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, July 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced on Tuesday that the Delhi government has secured final clearance from the aviation regulator for conducting cloud seeding trials between August 30 and September 10 over the National Capital. Calling it a historic step towards implementing science-based environmental solutions, Sirsa said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) clearance marks the beginning of Delhi's first-ever airborne experiment to mitigate pollution through induced precipitation. Taking a jibe at the previous AAP government, Sirsa said, "Cloud seeding has been spoken about for years but never implemented. For 10 years, it remained on paper." "We took this up, coordinated with 13 departments, secured all approvals, including from DGCA, and now Delhi will finally witness cloud seeding between August 30 and September 10. This is a historic achievement," he said. Sirsa also elaborated that while the original DGCA clearance allowed operations between July 4 and July 11, 2025, input from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, suggested that monsoon cloud patterns during this window may not support optimal cloud seeding. "As a result, IIT Kanpur, in consultation with the Delhi Government, requested an alternate window -- from August 30 to September 10 -- better suited for the operation," he said. The sorties will focus on areas most likely to support low-altitude cloud formation and high pollution retention. As per the tentative flight plan prepared by the experts, cloud seeding aircraft will fly over Kundli border zones, Alipur, Bawana, Rohini, Burari, Pavi Sadakpur, and some stretches along the Eastern Peripheral Expressway The Minister said the operations will be led by the Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur, using aircraft VT-IIT (Cessna 206-H), which has been fully equipped with cloud-seeding instrumentation. Sirsa informed that the crew has prior experience in similar flight missions, and all mandatory DGCA conditions, including licences and certifications, have been complied with. "The cloud seeding method will involve dispersion of hygroscopic particles (like sodium chloride or other aerosols) from below the cloud layer, enhancing precipitation and improving pollutant washout in the lower atmosphere," Minister Sirsa added. He said, according to the DGCA permission letter, the following conditions are to be fulfilled: Flights must be conducted under Visual Flight Rules(VFR). The aircraft must maintain continuous visibility of terrain and avoid obstacles at all times; the use of any aerial photography or videography equipment during the operation is strictly prohibited, and the flight must remain strictly within the approved airspace/region and must avoid prohibited, restricted, or notified airspaces, unless separate permissions are obtained. The DGCA has also mandated that the flight operator must obtain ATC clearance from the concerned aerodromes and coordinate closely with aviation traffic units during all flights. All operations must be recorded and properly documented, DGCA should be informed of any incident, accident, or abnormality occurring during the flights, it said.
Tamil Nadu Weather Update: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said in its latest bulletin. According to the IMD bulletin on Dec. 12, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal are very likely to witness isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall on Dec. 12, 13, 16 and 17 due to the northeast monsoon spell that is entering its next phase. "Thunderstorm with intermittent spells of heavy rain is likely to occur in some areas," the Chennai Met Office said in a bulletin at 11:30 am on Thur ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi on Thursday described Aam Admi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal as a prominent leader and said he is the first leader who understood the pain of women. "Arvind Kejriwal, the prominent leader, is the first leader in the history of this country who understood the pain of women. The biggest concern for women is that they have to stretch out their hands before a man even for their humble needs. In childhood, it is before their parents, before their spous ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Atishi on Thursday described Aam Admi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal as a prominent leader and said he is the first leader who understood the pain of women. "Arvind Kejriwal, the prominent leader, is the first leader in the history of this country who understood the pain of women. The biggest concern for women is that they have to stretch out their hands before a man even for their humble needs. In childhood, it is before their parents, before their spouses when they grow up and in old age, before their children," CM Atishi told ANI. "To fulfil this n ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 31 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Parvesh Verma on Friday filed a complaint with ACB against Aam Aadmi Party leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, alleging corruption concerning Delhi Sports University (DSU). Verma, who is contesting Delhi polls from the New Delhi seat against Kejriwal, in his complaint alleged "corrupt misappropriation of public funds" through "the abuse of official positions to gain wrongful benefits". The complaint has been filed with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government. Verma's advocate, Vi ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: A low-pressure area has developed over the Northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha coast, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The system, which formed at 8:30 am today, is likely to move slowly northwards and intensify into a more marked low-pressure system over the next 48 hours. According to the latest weather update, the associated cyclonic circulation extends up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, tilting southwards with height. This weather system may bring light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy rainfall to the coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha. ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Friday appeared before the Anti-Corruption Branch for questioning in connection with an alleged graft case in the construction of classrooms in government schools. Jain was summoned by the Delhi government's ACB for questioning. Before leaving for the ACB office, Jain had asserted that the previous AAP government in the national capital worked towards improving the city's education, while the current BJP government was only doing politics. Speaking to PTI Videos ahead of his questioning, Jain said the BJP was trying to divert at ...Read More >
