The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), which are both headquartered in Mumbai, officially announced here on Monday that they will remain closed on Thursday, January 15, 2026, when the municipal corporation elections will be held.

The Maharashtra government too has declared January 15 a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act to facilitate the conduct of local body elections across 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban districts governed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

The notification was issued under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, using powers delegated to the state government by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1968.

Elections to the BMC, which is one of India’s most cash-rich and politically influential civic bodies, besides 28 other municipal corporations in the state of Maharashtra, are scheduled for Thursday, January 15, with vote counting planned for January 16.

The BSE stated in a circular that on January 15, “trading in the equity segment, equity derivatives, commodity derivatives, and electronic gold receipts will remain closed”.

“Equity Derivatives Contracts scheduled to expire on January 15, 2026, shall be preponed to January 14, 2026. The aforesaid changes will be part of today’s end-of-day contract master files,” BSE said in a circular issued here on Monday.

The NSE also declared January 15 as a “trading holiday in the capital market segment as well as futures and options (F&O)”.

“In partial modification to Exchange circular reference number NSE/CMTR/71775, the NSE hereby notifies Thursday, January 15, 2026, as a trading holiday in the Capital Market (CM) Segment on account of the Municipal Corporation Election in Maharashtra,” the NSE said.

Earlier, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) had announced that while markets will remain open on January 15, 2026, it will observe a “settlement holiday” in view of municipal elections in Maharashtra. Settlement holidays are typically declared during elections or major public events when banking and clearing operations are affected. Since January 15 is a public holiday in Maharashtra, banks will remain closed on that date.

On a settlement holiday, the stock market remains open for equity trading, but the crucial process of clearing and settling trades, which is transferring shares and funds between buyers and sellers ceases, usually because banks or depositories are closed. The delivery of shares to the demat account or the credit of funds to the bank account is delayed until the next business day.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will present the Jammu and Kashmir Budget for 2026-27 in the Assembly on 6 February.

The calendar for the budget session was released on Monday by the Speaker, Abdul Rahim Rather. The session begins here on 2 February with the address of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha.

The session that ends on 4 April will have 23 sittings. Four days at the fag end of the session have been fixed for private members’ bills.
Two days have been fixed for government business.

Samajwadi Party (SP) National President Akhilesh Yadav held a meeting with leaders and workers from across the state at the Samajwadi Party state headquarters on Monday, giving the message to the organization to switch to election mode.

He said all party members should work diligently at the booth level during the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and ensure that no eligible voter is left out of the voter list.

Akhilesh Yadav said new voters are being added in the state, and therefore, it is the party’s primary responsibility to ensure that the names of eligible voters, who have been left out, are included. He appealed to the leaders and workers to constantly monitor the voter list and get new voters’ names added to the list by filling out Form-6. He said that any kind of negligence in the electoral process can cause harm in the future, therefore, vigilance is necessary at every booth.

On the occasion, the SP chief launched a scathing attack on the BJP government, saying the foundation of BJP’s politics is dishonesty, corruption, and misleading the public. He said that the saffron party is not giving up its old habits and is not missing any opportunity to mislead the people. He claimed that the BJP government in UP has failed on every front. The law and order situation in the state is in shambles, the condition of health and education is continuously deteriorating, and UP is on top in cases of crimes against women and cybercrime.

Akhilesh Yadav said that farmers are not getting fertilizers and seeds, and the youth are wandering around looking for jobs and employment. He alleged that corruption and looting are at peak under the BJP rule, but the public now knows the truth.

He said that the people of the state have increased their trust in the Samajwadi Party, and a change is certain in 2027. The leaders and workers present at the meeting unanimously resolved to form a Samajwadi government in the state in 2027.

The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Monday announced an extensive 100-day action programme, signalling an aggressive political push ahead of the upcoming electoral cycle.

The programme was unveiled at a press conference at the Pradesh Congress Headquarters by Leader of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Legislature Party, Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’, who said the party was ready to take on the BJP government over issues of democracy, constitutional values and people’s rights.

