THE HEADLINES:-
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserts, new era GST reforms aim to modernize and simplify country’s overall tax and revenue system.
- Home Minister Amit Shah says, NDA government in Bihar working towards building a developed state with Centre’s full support.
- Seven new places from India added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
- Mass protests erupt across France against government’s austerity plans.
- In Badminton, India’s PV Sindhu enters quarter-finals of China Masters in Shenzhen; Men’s Doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also sail into last eight.
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today outlined the goals of the new era GST reforms during an event organized by the Next Generation GST Reforms Committee at the National Library in Kolkata. She stated that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms aim to simplify and modernize the country’s tax and revenue system.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision on the next generation of GST reforms was materialised in the beginning of this month, when the GST Council reduced tax rates in many sectors to ease the lives of citizens. Every day we bring to you information on different sectors which have benefitted from the next gen GST reforms. Today, we take a look at commercial goods vehicles.
“The tax cut on trucks which carry 65 to 70 percent of the country’s goods traffic has been brought down from 28 to 18 percent. Similarly the GST rates on delivery vans has also been slashed to 18 percent from the previously taxed 28 percent. This reduction is expected to revitalise India’s transport and logistics sector. Additionally, reducing GST slashes upfront capital cost of trucks and lowering freight rates per tonne-kilometer. The move will further revive the country’s supply chain and improve export competitiveness. This rationalization under the next generation GST reforms marked a significant step leading to cheaper movement of agri goods, cement, steel, FMCG, and e-commerce deliveries. The step is set to support a large share on the road transport sector and boost the nation’s economy. The new reforms will come into effect from Monday onwards. With Shivang, Rohan for Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Union Electronics and Information and Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today said Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) rules are finalized and set for publication in the coming days. DPDP refers to the framework established by India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to safeguard individual’s personal data. The Minister was speaking while launching the logo and key activities for the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
The Minister said, the new rules governing online gaming are set to come into effect from the first of next month.
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said, India’s stature is growing on the global stage. The Minister said this while addressing the inaugural session of the two-day national conference MANTHAN 2025 in New Delhi. Mr Singh emphasised that when efforts and actions are aligned with the national interest, the goal of a developed India by 2047 will be achieved. Mr Singh called upon the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officers to strive for the development of Cantonment Boards into smart, green and sustainable urban ecosystems in sync with the Government’s vision of transforming India into a developed country, and aspire to achieve the target by 2035.
“The Indian Defence Estates Service today, along with the armed forces, manages more than 18 lakh acres of defence land, and I believe this is not an ordinary responsibility but a very significant one because our defence land is not just a piece of land but the foundation of our defence mechanism.”
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Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that the NDA government in Bihar is working towards building a developed state with full support from the Centre. Mr Shah addressed the regional BJP leaders and workers in Rohtas district and Begusarai today. He urged party workers to go door-to-door and inform people about the initiatives taken by the Nitish Kumar government for the welfare of the women and the youth. More from our correspondent:
“The visit of senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has further intensified political activities in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections. Today, Mr. Shah addressed party workers and leaders from 20 different districts at Dehri-on-Sone and Begusarai and energized them. He gave party workers a political mantra for ensuring a two-thirds majority victory for the NDA in the upcoming Assembly elections. Mr. Shah also raised the issue of the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of the electoral rolls in Bihar, stating that its objective is to remove infiltrators from the voter list. Meanwhile, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav is also on his “Bihar Adhikar Yatra” to consolidate his support base and vote bank. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News, Patna.”
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Guided by the mantra of Seva and Sushasan, that is, Public Service and Good Governance, the Government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been working tirelessly to bring transformation and progress. Akashvani News brings for our listeners a Special Series- “Seva Parv”. In the series, today, we take a look at how the Modi government has transformed the life of farmers through advanced technology in farming.
In our vast fields, a silent revolution is unfolding, where the wisdom of our farmers is now strengthened by the power of technology. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, agriculture is embracing a technology-driven transformation, empowering farmers with innovation, inclusivity, and prosperity.
