National

Members of the Rajya Sabha expressed grave worries about the mounting health and developmental catastrophe that India's youngsters are experiencing, with a focus on smartphone addiction and a dramatic increase in myopia cases. Lehar Singh Siroya, a member of the BJP, cautioned that unrestrained smartphone use among students is seriously impairing their capacity to focus, grow socially, and preserve mental health. He said that the issue is "impairing concentration and social development" and likened its intensity to heroin addiction. Siroya advocated for such limitations on smartphone and social media use in India, citing instances from other nations where social media accounts for children under 16 are prohibited in order to protect kids from harmful content, addictive algorithms, and ...

Highlights at Beating Retreat 2026 were shared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the performances by different bands as "memorable" and an example of India's rich military traditions. Shri Modi highlighted the outstanding performance by the Air Force Band, which played songs like Brave Warrior, Twilight, Alert (Post Horn Gallop), and Flying Star in addition to the eye-catching Sindoor formation, in a series of posts on social media site X. He also praised the Naval Band for their faultless performance of the Matsya Yantra formation, which included Namaste, Sagar Pawan, Matribhumi, Tejasvi, and Jai Bharati. The prime minister emphasized how the CAPF bands' performances, which honored soldiers who defend the country, were full of energy and pride. He specifically mentioned t...

Preliminary reports state that on Wednesday morning, January 28, an aircraft carrying NCP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar had a mishap while trying to land close to Baramati. Pawar, 66, was transported to the hospital for treatment after suffering injuries. At the time of the event, Pawar was traveling to Baramati to attend a public rally for the Zilla Parishad elections. The reason of the event and the amount of the aircraft's damage have not yet been confirmed by officials. We're also waiting for information regarding the deputy chief minister's health. While in Mumbai on Tuesday, Pawar attended a meeting of the Maharashtra Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure, which was presided over by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Assessments are under progress, according t...

Election officials in Gujarat are now working on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral records, and they have received numerous requests to add, remove, and modify voter information throughout the state, according to poll officials. Before the draft electoral roll was released on December 19, 2025, the voter revision process, which began on October 27, 2025, finished its enumeration phase. Official data shows that up until Thursday, 6,54,594 applications in Form-6 and Form-6A were received to add names to the final electoral roll. In the same time frame, 12,59,229 Form-7 applications for name deletion were filed, while 5,04,835 Form-8 applications for information correction and residence change were received. With 97,664 Form-6 and Form-6A applications, Ahmedabad had th...

India's first open-sea marine fish growing operation was started from the Andaman Sea by Union Minister of State for Earth Sciences Dr. Jitendra Singh. The effort, according to the minister, is one of the first significant steps towards achieving the Blue Economy through India's abundant ocean resources, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often underlined. During the minister's field trip to the Andaman Sea's open seas, the project was initiated on-site in North Bay, Sri Vijaya Puram. The Government of India's Ministry of Earth Sciences, its technical branch, the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), and the UT Administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are working together to carry out the project. The pilot project integrates scientific innovation with the creation of li...

The BJP-Shiv Sena-led victory in the Maharashtra municipal elections was praised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attributed it to the "pro-people good governance" policy. PM Modi thanked the voters, saying that the NDA's "vision for development has struck a chord" with the state's citizens. "Thank you, Maharashtra!" he wrote on X. "The state's vibrant populace supports the NDA's pro-people, good government agenda! The outcomes of several municipal corporation elections show that the NDA's relationship with Maharashtra's populace has strengthened. Our development vision and track record have resonated. I want to express my appreciation to everyone in Maharashtra. This vote will honor the state's magnificent culture and give progress more impetus." Additionally, he praised the NDA e...

Mohan Yadav, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, declared that the state government will implement a specific artificial intelligence (AI) policy with the goal of enhancing public welfare and governance. Speaking at the Regional AI Impact Conference in Bhopal, which was conducted in partnership with the India AI Mission, Yadav stated that, with backing from the Center, the state is adopting proactive measures to make AI the foundation of transparent, effective, and citizen-centric governance. "On this unique occasion, I would like to declare that the Madhya Pradesh government will implement an AI policy to improve the state's governance structure and guarantee the welfare of its citizens. The Chief Minister stated that the application of AI must be centered on the general welfare. Ya...

On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, the Hindu harvest festival, Prime Minister Narendra Modi fed his cows food at his home in Lok Kalyan Marg (LKM). On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, a harvest holiday celebrated throughout India in accordance with local customs, Prime Minister Modi greeted the country on Wednesday. Celebrated as a mid-winter harvest festival, it commemorates the Sun's entry into the sign of Capricorn (Makar). Many regions of the nation commemorate Sankranti, a holy day, in accordance with regional traditions and customs. In a post on X, PM Modi wrote, "I pray to Lord Surya for everyone's happiness, prosperity, and excellent health." Attending the Pongal celebrations in the nation's capital on Wednesday, PM Modi praised the event as a worldwide celebration honoring on...

According to the government, "SAMPANN" (System for Accounting and Management of Pension) has made it possible for retirees to safely access, preserve, and recover their official documents at any time and from any location, guaranteeing increased convenience, authenticity, and long-term digital record preservation. For Department of Telecommunications (DoT) retirees, it is an integrated online pension management system that creates a single platform for processing, approving, and paying pensions straight to pensioners' bank accounts. According to the Ministry of Communications, it also improves efficiency and transparency for telecom retirees by providing online grievance redress, digital profile maintenance, and transaction records. The ministry added that crucial pension-related docum...

In order to discourage smuggling and promote indigenous agriculture, the Federation of All India Farmer Associations (FAIFA) called on the government to reverse the notified excise rates on tobacco products and change them to revenue-neutral rates. In a statement, FAIFA stated that maintaining farmer incomes, safeguarding jobs along the value chain, and coordinating economic policy with long-term public health objectives all depend on a stable tax system. With effect from February 1, the Ministry of Finance's "Chewing Tobacco, Jarda Scented Tobacco and Gutkha Packing Machines (Capacity Determination and Collection of Duty) Rules, 2026" announcement imposes an excise charge of between Rs 2,050 and Rs 8,500 per 1,000 sticks, depending on cigarette length. According to FAIFA, such a drast...