Addressing the media, Mishra said the Congress would spend the next 100 days mobilising public opinion against what she described as the BJP’s attempts to undermine democratic institutions.

She alleged that the ruling party was working to weaken the legal framework of MGNREGA, manipulate the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists to delete genuine voters, and erode constitutional safeguards. The Congress, she asserted, would resist these moves through sustained mass engagement across the state.

A key component of the programme will be the organisation of more than 30 “Constitution Samvad Mahapanchayats” across Uttar Pradesh. These large public interactions, inspired by the nationwide campaign led by former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, aim to highlight the alleged failures of the Yogi Adityanath government and mobilise citizens in defence of the Constitution.

The campaign will begin in Sitapur on January 24, 2026, and will subsequently cover major cities and districts, including Lucknow, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Saharanpur and Pratapgarh.

The Congress also announced a statewide “Save MGNREGA” movement to protect the employment guarantee scheme, which was enacted during the UPA-I government in 2006.

Mishra said MGNREGA had played a crucial role in providing dignity, employment security and economic support to rural India, particularly during periods of economic slowdown and the Covid-19 pandemic. The party reiterated its demand to restore the scheme’s legal strength and fix the minimum daily wage for MGNREGA workers at Rs 400.

On the issue of the SIR exercise, Mishra said the Congress had constituted monitoring committees comprising MPs, former MPs, MLAs and former MLAs to ensure that no eligible voter was disenfranchised.

Booth-level coordinators have already been deployed, and efforts will be made to include left-out voters through Form-6 within a month. She added that the party had strengthened its organisational base by constituting around 9,000 mandals and appointing nearly 1.5 lakh booth presidents over the past nine months.

The Congress also reiterated that it would contest the 2026 Panchayat elections independently and with full strength. In addition, preparations are underway for the November 2026 Legislative Council elections, where the party will contest all 11 graduate and teacher constituency seats. According to party leaders, nearly 80,000 graduate voters and 32,000 teacher voters have already been enrolled.

After the completion of the Constitution Samvad programmes, the Congress will organise a massive rally at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in Lucknow. The party will also observe the 140th year of its formation through year-long programmes across major cities and divisional headquarters until December 2026.

The press conference concluded with the celebration of AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s birthday. Aradhana Mishra ‘Mona’ cut a cake and conveyed her wishes for Priyanka Gandhi’s long life and good health, while party leaders and workers marked the occasion by distributing sweets and reaffirming their commitment to the Congress leadership and ideology.

With the country witnessing the highest-ever coal production in the year 2024-25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said coal will continue to contribute to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) shared an article written by Union Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy in an English daily, on its social media platform X.

Earlier in a post on X, Reddy said, “As we step into 2026, an insight into India’s coal sector reveals a fascinating story of how this “black gold” has powered the nation’s growth across decades. Even more compelling is its transformation over the last decade under the visionary leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji, the sector boarded the reform express, becoming transparent, technology-driven, and future-ready, a critical pillar in the journey towards #ViksitBharat. I share my reflections in my article – Coal Powers India’s Reform Express.”

Responding to a post by Reddy on X, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), in a post on X, said, “In this must-read article, Union Minister Shri @kishanreddybjp
reflects on how, over the last 11 years, India’s coal sector has been reinventing itself as a next-generation fuel.

The Minister underscores that coal will continue to contribute to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047, integrating seamlessly with green technologies.”

According to an official statement on Monday, the all-India coal production in the year 2024-25 stood at 1,047.523 million tonnes, in comparison to 997.826 MT in the year 2023-24 with a growth of about 4.98 per cent.

The coal supply has also increased from 973.01 million tonnes in FY 2023-24 to 1025.33 MT in FY 2024-25 with a growth of about 5.38 per cent.

The country has witnessed a big leap in overall coal production — from 565.77 million tonnes in FY 2013-14 to 1047.52 MT in FY 2024-25.

Moreover, during 2025 (January-December), the country produced about 1,042.90 MT (provisional) of coal as compared to about 1,039.62 MT (provisional) coal during the same period of last year with a growth of about 0.23 per cent.

