Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case today. The matter is listed before a bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul. 

The apex court on October 29 had fixed the matter in the first week of January before an appropriate bench, which will decide the schedule of hearing. 

Various Hindutva organisations have been demanding an ordinance on early construction of Ram temple at the disputed site. 

The hearing today assumes importance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday suggested any decision on an ordinance on Ram temple in Ayodhya can happen only after the completion of the judicial process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur and Assam today. In Manipur, he will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several projects and schemes. 

Mr Modi will unveil the plaque to mark the inauguration of various projects including Integrated Check Post at Moreh, the Dolaithabi Barrage project, FCI food storage godown at Sawombung, Eco Tourism Complex at Thangal Surung and various water supply schemes. 

Prime Minister will dedicate the 400kV double circuit Silchar-Imphal line. He will also the lay the foundation stone of projects like Infrastructure Development of Dhanamanjuri University, Imphal and sports facilities. 

He will then address the gathering at Hapta Kangjeibung in Imphal East District. In Assam, Prime Minister will address a Public Rally at Ramnagar in Silchar.

Dronacharya awardee cricket coach Ramakant Achrekar, who is credited with shaping the early career of Sachin Tendulkar, died on Wednesday.

He was 87 and passed away owing to age related ailments at his home.

Achrekar competed in just one first-class match in his playing career but discovered and shaped the biggest batsman in international cricket after Sir Donald Bradman in Tendulkar.

Achrekar is best known for being his childhood coach and has always been acknowledged by the celebrated right-hander for the role he played in shaping his career as a child. Achrekar was also a Padmashri awardee.

“Cricket in heaven will be enriched with the presence of Achrekar sir. Like many of his students, I learnt my ABCD of cricket under Sir’s guidance," Tendulkar said. "His contribution to my life cannot be captured in words. He built the foundation that I stand on. Last month, I met Sir along with some of his students and spent some time together. We shared a laugh as we remembered the old times.

“Achrekar sir taught us the virtues of playing straight and living straight. Thank you for making us a part of your life and enriching us with your coaching manual. Well played Sir and may you coach more wherever you are."

Besides Tendulkar, he also coached some prominent players in Vinod Kambli, Pravin Amre, Sameer Dighe, Ramesh Powar, Chandrakant Pandit, Ajit Agarkar and Balwinder Singh Sandhu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit in Jalandhar district of Punjab on Thursday to inaugurate the 106th edition of Indian Science Congress (ISC)-2019. He will also deliver the inaugural address on the occasion.

PM Modi will then proceed to Gurdaspur where he will address a public rally.

In keeping with the PM’s vision to give a boost to the spirit of science, technology and innovation across the country, it will be the fifth Indian Science Congress to be addressed by Prime Minister Modi since he assumed office.

In the Past, he has delivered inaugural addresses at 105th edition of ISC in 2018, 104th edition in 2017, 103rd edition in 2016 and 102nd edition in 2015.

The government Tuesday appointed Life Insurance Corporation’s (LIC) senior-most Managing Director Hemant Bhargava as the insurer’s interim chairman, in place of V K Sharma who retired on Monday.

Meanwhile, the government has already initiated process to select regular chairman and managing director of LIC.

Bhargava was appointed as the managing director (MD) of LIC in February 2017, the insurer said in a statement. Apart from Bhargava, there are two more MDs of LIC currently.

He was instrumental in completing the design and setting up a separate microinsurance vertical which was LIC’s first comprehensive enterprise-wide initiative in financial inclusion space.

He also set up a new joint venture in collaboration with the banking industry, and founded LIC Cards Services Ltd.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday set up an expert committee under former Sebi chairman U.K. Sinha to suggest long-term solutions for the economic and financial sustainability of the MSME sector. RBI has announced the panel a day after it allowed a one-time restructuring of existing debt up to ₹25 crore for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which have defaulted on payment but the loans given to them have continued to be classified as standard assets.

The eight-member committee will also examine the factors affecting the timely and adequate availability of finance to the sector, the central bank said in a statement. “The expert committee will submit its report by the end of June 2019,” it said.

The MSME panel has been asked to review the current institutional framework in place to support the MSME sector and study the impact of the recent economic reforms on the sector and “identify the structural problems affecting its growth”.

To study the global best practices with respect to MSMEs and recommend its adoption in India, wherever appropriate, and review the existing MSME-focused policies and its impact on the sector are among the issues which the panel will look into.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal today said that Train 18 will run from Delhi to Varanasi. He said that the run-time of Train 18 between Delhi and Varanasi will be eight hours, "one-and-a-half-times" faster than the fastest train on the route.

While the railways had been saying that it had proposed two routes for Train 18-- Delhi to Bhopal and Delhi to Varanasi-- this is the first time that the route has been officially confirmed.

"We have successfully tested the train and the suggestions are being incorporated. Very soon the train will be dedicated to the nation and we have requested that Prime Minister Narendra Modi flag it off. This train will run between Delhi and Varanasi in eight hours and the fastest train between the two cities takes 11.30 hours," Mr Goyal said.

While Mr Goyal refused to give a date for Train 18's first run, he said it would "begin service soon".

Sources said that the first commercial run of Train 18 would begin next week, just ahead of the Kumbh Mela, which starts in Prayagraj on January 14.

"Train 18 will be flagged off by PM Modi ahead of the Kumbh Mela," the sources said.

The government on Wednesday approved amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926 to make provisions regarding recognition of trade unions.

The present act provides for only registration of trade unions. Currently, there is no provision for recognition of unions in the Act.

The recognition is necessary because recognised trade union of an industry or establishment gets bargaining or negotiating rights with the employer.

"The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved amendment to the Trade Unions Act, 1926 to make provisions regarding recognition of Trade Unions," an official statement said.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal has welcomed the  Union Cabinet's decision to implement the Assam Accord signed in 1985. He said the Cabinet's decision is a historic step to safeguard and protect the interest and cultural and linguistic identity of the indigenous people of the state. 

The Union Cabinet yesterday approved the setting up a high-level committee for implementation of clause 6 of the Assam Accord and measures envisaged in the Memorandum of Settlement, 2003 and other issues related to the Bodo community. 

"Welcoming the decisions, Mr Sonowal said this is a New Year’s gift to the people of the state from the  Centre.  He said the Cabinet decision will go a long way in securing the future of all indigenous communities of the state.  Assam state BJP President Ranjeet Kumar Dass has also welcomed the decision. 

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the re-structuring of existing National Health Agency as “National Health Authority” with an aim to efficiently implement Pradhan Mantri – Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). With this, the existing society, “National Health Agency”, has been dissolved and its status now stands enhanced to that of an Authority.

The National Health Authority shall have full autonomy, accountability and the mandate to implement PM-JAY through an efficient, effective and transparent decision-making process. Dubbed as “Modicare” the PM-JAY, is being described as the world’s largest health insurance scheme. It is a cashless and paperless access to health services up to Rs. 5 lakhs per year to poor and vulnerable people identified as per the socio economic caste census.

“The world’s largest healthcare scheme rightfully deserves the most efficient and effective governance structure with total accountability,” said J P Nadda, Minister for Health and Family Welfare.

The government said that creation of the National Health Authority will lead to more effective implementation of PM-JAY as it will align the accountability with responsibility. With the authority, faster decision-making will be done, as the multi-layered structure has been simplified and the role of the Authority has been clarified.