In a significant move to bolster supply security and accelerate a circular economy, the Ministry of Mines has completed eligibility screening for its incentive programme on critical mineral recycling, clearing 58 companies to participate.
The scheme—backed by a ₹1,500 crore outlay under the National Critical Mineral Mission—was notified on October 2, 2025, alongside detailed operational guidelines. It is designed to build domestic recycling capacity for key materials recovered from lithium-ion batteries, electronic waste and industrial scrap, helping curb import dependence while supporting clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
Applications were invited between October 2, 2025 and April 1, 2026, drawing strong industry interest. Submissions were evaluated by the Project Management Agency at the Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre, in line with prescribed criteria.
Following the review, the Executive Committee approved 58 entities in two tranches—20 on March 30, 2026, and 38 on April 29, 2026. Together, these firms have committed an estimated 850 KTPA of recycling capacity and investments of around ₹5,000 crore. The selected participants span battery recycling, e-waste processing and recovery from other waste streams, indicating growing momentum in India’s critical minerals ecosystem.
The programme now moves into the implementation phase, where approved projects will be assessed for financial support based on capacity creation and the start of operations.
Transaction volume surges nearly 12,000-fold in last 10 years, Value exceeds ₹314 lakh crore in FY 2025–26, reflecting deep nationwide adoption.
Over 700 banks onboarded as UPI captures nearly 49% of global real-time payments, driving high-frequency retail usage and inclusive digital growth.
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), launched on 11 April 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the regulatory oversight of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has emerged as the backbone of India’s digital payments ecosystem and a critical driver of financial inclusion.
Over a decade of operations, UPI has demonstrated extraordinary scale and momentum. Annual transaction volume expanded from just 2 crore transactions in FY 2016-17 to over 24,162 crore transactions in FY 2025-26, representing an almost 12,000‑fold surge in transaction volume. Parallelly, transaction value rose sharply from ₹0.07 lakh crore in FY 2016-17 to approximately ₹314 lakh crore in FY 2025-26, translating into a more than 4,000‑fold increase in transaction value.
This simultaneous expansion in both volume and value highlights UPI’s deepening role in supporting high‑frequency retail payments. The unprecedented scale, reliability, and interoperability achieved by UPI have received global recognition, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) acknowledging it as the world’s largest real‑time payment system by transaction volume, underscoring India’s leadership in building scalable, inclusive, and innovative digital public infrastructure.
INDIA CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF UPI
A Decade of Transforming India’s Digital Payment Landscape
From 21 Banks & 0.01 Crore Transactions in a month in the Year 2016 to 700+ Banks & 2000+ crore Transactions in a month in the Year 2025
24,162 Crore
Annual Transactions (FY2026)
₹314 Lakh Crore
Annual Value
(FY2026)
66 Crore
Daily Average Transactions
₹0.86 Lakh Crore
Daily Average Value
(FY2026)
I. The Decade in Numbers
UPI AT A GLANCE : KEY STATISTICS (NPCI)
Annual Transaction Volume (FY2025-26)
24,161.69 Crore
Annual Transaction Value (FY2025-26)
₹314 Lakh Crore
YoY Volume Growth (2025-2026)
30.0%
YoY Value Growth (2025-2026)
20.59%
Daily Average Transactions (2025)
66 Crore
Record Monthly Volume (March 2026)
2264 Crore (peak)
Record Monthly Value (March 2026)
₹29.53 Lakh Crore
Banks Live on UPI (As on March 2026)
703 Banks
Banks at Launch (April 2016)
21 Banks
First Month Transactions (April 2016)
373
Share of UPI in India’s Digital Payments
85% (FY2025-26)
Share of Global Real-Time Volume
49% of World (2025)
Countries Accepting UPI
8 Countries
Annual Transaction Volume Growth (2016-2025)
Fig 1: UPI Annual Transaction Volume in Crore|
Annual Transaction Value Growth (2016-2025)
Fig 2: UPI Annual Transaction Value in ₹ Lakh Crore
II. Monthly Performance, 2025
The Year 2025 marked a significant milestone in the growth trajectory of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Monthly transaction volumes crossed 2,000 crore transactions for the first time in August 2025, reaching 2,001 crore transactions, signalling a new scale of adoption. This momentum continued through the remainder of the year, with December 2025 recording 2,163 crore transactions, the highest monthly transaction volume in UPI’s decade‑long journey.
Over the course of the calendar year 2025, UPI processed approximately 22,000 crore transactions in total, translating into a daily average of about 60 crore transactions. This sustained high‑frequency usage reflects the deep penetration of digital payments across the country and the growing trust of citizens, merchants, and businesses in India’s digital payments ecosystem.
Fig 3: UPI Monthly Transaction Volume (2025)
III. Ecosystem Strength, Banks, Apps & Geography
Banks Live on UPI, Unprecedented Participation
The Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has witnessed a steady and broad-based expansion in institutional participation since its launch. The number of banks live on UPI increased from 44 banks in FY 2016-17, the first year of operations, to 703 banks by FY 2025-26. This onboarding covers public sector banks, private banks, small finance banks, payment banks, and cooperative banks, enabling UPI’s deep geographic reach. Each bank functions as a Remitter PSP (processing outgoing transactions) and/or a Beneficiary PSP (receiving funds), with NPCI monitoring performance metrics for all participants.
Fig 4: Number of Banks Live on UPI (FY2017–2026)
IV. Transaction Segmentation, P2P & P2M Analysis
An analysis of UPI transactions highlights a clear divergence between volume and value across payment types. Person‑to‑merchant (P2M) transactions account for 63% of total transaction volume, reflecting UPI’s extensive use for high‑frequency, low‑value retail payments. In contrast, person‑to‑person (P2P) transactions dominate transaction value, contributing 71%, indicating their use for higher‑ticket transfers between individuals. This contrast underscores UPI’s dual role as a mass retail payments platform and a trusted channel for larger‑value fund transfers.
Transaction Distribution by Ticket Size, Micro-Payments Dominate
Fig 5: UPI P2P vs P2M Split, Volume & Value
In FY2026, UPI transactions totalling 24,162 crore reflected the platform’s deep integration into everyday digital payment usage across the country. with particularly robust momentum in the merchant segment. P2M transactions were largely driven by small-ticket payments, with 86% below ₹500, highlighting UPI’s deep integration into routine retail and day-to-day commerce, even as higher-value transactions continued to expand. P2P transactions also showed widespread usage for low-value transfers (59% below ₹500), while a significant 41% of transactions above ₹500 reflects UPI’s growing versatility in facilitating both regular personal payments and higher-value fund transfers.
Fig 6: UPI transaction distribution by ticket size
V. UPI on the World Stage
What began as a domestic payments innovation has today evolved into a global benchmark in digital payments.
As of 2024, India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) accounts for nearly 49 % percent of the world’s real-time payment transaction volume, a milestone recognized by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its report in June 2025.
With over 66 crores transactions processed daily, UPI has surpassed global payment network, reinforcing India’s position as the world leader in instant, secure, and inclusive digital payments.
Country / Region
Status
UAE
Operational, accepted at major merchant points; used by Indian diaspora
Singapore
Operational, linked with Singapore’s PayNow for cross-border transfers
France
Operational, expanding Indian tourist payment acceptance
Operational, integrated with local payment infrastructure
Qatar
Operational.
