Cyclonic storm Nisarga, set to make landfall at Alibaug in Raigad district in the afternoon, hovered over the Arabian Sea around 165 km south-southwest of the coastal town and 215 km south-southwest of Mumbai at dawn, a senior IMD official said on Wednesday.

New Delhi: The nationwide tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases crossed the 2-lakh mark on Tuesday with almost one lakh people testing positive for the dreaded virus infection in the last 15 days. The government, however, said its preventive measures to contain the disease have been very effective, as shown by a much lower fatality rate than several other countries.

 The Finance Ministry has ruled out proposals by a federation of central and state governments employees seeking modification in the National Pension Scheme, saying its corpus is invested in a prudential manner to ensure optimal returns and suggested that changes will be financially untenable.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has approved the premature release of Jessica Lal Murder case convict Manu Sharma, who is serving life sentence, according to an official order.

The BJP on Tuesday appointed Adesh Kumar Gupta as its Delhi unit chief and tribal leader and former Union minister Vishnu Deo Sai as its Chhattisgarh state president, the party said in a statement.

At least 19 people were killed and two others seriously injured in landslides triggered by incessant rains in south Assam's Barak valley districts of Hailakandi, Karimganj and Cachar on Tuesday morning, officials said.

The deep depression in the Arabian Sea has intensified into a cyclonic storm and will cross the north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

The Centre on Tuesday opposed and sought dismissal of a petition seeking declaration of funds received by the Prime Ministers Citizens Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situation (PM CARES), a public charitable trust created by the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.