Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) Kerala retained the top rank while Bihar was adjudged as the worst performer in Niti Aayog's SDG India Index 2019, which evaluates progress of States and Union Territories on social, economic and environmental parameters, as per a report released on Monday.

According to 'SDG India Index 2019', Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim have shown maximum improvement, but states like Gujarat have not shown any progress vis-a-vis 2018 rankings.

Shimla, Dec 30 (PTI) All states, including Punjab and West Bengal, are bound to implement provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act, said Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain here on Monday.

Talking to mediapersons, Jain said, "The CAA is a central act and all states, including Punjab and West Bengal, are bound to implement its provisions."

Also a member of the BJP's national executive and a former MP, Jain said the Union government had framed the CAA as per powers under Article 11 of the Constitution.

New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday took charge as the Chief of Army Staff, succeeding Gen Bipin Rawat.

Gen Naravane served as vice chief of the Army before taking charge of the 1.3 million strong Army.

In his 37 years of service, Gen Naravane served in numerous command and staff appointments in peace, field and highly active counter-insurgency environments in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast.

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday presented megastar Amitabh Bachchan with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Indian cinema's highest honour, in a special ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here.

Bachchan was earlier supposed to receive the honour at the National Film Awards ceremony last Monday, but the actor was unable to attend the event due to ill health.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The economic slowdown may have clipped sales of cars and biscuits in 2019, but smartphones bucked the trend as urban and rural users continued to buy, and even upgrade to, expensive handsets - a trend likely to pick up pace in the coming year.

The growth in smartphone adoption was further fuelled by the government's push to position the country as a global hub for manufacturing and coax Apple and other leading brands to produce and export more phones from India.

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) The government has amended rules putting the maximum age limit of 65 years for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to serve in the post.

The changes have been made in the Army Rules, 1954, according to a notification by the defence ministry.

In a landmark decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Tuesday approved the creation of the CDS who will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters relating to tri-services.

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) A play titled 'Jamiawala Bagh' was staged outside the Jamia Millia Islamia which has been at the forefront of the protest against the new citizenship law.

Protesters associated with Jamia Hamdard Alumni staged the play which portrayed and condemned the police action on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia on the campus premises on December 15, said a statement from the Jamia students.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The CBI has taken over the investigation in the case involving the death of Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) student Fathima Latheef, officials said on Monday.

The Special Crime Branch of the agency's Chennai unit re-registered the FIR of the local police on December 27 and took over the investigation in the matter.

Hailing from Kollam in Kerala, Latheef was a first-year student of the humanities stream (five-year integrated MA programme) in IIT-Madras.

Ludhiana, Dec 30 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Monday termed the Citizenship Amendment Act "divisive and dangerous" for the country, reiterating his stand that his government will not allow its implementation in the state.

Addressing Congress leaders and workers during a protest march here, Singh urged people to unite against the "draconian" legislation and said his party would fight "tooth and nail" against it.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) After a long wait, the construction of Delhi Metro's Phase-IV began with a ground-breaking ceremony at Haider Badli Mor on Monday, officials said.

With it, the piling work began for construction of 10 stations on Janakpuri-R K Ashram corridor.