“In 2025, the country supplied about 1,016.14 MT (provisional) of coal as compared to about 1,013.59 MT (provisional) coal during the same period of last year with a growth of about 0.25 per cent. There has been abundant and uninterrupted coal supply to the consumers as per their requirement in this period and there have no reports of coal shortages in the country,” the statement said.

Coal is the mainstay of energy, contributing more than 55 per cent to India’s primary commercial energy.

In total power generation, coal-fired power generation accounts for about 72 per cent, and coal will remain an indispensable pillar of India’s energy security.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) officially announced a decline in its profit after tax (PAT) for the third quarter of the financial year (Q3 FY26), on Monday, though its revenue rose by 5%.

The company has attributed its Q3 FY26 PAT decline to a one-time charge related to the labour code and legal claims, along with restructuring expenses in a statement.

TCS posted a 13.9% (calculated as 14%) year-on-year (YoY) decline in its consolidated net profit to Rs 10,657 crore as compared to Rs 12,380 crore for the same period last year. On a sequential basis, PAT was lower by 11.7% from Rs 12,075 crore posted in the previous September quarter of FY26.

The decline in Q3 FY26 PAT was despite a marginal growth of almost 5% YoY in the company’s topline during the period under review to Rs 67,087 crore from Rs 63,973 crore in Q3FY25. On a sequential basis, TCS has seen a 2% rise, while in constant currency terms, its revenue growth stood at 0.8%.

The company’s bottom line was impacted after it provided for certain exceptional items during the quarter, including the provisions for a one-time charge related to the labour code besides legal claims, along with restructuring expenses.

TCS stated that the statutory impact of new labour codes of Rs 2,128 crore, comprised Rs 1,816 crore towards gratuity and Rs 312 crore towards long-term compensated absences, which primarily arose due to changes in the wage definition under the new labour code.

It also made a provision towards a legal claim of Rs 1,010 crore pertaining to a 2019 claim filed by an American company called Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) against TCS, in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, alleging “misappropriation of trade secrets as well as other confidential information” belonging to CSC.

However, the company’s net income stood at Rs 13,438 crore, a growth of 8.5% YoY with net margins rising to 20%, a growth of 60 basis points for the year and 40 basis points sequentially.

The total contract value (TCV) stood at US $9.3 billion, but missed estimates of US $11 billion which brokerages had pegged for Q3 FY26.

TCS announced a bumper payout of Rs 57 per share as a dividend, including a third interim dividend of Rs 11 and a special dividend of Rs 46. “The third interim dividend and the special dividend shall be paid on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, to the equity shareholders of the Company, whose names appear on the Register of Members of the Company or in the records of the Depositories as beneficial owners of the shares as on Saturday, January 17, 2026, which is the Record Date fixed for the purpose,” the TCS said.

The Congress party Monday accused BJP-ruled states of witnessing a surge in crimes and atrocities against Dalits, alleging that the perpetrators are being protected and patronized by the ruling governments. Uttar Pradesh has been cited as a glaring example.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, Congress SC Department chairman Rajendra Pal Gautam alleged that the Yogi Adityanath-led government in Uttar Pradesh is indifferent and discriminatory towards Dalits, backward classes, and minorities.

Gautam pointed to a recent incident in the Meerut district where a Dalit girl was abducted and her mother brutally killed when she tried to save her. He claimed that when he and his party colleagues tried to meet the affected family, they were stopped by the local administration and police. “The entire area was converted into a police cantonment to prevent us from meeting the victims’ family. Had the UP government shown this kind of resolve against criminals, there would not have been so many atrocities against Dalits in the state,” he said.

He alleged that the Yogi government’s crackdown on crime is selective and based on caste identity. “When the accused belongs to Dalit or minority communities, bulldozers are immediately rolled out. But when the culprits are from upper castes and the victims are Dalits or minorities, no such action is taken. Yogi’s bulldozers rust when the crime is against Dalits,” he remarked.

Gautam also accused the Union government of treating crimes against Dalits lightly, saying official data on atrocities has not been made public since 2022. “This lack of transparency itself shows the seriousness – or rather the lack of it – with which the issue is being handled,” he pointed out.

