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The oil price decontrol — at first, the retail prices of petrol by the Manmohan Singh-led government in 2010 and, thereafter, diesel prices by the Narendra Modi-led government in 2015 – to link the local retail market prices with global price trends seems to be meant more to mislead the general public and direct consumers than for any honest purpose. Over the years, it is noticed that retail oil prices are often raised quickly whenever the crude oil prices in the global market firm up. The country is almost 87 percent dependent on imported oil. The retail oil prices are rarely reduced when import prices drop, even over a significant period of time. The prices of petrol and diesel account for the biggest source of tax revenue and levies of the central and state governments. There lies the rub. Very diligently, petroleum has been kept outside the purview of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Who will emerge victorious in Haryana's upcoming assembly polls? Will the ruling BJP retain the state, or will the resurgent Congress seize the opportunity to win? The nation is watching as the results of the impending polls in Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Jammu, and Kashmir will shape these states' future and significantly impact the national political landscape.

Sri Lanka will hold its presidential election on September 21, 2024, in which 17 million people out of its total population of 22 million will vote. As Sri Lanka goes for the election, foreign news analysts believe the country will choose “new vision, bold reforms and steady leadership.”

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The carping critics of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government – the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - have ended up with egg on their faces, and are desperately running for cover to hide their acute embarrassment!

A big chunk of Texans now know that Rahul Gandhi is "not a Pappu". On the contrary, Rahul Gandhi is "highly intelligent and highly educated." And, as far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned, there is no BJP and RSS ‘Mohabbat Ka Dukaan’ franchise. Indian Overseas Congress president, the Indian-American occasional anthropologist, Sam Pitroda, introduced India's Leader of Opposition to Texan students and Indian-Americans.

KOLKATA: For the Trinamool Congress (TMC), troubles continue unabated at the national level apart from West Bengal. . Universally condemned over the unfortunate rape and death of a young lady doctor at a Government-run Kolkata hospital, the TMC has suffered a further loss of face over the resignation of its state president in Assam, the veteran Mr Ripun Bora.

LUCKNOW: An aggressive Akhilesh Yadav is taking head on with chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his government in Uttar Pradesh on the issue of poor governance of BJP government in the state.

The allegations of misconduct and irregularities surrounding SEBI chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch’s tenure have cast a long shadow over the institution, shaking public confidence and raising questions about the integrity of India’s financial regulatory system. This development gains even more significance in the light of the Supreme Court's 2018 observation on institutional credibility, which emphasized the crucial role that individuals at the helm play in maintaining public trust. The situation now presents a significant test, both for SEBI as a regulatory body and for the government, which appears to be caught between shielding Buch and addressing growing demands for accountability.

When we think of development, we often picture roads, buildings, malls, IT companies, and factories. However, discussions rarely focus on societal progress, human development, or social equity. We’ve been conditioned to equate development with urbanization.

The election for Jharkhand state assembly scheduled to be held in December this year is going to big challenge for the RSS, especially its chief Mohan Bhagwat. A win for BJP would help refurbish the image of Narendra Modi and boost his bargaining power, which he desperately needs to raise his declining status. And a loss for BJP would simply further erode the support of the RSS. Prominent tribal faces associated with RSS for decades have already started shifting away and rallying behind either Congress or JMM leader Hemant Soren. The RSS leadership is now determined to prevent the erosion of support base amongst the tribals.