Odisha’s commitment to shaping India’s digital and economic future was underscored on Wednesday with the announcement of the inaugural Black Swan Summit India, to be held in Bhubaneswar on 5-6 February.

It is being organised by the government of Odisha under the BharatNetra initiative in partnership with the Singapore-headquartered Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN). The Summit is set to position Odisha as a nation-building platform for India’s next phase of digital-led growth.

President Droupadi Murmu and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will grace the Summit, which reflects Odisha’s transition from policy articulation to execution in AI, FinTech, and InsurTech.

With participation from over 1,700 delegates from across 24 countries and nearly 100 speakers from 5 continents (North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa) will attend the summit. Black Swan Summit India will convene global and national policymakers, regulators, financial institutions, technology leaders, startups, investors, and academics for an execution-oriented dialogue.

It reinforces the role of states as engines of national transformation, aligned with India’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

Rather than focusing on technology adoption alone, Odisha is reframing digital policy around measurable outcomes — jobs, skills, enterprise creation, and global competitiveness.

“Odisha is not preparing to merely participate in the global digital economy; we intend to help shape it, as a frontline contributor to Viksit Bharat,” said Vishal Kumar Dev, Additional Chief Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology.

“Our focus is on operationalising AI and digital finance in ways that deliver real economic value and long-term institutional capacity.”

Odisha’s approach is to convert this national advantage into local execution with global relevance, demonstrating how states can lead digital-led growth, employment creation, and global integration.

This includes deploying AI, FinTech, and InsurTech as workforce multipliers, particularly beyond Tier-I cities, and positioning Odisha as a credible destination for global capability centres, digital finance infrastructure, and long-horizon investment.

BharatNetra was forged during the January 2025 visit of the President of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, to Odisha.

While several MoUs were signed during that visit, the partnership with GFTN has moved decisively into execution, in close collaboration with the state, and is already delivering tangible outcomes.

For Odisha, GFTN’s global ecosystem spanning innovators, entrepreneurs, capital providers, and policymakers acts as an institutional bridge into trusted global digital finance networks. The partnership aligns skilling with real industry demand, accelerates ecosystem maturity in FinTech, InsurTech, and AI, and ensures that policy ambition translates into skills, jobs, enterprises, and long-term capital.

Odisha’s partnership with GFTN through BharatNetra offers a blueprint for how state governments can strengthen national competitiveness by connecting to the global digital economy. Through GFTN’s network across more than 130 countries, Odisha gains direct access to innovators, investors, and policymakers enabling the state to scale digital finance with a strong focus on investment attraction, workforce readiness, and the establishment of global capability centres, said Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO, GFTN.

The Black Swan Summit India marks a decisive step in Odisha’s ambition to establish Bhubaneswar as a nationally and globally connected centre for AI-enabled FinTech, InsurTech, and global capability services.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a meeting of the Housing and Urban Planning Department on Wednesday, directed the implementation of a new ‘One Time Settlement’ scheme (OTS-2026) for the speedy disposal of pending residential and commercial allotment cases.

He directed, “Dues and disputed cases pending for years not only affect the progress of schemes but also cause unnecessary hardship to common citizens. The objective of the government is to introduce a system in which resolution is fast, transparent and practical for all”.

The Chief Minister said pending payments or disputed allotments in any scheme of the state slow down the pace of development. Therefore, the Housing Department should implement a solution-oriented system that ensures the department receives the required revenue while also providing relief to allottees.

He said that the scheme should be people-centric, offering clear and simple options to every genuine allottee.

During the meeting, it was informed that a large number of cases were resolved under the OTS-2020 scheme implemented in the year 2020, but due to Covid-19, many allottees were unable to make the final payment.

The data presented by the department provided a detailed account of all such defaulter cases existing in various residential and commercial complexes across the state.

The Chief Minister added, “One Time Settlement-2026′ scheme should be made more practical and beneficial. Appropriate concessions should be provided on dues for allottees opting for ekmusht payment. At the same time, the facility of payment in instalments should also be made available”.

He said that while finalising the provisions of the scheme, it must be ensured that the core spirit of the scheme is to provide relief to the common man.

The Chief Minister also added, “It should be ensured that every application is disposed of by the department within the prescribed time limit. The implementation of the new scheme will provide relief to thousands of allottees and will also generate revenue for the department”.

The Chief Minister directed the department to make special arrangements for the wide publicity of the scheme so that a maximum number of people can be made aware of it.