Delhi's air pollution continues to worsen, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) hitting a hazardous 490, despite the government's 21-point plan to tackle the issue. The city’s residents are struggling to breathe, even indoors, and hospitals are overwhelmed with patients facing respiratory problems. The pollution crisis is exacerbated by the lack of cooperation among Delhi and neighboring states, and the central government, with each blaming the other. This pollution not only threatens public health but also jeopardizes Delhi's economic future, as it could drive away professionals and harm business ...Read More >
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced several pre-election promises targeting auto drivers. These include a ₹10 lakh insurance policy, ₹1 lakh for daughters' marriages, a biannual ₹2,500 uniform allowance, free coaching for their children, and the relaunch of the 'PoochO' ride-booking app. Kejriwal and the AAP are campaigning to secure a third term in the upcoming February elections.Ahead of crucial Delhi assembly polls, Arvind Kejriwal promised several measures for auto dri ...Read More >
New Delhi: The CAG report, which Aam Aadmi Party leaders are denying as false, was indeed accepted as true by the Delhi government lawyer in the High Court when he blamed the LG office for leaking it to the public. Justice Sachin Datta of the Delhi High Court, who was hearing a petition by the BJP MLAs, said the government should have promptly placed the CAG reports before the house for discussion. "The way you dragged your feet raises doubts about your bonafides. You should have promptly forwarded the reports to the speaker," Justice Datta said, "and had a discussion in the house. The timel ...Read More >
New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to hear a plea against the nomination of AAP candidate and Delhi minister Mukesh Kumar Ahlawat in the February 5 assembly elections. Justice Subramonium Prasad observed the petition was not maintainable. "How is this petition even maintainable in law? Either you challenge (his previous) election on whatever grounds ... this is not maintainable," said the court. The plea was then withdrawn by the petitioner. The petitioner, who lives in Sultan Puri, said Ahlawat contested previous elections by concealing and withholding certain f ...Read More >
New Delhi, May 22 (SocialNews.XYZ) The pilots of the IndiGo plane, which was damaged in rough weather en route to Srinagar, were denied permission by the Lahore ATC to venture briefly into Pakistan airspace to escape the hailstorm, in complete violation of humanitarian norms. India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, said the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of approximately 36,000 feet near Punjab's Pathankot when it ran into a thunderstorm and hailstorm. Experiencing severe turbulence, the crew first requested the Northern ATC of the Indian Air Force to allow the flight to deviate to ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, May 27: Monsoon rains accompanied by gusty winds continue to lash Kerala, causing widespread damage across the state. Several incidents of trees being uprooted, house wall collapses, and electrical short circuits have been reported from different parts of the state. Since the onset of the monsoon last week on May 24, three casualties have been reported, prompting the state government to open a dozen relief camps in affected districts of the state. The most major disruption on Tuesday has been the delay in train services across Kerala after fallen trees blocked railway trac ...Read More >
NEW DELHI, June 3 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi's high-profile attendance at a global airlines conference this week underscores how much India is banking on a boom in aviation to support wider development goals, but headwinds to its ambitions are gathering force. Undeterred by the uncertainty gripping the aviation sector globally due to trade tensions and shaky consumer confidence, India's biggest airlines are ploughing ahead with orders for new planes, following record deals two year ...Read More >
For the second consecutive day on Monday (December 2, 2024), Delhi's air quality showed a slight improvement although it remained in the 'poor' category with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 273 in the morning. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Delhi's 24-hour average AQI on Sunday stood at 285, an improvement to the 'poor' category and a welcome relief following 32 consecutive days of 'very poor' and 'severe' air quality (AQI over 400). The city's air quality was last recorded in the 'poor' category on October 29 with an AQI of 268, according to the CPCB. Farm fires ris ...Read More >
Delhi residents breathed easier Thursday as air quality improved to 'moderate' after a month of severe pollution. The AQI dropped to 161, though some areas still experienced 'poor' air quality. Cooler temperatures and mist accompanied the improved air, with the minimum temperature reaching 9 degrees Celsius. The Supreme Court maintained GRAP-IV restrictions, demanding compensation for construction workers from NCR states.Residents in Delhi took a sigh of relief on Thursday as the air quality inde ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jan 31 (SocialNews.XYZ) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Friday slammed former Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal over the quality of Yamuna water, saying no work had been done in Delhi over the past 10 years. He also accused Kejriwal of resorting to cheap politics to cover up his failures. "For the last decade, Kejriwal has forced the people of Delhi to drink contaminated water," Saini said. Chief Minister Saini, while presenting water samples from both Haryana and Delhi to the media at Yamuna Ghat in Wazirabad, emphasised the significant ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 31 (PTI) The national capital wrapped up a rather warm January with Friday's maximum temperature reaching 27 degrees Celsius, making it the city's warmest day in the month since 2019. The month's average maximum temperature was 21.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above the long-period average of 20.1 degrees Celsius, marking it as Delhi's warmest January since 2019. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) data, nighttime temperatures were also higher than usual. The average minimum temperature for the month settled at 8.5 degrees Celsius, a notch above the LPA of 7.5 deg ...Read More >
