THE HEADLINES::
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day state visit to Mauritius on Tuesday.
- Second part of Budget Session of Parliament to begin tomorrow.
- Delhi government approves Mahila Samridhi Yojana to provide 2,500 rupees per month to eligible women.
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, India is looking for a good trade agreement with US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains.
- Second leg of Khelo India Winter Games 2025 to begin at Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir today.
- And in cricket, India to take on New Zealand in final of ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai this afternoon.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day state visit to Mauritius beginning Tuesday. Briefing media in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, India’s relations with Mauritius are rooted in shared history, culture and very strong and robust people to people ties.
Mr Misri said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited as the Chief Guest at the National Day celebrations of Mauritius. The Foreign Secretary said, a contingent of Indian Defence Forces, a ship of Indian Navy and Indian Air Force Akash Ganga sky diving contingent are to participate in Mauritius National Day.
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The second part of Budget session of Parliament will begin tomorrow. The second phase of the session which will continue till 4th April will have 20 sittings. During the session, discussion and voting on Demands for Grants for the year 2025-26 and related Appropriation Bill will take place. Besides, several legislations including the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024 the Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill, the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 and the Railways (Amendment) Bill will be taken up for discussion and passage.
The first part of the Budget Session of Parliament was held from 31st January to 13th February. President Droupadi Murmu had addressed both Houses of Parliament and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented the Union Budget during the first part of the session. The Lok Sabha had recorded 112 per cent productivity during the first part.
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Delhi government has approved Mahila Samridhi Yojana to provide 2,500 rupees per month to poor women. This was announced by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a press conference. She said on the occasion of International Women’s Day, a cabinet meeting of Delhi government was held in which the scheme was approved. She added that a budgetary provision of five thousand one hundred crores rupees has been made for the implementation of the scheme. More from our correspondent:
A committee has been formed under chairmanship of Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for the implementation of the scheme. The committee also includes Delhi ministers, Ashish Sood, Parvesh Sahib Singh and Kapil Mishra as members. After the Delhi cabinet approval, In a press conference Delhi CM said that a portal will soon be launched to start the registration process for the Mahila Samridhi scheme.
Aadhaar-based e-KYC and advanced technology will be used to ensure transparency, efficiency, and seamless disbursement of financial benefits to the women. Mrs Gupta said that Delhi government will work to ensure the safety and prosperity of the women of the national capital. This assistance will ensure economic security, greater independence, and empowerment for women across the city. Saklen Akhtar for Akashvani News, Delhi.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India is looking for a good trade agreement with the US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains. She also said that amid a growing global tariff war, India will have to move smartly to guard against possible dumping of goods from countries that are facing higher US tariffs. At the same time, India will protect the interests of domestic industries that rely on affordable imports, Ms. Sitharaman said. She was speaking at an award function in Mumbai yesterday.
India and the US are negotiating a bilateral trade agreement, with an aim to double trade to 500 billion dollars by 2030. After a week-long visit, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal returned from Washington yesterday after holding trade talks with his US counterparts. The Finance Minister also said that GST rates will come down further and the work on rationalising tax rates and slabs has almost reached a finale.
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The Ministry of Labour and Employment has urged platform workers to register themselves on the e-Shram portal for formal recognition and access to the benefits of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). The AB-PMJAY health scheme provides coverage of 5 lakh rupees per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalization across more than 31,000 public and private empaneled hospitals in the country.
Recognizing the contributions of gig and platform workers to the nation’s economy, the Union Budget 2025-26 includes provisions for the registration of online platform workers on the e-Shram portal, issuance of identity cards, and healthcare coverage.
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In Punjab, two senior prison officers and four other jail officials were arrested on charges of criminal conspiracy and drug trafficking within jails during two separate search operations last evening. Those arrested include the Superintendent of Hoshiarpur Central Jail, four other officials, and a Warden of Amritsar Jail. They were found to be involved in supplying drugs to inmates in both prisons. Action has also been taken against three jail inmates who were already serving sentences.
The Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Chief Nilabh Kishore stated that an FIR was registered following an inquiry into an organized drug smuggling operation within Hoshiarpur prison. The inquiry revealed that inmates were involved in drug smuggling, aided by corrupt jail officials.
In a separate case, the Warden of Amritsar Jail was arrested for supplying drugs and other intoxicants to inmates. Amritsar Jail Superintendent Hemant Sharma reported that authorities recovered intoxicating powder, tablets, and 63,000 rupees in cash from his possession.