The Congress leader stressed that atrocities on Dalits can be curbed only through time-bound investigation, speedy trials, and strict punishment of the guilty. “Justice delayed is justice denied, especially for the most vulnerable sections of society,” he added.

Gautam criticized the Delhi Police for denying permission to hold a protest at Jantar Mantar against the Meerut incident, calling the restriction unreasonable and insensitive.

The Congress said it will continue to raise the issue on the streets and in Parliament, demanding accountability from BJP governments and concrete measures to ensure Dalit safety and dignity.

The Congress government has decided to form a judicial commission headed by a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge to reassess the district and mandal reorganisation done during the BRS regime. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy Monday announced that the commission will gather inputs from the people and make recommendations, followed by a detailed discussion in the state Legislative Assembly as well. Currently, the state has 33 districts following a reorganisation exercise undertaken by the then chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Speaking at the release of the new calendar and diary of the state’s gazetted officers, the Chief Minister said, “In the past, districts and mandals were divided according to their whims and fancies. The Telangana government will appoint a commission headed by a retired High Court or Supreme Court judge for district and mandal reorganisation.” He added that the government has received several representations about the reorganisation exercise of mandals, districts and revenue divisions done in the past. “Justice will not be done if we take decisions just on the basis of political considerations,” said Reddy.

He said that the commission will tour the state, seeking suggestions from the public, and submit its report within six months. Finally, there will be a discussion with all political parties in the Legislative Assembly during the Budget session. He also urged the people not to believe in any rumours about any district or mandal reorganisation. Reddy pointed out that they have already redrawn the boundaries of the police commissionerates in the greater Hyderabad region recently.

At the time of the formation of Telangana, there were ten districts along with Hyderabad. However, during the BRS regime, the number of districts was increased to 33. At present, there are 74 revenue divisions and 612 mandals in the state. However, according to Congress, the entire exercise was done unscientifically, without following any rationale and in some cases, the decisions were even made politically. Some mandals were divided under two constituencies, while some constituencies were spread over three districts, causing administrative complications at the ground level. However, the BRS is unhappy with the government’s decision to relook at the reorganisation of districts and mandals.

A national seminar on advancing farm-gate quality assessment of medicinal plants, organised by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) on 8-9 January at the IIT Delhi, brought national focus on India’s medicinal plant sector — assured quality, traceability, and standardisation of raw materials at the point of origin.

“Experts across the Ministry of Ayush institutions, including National Medicinal Plant Board (NMPB), have called for Artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies to monitor, verify, and document the quality and journey of medicinal plants right from the farm (the “farm-gate”) through the entire supply chain, in a two-day National Seminar on “Design and Development of Tools for Quality Assessment of Medicinal Plants at Farm Gates”,” the Ministry of Ayush said on Monday.

The seminar convened policymakers, scientists, technologists, industry leaders, and researchers to deliberate on strengthening farm-gate quality systems as a foundation for the sustainable growth and global competitiveness of India’s Ayush and medicinal plant ecosystem.

The seminar was inaugurated with keynote addresses by Prof. Dr. Mahesh Kumar Dadhich, Chief Executive Officer, NMPB, and Prof. Dr. Tanuja Nesari, Director, Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA).

Their addresses set the national policy and scientific context for quality-driven growth, emphasising the need to integrate innovation, regulation, and traditional knowledge to build global confidence in Indian medicinal plant raw materials.

Technical sessions on Day One examined the entire medicinal plant value chain—from sustainable cultivation and regenerative agriculture to AI-enabled quality assessment, digital traceability, and supply-chain integration.

Experts from ICAR–Directorate of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research (DMAPR), IIT Delhi, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Ayush , Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Himalaya Wellness, and Herbalscape Crops shared evidence-based insights and field experiences.

The discussions highlighted that India is both technically and institutionally prepared to adopt AI-based diagnostics, digital phenotyping, and integrated quality frameworks, reinforcing the credibility of Indian medicinal plant raw materials in domestic as well as international markets.

