Kolkata News Today | Latest Local & Regional Updates

Hyderabad police have assembled a 20,000‑strong force to oversee the upcoming Ganesh idol immersion, which will travel a 19‑kilometre stretch through the city. Authorities have set up traffic control measures, barricades and crowd‑management plans to ensure a smooth procession. The event, part of the city’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, mirrors similar preparations seen in Kolkata, underscoring the importance of coordinated policing during major cultural festivals.

The Ministry of Finance announced a 0.4% levy on UPI payments over ₹2,000 for merchants. Person‑to‑person transfers, comprising roughly 70% of total UPI value, and small vendors below the threshold will be exempt. Only about 4% of merchant transactions will incur the fee, making the change a modest adjustment to the digital‑payment ecosystem.

কেন্দ্রীয় সরকার চিনি মূল্যের ফ্লাকচুয়েশন রোধে হস্তক্ষেপ করার পর, পশ্চিমবঙ্গ সরকারও পাইকারী বাজারে চিনি দামের নিয়ন্ত্রণে উদ্যোগ নিয়েছে। এই পদক্ষেপের ফলে সাধারণ ভোক্তারা সাশ্রয়ী দামে পণ্য কিনতে পারবে বলে আশা করা হচ্ছে। সরকার জানিয়েছে যে, চিনি দামের স্থিতিশীলতা নিশ্চিত করতে প্রয়োজনীয় ব্যবস্থা গ্রহণ করা হবে।

Public intellectuals play a pivotal role in contemporary India, challenging rising authoritarian trends, safeguarding democratic norms, and countering the criminalisation of dissent. By critically examining social, political and economic matters, they provide reasoned perspectives that stimulate public debate and protect civil liberties. Their influence is increasingly vital as democratic institutions face erosion and state power expands. Their work underscores the necessity of intellectual freedom for a healthy democracy.

The Ministry of Rural Development reported a 32% drop in cumulative persondays for the rural employment scheme in July and August, falling from 29.78 crore to 20.21 crore. The decline is attributed to a 60‑day pause in agricultural activities. While the figures indicate a modest uptick over the previous month, they still lag behind the 2025 MGNREGA employment goals. Officials said the pause impacted job creation across rural districts.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will begin a 30‑day Seva Sankalp initiative on September 17, aimed at celebrating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25th anniversary in office. The campaign will involve voluntary service activities across the country, with local chapters in West Bengal expected to participate. The program seeks to encourage citizens to contribute to community welfare and highlight the party’s developmental agenda. Organizers hope the effort will boost grassroots engagement and showcase Modi’s governance record.

India’s Sports Minister has announced a new task force to study the feasibility of reviving Formula One racing in the country. The body will bring together officials from the Department of Tourism and Commerce, as well as representatives from state governments in Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The initiative aims to assess economic, logistical and infrastructural requirements for hosting F1 events in India.

In a divorce case, the Karnataka High Court cautioned a husband and wife not to speak ill of each other in front of their children, emphasizing that parental responsibilities persist even after dissolution of marriage. The court’s order highlights the impact of parental conduct on minors and underscores the need for respectful co‑parenting.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka has called for the introduction of model parliament programs in educational institutions across the state. The initiative aims to enhance students’ understanding of democratic processes and public speaking skills. The proposal is part of a broader effort to improve civic education in schools and colleges.

The Vice President of India is scheduled to attend the Liberation Day event in Hyderabad on September 17. The ceremony will be held at the city's Parade Grounds and is expected to commemorate the city’s post-independence history. The visit underscores the national importance of the event and highlights the presence of top government officials in local commemorations.

At a recent review meeting, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) confirmed that safety deficiencies on National Highways 66 and 544 near Thrissur will be remedied within a month. Planned improvements include installing lighting and warning signs within two weeks, along with other safety upgrades. The highways serve as key links between major cities in Kerala and neighboring states, making the timely completion of these measures critical for motorists. NHAI has pledged to monitor progress closely.

In Eriyad, a coastal village in Thrissur district, residents discovered that toxic soil from the closed Binani Zinc Limited plant in Ernakulam had been illegally deposited on private fields. The local RDO, after a meeting with officials, ordered the complete removal of the contaminated material within 48 hours. The cleanup is expected to restore safety to the area and reduce environmental risks. Kolkata readers can note the parallels with similar waste‑management concerns in West Bengal.

দ্বিতীয় টি‑টুয়েন্টিতে সঞ্জু ভারতকে আফগান দলের বিরুদ্ধে সিরিজ জেতাতে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ ভূমিকা পালন করেন। ওপেনার হিসেবে রোহিত শর্মা এবং শিখর ধাওয়ানের সাথে মিলে সঞ্জু দলের লাইন‑আপ সম্পন্ন করে, গুরুত্বপূর্ণ রানের মাধ্যমে ভারতের জয় নিশ্চিত করেন। এই ম্যাচে সঞ্জু উভয় পক্ষের সমালোচনার মুখে তার দক্ষতা ও দৃঢ়তা প্রদর্শন করেন।

During the upcoming second phase of the national census, Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner, highlighted the necessity of embedding gender sensitisation into the training of census enumerators. He emphasized respectful engagement, precise data capture, and the elimination of bias. The directive, sent to all states, aims to refine data accuracy and uphold integrity in demographic recording.

