 2025 — According to a government announcement early Tuesday, several of India's important constitutional and administrative institutions are being renamed, reflecting a shift toward a more people-centric and service-oriented governance model.Under the plan, all Raj Bhavans, the official residences of state Governors, will now be called Lok Bhavans. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has been renamed Seva Teerth, underscoring the government’s emphasis on service and public welfare. The Central Secretariat, long the nerve-centre of the government’s administrative apparatus, will now be known as Kartavya Bhavan, highlighting a renewed focus on duty, responsibility, and public service.According to…

02 Dec

DGCA Probes Air India for Operating A320-neo Without Valid Safety Certificate

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaA320-neo, Air India, Airworthiness Review Certificate, DGCA

New Delhi, December 2, 2025: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has begun a formal investigation after Air India disclosed that one of its A320-neo aircraft operated eight flights despite an expired Airworthiness Review Certificate. The airline informed the regulator on November 26 that the plane flew several commercial routes on November 24 and 25 without the mandatory safety clearance.An ARC must be renewed every year after a detailed examination of maintenance records and physical inspections. Operating an aircraft without this approval is considered a serious violation of aviation safety rules. The DGCA has grounded the aircraft and taken the…

02 Dec

Sanchar Saathi Row Deepens as Government Defends Move, Critics Warn of Privacy Intrusion

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Technology, TrendingSanchar Saathi

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The dispute surrounding the Centre’s decision to have the Sanchar Saathi application pre-loaded on new smartphones sold in India showed no signs of easing, even after Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia attempted to reassure users that they will not be compelled to keep or use the app. Addressing the media, Scindia maintained that the directive issued to device manufacturers had been misunderstood. He stressed that the app poses no threat to personal data and can be removed by users if they prefer not to engage with it.“Just like other pre-bundled apps, you may retain it or delete…

01 Dec

IMD Predicts Colder-Than-Usual Winter for Large Parts of India

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiabelow-normal, cold wave India, IMD winter forecast, La Niña, polar vortex

New Delhi, December 1, 2025: Large parts of central, northwest and northeast India are likely to face a colder-than-normal winter, with higher cold wave days expected between December and February, according to a new forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Officials said the polar vortex will drive temperatures further down, increasing the intensity of cold conditions across these regions.Spatial maps released by the IMD show parts of Haryana, Rajasthan, Delhi and Gujarat heading for below-normal temperatures. The department said these regions could witness one to four or more cold wave days above the usual average. Typically, northwest India records…

01 Dec

Centre Reports 90% Drop in Farm Fires in Punjab and Haryana Since 2022

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCAQM, Delhi AQI, farm fires, Haryana, Punjab, Stubble Burning

New Delhi, December 1, 2025: The Centre on Monday informed Parliament that Punjab and Haryana together recorded nearly 90 per cent fewer stubble-burning incidents during the 2025 paddy harvesting season compared to 2022. Responding to a question from Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that while farm fires remain an “episodic event,” they intensify winter air pollution in the region.Yadav added that Delhi registered its lowest January–November average air quality index since 2018, excluding the nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020. Channi had raised concerns about Delhi’s AQI crossing 450 this year despite a reported 20 per…

01 Dec

Supreme Court Orders Nationwide CBI Probe into Digital Arrest Scams, Questions RBI on Lack of AI Use

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaartificial intelligence, CBI Investigation, digital arrest scam, RBI, Supreme Court

New Delhi, December 1, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Monday directed the CBI to conduct a unified, nationwide investigation into digital arrest scam cases, expressing concern over the rapid rise of this sophisticated cybercrime. The court also questioned the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on why artificial intelligence tools were not being used to identify and freeze bank accounts operated by cybercriminals.Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating police officers, court officials or government agency representatives. They intimidate victims through audio and video calls, holding them virtually hostage and forcing them to transfer money. Senior citizens are among the most…

01 Dec

Supreme Court Says Delhi-NCR Air Pollution Cannot Be Treated as a Seasonal Issue, Orders Year-Round Monitoring

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir Quality, CJI Surya Kant, Delhi-NCR pollution, Stubble Burning, Supreme Court

New Delhi, December 1 — The Supreme Court on Monday said the problem of air pollution in Delhi-NCR cannot be viewed as a “customary” matter taken up only in winter. In a major shift from past practice, the court announced it will hear the issue twice a month throughout the year to examine both short-term and long-term measures to tackle pollution.A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the matter demands continuous attention. The CJI stressed that stubble burning should not become a political or ego-driven debate. He questioned the common narrative that crop residue burning…

01 Dec

Winter Session opens with PM Modi’s tribute to new RS Chairman; warns Opposition against turning House into ‘theatre’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Politics, TrendingNarendra Modi, Parliament, Winter Session

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Parliament’s Winter Session commenced on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the first day to both congratulate newly appointed Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and deliver a pointed message to Opposition parties about their conduct inside the House. Speaking in the Upper House, the Prime Minister said Radhakrishnan’s elevation brought “a sense of pride” to the institution, noting that his background in grassroots social work and his years spent engaging with remote communities would enrich parliamentary functioning. Modi recounted the Chairman’s travels through some of Jharkhand’s least-accessible tribal areas, praising his “service-first approach” and his…

01 Dec

Opposition gears up for confrontational Parliament session, to push debates on SIR lapses, BLO fatalities and Delhi smog crisis

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Politics, TrendingParliament

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): As Parliament readies to open its latest session on Monday, signs already point toward a volatile week ahead, with Opposition parties preparing to challenge the government on multiple fronts — from alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to the deteriorating air quality choking the national capital. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have submitted fresh adjournment notices, demanding that the House set aside routine business to take up what they describe as urgent matters of public interest. Central to their protest is the reported distress among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deployed…

01 Dec

Markets soar to new records as upbeat GDP numbers energize investors

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, India, TrendingGDP

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Indian stock markets kicked off Monday’s session with a strong upward burst, pushing the key indices to unprecedented levels after fresh economic data signaled stronger-than-expected momentum in the country’s growth engine. The Sensex leapt to a new milestone of 86,159.02, rising over 450 points within minutes of opening, while the Nifty climbed past 26,325, also setting a new all-time high. The rally reflected a surge in investor confidence following India’s 8.2% GDP expansion in the July–September quarter — the quickest growth seen in six quarters. Buying was particularly strong in several major index components. Adani Ports,…