New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The next round of disbursal under the Centre’s Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund is likely to begin soon, with officials expecting the process for selected firms to be completed shortly, it was announced at a meeting chaired by Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh on Wednesday. Chairing the monthly joint meeting of Science Secretaries, the minister emphasised that while due diligence and verification process…

Bhubaneswar, Aug 19 (IANS) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the approval of four railway multi-tracking projects with a total outlay of Rs 9,450 crore, three of which will ‘substantially benefit’ Odisha. In a letter to Vaishnaw, Majhi said, “The approval of these projects with the total outlay of Rs 9,450 crore marks a transformative step for rail infrastructure in our State. These projects w…

Amstelveen, Aug 19 (IANS) Skipper Harmanpreet Singh and Abhishek scored a brace each as India maintained their dominance over neighbours Pakistan with a 5-3 win in a hard-fought encounter in their final league match in the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup 2026 and secured a place in the next stage of the competition at the Wagener Hockey Stadium in Amstelveen on Wednesday.Harmanpreet scored via penalty corners in the 5th and 21st minutes while Abhishet sounded the board via field goals in the 11th and…

New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) India is among the countries rapidly expanding the use of technology to improve tax compliance, with platforms such as the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN) making the system easier for both taxpayers and tax authorities, a PwC expert said on Wednesday.Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of the 23rd International Tax Conference organised by Assocham in the national capital, Prashant Agrawal, Partner, Indirect Tax at PwC, said technology has become an integral part of t…

Amaravati, Aug 19 (IANS) YSR Congress Party president and former Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday asked the party cadres to gear up for the ensuing local body elections in Andhra Pradesh. He affirmed that the party should work with the aim of a massive victory, with the coalition government failing on all fronts, all sections of people feeling cheated, and the law and order situation was deteriorating drastically. Addressing local body leaders and key activists from Rajahmundr…

Dhamtari (Chhattisgarh), Aug 19 (IANS) Members of Chhattisgarh’s ‘Jai Garhiya Baba Tribal Folk Mandari Dance Troupe’ expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the government for having received an opportunity to perform during President Droupadi Murmu’s ‘At Home’ reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the 80th Independence Day.The dancers hailing from Saraitola village in the Nagri block of the state’s Dhamtari district elevated the prestige of Chhattisgarh’s culture on the national …

Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed officials on Wednesday that instead of taking measures after the younger generation falls prey to addiction, tendencies that push youth into the abyss of drugs must be curbed. He said youth should be empathised with and prevented from entering this vicious cycle while speaking at a meeting to discuss the Drug‑Free Maharashtra Policy.The Chief Minister said the government machinery’s administrative approach will play a …

Shillong, Aug 19 (IANS) A rally organised by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in Meghalaya’s capital Shillong turned violent on Wednesday after masked men allegedly attacked passing vehicles, assaulted people and set vehicles on fire, triggering panic along the rally route, officials said. The violence unfolded as the procession moved through parts of the city, with several people reportedly assaulted and injured amid scenes of heightened tension. Eyewitness accounts said masked men, some of …

Bengaluru, Aug 19 (IANS) The Karnataka government on Wednesday ordered the cancellation of around 1,100 alternative site allotments made by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) under the controversial 50:50 scheme, with the sites estimated to be worth more than Rs 2,000 crore. The Urban Development Department directed authorities to cancel allotment orders issued in violation of the government’s March 14, 2023 directive and initiate steps to reclaim the sites already allotted.The orde…

Maihar (Madhya Pradesh), Aug 19 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh government will provide more than Rs 1.14 lakh crore to women under the Ladli Behna scheme over the next five years, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Wednesday, announcing continued financial support for the state’s women beneficiaries. Yadav made the announcement while addressing a state-level Ladli Behna conference in Maihar, where he transferred Rs 2,148 crore to the bank accounts of more than 1.25 crore women as the 39th instalment …