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interim budget for FY25 to be presented on February 1, as compared with ₹60,000 crore budgeted for this fiscal, a person aware of the details told ET. The government will allocate more should the demand exceed its initial expectation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), which is a demand-driven programme. The rural development ministry, in the pre-budget consultations, had sought ₹1.1 lakh crore for FY25, expecting higher demand for work and wage hikes. As for the current fiscal, the government has approved an additional ₹14,524 crore, over and above the budgeted ₹60,000 crore, as part of its first batch of supplementary demands for grants with an indication that more funds could be granted if required. The government had spent about ₹90,000 crore under the scheme in FY23.

European Free Trade Association (EFTA)—the four-nation trading block comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland—are close to signing a trade agreement after both sides have reached an understanding on key issues, news agency PTI reported citing a senior official on Monday. "Following extensive negotiations, a shared understanding has been achieved on key issues during the ministerial meeting. Ongoing efforts are now focused on shaping the convergence that has emerged," the news agency quoted the official as saying Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal held a meeting recently with Swiss Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin in Mumbai.

free trade agreement between India and the four-nation EFTA bloc are at an advanced stage as both sides have reached a shared understanding on key issues, a senior official has said. The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members are Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. India and the EFTA have been negotiating the pact, officially dubbed as Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement (TEPA), since January 2008 to boost economic ties.

OnePlus 12R, scheduled for January 23, 2024. The 'Smooth Beyond Belief' event, taking place at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, promises an exciting showcase of the latest offerings from the tech giant.

DMK and BJP cadres on Monday after the Supreme Court allowed live telecast of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP State President K Annamalai had accused the MK Stalin administration of trying to scuttle the live screening of the rituals as well as poojas at local temples.

Ram Lalla took place today in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saints, and a host of distinguished guests. Meanwhile, neighbouring Pakistan in its first reaction to the event the country's foreign office said in a statement that the consecration ceremony is "indicative of India's growing majoritarianism.' “Deplorably, India’s superior judiciary not only acquitted the criminals responsible for this despicable act but also allowed the construction of a temple on the site of the demolished mosque," Pakistan's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Ram Lalla sculpted by Mysuru-based Arun Yogiraj. The pictures of the Ram Lalla idol carved in black stone started doing rounds on social media with users praising it for capturing the essence of Lord Ram's divinity. In his address, PM Modi said he wants to apologize to Lord Ram as the construction of Ram Temple took so long.

Uttar Pradesh Police has received commendation from the Delhi Police for their exemplary security and traffic management during the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath graced the consecration ceremony, attended by a diverse crowd of over 7,000 individuals, including politicians, celebrities, industrialists, saints, and international representatives. The ceremony, led by PM Modi, saw the 'Pran Pratishtha' ritual conducted between 12:20 pm and 1 pm.

Housing decisions balance emotional aspirations and pragmatic finances – but market fluctuations scramble norms. As housing price corrections mingle with rising mortgage rates, the intuitive “rent vs buy” debate grows more layered today. It pays to re-evaluate variables systematically despite instinctive urges.

Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday watched the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony from Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu after both the Supreme Court and Madras High Court allowed live telecasting of the event.

Budget 2024 Expectations: The increased tax buoyancy as reflected in both income tax and GST monthly collection data will provide headroom to the government to allocate more funds for farmers and social sector schemes in the forthcoming interim budget, without sacrificing fiscal prudence, sources said. The focus in the interim budget, which will be the last major economic document of the Modi 2.0 Government ahead of the general elections, is likely to be on the issues being faced by poorer sections of the society, especially in rural areas.

inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Amul, the renowned dairy brand, has added its artistic touch to the festivities with a captivating doodle. The iconic Amul girl takes center stage in the viral artwork, standing barefoot with folded hands in front of the Ram Mandir. As the nation rejoices, social media platforms are buzzing with the topical creation from Amul, echoing the sentiment of a "Temple of a billion hopes."

N Biren Singh said he has chaired a meeting with representatives of 10 political parties to address the current situation in the ethnic violence-hit state. He also said «constructive discussions» were held during the meeting at the CM secretariat on Sunday.

Budget 2024: Besides being the annual financial statement of the government and a projection of its revenue and expenditure in the coming year, the budget is also an eloquent device that speaks of a government's priorities in general. In its banner announcements as well as fine prints, a budget will tell you a lot about what the government wants.

ElevenLabs has gained unicorn status after its latest round of fundraising, a person familiar with the matter said, as surging investor interest for generative AI technology sends startup valuations soaring. ElevenLabs on Monday said it raised $80 million in Series B funding from investors led by venture capitalist Andreessen Horowitz along with entrepreneurs Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, with participation from Sequoia Capital among others.

Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the «soul of a civilization» has found expression once again in the world.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a playlist of 62 devotional songs dedicated to Lord Ram on his social media account, X (formerly known as Twitter). This playlist, a collection of soul-stirring 'bhajans,' serves as a personal connection to the upcoming consecration ceremony.

Chiranjeevi and his son Ram Charan, accompanied by their family, reached Ayodhya on Monday for the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir. The actors, who were seen twinning in traditional silk kurtas, expressed their deep honour and excitement about being part of this historic event.

ANI, Jayant Bajbale, DCP shared details and said that at around 11 pm on 21 January, some people of the Hindu community were raising slogans in 3-4 vehicles in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road. Further describing, he said, “After this, an argument started with some people belonging to the Muslim community. Seeing the deteriorating situation, the police vehicle immediately reached the spot and took some people into custody." The DCP said that the situation has been brought under control and a flag march was conducted in the area.

In the days leading up to 22 January, I could not sense any genuine mass euphoria among temple-going Hindus over the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. There was importance attached to the day, like an approaching festivity, and few had a quarrel with the authorities for asking them to observe remote ceremonies or ordering schools and stock markets shut. But I sensed no religious fervour among devout Hindus.