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 18 teams across Maharashtra for rapid rescue and relief operations, as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted above-normal monsoon rainfall this year, with urban areas like Mumbai already showing signs of strain, Mid-day reported. Between May 25 and 26, NDRF teams responded to emergencies in Pune, Solapur, and Satara. While local agencies managed to rescue nine people in Baramati and Indapur, NDRF teams were redirected to Phaltan in Satara and Kurubavi in Solapur. In Solapur, a team carried out a midnight rescue operati ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Amid the ongoing controversy over arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in Delhi, the AAP on Thursday accused the BJP-led Delhi government over its decision to bring an ordinance on regulation of school fees, saying that it rejects this route of bypassing the legislative process and public consultation and demanded a special session of the Assembly. Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Atishi, claimed that the BJP was attempting to sneak in the Fee Regulation Bill via an ordinance, bypassing the legislative process. She demanded that the bill be introduced in the Assembly, ...Read More >
Delhi is facing worsening pollution and erratic weather patterns, with the air quality regularly reaching dangerous levels. This is partly due to climate change, with temperature rises and unpredictable rainfall patterns caused by global warming. The industrial revolution has played a significant role, contributing to the rise in global temperatures. The effects are already being felt, with 2024 witnessing record-breaking heat in India. Despite this, there is little action from society or leadership, with courts repeatedly stepping in to address issues like pollution and farm fires. The need f ...Read More >
Heavy rains across Tamil Nadu have led to school closures in several districts, including Chennai, on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, predicting moderate rains and light thunderstorms in parts of the state. Rainfall figures show significant precipitation in multiple areas. Meanwhile, Northern India braces for a cold wave beginning December 9, with the IMD forecasting plunging temperatures in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.Schools acros ...Read More >
The Delhi BJP also shared a rap song "Delhi ka millionaire" alleging corruption against the party's top leadership. In a recently-released video, the Delhi BJP has given a tour of the luxurious bungalow of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, where he lived while serving as the Chief Minister of the state. The party also shared a rap song "Delhi ka millionaire" alleging corruption against the party's top leadership. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva, who shared the video on X, called the Civil Lines bu ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi government cabinet on Thursday gave its nod to the cash assistance scheme for women, Mukhyamantri Mahila Samman Yojana, ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections scheduled for next year. The announcement was made by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, Arvind Kejriwal, in the presence of Chief Minister Atishi and other women legislators. The scheme was part of the Delhi government budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. It had a proposed allocation of Rs 2,000 crore and was proposed by Kejriwal early this year. "This scheme is for empowering women and addressing their financial needs. W ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 27 (UNI) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has released its manifesto for the next month Assembly election with 15 guarantees, including employment and the women's dignity scheme. While releasing the manifesto on Monday, AAP's national convener and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "Kejriwal's guarantees are solid," emphasising that free electricity for 24 hours, free water, free education, free pilgrimage for senior citizens, free bus travel for women, and free medical treatment in hospitals and Mohalla Clinics will continue in Delhi. He alleged, "BJP leaders and spokespersons ...Read More >
After an exceptionally early onset this year -- the earliest in 16 years -- the southwest monsoon has temporarily paused its journey across India, weather officials said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that while the monsoon arrived over Kerala on May 24 and made swift progress through the southern peninsula, northeast India, and parts of the west, its advance has stalled. According to IMD officials, the rainfall will remain subdued across most parts of the country for the next few days. However, reports suggest that the monsoon is expected to gather strength between June ...Read More >
New Delhi: Just as the Bharatiya Janata Party completes 100 days in power in Delhi, reports have surfaced that chief minister Rekha Gupta will soon shift from her private residence in Shalimar Bagh to government-allotted bungalow at the Raj Niwas Marg in Civil Lines, where her other Cabinet colleagues have been allotted residences. The renovation work of her official residence is underway in full swing. It is pertinent to mention here that this residence allotted to CM Gupta is not the same controversial 'Sheesh Mahal' where former CM Arvind Kejriwal lived when Aam Aadmi Party was in power. M ...Read More >
New Delhi: Aviation watchdog DGCA will soon come out with streamlined regulations for wet-leasing of planes by Indian airlines that will also entail enhanced oversight of the aircraft, amid airlines looking to operate more planes to meet rising travel demand. With persisting supply chain woes, there is a delay in aircraft deliveries and to meet the near-term needs, carriers are opting for planes on dry and wet leases. A senior official in the know told PTI that the efforts are on to streamline the regulations for wet-leasing of planes to assist in the growth of the aviation. "Realities of the ...Read More >
Heavy rains lashed Thoothukudi and surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu on Sunday, causing severe waterlogging in several localities. The IMD predicts the formation of a low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, which is expected to intensify and move towards the Tamil Nadu coast, bringing further rainfall across the state in the coming days.Several parts of Thoothukudi and adjoining areas witnessed severe waterlogging on Sunday as heavy rains continued to lash parts of Tamil Nadu. Visuals showed water ...Read More >
New Delhi: The southwest monsoon is expected to reach Kerala within the next four to five days, marking an early onset well ahead of the usual June 1 date, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday. The IMD had earlier predicted that the monsoon would make landfall in Kerala by May 27. If the current forecast holds, this would be the earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when the monsoon arrived on May 23. "Conditions are likely to become favourable for monsoon onset over Kerala during the next four to five days," the IMD said in its afternoon update. Typically, ...Read More >