Kumar also hinted that the Maharashtra elections could be held after Diwali.
Retail inflation fell to a 15-month low of 5.66 per cent in March, mainly due to a decline in food prices, government data showed on Wednesday. The inflation figure in March is within the RBI's comfort zone as it is below 6 per cent. The retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 6.44 per cent in February 2023 and 6.95 per cent in the year-ago period.
As the monsoon recedes from most of India, Guwahati was flooded after incessant rainfall.
A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm, named Remal, on Saturday evening and is likely to turn severe before making landfall between the coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh on Sunday midnight, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Monsoon has missed its date this year with granary states of Punjab and Haryana.
Allaying apprehensions over the possibility of deficit rainfall this monsoon season, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia on Monday said it is too early to reach the conclusion that something adverse is happening.
Fitch Ratings on Tuesday raised India's growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.2 per cent, from 7 per cent projected in March, saying elevated consumer confidence will drive spending, besides increased investments. In June update to its global economic outlook report, Fitch said it expects inflation to decline to 4.5 per cent by end of this year and RBI to cut policy interest rates by 25 basis points to 6.25 per cent.
Oilseed sowing in India's key growing regions is in full swing following a good start to the monsoon, which is expected to advance into the northern region in coming days, officials said on Wednesday.\n\n\n\n
Rediff.com brings you monsoon images from across the country
The monsoon this year in India was likely to be 'below normal' at 95% of LPA: Skymet
The southwest monsoon has picked up pace, and is now on the verge of covering almost the entire country.
The five warmest years in Indian weather history have occurred in the past 14 years -- the others being 2009, 2017 and 2010, in order of intensity.
The central bank, however, warned that the downside risks to growth could play out if global recovery slows.
During the four-month monsoon period, India recorded the highest rainfall since 1994, according to the India Meteorological Department.
The onset of monsoons in Jalpaiguri in West Bengal raised hopes for the farmers waiting to sow their crops. The region received almost 300 mm of rainfall in the past two days.
The national capital has been witnessing an incessant spell of light to moderate rain for the past two days.
Many parts of the country have received good rainfall and others, including the capital where the monsoon has not moved in so far, woke up to pre-monsoon showers on Wednesday.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday said the country is on an "upward curve" and a good monsoon, GST passage and increased infra and rural spending will further accelerate the growth.
An alert of "very heavy" rainfall in Mumbai has been issued by the Indian Meteorological Department's regional centre on Tuesday, with the rains expected to intensify in the next 24 hours.
Computers, Kalam said were going to give us a challenge. Not only the biologists, neurologists and psychologists but the entire scientific community would have greater responsibility of keeping mankind above man-made computers.
The rains have so far been four per cent below normal.
Kharif sowing till June 20 almost 18 per cent less than last year; 328 districts under watch, based on rains in the first 15 days
The study revealed that the rise in temperatures leads to a decline in the transmission of the virus.
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Gujarat, have been left out, despite a strong start to the monsoon in June
The state government has declared a holiday on Wednesday and Thursday for all private institutions, offices, non-essential services within Outer Ring Road here in view of rains.
Rainfall in the week ended August 29 was about six per cent more than normal and the best weekly rains in the southwest monsoon season this year. This helped ease concern on drought across several parts of the country.
Above-normal heatwave days are predicted in most parts of central, east and northwest India during this period.
There is good news for the Central government, which is struggling to rein in inflation. Monsoon rains were more than normal in June and the government can hope for a better kharif crop, which in turn may help reduce inflation.
More than half of India's farms lack irrigation and millions of farmers still depend on the vagaries of the monsoon rains
Timely onset of south-west monsoon is crucial for kharif (summer) crops.
A good monsoon would translate into demand pickup across multiple sectors.
The country received 14 mm rainfall from June 1-6 as against 19.9 mm, the normal.
But the IMD said the heat wave will continue till then in parts of the country.
Waterlogging has been reported in several parts of city.
The impact of weak monsoon so far this year on India's farm production and economy is likely to be limited, the central bank said, as rainfall levels have improved considerably over the past one month.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said efforts are on to rescue the 300 stranded people, and they could be airlifted as the weather clears. Power and water supply has been snapped in several areas.
Monsoon's first spell in Delhi early Friday inundated the most posh areas of the city alike, including the Lutyens' Delhi which is home to several ministers and MPs, giving them a hard time reaching Parliament for the 18th Lok Sabha session.
He assured fears of food shortages were far-fetched.
With satisfactory progress of monsoon rainfalls prompting farmers to bring in additional area under basmati sowing, prices are set to fall lower going forward.
