Month: September 2025

The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a loan agreement worth USD 126.42 million to promote sustainable, climate-resilient tourism in Uttarakhand, with a special focus on the Tehri Lake region in Tehri Garhwal district. The agreement was signed by Ms. Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India, and Mr. Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge, India Resident Mission, ADB.   The project aims to strengthen Uttarakhand’s position as a year-round tourism destination while ensuring inclusive growth…

In a major boost for apple growers of Jammu & Kashmir, Indian Railways today commenced the loading of fresh apples on two dedicated Vehicle Parcel Trains (VPTs), each comprising eight wagons, for swift transportation to the Delhi market. The initiative is aimed at ensuring faster, safer, and more economical transportation of the Valley’s famed apple produce to major consumption centers, reducing dependence on road transport and minimizing transit losses.   By providing a reliable rail-based logistics solution, Indian Railways is directly supporting the farming community, ensuring that Kashmir’s apple growers…

The Technology Development Board (TDB), under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, has extended its support to a promising Indian startup that is pioneering an innovative approach to pneumonia treatment. This initiative reflects the Government’s commitment to advancing healthcare solutions as part of the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision.   Pneumonia continues to be a major public health challenge, particularly among children and vulnerable populations. The supported startup has developed a cutting-edge technology aimed at improving early diagnosis, enhancing treatment efficacy, and reducing mortality rates associated with the disease.   By…

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today has approved the doubling of Bhagalpur – Dumka – Rampurhat single railway line Section (177 km) in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal with total cost of Rs.3,169 crore (approx.).   The enhanced line capacity will improve mobility, providing enhanced efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. The multi-tracking proposal will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections across Indian Railways. The projects are in line with the Prime…

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the construction of the Mokama–Munger section of the Buxar–Bhagalpur High-Speed Corridor in Bihar. The 82.4 km stretch will be developed as a 4-lane greenfield access-controlled highway at a cost of ₹4,447.38 crore under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The project aims to provide seamless, high-speed connectivity between central and eastern Bihar, reducing travel time and easing congestion on existing road networks. Once completed, the corridor will serve as a key link for passenger and freight traffic, strengthening logistics and trade flows across the state.…

A team of scientists from the MACS–Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, has discovered two previously unknown fungal species from soil in the Western Ghats, one of the world’s richest biodiversity hotspots. The new fungi, Aspergillus dhakephalkarii and Aspergillus patriciawiltshireae, belong to the black-aspergilli group (Aspergillus section Nigri), which includes species of ecological and industrial importance.     The discovery marks the first Indian study on black aspergilli to employ polyphasic taxonomy, a modern integrative approach combining morphological, genetic and chemical analyses to accurately identify species. Alongside the two new species,…