The West Bengal government's second cabinet meeting is scheduled for May 18, where key decisions on Dearness Allowance (DA), implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission, and other administrative issues are expected to be addressed.
The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 8th Pay Commission, which is likely to be implemented from January 1, 2026.
A Delhi consumer commission has directed Punjab and Sindh Bank to refund Rs 10,000 to a customer whose ATM transaction failed to dispense cash but debited the amount. The bank was also ordered to pay compensation for delayed reversal, mental agony, and litigation expenses, highlighting a deficiency in service.
A district consumer commission in Thiruvananthapuram has directed a cooperative bank to pay over Rs 14 lakh to a widow, Sheeba R, after it unlawfully denied her access to her deposited funds. The bank had cited an ongoing enquiry against its officials as a reason, but the commission ruled this was not a justifiable cause for withholding the money, especially given the woman's circumstances and need for funds for her mother's treatment.
A consumer redressal commission in Pathanamthitta, Keralam, has ordered King's Biriyani Cafe to pay Rs 96,500 to a woman who suffered a Salmonella infection after consuming food from the eatery. The woman experienced severe illness and hospitalisation, leading to the commission's ruling against the cafe's proprietor and manager.
A consumer disputes commission in Mumbai has directed National Insurance Company Ltd to pay a liquor wholesaler over 1.2 crore for stock ruined during the 2017 Mumbai floods, deeming the claim rejection 'arbitrary and unreasonable'.
A Delhi consumer commission has directed Punjab and Sind Bank to refund Rs 10,000 to a customer whose ATM transaction failed to dispense cash but debited his account. The bank was also ordered to pay significant compensation for delayed reversal, mental agony, and litigation expenses, reinforcing consumer rights in banking disputes.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has accused the opposition DMK of organised corruption and illegal collection of "party funds" during its previous regime, citing Enforcement Directorate documents. The allegations, which named former CM M K Stalin and his deputy Udhayanidhi as beneficiaries, led to a major ruckus in the Assembly.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4 per cent Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI payments exceeding Rs 2,000 made to merchants, effective from October 15, with a comprehensive framework set to take full effect by October 15, 2026. This policy aims to regulate transaction fees while protecting small merchants and person-to-person transactions.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% transaction fee on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payments exceeding Rs 2,000 for merchants, effective October 15, marking the end of nearly six years of free service. Person-to-person transfers and small-value transactions below Rs 2,000 remain free. The new Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) is capped at Rs 300 for transactions above Rs 75,000, with differentiated rates for essential sectors and investments, and safeguards to prevent costs from being passed to consumers.
The Indian government has introduced a 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on UPI person-to-merchant (P2M) transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, effective October 15. This move ends nearly six years of fully free UPI payments, though person-to-person (P2P) transfers and small P2M payments remain free. The charges aim to bolster investment in UPI infrastructure, with specific exemptions and caps for essential sectors.
The Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has ordered Rizvi Estates and Hotels Pvt. Ltd. to either rectify defects in a flat or pay 1,50,000 for repairs, along with 50,000 for mental agony and 25,000 for litigation costs, after a couple reported cracks, leakage, and unfulfilled amenities.
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the father of two adult women and the Uttar Pradesh government to jointly pay Rs 25 lakh compensation. This ruling comes after the sisters were illegally confined at their parental home for converting to Islam. The court affirmed their right to choose their faith and criticised both the father and the state for infringing upon their fundamental liberties.
The prominence of migration highlights a longstanding problem for India's electoral system.
Organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games have defended their decision to forgo an Athletes' Village, opting instead for a mix of hotels, container huts, and a cruise ship, despite complaints about cramped conditions and shared rooms.
A Delhi consumer commission has directed a transport service provider to refund money and pay compensation to a man whose wedding procession was delayed after a hired bus broke down.
In a major New year bonanza for the armed forces, the Prime Minister's Office has informed the defence ministry that the armed forces personnel would henceforth have a separate pay commission, which is delinked from the civilian pay panel.
State-run Punjab National Bank (PNB) is strategically planning to enter the wealth management segment by early 2027 and significantly expand its credit card portfolio, aiming to tap into lucrative markets largely dominated by private-sector banks.
