"With the leverage available, I believe the scheme remains reasonably attractive," said P D Singh, India and South Asia Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank, regarding the Foreign Currency Non-Resident (Bank) or FCNR (B) deposits.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP of disrupting a TMC protest march concerning the Baruipur rape and murder case, alleging that the police acted as an 'arm' of the saffron party by failing to enforce a Calcutta High Court order permitting the rally.
Smallcap funds give investors access to businesses that can grow much faster than the broader economy.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan criticised the West Bengal government over law and order and accused the TMC of sheltering infiltrators and manipulating demographics.
Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has accused the West Bengal government of deliberately withholding central allocations for social welfare projects, including Ayushman Bharat and PM Awas Yojana, impacting millions of citizens. He also criticised the state's handling of farmer support and public distribution systems.
Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar announced that 20 dissident Lok Sabha members from TMC have merged with the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) and pledged support to the NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The group expects its numbers to increase to 22 and clarified they have no connection with rebel TMC MLAs in West Bengal. Dastidar also highlighted the alleged non-implementation of central schemes in West Bengal by the previous TMC government.
One of the most important provisions this year is that qualifying NEET-PG does not automatically guarantee participation in counselling.
A high drama unfolded in Hyderabad on Thursday as ministers of the Congress government arrived at the Telangana Martyrs' Memorial to engage in a public debate with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi leaders over allegations of scams and debt accumulation that both the ruling and opposition parties have raised against each other.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has directed officials to ensure transparency in the implementation of central and Haryana government welfare schemes, aiming to maximise their reach. He reviewed multiple schemes across various departments during a DISHA meeting in Karnal.
'...appearing culturally coercive or administratively vindictive.' 'If it governs as a conquering force, resistance will build.'
A tragic fire in Lucknow that claimed 15 lives occurred in a commercial building that had a demolition order issued in 2016 due to unauthorised construction. The order was controversially revoked less than two months later, raising serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the decision. The building, originally allotted for residential use, was later found to have unauthorised commercial construction.
'We ourselves hadn't heard it initially. Many people called us. The entire village was overjoyed.'
The Finance Ministry's expenditure department has approved a substantial Rs 1.25 lakh crore outlay for India Semiconductor Mission 2.0, significantly increasing the country's investment in global chip-making ambitions and aiming to establish India as a major semiconductor hub.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once told then Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi in 2012, "I will commit suicide," expressing his deep anguish over ministers' "loose talk" criticising the Election Commission's functioning, a revelation made in Quraishi's upcoming book.
Uttar Pradesh Police have dismantled an inter-state cyber fraud racket, arresting 19 individuals involved in duping people under the guise of government welfare schemes.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an immediate stay on the controversial Maharashtra Right to Information (RTI) rules following a backlash from transparency advocates and a hunger strike threat by veteran anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare.
The Centre's 'Support to Poor Prisoners' scheme has aided 458 prisoners unable to pay fines or secure bail. The scheme, launched in 2023, aims to provide financial assistance to those facing financial constraints.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced six guarantees for West Bengal if the BJP wins the Assembly polls, promising to end the 'reign of fear' and address corruption, while criticising the TMC government's performance.
Mumbai police have registered a case against a man for allegedly duping seven persons of Rs 91 lakhs on the promise of awarding them works of different government departments.
Maharashtra BJP MLC Pravin Darekar announced the launch of 'Devabhau' and 'Chhava' cooperative taxi services in Mumbai, aiming to counter private aggregators and benefit drivers directly, but the scheme has drawn sharp criticism from social activist Anjali Damania and the Opposition Congress over the proposed use of Mumbai Bank funds and its political branding.
The southwest monsoon has advanced across northern Indian states, leading to widespread rainfall, waterlogging, road blockages, and rain-related deaths, particularly in Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. The Centre is monitoring the situation, especially concerning potential drought conditions in some areas due to the El Nino effect.
The FIFA-AIFF Telangana Academy, a new high-performance football training centre for boys and girls, has been launched in Hyderabad. This initiative, a collaboration between FIFA, AIFF, and the Telangana government, aims to nurture young talent with comprehensive support, including residential facilities and medical care. It marks India's first girls' football academy of its kind.