He said information about the ‘One Time Settlement’ scheme should be actively disseminated among the general public so that all eligible people can avail its benefits. He also directed that the entire process of the scheme should be online, transparent and user-friendly.

Olympian Esha Singh produced a composed and clinical performance to claim the gold medal in the women’s 10m air pistol at the Asian Shooting Championship 2026 on Wednesday, while reigning world champion Samrat Rana secured bronze in the men’s event at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.

India also struck gold in the women’s team event and picked up silver in the men’s team competition, taking the hosts’ overall tally to four medals — two gold, one silver and one bronze on the opening day of pistol finals.

Esha, the Asian Games silver medallist and Paris 2024 Olympian, showed remarkable composure in a high-quality final to finish on 239.8 points, sealing her second individual gold medal at the Asian Shooting Championships. The 21-year-old had also topped the podium in the same event at the 2024 edition of the championships.

Cheng Yen-Ching of Chinese Taipei claimed silver with 235.4, while her teammate Yu Ai-Wen won bronze after finishing on 217.7.

World No. 2 Suruchi Inder Singh remained in medal contention for much of the final before finishing fourth with 197.7, while twin-Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker finished seventh after an early dip halted her progress. Bhaker is also set to compete in the 25m pistol and the 10m air pistol mixed team events.

Earlier, Suruchi (576), Manu (575) and Esha (575) combined for a total of 1726 to deliver gold for India in the women’s team event. Sainyam, who topped the qualification round with 584, was competing under Ranking Points Only (RPO).

Samrat takes bronze

In the men’s 10m air pistol final, Samrat Rana finished on the podium with a bronze medal, scoring 220.3 points. The world champion opened with 49.6 in the first competition stage and stayed in medal contention through the middle phase with a series of high-value shots, including 10.6s, 10.8s and 10.3s.

Rana maintained his edge over compatriot Sharvan Kumar, who exited in fourth place with 198.6.

Vladimir Svechnikov of Uzbekistan clinched gold with 242.0, while Kazakhstan’s Valeriy Rakhimzhan took silver with 241.0.

In qualification, Rana (581), Sharvan (578) and world No. 2 Varun Tomar (573) combined for 1732, earning silver for India in the men’s team event.

Organised by the Asian Shooting Confederation, the New Delhi championship features rifle and pistol competitions and runs until February 13, with 311 shooters from 20 countries in action.

Indian women’s hockey team chief coach Sjoerd Marijne has outlined fitness and team cohesion as his immediate priorities as the side builds towards the Asian Games 2026 and the larger Los Angeles 2028 Olympic cycle.

Marijne, who returned to the women’s programme in December 2025 after a four-year break, said the initial focus is on raising fitness levels while ensuring the squad functions as a united group before shifting attention to technical aspects.

“Our first priority right now is fitness, which is a very important aspect for us. Alongside that, the focus is on coming together and functioning as a strong unit,” Marijne told SAI. “From there on, we can work on all the other things like techniques.”

The Indian women’s team is preparing for a packed international calendar, including the FIH Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Hyderabad from March 8 to 14, the Asian Games 2026, and other key tournaments in the run-up to LA 2028.

Under Marijne’s guidance, India had registered a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and he wasted little time in taking charge of the ongoing national coaching camp at the Sports Authority of India’s regional centre in Bengaluru, which runs until February 18. The camp began with 49 players (43 seniors and six juniors) before being trimmed to 29 following selection trials conducted by Hockey India.

Reflecting on his initial weeks back with the squad, Marijne stressed the importance of understanding players at an individual level.

“We are still getting to know each other. While I am familiar with a few of the players from before, not everyone is known to me yet. It is important for us to work at an individual level and understand what is best for each player. We are receiving strong support from the strength and conditioning coaches, who are playing a key role in guiding this process,” the Dutchman explained.

He reiterated that physical readiness remains the cornerstone of the current phase of preparation.

“Right now, the most important thing is managing the players’ bodies and overall fitness. The tactical framework is already clear, and that is not what will make the difference at this stage. We are working together towards a common goal, and that is precisely why I decided to return,” he said.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will launch India’s first cooperative-based ride-hailing platform, “Bharat Taxi,” here on Thursday.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, this launch will be a significant milestone in the government’s continued efforts to strengthen the cooperative sector and promote inclusive, citizen-centric mobility solutions.

