81 crore people to get free foodgrains for one year
The Union Cabinet on Friday decided to provide free foodgrains to all 81 crore beneficiaries covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) for one year. The beneficiary families which used to pay ₹1 for coarse cereals, ₹2 for wheat and ₹3 for rice per kg will now get 35kg of foodgrains free for the next one year and others will get 5kg for free in a month till December 2023. The Centre has estimated an additional amount of ₹2 lakh crore for the scheme.
Union Cabinet approves pending One-Rank-One-Pension revision for veterans
The Union Cabinet on Friday approved a pending pension revision for pensioners from the armed forces and their families under the One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme, which has been delayed since July 2019. Arrears will be paid from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2022 which is approximately ₹23,638 crore as per the applicable dearness relief, the Defence Ministry said.
While there is some panic in India following a significant surge of COVID-19 cases in China, experts point out that India continues to show a sustained decreasing trajectory of cases in the last few months. It is unlikely to see a fresh “substantial wave” if there are no new variants in China as a result of ongoing circulation, they feel.
Videocon Group loan case: CBI arrests Chanda Kochhar and her husband
The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested former ICICI Bank’s chief executive officer and managing director, Chanda Kochhar, and her husband, Deepak Kochhar, in a case related to the credit facilities extended to the Videocon Group of companies. “They has been arrested in Delhi and will be produced before a Special Court in Mumbai,” said a CBI official.
Lok Sabha session cut short after floor leaders’ consensus: Speaker Om Birla
The Winter Session of the Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die (indefinitely) on Friday, six days ahead of schedule, with the Opposition parties forcing repeated adjournments in the final days over their demand for a discussion on the border issue with China at Line of Actual Control (LAC). The Winter Session commenced on December 7 and was scheduled to conclude on December 29, but it was cut short. This is the eight straight session to conclude before the schedule date.
Regulator proposes full refund, free travel for seat downgrade in flights
Domestic and international airlines could soon be required to refund the full ticket value and provide free travel for any passenger whom they downgrade from business or premium economy to economy class, according to a proposal of the aviation regulator.
5 policemen among 17 held in cross-LoC narcotics trade case
Seventeen people, including five policemen, were arrested in north Kashmir’s Kupwara and Baramulla districts in connection with a probe into narcotics-smuggling modules originating from Pakistan, the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) police said on Friday. Besides five policemen, a political activist, contractor and shopkeeper were among those arrested in multiple raids.
China’s stretched health system braces for peak in COVID-19 infections
Nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with COVID-19 on a single day this week, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing estimates from the government’s top health authority. China is expecting a peak in COVID-19 infections within a week, a health official said, with authorities predicting extra strain on the country’s health system even as they downplay the disease’s severity and continue to report no new deaths.
Global slowdown not mirrored in India, says Finance Ministry
India’s economic momentum has been sustained well in the third quarter of 2022-23 and there is cause for cautious optimism as the slowdown in global economic activity is not mirrored in India’s performance of various high-frequency indicators, the Finance Ministry said on December 23, 2022.
Haaland back in the spotlight as Man City beats Liverpool 3-2 in League Cup
Erling Haaland scored his 24th goal of the season but it was Nathan Ake’s first that clinched Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Liverpool in the English League Cup. Kevin De Bruyne, one of six City starters coming off World Cup duty, set up both goals and Riyad Mahrez scored just after halftime to help City reach the quarterfinals.
Historic show by Neeraj Chopra and CWG stars but dope cases shame India again
Neeraj Chopra continued to conjure up history-scripting performances, inspiring the likes of Avinash Sable and Murali Sreeshankar in their quest for global success, but the age-old dope menace raised its ugly head again and shamed the nation at the global stage. At least six top Indian athletes were caught for using banned drugs and the run-up to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, as usual, was marred by a series of dope positive cases.
