The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) up to FY 2030-31, along with an extension of government funding support for promotional, developmental and gap-funding activities, according to an official statement issued by the government.The decision, cleared by the Cabinet aims to strengthen old-age income security for unorganised sector workers and deepen financial inclusion across the country, the statement said.As per the approval, the government will continue to provide support for awareness campaigns, capacity-building initiatives and other developmental activities to expand APY’s reach among unorganised and low-income workers. In addition, gap funding will be extended to meet viability requirements and ensure the long-term sustainability of the pension scheme.The Centre said the move will help ensure a steady income stream in old age for millions of workers outside the formal sector, while also supporting India’s broader goal of building a pensioned society as part of the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision.The Atal Pension Yojana was launched on May 9, 2015, with the objective of providing assured pension benefits to workers in the unorganised sector. Under the scheme, subscribers are entitled to a guaranteed minimum pension ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 per month after attaining the age of 60, depending on their contribution and the age at which they join the scheme.According to government data, APY has emerged as a key pillar of India’s social security framework. As of January 19, 2026, more than 8.66 crore subscribers have enrolled under the scheme.The government noted that continued policy and financial support is necessary to sustain enrolment momentum, improve awareness among eligible workers and bridge viability gaps. The extension of the scheme and associated funding till FY31 is expected to provide greater certainty, enhance outreach in the unorganised sector and reinforce long-term pension coverage for vulnerable sections of the workforce.

MUMBAI: Former Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar was on Wednesday elected leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators, days after she won the Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls from Ward No. 199, defeating Rupal Kusale of the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.Her elevation comes amid a sweeping victory by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Mahayuti alliance in the Maharashtra civic elections, where it bagged 25 of 29 municipal corporations, including the prestigious Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The outcome ended the Thackeray family’s nearly three-decade hold over the BMC.In the 227-member BMC, the Mahayuti crossed the majority mark of 114 by securing 118 seats. The BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena won 29 seats.The Shiv Sena (UBT) finished with 65 seats to lead the opposition, while the Indian National Congress won 24 seats. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) made gains with eight seats in Mumbai, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) secured six.The Shiv Sena (UBT), which contested in alliance with the MNS, polled 7,17,736 votes (13.13% vote share), while the MNS added 74,946 votes (1.37%). The Congress secured 2,42,646 votes, translating to a 4.44% vote share.Elsewhere, the Shinde-led Sena retained its dominance in Thane by winning 75 of 131 seats, while in Navi Mumbai the BJP captured the civic body for the first time with 65 seats. Among smaller parties, the Nationalist Congress Party won three seats, the Samajwadi Party two, and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) one.Overall, candidates from recognised parties polled 26,07,612 votes—47.72% of the total 54,64,412 votes cast—while 11,677 voters opted for NOTA. The results underline a fragmented yet competitive civic mandate, with alliances playing a decisive role in shaping the BMC’s final outcome.

NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress leader Manirul Islam on Wednesday said the Election Commission will be “hunted down from the netherworld” and “taught a lesson” as the impasse continues between the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government and poll body over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).Manirul Islam, threatening the Election Commission of India, is not his first brush with controversy, as the Farakka MLA was accused of leading a mob to the Block Development Office (BDO) in his constituency and ransacking the space, leaving officials injured last week.