During the programme, top six performing Sarathis will be honoured for their outstanding contributions to the cooperative-based mobility ecosystem. The minister will distribute share certificates to these Sarathis, further reinforcing the core principle of ‘Sarathi Hi Malik’.

Each honoured Sarathi will be provided with a personal accident insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh and a family health insurance cover of ₹5 lakh, reflecting Bharat Taxi’s commitment to driver welfare and long-term social security.

On this occasion, nine Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be exchanged with key public and private stakeholders to strengthen operational integration, digital empowerment, safety, and service delivery.

Bharat Taxi is India’s first cooperative-led ride-hailing platform registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, and was established on 6 June 2025. The platform operates on a zero-commission and surge-free pricing model, with direct distribution of profits to drivers, presenting an indigenous alternative to foreign investment-based aggregator platforms.

Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday took oath as the Chief Minister of Manipur, a day after being elected as the leader of the Manipur BJP legislative party. Singh was administered the oath of office and secrecy at the Lok Bhavan by Governor Ajay Bhalla. Nemcha Kipgen and Losii Dikho also took oath as the Deputy Chief Ministers of Manipur.

Yumnam Singh told the media after his swearing-in, “Manipur will play an important role in the Viksit Bharat 2047. Manipur consists of 36 communities, and we hope to bring a peaceful atmosphere in the state.”

Earlier in the day, Singh met the Governor and staked a claim to form the BJP-led NDA government in the state.

Singh was chosen to become the next chief minister of the northeastern state at a meeting of the Manipur BJP Legislative Party at the BJP headquarters in Delhi yesterday.

The oath ceremony took place after earlier in the day today, the President’s Rule was revoked in Manipur. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification to revoke President’s Rule in Manipur, effective immediately.

#WATCH | Imphal: BJP Manipur Legislature Party leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh takes oath as the Chief Minister of Manipur

Governor of Manipur Ajay Bhalla administers the oath at the Lok Bhavan. pic.twitter.com/Ri1Et4J0Oa

— ANI (@ANI) February 4, 2026

As per the ‘proclamation’ published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary), President Droupadi Murmu has revoked the Proclamation issued under Article 356(2) of the Constitution in relation to the state of Manipur. The earlier proclamation was issued on February 13, 2025.

The fresh proclamation, signed by the President on Wednesday (February 4, 2026), states that the President’s Rule in Manipur stands withdrawn.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of article 356 of the Constitution, I, Droupadi Murmu, President of India hereby revoke the Proclamation issued by me under the said article on the 13th day of February, 2025, in relation to the State of Manipur with effect from the 4th day of February, 2026,” reads the proclamation.

Manipur was placed under President’s Rule on February 13, 2025, after N Biren Singh resigned as the Chief Minister following months of intermittent violence in the northeastern state. The violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023, following ethnic tensions between the Kuki Zo and Meitei ethnic groups.

The Home Ministry has set up a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the ethnic violence in Manipur. The Commission has to submit its report “as soon as possible, but no later than May 20, 2026”.

The Madhya Pradesh BJP government has decided to provide free registration for residential plots allotted to families of oustees displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Project in the Narmada Valley.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav in Bhopal on Wednesday.

State government officials said that as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the registration fee and stamp duty will be reimbursed by the Narmada Valley Development Authority.

More than 25,600 families displaced by the project and residing in Alirajpur, Barwani, Khargone, and Dhar districts of Madhya Pradesh will benefit from the move. Some areas in these districts have been submerged due to the dam built in Gujarat.

Officials said that the decision will place an additional financial burden of Rs 600 crore on the state government.

The Cabinet also approved two irrigation projects in the Maihar and Katni districts at a total cost of Rs 620.65 crore. Under this, the Dhanwahi Micro Pressure Irrigation Project in Maihar and Katni districts has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 53.73 crore. This project will provide irrigation facilities to over 3,500 hectares and benefit 2,810 farmers from 9 villages in the two districts.

Similarly, the Barhi Micro Lift Irrigation Project in Katni district has been approved at a cost of Rs 566.92 crore. The project will benefit 11,500 farmers from 27 villages in the Barhi and Vijayraghavgarh tehsils of the district and provide irrigation facilities over 20,000 hectares, officials said.

The grand festival of Mahashivratri will be celebrated across the country on February 15. Considering the increasing crowds of devotees, the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust released the timings for the four-part aarti (ritual worship) of Baba Vishwanath on Wednesday.

