New Delhi, April 27 (IANS) The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday released a consultation paper on the proliferation of public Wi-Fi networks in the country, seeking stakeholder views on measures to accelerate last-mile digital connectivity and improve broadband access.The paper reviews the existing regulatory framework and flags key bottlenecks slowing the expansion of public Wi-Fi, particularly in rural and underserved areas, even as data consumption continues to rise rapid…
Latest Rural areas News & Updates
New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) Intelligence agencies have issued a fresh alert regarding plans by the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International to revive the Khalistan movement in Punjab, with a new strategy focused on rural radicalisation and low-intensity attacks in urban centres, officials familiar with the development have said.Security and intelligence agencies have foiled several such attempts in recent years, prompting the radical group to rethink its approach. While Babbar Khalsa Internation…
New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) The total number of broadband subscribers in India increased from 1059.05 million at the end of February 2026 to 1065.88 million at the end of March 2026, the government said on Wednesday.The increase in broadband users highlights the growing demand for internet services, driven by digital expansion in both urban and rural areas.During the month, mobile number portability (MNP) remained high, with 14.63 million subscribers submitting requests to switch their telecom op…
Islamabad, April 17 (IANS) As the new academic year starts in Pakistan, people have been buying books for their children amid higher education-related expenses. Families have reported that enrolling a single child in school costs between Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 20,000 – PKR 30,000, with expenses including first-month fees and purchasing textbooks, notebooks, uniform, shoes and a bag, local media reported. People in Pakistan have protested against the increasing costs. In addition, 40 per cent sho…
Islamabad, April 16 (IANS) Private schools in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad have been neglecting 10 per cent scholarship quota for low-income students which is mandatory under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2012, documents submitted to the Islamabad High Court have revealed. According to experts, these educational institutions, by violating the law, earn Pakistani Rupees (PKR) five billion to PKR six billion each year, a report stated. The authorities introduced the scholarship q…
New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in persons of age 15 years and above was observed as 59.3 per cent during 2025 and remained stable compared to 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics on Friday.The LFPR for males and females stood at 79.1 per cent and 40.0 per cent, respectively, in 2025.According to the data, the worker population ratio (WPR) was estimated as 57.4 per cent during 2025, remaining almost at the same level as in 2024. Las…
Gandhinagar, March 13 (IANS) The Gujarat government has recovered Rs 1.04 crore from the construction agency after a newly built overhead water tank collapsed during testing in Surat district, Water Resources and Supply Minister Ishwarsinh Patel informed the state Assembly on Friday. Replying to a question raised by a legislator, Patel said the tank had been constructed at Hariyal Sub Headworks in Tadkeshwar village and collapsed during testing.The tank, with a storage capacity of nine lakh litr…
Gandhinagar, Feb 19 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA, Hemant Khava, on Thursday drove a tractor to the Gujarat Legislative Assembly to protest against the state government’s Budget for 2026–27, alleging that it discriminates against villages and farmers.Khava, who represents Jamjodhpur, reached the Assembly premises on a tractor but was stopped at the gate by police and security personnel and was not allowed to enter with the vehicle.He subsequently walked to the Assembly to attend the proce…
Guwahati, Feb 13 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the BJP will announce its list of candidates immediately after the Election Commission declares the dates for the upcoming polls. Speaking to reporters in Udalguri, the Chief Minister asserted that the party is fully prepared for the elections and is moving ahead with a clear strategy. Sarma said that political developments in the opposition camp will not delay or alter the ruling party’s roadmap.“Once the e…
Jaipur, Feb 5 (IANS) Amid a sharp rise in silver prices, a shocking incident has been reported from Kothia village in the Arwad area of Bhilwara district, where thieves abducted a 90-year-old woman along with her cot in an attempt to rob her of 1.5 kg of silver jewellery. The accused later tied her hands and feet and abandoned her in a field before fleeing.The incident comes close on the heels of the brutal murder of a woman in Sawai Madhopur, allegedly carried out to loot her silver ornaments, …