'If a student can get a good teacher, quality content and mock tests at no cost, it becomes very hard for a mid-tier coaching centre to keep charging for the same lecture.'
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India's (Irdai) recent actions against insurers for breaching expense of management (EoM) limits indicate a serious commitment to enforcing operating and distribution cost controls, according to industry experts.
A consumer court in New Delhi has directed the Bank of India to refund Rs 10,000 to a woman and provide additional compensation for a failed ATM transaction that was not reversed for several months, citing deficiency in service and violation of RBI guidelines.
Analysis of the 7th Pay Commission's recommendations.
Jharkhand State Minority Commission Chairman Hedayatullah Khan has voiced serious concerns over a surge in crimes against minority community members across the state, including the recent discovery of two minor siblings' bodies in Hazaribag and the disappearance of a three-year-old girl in Jamshedpur. Khan criticised the administration's handling of these cases, citing police negligence in registering an FIR for the missing girl, and demanded impartial investigations and accountability from senior police officials.
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.
'Once you're wrestling with making a merger of that scale value-accretive, you're also under pressure to keep growing the balance sheet and chasing liabilities, and other things start to slip as a consequence.'
The administration has sounded a high alert in Maharajganj and Kushinagar districts of Uttar Pradesh, while stepping up the monitoring of the Gandak and other water bodies downstream of rivers in Nepal, following devastating flash floods in the neighbouring country that have killed more than 350 people and left thousands missing.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident in which three murder accused were tied to the bonnet of a police vehicle and paraded through parts of Pune, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission has issued notices to the state government and senior police officials.
The Supreme Court will consider the Centre's plea for clarification on the applicability of its March 11 judgement regarding OBC creamy-layer criteria for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025. The government highlights practical difficulties and potential unequal treatment of candidates if the ruling is applied retrospectively, as the CSE 2025 selection process concluded before the verdict. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeks to proceed with service allocation based on the pre-March 11 criteria to avoid disruption to training schedules and ensure fairness for candidates.
The Supreme Court has agreed to constitute a special bench to address the Centre's plea regarding the applicability of its March 11 judgment on OBC creamy-layer criteria to candidates of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeks to proceed with service allocation for 958 recommended candidates based on the creamy-layer determination applied before the verdict, citing potential unequal treatment and disruption to training schedules.
A Mumbai consumer court has directed Flipkart and its seller to refund over Rs 1.11 lakh to a customer who received beard growth oil instead of an Apple iPhone, and to pay an additional Rs 70,000 in compensation and litigation costs, citing "unfair trade practice" and "deficiency in service."
Employees of Mumbai's BEST undertaking have launched an indefinite strike, severely impacting public transport and electricity services. The strike, called by a joint action committee, demands budget merger with BMC, settlement of dues, and implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission, among other issues. Despite court orders and MESMA invocation, the strike continues, causing widespread inconvenience to millions of commuters and electricity consumers.
Unions have also demanded raising the income tax exemption limit from Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 5 lakhs.
Govt is likely to find it hard to meet deficit target next year.
Villages along the Uttar Pradesh-Bihar border are on high alert following devastating flash floods in Nepal, with authorities monitoring the Gandak River for potential downstream surges and the NDRF deploying 20 teams for preparedness.
High fees do not automatically translate into better teaching or stronger clinical exposure, points out Nayagam PP, career counsellor and founder of EduJob360.
Three FIRs have been lodged against 39 named and more than 900 unnamed people in connection with clashes that broke out between the police and protesting job aspirants in Jharkhand's Giridih and Hazaribag, officials said on Sunday.
Rahul Kranti, a 40-year-old protester, is on a hunger strike in Jharkhand, demanding the cancellation of all state-level recruitment exams conducted by JPSC and JSSC since 2019 and a CBI and ED probe into alleged irregularities. He claims to have cleared several exams but remains jobless due to corruption.
Many claim disputes arise not because the insurer refuses to pay but because policyholders don't know the claim process, miss important documents or misunderstand what their policy covers.
Investments under the framework would remain voluntary for employees.