Day Two was dedicated to roadmap building through two structured expert brainstorming sessions on Integration of Artificial Intelligence in the Indian Medicinal Plant Industry, and use of Blockchain Technology for Supply-Chain Transparency and Traceability.

The sessions resulted in a strong consensus that digital tools at the farm gate—such as portable quality-testing devices, AI-enabled decision-support systems, and blockchain-based traceability platforms—are no longer optional but essential to ensure authenticity, safety, and global competitiveness of Indian herbal raw materials.

Denying that the BJP has been pressing for a share in power with three cabinet berths from the AIADMK, heading the NDA in Tamil Nadu, in the event of the alliance winning the assembly election, party state president Nainar Nagenthran on Monday made it clear that the party’s sole agenda was to remove the ruling DMK from power.

”Because the Congress raises the demand for power with the DMK, we need not follow suit. We are not pressing for a coalition government with the AIADMK,” he told the media in Madurai, countering reports that the saffron party has been insisting on this with the AIADMK, which has been delaying seat-sharing talks. He also denied that the BJP was demanding 56 seats for itself and some of its minor allies, like the Tamil Maanila Congress of former Union Minister GK Vasan. “It is all mere rumours,” he added.

While the AIADMK had finalised the seat-sharing agreement with the OBC Vanniyar- dominant PMK of the Anbumani faction, the number of seats allotted has been kept a secret. With the BJP formal parleys having only begun a couple of days before, when Nainar called on AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS). Both parties are yet to seal the deal. On which parties would be inducted into the NDA, he said, “It would be decided by EPS, Amit Shah, and Piyush Goyal, who is the BJP in-charge for Tamil Nadu.”

Since Madurai is one of the possible venues for the Prime Minister’s January 23 visit to the state, he was here to inspect the venue near Pandi Kovil on the outskirts of the temple city. Nainar was accompanied by BJP leaders and local AIADMK functionaries. “The public meeting would be the first major show of the NDA in which leaders of all the constituents will share the dais with the Prime Minister. It would be preceded by a massive roadshow,” he said.

With the BJP keeping the heat on the deepam issue alive, Nainar said if the Prime Minister visits Madurai, he might visit the ancient Murugan temple at Thiruparankundram, one of the famed six abodes of the quintessential Tamil deity. Being the highly popular god of the Tamils, the BJP has latched on to the deepam issue—lighting the Karthigai Deepam at the stone pillar, claimed to be a deepathoon, adjacent to the 14th Sikkandar Darga atop the Thiruparankundram hillock, which houses the Murugan temple at the foothills. While a Division Bench of the Madras High Court has upheld the order of a single judge directing lighting deepam at the stone pillar, the Tamil Nadu government had challenged it in the Supreme Court. The state contends that there was no evidence to prove that the stone pillar was a deepathoon and the long-standing tradition was to light deepam at the deepa mantapa near the Uchi Pillaiyar temple in the middle hillock, right above the sanctum sanctorum of the Murugan temple below.

Though the venue is yet to be decided, other places like Chennai and Trichy are also under consideration for the PM’s rally, Nainar said.

Rejecting the opposition criticism that the BJP is using the Censor Board to target actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president Vijay by delaying the issue of film certification, he said, “The BJP has nothing to do with it. The BJP has no rhyme or reason to target Vijay and deny censor certification for ‘Jana Nayagan’. Even for the movie ‘Parasakthi’, the CBFC had given the film certification only after its conditions were met,” he maintained.

Curtains were drawn on the 25th All India Major Port Cultural Meet 2025-26 at Paradip Port city after four days of vibrant and captivating cultural celebrations.

The event was successfully organised by Paradip Port Authority (PPA) in association with the Major Ports Sports Control Board.

The valedictory function was graced by P L Haranadh, Chairman, Paradip Port Authority, as the Chief Guest.

Addressing the gathering, Haranadh expressed his appreciation to all participants for their impressive performances and for delighting the residents of the port township throughout the four-day event. He extended his warmest commendations to the unprecedented number of lady artistes whose dedication and talent have set a new benchmark for excellence in this year’s program.

