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New telecom rules seek to give non-data users more choice, while clarifying the debate around 28-day and 30-day recharge cycles NEW DELHI: India’s telecom recharge market is set for a significant change after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) notified its Telecom Consumers Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026 on September 22.The regulatory change is aimed particularly at consumers who use their mobile connections primarily for voice calls and SMS and have little or no requirement for mobile data. Rather than forcing such customers to purchase bundled plans containing services they may not use, the new framework requires telecom service providers to offer corresponding Voice-and-SMS-only Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) across the relevant validity periods of the...

DM Inderjit Singh conducts ground inspection amid continuing downpour; 42 houses reported damaged and seven cattle killed SULTANPUR, UTTAR PRADESH: Persistent heavy rain and strong winds have put parts of Sultanpur on heightened alert, with damaged houses, disrupted power infrastructure and a rising Gomti River adding to the district’s weather-related challenges.As the situation remained fluid, District Magistrate Inderjit Singh personally visited vulnerable areas and river ghats to assess conditions on the ground and review the preparedness of departments involved in relief and emergency response. The Sultanpur district administration officially lists Inderjit Singh, IAS, as the District Magistrate. The DM’s field inspection during the rain has drawn local attention, but the larger admini...

From emergency relief to climate resilience: why the Himalayas now need early-warning systems, cross-border science and faster access to loss-and-damage finance Special FeatureBy Dr. Vinayak Ashok Jain LuniyaChief Editor, SD News AgencySenior Journalist | Social Commentator | Social Worker | EntrepreneurHonorary Doctorate in Journalism & Human Rights, Legal Awareness & Social Justice When a Himalayan Disaster Becomes a Global Warning The Himalayas are often described as the “water tower of Asia”. But for the communities living beneath them, the mountains are much more than a source of rivers and glaciers. 📢 Join SD News Agency and Get Every News Update on Your Mobile!Stay updated with the latest and important news from India and around the world, including politics, society, busin...

Two-day programme brings together around 30 physicians for expert sessions, practical demonstrations and hands-on learning in Ayurvedic management of skin disorders UJJAIN, MADHYA PRADESH: A two-day advanced training programme on Twak Roga (Ayurvedic dermatology) concluded successfully at the Government Dhanwantri Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital in Ujjain on Saturday, with around 30 physicians from different parts of the country participating in the specialised academic programme.Organised by the National Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, the training programme was conducted on September 25 and 26, 2026, with a focus on strengthening the clinical understanding and practical skills of Ayurveda practitioners dealing with skin disorders. The programme combined expert lectures with hands-...

Income Tax officials lead campus cleanliness drive and plant 40–50 saplings under Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 UJJAIN, MADHYA PRADESH: A message of cleanliness, civic responsibility and environmental conservation took practical shape at Government Maharajwada Higher Secondary School No. 2 in Ujjain, where officials and employees of the Income Tax Department joined students and teachers in a community cleanliness and plantation drive on September 26.The initiative was organised under the Swachhata Hi Seva 2026 campaign under the leadership of Dr. Rajaram Sah, Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (RU)-1, Ujjain, and the guidance of B.M. Gattani, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax, Range-1, Ujjain. MLA Anil Jain Kaluheda attended the programme as the chief guest. Rather than limiting the campaign to ...

Groundwater Depletion Is Emerging as a Major Threat to the Country’s Agricultural Future By Dr. Satyawan SaurabhIndia’s agricultural success story is increasingly shadowed by a crisis beneath the soil: rapidly declining groundwater reserves. With more than three-fourths of the country’s irrigation dependent on groundwater and agriculture accounting for the overwhelming majority of groundwater extraction, the pressure on aquifers is becoming difficult to ignore. In several agriculture-intensive states, annual groundwater withdrawal has already exceeded natural recharge. Punjab, for instance, has witnessed extraction levels reaching around 152 percent of annual recharge. The consequences extend well beyond falling water tables. Rising irrigation costs, growing electricity demand, increasing ...

Two-day programme brings together around 30 physicians for expert sessions, practical demonstrations and hands-on learning in Ayurvedic management of skin disorders UJJAIN, MADHYA PRADESH: A two-day advanced training programme on Twak Roga (Ayurvedic dermatology) concluded successfully at the Government Dhanwantri Ayurvedic Medical College and Hospital in Ujjain on Saturday, with around 30 physicians from different parts of the country participating in the specialised academic programme.Organised by the National Ayurveda Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, the training programme was conducted on September 25 and 26, 2026, with a focus on strengthening the clinical understanding and practical skills of Ayurveda practitioners dealing with skin disorders. The programme combined expert lectures with hands-...

A 0.4% MDR on select UPI merchant payments above ₹2,000 is set to reshape the economics of digital transactions — but will it change consumer behaviour or slow India’s cashless journey? By Dr. Vinayak Ashok Jain LuniyaChief Editor, SD News AgencySenior Journalist | Social Commentator | Social Worker | EntrepreneurHonorary Doctorate in Journalism & Human Rights, Legal Awareness & Social Justice India’s QR Economy Is Facing Its First Major Pricing Test NEW DELHI: For millions of Indians, paying through a QR code has become as ordinary as handing over a currency note. A cup of tea, a grocery bill, a taxi fare, a restaurant payment or a large retail purchase can now be completed within seconds through the Unified Payments Interface, or UPI. But India’s most widely used digital payment...

New Delhi, September 27, 2026: The Election Commission of India has come under renewed public attention over the functioning of the poll panel during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, following a detailed investigation by journalist Ritika Chopra into alleged differences among the three-member Commission. The issue gained prominence after reports said Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had recorded objections on several decisions and orders concerning electoral rolls, voter registration and the Commission’s technology systems. According to the investigation published by The Indian Express, the two Election Commissioners formally raised objections on at least 14 occasions over a period of 10 months. The reported concerns covered matters includ...

Ujjain, September 27, 2026: Preparations for Simhastha 2028 have brought a proposed road-widening project in Ujjain into the spotlight after municipal officials marked portions of several properties, including the ancestral residence of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and a house belonging to his sister. Municipal teams conducted measurements along the proposed route and placed red markings on portions of structures falling within the planned road alignment. The development has attracted attention not only because of the scale of the infrastructure project but also because properties associated with the Chief Minister’s family are reportedly among those affected. 730-Metre Stretch Proposed for Widening The proposed road is understood to cover a stretch of approximately 730 me...