Chandigarh, Aug 7 (IANS) The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has approved an increase in the strength of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) from 162,000 to 220,000 personnel to support the economic rise of the country, Ministry officials said on Thursday. Sharing information, CISF unit Commander Lalit Pawar, who heads the security of Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh, said this will also generate new employment opportunities, particularly through upcoming recruitment dr…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Demand for office spaces in India’s top six cities reached a record high as vacancy levels dropped to 13.9 per cent as of March 2025, a report said on Thursday.The demand is driven by the leasing needs of Global Capability Centres (GCCs), banking, financial services and insurance (BFSI) institutions, flex-space operators, and domestic Information Technology Business Process Outsourcing (IT-BPO) firms.Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MM…

Chandigarh, Aug 7 (IANS) In a major push towards clean and sustainable energy, Haryana has set a target of installing 2.2 lakh rooftop solar systems under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (PMSG: MBY) in 2026-27. Reinforcing its leadership in green energy adoption, the state aims to solarise all government buildings by December 31, without availing any central financial assistance.Surveys have already been conducted on 4,523 government buildings, identifying a cumulative solar potential of 12…

Patna, Aug 7 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, left for Delhi on Thursday, stating that he will attend a crucial meeting of the INDIA bloc scheduled in the national capital.Speaking to reporters before his departure, Tejashwi also mentioned that he would meet his sister (who resides in Delhi) on the occasion of Rakshabandhan.“A major meeting of the INDIA bloc is being held in Delhi today, and I will be participating in it. Also, since it’s Rakshabandhan and my si…

Hyderabad, Aug 7 (IANS) As the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre appears in no mood to give assent to Telangana Bills to enhance reservation for Backward Classes (BCs) to 42 per cent, the ruling Congress party is exploring alternate options to implement the quota in the upcoming local body elections. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday stated this during an informal chat with media persons in New Delhi, where he is campaigning with his Cabinet, party MPs and state legislators for thre…

Chennai, Aug 7 (IANS) Tirupur’s garment exporters have expressed deep concern over the US’ recent decision to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, effectively increasing the total export duty to 50 per cent. Industry leaders fear that this move could severely dent the export potential of India’s knitwear hub, with projected losses estimated at around Rs 12,000 crore. K.M. Subramanian, President of the Tirupur Exporters’ Association (TEA), said the sharp increase in duties wil…

Chennai, Aug 7 (IANS) The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu police to ensure adequate protection for theatres screening the Vijay Deverakonda-starrer Kingdom, in response to threats and disruptions reportedly orchestrated by members of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK). Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the directive while disposing of a writ petition filed by SSI Production, which holds the theatrical distribution rights for the film in Tamil Nadu. The petitioner alleged that …

Bhopal, Aug 7 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday released the monthly installment of cash incentive provided to eligible women beneficiaries under the much-talked ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’ in Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Yadav digitally transferred the amount of Rs 1, 250 into the bank accounts of more than 1.26 crore women beneficiaries of this scheme during an event in Rajgarh district on Thursday. As the festival of Raksha Bandhan will be celebrated on August 9, the…

Hyderabad, Aug 7 (IANS) Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao on Thursday accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and the Congress government of deceiving the Backward Classes (BCs) and indulging in non-stop political theatrics. Welcoming new leaders and cadre from the Parigi constituency into the BRS at Telangana Bhavan, he strongly criticised the Congress’ handling of BC reservations and its governance “failures”.KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known, alleged that the Congres…

Patna, Aug 7 (IANS) Hundreds of students poured onto the streets of Patna on Thursday, demanding the immediate conduct of the Secondary Teacher Eligibility Test (STET) before the upcoming TRE 4 recruitment. The protest saw a massive turnout, with students marching from various coaching hubs towards Dak Bungalow Crossing, leading to significant traffic disruption in the heart of the city.The students’ primary demand is that the STET exam – pending for the last two years – be held before the TRE 4…