VI. The Road Ahead, UPI’s Next Decade
The next decade of UPI is poised to drive even greater transformation in India’s digital payments landscape. By bringing new users and merchants to the UPI Ecosystem, Government of India remains committed to enabling the next phase of UPI-led innovation and strengthening India’s digital payments ecosystem through continued policy support, technological advancement, and greater financial inclusion.
The sperm and the egg cell’s nuclei compete for size directly after fertilization and this is necessary for the proper embryonic development. The mouse study with Kobe University participation finally gives meaning to a phenomenon biologists have known for decades.
At the beginning of a new individual’s life, an egg and a sperm fuse to form what biologists call a “zygote,” a fertilized egg. In mammals such as mice and humans, the DNA-carrying nuclei of these cells don’t fuse right away but remain separate as so-called “pronuclei” until just before the first cell division. “This fact has been known for decades, but no one really understood why this separation exists. People just treated it as a descriptive feature rather than something to be tested experimentally,” says Kobe University developmental biologist KYOGOKU Hirohisa. If anything, separate nuclei may increase the risk of errors during the first cell division. In assisted reproduction, embryos in which the maternal and paternal pronuclei are fused early have therefore attracted interest, but these embryos are known to have a lower likelihood of developing to term.
Kyogoku specializes in studying early development directly after fertilization. “The DNA an individual inherits from their mother and father differs not only in its genetic information. It is also known that the maternal genome has a lot of chemical modifications, like little tags, on the molecules around which the DNA is wrapped. The genome from the sperm, on the other hand, has virtually no such modifications. But these proper modifications are essential for embryonic development,” he explains. Thus suspecting that the fusion of pronuclei might have an influence on gene regulation, he teamed up with researchers from RIKEN and, using his special cell manipulation techniques, took a close look at what happened to these modifications when the pronuclei are fused and under other conditions.
In the journal Nature, the team now published that they found that the size of the pronuclei is essential for maintaining the regulatory modifications. Whenever the size of the nucleus was large, either through manipulation or because of the premature fusing of the maternal and paternal pronuclei, the degree of the chemical tagging became low. And when they investigated what keeps the pronuclei’s sizes small in the natural, separated state, they found that the two pronuclei engage in a race to absorb factors that regulate nucleus growth. This then yielded a clear mechanistic explanation for why the developmental potential of fused nuclei is smaller: Because the single nucleus doesn’t have to compete for these factors it ends up much larger and as a result the genome’s regulatory tags get lost. “I find it exciting that a very familiar structure — two separate nuclei in a fertilized egg — turns out to have a clear and functional role, that is, it actively creates a competitive environment inside the cell which helps maintain proper regulation and supports development,” says Kyogoku.
Caption In mammals such as mice and humans, the DNA-carrying nuclei of these cells don’t fuse right away but remain separate as so-called “pronuclei” until just before the first cell division. This 3D-reconstructed image shows a mouse zygote (fertilized egg), where maternal (magenta) and paternal (green) genomes are enclosed in separate pronuclei. “This fact has been known for decades, but no one really understood why this separation exists,” says Kobe University developmental biologist KYOGOKU Hirohisa. Credit: KYOGOKU Hirohisa
To test their theory, the team temporarily introduced into zygotes with prematurely fused pronuclei an additional pronucleus to re-establish competition. And indeed, this intervention successfully limited nuclear size and partially restored the regulatory marks as well as the developmental potential.
The Kobe University work opens a whole new chapter of research into the very first steps a new life takes. “Even at the beginning of life, spatial organization is not just incidental but fundamentally important,” explains Kobe University biologist Kyogoku. He continues, “This result brings us one step closer to understanding the physical and biological principles that explain why early embryos are both robust and error-prone at the same time.”
Scientists are developing a new approach that could tackle plastic pollution and the global energy challenge at once — by converting discarded plastics into clean fuel using sunlight.
A study led by PhD researcher Xiao Lu at the University of Adelaide explores how solar-powered systems can transform plastic waste into hydrogen, syngas and other industrial chemicals. The findings, published in Chem Catalysis, point to a potential pathway for building a circular and sustainable economy.
With global plastic production exceeding 460 million tonnes annually — much of it ending up in landfills and oceans — researchers say the material’s high carbon and hydrogen content makes it a valuable, yet underutilised, resource.
“Plastic is often seen purely as waste, but it also holds significant potential,” Lu said, noting that efficient conversion using sunlight could simultaneously address environmental damage and energy demand.
How the process works
The technology relies on a method known as solar-driven photoreforming. It uses photocatalysts — light-sensitive materials — to break down plastics at relatively low temperatures. This process generates hydrogen, a clean fuel that produces no emissions at the point of use, along with other commercially useful chemicals.
Compared to conventional hydrogen production methods such as water splitting, plastic-based photoreforming is considered more energy-efficient because plastics are easier to oxidise, making the process more viable for scale.
Senior researcher Xiaoguang Duan said recent experiments have delivered promising outcomes, including sustained hydrogen production, formation of acetic acid and even diesel-range hydrocarbons. Some systems have operated continuously for over 100 hours, demonstrating improving stability.
Barriers to large-scale deployment
Despite encouraging progress, the study highlights several technical hurdles that must be addressed before commercial rollout.
One of the biggest challenges is the heterogeneous nature of plastic waste. Different polymers react differently during conversion, while additives such as dyes and stabilisers can disrupt chemical processes. This makes sorting and pre-treatment critical for efficiency.
Another concern lies in the durability of photocatalysts. These materials must remain stable under harsh chemical conditions, yet many current designs degrade over time, limiting long-term use.
“There remains a gap between laboratory success and real-world application,” Duan said, stressing the need for more robust catalyst systems and scalable designs.
The road ahead
Separating the end products — typically a mix of gases and liquids — also remains energy-intensive, reducing the overall sustainability advantage. To overcome this, researchers are calling for integrated solutions combining improved catalyst design, advanced reactor engineering and system optimisation.
Emerging approaches include continuous-flow reactors, hybrid systems that combine solar with thermal or electrical inputs, and smarter monitoring tools to enhance efficiency.
The research team believes that with sustained innovation, solar-powered plastic-to-fuel technologies could become a cornerstone of future low-carbon energy systems.
“This field is advancing rapidly,” Lu said. “With the right breakthroughs, it has the potential to transform waste into a valuable energy resource while reducing environmental harm.”
India has significantly expanded its Doppler Weather Radar (DWR) network since 2014, increasing from 14 operational units to 50, marking over 250% rise. These additions, covering over 87% of the country, improve forecasting for cyclones, heavy rain, and thunderstorms under the India Meteorological Department (IMD), with 50 more planned under Mission Mausam.
This was stated here today by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr. Jitendra Singh speaking to the media after inaugurating a Selfie Point, depicting Weather Radar, at the entrance gate of India Meteorological Department (IMD) headquarters, at Lodhi Road, here. The event was held in the presence of Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr. M. Ravichandran, and Director General of Meteorology, IMD, Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, along with senior officials and scientists.