The government’s Digital Agriculture Mission is bringing precision to every step, with satellites, sensors and mobile apps guiding cultivators in planning, irrigation and crop protection. While, the e-NAM platform has connected more than a thousand mandis across the country, giving farmers transparent and competitive prices, right at their doorstep.
In the skies above, drones are becoming the new ploughs of progress. Kisan Drones and geo-tagged crop data under Agri-Stack are empowering farmers with real-time insights on soil health, weather, and pest control. While, through the NaMo Drone Didi initiative, rural women are being trained to operate drones, spraying fields, mapping crops and ensuring efficiency, while also earning new livelihoods.
While thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NaMo Drone Didi Jasveer Kaur, from Gurdaspur, Punjab said:
Our Annadata are no longer just growers of grain, but entrepreneurs sowing seeds of prosperity for a food-secure future.
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In Uttarakhand, heavy damage has been reported in the Nandanagar region of Chamoli district, following a cloudburst and torrential rains late last night. Fourteen people were reportedly missing in the disaster, and three bodies have been recovered so far. Our correspondent reports that search and rescue operations are underway on a war footing at the site.
“200 villagers have been rescued and relocated to safer places from the disaster-affected Nandanagar region of Chamoli district. The injured have been admitted to nearby health centers for treatment, while those seriously injured have been airlifted to AIIMS Rishikesh. Meanwhile, 35 residential buildings and several cowsheds have been severely damaged due to the debris. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the disaster-affected areas of Dehradun today and instructed officials to restore electricity and water supply as soon as possible. Due to the torrential rains late Monday night, the death toll in Dehradun has risen to 21, while 17 people are still missing. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, and district administration are continuously engaged in search and rescue operations. Sakshi Singh, Akashvani News, Dehradun.”
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Seven new natural heritage sites from across the country have been included in UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites, increasing India’s count on the Tentative List from 62 to 69 properties. The Ministry of Culture informed that with this inclusion, India now has 49 cultural, 17 natural, and 3 mixed heritage properties. The newly added sites include Deccan Traps at Panchgani and Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, Karnataka’s Geological Heritage of St. Mary’s Island Cluster, Meghalayan Age Caves, Naga Hill Ophiolite, Andhra Pradesh’s Erra Matti Dibbalu, Tirumala hills and Kerala’s Varkala Cliffs.
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Hundreds of thousands of people joined nationwide protests in France today against austerity plans, with unions demanding the government reverse upcoming budget cuts. Strikes disrupted schools, hospitals, trains, and pharmacies, as teachers, medical staff, and other public workers walked off the job. High school students also joined, blocking entrances and demanding better public services and pension reforms. Protesters are calling for increased spending, higher taxes on the wealthy, and the cancellation of pension changes. Local media estimated up to eight lakh participants. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is facing strong resistance as he seeks support for a 2026 budget amid a growing deficit.
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Markets regulator, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has given a clean chit to industrialist Gautam Adani and his group of companies on allegations by US short-seller Hindenburg Research. SEBI said, the allegations made by Hindenburg Research of insider trading, market manipulation and violations of public shareholding norms were found to be unsubstantiated.
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Benchmark domestic equity indices, Sensex and Nifty closed nearly 0.4 per cent higher today. The Sensex surged 320 points to cross the 83 thousand mark for the first time this month.
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In Badminton, India’s ace shuttler PV Sindhu stormed into the women’s singles quarterfinals of China Masters in Shenzhen today. Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu defeated Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand. She will now face An Se Young of South Korea in the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, India’s star Men’s Doubles duo of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also reached the quarterfinals. The pair defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Hsiang-chieh and Wang Chi-lin in the pre quarterfinals.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserts, new era GST reforms aim to modernize and simplify country’s overall tax and revenue system.
- Home Minister Amit Shah says, NDA government in Bihar working towards building a developed state with Centre’s full support.
- Seven new places from India added to UNESCO’s Tentative List of World Heritage Sites.
- Mass protests erupt across France against government’s austerity plans.
- In Badminton, India’s PV Sindhu enters quarterfinals of China Masters in Shenzhen; Men’s Doubles pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty also sail into the last eight.
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