The cultural meet witnessed enthusiastic participation of around 200 artistes from 9 major ports across the country, who competed in various cultural disciplines. Team Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority emerged as the Overall Champion of the meet. Mumbai Port Authority secured the Runners-up position, while Deendayal Port Authority and Cochin Port Authority were adjudged jointly as Second Runners-up.

Artistes from Paradip Port Authority also delivered commendable performances, with Malati character by Swarnalata Tripathy being awarded Best Supporting Artiste (Female), while Paradip Port Authority teams won accolades in Drama (Manu) by Bikaram Parida, Light Music by Harshita Mohapatra, and Dance categories.

The programme was presided over by H S Rout, Chairman, PPA Cultural Organising Committee. A K Bose, Advisor, Traffic, PPA, Ashoka Kumar Sahu, Vice Chairman, Organising Committee, Dr D P Sethi, Secretary, and the Joint Secretary of the Organising Committee were also present on the occasion.

The successful conclusion of the 25th All India Major Port Cultural Meet once again showcased the rich cultural talents of port employees and reinforced the spirit of unity, cultural harmony, and mutual respect among the major ports of the country.

Prof. R.N.P. Choudhary, an eminent academic researcher and Emeritus Professor in the Physics Department of the Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), faculty of engineering and technology of SOA Deemed to be University, passed away here on Sunday after prolonged illness. He was 80.

Prof. Choudhary had earned his Ph. D. from the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, and served in senior academic roles such as Head of Department of Physics at IIT Kharagpur which reflected his experience in higher education leadership.

Prof. Choudhary’s research area comprised Applied Physics with focus on dielectric and ferroelectric materials. He had numerous research publications and citations to his credit and continuously figured in the list of world’s top 2 per cent researchers in the field of Applied Physics compiled by Stanford University in the USA.

He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

Prof. (Dr.) Manojranjan Nayak, Founder President of SOA, deeply condoled the passing away of Prof. Choudhary said it was a great loss to the academic world and the field of research. SOA Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda also mourned the demise of Prof. Choudhary described him as an excellent teacher and guide for researchers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday organised a state-level workshop at its state office in Ranchi on the Developed India Employment and Livelihood Guarantee Mission (Rural), focusing on the provisions of the proposed VB G Ram G Act, 2025.

The workshop was chaired by BJP Jharkhand president and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi. Union Minister for Power, Housing and Urban Affairs and former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar attended as the chief guest. Senior party leaders, district-level committee members and speakers from across the state were present.

The programme aimed to counter what the BJP described as misinformation being spread by the Congress and other opposition parties on the Act and to prepare party workers to communicate its provisions at the grassroots level.

Addressing the workshop and a press interaction, Manohar Lal Khattar said the VB G Ram G Act, 2025 seeks to make rural employment a vehicle for sustainable development in line with the vision of Developed India 2047. He said weak administrative systems, corruption and a demand-driven framework had gradually reduced the long-term impact of MGNREGA.

He said the earlier demand-based model often led to financial imbalance and the creation of unnecessary works, resulting in wastage of public funds and labour. Under the new Act, projects would be approved based on the actual needs of villages. Rural works would be planned through developed Gram Panchayat plans and consolidated at the block, district and state levels.

Khattar said the annual employment guarantee has been increased from 100 to 125 days, along with provisions for quicker wage payments and unemployment allowance if work is not provided. He added that projects would be categorised into four areas: water security and management, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure and climate-resilient works.

On anti-corruption measures, he said the Act provides for AI-based monitoring, GPS tracking, central and state-level steering committees, Panchayat-level oversight and weekly public disclosure of projects. States’ financial participation has been increased to a 60:40 ratio to strengthen accountability, he added.

Babulal Marandi said the Congress was uneasy with efforts to curb corruption and had moved away from Gandhian ideals, while asserting that the present government was pursuing development in line with those principles.

Executive BJP president and MP Aditya Sahu accused the Congress of opposing the Act for political reasons and urged party workers to take its message to the people. Regional organisation general secretary Nagendra Tripathi and state organisation general secretary Karmveer Singh also addressed the gathering.

The BJP announced that similar workshops would be organised in all districts of Jharkhand on January 15, 16 and 17.

Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and the men’s doubles combination of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy insist that the feeling of doing well at home is something special, and the India Open 2026 carries an extra significance this time, considering that the BWF World Badminton Championships will be held at the same venue in August.

The India Open 2026, a BWF World Tour Super 750 tournament, will be played from January 13-18, and is expected to serve as a dress rehearsal for the prestigious World Championships 2026, with badminton action moving to the much larger multi-purpose hall in the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex here, ensuring fans a significantly improved viewing experience.

Just like every year, this edition of the India Open has attracted the world’s best badminton players, including World Champion Shi Yu Qi of China, women’s world no. 1 An Se Young and BWF World Tour Finals champion Christo Popov. A total of 256 players from 20 countries will be in action over the next five days, with Chinese Taipei sending the biggest contingent of 36 shuttlers.

Speaking at the pre-event press conference, Sindhu said, “It’s always nice to play the Indian Open in Delhi every start of the year in January. I’m really happy to be playing at the home ground, what else you will be needing at the home ground, the fans are very supportive all the time as well the federation. I think we will put our efforts and give our 100 per cent and hope we get some good results here.”

Satwik and Chirag also had a word of praise for the fans who have been coming to the stadium to support the players and exuded confidence that, despite the bigger capacity of the stadium, fans would make it a full house every day.

“Happy to be here. The first time we played the India Open was back in 2017, and it’s only become bigger and bigger every year. We’ve won a lot of tournaments, but winning the India Open back in 2022 gave us a huge boost to perform for the year and I think likewise this time around, too, we would want to go as deep into the tournament as possible. I hope to see many fans come out and support us in huge numbers, to have the support in the stadium really pushes us to do better,” said Chirag.

Satwiksairaj concurred, “A very successful world championship was conducted in Guwahati. Every year, the event is only growing bigger, and this year we got a bigger stadium as well. In August, we have a bigger tournament, the world championship, at the same venue, and thanks for making it huge every year. Last year from the first round it was a full house, and this year also we are expecting a full crowd, and it’s happy to see the support is only getting more every year.”

The prestigious tournament, with a prize pool of USD 950,000, will provide players an opportunity to accumulate valuable ranking points at the start of the year to qualify for the BWF World Championships to be played at the same venue in August 2026, while also helping them get acclimatised to the playing conditions.

Patanjali Wellness organized a six-day training program for yoga instructors in yoga, naturopathy, and AYUSH disciplines.

The six-day Integrated Yoga, Naturopathy, and AYUSH-Based Training Program for yoga instructors working at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs under the State Homeopathy Department concluded successfully on Monday.

The training was organized by the Divya Yoga Mandir Trust in collaboration with the Patanjali Herbal Research Division and the Patanjali Research Foundation at Patanjali Wellness, Haridwar, from January 7 to 12, 2026.

The program aimed to strengthen integrated health services by enhancing the professional competence of yoga instructors. The training concluded with the divine blessings of Acharya Balkrishna and Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev.

Participants received training in subjects such as yoga, Ayurveda, naturopathy, diet therapy, pranayama, meditation, yoga psychology, and therapeutic yoga.

Experienced experts, including Dr. Ajit Rana, Dr. Vivek Chaurasia, Dr. Anoop Saini, Vaidya Pavanesh Maurya, Dr. Prashant Katiyar, Arjun Yogi, and Mayur Chauhan, conducted the training sessions.

On the final day, participants delivered hands-on demonstrations, presented case studies, underwent evaluations, and took part in a formal closing session.

Dr. Vikas Thakur, Nodal Officer (District Homeopathy Medical Officer), was present at the closing ceremony. He praised the quality, disciplined organization, and content of the training, describing it as extremely useful for the effective implementation of integrated health services at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. He also expressed interest in organizing similar collaborative training programs in the future.

Speakers stated that the training was an important initiative toward strengthening the National AYUSH Mission and promoting the concept of holistic health at the grassroots level, ensuring the expansion of quality and scientifically grounded yoga-based services in the community.