The Minister said, this transformation has been made possible due to the high priority accorded to the sector by the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading to greater accuracy, accessibility and public trust in forecasts.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that India’s meteorological services have undergone a remarkable transformation over the last decade. From a time when weather forecasts were often met with scepticism, the system today provides highly reliable and precise predictions used by a wide spectrum of users, from farmers and homemakers to pilots and event planners. He said that people now routinely check weather updates on their mobile phones before stepping out, reflecting the growing trust and reach of IMD services.
Referring to advancements in forecasting, he highlighted the introduction of ‘Nowcast’ services, which provide highly localised and accurate forecasts for the next three hours. He said that such real-time information is crucial for disaster preparedness, urban planning and day-to-day decision-making. He added that India’s forecasting capability has reached a stage where it can provide detailed inputs on rainfall intensity, type of precipitation, possibility of hailstorms, and even the size of raindrops.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also spoke about the role of Doppler Weather Radar technology in strengthening India’s weather monitoring system. These radars use the Doppler effect to track the movement and velocity of weather systems, enabling accurate and timely forecasts. The modern radars deployed by IMD are equipped with dual-polarization technology, allowing precise identification of precipitation types such as rain, hail and drizzle, improved rainfall estimation, and better detection of severe weather events while minimizing false signals.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that the expanding radar network enables continuous monitoring of the atmosphere over large distances and supports early warnings for cyclones, thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and other extreme weather events. It also plays a critical role in aviation safety, agricultural planning and disaster risk reduction.
Highlighting the broader impact, the Minister said that India’s forecasting capabilities are also benefiting neighbouring countries, reflecting the country’s commitment to global cooperation and shared resilience.
The Minister also referred to the government’s focused initiatives such as Mission Mausam, aimed at strengthening weather and climate services, and the ongoing expansion of radar infrastructure, including installations in vulnerable regions like Jammu & Kashmir following recent extreme weather events.
The Selfie Point inaugurated today showcases a legacy weather radar system, providing visitors with a tangible connection to the evolution of meteorological technology in India. It has been set up to create greater public awareness about weather science and to encourage citizens to engage with IMD’s services through platforms such as mobile applications, SMS alerts and social media.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that such initiatives will help bridge the gap between scientific advancements and public awareness, enabling citizens to better understand and utilise weather information in their daily lives.
Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw will flag off the extended Srinagar–Katra Vande Bharat Express up to Jammu Tawi on April 30, marking a significant upgrade to rail connectivity in Jammu and Kashmir.
The move comes alongside a major capacity expansion, with the train’s rake increased from 8 to 20 coaches in response to consistently high passenger demand.
The service, which earlier terminated at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, will now run till Jammu Tawi Railway Station, directly linking the Union Territory’s largest railhead with the Kashmir Valley.
Following the ceremonial run, regular operations will begin from May 2, with two pairs of trains operating six days a week across the 266-km corridor.
The first service will depart Jammu Tawi early morning and reach Srinagar in under five hours, while a second service will offer additional morning and afternoon options from both ends, improving flexibility for travellers.
Seamless travel for pilgrims, tourists and commuters
The extension eliminates the need for passengers to change trains at Katra, a long-standing inconvenience for pilgrims heading to the Vaishno Devi shrine and tourists travelling further into the Valley. It also enables a single, uninterrupted rail journey connecting Jammu directly to Srinagar.
For pilgrims, especially those combining visits to Vaishno Devi and the Amarnath Yatra routes via Srinagar, the new service simplifies travel logistics significantly. Tourists arriving in Jammu can now access Kashmir’s key destinations entirely by rail, bypassing weather-prone mountain roads.
Boost for local mobility and business
The expanded service is expected to benefit daily commuters, including students, officials and patients travelling between Jammu and Srinagar, particularly during winter when highway closures disrupt road connectivity.
For traders and artisans, the faster and more reliable rail link is likely to ease movement of goods and reduce travel costs, strengthening economic activity across the region.
Akashwani News
Engineering backbone of the route
As part of the visit, the minister will inspect the Chenab Rail Bridge and the Anji Khad Bridge, both critical components of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project.
The Chenab bridge, standing taller than the Eiffel Tower, and the Anji bridge represent some of the most complex railway engineering efforts undertaken in the Himalayan region.
Part of a broader rail transformation
The extension is the latest milestone in a decade-long push to modernise rail infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. The USBRL project, spanning 272 km with extensive tunnelling and bridge construction, has enabled all-weather connectivity to the Valley.
The first Vande Bharat service on the route was flagged off by Narendra Modi in June 2025. The latest extension now brings that high-speed service to a wider population base, linking Jammu more directly with Kashmir’s economic and tourism circuits.
Scientists have developed a new smart oxide that not only stores energy but also visibly indicates how much charge it holds. The material changes colour depending on its charge level—turning blue when charged and becoming transparent as it discharges—offering a simple, real-time visual cue that the device needs recharging.
From smartphones to solar grids, modern systems depend heavily on efficient energy storage. Yet, most devices are typically designed either to store energy or display information, rarely combining both functions in a single material.
Researchers at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, have addressed this gap by creating an oxygen-deficient bimetallic oxide made of molybdenum and tungsten (Mo₀.₁₁W₀.₈₉O₃₋ₓ). This compound enables both energy storage and visual indication of charge through its colour-changing property.
Led by Principal Researcher Ashutosh Kumar Singh, the team synthesised the material using a solvothermal process. Its unique behaviour stems from its oxygen-deficient structure. Missing oxygen atoms create extra space within the material, allowing ions to move more freely. As these ions shift during charging and discharging, they alter the material’s electronic structure—resulting in a visible colour transition that acts as a built-in charge indicator.
Morphology of Bimetalllic oxide and its application demonstration in energy storage and electrochromic devices
The researchers also tested the material in electrochromic applications, developing a 5×5 cm² device that demonstrated strong optical modulation of 43% at 700 nm and high colouration efficiency, indicating low power consumption. When used as a supercapacitor electrode, the material delivered a specific capacitance of 234 F g⁻¹ and an areal capacitance of 975 mF cm⁻², highlighting its strong energy storage capability.
The findings, published in Materials Chemistry A, show that the material maintains stability over 10,000 charge-discharge cycles and performs reliably under mechanical bending and varying environmental conditions. It also exhibited fast switching speeds and strong optical contrast. In practical demonstrations, devices built with the material were able to power an LCD timer and illuminate an LED, underscoring its potential for next-generation smart energy systems.
In a significant development to enhance India’s logistics and e-commerce ecosystem, the Department of Posts (DoP) under the Ministry of Communications and DTDC Express Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU was formalized today in New Delhi by Sh. Neeraj Kumar Jha, General Manager of Parcel Directorate, Department of Posts, and Sh. Abhishek Chakraborty, Chief Executive Officer of DTDC Express Limited, in the presence of senior officials from both organizations.
(Officials of the Department of Posts and DTDC Express Limited exchange the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
at Dak Bhawan, New Delhi)
This partnership aims to leverage DoP’s vast infrastructure and network, coupled with DTDC’s logistics experience, to significantly improve parcel delivery operations across India. The MoU denotes a continued collaboration between the two parties, which began in 2025.
Key Highlights of the MoU:
Objective: To explore and expand opportunities in logistics and business operations, enabling DTDC to utilize DoP’s extensive postal network for nationwide parcel delivery, including Cash on Delivery (COD) services.
