New Delhi, Dec 27: India has ramped up electronics production six-fold and is the second largest mobile manufacturing country in the world, Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday.

In multiple posts on social media platform X, Vaishnaw said that the country has increased electronic exports eightfold over the past 11 years, mainly driven by policy support from the Production Linked Incentive Scheme.

The PLI scheme for Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing has attracted over Rs 13,475 crore in investment and helped achieve production of about Rs 9.8 lakh crore in the electronics sector, driving manufacturing, jobs, and exports, he said.

Vaishnaw highlighted that “over 1.3 lakh jobs were created in the last five years and that electronics is now India’s third‑largest export category, climbing from seventh place”.

He said the country was initially focusing on finished products, but the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme supported a shift to “building capacity for modules, components, sub-modules, raw materials, and the machines that make them.”

The Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme has 249 applications representing Rs 1.15 lakh crore in investment, Rs 10.34 lakh crore in production, and creating 1.42 lakh jobs, the post said, adding it is the highest-ever investment commitment in India’s electronics sector, indicating industry confidence.

Vaishnaw also noted progress in the semiconductor sector, saying ten units have been approved, with three already in pilot or early production. The minister said that “fabs and ATMPs from India will soon supply chips to phone and electronics manufacturers”.

“Electronics manufacturing created 25 lakh jobs in the last decade. This is the real economic growth at the grassroots level,” the minister said.

“As we scale semiconductors and component manufacturing, job creation will accelerate. From finished products to components, production is growing. Exports are rising. Global players are confident. Indian companies are competitive. Jobs are being created. This is ‘Make in India’ impact story!” he noted.

Chennai, Dec 27: In an effort to ensure maximum inclusion in the electoral process, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced a series of special voter registration camps across Tamil Nadu to enable eligible citizens to enrol in the electoral rolls or correct their details.

The announcement follows the publication of the draft electoral roll for the state on December 19, after the completion of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.

According to the Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Archana Patnaik, more than 97 lakh names were removed from the draft voter list during the revision exercise. Of these, around 66 lakh voters were identified as having shifted their place of residence. The remaining deletions were due to reasons such as duplication, death, or ineligibility.

Voters whose names were removed have been given a one-month window to re-enrol, with January 18 set as the final date for submitting applications.

In response to the large number of omissions and to ensure no eligible voter is left out, the Election Commission has announced a four-day special voter registration drive across the state.

The first phase of the special camp is being held on Saturday and Sunday, followed by another round on January 3 and January 4. These camps will be conducted at all polling stations across Tamil Nadu, covering approximately 75,000 booths.

During these special camps, eligible citizens can apply for inclusion of their names in the electoral roll by submitting Form 6. They can also apply for corrections in personal details or for the transposition of their names if they have shifted their residence within the constituency.

According to officials, 1,68,825 applications have already been received for inclusion of new voters since the publication of the draft roll. The Chief Electoral Officer has urged all eligible citizens, particularly those whose names were excluded from the draft list, to make full use of this opportunity. She emphasised that accurate and updated electoral rolls are crucial for ensuring free, fair, and inclusive elections.

Election officials will be present at all polling stations during the special camp days to assist applicants, verify documents, and facilitate the smooth processing of forms.

Citizens have also been encouraged to verify their details through the online voter portal and take corrective action before the final electoral roll is published.

Mumbai: The Gawli family returned to Mumbai’s civic political arena on Friday as sisters Geeta Gawli and Yogita Gawli-Waghmare, daughters of gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, filed their nomination papers for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections from the Byculla constituency.

Geeta Gawli, a former corporator, submitted her nomination from Ward No. 212 on the ticket of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena, while her younger sister Yogita Gawli-Waghmare filed her papers from Ward No. 207. With their entry, the total number of candidates who have filed nominations in the first three days of the process has risen to nine.

Geeta Gawli is a familiar face in civic politics, having won the 2017 BMC elections from Ward No. 212. Her return to the fray signals an attempt by the Gawli family to reclaim its influence in Byculla, an area where Arun Gawli once commanded significant political clout. Yogita Gawli-Waghmare, on the other hand, is contesting an election for the first time, marking the next generation’s formal entry into electoral politics.

The Gawli family has a long and complex political history in central Mumbai. Their aunt, Vandana Gawli, had won from Ward No. 207 in the 2012 civic polls but lost the seat in 2017. Vandana later joined the Shiv Sena’s Shinde faction earlier this year, adding a new political dimension to the family’s electoral legacy.

The nomination process for the BMC elections began on December 23. While a large number of nomination papers have been distributed across the city, the filing of nominations has been relatively slow so far. On Friday alone, 2,040 nomination papers were issued across 23 Returning Officer offices, with seven candidates submitting their applications, including the two Gawli sisters.

According to the State Election Commission, the last date for filing nominations is December 30, 2025. With several major parties yet to officially announce their candidates, political observers expect a surge in nominations in the final days.

The entry of the Gawli sisters has added a major political edge to the Byculla contest, which is expected to witness a keenly fought battle in the upcoming BMC elections. The polling for the BMC elections is scheduled to take place on January 15, 2026. The counting of votes will take place on January 16, 2026.