University Grant Commission (UGC) is going to allow students to pursue two full time degree programmes simultaneously. This was announced by UGC Chairman Prof. M. Jagadesh Kumar in a virtual meeting with media yesterday. He said, students can pursue two academic programmes simultaneously in a physical mode either from same university or different universities.

Prof Kumar said, students can also pursue two academic programme in online mode simultaneously. He said, this will empower the students to acquire new knowledge and provide them flexibility. Prof. Jagadesh Kumar said, several component of the National Education Policy have been implemented across the country and UGC is trying to provide flexibility under the National Education Policy. The UGC Chairman said, guidelines in this regard will come into effect soon. 

Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry launched 'SVANidhi se Samriddhi' program in additional 126 cities across 14 States and Union Territories yesterday. With the expansion of scheme, 28 lakh street vendors and their families will be benefited. The Ministry said, SVANidhi se Samriddhi, an additional program of PM-SVANidhi was launched in January this year in 125 cities in Phase one, covering approximately 35 lakh street vendors and their families.

Considering the success of Phase one, the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has launched the program in additional cities with a total target of 20 lakh scheme sanctions for this fiscal year. The Ministry has been implementing Prime Minister Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi scheme since June 2020. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid tribute to those martyred in Jallianwala Bagh on this day in 1919. In a tweet today, Mr. Modi said, their unparalleled courage and sacrifice will keep motivating the coming generations.  

In Pakistan, Shehbaz Sharif has become the 23rd prime minister of the country after taking an oath. He was administered the oath by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjarani.

Earlier today, parliament elected the Opposition's joint candidate Sharif as the country's new prime minister. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief got 174 votes in the 342-member National Assembly.

Before the voting process, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmakers walked out of the National Assembly shouting slogans against the Opposition parties’ leadership and the US after their candidate Shah Mahmood Qureshi announced his decision to boycott the session.

India successfully flight-tested Anti-Tank Guided Missile HELINA today. The missile was launched from an indigenously-developed helicopter at high-altitude ranges.

The defence Ministry said, it is one of the most advanced Anti-Tank weapons in the world. The flight test was jointly conducted by the teams of scientists of Defence Research and Development Organisation, Indian Army and Indian Air Force. The Ministry said, the flight trials were conducted from an Advanced Light Helicopter and the missile was fired successfully engaging a simulated tank target.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and the Indian Army for this achievement. DRDO Chairman Dr G. Satheesh Reddy congratulated the teams for the commendable job performed in difficult conditions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the first-ever Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award, instituted in the memory of the veteran singer who passed away in February this year.

In a press release, Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan informed that the award ceremony will be held on 24th of April at Mumbai’s Shanmukhanand Hall. It added that the award will be given annually to a person who has made a path-breaking, spectacular and exemplary contribution to the nation and its people.

The organization said, Mr. Modi is an international statesman who has put India on the path of global leadership. Calling Mr. Modi an inspiration, the organization said, he is one of the greatest leaders that India has seen in its glorious history.

Gujarat, Kerala and Punjab have been adjudged as top three performer states in the NITI Aayog's State Energy and Climate Index, SECI. NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar and Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Kant released the State Energy and Climate Index, SECI- Round One in New Delhi yesterday.

The top three performers among smaller states are Goa, Tripura and Manipur.

Speaking on the occasion, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Dr. Rajiv Kumar stressed on the need to convert efforts towards achieving the Panchamrit targets announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP-26, Glasgow. He said, the role of the states is going to be critical in this regard. Dr. Rajiv said that governance innovation and mutual learning by states will go a long way in improving outcomes and SECI-Round One is the right step in this direction.

The government has said that around two lakh 71 thousand persons will be trained over five years under Pradhan Mantri Dakshta Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi, PM-DAKSH Yojana. The scheme aims to increase the skill levels of the target youth by providing for long-term and short-term skills, followed by settlement in employment and self-employment.

In 2020-21, the existing scheme of Assistance for Skill Development of Other Backward Classes, Economically Backward Classes was modified as a Central Sector Scheme with the inclusion of Scheduled Castes and Sanitation workers and was renamed as PM- DAKSH Yojana.

Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated ‘Seema Darshan Project’ at Nadabet located on the Indo-Pak border in Banaskantha District of Gujarat this morning.

Speaking on this occasion, Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah said that this multipurpose tourism project was completed under the direct guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said that our nation is achieving new heights in the world because our BSF jawans are guarding our borders.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, state tourism minister Punesh Modi, Director General of BSF and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. Mr. Shah also visited Nadeshwari Mata Temple at Nadabet and offered puja and darshan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and other schemes related to agriculture are giving new strength to crores of farmers of the country. Mr Modi said that when farmers become stronger, the nation prospers.

In a tweet, he said, the country is proud of our farmers and new India will be more prosperous, when our farmers are empowered.

AIR correspondent reports, The financial benefit of six thousand rupees per year is provided to the eligible family of farmer under PM-KISAN scheme. The amount is being transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, in three installments of two thousand rupees.