Guwahati, Sep 27: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday visited Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi to review arrangements for the grand closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of the legendary singer, composer and cultural icon Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika.

CM Sarma took stock of the facilities and preparations at the venue ahead of the concluding programme, which is being planned as a major tribute to Hazarika and his enduring contribution to Indian music and culture.

Sharing details of his visit on X, the Assam Chief Minister said the preparations were aimed at creating a memorable tribute befitting the legacy of the celebrated artiste, popularly known as ‘Sudhakantha’.

“Visited Bharat Mandapam today to review the facilities and preparations for the grand closing ceremony of the centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika. We are curating an unforgettable tribute, one truly befitting the legacy of Sudhakantha,” CM Sarma posted.

The centenary celebrations have been organised to commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of Hazarika, whose music and literary works have had a lasting influence not only in Assam and the Northeast but across India and beyond.

Hazarika, who was born on September 8, 1926, in Assam, was known for his distinctive musical style and compositions that drew extensively from the cultural traditions and social realities of the Northeast.

His songs often addressed themes of humanity, social harmony, equality and the lives of ordinary people. The artist was conferred the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, posthumously in 2019. He had earlier received several other major national honours, including the Padma Vibhushan and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award.

The concluding ceremony at Bharat Mandapam is expected to mark the culmination of a year-long series of programmes celebrating Hazarika’s life, music and cultural legacy.

The Assam government has been highlighting the centenary as an opportunity to showcase Hazarika’s contribution to Indian cultural heritage and to introduce his works to younger generations. The final event is expected to bring together cultural personalities, dignitaries and artistes for a large-scale tribute to the legendary musician and filmmaker.

Ahmedabad, Sep 27: India’s first LNG-powered train was flagged off from Sabarmati on Sunday by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, marking the introduction of LNG as an alternative fuel for railway operations in the country.

The initiative is aimed at reducing dependence on conventional diesel fuel and promoting the use of alternative energy sources in railway operations.

The train uses a diesel-plus-LNG dual-fuel system developed for its Driving Power Cars (DPCs). Two 1,400 HP DPCs at the Sabarmati Integrated Coaching Depot have been converted to the dual-fuel system, allowing LNG to be used alongside diesel.

More than 2,000 km of field trials have been completed on the two converted DPCs to assess the performance and reliability of the technology.

Under the system, LNG can replace up to around 40 per cent of diesel consumption. According to trial data released by the Railways, the use of LNG is expected to reduce fuel expenditure and emissions, including carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

The earlier railway assessment estimated annual savings of around Rs 11.9 lakh from one DPC and around Rs 23.9 lakh from an eight-coach rake.

The dual-fuel system allows the engine to switch between LNG and diesel depending on fuel availability, providing operational flexibility.

The system has been designed to retain the power and operational capability of the conventional diesel engine while enabling partial substitution of diesel with LNG.

Each converted DPC has an LNG tank with a capacity of around 2,200 litres, capable of holding approximately 850-900 kg of usable LNG. A full LNG fill is expected to provide sufficient fuel for around 1,600 km of operation, reducing the need for frequent refuelling.

The launch was part of a series of railway projects inaugurated and launched during HM Shah’s visit to Ahmedabad.

The package includes projects worth more than Rs 1,542 crore covering railway safety, signalling, line capacity and freight infrastructure.

Earlier in the day, HM Shah inaugurated the Rs 700-crore WAG-12 locomotive maintenance shed at Sabarmati and flagged off a WAG-12 electric locomotive.

The programme also included the commissioning of the indigenous Kavach train protection system on the Ahmedabad-Palanpur and Ahmedabad-Samakhiyali sections, automatic signalling on two railway sections and the launch of doubling work on the Sabarmati-Sarkhej section.

The LNG train launch marks another step by the Railways towards using alternative fuels in its operations, with the technology being tested for its potential to reduce fuel consumption and operating costs while maintaining train performance.

New Delhi, Sep 27: The new 30-day recharge rules, aimed at giving prepaid mobile users greater choice in the pre-paid recharge have been welcomed by Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who called it a victory for the low-budget mobile phone users.

Hailing the new plans, which offer a validity of 30 days, the noted Parliamentarian said that the changes would offer more flexibility to consumers, including those who primarily use their phones for voice calls and SMS.

He highlighted the government’s new Telecom (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations and said that the introduction of 30-day plans would reduce the need for consumers to make 13 monthly recharges in a year to 12.

Chadha posted on X: “Good news for Prepaid Mobile Users in India. The Govt just introduced Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, consumers will now have: 30-day recharge plans, reducing the need for 13 monthly recharges to 12 in a year, Voice and SMS-only plans for those who do not need data and more suitable options for low-budget consumers who primarily need basic voice calls”

“Many of you had shared your concerns with me about limited and inflexible recharge options. I raised this issue in Parliament on 11th March, seeking greater choice and more affordable options for consumers. I am grateful to the Government of India and TRAI for resolving these concerns in the interest of greater consumer choice and convenience,” he added.

Chadha had earlier raised concerns over 28-day “monthly” recharge cycles and called for more consumer-friendly telecom options.

Notably, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released the Telecom Consumer Protection (Thirteenth Amendment) Regulations, 2026, introducing changes to the framework governing Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) for voice and SMS services.

Special Tariff Vouchers are prepaid tariff products offered by telecom service providers for specific services and validity periods. Under the amended framework, telecom operators will be required to offer more voice and SMS-only STVs for consumers who do not require bundled data services.

The new regulations require telecom service providers to offer voice and SMS-only STVs with validity periods corresponding to each validity period of 30 days and less than 30 days that is available for bundled voice, SMS and data STVs.

The changes are intended to provide consumers with greater flexibility in selecting prepaid plans based on their individual usage requirements. In particular, users who primarily require voice calling and SMS services will have additional options without having to subscribe to bundled data services.

Chadha said he had raised concerns over limited and inflexible recharge options in Parliament on March 11 and had sought greater choice and affordability for consumers.

The regulatory changes now provide a wider framework for telecom users to select plans based on their specific requirements, including options focused solely on voice and SMS services.