Thick grey haze engulfed Delhi on Monday morning with AQI at 366, while several monitoring stations recorded severe air quality, CPCB data showed.

Delhi Engulfed in Thick Haze with 'Very Poor' Air Quality

Thick grey haze engulfed Delhi on Monday morning with AQI at 366, while several monitoring stations recorded severe air quality, CPCB data showed.

Thick grey haze shrouded Delhi on Monday morning, with the air quality remaining in the 'very poor' category with a reading of 366, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
The Air Quality Index (AQI) at seven air quality monitoring stations was 'severe', with Narela logging the highest reading at 418.
According to the CPCB, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 to 100 'satisfactory', 101 to 200 'moderate', 201 to 300 'poor', 301 to 400 'very poor', and 401 to 500 'severe'.
Delhi's air quality is likely to remain 'very poor' for the next three days. It is expected to oscillate between 'very poor' and 'severe' categories during the subsequent six days, according to the Air Quality Early Warning System (AQEWS).
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the current average wind speed, which is less than 10 kmph, is unfavourable for the dispersion of pollutants.
Delhi recorded a minimum temperature of 9.3 degrees Celsius, it said.&nbsp;

President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to the VB-G RAM G Act, replacing MGNREGA and guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.

VB-G RAM-G replaces MGNREGA with President's assent, gazette notification

President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to the VB-G RAM G Act, replacing MGNREGA and guaranteeing 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave her assent to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which replaces the MGNREGA and has a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.
With the presidential assent, it now becomes the VB-G RAM G Act, 2025, and a notification in this regard was published in the Gazette of India. The Rural Development Ministry, in a statement, called it a decisive reform in India's rural employment and development framework.
According to the government, the VB-G RAM G scheme, which has replaced Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), 2005, aims to establish a rural development framework aligned with the national vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'.
Besides providing for 125 days of wage employment, the Act also facilitates adequate availability of agricultural labour during peak sowing and harvesting seasons by empowering states to notify a pause period aggregating to sixty days in a financial year, the Ministry said.
It stressed that the Act seeks to transform rural employment from a standalone welfare intervention into an integrated instrument of development.
The Bill was passed in the Parliament last week amid protests by the opposition.
The Congress, which continued its protests in various parts of the country against the new scheme on Sunday, accused the Modi government of "desecrating the groundbreaking law" MGNREGA in Parliament and said that two decades of progress have been overturned "without consultation" and by sidestepping all parliamentary conventions.
Dismissing criticism of the Bill, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday alleged that misinformation is being spread about the new scheme, which he described as a step ahead of MGNREGA.
In a video posted on X, the minister said that over Rs 1,51,282 crore will be allocated for VB-G RAM G scheme to ensure adequate funds for rural employment.
"There is a conspiracy to misguide the country, and false information is being spread, while the truth is that the VB-G RAM G scheme is a step ahead of MGNREGA," Chouhan said.
The ministry said the Act replaces MGNREGA with a modern statutory framework that enhances livelihood security and is aligned with the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
It strengthens income security for rural households, modernises governance and accountability, and links wage employment with the creation of durable and productive rural assets, thereby laying the foundation for a prosperous and resilient Rural India.
It mandates payment of wages on a weekly basis or, in any case, within fifteen days of completion of work. In cases of delay beyond the stipulated period, delay compensation will be payable.
The wage employment under the Act is explicitly aligned with the creation of durable public assets across four priority thematic domains -water security and water-related works, core rural infrastructure, livelihood-related infrastructure, and works to mitigate extreme weather events.
All works originate from Viksit Gram Panchayat Plans (VGPPs), prepared at the Gram Panchayat level through participatory processes and approved by the Gram Sabha.
These plans are digitally and spatially integrated with national platforms, including PM Gati Shakti.
"This integrated planning framework will enable Ministries and Departments to plan and implement works more effectively, avoid duplication and wastage of public resources, and accelerate development through saturation-based outcomes," the Ministry said.
Cost-sharing pattern is 60:40 between the Centre and States, 90:10 for North Eastern and Himalayan States, and 100% central funding for Union Territories without legislatures.
The Ministry said the normative allocations pertain to budgeting and fund-flow mechanisms and does not affect the legal entitlement to employment, and would be based on objective parameters prescribed in the Rules, ensuring predictability, fiscal discipline, and sound planning, while fully preserving statutory entitlements to employment and unemployment allowance.
Administrative expenditure ceiling has been enhanced from 6 per cent to 9 per cent, enabling improved staffing, training, technical capacity and field-level support, and strengthening the ability of institutions to deliver outcomes effectively.
The ministry added that Technology under the Act is intended as an enabling mechanism, not a barrier.

A warm moment in Parliament caught the eye as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared tea with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also present, while both Houses concluded the Winter Session.

Parliament Moment: Priyanka Gandhi shares tea with Rajnath Singh. PM Modi and Om Birla

A warm moment in Parliament caught the eye as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared tea with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also present, while both Houses concluded the Winter Session.

