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.
KOCHI: Kerala is on course to frame the country's first urban policy, with the Kerala Urban Policy Commission, formed in December 2023, submitting its final report early this year. The detailed one-and-a-half year study was carried out to formulate norms that will guide urban planning in the state for the next 25 years. TNIE caught up with Prof Dr Ashok Kumar, lead member of the commission, on the sidelines of the ongoing Kerala Urban Conclave. Excerpts: How fast is urbanisation playing out in Kerala? The study projects that nearly 80 per cent of the state's population will live in urban areas by 2050. What are the key proposals in the report? A key suggestion is the setting up of a metropolitan planning committee. The state has already implemented proposals mooted in the 73rd and 74th constitutional amendments of 1992 -- which established the Panchayati Raj system and urban local bodies -- such as district planning committees, local governments, etc. This is also the approach that will be effective for large settlements such as Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. At the regional level metropolitan planning committees can focus on the development of cities as well as surrounding areas, in a coordinated manner.
Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], July 15 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has initiated round-the-clock, top-priority restoration work to repair roads damaged by heavy monsoon rains across National Highways, State Highways, and roads in villages, towns, and cities. He reviewed the ongoing repair works of roads and bridges across the state through the video wall of the CM Dashboard, according to an official statement by the CM office. The repair instructions based on the pre-monsoon inspection of roads, bridges, culverts, and causeways must be implemented strictly with no lapses or ...Read More >
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel marked Urban Development Year 2025 festivities in Ahmedabad. The celebration highlighted the city's status as the cleanest in India, showcased new urban projects, and underscored Prime Minister Modi's vision of transforming urban challenges into growth opportunities, aiming for a sustainable, world-class city future. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attended the Urban Development Year 2025 celebration in Ahmedabad, marking significant milestones in the city's urban g ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Saturday. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) handle posted on X, "Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Shri @myogiadityanath, met Prime Minister @narendramodi." Also Read | Bihar Electoral Roll Revision: Nearly 42 Lakh Electors Not Found at Addresses During the Ongoing SIR Drive, Says Election Commission. Sharing an X post about the meeting, CM Yogi wrote, "I had the honour of meeting the world's most popular leader, the respec ...Read More >
Chandigarh, Jul 4 (PTI) Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya on Friday said chairpersons and representatives of urban local bodies (ULBs) across the country should adopt a "waste to wealth" approach by leveraging advanced technologies in waste management. Dattatreya was addressing the closing ceremony of the two-day national conference of Urban Local Bodies of States and Union Territories in Manesar in Gurugram district. Also Read | Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: RJD MP Manoj Jha Says AIMIM Should Stay Away From Polls in State, Extend 'In-Principle' Support to Mahagatbandhan. The governor sa ...Read More >
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a series of development projects worth approximately Rs 2,200 crore in Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency. These initiatives span across infrastructure, education, healthcare, tourism, and cultural heritage, aiming for holistic urban transformation and improved quality of life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch multiple development projects worth around Rs 2,200 crore for Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, on Saturday. A statemen ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): Two top Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials -- secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam -- resigned from their posts during an emergency managing committee meeting held on Saturday, accepting 'moral responsibility' for stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The incident occurred during celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title win and claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured. KSCA President Raghuram Bhat confirmed the development, saying that the resignations were discussed and accep ...Read More >
Lucknow: In 2023-24 and 2024-25, animal birth control programme succeeded in sterilising and vaccinating 2,84,641 stray dogs against rabies. Moreover, the state established 17 permanent ABC centres, with two additional centres approved for Lucknow and Ghaziabad, on a comprehensive budget of Rs 34 crore. Additionally, the department issued 5,333 pet dog licences this year, promoting responsible pet ownership and community safety. Taking note of Supreme Court's latest directives issued to local bodies to manage dog bite cases and keep the local population safe, urban development department is ta ...Read More >
