The Gujarat government has targeted to convert Surat into India’s first slum-free city.

A decision in this regard was taken during the cabinet meeting of Gujarat government where chief minister Bhupendra Patel was present.

“Chandigarh is the first city with more than 10 lakh population to be declared slum free. Chief minister has instructed the officials to make Surat the first slum free city of the country with over 70 lakh population Today there are no slum free cities in this population bracket in the country,” Jitu Vaghani, cabinet minister for agriculture and farmers’ welfare and the official state government spokesperson said after the cabinet meeting concluded in the state capital Gandhinagar on Wednesday.

India, home to the world's largest tiger population, has lost as many as 166 of these majestic animals in 2025, forty more than the previous year, due to various reasons, as per the latest data of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA).

The data also shows that Madhya Pradesh, dubbed the country's 'tiger state', recorded the highest number of deaths at 55. Among other states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Assam reported 38, 13 and 12 tiger deaths, respectively, in the bygone year.

the poorest country in the European Union - has become the 21st member of the eurozone - leapfrogging more obvious and prosperous candidates like Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

For mostly urban, young and entrepreneurial Bulgarians, it's an optimistic and potentially lucrative leap - the final move in a game which has brought Bulgaria into the European mainstream - from Nato and EU membership, to joining the Schengen zone, and now the euro.

For the older, rural, more conservative parts of the population, the replacement of the Bulgarian lev by the euro provokes fear and resentment.

Vice President CP Radhakrishnan will inaugurate the 9th Siddha Day celebrations at Chennai this evening. Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav will be present at the event.

The National Institute of Siddha, functioning under the Ministry of Ayush, in association with the Central Council for Research in Siddha have organised the event.

The Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with the Government of Assam, will organise the National Textiles Ministers’ Conference on 8 and 9 January 2026 in Guwahati.

The conference will be held under the theme “India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage & Innovation.”

The two-day event is expected to bring together Union and State Ministers of Textiles, along with senior officials from the Union and State Governments, to deliberate on a coordinated national strategy to position India as a global textiles manufacturing hub.

The discussions will align with the national objective of building a USD 350 billion textile industry and achieving textile exports of USD 100 billion by 2030.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers, J. P. Nadda, on Friday released the 10th edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP 2026), marking a major step in strengthening India’s pharmaceutical quality and regulatory framework.

The new edition was released at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi. The Indian Pharmacopoeia is the country’s official book of drug standards and plays a central role in ensuring the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines manufactured and sold in India.

Addressing the gathering, Nadda said the Indian Pharmacopoeia has gained international recognition and is now accepted in 19 countries of the Global South, reflecting India’s growing stature in global health diplomacy and pharmaceutical regulation. He noted that IP 2026 incorporates 121 new monographs, taking the total number to 3,340, with expanded coverage of anti-tubercular, anti-diabetic and anti-cancer medicines, as well as iron supplements used under national health programmes.

In Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Union Minister for Tourism and Culture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, laid the foundation stone of the Bhoramdev Corridor Development Project at a programme held at Bhoramdev Dham in Kabirdham district yesterday.

Under the Central Government’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0, the Bhoramdev Corridor Development Project will be developed at an estimated cost of around 146 crore rupees, on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi.

The Bhoramdev Temple, popularly known as the Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh, is renowned in India and abroad for its ancient architectural excellence and religious significance. With the development of the corridor, modern facilities will be made available to pilgrims and tourists, which is expected to give fresh momentum to the economic, social and cultural development of the region.

IFFCO which is country's leading cooperative institution in the fertiliser sector on Tuesday conferred the "IFFCO Sahitya Samman 2025" on renowned fiction writer Maitreyi Pushpa. At the same ceremony, the "IFFCO Yuva Sahitya Samman" was awarded to Ankita Jain for her book "Oh Re! Kisan".

IFFCO Chairman Dilip Sanghani presented the awards at a function held at the Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi on December 30.

Maitreyi Pushpa was born on 30 November 1944 in Sikurra village of Aligarh district. Her early life was spent in Khilli village of Jhansi district. She obtained her M.A. in Hindi Literature from Bundelkhand College, Jhansi.

Air Marshal Tejinder Singh assumed charge as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) of the South Western Air Command of the Indian Air Force on January 1, 2026.

After taking over the new appointment, the Air Marshal paid homage to the martyrs by laying a wreath at the war memorial.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Tejinder Singh was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force on June 13, 1987. A Category ‘A’ Qualified Flying Instructor, he has over 4,500 hours of flying experience. He is also an alumnus of the Defence Services Staff College and the National Defence College.

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor on Thursday (January 1, 2026) assumed charge as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff, succeeding Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari, who superannuated after 40 years of distinguished service to the nation. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Defence Services Staff College and National Defence College, Air Marshal Kapoor is an accomplished fighter pilot with over 3,400 flying hours on MiG-21 and MiG-29 aircraft.

He has held several key command, operational, instructional and staff appointments, including Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Training Command and South Western Air Command, and is a recipient of multiple gallantry and distinguished service awards.

In another significant development, Lt. Gen. Harpal Singh on Thursday assumed charge as the 29th Director General Border Roads, formally taking over the reins of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Commissioned into the Corps of Engineers in June 1991, he brings over three decades of experience across diverse command, staff and leadership roles.