The 24th annual youth cultural competition, Medha Samvardhan 2026, began at Shri Jai Narain Mishra PG College on Friday. The programme featured songs and a dance performance on Ganesh Vandana and self-composed poetry recitation. Competitions included stall decoration, debate, painting, story writing, quiz, short film and documentary making, Indian traditional attire and matki decoration. Speaking on the occasion, regional director, higher education, Prof Ashwini Kumar Mishra, said that education should not be limited to acquiring knowledge but must also contribute to character building. He added that students must keep setting new goals, remain committed to human values and develop a spirit of service towards society.RSM hosp launches digital health servicesRam Sagar Mishra (RSM) Hospital, Bakshi Ka Talab, has launched digital healthcare services under the e-hospital project and Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission. Patients can now register for OPD consultations, access medical records, download lab reports, and make payments online. The hospital has installed 40 computers and introduced digital laboratory and pharmacy management, biometric attendance, and real-time bed monitoring. To ease congestion, OPD and pharmacy counters have been increased, with separate counters for senior citizens, public representatives, and journalists. CMS Dr VK Sharma said the system will reduce repeat visits and help doctors access patients’ treatment histories more efficiently.Aarambh-2026 begins at LUMore than 150 teams from Lucknow University’s two campuses and affiliated colleges will participate in the four-day sports competition ‘Aarambh-2026’, which began at the university’s second campus on Friday. “We want students from both campuses and affiliated colleges to participate and build a healthy sporting culture,” said LU athletic association general secretary Prof Ajay Arya. Competitions in cricket, badminton, volleyball, athletics, chess, carrom and tug of war will be held over four days.147 families allotted homes by LDAThe dream of owning a house came true for 147 families on the waiting list of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) on Friday as the LDA allotted homes through a lottery in Basant Kunj Sector-I. The draw was held at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in the presence of applicants, who themselves picked the lottery slips. LDA officials said allotment letters will be issued soon, and beneficiaries who deposit 25% of the house cost will receive possession as per the rules.Kailash Kunj to be revamped into TOD hubKailash Kunj, the 40-year-old LDA commercial complex near Bhootnath Market in Indira Nagar, is proposed to be redeveloped into a commercial and transit-oriented development (TOD) hub to improve connectivity and boost economic activity. The project was reviewed during a meeting and site inspection on Friday, which was attended by representatives of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), the govts of Gujarat and Maharashtra, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
