Author: Agencies

JAMMU: Amid continuous heavy rainfall and rising water levels in the Tawi, Chenab and adjoining nullahs, Director General of Police J&K, Nalin Prabhat visited several flood-affected areas of Jammu district to review the situation and ongoing rescue operations. He was accompanied by DIG JSK Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, SSP Jammu, Joginder Singh, and SP Rural, Brijesh Kumar Sharma. The DGP first visited Mangu Chak, Makwal, Miran Sahib and Domana, where he interacted with police officers, SHOs, SDPOs and SDRF teams engaged in rescue operations. He lauded their efforts in assisting the public in vulnerable belts. Later, he visited Akhnoor, covering…

President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned that the United States has not yet rolled out “Phase-2” and “Phase-3” tariffs against countries continuing trade ties with Russia. He called secondary sanctions on India a direct action against Russia, as “that cost hundreds of billions of dollars to Russia”. He said this when being asked about why he has taken no action against Russia after he assumed the Oval Office in January this year. He also called India the largest buyer of Russian oil after China, indicating that New Delhi could face further penalties if it continues energy imports from Moscow. While…

NEW DELHI: The sweeping changes have been made under the next-generation GST (Goods and Services Tax) rationalisation just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced it from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Independence Day. This is aimed at reducing the tax burden on citizens while stimulating economic growth. The GST Council, on Wednesday, after a threadbare discussion, approved significant rate cuts across multiple sectors, which the government has described as a Diwali gift for the nation. The announcements were made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. On the essential items front, items of daily household use will now cost less.…

NEW DELHI:  The landmark next-generation GST reforms that were announced on Wednesday include significant relief to citizens in the healthcare and insurance sectors.One of the biggest announcements is the complete removal of GST on individual health and life insurance. Until now, they have attracted 18 per cent GST. With the new reform, they have been moved to the zero-tax bracket, making health and life insurance more affordable and accessible to a wider section of society. These reforms, cleared by the GST Council, are expected to reduce the cost of essential medical items and health-related financial services. In addition to this,…

NEW DELHI: The GST Council has introduced a simplified Goods and Services Tax (GST) registration scheme, aimed at easing compliance for small and low-risk businesses.The reform, announced under the next-generation GST reforms on Wednesday, focuses on speeding up approvals and reducing hurdles for entrepreneurs. Under the new scheme, businesses identified as low-risk on the basis of risk parameters and data analysis will be granted automatic registration within three working days. Additionally, applicants who voluntarily declare that they are unlikely to exceed an input tax credit (ITC) claim of Rs 2.5 lakh per month will also be eligible to opt for this simplified process.The…

NEW DELHI: The GST Council, in its meeting on Wednesday, decided upon major changes in tax rates on automobiles as part of the next-generation GST reforms announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In the automobile segment, GST on petrol and petrol-hybrid cars, as well as LPG and CNG variants not exceeding 1200 cc engine capacity and 4000 mm length, has been reduced from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Diesel and diesel-hybrid cars with engine capacity not exceeding 1500 cc and 4000 mm in length will also see their rates come down from 28 per cent to 18 per cent.…

NEW DELHI: In a significant simplification in the GST regime, which will benefit the common man, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday announced consolidation of 12% and 18% slabs into a dual rate structure of 5% and 18% besides 40% for sin goods. The simplification is part of the “Next-Generation GST” reform initiative, designed to boost affordability, consumption, and economic efficiency. “In common man and middle class items, there is a complete reduction. This reform is not just about rationalising rates. It’s also on structural reforms. It’s also about ease of living, so that businesses can conduct their operations with the…

NEW DELHI: The 56th meeting of the GST Council was held on 3rd September, 2025 at Sushma Swaraj Bhavan, New Delhi under the chairpersonship of the Union Finance & Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The GST Council inter-alia made the recommendations relating to changes in GST tax rates, provide relief to individuals, common man, aspirational middle class and measures for facilitation of trade in GST. FAQs are also being issued for clarification of doubts. The recommendations made by the 56th GST Council are as below:  A. CHANGES IN GST RATES OF GOODS AND SERVICES The HSN wise rate changes are at…

JAMMU: In the aftermath of the unprecedented natural calamity impacting various regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Commissioner/Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Sourab Bhagat, conducted an extensive on-ground review of the petroleum supply chain to ensure uninterrupted delivery of petrol, diesel, and LPG across the Union Territory, with special focus on Srinagar and the Chenab Valley. As part of the inspection, the Commissioner/Secretary visited the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Depot at Narwal, Jammu, to obtain firsthand insights into petroleum product availability and the operational hurdles being faced by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). The Territorial Manager of IOC apprised…

MUMBAI: Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited today announced a landmark achievement of crossing 500 million users, ahead of its 9th anniversary on September 5, 2025. With this milestone, Jio strengthens its position as the world’s largest mobile data network — a feat made possible by the trust and support of millions of Indians. To put the milestone in perspective, Jio’s user base now exceeds the combined populations of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. Commenting on the achievement, Akash Ambani, Chairman, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited, said:“On Jio’s 9th anniversary, I feel truly humbled that more than 500 million Indians…