THE HEADLINES:-
- Government approves incentive scheme to boost low-value BHIM-UPI transactions; Also clears over 10 thousand 600 crore rupee project to set up fertiliser plant in Assam’s Namrup.
- Centre enhances allocations for growth of livestock sector and dairy development.
- Health Minister JP Nadda says, government to open ten thousand more Jan Aushadhi outlets in next two years.
- Government holds meeting with Punjab farmers in Chandigarh; Next meeting to take place on 4th of May.
- In Swiss Open Badminton tournament, Kidambi Srikanth and three other Indian shuttlers enter pre-quarterfinals of Singles events at Basel.
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The government today approved an incentive scheme for promotion of low-value BHIM-UPI transactions. Briefing media on the Cabinet decisions in New Delhi this afternoon, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the scheme will be implemented at an estimated outlay of one thousand 500 crore rupees.
Mr. Vaishnaw said, the government has decided to set up a new Brownfield Ammonia-Urea Complex Fertilizer Plant within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited at Namrup in Assam. He said, the estimated total project cost is 10 thousand 601 crore rupees with debt equity ratio of 70:30 through a Joint Venture.
The Minister informed that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of a six lane access controlled Greenfield National Highway to connect JNPA Port to Chowk in Maharashtra.
The Centre also gave nod to the revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission to boost growth in the livestock sector. Mr. Vaishnaw said, the implementation of revised Rashtriya Gokul Mission as Central Sector component of Development Programmes scheme is being done with an additional outlay of one thousand crore rupees that is total outlay of 3400 crore rupees during the 15th Finance Commission cycle from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
The Cabinet also approved the Revised National Program for Dairy Development. The revised National Program for Dairy Development, a Central Sector Scheme, has been enhanced with an additional one thousand crore rupees bringing the total budget to 2790 crore rupees for the period of the 15th Finance Commission cycle 2021-22 to 2025-26.
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Health Minister JP Nadda today said, there are 15 thousand Jan Aushadhi outlets that are currently operational in the country. He said, the government has decided to open ten thousand more such outlets in the next two years. The Minister was replying to the discussion in Rajya Sabha on the working of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry.
Mr Nadda highlighted that the Health Policy introduced in 2017 is a comprehensive framework encompassing palliative, curative, rehabilitative, and preventive approaches, unlike previous health policies, which focused solely on curative measures.
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Union Home Minister Amit Shah today took exception to TMC MP Saket Gokhale for raking up the issue of CBI during the discussion in Rajya Sabha on the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs. While initiating the discussion, Mr Gokhale brought up the subject of the CBI, leading to protests from the Treasury bench members. Countering Mr Gokhale’s statements in the House, the Home Minister said that the CBI does not fall under the Home Ministry and the TMC member should confine his speech only to the working of the Home Ministry. Mr Shah added that the CBI cases to which Mr. Gokhale is referring are related to poll violence in West Bengal. He said the West Bengal government has not set up any special CBI court yet due to which the cases are pending.
Leader of the House, JP Nadda demanded that Mr Gokhale should withdraw his remarks made against BJP.
Participating in the discussion, BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi spoke about the decisive actions taken against terrorism after Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. Later, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked Mr Trivedi to continue his speech tomorrow and adjourned the House for the day.
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The Lok Sabha today took up discussion on the Demands for Grants under the control of the Ministry of Jal Shakti for 2025-26. Initiating the discussion in the House, Jagdambika Pal of BJP said, the Narendra Modi government has provided a budget of over 99 thousand 500 crore rupees to the Jal Shakti Ministry for the year 2025-26. He said, the allocation is 93 per cent more than the last year’s budgetary provision of 51 thousand and 558 crore rupees.
Several other members including, TR Baalu of DMK, Rahul Kaswan of Congress, Virendra Singh of Samajwadi Party, Lovely Anand of JD(U) and Basavaraj Bommai of BJP also participated in the debate. Later, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day.
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Electronics and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today said the Government is cognizant of the risks posed by online gaming and potential harms like addiction. In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the Minister informed that the policies of the Centre are aimed at ensuring an open, safe, trusted and accountable Internet for its users.
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India plans to establish its own space station, Bharat Antariksha Station, by 2035, and to land an Indian astronaut on the Moon by 2040. Union Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh stated this while replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha today.
