eNews
Use social media as a tool for participative governance: Pranab Mukherjee
NEW DELHI: Social media will be used as a tool for participative governance, directly engaging people in policy making and administration and “fully realizing our softpower potential,” said President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday, 9 June.
He also acknowledged the fact that there is a need to integrate emerging technologies like social media into “external interchange, with particular emphasis on the country’s rich spiritual, cultural and philosophical heritage.” According to Mukherjee, the government will revive ‘Brand India’ riding on the strengths of 5T’s: Tradition, Talent, Tourism, Trade and Technology.
He added that e-governance brings empowerment, equity and efficiency and has the power to transform peoples’ lives.
In his first address to the joint sitting of the 16th Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, he said: “The backbone of my government’s new ways of working will be a Digital India. IT will be used to drive re-engineering of government processes to improve service delivery and programme implementation. We will strive to provide Wi-Fi zones in critical public areas in the next five years.”
He added: “My government will rollout broad band highway to reach every village and make all schools e-enabled in a phased manner. Technology will be used to prepare our children for a knowledge society. The National e-governance plan will be expanded to cover every government office from the centre to the Panchayat; to provide a wide variety of services to citizens.”
He noted: “Our rich cultural heritage is the very foundation on which rests the unity of our diverse nation. Indian languages are repositories of our rich literature, history, culture, art and other achievements. My government will launch a national mission ‘e-Bhasha’ that will develop digital vernacular content and disseminate our classic literature in different languages. My government will also provide the required resources for the maintenance and restoration of national heritage sites.”
FICCI president Siddharth Birla has welcomed the announcements relating to national e-governance plans and usage of social media for participative governance, as that “would help restore the credibility of institutions, improve investor confidence and reignite investment inflow in the country,” he said.
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
