Category: India

Mumbai: IDFC FIRST Bank reported a 196.5% year-on-year increase in profit after tax (PAT) to ₹1,045 crore for the second quarter of FY27, marking its second consecutive quarter with profits exceeding ₹1,000 crore. For the half year ended September 30, 2026, PAT stood at ₹2,120 crore, while return on assets (ROA) was 0.99%. The bank recorded strong growth in deposits, which rose 25.9% year-on-year and 11.8% quarter-on-quarter to ₹3,48,583 crore. Its average current account and savings account (CASA) ratio stood at 48.4% during the quarter, compared with 50.1% previously. The…

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Varanasi: Turning a compelling social story into an internationally recognised documentary, Sudhi Singh, a Class 12 student at Crimson World School in Varanasi, has earned recognition for directing The Doms: Kings of the Pyre. Her film explores the lives, working conditions and challenges faced by the Dom community, whose traditional role is closely associated with cremation practices in Kashi. The documentary focuses on the everyday realities of community members working at cremation grounds, including Harishchandra Ghat. It examines their social and economic circumstances, workplace conditions and health-related concerns, bringing attention…

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Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh is strengthening its position as a destination for Global Capability Centres (GCCs), with leading companies announcing investments, technology initiatives and skill-development partnerships at the UP GCC Innovation Summit 2026 in Lucknow. In the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, representatives of LG Electronics, Smartworks, Microsoft and HCL Technologies highlighted the state’s infrastructure, talent pool, investment policies and administrative support as factors attracting global businesses. LG Electronics is investing ₹634 crore in its Eco Solutions GCC, with operations targeted to begin by the end of 2026. The centre…

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New Delhi / Lucknow: The central government is reportedly considering reducing its stake in four public sector banks to 75 per cent to comply with minimum public shareholding norms, while also exploring another round of consolidation in the banking sector. According to a report by The Economic Times, the banks under consideration are Central Bank of India, UCO Bank, Punjab & Sind Bank and Indian Overseas Bank. The proposed reduction would increase public shareholding in these lenders, although the timing and method of the stake sale would depend on market…

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Lucknow: The Northeastern Railway Vigilance Organisation is observing Vigilance Awareness Week from October 26 to November 1, 2026, under the theme “Probity for Prosperity”, following the directions of the Central Vigilance Commission. The week-long campaign is being organised at the Northeastern Railway headquarters in Gorakhpur and across all its divisions. As part of the initiative, Lucknow Divisional Railway Manager Gaurav Agrawal administered the vigilance integrity pledge to railway officers and employees at the Divisional Railway Manager’s office at 11 am on Monday. Additional Divisional Railway Manager (Infrastructure) Bhuvanesh Singh, Additional…

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Balrampur: The Balrampur district administration, in coordination with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, organised a free assistive devices distribution camp under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan to promote independence, accessibility and inclusive development. The camp was held at the Balrampur Block Development premises, where 108 eligible beneficiaries received modern assistive devices following technical assessments and a transparent selection process. The initiative aims to improve mobility, communication, educational access and everyday independence among persons with disabilities. A total of 25 tricycles and 12 wheelchairs were distributed to beneficiaries with…

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Gonda: A free health camp was organised at Hari Narayan Savitri Devi Mini Charitable Clinic through a joint initiative of Hind Heart Institute, Hind Hospital, Barabanki, and Lions Club Gonda Seva. Around 125 patients received free ECG tests, blood sugar screening and medical consultations, along with guidance on preventing cardiovascular diseases. Senior cardiologist Dr Pankaj Kumar Srivastava emphasised that the heart is one of the most vital organs of the human body and requires proper care. He identified irregular lifestyles, unhealthy dietary habits and stress as major risk factors for…

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Poor turnout at PDA workers’ conference prompts Akhilesh Yadav to dissolve district unit, highlighting challenges in grassroots mobilisation and cadre management KANNAUJ: The Samajwadi Party’s (SP) preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections have come under scrutiny following poor attendance at a PDA workers’ conference in Kannauj, a constituency considered one of the party’s traditional strongholds. The incident has raised questions about the party’s organisational strength, grassroots mobilisation and its ability to sustain the social coalition that contributed to its strong performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. According…

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New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu conferred awards on 20 selected artists at the award ceremony of the 65th National Exhibition of Art and the 3rd Print Biennale India, organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. The ceremony was held at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on October 21. Awards were also presented to five Grand Prize winners and four recipients of Honourable Mentions at the 3rd Print Biennale India. The event was attended by Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister of…

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Lucknow: Anil Yadav, former member of the Uttar Pradesh State Backward Classes Commission, has called for a more effective voter awareness campaign, stressing that every eligible citizen must be encouraged to register on the electoral rolls and participate in the democratic process. Yadav also raised questions about the Election Commission’s publicity efforts, stating that inadequate awareness among citizens and limited outreach by the concerned authorities could hinder efforts to ensure wider voter registration. He said registering on the electoral rolls was not merely a formality but an important democratic right…

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