“We will continue our efforts to give more speed to the possibilities here and to give them wings. We have started this. We will work to move this forward”, Dhami said.

TEHRI GARHWAL (UTTARAKHAND): Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday attended the Tehri Lake Festival Himalayan-O2 2026, highlighting the objective to make it a major hub for sports. Adressing the event, he said, “Our government’s goal is to make Tehri an important place for water and adventure sports. A place where national and international athletes come for water sports and adventure sports,” he said, adding that sports such as kayaking, canoeing, jet skiing, and scuba diving are being encouraged.“We will continue our efforts to give more speed to the possibilities here and to give them wings. We have started this. We will work to move this forward”, he added. Highlighting that the development of the Tehri Lake is being carried out as part of the Pratam Gram of Timan village, he said, “Rs 1.3 billion has been invested in the development of the Tehri Lake and the construction of the Ring Road.”Encouraging the players to pursue their sports, he assured them of support from the government. “I would like to tell all our players that they should dedicate themselves to the sport, and they should carry this feeling with them in their lives. I would like to tell all the young players that they should move forward with full dedication, enthusiasm and self-confidence to realize their dreams,” said Dhami.“I am sure that in the future, you will definitely make India and our state proud on national and international stages,” he added. Tehri Lake is steadily emerging as a major attraction for tourists from across India and abroad. Under the leadership of chief minister Dhami, tourism in Uttarakhand is gaining a new identity. The CM also emphasized that through tourism, new employment opportunities are being created for local youth.

NEW DELHI: Politics in Bihar has revolved around Jayaprakash Narayan’s disciples —Nitish Kumar and Lalu Yadav — for more than three decades. With Lalu stepping back from active politics and Nitish now opting for a Rajya Sabha seat over the state’s top job, Bihar appears to be entering an unknown phase, with a new face likely to take over as chief minister.After an overwhelming performance in the recently held Bihar assembly elections, Nitish filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.“I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time. I want to assure you with complete honesty that my relationship with you will continue in the future as well, and my resolve to work together with you to build a developed Bihar will remain steadfast. The new government that will be formed will have my full cooperation and guidance,” the 75-year-old politician wrote on X.Although many anticipated this move amid speculation about his deteriorating health, Nitish’s sudden announcement still surprised many who expected a smoother transition plan.In the coming days, Nitish is expected to win the election unopposed and move to the Rajya Sabha, thus resigning from the chief ministerial post. The Janata Dal (United) chief’s decision not only ends the political lineage of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur in Bihar but also throws his party into uncharted waters with no clear roadmap for the future.After Nitish, who?Nitish had long been the “Peer-Bawarchi-Bhisti-Khar” for his party. Despite never managing an outright majority in the state assembly, Nitish Kumar‘s “Sushasan Babu” image helped the party remain in the driver’s seat of Bihar politics for more than two decades.However, the party never managed to nurture a second line of command beyond Nitish. Leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh and Vijay Choudhary exist within the party, but none enjoys a mass connection with the JD(U)’s core vote base.Additionally, Nitish has always been a staunch opponent of dynastic politics. Throughout his long political career, he never allowed his family members to enter politics in any form. Unlike Lalu, who made his son Tejashwi Yadav his political heir, Nitish’s son Nishant has remained away from politics.

Amid these ongoing developments, speculation is growing that Nishant may make a political debut, with the party seeing him as a potential link to its core supporters.“Now, it’s clear, and it has been finalised that Nishant Kumar will join active politics. The party will make a formal announcement in a day or two. Party workers have been demanding Nishant’s entry into politics for several years. Now party workers and supporters are upbeat with the decision ahead of Holi,” senior JD(U) leader Shrawan Kumar told news agency PTI.However, Nitish’s brother-in-law Anil Kumar accused Sanjay Jha and Lallan Singh of hatching a conspiracy against JD(U).“The workers are clearly saying that Sanjay Jha and Lalan (Rajiv Ranjan) Singh are involved in this… This cannot happen without a conspiracy… All the workers are saying Sanjay Jha and Lalan Singh’s name,” he said. In conversation with The Times of India, political analyst Kumar Vijay said that JD(U)’s future looks bleak after Nitish Kumar’s exit from the centre stage of Bihar politics.

“Nitish Kumar’s exit in this manner is not a natural political transition. If it had been a natural process, it would have been different. Everyone says Nitish Kumar’s health is not good, but the way events unfolded has surprised many. From what it appears, the future of JD(U) looks quite difficult. People say that Nishant may take over, but he has no political experience. Also, the people around him are not very open yet, but there seems to be something happening internally that is preventing Nitish Kumar from speaking openly,” Vijay said.“At the same time, the role of leaders like Sanjay Jha, Lalan Singh, Vijay Choudhary and Ashok Choudhary looks suspicious. In a way, they have deserted Nitish Kumar, and there may be no one left capable of holding JD(U) together. At the worker level, protests have already begun. Hardcore JD(U) workers believe this is BJP’s handling of the situation,” he added.Will BJP-JD(U) merge?Kumar Vijay also feels that there might be a possibility that JD(U) will merge with its ally BJP in the coming days, though not everyone in the party may accept such a move.“There is also a possibility that BJP and JD(U) may merge in the future, though not everyone in JD(U) will accept such a merger. Several leaders may resist it. Some leaders within the party may move to RJD, while others may join BJP,” Vijay told The Times of India.