At the end of the Winter Session on Friday, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla held a meeting with leaders of the Lower House in his chamber at Parliament House, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi also in attendance.&nbsp;
Amid the political churn of the session, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was seen seated next to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the meeting, sharing a cup of tea &mdash; a moment that stood out against an otherwise turbulent parliamentary sitting.
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
VIDEO | Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla met PM Modi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Chirag Paswan, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and MPs of various parties, including Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi and others, after the conclusion of the Parliament Winter Session 2025. (Source: Third Party) <a href="https://t.co/Ljx8XPT4o9">pic.twitter.com/Ljx8XPT4o9</a>
&mdash; Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News/status/2001916880999846192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Soon after, amid continued Opposition protests over the passage of the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, Speaker Om Birla adjourned the Lok Sabha sine die following the playing of Vande Mataram in the House. Prime Minister Modi, who returned a day earlier from a three-nation foreign visit, was present in the Lok Sabha at the time.
The Rajya Sabha was also adjourned sine die shortly after it resumed at 11 am. Before the adjournment, statements and reports were laid on the table of the House. While closing the proceedings, Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice-President C.P. Radhakrishnan criticised the conduct of some Members during the previous day&rsquo;s sitting. &ldquo;The conduct of members during the Minister's reply yesterday, which included protesting and tearing of papers, was unbecoming of the House,&rdquo; he said.
Opposition parties continued their protest against the VB-G RAM G Bill on Friday. A united Opposition staged a demonstration outside Parliament, while members of the Trinamool Congress carried on their protest on the steps at the entry to the House.
Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in Germany, also criticised the legislation, describing it as &ldquo;anti-state&rdquo; and &ldquo;anti-village&rdquo; by design. In a post on X, he wrote, &ldquo;Last night, the Modi government demolished twenty years of MGNREGA in one day. VB-G RAM G isn't a 'revamp' of MGNREGA. It demolishes the rights-based, demand-driven guarantee and turns it into a rationed scheme which is controlled from Delhi. It is anti-state and anti-village by design.&rdquo;
He said the earlier scheme empowered rural workers and strengthened rural livelihoods. &ldquo;MGNREGA gave the rural worker bargaining power. With real options, exploitation and distress migration fell, wages increased, working conditions improved, all while building and reviving rural infrastructure. That leverage is precisely what this government wants to break. By capping work and building in more ways to deny it, VB-G RAM G weakens the one instrument which the rural poor had,&rdquo; he added.
Highlighting the role of MGNREGA during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gandhi further said, &ldquo;We saw what MGNREGA meant during COVID. When the economy shut down and livelihoods collapsed, it kept crores from falling into hunger and debt. And it helped women the most - year after year, women have contributed more than half the person-days.&rdquo;

Sub-zero temperatures return across Kashmir with Pulwama at minus 4°C, while the valley braces for Chillai-Kalan and possible snowfall from December 20–21.

Cold wave deepens in Kashmir as Chillai-Kalan nears, temperatures dip below freezing

Sub-zero temperatures return across Kashmir with Pulwama at minus 4&deg;C, while the valley braces for Chillai-Kalan and possible snowfall from December 20&ndash;21.

After a brief respite, cold conditions intensified in Kashmir as the night temperatures dropped and settled below the freezing point at most places in the valley, officials said on Friday.
Pulwama town was the coldest recorded place with a minimum of minus 4 degrees Celsius on Thursday night, they said.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, two degrees down from the previous night's 0.2 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
A thick layer of fog engulfed Srinagar and most other parts of the valley, especially near water bodies, during the early hours.
In south Kashmir, Pahalgam, one of the base camps for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius. Kokernag and Qazigund recorded a low of 0.5 degrees and minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, respectively, they said.
The temperature in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, they said.
In Gulmarg, the minimum temperature settled above the freezing point at 1.0 degrees Celsius, the weather officials said.
The Kashmir Valley is bracing for the onset of Chillai-Kalan on December 21 as chances of snowfall are with highest in the period, with temperatures dropping sharply across the valley. Chillai-Kalan ends on January 30.
So far this winter, the valley has not witnessed any major wet spell, officials said.
The dry weather so far has led to an increase in ailments like cough and the common cold, but the meteorological department (MeT) has forecast a spell of wet weather on December 20-21, coinciding with the onset of 'Chillai-Kalan'.
Moderate to heavy snowfall is expected in the higher reaches of Kashmir, while light to moderate precipitation may affect the plains, ending the dry spell, the MeT said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the winter session of the state legislature will feature a discussion on Vande Mataram’s 150th anniversary, along with key legislative business and development-related issues.

Vande Mataram discussion in UP legislature to mark 150th anniversary: Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the winter session of the state legislature will feature a discussion on Vande Mataram&rsquo;s 150th anniversary, along with key legislative business and development-related issues.

Ahead of the winter session of the Uttar Pradesh legislature, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said it would provide an opportunity for discussion on Vande Mataram on its 150th anniversary.
Speaking to reporters inside Vidhan Bhavan, Adityanath said the session, running from December 19-24, is crucial for members to raise issues in the House, advancing the interests of the people and the state's development.
"On this occasion, the Uttar Pradesh Legislature will also have the opportunity to hold an important discussion commemorating the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram and to express gratitude to its composer," he said.
"This is because the date of the founding of Uttar Pradesh coincides with the date of the notification recognising Vande Mataram as the national song under the Constitution of India, making a discussion on this topic in the Uttar Pradesh Legislature particularly significant," Adityanath added.
Adityanath also said it was clearly conveyed during the all-party meeting that the government is fully prepared to discuss all issues.
He emphasised that the government maintains a positive approach towards development-related matters and expects cooperation from all parties to ensure the smooth conduct of the session.
He said that the country's largest legislature is steadily moving in the right direction, and when democratic institutions become forums for meaningful debate, elected representatives uphold public trust.
He added that while the government had wished for a longer session, many legislators are currently engaged in the special (intensive) revision of electoral rolls, an exercise crucial for maintaining the integrity and transparency of democracy.
Consequently, the session has been scheduled until December 24 to accommodate essential legislative business, supplementary demands, and deliberations on Vande Mataram.
Adityanath expressed confidence that the session would prove significant for the Uttar Pradesh Legislature and the overall development of the state.