Increased Collaboration: The MoU focuses on joint logistics operations, capacity-sharing, best practices in parcel industry and synchronization of marketing strategies to optimize operational efficiency and service quality.
Regular Review Mechanisms: Both parties will conduct quarterly meetings to assess the progress of the partnership, ensure the integration of their systems and explore new opportunities to enhance the logistics network.
Benefits to DTDC:
DTDC will gain access to DoP’s unparalleled network of 1.64 lakh Post Offices spread across the country. This partnership will allow DTDC to expand its logistics operations, improve delivery speed and meet the growing demands of India’s e-commerce sector, especially in remote areas.
Benefits to the Department of Posts:
For DoP, the collaboration will enhance its parcel business, facilitating faster transmission and delivery services while expanding its network. By joining hands with DTDC, DoP aims to further strengthen its role in India’s logistics sector, contributing to the country’s vision of becoming a global logistics hub.
About the Department of Posts:
The Department of Posts, under the Ministry of Communications, operates the world’s largest postal network with over 1.64 lakh Post Offices across India. It plays a critical role in providing communication, logistics and financial services with a focus on driving e-commerce growth in India.
About DTDC Express Limited:
DTDC is one of the express parcel delivery companies in India, offering innovative logistics solutions for domestic and international e-commerce. The company is committed to delivering reliable, cost-effective and scalable logistics services, supporting businesses across various sectors.
The Government of India has opened nominations for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar (PMRBP), an annual national award that honours children for exceptional achievements across the country.
The awards recognise outstanding contributions in fields such as bravery, sports, social service, science and technology, environment, and arts and culture. Children aged between 5 and 18 years, as on July 31, 2026, who are Indian citizens residing in the country, are eligible to apply.
Nominations, including self-nominations and recommendations by others, must be submitted online through the National Awards Portal.
The last date for submitting applications is July 31, 2026. Further details and the application format are available on the portal.
For more details, please visit the National Awards Portal (https://awards.gov.in).
Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar nominations are now open.
📅Last date to apply: July 31, 2026
Celebrating exceptional children (5–18 years) across Bravery, Sports, Social Service, Science & Technology, Environment, and Arts & Culture
Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari reviewed the quality and maintenance progress of National Highway projects in Karnataka and Kerala, acting on feedback received through media and social media.
The review meeting was held in New Delhi with Union Ministers of State Shri Harsh Malhotra and Shri Ajay Tamta, along with officials from National Highways Authority of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and project contractors.
During the meeting, Shri Nitin Gadkari reviewed the quality and maintenance progress of 7,926 km of National Highways in Karnataka and 1,513 km across 61 National Highway projects in Kerala.
Shri Nitin Gadkari emphasised the importance of timely execution of works, adherence to strict quality standards, and adoption of advanced technologies to ensure sustainable and efficient highway infrastructure. He also stressed the need to accelerate on-ground works, strengthen quality monitoring systems, and adopt modern construction practices to enhance asset longevity, improve riding quality, and ensure seamless connectivity across key highway corridors.
The Union Minister issued strict directions to officials to ensure full preparedness ahead of the monsoon season. He highlighted the importance of preventive measures and robust response systems to maintain road safety, structural durability, and uninterrupted traffic movement across the highway network.
Shri Nitin Gadkari also instructed officials to undertake advance planning for the monsoon season, including comprehensive drainage management, slope protection measures, and establishment of quick-response mechanisms to minimise disruptions and ensure commuter safety.
Indian Railways has made the expansion of Train No. 22961/22962 Mumbai Central–Ahmedabad Vande Bharat Express from 16 to 20 coaches a permanent feature, effective from journeys starting April 28, 2026. The additional four coaches include three AC Chair Car coaches and one Executive Class coach, significantly enhancing seating capacity on one of the country’s busiest inter-city routes.
The move follows sustained high demand for the service since its launch. What was initially introduced as a temporary measure to manage peak travel has now been formalised, reflecting Indian Railways’ effort to align capacity with consistently rising passenger volumes.
So far, 162 Vande Bharat services have been operationalised across the network, cutting travel times by up to 45% on several routes. Of these, 90 services run with 8 coaches, 38 with 20 coaches, and 34 with 16 coaches. This means roughly 23.45% of the services now operate with 20-coach formations, while about 21% continue with 16 coaches, and the rest remain in the 8-coach configuration.
Covering a distance of 491 kilometres in approximately five hours and 30 minutes, the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route includes stops at Borivali, Vapi, Surat, and Vadodara. It connects two of western India’s most economically dynamic cities and caters to a wide range of passengers, including business travellers, students, daily commuters, and tourists.
Passenger uptake has been strong. Nearly 4 crore passengers travelled on Vande Bharat services in FY 2025–26, marking a year-on-year growth of around 34%. Since its introduction in 2019, the service has carried over 9.1 crore passengers across more than one lakh trips. Network occupancy has consistently exceeded 100%, underscoring sustained demand.
The growing preference for Vande Bharat trains reflects changing travel expectations, with passengers prioritising speed, comfort, and punctuality. Features such as faster acceleration, cleaner coaches, improved onboard experience, and better timekeeping have contributed to their popularity.
Wikimedia
Indian Railways has been scaling up capacity across high-demand corridors as part of a broader, data-driven strategy. The permanent upgrade of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad service fits into this wider push to meet evolving passenger needs.
In addition to this route, the 20901/20902 Gandhinagar Capital–Mumbai Central Vande Bharat Express provides another key high-speed link between Gujarat and Maharashtra, connecting Gandhinagar and the Ahmedabad region with Mumbai.
Vande Bharat trains, designed as semi-high-speed services, come equipped with modern safety and passenger-friendly features. These include the KAVACH safety system, automatic plug doors, ergonomic reclining seats, and revolving seats in Executive Class. Onboard facilities include a mini pantry, charging points at every seat, CCTV surveillance, and dedicated accessible lavatories for Divyangjan passengers.
The permanent shift to a 20-coach configuration on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad route reflects a broader transformation underway in Indian Railways, as it expands capacity to match the growing demand for faster and more comfortable travel.
Nominations and recommendations for the Padma Awards 2027, to be announced on the occasion of Republic Day, have opened from March 15, 2026, with the last date set as July 31, 2026. Submissions will be accepted only through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal.
The Padma Awards — Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri — rank among the country’s highest civilian honours. Instituted in 1954, the awards are presented annually to recognise “work of distinction” across a wide spectrum of fields, including art, literature and education, sports, medicine, social work, science and engineering, public affairs, civil services, trade and industry.
The awards are open to all individuals regardless of race, profession, position or gender. However, government employees, including those working in public sector undertakings, are not eligible, with the exception of doctors and scientists.
Reinforcing its push to make the honours more inclusive, the government has reiterated its vision of transforming the awards into a “People’s Padma”. Citizens are encouraged to submit nominations, including self-nominations, with a focus on recognising unsung achievers — particularly women, individuals from weaker sections, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and divyang persons — who have made selfless contributions to society.
Each nomination must be submitted in the prescribed format available on the portal, accompanied by detailed supporting information, including a citation of up to 800 words outlining the nominee’s exceptional achievements and service in their respective field.