At the conclusion of the six-day training camp, trainees were awarded certificates and received blessings from Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav said on Monday that Indians have possessed a deep understanding of trade and business since ancient times as enterprise, entrepreneurship, innovation, and commerce are integral to Indian values and ethos.

He said Madhya Pradesh is a land of emerging opportunities and that youth drive the nation towards new thinking and new directions. “Their innovations form the foundation of development, and therefore, promoting innovation is a firm resolve of the state government,” he assured.

The CM expressed these views while addressing participants on the last day of the two-day ‘Madhya Pradesh Startup Summit 2026’, held at Ravindra Bhavan in Bhopal.

He said India has over six crore MSMEs, which contribute more than 30 per cent to the national GDP and account for nearly 45 per cent of the country’s total exports. He emphasised that startups have played an unparalleled role in strengthening the Indian economy, and today India has become the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem.

The CM said now that India has emerged as the fourth-largest economy in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with collective national efforts, it will soon become the third-largest global economy.

During the summit, financial incentives exceeding ₹2.5 crore were transferred to 156 startups, while loan assistance of more than ₹8.17 crore was disbursed to 21 startups under the Chief Minister Udyam Kranti Yojana through a single-click transfer. Chief Minister Dr. Yadav also felicitated the founders and incubators of successful startups.

Long-term MoUs were signed between the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), along with agreements involving the Central Bank of India, Karvy Startup Labs and Startup Middle East on the occasion. The chief minister also released a booklet highlighting successful startups established in Madhya Pradesh. He provided bank loans and investment assistance to the founders of four startups under the Chief Minister Udyam Kranti Yojana and the MP Startup Policy and Implementation Scheme–2025.

Dr. Yadav described the two-day summit as a remarkable initiative to encourage youth-led startups. He said India has achieved new milestones on the strength of talent and capability, with a significant contribution from bright young minds.

Recalling India’s scientific heritage, he referred to Dr. Jagadish Chandra Bose, who first demonstrated that plants possess life and conducted pioneering work through crescography. He said Dr. Bose demonstrated wireless wave transmission in Kolkata in 1895, but due to a lack of institutional support for his innovation, recognition went elsewhere.

The CM noted that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, startups and research across the country are now receiving unprecedented encouragement. A dedicated startup portal was launched from Indore in 2022, and innovation-friendly policies are being implemented in Madhya Pradesh. Today, over 2,200 startups are operating in Indore alone.

Dr Yadav appreciated the youth of Madhya Pradesh for driving innovation, and in response, the state government is encouraging innovation while addressing basic societal challenges.He expressed confidence that with the strength of youth, India will soon become the third, and eventually the number one global economy.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday clarified that the election-related notice issued to retired Admiral Arun Prakash was the result of incomplete documentation during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and not a targeted or discretionary action.

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for the 27-Cortalim Assembly Constituency issued a formal clarification following media reports on the notice sent to the former chief of Naval staff. The ERO attributed the incident to missing mandatory particulars in the enumeration form submitted by Admiral Prakash, which prevented automatic verification by the electoral system.

According to the clarification, the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for Part No. 43 had collected an enumeration form that lacked several essential details required for digital processing. As a result, the automated system could not verify the elector’s status or link the form with the existing electoral database.

The ERO said key information was left blank, including the name of the elector and their relative, the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number, and specific assembly details such as the constituency name, part number and serial number. “Because these fields were empty, the BLO application could not establish a link to the existing electoral database. The system categorized the Enumeration Form under the ‘unmapped’ category,” the statement explained.

Emphasising that the process was entirely system-driven, the ERO said the notice was issued as part of standard procedure applicable to all unmapped forms. “The BLO application is designed to map enumeration forms only when the prescribed particulars are provided to allow for digital verification,” the clarification said.

In cases where forms remain unmapped, the SIR guidelines mandate further verification through a hearing mechanism. The ERO noted that the hearing notice sent to Admiral Prakash was “automatically generated” by the system to provide the elector an opportunity to confirm eligibility and ensure that electoral details are accurately updated.

The clarification was issued from the office of the District Rural Development Agency, South Goa, and is dated January 12, 2026.