India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
New Delhi: Delhi govt has extended its existing excise policy for the remaining nine months of the 2025-26 financial year to regulate the liquor trade in the capital. Sources said a new policy, which the govt had decided to roll out from July 1, was still in the making.Officials said a meeting was held on Thursday, following which the excise department issued an order saying the competent authority had approved the continuation of the excise duty-based regime, which was in effect from the licensing year 2022-23 and continued in 2023-24, 2024-25 and the first three months of 2025-26. The current policy will be extended with effect from July 1 to March 31, 2026, stated the order.Officials said they issued an order for the issuance of wholesale licences on the terms and conditions of the existing policy and payment of a proportionate licence fee, and the order for retail licences would be issued soon. "The terms and conditions of all licences, which are renewable every year, are also continued for excise year 2025-26," the order stated. There will be no change in price structure, brand registration fee and profit margin, and the retail business will continue to remain with four govt corporations, officials added.A high-level committee headed by chief secretary Dharmendra has been entrusted with the responsibility of drafting the new policy by going through the policies of other states. The committee met last Friday and again on Monday. The govt aims to come up with a new policy that ensures the supply of quality liquor with transparency while generating revenue for it.The extended policy came into operation in Sept 2022 after the then AAP govt scrapped its reformative 2021-22 policy that ran into rough weather amid allegations of irregularities in its formulation and implementation. The old policy has since been extended for varying periods. It was meant to be a stopgap measure to prevent a regulatory vacuum due to the sudden scrapping of the 2021-22 policy.
Noida: Liquor revenue in the city jumped by 35% in the first quarter of 2025-26 compared to the same period last year. The city recorded Rs 625 crore in liquor revenue from April to June 2025, compared to Rs 462 crore during the same period in 2024-25.According to excise department data, the revenue in the first quarter of 2023-24 was Rs 430 crore, showing a 7% growth between 2023-24 and 2024-25 and a much larger jump this year.The sharp rise is attributed to the new liquor policy in the state, which made significant structural changes to the retail and licensing system.The month-wise revenue ...Read More >
Chhattisgarh's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) and Anti-Corruption Bureau have filed a fourth supplementary charge sheet against 29 people in a special court in Raipur in connection with the alleged illegal sale of unaccounted and duty-evaded liquor through state-run outlets. The liquor is alleged to have been sold under the protection and coordination of officials, including assistant district excise officers, deputy commissioners. In a statement on Monday, the EOW said that the fresh charge sheet was filed based on digital evidence, financial records, and over 200 witness statements gathered ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jul 1 (PTI) Punjab registered a record 44.44 per cent growth in net goods and services tax collections at Rs 2,379.90 crore in June 2025, said Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday. Addressing the media here, Cheema said Punjab outpaced the national average in GST collection growth, firmly positioning itself among the top-performing states in tax mobilization despite facing national and geopolitical challenges, including border-related tensions. Also Read | Who Is PVN Madhav? Here's Everything You Need To Know About the Newly Appointed Andhra Pradesh BJP President. The ...Read More >
Amritsar: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey from Jharkhand has claimed that Britain assisted India in executing the 1984 Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, stoking a new controversy.In a post on X on Monday, Dubey alleged that then PM Indira Gandhi "launched an attack on the Golden Temple in collaboration with Britain", with British Army officers present in Amritsar.He uploaded a classified British document, "Sikh Community", claiming that on Feb 23, 1984, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office mentioned in a letter that the Indian govt had sought British advice over a plan to remove Si ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 8 (ANI): A day after Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa highlighted the Delhi government's request to the Centre for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to delay the implementation of the policy regarding to end-of-life (EOL) vehicles in the national capital, the CAQM has stayed the policy till November 1. The meeting was held at CAQM's office at Tolstoy Marg earlier today. Also Read | PM Modi in Brasilia: PM Narendra Modi Receives Grand Welcome From Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at Alvorada Palace, Both Leaders To Hold Talks Next. According to a ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 27 (PTI) India's external debt increased by 10 per cent to USD 736.3 billion at the end of March 2025 compared to USD 668.8 billion in the year-ago period, the Reserve Bank said on Friday. As a percentage of the GDP, the external debt increased to 19.1 per cent at the end of the recently concluded financial year from 18.5 per cent a year ago, it added. In a year which saw some volatilities in the currency markets, the RBI said the "valuation effect" due to the appreciation of the US dollar against the rupee and other currencies amounted to USD 5.3 billion, while if one were to ex ...Read More >
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand State Election Commission (SEC), on June 21, issued a notification for the three-tier panchayat elections in 12 districts except Haridwar. Polls would be held in two phases, and the district election officers will issue notifications on June 30. The first phase will be conducted on July 24, followed by the second phase on July 28. The counting for all phases will be conducted by July 31. Earlier, the Uttarakhand High Court had stayed the panchayat elections in the state on June 23, at a time when it had already been notified by the SEC. Elections will be held in 89 ...Read More >
