THE HEADLINES
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleges rampant corruption, and maladministration under the Trinamool Congress led government ruined West Bengal; Mr. Shah claims BJP will form the next government in the state.
- Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) will remove shortcomings of the earlier MGNREGA scheme.
- Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia passes away in Dhaka; Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief over her demise.
- Dense fog disrupts train and flight operation in northern India, 118 flights cancelled due to poor visibility at Delhi Airport.
- In Women’s Cricket, India to take on Sri Lanka in the 5th and final T20 International in Thiruvananthapuram this evening.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah today alleged that rampant corruption, and maladministration under the Trinamool Congress led government ruined West Bengal. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata today, Mr. Shah accused that Trinamool Congress failed on the security issue. He alleged that Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee has failed to address the infiltration issue. On the RG Kar and Kasba Law college rape incidents, the Minister said, there is no security and safety for women in the state.
The Minister has claimed BJP will form government with two-third majority in West Bengal assembly election in the next year. Addressing a press conference in Kolkata today, Mr. Shah said, in 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP got 41 percent votes and 18 seats. He said, the party received 38 percent votes and 77 seats in 2021 Assembly elections. He said, the party which got 3 seats in 2016 election, got 77 seats in a span of five years.
Mr. Shah said, the next election will be fought on the issues of stopping infiltration and removing infiltrators from West Bengal. He said, infiltration happening from the Bengal border is an issue of national security.
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Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said the Parliament has passed the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin): Viksit Bharat – G RAM G Bill keeping present needs in mind and to remove shortcomings of the earlier MGNREGA scheme. He was addressing media at a press conference in Bhopal today. Mr. Chauhan said, Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) has been linked with the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti initiative to make it more effective. He said the mission includes a clear provision for unemployment allowance and necessary financial arrangements have been ensured under the Act.
The Minister said, the proposal being brought by the Punjab government in the state assembly against Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act is against the federal structure of the country.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi is interacting with eminent economists and sectoral experts at NITI Ayog in New Delhi to seek their views and suggestions ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27. The meeting will serve as a platform for experts to share their views and assessments on the country’s current economic situation and future priorities. The discussions are also likely to cover areas where further reforms may be required to support growth, strengthen macroeconomic stability and address emerging challenges. The interaction at NITI Aayog is expected to provide valuable insights as the government prepares for the next phase of economic planning.
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President Droupadi Murmu today attended the valedictory ceremony of Antarrajyiya Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh-Kartik Jatra in Gumla district of Jharkhand. Addressing the gathering, President Droupadi Murmu remembered Baba Kartik Oraon, and stressed on the upliftment of the tribes. She said the efforts towards education made in this Kartik Jatra will be a true tribute to Baba Kartik Oraon.
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Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu flagged off the inaugural flight of Dhruv NG civil variant helicopter in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) helicopter division in Bengaluru today. The helicopter received civil certification from Directorate General of Civil Aviation for its indigenous Shakti engine. Minister Rammohan Naidu described it as a landmark moment when HAL is foraying into Civil Aviation sector. He said that the civil variant of Dhruv will give a big boost to Atmanirbharata in civil aviation sector.
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Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia passed away at a hospital in Dhaka this morning. She was 80. This was disclosed by BNP in a social media post. BNP’s Media Cell said, Khaleda Zia breathed her last while receiving medical care at a private hospital. Khaleda Zia, a two-time prime minister, was one of the most prominent figures in Bangladesh’s politics for decades and served as BNP chairperson for many years.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the demise of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in Dhaka. In a social media post, Mr Modi said, as the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh, her important contributions towards the development of Bangladesh, as well as India-Bangladesh relations, will always be remembered.
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Six people lost their lives in a bus accident at Vinayak area of Almora district in Uttarakhand today. According to the State Disaster Response Force, the bus was traveling from Bhikiyasain to Ramnagar and had around 17 to 18 people on board. The injured are receiving treatment at the government hospital in Bhikiyasain. After the accident, the administration and rescue teams rushed to the spot. Rescue operation is underway.
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In Jammu and Kashmir, security forces have been placed on high alert along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border ahead of New Year celebrations. The heightened vigilance aims to ensure robust border security and prevent any infiltration or ceasefire violations during the holiday period. Key frontier areas, including Kathua, Samba, Akhnoor sectors in Jammu region and Gurez, Uri, Karnah, Tangdhar sectors in Kashmir region are under close surveillance. Along the International Border in Jammu, the BSF personnel are conducting round-the-clock patrolling, digital monitoring, and other precautionary measures.
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Strict measures have been taken in Alappuzha district in Kerala to bring the avian flu situation under control. After samples sent to the National Institute of Virology, Pune, an emergency meeting was convened and containment measures were immediately initiated. Poultry within a one kilometer radius of the epicenter were ordered to be culled, and around 28 thousand birds were culled within two days. Meanwhile, the Alappuzha District Collector announced that the sale and consumption of poultry products has been banned within a ten-kilometre radius of the affected area. More from our correspondent:
“Sanitisation work has begun in Alappuzha district as part of avian flu prevention measures, with cleaning operations underway at bird culling sites. Samples of dead birds from three more locations have been collected and sent for testing. Meanwhile, protesting restrictions on chicken sales due to avian flu, the Kerala Hotel and Restaurant Association has shut hotels across the district today. Smithy M Palluruthy Akashvani News Thiruvananthapuram.”
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Dense fog condition in the northern parts of the country, impacted train and flight operations today. According to the Delhi Division of Railways, over 20 Delhi bound trains are running more than three hours late. Similarly, air travel has also been affected due to bad weather. As per the Delhi Airport, 118 flights have been cancelled today due to foggy weather and poor visibility.
In a social media post, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has issued an advisory and urged passengers to pro-actively check flight status, and remain in contact with the concerned airlines.
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India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast cold wave conditions in parts of Odisha today. Parts of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are expected to witness a cold day today. The weather department also predicted dense fog conditions today over Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and the north-eastern region. IMD said very dense fog conditions during morning and night hours is likely to prevail over Haryana, Chandigarh, West Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi till tomorrow.
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The tropical cyclone Hayley tracking towards the northern coast of Western Australia has grown in strength to a category four storm. According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, the cyclone is expected to bring severe impacts today to the Kimberley region.
A warning was issued for the area, including Derby, forecasting that very destructive wind gusts up to 170 kilometers per hour could develop.
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In Women’s Cricket, India will take on Sri Lanka in the 5th and final T20 International at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala today. The match will begin at 7 PM.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah alleges rampant corruption, and maladministration under the Trinamool Congress led government ruined West Bengal; Mr. Shah claims BJP will form the next government in the state.
- Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Aajeevika Mission (Gramin) will remove shortcomings of the earlier MGNREGA scheme.
- Former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia passes away in Dhaka; Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses grief over her demise.
- Dense fog disrupts train and flight operation in northern India, 118 flights cancelled due to poor visibility at Delhi Airport.
- In Women’s Cricket, India to take on Sri Lanka in the 5th and final T20 International in Thiruvananthapuram this evening.