Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Government on Monday decided to grant 10 percent reservation in education and government jobs to economically-weaker sections of upper castes across religions.

The decision taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, surpasses the 50 percent limit set by the Supreme Court.

Central Trade Unions Tuesday began a two-day nationwide strike to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms.

"The strike is quite visible in Assam, Meghalaya, Karnataka, Manipur Bihar, Rajasthan, Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Haryana -- particularly in the targeted industrial areas and different mines," Amarjeet Kaur, General Secretary of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), told PTI.

The rupee opened 12 paise lower at 69.80 against the US dollar on Tuesday amid mixed Asian cues. Minutes later, the currency depreciated further to surpass 70-mark at 70.08.

On Monday, the domestic currency pared early gains but managed to end four paise higher at 69.68 following dovish stance by the Federal Reserve and rising hopes of a thaw in ongoing US-China trade tiff.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed reducing the U.S. trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in Afghanistan in a telephone call on Monday, the White House said.

"The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India,

The setting up of a new city in the huge Mela area, has 250 km long roads and 22 pontoon bridges which will make it the largest temporary city of the world, informed Uttar Pradesh government on Monday while sharing details of the Prayagraj Kumbh.

It also informed that for the first time, the Mela area is being brightened up by installing over 40,000 LED lights there.

Oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday said the government will allow state-owned ONGC and Oil India to induct private and foreign partners in oilfields to raise output and also give special incentive to make their discoveries in difficult areas viable.

Speaking at the launch of second bid round for 14 exploration blocks under open acreage licensing policy, Pradhan said Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and OIL will have the freedom to decide which of their currently producing fields they want to retain and in the ones where they would like to induct a partner.

The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) will launch two new models next fiscal, a top company official said. The auto major, which has introduced two models in the current fiscal so far, is also in the process of upgrading its current portfolio to have safety features like airbags, seat belt reminder and reverse parking sensors by June to comply with new safety norms.

Terming Aadhaar as a “game changer”, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said savings made through its implementation can fund three public welfare schemes of the magnitude of Ayushman Bharat — the ambitious healthcare programme to provide free hospitalisation to millions of poor people.

The final day of the fourth Test between India and Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Monday was washed out by rain as Virat Kohli etched his name in history for becoming the first-ever Asian captain to win a Test series Down Under.

Going into the Sydney Test, India had a 2-1 lead and they just needed a draw to win a historic Test series on the Australian soil.

Essar Global, the holding company of Essar Group, on Monday said that it has paid back last tranche of Rs 12,000 crore to its Indian and foreign lenders. Essar Global has now repaid Rs 1.37 lakh crore or 80 per cent of group debt in 2 years, the company said in a statement. The latest repayment is in addition to Rs 30,000 crore made in August 2017 from the proceeds arising out of the sale of Essar Oil to Russia’s Rosneft, the company said.

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