The Punjab Cabinet has approved a series of measures aimed at enhancing public safety through forensic science upgrades and boosting rural incomes with a new farm stay policy.
The Indian government has announced the replacement of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, effective July 1. The new scheme aims to expand guaranteed wage employment and link it more closely with infrastructure development and climate resilience, but faces concerns from opposition parties and labour rights activists.
A World Inequality Lab paper reveals significant land inequality in rural India, with the top 10% of households owning 44% of the land, while 46% are landless. The study highlights the impact of historical institutions, social stratification, and agro-ecological conditions on land distribution.
The Centre has notified draft rules for the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025, outlining the framework for the new rural employment programme replacing MGNREGA. The draft rules are open for public feedback until June 21, 2026.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a fresh chargesheet against retired and serving Jharkhand government engineers and officials in a money-laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the state's rural development department.
Cash remains dominant for many transactions despite continued expansion in digital payments across the country.
World Bank President Ajay Banga has advocated for the deployment of 'Small AI' locally deployed artificial intelligence running on inexpensive hardware to address daily problems faced by farmers and rural communities in emerging markets.
India's unemployment rate for individuals aged 15 years and above reached a six-month peak of 5.2 per cent in April 2026, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) data.
The Centre has announced that the Viksit Bharat -- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act will come into force across the country from July 1, replacing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
The Telangana Basketball Association has launched the Telangana Junior Basketball League (TJBL), a grassroots initiative aimed at identifying and developing young basketball talent. The franchise auction for the league was valued at Rs 1.48 crore.
"Our strategy has always been to focus on volume-led penetration growth," said Manish Tiwary, chairman and managing director, Nestle India.
Airpay Payment Services has partnered with Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank (MSCB) to enable UPI-based digital payments across the lender's network in Maharashtra, aiming to accelerate financial inclusion in rural areas.
India has launched its first integrated phygital service centre in Umri village, Madhya Pradesh, aiming to provide online services and boost rural development through digital connectivity and various essential services.
Punjab Police have successfully traced and returned over 12,000 lost mobile phones to their owners in the past year, utilising technical and data analysis. The recoveries, estimated to be worth between Rs 15 to Rs 20 crore, were made possible through initiatives like the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR).
The body of a Punjab Police assistant sub-inspector, Joga Singh, was discovered near the Fatehgarh Churian-Majithia road in Amritsar with a gunshot injury. Police are investigating all possible angles, including personal enmity and road rage.
Police in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested seven members of a gang allegedly involved in the illegal trade of firearms. Illegal pistols, country-made firearms, cartridges, cash, and motorcycles were seized from the suspects.
A 32-year-old man has been arrested in Kolkata in connection with the killing of a BJP leader in Jharkhand. Police claim he was the prime accused in the case.
An assistant sub-inspector of Punjab Police was shot dead by two unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants near Hamja village in Amritsar. The officer, Joga Singh, was found with a gunshot wound near the Fatehgarh Churian-Majithia road. Police are investigating the incident and examining CCTV footage to identify the attackers.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay will handle key portfolios including police, general administration and welfare of women, youth and children. Veteran leader K A Sengottaiyan has been designated as the Finance Minister.
Police in Meerut have located a 17-year-old girl who was reported missing from the Kharkhauda area. Eight individuals have been detained in connection with her disappearance, according to authorities.
A speeding SUV struck a motorcycle near Pushkar Ghati in Ajmer, resulting in one fatality and one injury. Police are investigating the incident and have recovered liquor bottles from the SUV.
India's consumption stocks, which have outperformed the broader market, are now facing significant pressure due to a gradual rise in fuel prices and the potential for higher inflation. Analysts warn that companies may be forced to pass on increased input costs to consumers, potentially hurting demand across both staples and discretionary categories, with a looming threat of deficient monsoon rainfall further exacerbating inflationary concerns.
India has emerged as the largest global market for Nestle's iconic KitKat chocolate-coated wafer bar, surpassing other nations due to strong consumer penetration, product innovation, and aggressive marketing investments.
A man in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has been arrested for allegedly strangling his 19-year-old daughter to death after opposing her relationship with a neighbour.
At the 79th Cannes Film Festival 2026, actress and model Ruchi Gujjar turned one of the world's biggest red carpets into a platform for social commentary.
A man was lynched and his body burnt in Odisha's Cuttack district on suspicion of practising black magic. Police have arrested 25 people in connection with the incident.
Ram Charan's highly anticipated film Peddi has unveiled its trailer, with the actor acknowledging the significant influence of Salman Khan and Aamir Khan in establishing the success of sports dramas in Indian cinema.
A preacher at a madrasa in Tumakuru district, Karnataka, has been booked after 24 children allegedly escaped the institution citing physical abuse and forced labour. The children were found at a railway station in Bengaluru and are now under the care of the Child Welfare Committee.
Jharkhand Police have arrested four individuals, including a candidate, for allegedly using high-tech methods to cheat during the SSC GD constable recruitment examination in Ranchi. The accused, all from Bihar, were caught attempting to hack computer systems at an online examination centre.
Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot alleges a BJP leader's involvement in the NEET paper leak, accusing the state government of suppression. The SOG has detained over 150 people, with 20 handed to the CBI for questioning.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh launched two advanced weather forecast products developed under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), aimed at delivering hyper-local, impact-based and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven weather services across India.
A 20-year-old woman who went missing on her way to a BA final-year exam was found dead in a sugarcane field in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Police are investigating the case and have detained one person for questioning.
A 23-year-old MBA student died after falling from her hostel building at IIMT University in Meerut, India, prompting a police investigation and student protests.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched 'Mama Coaching Classes' in Madhya Pradesh's Vidisha to provide free coaching and guidance for competitive examinations to economically disadvantaged yet talented students.
Police in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, busted an illegal arms factory, arresting two individuals and seizing a cache of weapons and manufacturing equipment.
Two minor girls in Maharashtra's Beed district allegedly committed suicide after being scolded by their mothers over household issues.
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the state government to pay Rs 50,000 in compensation to a man who alleged that a sub-inspector sprayed a liquid, suspected to be pepper spray, into his eyes at a police station in Thiruvananthapuram.
A welder in Pune allegedly assaulted his wife and poured floor cleaning acid on her private parts due to suspicions of infidelity, police report.
The Uttar Pradesh government announced it has paid a record Rs 3,21,963 crore to sugarcane growers since 2017, emphasising on-time payments and direct transfers to farmers' accounts. The government highlighted initiatives like farm loan waivers and the 'Smart Ganna Kisan' system for online sugarcane management.
Nine people have been arrested in Rajasthan's Ajmer district for allegedly abducting and torturing a man. The incident stemmed from a dispute related to the man's marriage to a woman whose former in-laws objected to the union.
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