Baba’s Mangala Aarti will begin at 2:15 AM with the start of the puja and will conclude at 3:15 AM. After this, the temple will open for devotees at 3:30 AM.

The midday Bhog Aarti will begin at 11:40 AM with the puja and will conclude at 12:20 PM.

Chief Executive Officer Vishwa Bhushan Mishra said that devotees should pay special attention to these timings for easy darshan.

For the four-part aarti, in the first part, the conch shell will be blown at 9:30 PM, and preparations for the puja will begin. During this time, darshan of the deities will continue uninterrupted. The aarti will start at 10:00 PM and end at 12:30 AM.

In the second part, the aarti will start at 1:30 AM and end at 2:30 AM, and the darshan of the deities will continue. In the third part, the aarti will start at 3:30 AM and end at 4:30 AM, and devotees will continue to have darshan of Baba. In the fourth part, the aarti will start at 5:00 AM and end at 6:15 AM, and darshan of the deities will continue during this time.

Meanwhile, on the same day, a Shiv Barat is also taken out from various Shiva temples in the city. Devotees from all over the country come to witness the grand Shiv Barat that originates from the Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Temple. In the evening, the Shiv Barat procession starts from Maidagin, featuring various tableaux. During this time, a spectacular sight can be witnessed on the streets of Kashi.

With defeat in the upcoming assembly election a foregone conclusion for the BJP, poll-bound Tamil Nadu has been ignored in the Union Budget with no significant schemes or projects for the state, Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin said on Wednesday.

“For the last 11 years, they have been discriminating without any special project. Why so? Maybe, they know the election result in advance that they will, however, hand out defeat. Hence, they could have thought, why earmark financial allocation for them? That is the truth. True, for it is we who are going to win,” Stalin said, addressing the conclusion of the 10,000th camp of ‘Ungaludan Stalin’ (Stalin with You), bringing government services to the doorsteps, at Tindivanam in Villupuram district.

“It used to be a clever strategy of the BJP to earmark more than the usual financial allocation for states going to polls. Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha received financial allocation only thus. The BJP’s hatred for Tamil and Tamil Nadu runs so deep that, though the state is awaiting elections, the saffron party is not even prepared to do the usual stunt performed in other states,” he charged.

The BJP and the principal opposition, AIADMK, are part of the NDA in Tamil Nadu along with minor parties like the AMMK of TTV Dhinakaran and the Tamil Maanila Congress of GK Vasan.

Charging the saffron party and its allies with placing all kinds of obstacles all the time to block the development of the state, he cited the Union budget as a recent example of that. “There is nothing in the Budget for Tamil Nadu. Till now, they used to cite a couplet from Thirukkural (composed by the Sangam era sage poet Thiruvalluvar), and now, even that has been dispensed with. There is not even a single development project for Tamil Nadu, even for namesake. Our persistent demands have been completely ignored,” Stalin said.

Maintaining that Tamil Nadu is the second largest economy in the country and the most urbanised with more industries, providing tax revenue liberally, he said that despite such a state badly requiring new highways, railway lines, metro rail, and other infrastructure, the Union Government returns only peanuts in return.

Lok Sabha was Wednesday adjourned till tomorrow (Thursday) amid ruckus and heavy sloganeering by Opposition MPs over Tuesday’s suspension of eight Congress MPs, who were protesting against the Speaker’s decision not to allow Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi to make a reference to General MM Narvane’s unpublished book.

The House was adjourned shortly after it resumed at 5 PM. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to address the lower house during the debate on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address but the adjournment derailed the day’s legislative business. The proceedings will now resume at 11 am on Thursday.

After the adjournment, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took a dig at Modi, saying the PM didn’t arrive at the House as he got scared.

“He (PM Modi) got scared and that’s why he did not arrive at the House…Union Railway Minister and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey ran away like a bullet train…,” she quipped.

Rahul Gandhi echoed her and said that the PM doesn’t want to face the truth. “As I said, PM Modi will not come to Parliament because he is scared and does not want to face the truth,” he posted on X.

Senior Congress leader KC Venugopal also slammed the government after the adjournment. “You ask the PM, why he is not coming. Is this a Parliament or any other centre? The govt is trying to make it a mockery. We are not going to allow all this.”

The confrontation between the government and the Opposition began on Monday when BJP MP Tejashwi Surya, while participating in the debate on motion of thanks to the President’s Address, allegedly questioned the patriotism of the Congress party.

