TOP STORIES

Aizawl, Oct 29 (IANS) The Mizo National Front (MNF), Mizoram’s main opposition party, on Wednesday observed a 10-hour statewide shutdown protesting the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Act (FCAA), 2023, enacted by the Centre.The Mizoram assembly during its recent monsoon session in August adopted a fresh resolution to extend the FCAA, 2023, to the state with effect from this year, following a motion introduced by Environment, Forests and Climate Change Minister Lalthansanga. The shutdown, which began at 6 am, was observed across the state except in the Mamit district in view of the November 11 by-election to the Dampa assembly seat. MNF Vice-President and Leader of Opposition Lalchhandama Ralte said that the shutdown was total and successful. According to police, all government and priva...

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Heritage Foods has acquired a 51 per cent majority stake in Get-A-Way Ice Cream & Desserts, Heritage Foods Executive Director Brahmani Nara said on Wednesday. Announcing the acquisition, Brahmani said Heritage Foods has been built on the principles of trust and transparency over the past three decades, and the values of Get-A-Way align closely with the company."For three decades, we’ve built Heritage on trust, transparency, and the belief that dairy should nourish both body and conscience. Get-A-Way shares that same passion, redefining indulgence to be guilt-free without compromise," Brahmani wrote on her X handle."By combining our strengths, Heritage’s deep dairy expertise and Get-A-Way’s bold innovation, we’re poised to lead India’s wellness economy into a ne...

Gandhinagar, Oct 29 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Wednesday chaired a meeting of the Gujarat State Cabinet in Gandhinagar to review the situation arising from the unseasonal rainfall that hit several parts of the state over the past week, causing significant damage to standing crops.Briefing the media after the meeting, State Government Spokesperson and Minister Jitu Vaghani said the Chief Minister expressed deep concern and sympathy for the affected farmers. He directed officials to launch an immediate survey of the damage across all affected districts under the norms of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and complete it within seven days.According to preliminary data from the State Emergency Operations Centre, between October 23 and 28, rainfall ranging from mod...

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has decided to extend the due date for furnishing of Return of Income for assessees covered under sub-Section (1) of Section 139 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for the Assessment Year 2025-26 from October 31, to December 10, according to an official statement issued on Wednesday.Also, the 'specified date' of furnishing of the report of audit under the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for the Previous Year 2024-25 (Assessment Year 2025-26), in the case of assessees referred to in clause (a) of Explanation 2 to sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, originally due on September 30, 2025, was extended to October 31, 2025. The CBDT has now decided to further extend the said ‘specified date’ from October 31 to November 10....

Bhubaneswar, Oct 29 (IANS) The Odisha Vigilance on Wednesday arrested a senior tax official after he was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe from a businessman for waiving the penalty imposed on him for non-payment of professional tax for three financial years.The accused official, Umakanta Mahakur, is currently posted as the Assistant CT & GST Officer at Ttlagarh in Balangir district. The Odisha vigilance in an official press statement informed that Mahakur was apprehended by the anti-corruption sleuths on October 29 for accepting a bribe of Rs 12,000 from a businessman. IT further added that the bribe was demanded by Mahakur to waive off the penalty imposed on the complainant(businessman) for non-payment of professional tax for three financial years. The complainant had fail...

Ahmedabad, Oct 29 (IANS) A grand celebration of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) will be held at Ekta Nagar in Gujarat on October 31, marking the 150th birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Minister and State Spokesperson Jitu Vaghani announced on Wednesday.The celebrations will be led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will attend various events over two days — October 30 and 31 — highlighting the theme of “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat.” Addressing the media, Minister Vaghani said that for the first time, a grand parade modelled on the Republic Day celebrations in Delhi will be held at Ekta Nagar.The parade will feature 16 contingents, including personnel from BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF, SSB, NCC, and police forces from several states such as Jammu &...

Amaravati, Oct 29 (IANS) Severe cyclone Montha, which crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of Wednesday, affected 18 lakh people, damaged crops over an area of 2.14 lakh acres and 2,294 km roads of the Roads and Buildings department, according to the initial assessment by the government.Two people lost their lives due to the cyclone, while 42 heads of cattle were killed.A total of 1.16 lakh people were provided shelter in 1,209 relief camps in the affected districts.According to officials, the cyclone affected 18 lakh people in a total of 249 mandals, 1,434 villages, and 48 municipalities in the state.Officials briefed Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu that the crop was damaged in 2.14 lakh acres in 1,825 villages of 304 mandals. Paddy, cotton, maize, and millet crops on m...

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwai Yadav frequently raises the “Bahari” issue, which has a similarity with the “Bohiragata” rhetoric of his national ally Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee, where both the words translated into English mean “outsider”.Though emanating from different states, political cultures, and histories, both usages share tactical similarities, divergent intentions, and comparable risks for democratic debate and social cohesion. For both leaders, any entity not endorsed by them and having the potential to upset their applecart in the respective playing fields is an outsider. Tejashwi’s reiterating the “Bihari versus bahari” slogan has been linked to his efforts to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) narrative in Bi...