India Archives - Page 122 of 300

02 Jan

After Extensive Ladakh Shoot, ‘Dhurandhar’ Declared Tax-Free in UT

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAditya Dhar, Bollywood box office, Dhurandhar, Kavinder Gupta, Ladakh, tax-free film

Leh (Ladakh), January 2, 2025: The Ladakh administration on Friday announced that filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar has been declared tax-free in the Union Territory, citing the film’s extensive shooting across the region and its contribution to promoting Ladakh’s natural beauty. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta said the decision reflects the administration’s efforts to project Ladakh as a preferred destination for film production and tourism. He added that the Union Territory is in the process of formulating a new film policy and assured full institutional support to filmmakers choosing Ladakh as a shooting location. In a post on X, the Office…

02 Jan

MHA Restores Financial Approval Powers to Ladakh LG for Projects Up to ₹100 Crore

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiafinancial powers restored, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, MHA order, Union Territories

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday restored the delegation of financial powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, allowing appraisal and approval of projects worth up to ₹100 crore under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPRs), 2024. In an official order, the ministry said the Centre has approved similar financial powers for Administrators and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories without legislatures. These include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. The order, issued by MHA Under Secretary Lendup Sherpa, stated that the approval of the…

02 Jan

Contaminated water confirmed behind Indore vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak; 9 dead, over 1,400 taken ill

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaContaminated Water, Indore

National Times Bureau :- A laboratory investigation has confirmed that contaminated drinking water was responsible for a severe vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, claiming at least nine lives and affecting more than 1,400 people, officials said on Thursday. The outbreak originated in the Bhagirathpura area, raising serious concerns over water safety in a city that has consistently been ranked India’s cleanest for the past eight years. Leakage in pipeline led to contamination Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, said laboratory tests conducted by a city-based medical college confirmed contamination caused…

02 Jan

Dharamsala college student death: Professor, three students booked for ragging and sexual misconduct

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaDeath, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, Ragging, Rape Case

National Times Bureau :- The death of a 19-year-old student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, has triggered widespread outrage after the police registered a case against a college professor and three students on charges of ragging, sexual misconduct, intimidation and acts allegedly linked to her deteriorating health and eventual death. An FIR has been lodged at the Dharamsala police station against Professor Ashok Kumar and three second-year students, Harshita, Aakriti, and Komolika, under Sections 75, 115(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act,…

01 Jan

Air India Grounds Pilot After Canadian Authorities Flag Fitness Concerns Ahead of Vancouver–Delhi Flight

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir India, Canadian authorities, pilot grounded, Vancouver–Delhi flight

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air India on Thursday confirmed that one of its pilots has been taken off flying duties after Canadian authorities raised concerns over his fitness to operate a Vancouver–Delhi flight last month, leading to a last-minute delay. According to the airline, the incident occurred on December 23, 2025, when Flight AI186 from Vancouver to Delhi was preparing for departure. One of the cockpit crew members was deplaned shortly before take-off after Canadian authorities flagged issues related to the pilot’s fitness for duty. In a statement, Air India said the pilot was subjected to further inquiry by…

01 Jan

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Assumes Charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, Indian Air Force, Vice Chief of the Air Staff

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor SYSM PVSM AVSM VM on Thursday took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, marking a key leadership transition at Air Headquarters. The appointment was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Kapoor was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Flying Branch on December 6, 1986. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has established himself as an accomplished fighter pilot, a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat…

01 Jan

New Excise Duty on Cigarettes to Take Effect From February 1, Prices Likely to Rise

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiacigarette excise duty, cigarette price hike, finance ministry order, tobacco taxation India

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Centre has announced a fresh excise duty on cigarettes, a move that is set to increase retail prices from February 1 and impact smokers nationwide. An order issued by the finance ministry said the revised duty will be imposed based on the length of cigarettes, ranging between ₹2,050 and ₹8,500 per 1,000 sticks, in addition to the existing 40 per cent Goods and Services Tax. The new levy comes at a time when the overall tax burden on cigarettes in India is estimated at about 53 per cent, well below the 75 per cent…

01 Jan

ED Seizes Fresh Cash and Jewellery Worth Nearly Rs 10 Crore in Probe Against Absconding Criminal Inderjit Yadav

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaED raids Delhi, Enforcement Directorate, Inderjit Yadav, money laundering case

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized Rs 1.22 crore in cash and jewellery valued at Rs 8.5 crore during fresh searches linked to a money-laundering investigation against UAE-based absconding criminal Inderjit Yadav, officials said. The latest recovery was made from a farmhouse in Delhi owned by Sunil Gupta. According to officials, Gupta had earlier extended loans to Aman Kumar, an alleged associate of Yadav. The agency suspects that Kumar attempted to divert and conceal proceeds of crime by transferring funds to Gupta after the ED initiated its probe. A day earlier, the ED had…

01 Jan

India to Launch First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on Kolkata–Guwahati Route, PM Modi to Flag Off Service

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndian Railways, Kolkata Guwahati train, PM Narendra Modi, Vande Bharat Sleeper Train

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: India is poised to achieve a significant milestone in railway travel with the launch of its first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on the Kolkata–Guwahati corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the 16-coach semi-high-speed train in the coming days, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday. The new sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat Express has been designed to offer long-distance passengers a modern, comfortable, and affordable travel option. Capable of carrying more than 800 passengers, the train combines advanced technology with passenger-centric features aimed at enhancing overnight journeys between eastern and northeastern…

01 Jan

ATF Prices Cut by Over 7%, Commercial LPG Becomes Costlier as Oil Firms Revise Rates

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaATF price cut, aviation turbine fuel, commercial LPG price hike, oil marketing companies

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: State-owned oil marketing companies on Thursday revised fuel prices in line with global benchmarks, reducing the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by 7.3 per cent while increasing the rate of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 111. According to official data, the price of ATF in the national capital was lowered by Rs 7,353.75 per kilolitre, bringing it down to Rs 92,323.02 per kl. The reduction is expected to provide some relief to airlines, for whom fuel accounts for a significant portion of operating costs.In contrast, commercial LPG prices saw an upward revision. The cost…