After the incident, BJP MLA Gouri Sankar attacked Mamata Banerjee for instigating her party cadres across the state to commit riots and violence.Lashing out at the ruling TMC over its MLA threatening the EC, the BJP on Wednesday accused CM Mamata Banerjee of “asking her MLA to intimidate officials”.“Manirul Islam, a sitting TMC MLA, openly threatens the Election Commission of India, saying it will be “taught a lesson” and “hunted down from underground.” Mamata Banerjee as Home Minister is asking her MLA to intimidate officials! TMC protects illegal infiltrators!” BJP’s national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari posted on X.Manirul Islam’s remark comes days after tension was reported over the submission of Form 7 across Bengal districts on Tuesday as Trinamool and BJP workers blocked roads and staged protests.The violence prompted Trinamool to appeal to people not to be “provoked”. “The anger and frustration is understandable. But the fight has to be fought in courtrooms and on EVMs. CM Mamata Banerjee is fighting for you. Do not fall for provocation,” said party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari accused the TMC of unleashing “statewide anarchy” to derail the SIR exercise.At Mogra in Hooghly, BJP workers blocked GT Road and demanded they be given an opportunity to submit Form 7 in the presence of the central security force.Mamata backs SC’s logical discrepancies rulingMeanwhile, Mamata Banerjee personally addressed concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, urging district magistrates to ensure that voters face no inconvenience over “logical discrepancies.”Banerjee made the remarks during an unexpected meeting with district magistrates at the state secretariat, Nabanna, which was chaired by chief secretary Nandini Chakraborty.“The CM made it clear that all hearings related to SIR must be conducted strictly in accordance with the apex court’s directives. She specifically instructed officials to ensure that people are not put to inconvenience under the pretext of logical discrepancies,” a senior official said.The Supreme Court had on Monday directed the Election Commission to display the names of those on the ‘logical discrepancies’ list at gram panchayat bhavans and block offices, where documents and objections can also be submitted. The apex court also granted electors an additional 10 days to submit documents to confirm their inclusion in the state electoral roll.The latest directions have brought relief to several voters in Kolkata who were summoned for hearings after discrepancies were found in their voter records.PM Modi slams parties protecting illegal immigrantsPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday doubled down on his government’s ambition to detect and deport illegal immigrants in the country, while strongly criticising the political parties “protecting or covering up for illegal immigrants for the sake of vote bank politics”.Addressing the party workers after the new BJP chief Nitin Nabin took charge, PM Modi said: “Illegal immigrants pose a great threat to the country’s security. Identifying them and sending them back to their countries is absolutely essential.”“No country in the world accepts illegal immigrants. India, too, cannot allow illegal immigrants to steal the rights of our poor and our youth. Illegal immigrants pose a great threat to the country’s security. Identifying them and sending them back to their countries is absolutely essential,” PM Modi said during an address at the BJP headquarters.Without naming any political party, but in an apparent attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC), which rules the poll-bound West Bengal, PM Modi lashed out at parties “covering up for illegal immigrants” and said: “We must expose them to the public”.

Very recently, we had seen a debate sparked in Maharashtra regarding the Hindi-Marathi language. It all started when the state Government decided to make Hindi mandatory for Class I students in Marathi and English medium schools. This led to a conversation which had many Bollywood celebs also sharing their opinion and insights. Days after that, now Suniel Shetty has also weighed in on the language row and shared some strong opinions. In a video shared by ANI, Suniel said, “I moved out from here when I was very young, not to be something else and not to be someone else,” he said, explaining that his relocation was driven by opportunity rather than a desire to reinvent his identity. Despite building his career in Mumbai, his sense of self, he said, remained unchanged.

The bond with his hometown has continued to remain in his roots. “There is Mangaluru in everything that I do,” Shetty said, pointing to how deeply his origins influence his values, outlook and work. According to him, Geography may change circumstances, but it doesn’t replace who you are.The veteran actor further addressed the frequent questions he receives about Marathi, and challenged the idea of imposed linguistic expectations. “When somebody says, what about Marathi? I say, what about Marathi?” he remarked, questioning why language is often framed as a compulsory marker of belonging. He was unequivocal about resisting force. “No, you’ve got to speak Marathi. I said, I don’t have to do that. I will do it when I want to do it. Don’t force me to speak the language.”At the same time, Shetty emphasised that his stance does not stem from disregard. Recognising Mumbai as his karmabhoomi (workplace), he explained why he still values learning Marathi. “If that’s my karmabhoomi, if I learn the language, I will be keeping a lot of people happy,” he said, describing language as a means of connection rather than compliance.He concluded with a remark that reflected both confidence and pride. “I speak better Marathi than probably most Maharashtrian kids do in Mumbai today,” he added, suggesting that learning driven by willingness often results in deeper understanding than learning driven by compulsion.

Gold price today: Gold prices on Wednesday surged to a record while silver continued trading just marginally below its all-time high. This rally in the precious metals came as investors rushed towards safe-haven assets amid the ongoing geopolitical and trade related uncertainity.The surge in precious metals came after the US Supreme Court delayed the decision on the legality of Donald Trump’s trade tariffs. The development revived demand for precious metals, while tensions also remained high after Trump issued tariff threats to European countries, regarding his bid to take over Greenland. In the domestic market, MCX gold futures expiring on February 5, 2026, surged Rs 3,266, or 2%, to Rs 1,53,831 per 10 grams. MCX silver futures for March 5, 2026, delivery also moved higher, rising Rs 2,098, or 0.6%, to Rs 3,25,900 per kg. Internationally, gold prices crossed the $4,800 per ounce mark to hit a fresh lifetime high, supported by strong safe-haven buying and a weaker dollar. Silver prices, however, retreated from record levels, with spot silver slipping 1% to $93.59 per ounce after touching an all-time high of $95.30 in the previous session.