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has shared an article written by Union Minister, Shri Piyush Goyal.
The article elaborates that the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement removes tariffs on Indian exports, boosting labour-intensive sectors and strengthening MSMEs, while ensuring that sectors such as agriculture and dairy remain fully protected. It further highlights that the agreement expands opportunities for students and skilled professionals, along with support for agricultural productivity and investment commitments.
The Prime Minister’s Office posted on X;
“Union Minister Shri @PiyushGoyal elaborates how the India-New Zealand FTA removes tariffs on Indian exports, boosting labour-intensive sectors and strengthening MSMEs, while ensuring that sectors like agriculture and dairy remain fully protected.
The FTA also expands opportunities for students and skilled professionals, alongside support for agricultural productivity and investment commitments.”
Union Minister Shri @PiyushGoyal elaborates how the India-New Zealand FTA removes tariffs on Indian exports, boosting labour-intensive sectors and strengthening MSMEs, while ensuring that sectors like agriculture and dairy remain fully protected.
India ranks as the 10th largest insurance market globally by premium volume (Swiss Re Report).
Share of insurance and pension funds in household financial assets rose to 29.6% in FY25 from 28.6% in FY19, as per Economic Survey 2025-26.
FDI limit in insurance raised to 100% under the Sabka Bima, Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Act, 2025.
Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana recorded 26.88 crore enrolments and 10.45 lakh claims disbursed (as of Feb 2026).
Introduction
A robust economy requires strong risk-protection systems, and insurance serves as a key pillar of financial security and social protection. It is not just a financial contract; it is a system where individuals and businesses transfer risk to insurers in exchange for premiums. By pooling risks, insurance enables households and enterprises to recover from unforeseen events without exhausting savings or selling productive assets. In this way, insurance ensures financial continuity and supports sound financial planning by protecting income, assets, and long-term economic security.
In India, insurance plays an important role in strengthening social security and promoting financial resilience. Rising healthcare costs, livelihood risks, and economic uncertainties underline the importance of accessible insurance coverage for citizens, families, and businesses. Recognising this, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) committed to the vision of “Insurance for All by 2047”. It aims to ensure that every citizen has adequate life, health, and property insurance, and that every enterprise has access to suitable risk protection.
The Indian insurance sector is undergoing a significant transformation in line with this vision. Regulatory reforms and policy initiatives are expanding coverage, improving affordability, and strengthening consumer protection. The transition towards a principle-based regulatory framework has streamlined compliance requirements and provided insurers with greater flexibility to innovate, thereby supporting inclusive insurance growth. Together, these developments are positioning insurance as a vital component of India’s social security framework and economic strength.
Insurance Sector Performance
Insurance, as a vital component of the financial sector, plays a crucial role in India’s economy. Beyond offering protection against life, property, and casualty risks and serving as a safety net across both urban and rural areas, the sector also promotes savings. Its sustained development is essential to support India’s ongoing economic transformation.
India’s insurance sector continued its growth momentum in 2024–25, consolidating its position as the 10th largest insurance market globally by nominal premium volumes, with a market share of 1.8%, as per the Swiss Re report. Insurance penetration stood at 3.7% with life insurance at 2.7% and non-life at 1% while insurance density increased marginally to USD 97.0. Reflecting the scale and growing activity in the sector, during FY 2024-25, the sector issued 41.84 crore policies, collected premiums of ₹11.93 lakh crore, paid claims of ₹8.36 lakh crore, and reported assets under management of ₹74.44 lakh crore as on 31 March 2025. The increasing role of insurance is also reflected in household financial assets- total value of financial assets held by households, including savings, investments and entitlements. The share of insurance and pension funds in household financial assets also rose from 28.6% in FY 2018-19 to 29.6% in FY 2024-25, reflecting growing financial awareness among households.
Insurance penetration is defined as gross premiums written for direct life and non-life insurance business as a percentage of GDP.
Insurance density is the ratio of premiums to population (per capita premium).
The two main types of Insurance:
Life insurance provides financial protection against contingencies related to human life, such as death, disability, accidents, and retirement.
Non-life insurance covers property, businesses, and individuals, offering compensation on an indemnity basis for losses or damages. It provides monetary support in case of unforeseen events and includes health, motor, home, fire, marine, travel, portable equipment, crop, liability insurance, among others.
Growth of Insurance Premium
(In ₹lakh crore)
FY 2020-21
FY 2024-25
Growth
Total Premium Income
8.30
11.90
43.37 %
Life insurance premiums
6.30
8.86
40.63%
Non-Life insurance premiums
2.02
3.10
53.46%
Notably, the life insurance segment continues to anchor the sector. It accounts for 91% of the total assets under management (AUM)- the overall market value of assets that a financial institution oversees on behalf of its clients at a given point in time. In addition to this, it represents approximately 74% of the total premium income. Within the non-life segment, health insurance has emerged as the leading business line, contributing 41% of gross domestic premium and surpassing motor insurance.
An insurance premium is the amount paid by an individual or business to obtain an insurance policy. The premium varies across policyholders, as it is determined by several influencing factors, such as age, area of residence, nature of employment, medical ailment, income and others.
Insurance accessibility has also improved through a combination of physical presence and intermediary expansion. The total number of insurers’ offices stood at 21,338 as of March 2024 which increased to 22,076 in March,2025. Correspondingly, the distribution network grew significantly from approximately 48 lakh in FY2020-21 to nearly 83 lakh in FY2024-25, improving reach across rural areas and socio-economically weaker sections. Presently, 74 insurers are operational, supported by a distribution network of over 83 lakh agents, point-of-sales persons, and institutional partners. This expansion is vital for facilitating delivery of insurance services across various segments, especially in reaching the rural and socio-economically weaker sections of society.
Recent Policy and Regulatory Measures
To strengthen the insurance ecosystem and enhance protection for policyholders, the Government has undertaken a series of legislative and regulatory reforms. These measures aim to improve insurance affordability, expand coverage, promote ease of doing business, and strengthen consumer safeguards across the sector.
Sabka Bima, Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Act, 2025
The Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Act, 2025has amended various provisions of the Insurance Act, 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956, and Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act, 1999. This enhances citizens’ protection, deepen insurance penetration, accelerate growth, further strengthens the insurance sector and improves the ease of doing business. The key provisions of the policy are outlined below:
Increased FDI Limit: The amendment raises the FDI limit in Indian insurance companies from 74% to 100%. The measure is expected to attract stable long-term investment, facilitate technology transfer, support greater insurance penetration and social protection.
Promote Ease of Doing Business: To ensure uninterrupted service, support policyholders and promote ease of doing business, following amendments were made:
One-time registration for insurance intermediaries has been introduced to ensure seamless operations and better service continuity.
IRDAI approval threshold for share transfers was increased from 1% to 5%, further simplifying compliance.
Net Owned Fund requirement for foreign reinsurers has been reduced from ₹5,000 crore to ₹1,000 crore, encouraging greater reinsurance participation and capacity in India.
Insurance laws have been aligned with Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to create a legal anchor for effective use of digital public infrastructure in the insurance sector, ensuring that policyholders’ information is duly secured and protected.
The Indian Insurance Companies (Foreign Investment) Amendment Rules, 2025, notified on 30 December 2025 have rationalised conditions for insurance companies and intermediaries to promote ease of doing business.