Tipra Motha Party’s youth wing stages demonstration outside Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, condemning anti-India statements and supporting Northeast unity.

Tipra Motha youth wing protests Bangladesh leader's anti-India remarks in Agartala

Tipra Motha Party&rsquo;s youth wing stages demonstration outside Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, condemning anti-India statements and supporting Northeast unity.

Tipra Motha Party's youth wing on Friday staged a demonstration near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala to protest an "anti-India campaign" and remarks made by a leader of the neighbouring country about the Northeast.
Security has been beefed up near the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in the wake of the protest staged by the Youth Tripra Federation (YTF).
"We want to remind anti-India forces in Bangladesh that it was India that liberated Bangladesh from the oppression of Pakistan Army... It took only 13 days to turn East Pakistan into a sovereign country," YTF president Suraj Debbarma told reporters.
The agitators also raised slogans against the present regime in Bangladesh.
Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, in an X post, said, "The only political party in Northeast to publicly protest outside the Bangladesh (Assistant) High Commission after statements were made against our Northeast is Tipra Motha and YTF. Wake up political rivals our real fight should be against the new mini Pakistan (Bangladesh), not each other."
During a rally in protest against the attack on prominent July Uprising leader Sharif Osman Hadi, who later succumbed to gunshot wounds, National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah had threatened to split the seven sisters of the Northeast from India and provide shelter to separatist leaders of the region.
West Tripura Superintendent of Police (SP) Namit Pathak said that Tripura State Rifles (TSR) and CRPF personnel have been deployed to provide security to Bangladesh Assistant High Commission.
"Adequate security arrangements have been made to handle the situation," he said.
The protest brought back memories of last year, when hundreds of agitators had barged into the assistant high commission and the Centre had to tender an apology for the security breach.
Tension gripped Bangladesh on Friday after the death of Hadi triggered protests and violence in various parts of the country.
Hadi, a candidate in the scheduled February 12 general elections, died while undergoing treatment at a Singapore hospital after fighting for his life for six days. He was shot in the head last week by masked gunmen as he initiated his election campaign at central Dhaka's Bijoynagar area.
Protesters on Thursday took to the streets and attacked offices of newspapers and vandalised 32 Dhanmandi, the home of Bangladesh's founding father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Protesters also hurled bricks and stones at the residence of the Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Chattogram, at 1.30 am, but failed to cause any damage.

AAP leaders, led by Isudan Gadhvi, conduct a review meeting in Navsari ahead of municipal elections, highlighting civic issues, BJP mismanagement, and promising corruption-free governance.

AAP holds review meeting in Navsari ahead of municipal corporation elections

AAP leaders, led by Isudan Gadhvi, conduct a review meeting in Navsari ahead of municipal elections, highlighting civic issues, BJP mismanagement, and promising corruption-free governance.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) conducted a review meeting in Navsari under the leadership of state president Isudan Gadhvi, ahead of the upcoming Navsari Municipal Corporation elections. Leaders and party workers, including AAP South Gujarat Zone President Ram Dhaduk, attended the meeting.
Speaking to the media before the session, Gadhvi highlighted key issues in the city and outlined the party&rsquo;s plans for the elections. &ldquo;The Navsari Municipal Corporation elections are approaching and a review will be conducted with party workers in this regard,&rdquo; he said.
Gadhvi criticised the current administration in Navsari, stating that long-standing governance challenges have affected public services. &ldquo;BJP has been ruling Navsari for years and people are suffering from various problems. BJP leaders do not know how to govern and all the money is going into corruption. The leaders are so arrogant that they believe people have no other option even if they do not vote for them. This arrogance is troubling the public today,&rdquo; he said.
He also raised concerns about urban infrastructure and civic services, adding, &ldquo;Even demolitions carried out have not been put to proper use. If in the city of Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Patil, water comes once every 45 days, one can imagine the situation. The point is that the development Navsari deserves has not taken place. Taxes are being imposed on the public. As per information received, taxes in Navsari are likely to be almost doubled after the elections. Navsari is facing many issues related to roads, water supply, sewerage and inflation. Women are not provided free bus travel.&rdquo;
Highlighting AAP&rsquo;s governance model in other states, Gadhvi urged residents to consider the party as an alternative. &ldquo;I appeal to the people of Navsari that a strong alternative is now emerging and an opportunity is coming. Till now, people may have suffered under the BJP system. When the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in Delhi and provided 300 units of free electricity, BJP governments in other states were also forced to provide free electricity. If the people of Navsari form an AAP Municipal Corporation, they will not only get various facilities but also a corruption-free civic body. Public money will be properly utilized over five years. Facilities will be provided such as Gujarat has never seen before,&rdquo; he said.
Gadhvi cited the party&rsquo;s record in Punjab, stating, &ldquo;In three years, the AAP government in Punjab has done such good work that it won 87 percent of the seats in the local body elections. In Punjab, electricity and water have been made free, schools have been built, and 43,000 kilometers of good roads are being constructed. Punjab has been made drug-free and youth affected by addiction have been given jobs. 56,000 government jobs have been provided without a single rupee of bribery or any paper leak. The AAP government in Punjab has achieved what was considered impossible in three years, which is why people have given such a massive mandate.&rdquo;
He appealed to the people of Navsari to &ldquo;rise above greed, inducements, casteism and regionalism, and choose the politics of work.&rdquo; Gadhvi added that preparations for the election are underway and the candidate selection process is expected to begin within the next fifteen days.

Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha conclude 2025 Winter Session, passing crucial bills including MNREGA repeal and election reforms, with high member participation and Zero Hour activity.

Parliament concludes productive winter session; Rajya Sabha 121%, Lok Sabha 111%

Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha conclude 2025 Winter Session, passing crucial bills including MNREGA repeal and election reforms, with high member participation and Zero Hour activity.

The 269th session of the Rajya Sabha concluded on Friday, with Chairman and Vice-President of India CP Radhakrishnan delivering his valedictory address. The winter session, he noted, was particularly significant as it marked his first time presiding over the House.
&ldquo;I thank the Prime Minister, Ministers, J.P. Nadda, Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, and all Members for their felicitations. Your encouragement is a source of great motivation,&rdquo; he said, expressing gratitude for the support he received during the session.
The Chairman acknowledged the cooperation of Members, highlighting their willingness to work late and skip lunch recess on five occasions to complete business. &ldquo;This session witnessed an unprecedented number of Zero Hour Notices, averaging over 84 per day, a 31% increase compared to previous sessions,&rdquo; he said, adding that matters raised during Zero Hour averaged more than 15 per day&mdash;nearly a 50% increase from earlier sessions.
&ldquo;We must keep up the good work, keeping in mind that the people of this great nation look up to us as custodians of democracy,&rdquo; Radhakrishnan added.
The session featured several high-profile debates. A two-day discussion commemorating the 150th anniversary of the National Song Vande Mataram saw participation from 82 Members, while a three-day debate on Election Reforms involved 57 Members. &ldquo;You have all positively responded to my call to spend every day, every hour, every minute, every second of our time in the House to strengthen our democracy by meaningful debates and discussions,&rdquo; the Chairman said.
Legislative business included the passage or return of eight Bills and adoption of a Statutory Resolution regarding the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, with 212 Members taking part. Private Members&rsquo; Business also remained active, with 59 Bills introduced and one Bill and one Resolution discussed by 22 Members.
Over the course of the session, the House met for approximately 92 hours, achieving a productivity rate of 121%. During this period, 58 Starred Questions, 208 Zero Hour submissions, and 87 Special Mentions were addressed. The Chairman also recognized the support of the Deputy Chairman, the Panel of Vice-Chairpersons, the Secretary-General and staff, as well as the media for their coverage.
Radhakrishnan, however, expressed concern over unruly conduct by some opposition Members in the previous day&rsquo;s sitting, citing shouting, displaying placards, and throwing papers in the well of the House. He urged Members to maintain decorum in future proceedings.
Concluding his remarks, he extended greetings to all Members and their families for Christmas, New Year, and upcoming harvest festivals, including Lohri, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and Magh Bihu.
Simultaneously, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla concluded the ongoing session of the 18th Lok Sabha after 15 sittings. He highlighted the active participation of Members, productive debates, and legislative business, noting that the House achieved a productivity rate of 111%.&nbsp;
The Speaker also thanked Members for their cooperation and stressed that meaningful discussions are essential to strengthening India&rsquo;s parliamentary democracy.

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan condemns unruly behaviour by opposition MPs during passage of VB-G RAM G Bill, urges introspection, highlights productive Winter Session.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Criticizes Opposition Disruptions in Winter Session

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan condemns unruly behaviour by opposition MPs during passage of VB-G RAM G Bill, urges introspection, highlights productive Winter Session.

Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan on Friday strongly disapproved of disruptions by Opposition members during the passage of the rural employment guarantee bill (G RAM G), terming the conduct "unbecoming of Members of Parliament", and urged them to introspect and refrain from such behaviour in future.
Radhakrishnan read out a synopsis of the legislative and other business transacted during the 15-day sitting of the Winter session before adjourning the proceedings sine die.
Adjourned sine die (Latin for &lsquo;without a day') means suspending a parliamentary session indefinitely, without setting a specific date to reconvene. It's used when legislative bodies end a session without naming a future date for reassembly.
The Winter session of Parliament started on December 1.
"Disruption created during yesterday's sitting by the Opposition Members by shouting slogans, displaying placards, disrupting the Minister replying to the discussion, tearing up papers and throwing them in the well of the House showed conduct unbecoming of Members of Parliament. I earnestly hope that Hon'ble Members would introspect and not repeat such unruly behaviour in future," he said.
The Rajya Sabha sat past midnight on Thursday to pass legislation that replaced the 20-year-old rural employment scheme -- the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGA) -- by boosting the number of guaranteed workdays to 125, up from the current 100 days per household for unskilled manual labour.
Opposition MPs protested the dropping of the name of the Father of the Nation from the new legislation, Guarantee for Employment and Livelihood Mission - Rural (Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission - Rural).
Other than that, the 269th Session of the Upper House was "highly productive", registering 121 per cent productivity with sittings spanning about 92 hours, he said.
Delivering his valedictory remarks, Radhakrishnan said the Winter Session was significant as it marked his first stint presiding over the House after assuming office. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the House J P Nadda, and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge for their felicitations.
"The warmth and affection in your felicitations proved a source of great encouragement for me as I sat down discharging my constitutional responsibility as the Chairman of this august House," he said.
He said that in his first address, he sought the cooperation of members for the smooth functioning of the House. "I am happy that Hon&rsquo;ble Members cooperated with the Chair to complete a significant amount of Business during this Winter Session."
The Chairman noted that the House agreed to extend sittings or skip lunch recess on five days to transact business. He said the session recorded an unprecedented rise in Zero Hour activity, with an average of over 84 notices received daily -- a 31 per cent increase over the previous two sessions -- while matters actually raised averaged more than 15 per day, up nearly 50 per cent.
Highlighting the quality of deliberations, Radhakrishnan said the House held a two-day special discussion on the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram, with 82 members participating. A three-day discussion on electoral reforms saw interventions from 57 members.
During the session, the Rajya Sabha passed or returned eight Bills and adopted a statutory resolution on the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act, 2024, with participation from 212 members. As many as 59 Private Members' Bills were introduced, reflecting what he described as the "vibrancy of parliamentary democracy".
The Chairman also cited 58 starred questions, 208 Zero Hour submissions and 87 special mentions during the session, and said he issued a detailed ruling clarifying the scope of Rule 267.
Radhakrishnan thanked the Deputy Chairman, members of the panel of vice-chairpersons, the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and the media for their role in ensuring the smooth conduct of proceedings.

The Lok Sabha concluded its Winter Session, passing important legislation including the VB-G RAM G Bill and civil nuclear sector reforms. Engaging debates and high efficiency marked the session, which Speaker Om Birla noted for its 111% productivity.

Lok Sabha Winter Session Ends: Key Legislation Passed

The Lok Sabha's Winter Session concluded with landmark bills on civil nuclear participation and a new employment guarantee replacing MNREGA. High productivity marked the session, which featured significant debates and legislative introductions, ensuring future developments.

Lok Sabha concluded its 19-day Winter Session, passing key bills including MNREGA repeal, VB-G RAM G, SHANTI Bill, and insurance sector reforms amid opposition protests.

Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Friday, drawing curtains on the 19-day-long Winter Session of Parliament which saw the passage of crucial Bills, including one to repeal the 20-year-old MNREGA and another on opening up the civil nuclear sector for private participation.
As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla read out his brief valedictory address, noting that the productivity of Lok Sabha during the session was registered at 111 per cent with members sitting till late hours to discuss crucial legislations.
He then adjourned the House sine die (for indefinite period), drawing curtains on the brief session that commenced on December 1.
When Birla was reading out his valedictory statement, some members were heard raising "Mahatma Gandhi ki jai" slogans.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present when the proceedings were adjourned.
During the 15 sittings of the Winter Session, the House took up two politically-charged debates -- on 150 years of Vande Matram and election reforms.
A debate listed on air pollution, which was to be initiated by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, could not take place.
The opposition had been insisting on a debate on the Election Commission's ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter list in 12 states and UTs but the government made it clear that poll panel and its functioning cannot be discussed in the House, and agreed to hold a debate on election reforms instead.
The opposition, however, focussed its attack on SIR, the new law on appointment of chief election commissioner and election commissioners, and the alleged 'vote chori' carried out by the poll authority in connivance with the ruling BJP.
The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) or VB-G RAM G Bill, assuring 125 days of guaranteed jobs for rural India, was passed amid opposition protests on Thursday, including tearing of papers.
The Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, which seeks to open the tightly-controlled civil nuclear sector for private participation, was also passed during the session.
The Lok Sabha also passed a Bill to raise FDI in the insurance sector to 100 per cent from the current 74 per cent, which is expected to increase insurance penetration, lower premiums, and boost job creation.
The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, was cleared by the Rajya Sabha with a voice vote, a day after it was passed by the Lok Sabha.
The House also passed a Bill to repeal 65 Amendment Acts and six principal laws, which had lost relevance.
A Bill to set up a higher education regulator -- the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhisthan Bill, 2025 -- was referred to a joint committee of the two Houses.
The Bill seeks to establish an overarching higher education commission along with three councils for regulation, accreditation and ensuring academic standards for universities and higher education institutions in India.
Another Bill on the market securities code was introduced and referred to a department-related standing committee for further examination.

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Days after resigning as Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reached Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi.
Singh&nbsp;meets Shah amid speculation about his joining the BJP after he stepped down from the CM post in the state
while resigning as the Chief Minister earlier this month, Singh&nbsp;had said he felt humiliated and added that he was 'exploring his&nbsp;options.'
&nbsp;

Captain joining BJP? Amarinder Singh at Amit Shah's residence in Delhi

Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh reached Home Minister Amit Shah's residence on Wednesday. 

