Government

The healthy tax collections come amid improving growth prospects for the Indian economy.

Protest is a fundamental right in democracy, enabling citizens to register dissent, demand accountability and effect change in public policy. Where a valid law requires prior permission, the state may enforce that requirement even against a peaceful gathering, experts said.

The Union Cabinet has approved renaming the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and revising disability pension rules. Monthly assistance will rise to ₹375 for beneficiaries aged 0-79 and ₹625 for those aged 80 and above, while the disability threshold drops from 80% to 40%.

He also highlighted online services, startup support and planned industrial parks in hill districts.

Uttarakhand plans to bring science closer to students, with Pushkar Singh Dhami announcing ₹1 crore for a border-district festival and related programmes.

The 8th Pay Commission report is expected by May 2027 under its 18-month mandate. Know the expected salary hike timeline, government approval process, fitment factor demands and whether central government employees may receive arrears from January 2026.

Uttarakhand’s overseas employment scheme has placed 106 young people in jobs across Japan, Saudi Arabia and Germany, while expanding German- and Japanese-language training through 158 centres.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the state has expanded healthcare since 2017, increasing medical colleges from 36 to 85 and MBBS seats from 4,690 to over 13,600. He also said more than 10 crore people are covered by health schemes that help reduce treatment costs.

8th Pay Commission has yet to finalize fitment factor. Unions have sought 3.833x and 4x. For Level 1 employees with ₹18,000 basic pay, these imply revised basic salaries of ₹68,994 and ₹72,000, increases of ₹50,994 and ₹54,000, respectively, with a difference of ₹3,006 between the two estimates.

The government has told social media platforms to be more careful about misleading, manipulated and out-of-context content that could disrupt public order.