Creation of Insurance Awareness: The amendment provides for the creation of a Policyholders’ Education and Protection Fund, to increase citizens’ awareness towards risk protection and promote education for policyholders.
Improved Policyholders’ Protection: To safeguard policyholder, IRDAI has been empowered to order disgorgement of wrongful gains made by insurers or intermediaries. The maximum penalty for non-compliance with the Insurance Act or the IRDA Act has been enhanced from ₹1 crore to ₹10 crore. It encourages insurers and intermediaries to adhere more strictly to rules and standards, thereby improving governance, protecting policyholders’ interests, and enhancing overall discipline and transparency in the insurance sector. Insurance intermediaries have also been included under this provision, thereby strengthening regulatory compliance.
GST Exemption
GST exemption is granted on all individual life insurance policies and health insurance policies (including family floater) along with reinsurance w.e.f. 22 September, 2025. This measure enhances affordability for citizens, particularly underserved populations across rural and urban areas. The removal of the 18% GST lowers premium costs and encourages wider adoption.
Key Regulatory Reforms in Health Insurance
To streamline compliance, enhance transparency, and strengthen policyholder rights, IRDAI has introduced several regulatory reforms in the health insurance sector. These reforms seek to simplify the health insurance experience for customers by enforcing clear rules around product design, servicing, and claims.
Shortening of Moratorium Period: Moratorium period in health insurance is a fixed timeframe after which insurance companies cannot deny claims on the grounds of non-disclosure and misrepresentation, except on grounds of established fraud. IRDAI reduced the moratorium period from 8 years to 60 months (5 years) in 2024. This strengthens the policyholder protection and enhances trust in the health insurance system.
Standardized 30-day free-look period: IRDAI introduced a standard 30-day free-look-period for policies with a term of one year or more. The free-look-period is the period given to a policyholder to assess and review the policy document. This consumer-friendly provision gives policyholders ample time to understand and assess their policies suitability.
Wider choices to policyholders: Recognizing the need for inclusive insurance, IRDAI has mandated the insurers to provide a wider choice to policyholders, considering their affordability. They must offer products, add-ons for all ages, regions, and occupational categories. Additionally, coverage should include medical conditions, disabilities, treatments, and systems of medicine (i.e. Allopathy/AYUSH), including all types of hospitals and healthcare providers.The goal is to increase insurance coverage and make policies flexible and affordable, such that more citizens—especially underserved groups—can access insurance protection.
No claim Bonus to policyholders: In order to reward policyholders who do not make any claim during the policy period, the insurer may offer a No Claim Bonus (NCB). Such NCB shall be provided, based on the policyholder’s choice or consent, either in the form of an enhancement in the sum insured and/or a discount on the renewal premium. The aim is to incentivise claim-free behaviour among policyholders by rewarding them with enhanced coverage or reduced renewal premiums.
Guaranteed policy renewal: To protect the interest of policyholders, policies must be renewed and cannot be denied on the basis of previous claims, except in cases of fraud or misrepresentation. This ensures continuity of insurance coverage and safeguards policyholders from denial of renewal based on past claims, except in cases of fraud or misrepresentation.
Grace Period for delay in premium payment: A grace period of 15 days (where premium is paid on a monthly instalments) and 30 days (where premium is paid in quarterly/half yearly/annual instalments) is available on the premium due date, to pay the premium. During this time, all policy benefits, such as sum insured, no claim bonus, and waiting periods, remain protected.
Migration and portability provisions: The policyholders can move between products or insurers while retaining accrued benefits such as waiting period credits and no-claim bonuses. This provides flexibility to the policyholders.
Third-Party Administrators (TPA) Performance Monitoring: To increase the accountability of TPAs, performance monitoring is done by insurers to ensure efficient and effective service delivery by them. It includes claw back of remuneration/charges paid to TPA basis customer feedback, which shall be passed on to the policyholders.
Premium Refund on Mid-Term Cancellation: In case of mid-term cancellation of the policy, insurers shall refund the premium or proportionate premium for the unexpired policy period. This ensures fairness and prevents misuse of the insurance system. For policies with a term of up to one year, such refund will be applicable only if no claim has been made during the policy period.
Major Insurance Protection Schemes
Reflecting its commitment to public welfare, the Government has introduced a comprehensive set of insurance measures to enhance financial security and social protection. These initiatives aim to improve insurance coverage, enhance affordability, and ensure wider access to risk protection across the country.
Life Insurance – Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY)
Launched in May 2015, the PMJJBY is a one-year term life insurance scheme renewable yearly. It provides life cover of ₹2 lakh to citizens aged 18–50 years, at an annual premium of ₹436, which is auto-debited from the subscriber’s bank account. It aims to provide financial security and stability to families of the insured in case of untimely death, ensuring that no household faces sudden economic distress due to the loss of a breadwinner. The scheme has recorded 26.88 crore gross enrolments, with 10,45,450 claims disbursed as of February, 2026.
The policy is administered through the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and other life insurance companies. Death due to non-accidental causes during the first 30 days of enrolment is not covered, while accidental death is covered from day one.
PMSBY, launched in May 2015, is a accidental insurance scheme that provides accident and disability cover at an affordable premium, particularly for low-income and informal sector workers.
The scheme is available to all savings bank account holders aged 18 to 70 years. It provides accidental insurance coverage at an annual premium of ₹20, which is auto-debited from the linked bank account. Valid for one year (renewable annually), it offers risk coverage of ₹2 lakh in case of accidental death or full disability and ₹1 lakh for partial disability (as provided in the PMSBY rules).
The scheme has recorded 57.11 crore enrolments, with 1.76 lakh claims disbursed as of February 2026.It provides timely support to families affected by accidental deaths or disabilities, ensuring protection for economically vulnerable citizens.
Health Insurance – Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)
Launched in September 2018, the scheme offers free health insurance coverage of up to ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary healthcare services. The scheme seeks to strengthen the healthcare system through interventions across prevention, promotion, and treatment at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. It covers all pre-existing diseases from day one, places no restriction on age, gender, or family size, and provides nationwide portability across empanelled hospitals.
In September 2024, the government expanded the health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income. As of 28 February 2026, a total of 43.52 crore Ayushman cards have been created under the programme, highlighting the recognition of the scheme among people.
Social Security – Employees’ State Insurance Scheme (ESI)
The Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Scheme is a social security programme that provides protection to employees against contingencies such as sickness, maternity, disablement, and death due to employment injury, while also offering medical care to insured persons and their families. The scheme applies to factories and various establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cinemas, newspapers, shops, and educational and medical institutions registered under ESIC. As on 31 March 2025, the scheme covered 3.24 crore employees and 3.84 crore insured persons, including 83.1 lakh insured women, with a total of 14.91 crore beneficiaries receiving benefits under the programme.
Launched in February 2016, the scheme provides farmers with a simple, affordable, and comprehensive crop insurance. It covers against non-preventable natural risks such as droughts, floods, cyclones, hailstorms, pest attacks, and plant diseases. It also covers the entire crop cycle from pre-sowing to post-harvest, including losses during storage due to notified calamities. The scheme aims to provide timely financial support to farmers helping them manage risks and avoid falling into debt.
