The Government e-Marketplace (GeM) has achieved a significant milestone by surpassing Rs 5 lakh crore in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) on its portal before the close of the financial year 2024-25. This achievement highlights GeM’s rapid expansion as a primary tool for public procurement, serving a buyer base of over 1.6 lakh government entities. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in a statement, said that the leap from four lakh crore rupees to five lakh crore rupees was accomplished in less than 50 days since crossing the previous benchmark on the 23rd of January this year. The Ministry added that GeM has undertaken major policy reforms in recent months to enhance market accessibility and streamline participation for sellers. Key initiatives, such as the reduction in transaction charges, vendor assessment fees, and caution money requirements, have made the platform more accessible, particularly benefiting micro and small enterprises, startups, and women-led enterprises. Over 22 lakh sellers and service providers are registered on GeM, contributing to a diverse and competitive procurement ecosystem.

India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation in February 2025 rose to 2.38 per cent, primarily due to an increase in fuel and power prices along with higher costs in the manufacturing sector, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Monday. This is higher than the WPI rate in January which stood at 2.31 per cent.

The fuel and power index increased by 2.12 per cent to 153.8 (provisional) in February from 150.6 (provisional) for the month of January. This was driven by a 4.28 per cent increase in electricity prices and a 1.87 per cent rise in mineral oil prices.

The index for manufactured products increased by 0.42 per cent, with notable price hikes in the manufacture of food products, basic metals, non-metallic mineral products, and chemicals.

In his capacity as acting CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) Professor Abhay Karandikar transferred responsibility to newly appointed CEO Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman.

With this, Dr Shivkumar assumes charge of the CEO of ANRF, which aims to seed, grow, and promote research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories.

Dr Shivkumar, who earlier held the post of Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Energy Industry, Asia at Microsoft, is a Distinguished Alumnus Awardee of IIT Madras & Ohio State University (2021).

He is also a Fellow of the IEEE (2010), Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (2015), ACM Distinguished Scientist (2010), Microsoft Gold Club (2024), and Technology Review TR100 young innovator (1999).

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Singh Patel inaugurated the QUAD Workshop on Pandemic Preparedness for the Indo-Pacific Region in New Delhi today.

Under India’s presidency, the three-day workshop is being jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The workshop aims to strengthen global health emergency frameworks, enhance preparedness and resilience to health threats, and ensure coordinated responses to evolving pandemics.

The workshop also focuses on the implementation of One Health approach, addressing human, animal, and environmental health through a multisectoral lens.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini presented a budget of Rs 2,05,017 crore for the financial year 2025-26. While presenting the budget, the Chief Minister said that in the last 10 years, the state’s GDP has grown at an average rate of 10.8% and per capita income at an average rate of 9.1%. He said that in 2014-15, the per capita income of Haryana was Rs 1,47,382, while in 2024-25, the estimated per capita income of Haryana is Rs 3,53,182.

Scripting a monumental journey, historian V. Sriram and Lashman document the 60 years of Blue Cross in their book "Memories and Milestones", which was released by Justice P.N. Prakash, Former judge of Madras High Court and former Special Public Prosecutor, National Investigation Agency, in the presence of Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Animal rights activist, and Environmentalist and A. L. Somayaji, Former Advocate General, Government of Tamil Nadu, who also received the first copy of the book, at a function held here in Chennai on 15th March 2025.

Celebrating Blue Cross and its 60th anniversary, one cannot stop but applaud the achievements of the Sundaram family and all the others who have volunteered and worked for the Blue Cross of India, since its first registration in 1964. The most active animal welfare group in the country that has many firsts to its credit. The first of a new genre of animal protection groups that were concerned with all animals, the one that pioneered some path breaking initiatives like the Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, the first time in the world, where the sterilization of street dogs was put forward as a humane approach to control growing dog population, first in the world to begin interactive computer programmes as an alternative to dissection of animals in schools, and the first animal welfare group in India to get the Platinum Level certification for transparency from GuideStar India in 2013.

The Kulasekarapattinam spaceport in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district, the second launch complex for Isro outside Andhra Pradesh, will see the maiden launch with the Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) in 24 months, chairman of the space agency V Narayanan said on Monday.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) SSLV will primarily support polar launches of upto 500 kg, with Indian industry involved in its production.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of the revamped police academy in Assam’s Dergaon on Saturday, hailing the state government’s decision to name it after storied Ahom general Lachit Barphukan.

The Lachit Barphukan Police Academy, as the Assam Cabinet decided to rename it in 2022, is being refurbished for Rs 1,024 crore. Shah, who is on a three-day visit to Assam and Mizoram, also laid the foundation stone for the next phase.

Stating that once completed, this will become the best police academy in the country, Shah said he appreciated the government’s decision to rename it.

DC vs MI WPL Final 2025: Mumbai Indians won their second Women’s Premier League title in three seasons after defeating Delhi Capitals by eight runs in the WPL final on Saturday. Nat Sciver-Brunt took three crucial wickets for Mumbai, including those of Meg Lanning and Marizanne Kapp to help the team claim victory.

Earlier, Mumbai had managed to set a target of 150 runs, thanks to a 66 from captain Harmanpreet Kaur and a handy contribution from Nat Sciver-Brunt. Harmanpreet and Sciver-Brunt had stabilised Mumbai’s innings initially from 14/2 at one stage. But then, Mumbai threw away four wickets for just 15 runs, including that of captain Harmanpreet, as they went from 103/2 to 118/6. For Delhi, Marizanne Kapp scalped both MI openers early on after Meg Lanning-led Delhi Capitals had asked Mumbai Indians to bat first.

The Delhi Capitals side made a change to their XI — bringing in Shree Charani in place of Titas Sadhu — while Mumbai had an unchanged XI. Delhi were hoping to break their WPL title jinx: the team has now reached the final thrice in as many editions of the WPL and won none.

Three-time Paralympic champion long jumper Vanessa Low of Australia lived up to her top billing as she easily clinched gold in T61-64 class while India's Paris Games medallist Preethi Pal bagged a bronze in T35-38 class 200m race on the concluding day of the World Para Athletics Grand Prix here on Thursday. India finished on top of the medal tally with a total haul of 134 -- 45 gold, 40 silver, and 49 bronze. Around 150 Indians had competed in the Grand Prix while around 100 were from other 19 countries. Vanessa, one of the few top stars taking part in the three-day event, cleared a distance of 4.96m in her third attempt, to stand on the top of the podium.

Zhanna Fekolina, a Neutral Paralympic Athlete, and India's Bhavani Munniyandi took home the silver and bronze respectively with efforts of 4.13m and 3.51m at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here.