Fishermen from Tamil Nadu have publicly appealed to the state government to abandon its plan to construct a new Secretariat at the Foreshore Estate site. The coastal community argues that the development would threaten marine resources and their livelihood. They have organized rallies and submitted petitions to the state authorities. The proposal, originally slated for the next budget cycle, faces growing opposition from local stakeholders.

অ্যালান ডি. ট্রাম্প যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের সামরিক বাহিনীর কক্ষপথে অস্ত্র স্থাপনের কথা স্বীকার করেন, যা মহাকাশে যুদ্ধের হুমকি হিসেবে বিবেচিত হচ্ছে। চীনা কর্মকর্তারা এই ঘোষণার প্রতিক্রিয়ায় নিজেদের কক্ষপথে সামরিক ক্ষমতা বৃদ্ধির পরিকল্পনা প্রকাশ করেছেন। এই ঘটনায় আন্তর্জাতিক সম্প্রদায়ের মধ্যে মহাকাশ নিরাপত্তা নিয়ে উদ্বেগ বাড়ছে।

Shalini, a former resident of the Government After Care Home for Adolescent Girls in Injavila, Kollam, has tied the knot with Sudheesh from Anchalummoodu. The couple celebrated their wedding in a modest ceremony attended by family and friends. Shalini’s journey from the care home to a new life in marriage highlights the support provided by government institutions in Kerala. The wedding marks a hopeful chapter for the young woman who grew up under the care home's protective wing.

পুলিশের জবাবদিহিতে জানা যায়, উত্তর ২৪ পরগনার গোপালনগরের সুল্কা দুর্গাপুর গ্রামে বসবাসরত মনোজিত বিশ্বাস, বাঙ্গামা মহকুমা আদালতের কর্মচারী, ২০২২ সালে কর সংক্রান্ত চিঠি পেয়ে একটি প্রাইভেট ব্যাংকের রাজারহাট শাখায় তার নামে একটি সংস্থার অ্যাকাউন্ট খোলা হয়। এই অ্যাকাউন্টের মাধ্যমে ২৫.৮ কোটি টাকা লেনদেন করা হয়েছে বলে অভিযোগ। ব্যাংক ম্যানেজারসহ দুইজন সহকর্মী গ্রেফতার হন।

In a shift from the earlier plan of building fourteen flyovers, Hyderabad’s KBR Park will now be served by a single elevated corridor. The new design aims to streamline traffic flow while reducing construction costs and visual clutter. The corridor will connect key access points across the park and integrate with existing road networks, potentially easing congestion for commuters and visitors.

During an extended state committee meeting, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala announced a reshuffle of its top leadership. Three senior cadres—P. Jayarajan, M.B. Rajesh and V. Sivankutty—have been appointed to the party’s state secretariat. The meeting was overseen by central CPI(M) leaders, including General Secretary M.A. Baby and other Polit Bureau members, as part of corrective measures to strengthen the party’s internal structure.

মুখ্যমন্ত্রী জৈন সম্প্রদায়ের সদস্যদের আহ্বান জানালেন যেন তারা সক্রিয়ভাবে সরকারী সংস্কৃতি কর্মসূচিতে অংশগ্রহণ করে। তিনি উল্লেখ করেন যে, জৈন সমাজের ঐতিহ্য ও মূল্যবোধকে সমৃদ্ধ করার জন্য একটি সুসংগঠিত রোডম্যাপ তৈরির প্রয়োজন রয়েছে। এই উদ্যোগের মাধ্যমে সমাজসংস্কারের উন্নতি ও সমন্বয় নিশ্চিত করা হবে বলে তিনি আশ্বাস দেন।

The Delhi court has granted Swatantra Bhardwaj an interim bail for three weeks, allowing him to remain free while the case proceeds. The bail is subject to conditions that the accused must follow. If the complainant or the investigating officer finds any breach, they can immediately notify the court, prompting a review or recall of the bail. The decision aims to keep the accused compliant with court orders during the ongoing investigation.

In a strategic move ahead of the Nandigram bypoll, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen the mother of a deceased party aide as its candidate. The aide was killed in a violent incident earlier this year. The BJP hopes the candidate’s family background and local ties will resonate with voters in the contested constituency. The decision comes amid rising tensions and a highly contested electoral battle.

উত্তর ২৪ পরগনার বিধাননগর, দমদম, রাজারহাট‑নিউ টাউন, হাওড়া, পুরুলিয়া, পূর্ব মেদিনীপুরের নন্দীগ্রাম‑১ ও নন্দীগ্রাম‑২ ব্লকে ইসকনের ‘অন্নমৃতা ফাউন্ডেশন’ দ্বারা মিড‑ডে মিল দেওয়ার প্রাথমিক সিদ্ধান্ত নেওয়া হয়েছিল। কিন্তু সোমবার সেই সিদ্ধান্ত বদলে জানানো হয়েছে যে, বর্তমানে পুরনো পদ্ধতিতে স্কুলে খাবার সরবরাহ করা হবে। ফলে সংশ্লিষ্ট এলাকার শিক্ষার্থীরা পরিবর্তন সম্পর্কে জানিয়ে দেওয়া হয়েছে।

Union Minister of Law and Justice, Meghwal, will travel to the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in Bangalore on Wednesday. The visit is part of a broader initiative to strengthen ties between the central government and premier law institutes. Students and faculty at NLSIU are expected to welcome the minister and discuss curriculum developments and research collaborations. The visit underscores the government's focus on enhancing legal education across the country.