'If there are different laws governing the same subject, it can increase the compliance burden on platforms. The process would be easier and more transparent if there were a singular national-level law.'
The Bihar government, led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, has renamed the Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park as 'Patna Zoo' and the Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology as 'Bihar State Institute of Dairy Technology'. The cabinet also approved significant allocations for electricity subsidies, college establishments, and infrastructure projects.
The announcement comes after a massive fire ripped through the Flourish Stay B&B on Wednesday morning, leaving 21 people dead, including 11 foreign nationals, and several injured.
Pakistan has increased its defence budget by 17.6 per cent to PKRs 3,000 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, as announced by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The federal budget, estimated at PKRs 18,771 billion, targets 4 per cent GDP growth, with significant allocations for debt service and pensions. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted economic stability and ongoing discussions with the IMF, while the opposition protested Imran Khan's incarceration during the budget session.
Senior Congress functionary Praveen Chakravarty has questioned the DMK's flagship women's assistance scheme, suggesting it's superstitious to believe it alone will ensure electoral success, citing examples of similar schemes failing to secure victories for other parties.
The Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad has achieved a significant milestone by completing 2,000 kidney transplants, making it one of the leading institutions in India for this procedure. The majority of these transplants were performed free of cost under government schemes.
Despite the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) and the government's recent initiatives to attract foreign capital, which are expected to alleviate pressure on long-duration bonds, most debt fund managers are maintaining a cautious stance, favouring shorter-duration papers due to global uncertainties and potential future rate hikes.
Private hospitals accounted for 30.8 per cent of current health expenditure in FY23, while pharmaceuticals and medical goods contributed more than 21 per cent, underlining continued dependence on private healthcare and medicine spending.
The TMC has refuted Prime Minister Modi's claim that high voter turnout in the first phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls indicates a mandate for change, asserting it reflects support for Mamata Banerjee and her government's development agenda.
A terrific first half makes I, Nobody look like a great thriller, until an increasingly muddled second half loses the plot, laments Sreeju Sudhakaran.
India's Goods and Services Tax (GST) collections saw a significant 14 per cent increase in June, reaching approximately Rs 1.95 lakh crore. This surge was primarily driven by a substantial 34.6 per cent growth in tax mop-up from imports, alongside a 6.5 per cent rise in domestic supplies, reflecting the country's economic resilience despite global uncertainties.
Non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) reported encouraging results for Q4FY26 with improved asset quality and earnings, but analysts maintain a cautious near-term outlook due to geopolitical tensions, monsoon risks, and specific portfolio concerns.
India has successfully negotiated the protection of its steel export interests under the free trade agreement with the UK, ensuring 85 per cent of its outbound shipments remain outside Britain's steel safeguard measures. This consensus addresses a key sticking point ahead of the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) coming into force on July 15.
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced the Centre's readiness to release Rs 6 crore to Mizoram to strengthen its power sector. The announcement came during a meeting with BJP leaders in Aizawl, where issues concerning Mizoram, including pending central funds and housing schemes, were discussed.
The Delhi government has approved an ambitious electric vehicle policy that eliminates registration fees and road taxes for EVs priced up to Rs 30 lakh, offers a Rs 1 lakh incentive for purchasing new EVs while scrapping old vehicles, and mandates that only electric two-wheelers can be registered starting April 2028.
The move has sparked a political row, with the opposition accusing the BJP of promoting a vegetarian agenda.
The Indian government has identified 111 districts as 'most vulnerable' to crop damage due to a 43 per cent monsoon deficit, driven by El Nino, which threatens kharif sowing. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that weak monsoon conditions are expected to persist until July 2, prompting contingency plans and recommendations for alternative, less water-intensive crops.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini criticised the AAP government in Punjab, alleging unfulfilled promises, deteriorating law and order, and a failed anti-drug campaign. He also highlighted the welfare initiatives of Haryana's 'double-engine' government and expressed confidence in the BJP's future prospects in Punjab.
