Odisha attracted only Rs 39.02 crore FDI in FY 2024-25, says opposition, contradicting government investment claims.
Odisha received only Rs 39.02 crore FDI in FY 2024-25 (about 0.009% of national inflows), a figure the opposition contrasts with government claims of Rs 67,000 crore in investment intents; the opposition alleges exaggerated publicity, project exits, poor coordination to attract FDI, and notes higher inflows in 2023-24 under the previous administration.

Telangana government to enact hate speech law and allocate lands and transport for minority burial grounds.
The government will introduce legislation to criminalise and punish hate speech to protect the liberty to practise religion and equal rights for all religions. It will allocate state land for Christian and Muslim burial grounds (which may be situated away from villages), accept responsibility to provide such land alongside welfare housing, and arrange or facilitate transport to move deceased persons to those burial sites.

Military officer arrested for alleged bribery after searches recovered alleged bribe and large cash sums during a corruption probe.
Arrest and criminal investigation allege that a serving military officer posted in a defence production department received cash payments from private defence-company representatives in exchange for undue favours, forming part of an alleged habitual corrupt scheme in connivance with company agents. Searches at the accused's residences recovered the alleged bribe and large cash sums; the investigative agency registered charges alleging corruption and criminal conspiracy, effected multiple arrests, and secured custodial remand for further investigation.

Guwahati airport's new Rs4,000-cr nature-themed terminal opens, and bamboo reclassification boosts regional connectivity and tourism potential.
The new Guwahati terminal is a 140,000 sq m nature-themed facility within a Rs 5,000 crore project (including Rs 1,000 crore for MRO) designed to handle 13.1 million passengers and developed by a public developer with private operations. The Prime Minister cited the 2017 amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 reclassifying bamboo grown in non-forest areas as grass, linking that regulatory change to the extensive use of bamboo in the terminal's construction.

Local body voting in Maharashtra ended with 47.04% turnout; counting set for Dec 21 and one alleged Aadhaar-based impersonation reported.
Voting in 23 municipal councils and nagar panchayats in Maharashtra concluded on December 20 with a reported afternoon turnout of 47.04 per cent; counting for all 286 local bodies is scheduled for 10 am on December 21. Several posts were uncontested, 143 vacant member posts were filled in these 23 bodies, and an alleged voter impersonation using a fake Aadhaar card led to one detention in Ward No. 2, Sinnar.

Landless beneficiaries to receive 100-sq-yard plots soon under state housing allotment linked to central assistance.
The state will allot 100-square-yard residential plots to eligible landless and needy families, linking about 7,000 beneficiaries to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana to obtain prescribed financial assistance for house construction; additional 30-square-yard plots will be provided as a second installment under the Mukhyamantri Shehri Awas Yojana, complementing prior allotments to around 15,500 families.

Haryana's Support to Poor Prisoners scheme funds fines and bail for indigent inmates with strict committee approvals and timelines.
Haryana's revised Support to Poor Prisoners framework provides financial relief to inmates unable to pay fines or secure bail, with district empowered committees authorised to sanction up to Rs 50,000 for undertrials (up to Rs 1 lakh in exceptions) and up to Rs 25,000 for convicted prisoners, while larger amounts require state-level oversight committee approval. The scheme prescribes verification and disbursement timelines-verification within five days, committee release direction within five days, and court deposit within five days-and excludes persons accused of specified economic, national security, violent and sexual offences. District committees are convened by the DLSA secretary and a state oversight committee supervises implementation.

Ahmedabad's Commonwealth Games win and Olympics ambitions are expected to spur long-term infrastructure-led real estate growth.
Ahmedabad's Commonwealth Games 2030 win and Olympics ambitions are expected to catalyse long-term, infrastructure-led real estate growth by accelerating transport, civic amenity and large-scale commercial and residential projects; cited foundations include metro expansion, new highways, GIFT City, Dholera SIR and proposed sports facilities, with specific micro-markets such as SG Highway, Sardar Patel Ring Road, Motera, GIFT City, Shela and Bopal identified for sustained appreciation.

International news roundup: trials adjourned, sentences handed down, arrests made, detention visitation clarified, and emergency funding approved.
Reports cover an adjourned bank-related trial due to UK prison paperwork delays, a corruption conviction imposing multi-year sentences, a government statement permitting family visitation of an incarcerated leader, arrests linked to a communal lynching, tightened security around a political funeral amid unrest, and IMF emergency funding approved for cyclone recovery to preserve macroeconomic stability.

Punjab cabinet reduces objection and appeal periods, waives bank guarantee for incentives, and revises municipal payment rules.
The Punjab Cabinet amended the Punjab Abadi Deh Act to replace fixed objection and appeal periods with timelines "within time notified by the government," reducing filing and disposal windows to 30 days to expedite resolution under the Mera Ghar Mera Naam scheme. It also removed the bank guarantee requirement for fiscal incentives under the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2022, authorized redistribution of 253 acres of thermal-plant land for energy, transport and development uses, and modified municipal rules to change the payment schedule for high-value "Chunk Sites" to increase bidder participation.

