Dishing out data on the AAP government’s good financial performance, outgoing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday sought to plug any chance for the next BJP government offering an excuse of lack of funds for not implementing schemes like Rs 2,500 monthly financial assistance to women.

Addressing the media here, Acting Chief Minister Atishi took pains to justify the AAP government’s freebies or free social welfare schemes, dispelling doubts that the Arvind Kejriwal brand of welfare politics did not mean ‘bad economics’.

The Acting Chief Minister said she was sharing the data about the AAP government’s good economic performance so that BJP leaders do not blame the outgoing government for the alleged poor state of finances and delay the implementation of the BJP’s poll promises.

“I hope the new BJP government will not make financial excuses and fulfil all its promises made to women and others,” she said.

India is emerging as the fastest-growing hub for Certified Financial Planner (CFP) professionals, with their numbers rising by 18 per cent in the country, according to a report on Friday.

The report by FPSB India, the Indian subsidiary of the Financial Planning Standards Board, (FPSB) showed that CFP professionals grew to 3,215 in 2024 from 2,731 in 2023 – a 17.7 per cent growth.

CFPs are experts who play a key role in helping individuals plan their finances, manage wealth, and achieve long-term financial stability.

FM tried to confuse us with technicalities in order to hood-wink the middle-class
. Hope that FM will do away with personal charges and cheap-shots
. If Income exceeds Rs.12Lacs, then tax is to be paid on whole income, and not just on the incremental income.
. Rs 12 lakh is a Tax rebate, not a Tax exemption; entire income is taxed if exceeds Rs.12 Lac.⁠
. If someone earns Rs.12.76 Lacs as annual income, then tax will be paid on entire Rs.12.76 Lacs and not on Rs.76 k alone.

Further tightening noose around corruption, the Punjab government has directed the Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Sub Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) and Station House Officers (SHOs) to check corruption in their respective areas else face action.

Disclosing this here today a spokesman of state government reiterated the unwavering commitment of the Punjab government to ensure full transparency, accountability and integrity in Public service delivery. As corrupt practices undermine public trust, weaken institutions and hinder national growth, so top priority must be accorded to check this menace. Punjab government has also directed that in order to ensure corruption free and citizen friendly governance, all the field officers should take stringent and effective steps.

Pakistan is grappling with a resurgence of polio virus as several new cases have been reported over the past few weeks. The National Institute of Health reported the country’s second case of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) when a sample from Sindh’s Badin district tested positive at its laboratory in Islamabad.

Last week, environmental samples collected from 26 districts confirmed the presence of WPV1. The positive samples collected from these areas that tested positive for polio put children at huge risk of contracting the disease.

Polio is still an endemic disease in Pakistan alongside Afghanistan, the last two countries in the world where the crippling disease persists. The challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress in eradicating polio in Pakistan despite global efforts, maintains Pakistani authorities.

The US will seek to prioritise and boost defence and energy sales to India, senior White House officials said Thursday previewing a meeting later in the day between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The officials also said the two leaders will build on the accomplishments of the American leader’s first term and focus their conversation when they meet later in the day, focusing on key areas of defence, trade, energy, infrastructure and regional partnerships.

The two leaders are expected to put back on track talks regarding a trade deal, picking up perhaps from where they left off in Trump's first term. The attempt will be to put together a deal in 2025, senior Trump administration officials said previewing the meeting.

The two leaders will meet in person for the first time after President Trump's return to the White House for a non-consecutive second term; his first lasted from 2017 to 2021. They have spoken on the phone two times, once in November and then again in January.

The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Delhi's South District on Thursday ordered an interim order in the favour of students whose admit cards were withheld by a school in the national capital over fee payment dispute.

After the CWC received a complaint from the parents of six children studying in class 10th at Saket's Apeejay School, it directed the Principal to issue “admit cards to all the six students with immediate effect”, opining that the fee issue may be settled afterward.

It ordered the authorities in the Directorate of Education (DOE) to look into the matter and facilitate parents and children.

In its order, the CWC noted that the matter is also sub-judiced before the Delhi High Court but issued “immediate action-intervention to protect and save student's whole academic year” and to safeguard them from a traumatic mental situation.

As Pakistan prepare for the final of the Tri-Nation ODI Series against New Zealand in Karachi, skipper Mohammad Rizwan has thrown his weight behind former captain Babar Azam, backing the star batter to rediscover his best form. While runs in Friday’s game would be valuable, the broader concern remains Babar’s long-term dip in form, which has seen his numbers drop across all formats.

Babar’s numbers have taken a hit over the last year. His ODI form — traditionally his strongest format — has suffered a noticeable decline. Since the start of the 2023 Asia Cup, he has averaged 42.90 in 25 games, bringing his career average down from nearly 59 to the mid-50s. If his knock of 151 against Nepal is excluded, that average dips further below 38.

A Special CBI court in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced a doctor employed in Air India to three year’s rigorous imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh, for demanding a bribe of Rs 25,000 to give a favourable medical report to a new joinee.

In two separate cases, the CBI booked a hotel owner in Uttarakhand for duping a bank of Rs 11 crore and an iron casting company in Rajasthan of Rs 9.62 crore for cheating after taking a loan from a bank, an official said on Thursday.

While hearing the Air India doctor's case, the Special CBI court in Ahmedabad held Suresh Marotrao Bhagatkar, then engaged with the airline, Mumbai, guilty of indulging in corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

During the trial, the court examined 27 prosecution witnesses and 49 documents/exhibits in support of the charges against the convict.

In a big bonanza to the employees and pensioners of the state government, the Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday accorded consent to disburse pending arrears worth Rs 14,000 crore to them.

A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of the Council of Ministers held here under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister today at his office in Punjab Civil Secretariat-I.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the Cabinet gave approval to release arrears of revised pay/ pensions and leave encashment from period of January 1, 2016 to June 30, 2022 and that DA/ DR from July 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024 for pensioners and employees. This sum worth Rs 14,000 crore will be released in stages and will give a much needed relief to the employees and pensioners. Pertinently, there are three lakh employees and three lakh pensioners of the state government who will be directly benefitted by this move.