UK Confirms 'Serious Nuclear Accident' At Scottish Naval Base, Home To All Royal Navy Submarines
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 79th Independence Day address from the Red Fort was his longest yet, and packed with 8 bold announcements set to redefine India's journey towards 2047. From next-generation GST reforms to boost MSMEs, to ₹15,000 job market aid for youth, Modi revealed a sweeping economic and social vision. He announced India's first semiconductor chip by year-end, opening the private sector to nuclear energy, and launching the Sudarshan Chakra Mission to strengthen national security. His High-Power Demography Mission takes on infiltration threats, while the National Deep Water Exploration Mission pushes energy self-reliance. A new task force for next-gen reforms aims to align India with the global economy. This speech signals not just ambition, but a decisive push to transform India into a Viksit Bharat by 2047.#pmmodi #independenceday #modispeech #modiindependencedayspeech #modiredfortspeech #independenceday #viksitbharat #gstreform #nuclearenergy #sudarshanchakra #selfreliantindia #makeinindia #indianeconomy #redfortspeech #semiconductors #indiajobs #rozgaryojana #indiademography #samudramanthan #breakingnews #trending #trendingnow #toi #bharat #toibharat #indianews
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The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Lok Sabha to hold special discussion on the impact of Astronaut Shukla's space mission
After a near wash-out over the Opposition's demand for a debate on the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls in Bihar — which the government rejected — during the last four sittings of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, the government has now listed a 'special discussion on India's first astronaut aboard the International Space Station and the critical role of the space programme for a Viksit Bharat by 2047' in Monday's (August 18, 2025) Lok Sabha agenda. The discussion has not been listed in the Rajya Sabha. Normally, before a special discussion is decided for either House, it is taken up at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC). However, no BAC meeting was held last week. The Opposition has not yet decided whether it will participate in this discussion. 'We will take a call at the Monday morning meeting of the Opposition floor leaders,' Congress's Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha, Kodikunnil Suresh, told The Hindu. Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla returned to India in the early hours of Sunday (August 18, 2025), after his visit to the International Space Station. Mr. Shukla is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. During his address at the 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Friday (August 15, 2025), Prime Minister Modi said India was developing its own space station and highlighted Group Captain Shukla's return from a space mission. 'Our Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has returned from the space station. In the coming days, he is returning to India,' Mr. Modi said.
The Hindu
25 minutes ago
- The Hindu
New GST regime will be consumer-centric, says Centre
The new GST regime previewed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address would be consumer-centric, with particular emphasis on the poor, the MSMEs, the middle class and the farmers, senior government sources said on Sunday (August 17, 2025). The new two-tier Goods and Services Tax (GST) structure of 18% and 5% rates will have the twin objective of making rates and processes simpler and more rational, as it was originally intended to be, the sources said. 'More equitable taxation' 'This has been in the making for a while. Our learning from the last eight years is going into this, and this will be a fundamental change in the template of taxation,' one senior functionary said. 'The new GST regime will make our taxation more equitable, and will see reduced taxes on what these four categories consume. The template will be more from the consumers point of view, and it will be put to and explained to the States from the consumers point of view.' The Centre expects any reduction in revenues that this may cause to be soon offset by a new buoyancy in the economy expected from rate rationalisation and process simplification. 'Reduced rates will not lead to reduced revenues, and we expect compliance and collection going higher,' an official said, adding that the forthcoming tax regime will be 'fiscally sustainable'. Most of the items in the 28% rate of GST will move to 18% and 'a few' will go to 40%, which will apply to exceptional items, termed 'sin goods', sources said. 'Revenues may fall in the very short run but we expect change in consumption and ease of compliance to make up for it. Thus, it will be a fairly fiscally sustainable exercise,' said a source. Deepavali deadline The Centre expects the States to be on board with the proposals in time for the Deepavali — October 20 — deadline it has set for itself to set them in motion. In a press release following the PM's speech, the Ministry of Finance said the Centre would be engaging with the State governments in the subsequent weeks, in the run-up to the next GST Council meeting. Two Groups of Ministers (comprising representatives of the State governments) — one on rate rationalisation and another on compensation cess — will have to approve the details before they go to the GST Council for approval. GST has been an ongoing topic of conflict between Opposition-ruled States and the Centre, but the latter does not expect resistance to its revamp proposals. 'The concerns regarding any potential revenue losses are not theirs (Opposition-ruled States) alone to tackle. The Centre and the States should all work together to expand the revenues, using this opportunity. I do not think anyone will or can oppose the proposed reduction in rates,' the functionary said. They also added that, since the Centre does not have any representative in the GoM on rate rationalisation, if the GoMs decide against the Centre's proposal, it would look like the States are deciding against lowering taxes for the common man. Both GoMs, followed by the GST Council, are expected to meet in the coming weeks. One source said the compensation cess will soon cease, before its legal end-date of March 31, 2026. While it was originally set to cease in 2022, its duration was extended thereafter to repay the loan taken to compensate States as the cess collections themselves had been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. That loan will be repaid before time. However, this also creates a problem for the Centre as the cess also applies on sin goods like tobacco. 'If the cess ends, then this would substantially lower the effective rate of tax on tobacco, gutka, and other sin goods,' the source explained. 'And this is something the Centre cannot be doing. So, this was yet another reason why the GST revamp needed to be done soon.' That the GST reforms are happening amid global uncertainties and tariff threats by the United States is mere coincidence, according to the sources.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Central India Group of Institutions celebrates 79th Independence Day at Lonara campus
1 2 Nagpur: The Central India Group of Institutions celebrated the 79th Independence Day with patriotic fervour at its Lonara campus, themed 'Videshi Chhodo, Swadeshi Apnao. Chief guest Asha Pathan (IAS), joint secretary at CM's Secretariat, recalled the sacrifices of India's leaders and lauded Dr APJ Abdul Kalam 's innovative calibre that transformed lives of the differently-abled. Former Maharashtra cabinet minister Anees Ahmed appealed to promote Swadeshi by supporting Made in India products. Motivational speaker SM Rajan urged students to adopt humility, simplicity, and value-based leadership, while Pharmacy College principal Dr Sajauddin Gulab stressed discipline as key to nation-building. The event featured patriotic songs, street plays, and a prize distribution for poster and video-making contests. Several principals and dignitaries from the group's institutions attended. The programme was anchored by Rahela Anjum, with a vote of thanks by Ashirvad Chouhan, leaving the gathering inspired to uphold the values of patriotism and service. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
