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News from October 6, 2025

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Lack of support from EPFO leaves pensioner in confusion
Technology

Lack of support from EPFO leaves pensioner in confusion

To put it simply, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) mainly has the goal of providing social security and welfare to employees after they retire, that is, in their old age. To this end, it collects a certain amount from the employee’s monthly salary. The EPFO is part of India’s social security system, ensuring the financial stability of employees. Operating under the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India, the organisation is responsible for regulating and managing provident funds across the country, along with the Employees' State Insurance. The contribution to this organisation is collected from the monthly salary. The problem arises from the fact that it is mandatory and deducted from the salary without explicit consent from the employee. Many employees are unaware of the benefits of this contribution or how to use it when needed, as they are not properly informed about the terms and conditions of the deduction. As a result, the employee is often at the mercy of EPFO officials handling the accounts. Take my case for example. In brief, the problem is this. I have an EPS-95 certificate issued in 2011, which entitles me to receive a monthly pension from 2021. However, I do not know how to use this certificate and have not received proper guidance despite trying all available helplines and offices, including the Commissioner’s office in New Delhi. I left service with a company in 2011, where I had worked for more than 10 years. As part of my retiral benefits, I received the Employees’ Pension Scheme 1995 (EPS-95) certificate, which I am supposed to use after 14 June 2021 on attaining the age of 58 years. This certificate was issued from the Gurgaon office. I do not know how to use this certificate. I raised a grievance with the EPFO under Registration Number HRGGN/E/2024/34144 on 26 July 2024, but did not receive any guidance. I am residing in Hyderabad and visited the EPFO office here, but did not get any help. I called the Central Provident Fund Commissioner (CPFC), Chief Executive Officer of EPFO, on 22 September 2025 at 011-20815653. Following their suggestion, I sent two emails — one about my problem of using the certificate to avail the entitled monthly pension, and the other about the WhatsApp numbers of EPFO not working as mentioned on their website. I have not received any response so far. I contacted the same number several times. Sometimes, they said my mail had been forwarded to the concerned department, while at other times they claimed it was not found. They appear reluctant to understand my problem or make any effort to update me on how it can be resolved.

Telangana Today
Navy enhances coastal defence with commissioning of ASW vessel Androth
Technology

Navy enhances coastal defence with commissioning of ASW vessel Androth

Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy on Monday commissioned 'Androth', the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft during a ceremonial event at the Naval Dockyard. According to the Navy, the induction of Androth will enhance its overall Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capabilities, particularly for operations in coastal and shallow waters. The event was presided over by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), in the presence of senior naval officers and shipyard representatives. “The commissioning of Androth marks another major step in the Navy's ongoing efforts toward indigenisation and capability enhancement,” said an official press release from the ENC. Indigenously built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE), the vessel embodies India's growing shipbuilding prowess with over 80 per cent locally sourced components.

PTI
CM Nitish Kumar flags off Patna Metro, city enters new era of urban transport
Technology

CM Nitish Kumar flags off Patna Metro, city enters new era of urban transport

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday flagged off the Patna Metro, the state’s first metro service. Nitish Kumar also initiated the construction of the underground metro from Rukunpura to Patna Junction. The flag-off ceremony was held at the ISBT Metro Station. After the inauguration, Kumar personally took part in its maiden ride from the ISBT Depot metro station to Bhoothnath metro station. Several state ministers and senior officials accompanied him during the ceremony, which drew enthusiastic crowds eager to witness the landmark moment. In its first phase, the metro will operate on a 4.3 km stretch between New ISBT -- Zero Mile -- Bhootnath stations, with services open to the public immediately after the inauguration. It will be further extended to Khemnichak and Malahi Pakadi later this year. The three-coach rake, designed to carry up to 945 passengers per trip, will provide a modern, convenient transport option for the residents of Patna. According to the Patna Metro Rail Corporation Limited, the fare structure has been set at Rs 15 from ISBT to Zero Mile and Rs 30 from ISBT to Bhootnath Metro Station. The metro will run from 8 am to 10 pm, and it will be available at a frequency of every 20 minutes. The metro will cover 40-42 trips daily. Each coach can seat 147 passengers and accommodate additional standing travellers. Twelve seats per coach have been reserved for women and the differently-abled. Speaking at the event, Nitish Kumar said the project marks the beginning of a new era of urban mobility in Patna, easing congestion and offering residents a faster, more reliable mode of daily commute. The total cost of this ambitious project is estimated at Rs 13,365 crore. Once fully completed, the metro network will expand to 24 stations across 32.5 km in Patna, marking a major leap in the city’s public transport infrastructure. The maximum operating speed in the initial phase will be 40 km per hour, with the train equipped with advanced passenger safety systems. Each coach will feature 360-degree CCTV cameras, emergency buttons, and microphones that connect directly to the train driver, ensuring real-time safety responses.