Lucknow: Mayor Sushma Kharkwal participated in a two-day national conference of urban local body (ULB) heads in Manesar (Haryana) and stressed on urban development and the role of women in local governance.Representatives from across the country, including mayors, municipal corporators, zila parishad heads, and urban planners, participated in the event.Kharkwal highlighted the need to implement the 74th Constitutional Amendment in full, to give ULBs more authority in decision-making, financial matters and administration. She presented steps taken by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, including ...Read More >
Gurgaon: The two-day national conference of urban local bodies (ULBs), held in Manesar, concluded with a formal resolution to enhance the impact of these institutions on national development. Participants highlighted that the core objective of ULBs is to bring about positive change in the urban service delivery framework. The pivotal role of women as key drivers of development within ULBs was also discussed.It was noted that MP has implemented 50% reservation for women in urban local governance. Remarkably, currently, 60 to 65% of women are represented in ULBs there, demonstrating their strong ...Read More >
HYDERABAD: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday described the Supreme Court order on nomination of two MLCs as "a slap in the face of both the Congress and the BJP". The apex court issued an order modifying its earlier interim directive on the nomination of Prof M Kodandaram Reddy and Amer Ali Khan to the state Legislative Council under the Governor's quota. In a press statement, Rama Rao said that the Supreme Court declaring invalid the appointments of Kodandaram and Amer Ali as MLCs under the Governor's quota by the state government was a slap in the face for both the BJP and the ...Read More >
PwDs nominees to receive same benefits as elected councillors Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has granted assent to bills that empower the state government to nominate persons with disabilities (PwDs) to positions in the municipal administration and rural development departments. Chief Minister MK Stalin took a dig at Ravi while acknowledging the governor's decision. "The Governor has approved the bill for disabled people today ... It was expected as we passed it in the legislative resolution. Mayb ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Gurugram: Union Minister for Power, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, has said that formal House sessions must be conducted in municipal corporations across the country, following the model of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha proceedings, to promote greater accountability and transparency in urban governance. The minister was speaking at the National Conference of Chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies in Manesar on Friday. He said urban local bodies should function as democratic institutio ...Read More >
Vijayawada, July 6 (UNI) The Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department of Andhra Pradesh government is launching a focused 'smart Mosquito control' programme using Deep Technology to check vector- borne diseases. The Artificial Intelligence-powered Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) will be launched on a pilot basis at 66 locations in six major municipal corporations in the state. SMoSS will primarily safeguard public health by curbing the dreaded mosquito menace and, it will also reduce operational burden on civic staff and cut costs of Urban Local Bodies. Th ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 6 (PTI) The Delhi government on Friday released over Rs 900 crore funds to urban local bodies for development works, according to a statement. They have also released Rs 820 crore to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) received Rs 146 crore under the free drinking water scheme. "In this scorching summer, ensuring clean and sufficient drinking water for every citizen of Delhi is our top priority. Water is not a privilege for a few, it is a basic right of every citizen. It is the government's responsibility to ensure that every household has a ...Read More >
Indore, July 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav inaugurated an exhibition themed "Building Cities of Tomorrow" at the Brilliant Convention Centre in Indore, as part of the 'Madhya Pradesh Growth Conclave' organised on Friday, government officials said. The exhibition showcased various urban development projects being implemented across the state, highlighting robust infrastructure, innovations, investment promotion policies, and developmental schemes, officials added. It featured the Indore Development Authority's infrastructure models, including the multi-purpose ...Read More >
Lucknow, July 13 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government has launched an initiative to revive 75 small rivers and tributaries across the state through a well-coordinated and technology-driven campaign, an official statement said on Sunday. Acting on the directives of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, a strategic plan has been implemented with the collaboration of 10 key departments and leading technical institutions to ensure effective and sustainable river rejuvenation, it said. Also Read | Assam Shocker: Man Posts Morphed, Pornographic Pictures, Videos of Woman Online; Arrested. A divisional-lev ...Read More >