“Earlier, JD(U) workers even voted for BJP candidates because they believed Nitish Kumar would ultimately remain chief minister. But now many hardcore workers may refuse to support BJP in the future,” he added.Nitish Kumar’s decision to move to Rajya Sabha has come just five months after BJP emerged as the elder brother in the alliance. In the 2025 assembly elections, BJP emerged as the single largest party, winning 89 seats with a vote share of 20.45%, while JD(U) secured 85 seats with 19.61% votes.After the thumping victory, BJP appeared less a coalition partner and more a challenger trying to manoeuvre itself into the driver’s seat of power. It secured a larger share in the cabinet of ministers and Nitish Kumar also had to let go of the home portfolio.Interestingly, Bihar was the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the top office so far.What happens to Nitish Kumar’s EBC vote bank?Over time, Nitish gradually positioned himself as the “poster boy” of the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), which constitutes the largest portion of the population in Bihar.The JD(U) chief made a conscious effort to weave his support base around the entire EBC community by modelling his politics on Karpoori Thakur’s ideals and focusing specifically on the economically weaker sections.After his exit, questions also arise over who will get the advantage of the EBC vote bank.According to Kumar Vijay, no party in Bihar seems to be in a position to inherit the non-Yadav OBC and EBC vote banks.

“If Tejashwi Yadav had strong leadership credentials, that vote bank could have shifted to RJD. But the biggest tragedy in Bihar today is the lack of strong political leadership. Congress doesn’t have it, RJD doesn’t have it either. Despite being a politically mature state, Bihar is facing a serious leadership crisis,” he said.“Upendra Kushwaha has lost credibility. Tejashwi Yadav has not emerged as a grassroots leader. LJP too has become more of a dramatic political outfit,” he added.For Bihar, Nitish Kumar’s move to Rajya Sabha signals the end of a long political chapter that revolved around him, his constant alliance flip-flops and his ‘susashan’ government. We will know in the coming days who will take his position as CM. However, the coming months will determine how his party and state’s politics evolve beyond him.

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday began sit-in protest against alleged voter roll deletions via Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party and Election Commission of hatching a “conspiracy to disenfranchise Bengali voters”. She vowed to present all those voters that have been declared dead by the poll body.“I will expose the BJP-EC conspiracy to disenfranchise Bengali voters,” she said at the start of the protest.

“I will present those voters, who have been declared dead by the Election Commission, at this protest site,” she added.Official figures released on February 28 show that nearly 63.66 lakh names — about 8.3% of the electorate — have been removed since the SIR exercise started in November last year, bringing the total number of voters down from roughly 7.66 crore to a little over 7.04 crore.Additionally, more than 60.06 lakh electors have been classified as “under adjudication”, indicating that their eligibility will be assessed through legal review in the coming weeks, a process that could further alter constituency-level electoral dynamics.The sit-in protest, which began at in central Kolkata on Friday afternoon, had been announced earlier by TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who alleged that the poll panel was conducting a “politically motivated” exercise that could disenfranchise lakhs of genuine voters.BJP’s Amit Malviya slammed the Bengal CM over high unemployment in the state saying that the CM should have been focusing on “delivering what she was elected for, instead of sitting on dharnas”.“There are approximately 85 lakh unemployed people in the 18–40 age group in West Bengal, according to informed sources in the state government. That puts unemployment under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a staggering 13%, far higher than the national average, which remains in the low single digits. This is entirely to the credit of Mamata Banerjee and the result of the colossal misgovernance that West Bengal has endured over the last 15 years. Had the Chief Minister focused on delivering what she was elected for, instead of sitting on dharnas, things wouldn’t have been this bad. But it is too late now,” he said in a post on X.

Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday slammed PM Narendra Modi-led government over its foreign policy in the backdrop of the recent waiver issued by the United States for India allowing New Delhi to buy Russian oil, alleging that it was the result of the “exploitation of a compromised individual.”Taking his criticism to X while retweeting a video shared by the Congress of his speech in the Lok Sabha on concerns related to India’s trade sovereignty, Rahul wrote: “India’s foreign policy emerges from the collective will of our people. It should be rooted in our history, our geography, and our spiritual ethos based on Satya and Ahimsa. What we are witnessing today is not policy. It is the result of the exploitation of a compromised individual.”

