Newsletter | Electoral Bonds Data out; Petrol, diesel prices slashed by ₹2/litre & more

Industry sources told CNBC-TV18 that there was headroom for the price cuts, which they said have been "calibrated and are prudent". The price cuts — covering CNG, LPG, petrol and diesel — are well distributed between the Centre (Ujwala subsidy), CGD players & OMCs

The Election Commission of India (ECI) released the data for electoral bonds sold by the State Bank of India (SBI) on Thursday, March 14.

The data includes names of individuals and companies who donated money to political parties between 12 April 2019 and 24 January 2024.

The donors include some of the biggest companies in the country. Listed entities like Vedanta, Jindal Steel and Power, IFB Agro, Torrent Power, Dr Reddy's Laboratories Aurobindo Pharma, Natco Pharma and many others feature in the list of the biggest donors to political parties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in this southern Kerala town on Friday, March 15, to campaign for candidates of the BJP-led NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Modi will address a public meeting which will be attended by one lakh people. The police have banned flying drones and comparable devices within a 3 km radius of the Municipal Stadium and Pramadam Indoor Stadium here under Section 39 of the Kerala Police Act to ensure the Prime Minister's security.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is projected to win 41 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra with a 48% vote share, according to News18 Opinion Poll results on Thursday. The NDA, or Mahayuti alliance, comprises the BJP along with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

The challenger, the Congress-led INDIA block is expected to win seven seats with a 34% vote share in the state. Along with the Congress party, the INDIA alliance, or MVA, comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction and Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

An FIR has been filed against former Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl.

A case has been registered under POCSO and 354 (A) IPC against him, ANI reported.

#TechTalks📱

Despite a flat, zero-growth mobile market in 2023, Samsung’s India leadership expressed confidence in beating the industry average and clocking growth of over 13% in 2024. According to Samsung India, this growth would be driven by the mid-range segment, where it clocked a 73% growth rate in 2023.

The Senior VP of Mobiles of Samsung India, Raju Antony Pullan, spoke to CNBC-TV18 at the launch of the Galaxy A35 5G and Galaxy A55 5G smartphones and expressed his confidence in the devices priced at between ₹30,999 to ₹42,999.

In a significant move to regulate the ever-evolving field of artificial intelligence (AI), the European Union on Thursday adopted the AI Act. This legislation aims to strike a delicate balance between promoting innovation and mitigating potential risks associated with AI.

Passed by an overwhelming majority in the EU parliament, with 523 votes in favour and 46 against, the AI Act introduces stringent regulations for developers of high-risk AI systems. These regulations target advanced AI models like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's Gemini, compelling developers to address potential threats such as accidents and cyberattacks.

#DailyData📈

#ExpertEdge💡

Since the launch of the National Faecal Sludge and Septage Management (NFSSM) Policy in 2017, India has progressed towards the effective implementation of this programme with 24 states adopting the policy and 12 states drafting state-specific FSSM policies. This momentum has led to increased mechanisation in the sector, dignified working conditions for sanitation workers and proper treatment and disposal of faecal sludge.

These initiatives have greatly improved sanitation outcomes and are ensuring that safe sanitation services reach the most marginalised communities. However, with the rising urban population in India, the amount of faecal sludge being generated in cities and towns daily is also increasing.

#PersonalFinance💰

Edelweiss Mutual Fund on Thursday (March 14) declared the outcomes of its stress tests on Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund and Edelweiss Small Cap Fund.

Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund boasts an Asset Under Management (AUM) of ₹5,066.6 crore, with the capability to liquidate 50% of its portfolio within just 2 days and 25% within a single day.

Similarly, Edelweiss Small Cap Fund manages an AUM of ₹3,189.9 crore, demonstrating its liquidity strength by being able to liquidate 50% of its portfolio in 3 days and 25% in 2 days.

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), on March 14, granted Paytm's parent One97 Communications Limited a third-party application provider (TPAP) license under the multi-bank model. Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India and Yes Bank will act as the Payment System Provider. Yes Bank will also act as the merchant acquiring bank for the fintech's existing and new UPI merchants.

CNBC-TV18 had reported earlier about the likelihood of the third-party licence before the Friday deadline.

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