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Myanmar’s state media has reported that the military government will hold elections in December or January. Local media reported that junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said the votes will be free and fair and that 53 political parties have already submitted their lists to participate. It will be the first election since the military toppled Myanmar’s democratically elected government in a coup in February 2021.
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In cricket, India will take on New Zealand in the final of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Dubai today. The highly anticipated title clash is scheduled to begin at 2:30 PM IST. More from our correspondent :
Recent One Day International encounters between these cricketing powerhouses have set the stage for a compelling showdown today. India enters the final with a strong record, having secured a decisive 44-run victory over New Zealand in the tournament’s group stage just a week prior. That win, fueled by a dominant all-round performance, solidified India’s position at the top of the group. Speaking at a pre-match press conference, India’s vice captain Shubman Gill emphasized that India’s T20 World Cup victory in 2024 has removed some pressure from the squad as they approach another major final.
While India has demonstrated dominance in recent matches, New Zealand’s ability to perform under pressure remains a significant factor. The 2019 victory serves as a reminder of their capacity to upset the odds. New Zealand’s exceptional fielding has been a feature of their campaign, with Glenn Phillips drawing particular praise for his athletic catches.
Mitchell Santner, the new zealand speaking at a pre-match press conference, expressed hope that New Zealand could reverse their fortunes against India in the upcoming ICC final, acknowledging the challenge posed by the in-form Indian team. Santner emphasized the importance of adapting to potentially varying conditions, despite their recent encounter with India.
The upcoming final today promises a high-stakes contest, with India’s powerful batting facing off against New Zealand’s experienced bowling attack. Both teams will draw on their past experiences as they vie for the Champions Trophy title at Dubai.This is Vinod Kumar for Akashvani News from Dubai.
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Moving on to further updates from the world of sports, the second leg of the Khelo India Winter Games 2025 will begin at Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir today. We have a report:
“After a successful first leg of the Khelo India Winter Games in Leh, Ladakh, the second edition starting today in Gulmarg will feature competitions in skiing and snowboarding. The winners of first leg, Union Territory of Ladakh, will aim to defend their overall title. Earlier, the second leg was postponed due to lack of snow at Gulmarg.
Moving on to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) Cricket, UP Warriorz defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 12 runs in Lucknow last night, eliminating the defending champions from the tournament, and securing playoff berths for Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians.
In tennis, India’s Siddhant Banthia and his partner Alexander Donski of Bulgaria have clinched the ATP Kigali Challenger title in Kigali, Rwanda. This marks Banthia’s first ATP Challenger title.
Next we have from the Indian Super League (ISL) Football, where North East United FC defeated East Bengal FC 4-NIL in Shillong, while Mohun Bagan Super Giant outclassed FC Goa 2-NIL in Kolkata, continuing their unbeaten performance. Today, Chennaiyin FC will host Jamshedpur FC at their home ground in the last league stage match. With Vishnu PS, THIS IS CHIRAG JHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, DELHI.”
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The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast thunderstorm accompanied with lightning at isolated places over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal today. According to IMD, thunderstorm with lightning is very likely at isolated places over Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh, Gilgit, Baltistan, Muzaffarabad, and Himachal Pradesh tomorrow.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINE:
- Mahila Samridhi Yojana getting a green light in Delhi is front page news in many dailies. “Delhi okays Rs. 2,500 monthly aid for women, allocates Rs. 5,100 crore” reads The Asian Age headline.
- Speaking on the occasion of International Women’s Day yesterday, President Draupadi Murmu has said that more women should be part of the workforce, writes The Hindu.
- The Times of India quotes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as saying that a reduction in GST rates is in the offing.
- “D-day in Dubai: all eyes on Kohli as India take on Kiwis for Champions trophy Glory” is the top headline in The Indian Express.
- And finally, good news for wild life conservationists. Madhya Pradesh’s 2nd tiger project heads for success as 2 cubs are born in Madhav National Park, reports The Asian Age.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on a two-day state visit to Mauritius on Tuesday.
- Second part of Budget Session of Parliament to begin tomorrow.
- Delhi government approves Mahila Samridhi Yojana to provide 2,500 rupees per month to eligible women.
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman says, India is looking for a good trade agreement with US to promote economic growth and ensure smooth supply chains.
- Second leg of Khelo India Winter Games 2025 to begin at Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir today.
- And in cricket, India to take on New Zealand in final of ICC Champions Trophy in Dubai this afternoon.
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