When Rahul Gandhi began to speak, he referred to Surya’s speech and sought to “expose” the government, claiming the leadership could not act decisively during the 2020 India-China border conflict in Ladakh.

Rahul Gandhi’s ‘traitor’ remark for MoS Bittu triggers row; Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri calls it ‘a slur on Sikhs’

Rahul, citing a magazine article on former Army Chief General MM Narvane’s unpublished memoir, claimed that Chinese tanks entered the Indian territory, prompting a strong protest from the Treasury benches.

Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, and Kiren Rijiju objected to Rahul citing an unpublished book. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also asked Rahul not to cite unauthenticated material.

The standoff continued on Tuesday as well as Rahul was adamant on citing Narvane’s unpublished book. As the situation escalated, some MPs allegedly tore papers and threw the pieces towards the Chair, prompting the Speaker to suspend eight Congress MPs for the remaining the Budget Session.

As the proceedings resumed today, the Opposition MPs continued to raise slogans against the suspension of MPs.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, while speaking in the House, levelled serious allegations against former PMs Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. He referred to certain books on Nehru-Gandhi family, prompting massive protests from the Opposition MPs.

The Congress MPs also went to the Speaker’s chamber and argued with the BJP MPs, including Rijiju and Dubey, who were also present there.

Outside the House, the Opposition MPs also staged a protest and raised slogans such as “PM is Compromised” and “LoP ko bolne do” (Let the LoP speak).

Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, accused the Centre of avoiding scrutiny on national security, after he was repeatedly stopped from speaking in Parliament while citing former Army Chief General MM Narvane’s “memoir”.

He also brought a copy of Narvane’s book and said he would present it to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming it exposes how political leadership left the army to act alone during the 2020 China border crisis.

Amid the Parliament standoff with the government, the opposition parties have been called a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss strategy for the remaining Budget session. The meeting will be held at 10 AM in Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge’s room in the Parliament building.

Alleging that the recent trade deal between India and the USA would seriously harm the welfare and income of Indian farmers, Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Wednesday stated that the Congress party would aggressively take to the streets if the farmers across the country were betrayed in any way.

Addressing media persons in Bhopal, Patwari reasoned that if cheap agricultural products from the US entered India at zero per cent tax, the incomes of Indian farmers would be completely devastated.

“The Congress party will take to the streets and launch a decisive agitation against any betrayal of farmers,” the MP Congress Chief cautioned.

Speaking about Madhya Pradesh, Patwari alleged that the state was facing a “serious financial crisis” due to rising debt and demanded that the government issue a white paper forthwith on its economic condition.

“Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has surpassed all his predecessors, including Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in taking loans,” Patwari charged.

The Congress leader claimed that the state government had taken loans amounting to Rs 1.78 lakh crore so far in the current financial year and that, including the recently raised Rs 5,200 crore, the state’s debt was increasing by around Rs 213 crore a day.

The BJP has been in power in MP since 2003, barring a brief 15-month period from December 2018 to March 2020 when Congress ruled the state.

Patwari also alleged that the state government was trying to repay loans by selling state assets. He claimed that 101 assets had so far been sold for just Rs 1,100 crore and that preparations were underway to hurriedly sell more assets.

“All this is a result of corruption and plunder,” he alleged.

Patwari also demanded that all ministers facing serious allegations should be removed from Chief Minister Yadav’s council of ministers.

In this context, he named State Health Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, and Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah.

Patwari said that while Shukla was responsible for the 27 deaths of kids due to the coldrif cough syrup, Vijayvargiya was responsible for deaths due to contaminated water in Indore. Patwari added that Shah is also accused of making a controversial remark against Army officer Colonel Sofia Quereshi.

Patwari said that while Shukla was responsible for the deaths of 27 children due to the coldrif cough syrup, Vijayvargiya was responsible for deaths due to contaminated water in Indore. Patwari added that Shah is also accused of making a controversial remark against Army officer Colonel Sofia Quereshi.

He said, “I urge Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to uphold the dignity of the office, act against corruption, and answer to the people of the state.”

Uttar Pradesh Tourism will play a pivotal role in driving the state’s journey towards becoming a $1 trillion economy, with clearly defined short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcome targets leading up to 2047, said Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh here on Wednesday.