The scheme follows the principle of “One Nation, One Crop, One Premium,” ensuring uniform premium rates across the country. Farmers pay a maximum premium of 2% for Kharif food and oilseed crops, 1.5% for Rabi food and oilseed crops, and 5% for annual commercial or horticultural crops, with the remaining actuarial premium shared between the Central and State Governments. As of 13 March 2026, 93.98 crore applications have been received under the scheme, with claims amounting to ₹1,94,505.9 crore paid to farmers.
Together, these initiatives demonstrate the Government’s strong focus on creating an extensive and inclusive social security framework that protects citizens from life, health, and livelihood risks. By expanding coverage, enhancing affordability, and strengthening delivery mechanisms, these schemes are contributing to a more resilient society with improved financial protection across all sections of the population.
The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu accepted credentials from the Envoys of Lao PDR, Congo, Namibia and Guinea Bissau at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (April 23, 2026).
Those who presented their credentials were:
1. H.E. Mrs Vithaya Xayavong, Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic
2. H.E. Mrs Emilie Ayaza Mushobekwa, Ambassador of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
3. H.E. Wing Commander Alex Lunyazo Tukuhupwele (Retd.), High Commissioner of the Republic of Namibia4. H.E. Mr Antonio Serifo Embalo, Ambassador of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau
A new set of studies by scientists at the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and KU Leuven has uncovered how minute molecular changes can dramatically alter the way the body processes pain and responds to certain epilepsy drugs.
Published in the journal Nature Communications, the research focuses on the TRPM3 ion channel — a protein known to play a key role in sensing pain and linked to rare neurological disorders and epilepsy.
A ‘lock-and-key’ mechanism at molecular level
Researchers identified what they describe as a tiny binding site — a “molecular keyhole” — within the TRPM3 channel. Even slight alterations in this pocket can completely change how the channel behaves.
“If you have the mirror image of your key or you make a very small change to the key or to the keyhole, suddenly the door might open or close,” said Thomas Voets, co-lead of the study.
The team examined isosakuranetin, a plant-derived compound often explored for blocking TRPM3 activity. The molecule exists in two mirror-image forms, known as S and R.
“We discovered that the active form of isosakuranetin is R, not S,” said researcher Bahar Bazeli. “R is a potent inhibitor of the channel, while S is ineffective.”
Why some treatments fail
The study goes further, showing that mutations found in some patients can alter this keyhole — effectively changing how drugs interact with the channel.
“Any small change in this pocket can affect the direction of the effect and also the efficacy,” Bazeli explained. “You can turn an antagonist into an agonist and vice versa.”
This means that in certain patients, drugs designed to block pain signals could become ineffective — or even produce the opposite effect. According to the researchers, patients with specific TRPM3 mutations “shouldn’t use the drug everyone else uses” as it may cause side effects without benefits.
Link to severe facial pain
A parallel study published in Cell Reports Medicine examined the role of TRPM3 in trigeminal neuralgia — a condition widely regarded as one of the most painful disorders.
The research found that nerve injury and inflammation significantly increase TRPM3 activity, making pain-sensing neurons hyperactive.
“Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the worst pain syndromes. People call it the suicide disease because it’s so painful,” Voets said, adding: “We show that inhibiting TRPM3 works surprisingly well in animal models.”
Genetic analysis also revealed that certain TRPM3 variants are more common in patients with the condition, suggesting a biological reason why standard treatments fail in some cases.
Toward personalised medicine
Taken together, the findings point to a shift toward more targeted therapies. By understanding how individual variations in the TRPM3 “keyhole” affect drug response, scientists say treatments could be tailored to each patient.
“Knowing exactly how a molecule fits in this lock helps a lot with developing better and more specific drugs,” Voets said. “We are now working on keys that fit even better.”
The researchers are now focusing on designing mutation-specific inhibitors — a step that could pave the way for personalised therapies for chronic pain, epilepsy and related neurological disorders.
The bigger picture
The discovery underscores how even the smallest molecular differences can have wide-ranging clinical consequences. It also highlights why a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment often fails in complex neurological conditions.
If translated into clinical practice, the “molecular keyhole” concept could mark a significant step toward precision medicine — where treatments are not just disease-specific, but tailored to the genetic profile of each patient.
The Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming (PROG) Act, 2025 was enacted by Parliament in August 2025 as a landmark legislation to safeguard citizens from the growing menace of online money games while creating an enabling framework for e-sports and online social games. The Act reflects the Government’s resolve, articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to position India as a global hub for gaming, innovation and creativity, and at the same time protect society from the financial, psychological and social distress caused by predatory online money gaming platforms.
Section 19 of the Act empowers the Central Government to make rules to carry out its provisions. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), as the nodal Ministry, has accordingly prepared the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Rules, 2026 (“the Rules”), which will come into force on 1st May, 2026. The Rules have been finalised after extensive inter-Ministerial consultations and vetting by the Department of Legal Affairs.
Purpose of the Rules
The Rules are the operational architecture of the parent Act. Their purpose is to:
provide a clear, transparent and time-bound mechanism to determine whether an online game is an online money game (and therefore prohibited) or a permissible online social game or e-sport;
establish the Online Gaming Authority of India as a unified, digital-first regulator for the sector;
create a statutory registration regime for e-sports and such categories of online social games as may be notified;
prescribe mandatory user safety features, grievance redressal and transparency obligations for online game service providers;
lay down the procedure for inquiry and imposition of civil penalties under section 12 of the Act; and
provide an appellate mechanism to ensure accountability, fairness and observance of the principles of natural justice.
Guiding Policy Objectives
Protecting citizens, especially children and vulnerable users, from the harms of online money gaming, addictive design and misleading promises of quick wealth;
Ensuring regulatory certainty for the industry through clear criteria for determination, predictable timelines and a digital-first process;
Safeguarding the financial system by preventing banks, payment systems and financial institutions from facilitating transactions linked to prohibited online money games;
Enabling coordinated enforcement between the Authority, financial regulators, law enforcement agencies and State Governments; and
Upholding user rights through a functional, two-tier grievance redressal mechanism and a statutory right of appeal.
The Regulatory Framework at a Glance
The Rules are organised into 6 Parts and 26 Rules covering the following pillars of the regulatory framework:
1. Online Gaming Authority of India (Part II, Rules 3–7)
The Online Gaming Authority of India is constituted as an attached office of MeitYwith its head office at the NCT of Delhi.
It is structured as a compact, multi-sectoral body chaired by the Additional Secretary, MeitY (ex officio), with JS-level representatives from the MHA, Finance (Department of Financial Services), MIB, Youth Affairs and Sports, and Law and Justice (Department of Legal Affairs).
The Authority is designed to function, as far as practicable, as a digital office.
Functions include: maintaining and publishing the list of online money games, inquiring into complaints, issuing directions, orders and codes of practice, entertaining appeals against decisions of service providers on grievances, and coordinating with financial institutions and law-enforcement agencies for effective enforcement.
2. Determination of an Online Game (Part III, Rules 8–11)
The Rules prescribe a determination test to classify whether an online game constitutes an online money game. Determination is triggered in three situations:
suo motu action by the Authority;
an application by a service provider offering the game as an e-sport;
or a notification by the Central Government requiring a category of social games to be determined.
