Blog - The Purbottar

09 May

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma Calls New Government’s Oath Ceremony a Victory for Northeast

riya EditorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has described the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP government in West Bengal as a historic 'Victory Day' for the entire East and Northeast India. He made this significant remark to the media before departing to attend the event, which will be held in Kolkata on Saturday. He expressed hope that with the formation of the BJP government in Bengal, a new political stability will come across the entire region. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with central ministers and chief ministers of 21 states in the country, are likely to be present at the swearing-in…

08 May

Natgrid Integration: Assam Departments Directed To Identify, Map Databases

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam chief secretary Ravi Kota on Friday directed all concerned government departments to identify and map databases under their respective jurisdictions for integration with National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) in accordance with prescribed protocols and technical requirements.NATGRID, an attached office under the Ministry of Home Affairs approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), serves as a secure intelligence-sharing platform to strengthen national and internal security, including counter-terror efforts.Kota also stressed the need for timely inter-departmental coordination and close cooperation with technical agencies for API (application programming interface) development, connectivity and other integration-related processes.The directive came after the chief secretary attended…

08 May

Paytm turns profitable in FY26, posts Rs 552 crore annual net profit

Business BureauBusiness

Paytm has reported its first full-year profit in FY26, marking a major milestone for the digital payments and financial services company. The company posted a profit after tax (PAT) of ₹552 crore for the financial year ended March 2026, while annual revenue rose 22 per cent year-on-year to ₹8,437 crore. The company also reported EBITDA of ₹502 crore for FY26, supported by growth in merchant and consumer payments, higher financial services distribution and AI-led cost efficiencies. During the January-March quarter, operating revenue stood at ₹2,264 crore, up 18 per cent year-on-year on a reported basis and 26 per cent on…

08 May

Meghalaya Govt Says Monitoring Illegal Coal Mining Difficult Due to Numerous Mines

riya EditorMeghalaya

The Meghalaya government has acknowledged that the massive scale of coal mining operations in the state, particularly in East Jaintia Hills, has made effective monitoring and enforcement against illegal mining extremely challenging. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the 37th Interim Report of the Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee had pointed out continued illegal coal extraction and transportation despite court restrictions. However, he maintained that the government remains committed to implementing all court directives. “The report itself mentions that East Jaintia Hills alone has around 22,000 mines. This makes continuous monitoring extremely difficult with the existing manpower and administrative setup,”…

08 May

WhatsApp launches AI-powered customer support for small businesses in India

Business BureauBusiness

WhatsApp has announced the launch of “Business AI” in India, enabling small businesses to use artificial intelligence-powered customer support directly through the WhatsApp Business app. The feature, available in all native Indian languages, aims to help businesses respond to customer queries round the clock, recommend products, capture leads, book appointments and boost sales without requiring additional software or platforms. The new tool allows businesses to automate replies to frequently asked questions related to products, pricing, discounts, delivery and services. WhatsApp said the feature will soon support UPI-based payments directly within chats. Business owners can also take over conversations whenever complex…

08 May

First Sikkim Milk Union Dairy Outlet Inaugurated at MG Marg

riya EditorSikkim

In a significant boost to Sikkim’s cooperative dairy sector, the Sikkim Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. on Thursday inaugurated its first-ever dairy outlet at MG Marg in Gangtok. The outlet was formally inaugurated by chief guest Puran Kumar Gurung in the presence of senior dignitaries, including N.B. Dahal and the MLA of Gangtok, who attended the programme as special guests. Launched under the theme “Village to Gangtok and Farm to MG Marg,” the initiative aims to establish a direct market connection between rural dairy farmers and urban consumers. The outlet will provide fresh dairy products to residents and tourists while…

08 May

Bhutan, World Bank sign $515 million deal for mega Dorjilung hydropower project

Business BureauBusiness

The Royal Government of Bhutan and the World Bank today signed financing agreements totaling $515 million for the 1,125 MW Dorjilung Hydroelectric Power Project, which will account for about one-third of the Kingdom’s total energy generation, drive economic growth through access to affordable electricity and clean energy exports, and create new jobs. "The Dorjilung Hydroelectric Power Project is a cornerstone of Bhutan’s 13th Five-Year Plan and will be the Kingdom’s largest hydropower project developed under a public-private partnership. This transformational investment will supply clean energy, spur economic growth, and advance our carbon-negative commitment," said Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of…

08 May

State Bank of India Posts 5.6% Growth in Quarterly Profit Amid Rising NII

nanika EditorBusiness

State Bank of India (SBI), the nation’s largest lender, reported a 5.6% year-on-year increase in its net profit for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2026. The bank’s profit after tax rose to ₹19,684 crore ($2.08 billion), up from ₹18,643 crore in the corresponding period last year. Despite the growth, the figure fell short of analysts' average expectations, which had projected a net profit of approximately ₹20,312 crore. The bank's Net Interest Income (NII)—the difference between interest earned and interest expended—climbed by 4.1% to reach ₹44,380 crore. While the NII showed a steady increase from the ₹42,617 crore reported a…

08 May

Lenskart share price: Stock surges 5% after massive ₹5,316-cr block deal, strong recovery

anuprova EditorBusiness

Lenskart shares had a volatile trading session on Friday and recovered by more than 5% from their intraday lows after a huge block deal of Rs 5,316 crore. The stock initially dropped, down almost 1% in early trading after news broke that a large chunk of equity - more than 6% of the company - was changing hands. The initial selloff was quickly met with strong buying interest at lower levels, suggesting institutional investors saw the large-scale transaction as an attractive entry point rather than a reason for sustained alarm. A block deal was for a large stake to be…

08 May

Kalimpong Claims Top Spot as WBBSE Announces 2026 Madhyamik Results

SonaliWest Bengal

The West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) officially released the results for the 2026 Madhyamik (Class 10) examinations this Friday, marking a season of academic triumph and a notable shift in regional performance. This year’s overall pass percentage stood at 86.83%, reflecting a marginal yet encouraging increase from the 86.53% recorded the previous year. The pinnacle of academic achievement was reached by Abhirup Bhadra of Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur, who secured the first rank with a near-perfect score of 698 out of 700. He was closely followed by Priyatosh Mukherjee from Birbhum, who earned the second position with 696 marks.…