The safety net assets

Safe-haven demand for the metals intensified after Trump imposed tariffs on eight European countries and reiterated his ambition regarding Greenland, prompting panic selling in riskier assets. Additional support for bullion prices came as US 10-year bond yields touched four-month highs, driven by selling pressure in Japanese bonds. Weakness in the rupee further contributed to gains in domestic gold and silver prices.

Here’s what expert says

Manoj Kumar Jain of Prithvi Finmart told ET that both gold and silver are witnessing increased volatility. He said silver is expected to maintain support at $84 per troy ounce, while gold could sustain above $ 4,440 per troy ounce on a closing basis. Jain added that prices are likely to remain volatile during the week, influenced by movements in the dollar index, the US President’s speech and ongoing geopolitical developments. On the domestic front, Jain said MCX gold has support levels at Rs 1,48,800–1,46,600, with resistance seen at Rs 1,52,500–1,55,000. For MCX silver, he placed support at Rs 3,16,000–3,08,500 and resistance at Rs 3,30,000–3,38,000. He advised traders to strictly avoid short selling in both metals and follow a buy-on-dips strategy as long as gold remains above Rs 1,44,000 and silver stays above Rs 3,03,000. Based on this strategy, he expects gold to move towards Rs 1,55,000 and silver towards Rs 3,38,000.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

The five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand gets underway in Nagpur on Tuesday, and it promises to be a landmark occasion for Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav. After a disappointing end to the ODI leg, the T20Is offer India a fresh start—and for Suryakumar, a chance to etch his name deeper into the record books while rediscovering his batting rhythm.

List of records Suryakumar Yadav can break in T20I series

100 T20Is: An elite Indian club awaits

As soon as Suryakumar walks out for the series opener, he will complete 100 T20 International appearances, becoming only the fourth Indian to reach the milestone. The exclusive list currently features Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Hardik Pandya—names that underline the significance of the achievement.

The landmark reflects Suryakumar’s rise from a late bloomer to one of India’s most influential white-ball batters. Known for redefining strokeplay in the shortest format, his consistency in selection over the years highlights the trust placed in him by the team management.

Record at No. 4 within touching distance

Suryakumar could also rewrite a global T20I record during the Nagpur encounter. Batting at number four, he has amassed 1657 runs, placing him just three runs short of overtaking Australia’s Glenn Maxwell (1659) for the most runs scored at that position in T20 Internationals.

A brief stay at the crease would be enough to push him to the top of the list—an achievement that would further underline his impact in the middle order, especially against quality bowling attacks.

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Pitch Report for 1st T20I, Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium Stats and Records

Closing in on India’s T20I run elite

Already established as one of India’s most prolific batters in the shortest format, Suryakumar continues to climb the national run charts at an impressive pace. With 2,788 runs to his name, the Indian skipper currently sits third on India’s all-time T20I run-scoring list, underlining his consistency and longevity in a format known for its volatility.

The upcoming five-match series offers him a realistic shot at another landmark. Suryakumar needs 212 runs across the series to breach the 3,000-run mark in T20 Internationals, a milestone achieved by only a select few. If he gets there, he would become just the third Indian to reach the elite bracket, further enhancing his standing in the global T20 landscape. While the towering tallies of the retired duo Rohit (4,231 runs) and Kohli (4,188 runs) remain some distance away, crossing 3,000 runs would be symbolic in its own right.

Captaincy secure, batting form in focus

While Suryakumar’s leadership has largely drawn praise for its clarity and calmness, his recent batting returns remain a talking point. The Indian skipper has not registered a T20I half-century in his last 25 innings, and his average across 2025 has dipped below expectations.

The New Zealand series, therefore, carries added importance. A strong showing with the bat would not only boost India’s chances of dominating the series but also restore confidence ahead of the next phase of their T20 calendar, including preparations for major ICC events.

Also READ: IND vs NZ, 1st T20I: Nagpur Pitch Report, Weather Forecast and Dew Factor

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