Chairing a high-level review meeting held in line with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision of a $1 trillion economy for Uttar Pradesh, the Minister said tourism is being positioned as a strong growth engine through focused infrastructure expansion, investment facilitation, and quality enhancement of tourism services. The meeting was also attended by the Chief Minister’s Advisor Avanish Kumar Awasthi.

“Tourism has the capacity to significantly strengthen Uttar Pradesh’s economic base. With a structured roadmap in place, we are working to enhance tourism’s contribution to the State GVA from the current 1.2 percent to 5 percent by 2047, while increasing Uttar Pradesh’s share in India’s tourism GVA to 16 percent,” said Jaiveer Singh.

He added that tourism will be a major contributor towards achieving the $1 trillion economy target, particularly through job creation, private investment, and infrastructure-led growth.

During the meeting, a presentation detailing the outcome framework for tourism, outlining key performance indicators across infrastructure, employment, investment, and service quality, was made. The roadmap also focused on improving accommodation capacity, increasing average tourist spend, strengthening air connectivity, expanding premium hotel inventory and enhancing overall tourism competitiveness.

Emphasising employment generation, the Minister said the share of tourism-related employment in total employment is targeted to rise from the current 1.43 percent to 5 percent by 2047. Concrete targets have also been set to improve the average length of stay of foreign tourists, boost air passenger traffic, and expand premium hotel capacity across the State.

Under the Tourism Policy 2022, special focus is being laid on strengthening infrastructure at major religious and cultural destinations such as Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura, along with emerging and heritage sites including Naimisharanya and other historically significant locations. Directions have been issued to ensure world class facilities, improved connectivity, quality accommodation including five star hotels and homestays, and a clean and safe tourism environment.

“Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, tourism is being developed as a sustainable and inclusive growth engine. Continuous efforts are being made to expand infrastructure, attract investment and upgrade tourism facilities to global standards so that tourism can drive economic growth and employment generation across the State,” the Minister said.

The meeting was attended by Chief Minister’s Advisor Avnish Kumar Awasthi, Additional Chief Secretary Tourism, Culture and Religious Affairs Amrit Abhijat, Director General Tourism Dr Vedpati Mishra, Special Secretary Eesha Priya, MD UPSTDC Ashish Kumar, and other senior departmental officials.

Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), alleging a systematic weakening of parliamentary democracy, social justice, and the country’s constitutional framework.

Speaking during the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s Address in the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, Kharge said the address lacked any meaningful focus on the poor, women, minorities, and marginalised sections of society.

Declaring that “parliamentary democracy is under attack,” Kharge demanded the immediate implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of treating women merely as a vote bank while denying them leadership roles.

He referred to the rising number of atrocities against women and criticised the rollback of social justice schemes for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, citing reduced budgetary allocations and underutilisation of funds.

Criticising the President’s Address as a reflection of the government’s priorities rather than ground realities, Kharge said it failed to mention the plight of the poor and minorities.

He expressed anguish over the silence on attacks against minorities and accused the BJP of making anti-minority rhetoric a prerequisite for leadership. He also questioned the Prime Minister’s silence on attacks against churches, despite visiting them during election campaigns.

Kharge condemned what he termed the government’s “bulldozer politics,” calling it a serious threat to democracy. He warned against political targeting and communal polarisation by certain BJP leaders.

He also lamented the erosion of parliamentary debate and scrutiny, accusing ministers of evading questions and pushing through important legislation without adequate discussion.

Targeting Governors in opposition-ruled states, Kharge alleged that they were acting as agents of the Centre and violating constitutional norms by undermining elected state governments.

He raised concerns over law and order, citing large narcotics seizures at Gujarat ports and questioned the Prime Minister’s effectiveness in curbing the menace.

The Congress chief criticised the Prime Minister’s delayed visit to violence-hit Manipur and flagged the stalled caste census process. Warning against excessive glorification of a single leader, he accused the government of dismantling the constitutional values of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity, and cautioned that the Constitution itself was under threat.

In a separate intervention, Kharge questioned the timing and contents of the proposed India–US trade deal, seeking clarity on tariff claims and safeguards for Indian farmers. Despite protests from the treasury benches, he maintained that his critique was rooted in constitutional principles and supported by facts and data.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the Department of Culture is mandated with the revival, restoration and conservation of Jammu and Kashmir’s valuable heritage sites, and several initiatives have been undertaken in this regard at key locations, including Parihaspora, Pattan and Tappar in Kashmir.