Urban development requires centre-state coordination, timely budget use, and focus on housing, sanitation and transport schemes.
Coordination between the Centre and states is required to realise a developed India by 2047, with states urged to utilise Central urban development budgets timely. The Ministry will hold region-wise meetings focused on Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat Mission and urban transport; states must remedy under-allocation of completed PMAY houses and mobilise public financial participation and private real estate involvement. State initiatives include GIS property mapping that raised property tax revenue and prioritised sewerage works to prevent river discharge.

Nirav Modi trial adjourned after prison delays prevented disclosure bundle delivery, raising fair trial and extradition timing issues.
The Bank of India trial was adjourned to March because prison authorities' delays in providing the disclosure bundle and other legal paperwork risked placing the defendant at a substantial disadvantage, undermining the fairness of an imminent eight-day trial. The court required prison compliance with obligations to ensure access to documents and noted communication failures that also prevented the defendant's virtual attendance.

Punjab special assembly to examine VB G RAM G Bill's changes to rural employment guarantees and state funding burdens.
Punjab will hold a one-day assembly session to examine the VB-G RAM G Bill replacing the prior rural employment guarantee, focusing on asserted reductions in the number and types of permissible works, the reported removal of the scheme's name, and a shift in cost sharing that increases state financial obligations and may reduce practical employment availability for the poor.

Chandigarh University convocation conferred 3,301 PG degrees across MBA and MCom programmes, emphasising re skilling and digital readiness.
Chandigarh University's Annual Convocation conferred 3301 postgraduate degrees: 3032 MBAs across multiple specialisations, 251 MBA (Business Analytics) in association with IBM, and 18 MCom degrees; four graduates received gold medals. Industry leaders presided and delivered addresses stressing continuous re skilling, digital and AI readiness, and professional values. The Vice Chancellor highlighted institutional achievements, research output, patents, rankings and accreditation as context for the graduating cohort.

New brownfield ammonia-urea plant in Assam to boost regional fertilizer production and reduce import dependence.
A Rs 10,600 crore brownfield ammonia urea plant will be established at Namrup within BVFCL premises through the AVFCCL joint venture, backed by Union cabinet approval and central budget provisioning for an indicative 12.7 lakh metric tonnes annual urea capacity, aiming to meet regional fertiliser demand, reduce imports, and spur local employment and industrial revival.

Russian missile strike on Odesa kills civilians amid US-mediated peace talks and disputes over funding and sanctions.
A Russian missile strike on Odesa's port infrastructure caused civilian deaths and injuries while Russia characterized strikes as targeting Ukrainian transport, storage and energy facilities. Simultaneously, US-mediated diplomatic talks proceeded on a peace plan addressing security guarantees and territorial concessions, EU leaders approved a large interest-free loan to Ukraine, and disputes persisted over using frozen Russian assets versus capital markets to fund assistance. US sanctions on major Russian oil companies and Ukrainian strikes on oil infrastructure were presented as measures to deprive Moscow of war-sustaining revenue.

Allfine electric vehicles: ICAT-certified rickshaws, in-house batteries and patented drive components, expanding production and models.
Allfine produces commercial EVs (school vans, cargo and waste-collection vehicles) with in-house manufacture of original parts and lithium batteries, claiming ICAT certification for its rickshaws and a patented motor, controller and differential. Its Binola, Gurugram plant has a 3,000-unit capacity (currently 1,500), vehicles offer reinforced chassis, advanced suspension and model-dependent 200+ km range, and the company plans geographic expansion, a logistics partnership, and a move from L-3 to planned L-5 vehicle categories with 76-volt batteries.

Paranjape Schemes' Athashri senior living project wins 5-star Best Senior Living Development award, highlighting quality and innovation.
Paranjape Schemes Construction Ltd's Athashri at Forest Trails, Pune, was awarded the 5-Star Award for Best Senior Living Development in India at the 2025-2026 International Property Awards - Asia Pacific. The release frames Athashri as a designed senior living community focused on comfort, care, and lifestyle, underscores the developer's commitment to senior and differently abled housing, and includes a publisher disclaimer that the press release is supplied under arrangement and not editorially verified.

Russian missile strike on Odesa port killed eight and wounded dozens; allegations of targeting civilian and transport infrastructure.
A Russian ballistic missile strike on Odesa port infrastructure killed eight and wounded 27, damaging vehicles and trucks; Russian statements framed recent attacks as targeting transport and storage infrastructure used by Ukrainian forces. Concurrent Ukrainian drone strikes hit Russian energy and maritime facilities, and reporting raises legal issues concerning protection of civilians and port facilities, attacks on civilian infrastructure and on facilities of potential military utility, and the relationship between sanctions on energy companies and strikes on dual-use infrastructure.

Prison oversight emphasized; directives for frequent inspections, staff sensitisation and acceleration of security and cyber projects.
Directed enhanced oversight through frequent checking and surveillance of prisons and a high-level administrative review of budget and expenditure across prisons, prosecution, emergency services, forensics and related wings. Identified operational priorities to expedite construction of a high security prison, establish and upgrade cyber divisions in forensic laboratories, and construct bunkers; ordered coordinated strengthening of departmental wings and sensitisation of prison officers and staff to improve custodial security and operational capacity.