In the video shared by the Congress, Rahul can be heard blaming Prime Minister Modi and calling him “compromised.” He said, “The US will tell us who we can or cannot buy oil from — if it’s Russia or Iran, the US will decide. But our Prime Minister will not decide.”Earlier in the day, Congress targeted the Centre after the United States announced that it would allow India to continue purchasing Russian oil, questioning how long this “American blackmail” would continue.In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh wrote: “Trump ka naya khel, Dilli dost ko kaha, Putin se le sakte ho tel, kab tak chalega ye Ameriki blackmail (Trump’s new game; told his friend in Delhi you can get oil from Putin; how long will this American blackmail continue?).”The remarks came after the US issued a temporary waiver allowing India to continue buying Russian oil, saying the move was intended to stabilise global energy supplies amid rising tensions in the Middle East.US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said: “President Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.”He added that Washington expects India to increase energy imports from the United States in the future. “India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil,” Bessent wrote, noting that the temporary measure would “alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage.”The waiver comes at a time when India faces potential risks of energy supply disruptions in Middle East following escalating tensions in the region. The situation intensified after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iran that killed Ali Khamenei and several senior officials.India sources nearly 40 percent of its oil imports from the region, with a significant share transported through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz.Meanwhile, Russia has indicated that it is ready to redirect crude shipments to India to offset potential supply disruptions caused by the conflict. According to Reuters, nearly 9.5 million barrels of Russian oil are currently positioned near Indian waters and could reach the country within weeks.The potential shift in supply follows Iranian strikes on vessels in the region, raising fears that the Strait of Hormuz could be partially closed — a development that could affect roughly 40 percent of India’s crude imports.

NEW DELHI: Congress on Friday targeted the Centre after the United States announced that it would allow India to purchase Russian oil, asking how long this “American blackmail” would continue.In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “Trump ka naya khel, Dilli dost ko kaha, Putin se le sakte ho tel, kab tak chalega ye Ameriki blackmail (Trump’s new game; told his friend in Delhi you can get oil from Putin; how long will this American blackmail continue?).”Congress leader Manish Tewari also criticised the government and said, “Issuing a 30-day waiver — the sanctimonious language of condescension drips with neo-imperial arrogance. Are we a banana republic that we need the permission of the US to secure our energy security imperatives?”He added, “The silence of an otherwise overly loquacious government is deafening. Does it not understand what sovereignty means?”The move comes after the United States issued a temporary waiver allowing India to continue purchasing Russian oil, with Washington stating that the step is aimed at stabilising global energy supplies amid rising tensions in the Middle East.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “President Trump’s energy agenda has resulted in oil and gas production reaching the highest levels ever recorded. To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.”He added that the US expects India to increase energy imports from the United States in the future.“India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of US oil,” Bessent wrote, noting that the temporary measure would “alleviate pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage.”The waiver comes as India faces potential risks from energy supply disruptions in the Middle East, following escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials.India sources nearly 40% of its oil imports from the region, with a significant portion transported through the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz.Russia has signalled that it is ready to redirect crude shipments to India to offset supply disruptions caused by the conflict. Nearly 9.5 million barrels of Russian oil are currently positioned near Indian waters and could reach the country within weeks, according to Reuters.The potential supply shift follows Iranian strikes on vessels in the region, raising fears that the Strait of Hormuz could be partially closed, affecting roughly 40% of India’s crude imports.

Over the last eight years, Uttar Pradesh has undergone a structural metamorphosis. Historically viewed through its agrarian roots, the state is rapidly pivoting toward an urban-centric economy. Between 2011 and 2021, the shift from agricultural to non-agricultural employment grew at a rate of 7% per decade, outstripping the 5% growth seen in previous decades. This shift is the backbone of a new, diversified economic era for India’s most populous state.

A foundation of governance and funding

The state’s strategy began with expanding the reach of local governance. Since 2017, 117 new Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) were established and 123 were expanded to accommodate a surging urban population. This administrative expansion was backed by a massive fiscal commitment: the budget allocation for urban development saw a staggering 287% increase between 2016 and 2025.Funding via the State and Central finance commissions has also scaled dramatically:

Cleanliness as a culture: The Swachh Bharat revolution

The most visible change has been in sanitation and waste management. Uttar Pradesh has moved from a state of “planning” to one of “execution.”

The introduction of Integrated Command and Control Centers (ICCC) powered by AI has turned cities into “smart hubs,” allowing for real-time monitoring of waste, traffic, and even emergency response—a system that proved vital during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Infrastructure and living standards: AMRUT & PMAY

Through the AMRUT 1.0 and 2.0 missions, the state has prioritised the basic necessities of life: water and sewage.

Smart cities and modern policing

The Smart City Mission is nearing completion, with 95% of projects finished. Beyond the 10 cities selected by the Central government, Uttar Pradesh launched its own State Smart City initiative for 7 additional cities.A standout achievement is the management of Mahakumbh 2025, which utilised AI and IoT for crowd management and security, achieving a 97% success rate in “lost and found” cases and clearing 161 garbage hotspots through a dedicated force of 12,000+ workers.

Sustainability and social welfare

The “Green” agenda has seen the development of 228 acres of green area and the introduction of the UP Urban Greening Policy. Social welfare has also been modernised:

Conclusion

The data paints a picture of a state in a hurry to modernise. By blending technology (AI/ICCC) with massive civil engineering projects and community-led initiatives like the Swachh Bharat Mission, Uttar Pradesh has laid a robust foundation. The result is a network of cities that are not just larger, but smarter, cleaner, and more resilient.