SRINAGAR: A defiant Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday scaled the gates of the Naqshband Sahib graveyard to pay tributes to the 22 people killed by the Dogra army on July 13, 1931. The dramatic scene unfolded a day after Abdullah and several leaders of the National Conference and opposition parties were put under house arrest to prevent them from going to the graveyard to mark Martyrs' Day. National Conference president Farooq Abdullah took an autorickshaw from the Khanyar crossing to the martyrs memorial while Minister for Education Sakina Ittoo surprised everyone by r ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 9 (PTI) Six states, including Punjab and Karnataka, sent teams to study the Uttar Pradesh's excise policy, which helped the state increase revenue every year, a state minister said on Wednesday. Speaking with PTI, Uttar Pradesh Excise and Prohibition Minister Nitin Agrawal said that teams from six states of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Punjab visited the state to study the excise policy. Asked about the policy features that were liked by the states, the minister said that the states came to study the UP's revenue model which increased the st ...Read More >
Ranchi, May 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Rs 100-crore liquor scam in Jharkhand appears to be linked with a similar racket in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, with central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) likely to expand their probe into the matter. On Tuesday, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Jharkhand arrested senior IAS officer and former Excise Secretary Vinay Chaubey and Joint Excise Commissioner Gajendra Singh in connection with the Jharkhand liquor scam. Both officers have already been named as accused in the Chhattisgarh liquor s ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
New Delhi: Was it the pitch? Was it the conditions? Was it the bowling? The questions doing the rounds after yet another strange show in good batting conditions by India were many. But with the exception of Shubman Gill, who became just the second Indian captain, after Mohammad Azharuddin, to score hundreds in consecutive matches in England, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, few India batters managed to answer them in a satisfactory manner. After being put into bat by England, India looked like they were in control at various points during the day but then somehow contrived to gift away wickets and end t ...Read More >
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the Enforcement Directorate's response on a plea by AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal challenging a sessions court order upholding the summons issued to him in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam in the capital. Justice Ravinder Dudeja issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the petition and asked it to file the counter affidavit within six weeks. At the outset, the ED's counsel raised a preliminary objection over th ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): The gross NPA ratio of public sector banks declined to 3.12 per cent in September 2024 from 4.97 per cent in March 2015 and a peak of 14.58 per cent in March 2018, the government stated on Thursday, reaffirming the robustness of the banking system. The government emphasised its proactive support for the banking ecosystem, addressing both business needs and employee welfare to ensure stability, transparency, and growth. Also Read | Places of Worship Act Validity: Supreme Court Restrains Courts in Country Not to Entertain, Pass Orders on Suits Related to R ...Read More >
MUMBAI : The annual information statement (AIS), introduced by the Income Tax Department to enhance transparency, is instead creating hassles for taxpayers by reporting incorrect incomes, according to chartered accountants. Introduced in 2021, the AIS gives a snapshot of financial transactions -- ranging from securities and mutual funds to property deals and fixed deposits -- during a fiscal year, sourced from multiple reporting entities such as banks, registrars, depositories, and sub-registrars. Available on the Income Tax e-Filing portal, the AIS complements the form 26AS by providing an ...Read More >
Pune: The restaurant and hoteliers' association in the city said continuous hike in taxes on bars and restaurants has made it difficult for them to operate, forcing many small establishments to consider shutting down their business.Three tax hikes in a year on bars and restaurants in the state have already led to an increase in black market sales or smuggling of liquor from other states, Pune Restaurant and Hoteliers Association (PRAHA) said.The association has given a state-wide dry day call on Monday to protest the govt's taxation policy. More than 4,000 permit rooms and bars in Pune and Pim ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] June 6 (ANI): AAP leader and former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain arrived at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) office on Friday in response to a summons issued over allegations of corruption in the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools. Earlier, Jain lashed out at the BJP government in Delhi, accusing them of 'playing the blame game' after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) summoned him. Jain claimed that the BJP government has failed to do anything in the past 3-4 months and alleged that the BJP has hiked school fees and summoned AAP leaders like himself and ...Read More >
