interagency initiative

A 2.2-km-long stretch, a toll plaza and an SPR project — all remain mired in paperwork

Gurgaon's crucial road projects are stalled for years due to indecision and coordination gaps, impacting daily commutes and the city's economic growth. Projects like the Hero Honda Chowk to Umang Bhardwaj Chowk stretch and the Kherki Daula toll plaza relocation exemplify these persistent delays, frustrating residents and hindering progress.

The exercise is being carried out in coordination with the DTCP and is aimed at restoring access, safety and the planned use of public infrastructure

The Departments of Education and Labor have launched FY2026 K-12 grant competitions for Teacher and School Leader Incentive and Innovative Approaches to Literacy programs. This initiative signals a policy shift towards aligning education with workforce demands, improving student outcomes, and strengthening educator effectiveness through merit-based practices and state-led decision-making.

The US Department of Education is transferring its student loan portfolio, starting with $180 billion in defaulted loans, to the Department of the Treasury. This move is part of an administration effort to reduce the Education Department's role, with Treasury eventually assuming responsibility for all federal student loans. Borrowers will not experience changes during the transition.

The US trade representative's office has launched Section 301 investigations into 60 economies, including India, for failing to address forced labor in imports. This move follows a Supreme Court ruling and aims to determine if foreign governments are sufficiently prohibiting goods made with forced labor, impacting US workers and businesses. New tariffs on several countries are possible by summer.

The US government has initiated a stringent interagency effort to combat visa fraud and illegal immigration, potentially imposing permanent entry bans for offenders. The US Embassy in India issued a warning, highlighting that foreign governments facilitating illegal migration to the US could also face visa restrictions.

The U.S. Education Department is partnering with the State Department and Health and Human Services. These collaborations aim to reduce federal bureaucracy and improve education programs. The State Department partnership will enhance transparency of foreign gifts to universities. The Health and Human Services partnership will bolster school safety and family engagement.

The income-tax (I-T) department in the state has become part of Project Insight, a national initiative to connect various agencies and entities

Chennai's new mobility plan prioritizes institutional reform with the operationalization of Cumta, a coordinating body for transport decisions. This shift from fragmented planning to a formally instituted process, supported by extensive data and public participation, aims to align implementation and improve urban mobility outcomes across the metropolitan region.

In a joint statement, the Pentagon, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and CBP confirmed that the military used a "counter-unmanned aircraft system ... to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace." The agencies added that the episode "took place far away from populated areas and there were no commercial aircraft in the vicinity.

India's unusual tough stand on the arrest of its diplomat Devyani Khobragade has forced the US to initiate an "inter-agency review" to look into the lapses that happened in the high-profile case that triggered an uproar in India and strained bilateral ties.

Two side events will take place on day one of the first Agriculture Deputies Meeting (ADM) on Monday to discuss climate smart agriculture and stock taking initiatives. Delegates and experts from various international organisations will give presentations and discuss measures on the priority areas of the G20 summit.