Rule 9 lists objective factors for determination — payment of fees or stakes, expectation of monetary winnings, the structure of the revenue model, and the manner in which rewards or in-game assets are redeemed or monetised outside the game.
Determination shall, as far as practicable, be completed within 90 days of a complete application or of notice issued in a suo motu proceeding (Rule 10).
The outcome is recorded in a determination order, which is specific to the particular game and provider.
3. Registration of Online Games (Part IV, Rules 12–19)
Registration is requiredONLY where the Central Government so notifies — having regard to risk to users (including children), scale of participation, financial transactions and country of origin — and for every online game intended to be offered as an e-sport.
On successful determination and registration, the Authority issues a digital Certificate of Registration with a unique registration number, valid for a period of up to 10 years.
An online money game shall not be eligible for recognition or registration as an e-sport under the National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
Registered service providers are required to prominently display the details of determination or registration on the interface through which the game is offered, designate a point of contact, comply with data retention directions, and observe directions issued in relation to facilitation of payments.
4. User Safety Features
Rule 2(1)(i) introduces the concept of user safety features — technical, procedural, operational, behavioural or system-related safeguards appropriate to the risk profile of the game.
These include age verification and age-gating, time restrictions, parental controls, user reporting tools, counselling support, and fair-play and integrity monitoring. Service providers are required to disclose their user safety features and internal grievance mechanisms at the time of application for determination or registration (Rule 23).
5. Two-Tier Grievance Redressal and Appellate Mechanism (Rules 7 and 20)
Every online game service provider offering an online social game or e-sport must establish and maintain a functional grievance redressal mechanism.
A user dissatisfied with the provider’s resolution (or in case of non-redressal) may approach the Authority within 30 days, which shall endeavour to dispose of the appeal within a further 30 days.
A second appeal lies before the Appellate Authority i.e.,the Secretary, MeitY who shall dispose of appeals, as far as possible, within 30 days of receipt.
6. Penalties and Enforcement (Part V, Rules 21–22)
Proceedings are to be conducted in digital mode unless physical presence is deemed necessary, and concluded within 90 days of receipt of a complaint.
Penalties are to be proportionate, with the Authority required to consider factors such as gain from non-compliance, loss caused to users, recurrence, gravity and mitigation efforts.
For details, please refer to the Gazette of India CG-DL-E-22042026-271974 dated 22 April 2026.
Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and bye-elections on March 15,2026. The Commission has directed the State/UT governments to ensure strict compliance with the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
It may be recalled that the Commission has held multiple review meetings with the Chief Secretaries, CEOs, DGPs, and senior officers from the poll-going states/UTs and their bordering states/UTs along with the Heads of Enforcement Agencies and directed them to ensure violence-free, intimidation-free and inducement free elections.
To ensure this, over 5,011 (2,728 in WB and 2,283 in TN) Flying Squad Teams (FSTs) have been deployed across the two States to ensure that the complaints are attended to within 100 minutes. Besides this, over 5,363 (3,142 in WB and 2,221 in TN) Static Surveillance Teams (SSTs) have also been deployed for setting up surprise Nakas at different locations.
Since the activation of the Election Seizure Management System (ESMS) on February 26, 2026, the data up to April 22, 2026 is presented below.
S. No
State
Cash (Rs.
Crore)
Liquor Qty (Litres)
Liquor Value (Rs.
Crore)
Drugs Value (Rs.
Crore)
Preciou s Metal (Rs.
Crore)
Freebies
/Other (Rs.
Crore)
Total (Rs.
Crore)
1.
West Bengal
27.48
39,31,463
102.45
108.11
55.88
178.83
472.89
2.
Tamil Nadu
100.19
1,17,713
3.85
76.72
159.31
259.14
599.24
TOTAL
127.67
40,49,176
106.3
184.83
215.19
437.97
1072.13
The Commission has also stressed that the enforcement authorities should ensure that ordinary citizens are not inconvenienced or harassed during the checking and inspection for the enforcement of these directives. District Grievance Committees have also been setup to address any grievances in this regard.
Citizens/political parties can report MCC violations using the C-Vigil Module on ECINET.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover uncovered a diverse mix of organic molecules on Mars, including chemicals widely considered building blocks for the origin of life on Earth.
The findings, which come from a chemical experiment performed for the first time on another world, reveal that the Martian surface can preserve the kinds of molecules that could serve as signs of ancient life. However, this experiment cannot distinguish between organic compounds from potential past life on Mars and those formed through geologic processes or delivered by meteorites.
Definitively identifying signs of past life would require returning rock samples to Earth.
The study was led by Amy Williams, Ph.D., a professor of geological sciences at the University of Florida and a scientist on the Curiosity and Perseverance Mars rover missions. Curiosity landed on Mars in 2012 to find evidence that ancient Mars had conditions that could support microbial life billions of years ago; the Perseverance rover, which landed in 2021, was sent to look for signs of any ancient life that might have formed.
“We think we’re looking at organic matter that’s been preserved on Mars for 3.5 billion years,” said Williams, who helped develop this chemical experiment. “It’s really useful to have evidence that ancient organic matter is preserved, because that is a way to assess the habitability of an environment. And if we want to search for evidence of life in the form of preserved organic carbon, this demonstrates it’s possible.”
Williams and an international collaboration of researchers published their findings April 21 in the journal Nature Communications.
Among the 20-plus chemicals identified by the experiment, Curiosity spotted a nitrogen-bearing molecule with a structure similar to DNA precursors — a chemical never before spotted on Mars. The rover also identified benzothiophene, a large, double-ringed, sulfurous chemical often delivered to planets by meteorites.
“The same stuff that rained down on Mars from meteorites is what rained down on Earth, and it probably provided the building blocks for life as we know it on our planet,” Williams said.
NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover took this selfie at a location nicknamed “Mary Anning” after a 19th century English paleontologist. This was the site of the chemical experiment uncovering diverse organic molecules on Mars, in the Glen Torridon region, which scientists believe was a site where ancient conditions would have been favorable to supporting life, if it ever was present.Credit:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS
Led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Curiosity Mars landed in Gale crater, in a former lake bed, in August 2012. The rover conducted the experiment in 2020 in the Glen Torridon region of the crater, an area rich in the clay minerals that indicate the area once contained water. Those clays can hold on to and preserve organic chemicals better than other minerals, making them a prime target for uncovering these compounds.
The experiment was conducted by the instrument suite known as the Sample Analysis at Mars, or SAM. Led in part by Jennifer Eigenbrode, Ph.D., an astrobiologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and co-author of the new study, SAM has been responsible for many of the mission’s most important discoveries about organic chemistry, atmosphere and habitability on Mars.
Using a chemical known as TMAH, the experiment broke apart larger organic molecules so they could be analyzed by onboard instruments within SAM. With only two cups of the TMAH chemical onboard Curiosity, success required careful planning and choosing the most favorable location to sample.
The promising results come as future missions — including the Rosalind Franklin mission to Mars and the Dragonfly expedition to Saturn’s moon Titan — plan to bring the TMAH test onboard to search for organic compounds.
“We now know that there are big complex organics preserved in the shallow subsurface of Mars, and that holds a lot of promise for preserving large complex organics that might be diagnostic of life,” Williams said.
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