West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul announced the BJP government's commitment to women's empowerment and the continuation of welfare schemes. The 'Annapurna Bhandar' scheme will be accessible through an online portal, ensuring ease of application for all women in Bengal. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has directed officials to implement the scheme and free bus travel for women, while also assuring that existing social welfare schemes will continue.
UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the Cabinet, citing a loss of confidence in Prime Minister Keir Starmer's leadership, potentially triggering a Labour leadership contest.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attributed the state's 'BIMARU' (sick) status to corruption during previous governments, emphasising the need for transparency and meritocracy in recruitment processes. He highlighted improvements in medical facilities and increased government job opportunities for young people in Uttar Pradesh.
Work has commenced on restoring the North and South Blocks to their original design, paving the way for the Yuge Yugeen Bharat National Museum project, with a target completion date for the first phase set for 2028.
The West Bengal cabinet has decided to discontinue assistance-oriented schemes based on religious categorisation for Imams, muezzins and purohits from June. The cabinet also approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to women from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.
The Delhi Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has dismantled a GST fraud cartel, arresting six individuals involved in swindling Rs 128 crore through shell companies and fake invoicing.
Indian stock markets rallied in early trade after US President Donald Trump announced a halt to planned military strikes on Iran, citing requests from Gulf leaders and ongoing "very big discussions" that could lead to a deal. This de-escalation, coupled with foreign fund inflows and gains in IT and Adani group stocks, contributed to the positive market sentiment. Track Sensex and Nifty on May 19, 2026.
The Chhattisgarh government has suspended Inspector General of Police Ratan Lal Dangi following a complaint of harassment and financial irregularities. An inquiry has been ordered into the allegations.
Maharashtra legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe has demanded stringent action against employees of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Nashik following allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion by female employees.
'During the bank's board meeting, many directors asked him if there is a governance issue but he said there is none.'
The Jammu and Kashmir government has directed the JKBOSE to take strict action against private schools found to be arbitrarily increasing fees and violating established regulations.
If TVK MLAs and ministers are perceived as clean, or demonstrably cleaner than their predecessors, the credibility dividend will be enormous. The voter will feel rewarded, points out Ramesh Menon.
A Maharashtra Legislative Council official has demanded strict action against TCS employees in Nashik following allegations of sexual harassment and forced religious conversion. An SIT has been formed and arrests have been made.
Former West Bengal minister Sujit Bose has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged municipality recruitment scam.
Uttarakhand GST officials conducted an elaborate undercover operation, creating fake firms to expose a company evading over Rs 150 crore in taxes.
The HR manager at TCS Nashik is under investigation for allegedly suppressing complaints and shielding the accused in a harassment case involving multiple employees.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (I-T) Department are likely to join the Assam Police in investigating alleged organised financial crimes and acquisition of benami properties by event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in the death of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
The Himachal Pradesh government is set to implement stringent measures, including mandatory drug testing for government jobs and 'bulldozer action' against drug smugglers, to combat the growing menace of 'chitta' (adulterated heroin) in the state.
The Supreme Court has said that selling land or property is not a service under the Finance Act, 1994, so such sales cannot be charged with service tax.
All services on the income-tax e-filing portal -- both pre-login and post-login -- are expected to be updated by April 1 to reflect the new legal framework.
rediffGURU T S Khurana answers readers' personal income tax queries
Meerut police have uncovered a Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud involving crores of rupees, leading to the arrest of one individual. The investigation revealed a network of fake firms used to illegally claim input tax credits, causing significant losses to the government.
Do not panic on receiving a notice. Verify if your work falls under professions notified in Section 44AA(1).
Kerala's voters are sophisticated, educated, and unforgiving. They have once again made it clear that no government is entitled to remain in power. The Congress would do well to remember this, points out Ramesh Menon.
'Global uncertainty is something which definitely occupies the minds of officials when we are preparing for the Budget.'
Noting that recent uncertainties created by global tariffs have not impacted the Indian economy severely, Anuradha Thakur, secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, said the central government is hopeful that the recent goods and services tax (GST) rationalisation will ignite the much needed animal spirits in the financial sector.
The Telangana government's salary structure reveals surprising figures, with senior sweepers earning up to 2 lakh and chief engineers drawing 7 lakh monthly.
Trai has ordered BFSI firms to move service and transaction calls to the 1600 series from 2026 to reduce spam, financial fraud, and rising digital arrest scams.
Amidst escalating tensions with Iran, the US has granted India a temporary 30-day waiver to continue purchasing Russian oil, aiming to stabilise global energy markets and encourage future US oil imports by India.
The Karnataka government has formed a committee on responsible AI to develop a framework for the safe, ethical, and transparent adoption of AI across government systems and public services.
Transporters across Maharashtra have announced a statewide strike to protest against e-challans and other issues, potentially disrupting transport services including school buses and commercial vehicles.
The 63-seater open-top bus, manufactured by Ashok Leyland's arm Switch Mobility, was gifted to the city's tourism department as a corporate social responsibility initiative.
State Bank of India has embarked on a drive to cut the Know Your Customer (KYC) process to a single one across its branches, a top official said on Tuesday.
'LIC's investment decisions are taken independently, following strict due diligence, risk assessment and fiduciary compliance.'
Political observers said the announcement assumes significance as the state prepares for the assembly elections, with political parties stepping up outreach to various community groups.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami has announced a series of welfare measures, including free refrigerators for rice ration cardholders, if the party wins the 2026 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu.
Building on last year's clearance of 172K cases, I-T department is pushing for faster appeal disposals, penalty reforms and system-driven processes to curb litigation and boost tax certainty.
The US has granted India permission to buy Russian oil already in transit to ease global supply pressures amidst the West Asia conflict. This decision comes after India agreed to halt sanctioned Russian oil purchases and substitute them with US oil.
Gold imports climbed 349.22 per cent to $12.07 billion in January, while silver imports rose 127 per cent to $2 billion.