//Captain Amarinder&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;reaches Amit&nbsp;Shah's house in New Delhi
//Singh's meeting with Shah comes amid speculations about his joining&nbsp;BJP
//Amarinder&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;resigned as Punjab CM amid Congress pressure
//Singh&nbsp;had said he felt humiliated, will explore options
&nbsp;

Former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder&nbsp;Singh&nbsp;reached Home Minister Amit Shah's residence on Wednesday.&nbsp;

Days after resigning as Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reached Union Home Minister Amit Shah's residence in Delhi.
Singh&nbsp;meets Shah amid speculation about his joining the BJP after he stepped down from the CM post in the state
While resigning as the Chief Minister earlier this month, Singh&nbsp;had said he felt humiliated and added that he was 'exploring his&nbsp;options.'
&nbsp;

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan promises strict action, investigation, and compensation for Ramnarayan’s family following alleged mob lynching in Palakkad.

Kerala CM Pledges Justice for Mob Lynching Victim in Palakkad

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan promises strict action, investigation, and compensation for Ramnarayan&rsquo;s family following alleged mob lynching in Palakkad.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday assured that justice would be ensured for the family of Ramnarayan, a Chhattisgarh native who had died in an alleged mob lynching incident at Walayar in Palakkad district.
Describing the incident as deeply disturbing, the chief minister said such acts tarnish the reputation of a progressive society like Kerala and are completely unacceptable.
In a statement issued by the CM's office, Vijayan said strict action would be taken against those responsible for the crime. A special investigation team led by the district police chief was probing the incident, he said. Instructions have been issued to thoroughly examine the details of the case and initiate all necessary legal proceedings.
The government will also review the matter and ensure appropriate compensation to the victim's family, Vijayan added. He called for collective vigilance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
The chief minister's remarks came a day after opposition Congress and the victim's family demanded compensation and an investigation under stringent laws, including the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The brother of the 31-year-old deceased man told reporters on Sunday that the family would not accept the body until their demands, including compensation of Rs 25 lakh, are met.
Ramnarayan was allegedly beaten to death on Wednesday evening after being accused of involvement in a theft at Kizhakeattappallam near Walayar.
Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, V D Satheesan, wrote to the CM, urging him to take urgent steps to provide financial assistance to the family of Ramnarayan.
Five people have been arrested so far for allegedly beating Ramnarayan to death on suspicion of theft recently. The injured man was rushed to the Palakkad District Government Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi warns that replacing MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G undermines employment rights, rural wages, and decentralised welfare in India.

Sonia Gandhi Criticizes MGNREGA Replacement by Modi Govt

Congress leader Sonia Gandhi warns that replacing MGNREGA with VB-G RAM G undermines employment rights, rural wages, and decentralised welfare in India.

Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Monday said the "demolition" of the historic Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) will have catastrophic consequences for crores of people across rural India and called upon all to unite and safeguard the rights that protect everyone.
In an editorial in The Hindu titled "The bulldozed demolition of MGNREGA," the former Congress chief said the "death" of MGNREGA is a collective failure.
This comes a day after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, which replaces the MGNREGA and has a provision for 125 days of wage employment for rural workers.
"MGNREGA realised the Mahatma's vision of Sarvodaya (welfare of all) and enacted the constitutional right to work," Gandhi said. "It is imperative, now more than ever, to unite and safeguard the rights that protect us all," she added.
Gandhi said the employment guarantee scheme to deal with rural distress has now been "bulldozed and demolished."
MGNREGA was a rights-based legislation inspired by Article 41 of the Constitution of India, which calls upon the government to secure citizens' right to work, she said.
"Over the past few days, the Narendra Modi government worked to bulldoze MGNREGA's abolition without any discussion, consultation, or respect for parliamentary processes or Centre-State relations. The removal of the Mahatma's name was only the tip of the iceberg. The very structure of MGNREGA, so integral to its impact, has been annihilated," she said.
She described VB-G RAM G as "nothing but a set of bureaucratic provisions."
The Modi government's new Bill has restricted the ambit of the scheme to rural areas as notified by the Union at its discretion, Gandhi said.
Against uncapped central allocation, there is now a pre-determined budgetary allocation that caps the number of days of employment provided in each state. The number of workdays provided are, therefore, left to the Centre's priorities rather than the people's needs, she said, adding that the all-year guarantee of employment has been finished off.
Gandhi said one of the greatest impacts of MGNREGA was increased bargaining power of the landless poor in rural India, which elevated agricultural wages. "This bargaining power will definitely be eroded under the new law. The Modi government is attempting to suppress wage growth and that too at a time when the proportion of employment in agriculture has risen for the first time since Independence, contrary to what should have been the case," she noted.
She also said by transferring a significant portion of the expense onto the states, the Modi government is discouraging them from providing work under the scheme. The finances of states, already under severe stress and strain, will be further devastated, the Congress leader said.
Under the VB-G RAM G Bill, the cost-sharing pattern is 60:40 between the Centre and states, 90:10 for northeastern and Himalayan states, and 100 per cent central funding for Union territories without legislatures.
Gandhi further said that aside from demolishing the demand-based nature of the programme, the Modi government has ended the decentralised nature of the scheme.
"The Modi government is resorting to fraudulent claims that it has enhanced the employment guarantee from 100 days (under MGNREGA) to 125 days. For all the reasons outlined above, that will certainly not be the case. Indeed, the real nature of the Modi government's intentions can be understood from its decade-long track record of throttling MGNREGA. It began with the Prime Minister's (in)famous mocking of the scheme on the floor of the House and proceeded apace through a 'death by a thousand cuts' strategy through, for instance, stagnant budgets, the use of disenfranchising technology and delayed payments to workers," she said in the article.
Gandhi said the demolition of the right to work must not be seen in isolation but as part of the long assault by the ruling establishment on the Constitution and its right-based vision for the country.
"The most fundamental right to vote is under unprecedented assault. The Right to Information has been desecrated with legislative changes that weaken the autonomy of Information Commissioners, and by wholesale exemptions from the Act for ill-defined 'personal information data,'" she said.
The Right to Education has been undermined and The Forest Rights Act, 2006, was markedly weakened by the Forest (Conservation) Rules (2022), which removed the gram sabha from any role in permitting the diversion of forest land, the Congress leader said, adding that The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 has been significantly diluted.
"Through the three black farm laws, the government attempted to deny farmers the right to a minimum support price. The National Food Security Act, 2013, may very well be next on the chopping block," Gandhi said.