The Chief Minister was replying to a question in the Legislative Assembly, raised by MLA Javid Riyaz Bedar, regarding the promotion of Heritage Tourism.

In his reply, the Chief Minister, who also holds the portfolio of the Culture and Tourism departments, informed the House that the mandate for promotion of Heritage Tourism at the heritage sites of Parihaspora, Pattan and Tappar vests with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Accordingly, the conservation, protection and major developmental interventions at these sites are being undertaken by the ASI.

However, he said that with a view to facilitating tourists, the J&K Tourism Department has constructed a tourist cafeteria at Parihaspora to provide basic amenities to visitors. He added that the facility will be further renovated and upgraded to enhance service delivery.

Providing details of the initiatives taken by the Culture Department, the Chief Minister said that Goverdhan, Parihaspora, is a State Protected Monument declared vide SRO-408 dated 19 September 2013. Protection measures, including the installation of chain-link fencing around the monument, have been completed during FY 2024–25 under the Capex Budget at an estimated cost of Rs. 39.89 lakh.

Similarly, he informed the House that Divar Yakhmanpora, Parihaspora, is a State Protected Monument declared vide SRO-337 dated 31 August 1989. The site comprises an ancient temple complex currently under excavation.
The excavation work was initiated during FY 2023–24 under Phase-I of the Scheme for Revival, Restoration, Preservation and Maintenance of Architecture and Heritage in J&K, with an estimated cost of Rs 373.10 lakh.

About 60 per cent of the excavation work has been completed. As the process involves manual excavation, the work is likely to continue into the next financial year. The site is being actively looked after by the Department.

The Chief Minister further stated that in Pattan, a heritage site comprising a temple & spring near Sukh Nag has been declared State Protected Monument vide SRO-517 dated 29 August 2019. Restoration and development works at the Sukh Nag Spring and Temple have been undertaken during FY 2024–25 under the same scheme at an estimated cost of Rs. 229.92 lakh.

He added that the site has been completely restored and is being maintained by the Department.

Regarding Tappar, the Chief Minister said that the Tappar Heritage Site is a Centrally Protected Monument under the administrative control of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and accordingly, no initiative has been taken by the Department at this site.

Acharyakulam, the unique residential school founded by Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, recently celebrated sacred event marking diksha (initiation) of its Class 12 students for the academic year 2025-26.

This auspicious ceremony rooted in Vedic traditions reflected both spiritual discipline and the cultivation of positive values among students.

Vedic ceremony and yagna illuminate the campus

The celebration featured a special 12-kund (fire) yagna, conducted under the guidance of Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna. A total of 90 students (49 boys and 41 girls) participated in the initiation which followed ancient Vedic rituals designed to instill dedication, discipline, and devotion.

During the rituals, Ramdev explained each step in simple terms ensuring the students understood the spiritual significance behind the mantras and ceremonial practices. Each student lit their personal lamp from the ‘Mahajnan Jyoti’ ignited by the revered leaders.

Oath of discipline and spiritual growth

At this occasion, the students pledged to uphold the principles of yoga and yajna. They vowed to carrying forward the values and teachings imparted at Acharyakulam into all aspects of life.

Also Read: Nine-day yoga olympiad training at Patanjali Centre focuses on wellness, naturopathy, and spiritual growth

The ceremony highlighted how spiritual learning goes hand-in-hand with character development and the cultivation of positive energy in daily life.

School leadership and guests celebrate

Ritambhara Shastri ‘Bahan’, Vice-Chairperson of Acharyakulam, and Principal Swati Munshi extended warm wishes to students for their upcoming board examinations.

The event also witnessed the presence of several prominent dignitaries. This included NP Singh, Executive President, Indian Education Board; Jaydeep Arya, Chairman, Haryana Yoga Commission; Rakesh Mittal, Chief Central Officer, Bharat Swabhiman; senior monks, revered nuns, and representatives from Patanjali Project & Infra, Patanjali Ayurved Mahavidyalaya, and Patanjali Career Academy; Acharyakulam faculty, coordinators, and students.

The diksha ceremony at Acharyakulam was celebration of dedication, discipline, spiritual awakening.

Desperate to counter the ruling DMK’s alliance arithmetic and its pre-election splurge of developmental programmes across the districts and enhancing welfare schemes, the opposition AIADMK is on a freebie spree of poll promises which includes complete waiver of education loans, among other things.

