New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the proposal for implementation of the Rs 4,200 crore ‘Multidisciplinary Education and Research Improvement in Technical Education’ (MERITE) Scheme in 275 technical institutions comprising 175 engineering institutions and 100 polytechnics across the country from 2025-26 to 2029-30.Out of the total Rs 4,200 crore outlay, there will be an external assistance of Rs 2,100 crore from a World Bank lo…

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The Staff Selection Commission and Railway Recruitment Board are the only two government agencies authorised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to use face authentication in their examinations to verify the identity of candidates and other officials, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday. Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada, in a written reply, said, “The real-time face authentication during examinations hel…

Srinagar, Aug 8 (IANS) Senior religious and separatist leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Friday, expressed shock over the rotten meat scandal unearthed in Kashmir and demanded accountability and ethical introspection. Delivering his Friday sermon at the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Srinagar, Mirwaiz expressed shock and anguish over the recent revelations that more than 3,500 kg of rotten, unlabelled, and possibly unlawful meat was seized by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) from various …

Chandigarh, Aug 8 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday jointly launched 24 sector-wise industrial advisory committees, a step to establish the state a hub of industry and commerce. Addressing the gathering during the launch of this first-of-its-kind initiative, Kejriwal termed it a historic day for Punjab. He said the era prior to 2022 was dominated by extortion, where industrialists were coerced by political leaders to …

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Friday approved the construction of a 4-lane highway from Marakkanam to Puducherry in Tamil Nadu, stretching across a length of 46 km. The project will be developed on Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) at a total capital cost of Rs 2,157 crore.Currently, connectivity between Chennai, Puducherry, Viluppuram, and Nagapattinam is dependent on the existing 2-lane National Highway 332A (NH-332A) and…

Bhopal, Aug 8 (IANS) In a striking act of civic dissent, passersby at a busy Bhopal square turned their frustration into a chorus of honking as Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s convoy passed through. The protest – peaceful yet piercing – was captured on video and quickly went viral across social media platforms, amplifying public outrage against India’s entrenched VIP culture.The convoy, reportedly comprising over 18 vehicles and flanked by a platoon of police, brought traffic and daily life to …

Hyderabad, Aug 8 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Friday alleged that former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao tapped the phones of his daughter K. Kavitha, son-in-law Anil Kumar and nephew and then minister T. Harish Rao.He claimed that the phones of politicians were tapped in the name of Maoists during the rule of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and that thousands of crores were looted through phone-tapping.Bandi Sanjay appeared before Special Inve…

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) As many as 725 Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including 392 exclusive POCSO (ePOCSO) Courts, have collectively disposed of 3.34 lakh cases till June 30, since their inception in 2019, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, in a written reply, said that the government has released Rs 1,034.55 crore to the States/UTs since the Nirbhaya Fund’s inception to ensure the smooth functioning of FTSCs….

Bengaluru, Aug 8 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, on Friday, appealed to party leaders and workers to intensify a ‘do or die’ movement — modeled on Mahatma Gandhi’s Quit India Movement — to bring down the NDA government at the Centre. Addressing a large gathering at Freedom Park in Bengaluru during a protest against alleged election fraud, Kharge said, “Rahul Gandhi has already clearly explained how, in 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister through electoral…

New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Narcotics team of Delhi Police’s North-West District arrested two drug peddlers and recovered 1.081 kg of fine quality opium from their possession. The arrests were made near Gate No. 5, Azadpur Mandi, following a specific tip-off. The accused have been identified as Ranjeet (25) and Rajesh Singh (21), both residents of Nathupur in Gurugram, Haryana. Along with the contraband, police also seized a motorcycle allegedly used i…