A Mumbai-bound Air India Boeing 777 made an emergency return to Delhi after the crew detected low oil pressure in the right engine. All passengers landed safely.

Air India's Mumbai-bound B777 plane returns to Delhi due to right engine issue

A Mumbai-bound Air India Boeing 777 made an emergency return to Delhi after the crew detected low oil pressure in the right engine. All passengers landed safely.

A Mumbai-bound Air India's Boeing 777 aircraft returned to the national capital due to a right engine issue on Monday morning, according to sources. The plane, carrying around 335 people, was airborne for nearly an hour before returning to Delhi. The aircraft made an emergency landing, they added.
"The crew operating flight AI887 from Delhi to Mumbai on 22 December decided to return to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a technical issue as per standard operating procedure," Air India said in a statement.
The aircraft landed safely at Delhi and the passengers and crew have disembarked, the airline said and regretted the inconvenience caused due to this unforeseen situation.
A source at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the plane made an air turn back as during flap retraction after take-off, the flight crew observed low engine oil pressure on the right hand engine. The engine oil pressure dropped to zero, and the inspection is in progress, the source said.
The source also noted that review of previous records does not indicate any abnormality in oil consumption.
According to the airline, the plane is undergoing the necessary checks and alternative arrangements have been made to fly the passengers to their destination.
The flight AI887 was being operated with a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft and was airborne for about an hour after taking off around 6.30 am, as per information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat reiterated that India is a Hindu nation by its civilisational ethos, saying this reality does not need constitutional validation, while rejecting claims of the RSS being anti-Muslim.

India is a Hindu nation, constitution approval not required: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat reiterated that India is a Hindu nation by its civilisational ethos, saying this reality does not need constitutional validation, while rejecting claims of the RSS being anti-Muslim.

Reiterating the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh&rsquo;s long-held position, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday asserted that India is a &ldquo;Hindu nation&rdquo; and said this reality does not require constitutional validation, describing it as an unquestionable truth.
Speaking at an event commemorating 100 years of the RSS, Bhagwat said India has been, and will continue to be, a Hindu nation as long as Indian culture is respected and upheld in the country.
&ldquo;The Sun rises in the east; we don't know since when this has been happening. So, do we need constitutional approval for that too? Hindustan is a Hindu nation. Whoever considers India their motherland appreciates Indian culture, as long as there is even one person alive on the land of Hindustan who believes in and cherishes the glory of Indian ancestors, India is a Hindu nation. This is the ideology of the Sangh,&rdquo; he said while addressing the &lsquo;100 Vyakhyan Mala&rsquo; programme of the RSS in Kolkata.
Bhagwat further remarked that the inclusion or exclusion of the term in the Constitution was immaterial to the organisation&rsquo;s belief system. &ldquo;If Parliament ever decides to amend the Constitution and add that word, whether they do it or not, it's fine. We don't care about that word because we are Hindus, and our nation is a Hindu nation. That is the truth. The caste system based on birth is not the hallmark of Hindutva,&rdquo; he added.
The RSS has consistently maintained that India is a Hindu nation based on its civilisational roots and the religious affiliations of the majority population. The word &lsquo;secular&rsquo; was not part of the original Preamble of the Constitution and was inserted along with &lsquo;socialist&rsquo; through the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, during the Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Bhagwat also called upon people to visit RSS offices and attend its &lsquo;shakhas&rsquo; to better understand the organisation&rsquo;s functioning and dispel what he described as false notions of it being &ldquo;anti-Muslim&rdquo;.
According to him, public perception about the RSS has evolved, with many recognising it as an organisation committed to protecting Hindu interests and promoting nationalism, but not hostility towards Muslims.
&ldquo;If there is a perception that we are anti-Muslim, then, as I said, the RSS work is transparent. You can come anytime and see for yourself, and if you see anything like that happening, then you keep your views, and if you don't see then you change your views. There is a lot to understand (about RSS), but if you don't want to understand then no one can change your mind,&rdquo; Bhagwat said.
He added that individuals unwilling to engage or learn could not be persuaded otherwise.
&ldquo;After seeing, people have said that you are staunch nationalists. You organise Hindus, and you advocate for the protection of Hindus. But you are not anti-Muslim. Many people have accepted this, and those who want to know more should come and see the RSS for themselves,&rdquo; he said.