Announcing the second tranche of the election manifesto in Chennai, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) said, “The AIADMK, if voted to power, will waive education loans taken from banks with the government assuming the burden.” This was to protect and relieve families from mounting financial pressure, he explained, adding, “Education must empower, not enslave our youth in debt. Our students deserve opportunity, not lifelong financial anxiety.”

Another key announcement is the enhanced Social Security Pension (SSP) of Rs 2,000 for six categories of persons. It is Rs 800 more than the existing SSP. The beneficiaries are: senior citizens, destitute widows, unmarried poor women, deserted women, differently-abled persons, and transgender individuals. Justifying this, EPS said, “No elderly person in Tamil Nadu should struggle for survival. No widow or differently-abled individual should be forced to live in indignity. We will restore respect through real financial support.”

As a direct livelihood support, the party announced that ration card holders will be provided with three LPG cylinders free of cost every year. “Rising costs have crushed household budgets. We will ensure that essential needs like cooking gas do not become a luxury,” he explained.

Recognising ‘Jallikattu’, the ancient bull taming sport, not only as the proud traditional sport of the Tamils but as an identity of the Tamils, the AIADMK has announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for bull tamers who lose their life in the event and Rs 2 lakh medical assistance for those seriously injured. Further, a Rs 5 lakh government subsidy will be extended to hold authorised Jallikattu events, and the earlier manual procedure will be restored by cancelling the present online system.

In an attempt at minority outreach and to offset the image of being in tandem with the BJP, the AIADMK has promised to provide interest-free loans to women from the Muslim and Christian minority communities, as well as differently-abled women, to become entrepreneurs through self-employment. Additionally, the party would waive loans availed by these women from Co-operative Banks. “Welfare with dignity and security with responsibility,” is the new slogan EPS has coined.

In the first phase of its poll promises, the AIADMK has announced Rs 2,000 for women household heads, compared to Rs 1,000 under the present Stalin government. It has also promised a Rs 25,000 subsidy for women purchasing two-wheelers, free bus travel for men in city buses, and free concrete houses for all homeless in rural areas, along with apartments for the homeless in urban areas.

Australia’s two-time World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting has backed Abhishek Sharma to play a decisive role at the upcoming T20 World Cup, tipping the India opener to finish as the tournament’s leading run-scorer and even emerge as Player of the Tournament.

Ponting, who coached Abhishek during his early IPL days at Delhi Capitals, revealed that he had strongly urged the franchise to retain the left-hander back in 2018, convinced of his long-term potential.

“I was his first IPL coach,” Ponting said in the ICC Review. “He debuted with me, I think as a 17-year-old at Delhi and made an immediate impact. I think he hit his first ball for four or six straight back over the bowler’s head with that classical sort of straight bat and held the pose. And you could just see then as a 17-year-old that there was something extra special.”

Ponting recalled his frustration when the franchise decided to trade Abhishek, insisting he had foreseen the rise of a future star.

“We ended up trading him away from Delhi, but I pleaded and pleaded and pleaded and said, please don’t do this. We’ve got to [keep him], there’s an absolute superstar in the making here. And that’s what it’s turned out to be. I’ve got really high hopes for him this time.”

Abhishek announced himself with a blistering 19-ball 46 not out on IPL debut for Delhi but featured in only two more innings before being traded to Sunrisers Hyderabad as part of a deal that brought Shikhar Dhawan to the Capitals.

Since joining Sunrisers in 2019, he has steadily fulfilled his promise, amassing 1,753 runs in 71 innings at a strike rate of 162.16.

The explosive left-hander has elevated his game further on the international stage and is set to feature in his first ICC tournament, something Ponting believes will not faze him.

“(It’s) a real positive to be honest. He can be the leading run-scorer and potentially the Player of the Tournament. That’s how good I think he is. And if he does, that makes India even harder to beat. If he doesn’t, then they’re as vulnerable as anybody else. So that’s how important I think he is to this World Cup for India.”

Abhishek’s numbers since making his T20I debut in July 2024 underline Ponting’s confidence. In 37 innings, he has piled up 1,297 runs at an average of 37.05 and a staggering strike rate of 194.74, including two centuries and eight half-centuries.

Among those is a 14-ball fifty against New Zealand earlier this month, the second-fastest half-century by an Indian in T20 internationals.

India, the defending champions, open their World Cup campaign against the USA in Mumbai on February 7, with Abhishek Sharma expected to be central to their title defence.