This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 31st of January and here are the headlines.

While addressing the Parliament Budget Session today, President Droupadi Murmu said that the “dignity of every citizen is paramount” and the government is emphasising on “human-centric development.” She added that the government is working on a “big vision — it has a roadmap for the next 25 years”. In an address before the commencement of the Budget Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Opposition MPs that it was an “opportunity to repent and leave behind positive footprints”.

In Mumbai, the country’s financial capital, with the civic elections on hold for two years now, the quality of infrastructure in the neighbourhood could very well depend on which party the MLA is from. An investigation by The Indian Express has revealed that under a February 2023 policy that allows MLAs to seek funds from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for civic works, each of the 21 ruling alliance MLAs sought, and got, funds till December 2023. In stark contrast, not one of the 15 Opposition MLAs (of the Uddhav Bal Thackeray Shiv Sena and Congress) got any money even though as many as 11 of them had asked for funds. The Indian Express spoke to each of the 15 Opposition MLAs to independently verify if they applied for funds, and if the Guardian Ministers approved it. Despite repeated attempts, BMC Commissioner IS Chahal was not available for comment.

The back window of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s car broke today as thousands of people thronged Labha Bridge in West Bengal’s Malda to watch the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra enter the state from Bihar. While Rahul was on a bus when the incident took place, Congress leaders cried foul, calling it a security lapse. A senior Congress leader said, quote, “All policemen are busy with Mamata Banerjee’s rally scheduled in Malda today. Very few police officials have been deputed for this ceremony,” Unquote.

As many as 134 roads, including four national highways, were closed in Himachal Pradesh and normal life was disrupted as tribal areas and other high reaches received the first major snowfall of the year today. The local MeT department has issued an orange warning of heavy snow and rains at isolated places for today and tomorrow.

Soldiers of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army recently stopped shepherds in Ladakh from grazing their cattle near the Line of Actual Control. The incident – which took place in Nyoma in eastern Ladakh, came to light after a purported video emerged on social media. Chushul councillor confirmed to The Indian Express that the incident took place on 2nd of January 2 and the “issue has been resolved since”.


This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.