On return of NASA Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth, the Minister said, it is a moment of glory, pride and relief that they came back to earth safely.
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore returned to earth early this morning aboard Elon Musks’s SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft after spending nine months in space. Their SpaceX capsule parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico.
With this the astronauts concluded their trip with SpaceX’s Crew-9, alongwith NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been taken to the Johnson Space Center at Houston in Texas in United States for a check up by medical experts followed by a 45-day rehabilitation program to help them adapt to Earth’s gravity.
Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the entire team of the US Space agency, NASA who worked for the safe return of the Crew 9 mission to Earth.
Residents of astronaut Sunita Willaims’ ancestral village, Jhulasan in Gujarat’s Mehsana district and her extended family also burst into celebrations on her return.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also extended heartfelt wishes to the daughter of the state and the pride of the nation Sunita Williams.
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President Droupadi Murmu today highlighted that AI is disrupting the world, creating new opportunities as well as new challenges in many sectors including journalism. The President said this while presenting the 19th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in New Delhi. She stressed on the urgent need to sensitise all citizens about the hazard of deep fakes and other misuses of artificial intelligence.
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The fresh round of talks between farmers from Punjab and delegations of Central and State governments concluded on a positive note in Chandigarh today. Next meeting will be held on 4th of May. Addressing media after the talks, Union Agriculture Minister, Shivraj Singh Chauhan reiterated that the farmers’ interest is paramount for the government and it is continuing to make regular policy interventions to address issues for their welfare across the country.
Mr Chauhan was accompanied by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi.
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External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar today met Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dr. Eduardo Martinez Diaz, on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue 2025 in New Delhi. In a social media post, Dr. Jaishankar said, they discussed development cooperation, especially in health and traditional medicine.
Dr. Jaishankar also met with his counterparts from Georgia, Maka Botchorishvili, and Norway, Espen Barth Eide.
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The External Affairs Ministry today expressed concern over the situation in Gaza and called for the release of all hostages. In a statement, the Ministry also urged for supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza be sustained. According to Palestinian Health authorities run by armed group Hamas, over 400 people have been killed in Israeli strikes, leading to the collapse of a two-month ceasefire.
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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted searches at 12 locations across Jammu. The searches were conducted at the homes of overground workers (OGWs) linked to newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of banned terrorist organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. During the operation, the agency seized several incriminatory material linking the terrorists with OGWs.
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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has promised strict action against those responsible for the recent violence in Nagpur. Addressing the state assembly, Mr Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, stated that investigations are ongoing and no conclusions have been drawn yet. However, he hinted that the incidents appeared to be premeditated to incite unrest.
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In Swiss Open Badminton tournament, Several Indian shuttlers including Kidambi Srikanth, Isharani Baruah and Anupama Upadhyaya have advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of Singles events at Basel.
In Men’s Singles, India’s Kidambi Srikanth advanced to the pre quarterfinals defeating compatriot H.S. Prannoy while Sankar Subramanian overpowered Magnus Johannesen of Denmark in the opening matches this evening.
In Women’s Singles, Isharani Baruah and Anupama Upadhyaya also entered the pre quarterfinals after registering victories in the firstround matches. Later tonight, two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu will face Denmark’s Julie Dawall Jakobsen while compatriot Malvika Bansod will take on Canada’s Michelle Li in the first round matches.
Indian Women’s Doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also entered the pre-quarterfinals. The ace Indian duo will now face the German pair of Selin Hubsch and Amelie Lehmann in the pre-quarterfinals tomorrow.
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In Kabaddi World Cup 2025, India once again asserted their dominance in the tournament as the Women’s Team defeated Poland, 104-15 in their second Group D match at Coventry in England this afternoon.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN.
- Government approves incentive scheme to boost low-value BHIM-UPI transactions; Also clears over 10 thousand 600 crore rupee project to set up fertiliser plant in Assam’s Namrup.
- Centre enhances allocations for growth of livestock sector and dairy development.
- Health Minister JP Nadda says, government to open ten thousand more Jan Aushadhi outlets in next two years.
- Government holds meeting with Punjab farmers in Chandigarh; Next meeting to take place on 4th of May.
- In Swiss Open Badminton tournament, Kidambi Srikanth and three other Indian shuttlers enter pre-quarterfinals of Singles events at Basel.
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