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered a sweeping victory in Maharashtra local body elections, winning 207 municipal council and nagar panchayat president posts out of 288.

BJP-led Mahayuti sweeps local body polls in Maharashtra; Money power and EVMs shaped win: Oppn

The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance registered a sweeping victory in Maharashtra local body elections, winning 207 municipal council and nagar panchayat president posts out of 288.

The Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP on Sunday swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats, winning 207 posts of presidents in the local bodies and restricting the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a collective tally of 44.
The final results of the 288 local bodies were shared by the State Election Commission (SEC) late at night.
According to the SEC, the BJP won 117 posts of municipal presidents, Shiv Sena won 53, and the NCP won 37 posts. The Congress bagged 28, the NCP (SP) seven, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine.
The parties registered with the SEC bagged four seats, while 28 seats of municipal presidents went to unrecognised registered parties. Five seats were won by Independents, the poll body said.
The poll outcome offers a clear signal of the shifting political equations, ahead of the crucial elections to 29 municipal corporations, including the Mumbai civic body, scheduled for next month.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of Maharashtra for supporting the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition in the elections, asserting that it reflected their trust in people-centric development.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the results of the election mark the "victory of politics of good governance and development".
BJP national working president Nitin Nabin hailed the electoral success as historic, saying the outcome of the elections reflects their trust in the NDA government under PM Modi's leadership.
He congratulated Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar and the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) state unit chief, Ravindra Chavan.
In the multi-dimensional contests, Mahayuti allies- the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP- contested against each other in some places. There were alliances as well as "friendly fights" among Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituents- the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), and Congress.
The elections to 286 municipal councils and nagar panchayats were held in two phases, while candidates in two other local bodies had been elected unopposed.
Fadnavis said the BJP has set a record in local body polls with 48 per cent of councillors winning on the party symbol, and its candidates elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils.
He attributed the Mahayuti alliance's electoral success to the BJP organisation and the development agenda of the government.
Fadnavis said the BJP has once again emerged as the single largest party.
"48 per cent councillors have been elected on the BJP symbol, which is a record. The BJP has created another record with 3,300 councillors being elected from the party."
"BJP candidates have been elected as presidents in 129 municipal councils. In 75 per cent of the local bodies, Mahayuti nominees have been elected as municipal presidents," he told reporters in Nagpur before the poll body declared the figures.
Fadnavis emphasised that the BJP's national leadership has put faith in the state leadership for elections.
"It is the team effort - the organisation and government. We fought the polls on the development plank. I led a positive campaign on the development agenda. I never criticised any political leader or party. I solicited votes on the development agenda, the work done by the government so far, and our blueprint for the future," the chief minister added.
The Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) conceded defeat, accusing the election commission of "facilitating" the victory of the ruling Mahayuti.
State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal congratulated the party candidates who won the posts of municipal president and councillors.
In a terse comment, he "congratulated" the state poll body for "helping" the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the elections.
The Congress claimed it won 41 posts of municipal council presidents and 1,006 councillors in the local body elections in Maharashtra, results of which were declared on Sunday.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attributed the victory of Mahayuti to "tampering" of EVMs. He said the opposition couldn't withstand a "hailstorm" of money.
His party colleague Ambadas Danve alleged "money and muscle power" shaped the Mahayuti win.
Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan claimed the party had got a decisive mandate as voters had rejected the Opposition's "fake narrative".
He claimed the Mahayuti had won more than 250 councils, nagar parishads and nagar panchayats out of 288, with BJP candidates securing 134 out of 236 council chief posts and over 3,000 councillor seats.
"The Opposition levelled all kinds of allegations during the campaign, but people saw through them. Uddhav Thackeray himself said he had nothing to offer to the people, and that is why his party was rejected. His party could not even win council chairperson posts in double digits," Chavan claimed.
Now, Mumbaikars too would reject the opposition's narrative in the upcoming BMC polls, he said.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said the "overwhelming success" of the BJP was a "victory of the (party) workers.
Deputy CM Shinde said the Shiv Sena had won more seats than the combined total of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the local body polls.
Shinde said he had taken major decisions during his tenure as chief minister, including CIDCO housing, FSI enhancement, toll plaza removal, road and bridge projects, Navi Mumbai International Airport and the 'Third Mumbai' growth centre.
The Ajit Pawar-led NCP claimed it won the elections to the post of municipal council presidents in 48 local bodies in Maharashtra out of 80 it had contested, retaining its hold in Pune district.
In Pune district, the NCP bagged 10 out of 17 posts of presidents to the municipal councils and nagar panchayats, district election officials said.
Ajit Pawar thanked the voters, saying the Mahayuti has swept the polls.
"I am thankful to the voters of the state for making the NCP and Mahayuti victorious in the polls. After this success, our responsibility has increased towards the people. We will continue to do the good work with the help of the state government and the Centre," he said.
In the Loha municipal council, the &lsquo;family pack&rsquo; strategy of the BJP came undone as its candidate for the post of president, Gajanan Suryavanshi, and his five relatives lost.
The BJP also suffered a setback in Chandrapur district in eastern Maharashtra.

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