The India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL), and Tata Semiconductor Manufacturing Private Limited (TSMPL) have signed a Fiscal Support Agreement (FSA) to establish the country’s first commercial semiconductor fabrication unit in Dholera, Gujarat. The agreement was signed in the presence of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, marking a crucial step in India’s drive towards technological self-reliance.

The Tata Electronics semiconductor fab will see an investment of over ₹91,000 crore, with a capacity of producing 50,000 wafers per month (WSPM). The Government of India, through ISM, has committed 50% fiscal support on a pari-passu basis for eligible project costs. This move underscores India’s commitment to establishing a robust semiconductor ecosystem and reducing dependency on foreign chip manufacturing.

The project is expected to generate more than 20,000 direct and indirect skilled jobs. In collaboration with Taiwan’s Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC), Tata Electronics will integrate global expertise into India’s semiconductor industry. The facility will cater to the growing demands of global markets in automotive, computing, communications, and artificial intelligence (AI) sectors.

Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday underscored India’s rapid telecom transformation at the ongoing Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2025 in Barcelona, Spain.

At the event, the minister highlighted India’s advancements, including the world’s lowest data tariffs, indigenous 4G/5G stacks, and robust cybersecurity measures. He addressed key sessions such as “Global Tech Governance: Rising to the Challenge” and “Balancing Innovation and Regulation: Global Perspectives on Telecom Policy.” He emphasized the need for spectrum management, market stability, telecom regulation, and consumer protection to strike a balance between innovation and regulation.

During his visit, Scindia inaugurated the Bharat Pavilion, organised by the Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) with the support of the Department of Telecommunications. The pavilion featured 38 Indian telecom manufacturers presenting cutting-edge hardware and software products. He also unveiled VVDN’s indigenously designed AI-based Wi-Fi 7 and visited booths of major tech companies, including Meta and Google Cloud, to explore their latest innovations.

An outreach session on ‘Broadband Connectivity to Government Secondary Schools and Primary Health Centres’, as part of the Post-Budget Webinars on the Union Budget 2025-26, on the theme "Investing in People, Economy, and Innovation", today underscored the transformative impact these initiativeswill have in education and health sectors in rural and far-off areas of the country. It highlighted that by enabling e-learning platforms, virtual labs, digital literacy, telemedicine, and electronic health records, the initiative will help bridge the urban-rural digital divide and empower communities through seamless connectivity, e-Governance, and economic opportunities, making quality education and healthcare more accessible in rural India.

Theinteractive session dwelt at length on bridging the digital divide with the Government announcing broadband connectivity for all Government Secondary Schools and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in rural areas under the BharatNet project, with participation from DoT, D/o School Education & Literacy and D/o Health and Family Welfare. The session brought together key stakeholders, including industry leaders, domain experts, and policymakers, to deliberate on strategies to enhance India's mission of digital inclusion.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved two ropeway projects worth ₹6,811 crore in Uttarakhand, aimed at boosting religious tourism and easing the woes of pilgrims travelling to Kedarnath and Hemkund Sahib.

The first ropeway project — Sonprayag to Kedarnath (12.9 kilometres) — will be built at a capital cost of ₹4,081 crore, while the second — Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib Ji (12.4 kilometres) — will require an investment of ₹2,730 crore.

The projects will be developed in design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) mode, which is a public-private partnership (PPP) model where the developer builds, maintains, and operates the asset for a share in the revenue.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), on Wednesday approved the construction of a 12.9 km ropeway project connecting Sonprayag to Kedarnath in Uttarakhand. The project will be developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model at an estimated capital cost of Rs. 4,081.28 crore.

Kedarnath, one of the 12 sacred Jyotirlingas, is located at an altitude of 3,583 meters (11,968 feet) in the Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. The Kedarnath Temple is open to pilgrims for 6 to 7 months annually, from Akshaya Tritiya (April-May) to Diwali (October-November), attracting around 20 lakh pilgrims each season.

The ropeway, to be built in a public-private partnership, will feature the latest Tri-cable Detachable Gondola (3S) technology, offering a design capacity of 1,800 passengers per hour in each direction. The system is expected to carry up to 18,000 passengers daily, significantly improving the travel experience for the millions of pilgrims visiting Kedarnath each year.

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the revision of the Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme (LHDCP), with an outlay of ₹3,880 crore for two years. The scheme aims to improve the animal health sector by implementing prophylactic vaccination programmes against various diseases of livestock and poultry, capacity building, disease surveillance, and strengthening the veterinary infrastructure.

The scheme has three components, namely the National Animal Disease Control Programme (NADCP), LH&DC and Pashu Aushadhi. The Pashu Aushadhi is a new component added to the LHDCP scheme. The total outlay of the scheme is Rs 3,880 crore for two years, i.e., 2024-25 and 2025-26.

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the second edition of ‘Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan today (March 5, 2025).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that in the second edition of Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav’, people would get to know about the vibrant cultural heritage of five states - Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and two UTs - Lakshadweep and Puducherry. She was happy to note that about 500 artisans and weavers are participating in this celebration. She urged people to participate in this festival, know about the art and culture of South India. It will also boost the morale of all the artisans and artists.

The 'Vividhta ka Amrit Mahotsav' is being organized at Rashtrapati Bhavan to celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of India. This Mahotsav has been structured in the seven distinct editions dedicated to – North-East, South, North, East, West, Central region and Union Territories.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is organizing a National Workshop of Women Elected Representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions wherein "Sashakt Panchayat-Netri Abhiyan" will be launched on 4th March 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, the ministry said in a release on Sunday.

Union Minister of Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh), Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi, Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj S. P. Singh Baghel and Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Raksha Nikhil Khadse. Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, along with representatives from various Ministries/ Departments, SIRD&PRs, and international organizations like UNFPA, TRIF will also participate in the event.

The Ministry of Panchayati Raj is set to launch a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering gender-sensitive governance at the grassroots level. The initiative, which focuses on the development of Model Women-Friendly Gram Panchayats (MWFGP), will be unveiled at a National Convention on March 5, 2025, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

This event, a key part of the Ministry’s International Women’s Day 2025 celebrations, seeks to ensure safety, inclusivity, and gender equality for women and girls in Gram Panchayats across the country.

Union Minister of State, Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj & Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying, along with Union Minister of State, Anupriya Patel, from the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, will be present at the convention. Other notable attendees include Vivek Bharadwaj, Secretary of the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and Sushil Kumar Lohani, Additional Secretary.

Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, attended the official send-off ceremony for the 49-member Indian team set to compete in the Special Olympics World Winter Games. This marks the largest-ever Indian contingent for the prestigious event, which will be held in Turin, Italy, from March 7 to 17.

The Indian team comprises 30 athletes, three officials, and 16 support staff, including coaches. The athletes will compete in six disciplines—Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Floorball, Short Track Speed Skating, Snowboarding, and Snowshoeing.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of promoting inclusive sports, the Union Sports Ministry has placed a strong emphasis on supporting specially-abled athletes. As part of this initiative, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) organized 11 national coaching camps across multiple cities, including Chandigarh, Narkanda, New Delhi, Gwalior, Noida, and Gurugram, to prepare the athletes for the global event.