Over 20,000 bars and permit rooms in Maharashtra will close on July 14 due to the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association's protest against the state government's increased taxes on liquor, including VAT and excise duty hikes. AHAR claims these tax increases are crippling the Rs 1.5 lakh-crore industry, leading to potential business closures, job losses, and increased liquor smuggling. Over 20,000 bars and permit rooms across Maharashtra will shut operations on July 14 to protest against the sta ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: India's two major private-sector refiners, which have long prioritised exports, are turning to local sales, grabbing share in the country's fast-growing $150 billion fuel retail market as weaker global demand squeezes profit margins offshore. Reliance Industries and Nayara Energy are stepping up sales at home as fuel demand growth slows in developed markets and China, the world's second biggest oil consumer, with the transition to electric vehicles. The lower demand offshore combined with supply competition from new refiners, such as Dangote in Nigeria, and rising exports from Chi ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) On her milestone 50th birthday, Shilpa Shetty took a heartfelt moment to reflect on her incredible journey and the defining stories that have shaped her both personally and professionally. Celebrating decades of success and growth, she shared insights into the experiences that made her the strong and inspiring woman she is today. Taking to Instagram, she posted a video of her transformation over the years and wrote, "Grateful for my journey and the stories that made me and the ones still on my way. Thank you for all your love and wishes Instafam. #Gratitude #lo ...Read More >
From Lucknow To Stars: 5 Lesser-Known Facts About Shubhanshu Shukla - 1st Indian On International Space Station CBSE Supplementary Exam Schedule 2025: The Central Board of Education (CBSE) has officially released the timetable of the Class 10th and Class 12th Supplementary Exams. Students who could not clear the class 10th or 12th exams (not more than two) or want to improve their scores can check their exam schedule through the official website, i.e. cbse.gov.in. The exams will start from 15th July, 2025 so students are advised to prepare accordingly. The exam will start at 10:30 AM and wil ...Read More >
Chandigarh: The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab on Sunday suspended its cop-turned-MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap for five years over 'anti-party' activities days after he questioned vigilance bureau (VB) action against Akali leader Bikram Majithia. Kunwar Vijay Pratap, who is the AAP MLA from Amritsar North constituency has often spoken against some action of his own party's government; he had questioned the action by the vigilance bureau (VB) against senior Akali leader Bikram Majithia who was arrested on June 25 last from his Amritsar house in a disproportionate assets (DA) case worth Rs 5 ...Read More >
Kolkata: Luxmi Group, owner of the iconic Makaibari Tea Estate, has acquired a majority stake in UK-based Brew Tea Co. Brew Tea deals exclusively with orthodox tea and has both an online and offline presence in the UK.Luxmi Group acquired an 80% stake in the company, while the remaining 20% remains with the existing promoters. After Tetley and Typhoo, this acquisition marks another British tea company being acquired by an Indian corporate, though it may not be of the same magnitude.Brew Tea Co was founded in Manchester by Phil and Aideen Kirby and has grown into a specialty tea brand, having a ...Read More >
Nagpur: Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar questioned the govt's priorities on Tuesday, highlighting the increasing number of farmer suicides in Maharashtra. He accused the govt of neglecting agrarian crisis while approving Rs20,000 crore for Shaktipeeth highway project."Money is available for massive infrastructure projects, but where is the budget for farm loan waivers as promised by the BJP before last year's assembly polls to the farmers?" Wadettiwar asked while moving an adjournment motion in the Legislative Assembly. He cited official data showing that between January and ...Read More >
Mumbai: Aimed at reducing high school dropout rates, raising the gross enrollment ratio in higher education to 50% and to enable students to secure fulfilling careers, 'Vidyadhan' scholarship program has announced to offer one lakh scholarships to economically disadvantaged students across the country. Launched in Kerala in 1999, Vidyadhan is an initiative by the Shibulal Family Philanthropic Initiatives (SFPI) and is currently active in 22 states and union territories of the country. In the next four years, Vidyadhan aims to offer one lakh scholarships to underprivileged students across all ...Read More >
New Delhi, July 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Slamming the previous AAP government for showing little interest in projects funded by the Centre, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday said that cleaning the Yamuna, providing tap water to all households and beautifying the city are her top priorities. "Arvind Kejriwal showed no interest in carrying out development despite the central government's willingness to provide crores of rupees. Nothing was done to clean the Yamuna," said CM Gupta, while addressing a gathering at the launch of a power sector project in north Delhi. She launched the Rs 8 c ...Read More >
New Delhi [India] June 6 (ANI): AAP leader and former Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain arrived at the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) office on Friday in response to a summons issued over allegations of corruption in the construction of classrooms in Delhi government schools. Earlier, Jain lashed out at the BJP government in Delhi, accusing them of 'playing the blame game' after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) summoned him. Jain claimed that the BJP government has failed to do anything in the past 3-4 months and alleged that the BJP has hiked school fees and summoned AAP leaders like himself and ...Read More >
The Delhi Government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Thursday registered an FIR against Aam Aadmi Party leaders and former Health Ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendra Jain in connection with alleged corruption in the implementation of health infrastructure projects during the tenure of the AAP government, an official said. The leaders, along with unknown government officials and private contractors, were booked under section 13(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, along with Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonesty), and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of th ...Read More >