India’s net direct tax collection, with refunds adjusted, grew 22.5 per cent to Rs 6.93 trillion between April 1 and August 11 of FY25.

In the same period last year, tax collection was at Rs 5.65 trillion, according to the Income-Tax (I-T) Department’s latest data released on Monday.

Of the tax mop-up, personal income-tax (PIT) outpaced corporation tax. PIT stood at Rs 4.47 trillion (net) as against Rs 3.44 trillion in the same period a year ago.

Corporation tax reported at Rs 2.2 trillion, an increase of 5.7 per cent, which is lower than the growth rate of 12 per cent set for this financial year.

Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has set up the Centre for Narmada River Basin Management (cNARMADA) at its campus to conduct the Condition Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP) of the Narmada river basin. IITGN has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology Indore (IITI) for the assessment undertaken by the Ministry of Jalshakti.

cNARMADA, which was inaugurated Saturday, will assess and identify existing conditions affecting the river ecosystem. It will also prepare a road map for comprehensive rejuvenation and conservation of the riverine ecosystems in their entirety by analysing anthropogenic impacts on them in detail and suggest future course of actions.

The Bihar government has directed all DMs to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts in their respective areas are registered and details of their immovable assets are submitted to the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) for uploading on its website.
The BSBRT operates under the state's law department.

State Law Minister Nitin Nabin on Thursday told PTI, "All district magistrates (DMs) have been directed to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts are registered on a priority basis."
He also instructed the DMs to ensure that details of immovable assets of all registered temples and mutts are promptly provided to the BSBRT for uploading on its website.

In a significant step towards streamlining travel for passengers, the Indian Railways and the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) have introduced the 'One India - One Ticket' initiative. This collaboration aims to simplify the journey for travellers on Namo Bharat trains and Indian Railways by integrating services into a seamless, user-friendly experience. Under this initiative, a unique QR code will be generated for each ticket booked, valid for up to four days. This QR code ensures a hassle-free travel experience, as passengers can easily access their Namo Bharat tickets through their booking history on the IRCTC platform. The QR code is specific to each passenger and is tied to their origin and destination stations.

Passengers can book Namo Bharat tickets up to 120 days in advance. Upon successful purchase, customers will receive an email and SMS with their unique RRTS QR code, sent to their registered email address and mobile number. The fare for the Namo Bharat train, along with a nominal IRCTC convenience fee (INR 5 + taxes), can be paid online through the IRCTC platform. In case of cancellation, passengers will receive a full refund of the RRTS fare, though the IRCTC convenience fee, payment gateway charges, and applicable taxes will be non-refundable. At station entrance gates, passengers can simply scan their RRTS QR codes using the ERS or mobile app to proceed with their journey.

State-owned Punjab National Bank has launched the PNB ANTAH DRISHTI Braille Debit Card, designed for visually impaired customers.

This contactless National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) debit card is available on RuPay network, PNB said in a statement.

The introduction of the new braille debit card reflects the bank’s commitment to inclusivity and financial accessibility, it said.

This initiative also aims to enhance financial independence and convenience for visually impaired individuals, empowering them to manage their finances with greater ease and confidence, it said.

National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), an Organisation of Ministry of MSME, Government of India, has been awarded with Accreditation Certificate on the successful completion on National Standards for Civil Services Training Institutions (NSCSTI) process in recognition of excellent services in the field of promotion and development of MSMEs. The assessment was made based on the inspection of all Standard Operating Procedures and Methodologies followed by the Institute at different levels. The team from Capacity Building Commission (CBC) & ICARE conducted On-site assessment and awarded the Certificate of Accreditation with the grading of UTKRISHT, a 3 Star Rating.

During the Civil Services Training Institutions (CSTI) Convention, Director General, NI-MSME has received the Accreditation Certificate from Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology; Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions; Atomic Energy; Space & Prime Minister's Office, as a part of Felicitation of Accredited Civil Services Training Institutions on 12 August, 2024 at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi.

National Institute for MSME (NI-MSME), a pioneer institute under the aegis of Ministry of MSME is playing a major role in the field of Entrepreneurship & Skill Development for providing pro-business environment to foster the progress of MSMEs towards success and prosperity. NI-MSME’s intellectual activities are pursued by its four Schools of Excellence, viz., School of Enterprise Development (SED), School of Enterprise Management (SEM), School of Entrepreneurship & Extension (SEE) and School of Enterprise Information & Communication (SEIC).

Scientists in Germany have identified a type of fungi that is capable of breaking down synthetic plastics, offering a potential new weapon in the global fight against plastic pollution.

A team at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin found that certain microfungi can survive exclusively on plastics, degrading them into simpler forms.

While this is a promising breakthrough, especially when it comes to tackling oceanic plastic pollution, experts cautioned that it is not a silver bullet.

The Maharashtra government on Sunday declared the geoglyphs and petroglyphs in Ratnagiri as ‘protected monuments’ under the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960, reported TOI.

The group of petroglyphs at Deud, Ratnagiri, dates back to the Mesolithic era (roughly 20,000-10,000 years ago), according to a notification by the culture department.

Geoglyphs and petroglyphs are different types of ancient art forms. They involve the creation of images or designs on the earth’s surface or rock surfaces.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has carried out a successful maiden flight test of Long Range Glide Bomb (LRGB), GAURAV from the Su-30 MK-I platform of the Indian Air Force. Ministry of Defence in a statement said that the test was conducted off the coast of Odisha. GAURAV is an air-launched one thousand-kilogram class glide bomb capable of hitting targets at long distances. It has been designed and developed indigenously by the Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad. During the flight test, the glide bomb hit the target erected at Long Wheeler’s island with pinpoint accuracy. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh complimented DRDO, IAF and industry for the successful flight test. He termed it a major milestone in the country’s effort to develop indigenous defence technologies for further strengthening the capability of the Armed Forces. 

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh attended the launch ceremony of the book titled '75 Great Revolutionaries of India' by Rajya Sabha MP Bhim Singh in New Delhi on Sunday.

Speaking to ANI at the launch ceremony of the book, Harivansh Narayan Singh said, "Rajya Sabha MP Bhim Singh has done a creative and inspiring work. He worked on the lesser-known and unknown heroes of history".

Hailing the MP Bhim Singh for bringing up this book, Singh added, "He researched and collected facts. In this row, he prepared 3 books on the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation...It is a beautiful work (done) by him."

The Rajya Sabha Dy Chairman said one gets inspiration for building a 'Viksit Bharat' (Developed India) from the sacrifices of these lesser-known heroes.