THE HEADLINES:-
- India’s first Bullet Train to run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on 15th of August next year, says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says, Viksit Bharat G RAM G act strengthens MGNREGA for greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
- India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement comes into effect granting duty-free access to all Indian exports in Australia.
- President Droupadi Murmu says, Artificial Intelligence is key to country’s economic growth and innovation.
- Many people feared dead in fire at a New Year Party in Ski resort in Switzerland.
- Met Department issues orange alert for dense fog in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Odisha and Rajasthan for tomorrow.
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Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw today announced that India is likely to receive its first Bullet Train on 15th of August 2027. Replying to a query during media briefing in New Delhi today, Mr Vaishnaw said India’s first bullet train project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai is under construction. He added that the first section to open will be from Surat to Bilimora followed by the section from Vapi to Surat.
Railways Minister also announced that the country’s first Vande Bharat sleeper train will operate between Guwahati and Kolkata soon. Mr Vaishnaw said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate this train within the next 15 to 20 days.
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Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan addressed a special Gram Sabha at Loni Budruk in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district, outlining the provisions of the Viksit Bharat-G Ram G Act, 2025. The programme was webcast nationwide and viewed by over 6 million people from more than 1 lakh locations. Mr Chouhan said the new law provides a legal guarantee of 125 days of employment, with mandatory payment of wages within one week. In case of delay beyond 15 days, workers will receive an additional 0.05 per cent interest. He added that the Act strengthens MGNREGA by making it more effective, transparent and accountable. Mr Chouhan further stated that decisions on works will now be taken by the Gram Sabha as per local needs. The scheme will cover water conservation, infrastructure development, livelihood-related activities and disaster mitigation.
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President Droupadi Murmu has said that India is rapidly progressing towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, and Artificial Intelligence is emerging as a growth driver for the Indian economy. Addressing a special programme under SOAR – Skilling for AI Readiness at Rashtrapati Bhawan today, the President said that AI is not just a technology, but a powerful opportunity for positive change in the country.
During the event, the President conferred AI certificates upon learners, including students and Members of Parliament and launched the national awareness campaign named Skill The Nation Challenge.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Grand International Exposition of Sacred Piprahwa Relics related to Lord Buddha on the 3rd of this month at the Rai Pithora Cultural Complex in New Delhi.
The Exposition brings together, for the first time, the Piprahwa relics repatriated after more than a century with authentic relics and archaeological materials from Piprahwa that are preserved in the collections of the National Museum, New Delhi, and the Indian Museum, Kolkata.
The exhibition underscores India’s enduring civilizational links with Buddhist teachings and the government’s efforts to preserve spiritual and cultural heritage.
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The India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) has come into effect granting all Indian exports a duty-free access in the Australian market. Under the agreement, 100 percent of Indian tariff lines will get duty-free access benefiting key sectors like gems and jewellery, textiles, leather, footwear, furniture, food products, engineering goods, medical devices and automobiles. India, in turn, will offer preferential access on over 70 percent of tariff lines to Australia, mainly covering raw materials and intermediates like coal, mineral ores and wine. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had announced this on the third anniversary of the ECTA on December 29 last year.
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The total gross Goods and Services Tax, GST collections grew 6.1 per cent to around one lakh 75 thousand crore rupees in December, 2025 as compared to the same month in 2024. The total gross GST revenue in December, 2024 was over one lakh 64 thousand crore rupees.
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The Defence Research and Development Organisation – DRDO today celebrated its 68th Foundation Day. The Organisation was established in 1958 as the Research and Development wing of Ministry of Defence to make India self-reliant in the defence manufacturing sector. More from our correspondent:
“Staring from a small organisation with only 10 establishments, DRDO today stands as a network of around 41 laboratories and 5 Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs), engaged in developing defence technologies covering various disciplines. Yesterday itself it successfully conducted the salvo launch of two Pralay missiles in quick succession from the same launcher off the coast of Odisha. The indigenously developed solid propellant quasi-ballistic missile can carry multiple types of warheads against various targets. A significant milestone was achieved earlier by successfully destroying two Aerial High Speed Unmanned targets at high-altitude in Ladakh by Akash Prime. The weapon systems developed by DRDO played a decisive role during Operation Sindoor. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has commended DRDO for bolstering India’s indigenous capabilities by equipping the Armed Forces with state-of-the-art technologies. He expressed confidence that it will play a crucial role in the creation of the Sudarshan Chakra to ensure complete aerial protection over the next decade. Adarsh for Akashvani News, Delhi.”