IANS
Rajnath Singh to inaugurate defence manufacturing conference in Delhi
Technology

Rajnath Singh to inaugurate defence manufacturing conference in Delhi

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate a national-level conference on ‘Opportunities in Defence Manufacturing in the Country’ at Vigyan Bhawan on Tuesday. The conference, organised under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, will provide a focused platform to strengthen coordination between the Ministry and governments of all the States and Union Territories, to align regional industrial policies and infrastructure development with the national goal of achieving self-reliance in Defence manufacturing, according to an official statement issued on Monday. During the event, the Defence Minister Singh will launch the new ‘Defence Exim Portal’, designed to streamline the process of issuing export and import authorisations, as well as the Srijan DEEP (Defence Establishments and Entrepreneurs Platform) portal, a digital repository mapping the capabilities and products of Indian Defence industries. Two key publications, ‘Aerospace & Defence Sector Policy Compendium of States and Union Territories’ and the iDEX Coffee Table Book ‘Shared Horizons of Innovation’ will also be released on the occasion, the statement said. The conference aims to bring together senior officials from the Departments of Industries of all States and Union Territories to discuss their crucial role in advancing India’s Defence manufacturing ecosystem. It will also highlight ongoing national efforts to boost indigenisation, enhance Defence exports, and promote investment in the sector, the statement added. India’s Defence production has surged to an all-time high of Rs 1.46 lakh crore, with exports increasing to a record Rs 24,000 crore in 2024-25, official figures show. “Our Defence production, which was only Rs 43,000 crore 10 to 11 years ago, has now crossed a record figure of Rs 1,46,000 crore, with the private sector’s contribution of over Rs 32,000 crore. Our Defence exports, which were around Rs 600-700 crore 10 years ago, have surpassed a record figure of Rs 24,000 crore,” the Defence Minister said recently. He described 'Make-in-India' as crucial for security and prosperity, stating that the use of indigenous systems during 'Operation Sindoor' has proved that India has the power to penetrate any armour of the enemy.

IANS
SC seeks response from Centre, Ladakh UT on Wangchuk wife’s plea
Technology

SC seeks response from Centre, Ladakh UT on Wangchuk wife’s plea

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and Union Territory of Ladakh on a plea filed by Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, challenging the climate activist's detention under the National Security Act, and seeking his immediate release. However, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria refused to pass any order on providing grounds of detention to Wangchuk's wife and posted the matter for hearing on October 14. Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, two days after protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union territory. Wangchuk is lodged in Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Wangchuk's wife, sought directions from the apex court that the grounds of detention should be served on her. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that the grounds of detention have been served on the detenue (Wangchuk). Mehta stated that there is no legal requirement for the grounds of detention to be given to the wife. Sibal pressed for an interim order for the supply of grounds, saying a detention order cannot be challenged without a copy. Justice Kumar then said, "At this stage, we will not say anything." The bench, however, noted the submission of the Solicitor General that he would examine the feasibility of the supply of grounds of detention. Mehta stated that the petitioner was trying to create a "hype" and an "emotive issue" that Wangchuk was denied medical relief and meetings with his wife. In her plea filed through senior lawyer Vivek Tankha and lawyer Sarvam Ritam Khare, Angmo has also questioned the decision to invoke the NSA against Wangchuk, which allows detention without trial for up to 12 months. Filing the habeas corpus (bring the person) writ, the spouse of the detained activist sought urgent listing of the plea and a direction to the Ladakh administration to "produce Sonam Wangchuk before this court forthwith". It also sought immediate access to the detainee and quashing of the preventive detention order. The plea, which named the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ladakh UT administration, the deputy commissioner of Leh, and the Jodhpur jail superintendent as parties, also sought a direction to them to "allow immediate access of the petitioner to her husband, both telephonic and in person". The plea alleged that Wangchuk's detention was "illegal, arbitrary, and unconstitutional", violating the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21, and 22 of the Constitution. "Wangchuk, who has been an internationally acclaimed innovator, environmentalist, and social reformer, has always espoused Gandhian and peaceful methods to highlight the ecological and democratic concerns of Ladakh," it said. On September 26, Wangchuk was detained by the deputy commissioner of Leh under Section 3(2) of the NSA, as he was recovering from a prolonged fast to highlight Ladakh's demand for constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule. He was swiftly shifted to the Central Jail in Jodhpur without being provided medicines, personal belongings, or access to his family and counsel, the plea said. No grounds of detention have been furnished to date, either to Wangchuk or to his family, the petition submitted. His wife alleged that she has been kept under virtual house arrest in Leh, while students and staff of the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL), founded by Wangchuk, are facing harassment, intimidation, and intrusive investigations. "The arbitrary transfer of Wangchuk to Jodhpur, the harassment of students and staff of HIAL, the virtual house arrest of the petitioner herself, and the false propaganda linking Wangchuk to foreign entities clearly demonstrate mala fide state action intended to suppress democratic dissent and peaceful environmental activism," the plea submitted. Wangchuk's detention has also inflicted severe mental pain and anguish on the people of Ladakh, who revere him as their leader, it stated. "A recent tragic incident has been reported where a member of the Ladakh Buddhist Association committed suicide, allegedly depressed after his (Wangchuk's) detention, underscoring the devastating psychological impact on the community," it said. "Direct respondents to ensure that Sonam Wangchuk is provided with his medicines, clothes, food, and other necessities forthwith," the plea said. It also sought a direction to the authorities to place before the top court "the order of detention along with grounds of detention and all records pertaining thereto". It sought a direction to the respondents to produce a medical report of Wangchuk, after immediate doctor consultation, before the court. "Stop immediate harassment of HIAL and its members/students who have not harmed and are tirelessly working for the benefit of the ecology," the plea said.

PTI
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