Two legislative proposals, Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to rename ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’ and National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to broaden the mandate of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) to give loans and grants directly to cooperative societies in the country—were passed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill provides for alteration of the name, contains necessary amendments to the provisions of the Constitution and consequential provisions, according to the Bill’s statement of objects and reasons. The Kerala government forwarded a resolution passed by the state Assembly regarding the change of name to the Centre in June, 2024. The Union Cabinet cleared the proposal in February. Subsequently, the President referred a Bill to the state legislature for expressing its views, and later, the state assembly adopted a unanimous resolution.
Centre begins phased rollout of PRAHAAR
The government has begun the progressive and phased rollout of PRAHAAR, India’s first comprehensive National Counter Terrorist Policy and Strategy, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed Parliament on Wednesday. Unveiled on February 23, PRAHAAR lays down a national framework for preventing and responding to terrorism and radicalisation through coordinated “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approaches. MoS for Home Nityanand Rai, in a written reply, said the strategy is built around seven key pillars.
Rs 4,102 crore released for Census 2027
Space regulator IN-SPACe has granted 113 authorisations to 52 non-government entities (NGEs) - 18 of them start-ups - to carry out various space activities, since the sector’s opening to the private sector, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told Parliament on Wednesday. In a written reply to a query in the Lok Sabha, the minister stated that around 440 space technology startups are currently registered in India.