Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana Scheme Launched in Puducherry for Senior Citizens
The Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana Scheme was officially launched in Puducherry today. Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan formally inaugurated the scheme in the presence of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy and distributed insurance scheme cards to eligible senior citizens. The lieutenant governor urged healthcare workers to raise awareness about such schemes for senior citizens so that more people benefit.
Chief Minister Rangasamy, in his address, emphasised that the scheme provides medical benefits to senior citizens. The central government’s Ayushman Bharat Vay Vandana Scheme provides free health insurance coverage of up to 5 lakh rupees per year for senior citizens aged 70 and above.
IIT Madras, ISRO develop indigenous aerospace micro processor to aid space technologies
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras and ISRO have developed an indigenous microprocessor for space applications which can be used in command and control systems and other critical functions in outer space.
The SHAKTI microprocessor project is led by IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti at Prathap Subrahmanyam Centre for Digital Intelligence and Secure Hardware Architecture (PSCDISHA) in Department of Computer Science and Engineering.
The SHAKTI class of systems are based on RISC-V, an open-source Instruction Set Architecture (ISA), for designing custom processors. "SHAKTI" is backed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under its ‘Digital India RISC-V’ initiative (DIRV). It aims to promote indigenous development of microprocessor based products that offer best-in-class security and visibility for users adopting RISC-V technology.
ICAR gets license for world’s first lumpy skin disease vaccine
Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research(ICAR) has developed the world’s first vaccine for cattle’s Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), which received green signal from the drug controller authority.
The vaccine, named BIOLUMPIVAXIN, has received approval from India's drug regulatory authority, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
This is the first-ever Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals (DIVA) marker vaccine for LSD. The disease, which affects cattle and Asian water buffaloes, is spread by insects and causes a significant loss of milk production, leading to economic damage for farmers.
China approves deepwater ‘Space Station’ in South China Sea
China has approved the construction of the first South China Sea deepwater ‘space station. The cold seep ecosystem research facility will be anchored 2,000 metres below the surface of the strategically significant South China Sea, which is also subject to several competing territorial claims. The facility one of the deepest and most technologically complex underwater installations ever attempted is scheduled to be operational by around 2030.
Tata Elxsi, Garuda Aerospace partner to establish drone design centre
Tata Elxsi has partnered with drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace to establish a design, engineering, and certification centre focused on developing indigenous drone technologies for defence, agriculture, and smart cities. Announced at Aero India 2025, the collaboration aligns with the ‘Make in India’ initiative, with both companies showcasing prototypes, operational UAVs, and indigenised UAV components at the event.
Under the partnership, Tata Elxsi will lead the design, development, testing, and certification of UAV subsystems, leveraging expertise in avionics, miniaturisation, ground control systems, secured communication, and energy optimisation. Garuda Aerospace, with its strong presence in the defence sector, will focus on business acquisition and delivery. The drones developed will cater to multiple applications, including payload management, goods delivery, precision agriculture, and ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) missions. The collaboration is expected to benefit India’s defence forces and Border Security Force with advanced UAV capabilities while creating employment opportunities in the aerospace sector.
Ellie, Asia’s first life-sized animatronic elephant, unveiled in Bengaluru
Asia’s first hyper-realistic life-sized animatronic elephant, Ellie, was unveiled at St. Joseph’s School, captivating students while delivering a message on animal welfare.
Voiced by actor and environmental activist Dia Mirza and launched by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, Ellie is set to visit schools across Bengaluru to educate children about the suffering real elephants endure in captivity.
Introducing herself as a 12-year-old elephant, Ellie engaged with students and shared insights into the emotional and physical toll on animals used in circuses, rides and performances. Urging the students to take a stand against animal exploitation, she requested that they avoid visiting circuses that use animals and riding elephants or any other animals, and treat them with the kindness and respect they deserve.
ONGC, Tata Power Renewable sign MoU to collaborate on battery storage solutions
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) on Wednesday signed an initial pact with Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd to explore collaborative opportunities in the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) value chain.
ONGC has been stringing around deals in clean energy as part of its target to scale renewable energy capacity to 10 gigawatts by 2030 a part of its target to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2038. Besides solar and wind energy projects, ONGC is looking at round-the-clock renewable power capacity to meet this target.
"ONGC has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata Power Renewable Energy Ltd (TPREL), a subsidiary of The Tata Power Company Ltd, to explore collaborative opportunities in the BESS value chain at India Energy Week 2025," the firm said in a statement.
Uttar Pradesh govt sets ?60,000 cr excise revenue target for FY26
The Uttar Pradesh government has set an excise revenue target of Rs 60,000 crore for the financial year 2025-26 (FY26), according to the state’s Finance Minister Suresh Khanna.
For the current financial year, the Yogi Adityanath-led government aimed for Rs 58,000 crore in excise revenue. However, collection in the first three quarters reached only about Rs 31,000 crore, Khanna said. In the previous years, revenue stood at Rs 41,250 crore in FY23 and Rs 47,600 crore in FY24.
The state’s new excise policy has introduced an e-lottery system for allotting liquor, beer, and wine shops. Existing license holders will have the option of renewal via e-lottery in FY27. The Cabinet recently approved these proposals.
Rajat Patidar announced as RCB captain for IPL 2025
Rajat Patidar was named the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of IPL 2025, the franchise announced at a media event in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Retained Indian players Virat Kohli and Patidar were credible captaincy options, RCB Team Director Mo Bobat stated. “Virat was an option - that goes without saying. The fans would have probably leant towards Virat, but we’ve seen a lot of love for Rajat too. Virat doesn’t need a captaincy title to lead. Leadership is one of his strongest instincts,” Bobat said.
In a video message played at the event, Kohli congratulated Patidar and stated that the entire team backed him fully. RCB head coach Andy Flower did not give a definitive answer when asked if Kohli declined a captaincy offer.
Indian-origin security expert Paul Kapur nominated as US Assistant Secretary of State
Indian-origin security expert Paul Kapur, known for his extensive research on South Asian security and nuclear policy, has been nominated by US President Donald Trump as the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. If confirmed by the Senate, Kapur will succeed Donald Lu, who completed his term on 17 January 2025.
Kapur, currently a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the US Naval Postgraduate School, has played a key role in shaping US foreign policy on South and Central Asia.
From 2020 to 2021, he served on the US State Department’s Policy Planning Staff, contributing to strategies involving Indo-Pacific security and US-India relations. He has also been involved in directing US-India Track 1.5 dialogues and managing defence-related engagements between the two countries.