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Ministry of Defence has recorded significant progress in implementing wide-ranging reforms in last year. These reforms aimed at strengthening jointness, enhancing defence preparedness, promoting self-reliance and improving welfare delivery mechanisms. The reforms including signing of contracts amounting more than one lakh crore rupees, on boarding of over 30 lakh defence pensioners on SPARSH portal have reflected a whole-of-government approach towards building a modern, integrated and future-ready defence ecosystem. It further said that the sustained reform momentum during 2025 has strengthened India’s defence preparedness and institutional efficiency.
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The Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Prasar Bharati Gaurav Dwivedi today launched two versions of the national song Vande Mataram at Akashvani Bhawan in New Delhi. These are the first two renditions from the proposed set of 25 musical versions of the song to be presented by Akashvani. The versions were digitally released as part of the 150th anniversary commemoration of Vande Mataram.
Talking exclusively to Akashvani News, the CEO said this commemoration is an opportunity for the people to rededicate themselves to the nation by listening and also understanding the various aspects of this song.
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Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers JP Nadda has inaugurated the e-Bill System that will enable the government to process the fertilizer subsidies amounting to approximately 2 lakh crore rupees. The newly launched system represents a paradigm shift from manual, paper-based processes to a fully digital, system-to-system workflow, eliminating the need for any physical movement of bills.
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The National Human Rights Commission India has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh in connection with a media report claiming that at least seven people died and more than 40 others fell ill after consuming contaminated water in the Bhagirathpura area of Indore district. Taking suo motu cognizance of the incident, the Commission has called for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.
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In Switzerland, many people are feared dead and more than 100 injured after an explosion and fire ripped through the ‘Le Constellation’ bar in Crans-Montana ski resort in Valais Canton on New Year’s Eve. Police said, the seriously injured were taken to hospitals in Sion and other cities, while rescue teams, helicopters and ambulances rushed to the scene. Authorities said, an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the explosion, but an attack has been ruled out. Hospitals are operating at full capacity, with helicopters and ambulances, including some from abroad, assisting in evacuations. Swiss President Guy Parmelin postponed his New Year’s address and expressed condolences to victims and their families.
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Bulgaria has officially entered the eurozone, adopting the euro as its national currency from New Year’s Day. With this move, Bulgaria has become the 21st country to join the euro area. To ease the transition, the Bulgarian lev will remain in circulation along with the euro until the end of this month. From first of next month, the euro will be the country’s only legal tender. The move marks a major milestone for Bulgaria, which has been working towards eurozone membership since joining the European Union in 2007.
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In Himachal Pradesh light snowfall occurred in the higher reaches today while a few places in the lower areas received light rain, intensifying the cold wave. Our Correspondent reports, tourists who have arrived to celebrate the New Year thoroughly enjoyed this change in weather.
“The New Year has begun in the state with light snowfall and rain. Snowfall in the higher regions of Kullu, Shimla, Kinnaur, and Chamba districts has led to a drop in temperatures. Meanwhile, tourist destinations such as Atal Tunnel Rohtang, Solang Nala, and Kufri near Shimla also witnessed light snowfall, which was enjoyed by tourists celebrating the New Year. The Meteorological Centre Shimla has forecast the possibility of light snowfall at isolated places in the higher reaches and light rain in the lower and plain areas of the state during the next 24 hours. Ritesh Kapoor, Akashvani News, Shimla.”
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Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued orange colour warning for dense fog in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Odisha and Rajasthan tomorrow. Snowfall over Jammu-Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand is also predicted for tomorrow. Dense fog conditions in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim and North-eastern states will also occur. Meanwhile, the air quality in Delhi-NCR continues to remain in the Very Poor category. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the average Air Quality Index (AQI) of the National Capital was recorded at 379 as of 7 pm today.
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The deck was cleared today for setting up a National Sports Board and a sports tribunal as key provisions of India’s National Sports Governance Act came into force. It will enable the government to begin restructuring the country’s sports administration.
The Act, notified in August last year seeks to overhaul governance of national sports bodies, including the Olympic and Paralympic committees and national federations.
Under the notified provisions, executive committees of these bodies will be limited to 15 members and must include at least two sportspersons of merit.
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-
- India’s first Bullet Train to run between Mumbai and Ahmedabad on 15th of August next year, says Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
- Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says, Viksit Bharat G RAM G act strengthens MGNREGA for greater efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
- India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement comes into effect granting duty-free access to all Indian exports in Australia.
- President Droupadi Murmu says, Artificial Intelligence is key to country’s economic growth and innovation.
- Many people feared dead in fire at a New Year Party in Ski resort in Switzerland.
- Met Department issues orange alert for dense fog in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Odisha and Rajasthan for tomorrow.
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