Chennai: In a state-wide push to take govt services to the people, Chief Minister M K Stalin will launch the 'Ungaludan Stalin' (Stalin With You) doorstep outreach and grievance redressal initiative from Chidambaram in Cuddalore district on Tuesday.A new 'Ungaludan Stalin' website will go live on Tuesday, enabling users to check camp schedules, petition status, and resolution timelines. A digital tracking system will record each petition's details, who filed it, how long it has been pending, and ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Hyderabad has been rated as the sixth cleanest city out of the 40 cities in India with a population of over 10 lakh, according to the Swachh Survekshan 2024-25 conducted by the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs. The city was ranked 9th in 2023-24, and stood at 10th place the year before. The top two cleanest cities this year are Ahmedabad and Bhopal. In Telangana, no other city featured in the top 10 list this year. However, from Andhra Pradesh, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) secured the 9th rank. The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) ...Read More >
Navi Mumbai: Cidco began crafting a Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for Navi Mumbai and the Navi Mumbai Airport Influence Notified Area (NAINA) regions. This initiative seeks to establish sustainable and inclusive transport solutions extending to 2054. The programme emphasises safety, efficiency, and environmental consciousness whilst connecting various transport modes and encouraging public transit usage. According to Cidco, the plan takes an all-encompassing view, considering public transport, private vehicles, and non-motorised options like walking and cycling, whilst addressing urbanisat ...Read More >
Manesar (Haryana) [India], July 4 (ANI): Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh addressed the valedictory session of the National Level Conference of Chairpersons of Urban Local Bodies in Manesar, Haryana on Friday. In his remarks, Deputy Chairman RS Harivansh touched upon the importance of civic governance in improving the quality of life and highlighted the broader objective of 'Ease of Living' set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Also Read | Dalai Lama Succession Row: MEA Says India Does Not Take Any Position on Matters of Faith. Harivansh also lauded the innovative efforts of various Urb ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Thousands of people who gathered at ashoorkhana in Dabeerpura on the 10th day of Muharram (Youm-e-Ashura) took part in the Bibi-ka-Alam procession. The procession commenced from Dabeerpura on an elephant and concluded at Chaderghat. The Shia mourners took out the procession to mark the martyrdom anniversary of Prophet Mohammad's grandson, Imam Hussain, on the 10th day of Muharram. Members of the Shia sect performed matam and participated in processions. The 10th Muharram is the day on which Imam Hussain was martyred in the battle of Karbala by Yazid and his army. The relic made of ...Read More >
Lucknow, Jul 17 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh's capital city has secured the third position in the category of urban spaces with population exceeding 10 lakh, while Prayagraj was adjudged the Cleanest Ganga City in the ninth edition of the Swachh Survekshan. Lucknow also became the first city in the state to achieve a 7-star Garbage Free City rating in the 2024-25 survey. Gorakhpur achieved double success, ranking third in the Safai Mitra Surakshit Sheher category and fourth among cities with a population between 3 to 10 lakh. Agra has been recognised as the Emerging Clean City of Uttar Pradesh, securi ...Read More >
Shimla, Jul 17 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to remove encroachments on forest lands, including the fruit-bearing trees, all across the state and not limit it to some areas. The order was passed by a division bench consisting of Justices Vivek Thakur and Bipin C Negi on Wednesday after the Advocate General placed on record fresh instructions issued by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, informing that 2,456 apple and other fruit trees have been felled from forest lands in Chaithla village, and 713 and 490 trees in Rohru and Kotgarh forest divisions, r ...Read More >
Gandhinagar, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Urban Development Year 2025 was celebrated in Ahmedabad on Saturday in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. Various development projects were inaugurated under the Urban Development Year 2025 celebrations at a programme organised by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) at Tagore Hall in Paldi. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel congratulated the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and all the citizens for receiving the award of the cleanest city in the country and said that it is a matter of pride to get the first place in the country in ...Read More >
Lucknow: Umar Ansari, the younger son of gangster-turned-politician late Mukhtar Ansari, was arrested by Ghazipur police from Darul Shafa area of Lucknow late Sunday night.The arrest was made following the registration of a criminal case against him for forgery in Ghazipur. He was taken into custody and transported to Ghazipur for further proceedings.Umar Ansari was booked for allegedly attempting to fraudulently reclaim a property that had been confiscated under the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act. The property was earlier seized under Section 14(1) of the ...Read More >
Mumbai: Hooliganism under the guise of Marathi pride will not be tolerated in the state, CM Fadnavis warned on Friday. He said police had registered an FIR and taken action in the Mira Road incident where a businessman was beaten up by MNS workers for not knowing Marathi.Speaking to the media, Fadnavis said beating up someone over language was wrong. "We are Marathi and are proud of the language. Insisting that a person speak in Marathi is not wrong, but beating up a businessman because he does not know it is wrong. Our Marathi-speaking people are doing business in different states, and if the ...Read More >