The US department of homeland security has announced free flights and an exit bonus of USD 2,600 for illegal immigrants, including those from India, to return to their home countries. In a social media post promoting the move, the department used images of the Taj Mahal along with prominent landmarks from Colombia and China.. In a social media post promoting the move, the department used images of the Taj Mahal. (X/@DHSgov). The initiative, named Project Homecoming, began in May last year after the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term.. ALSO READ | Fact check: Was Jacob Elordi deported to Australia amid US visa issues? Debunking viral rumor. ‘Go home with a fresh start’. To promote its self-deportation plan aimed at illegal immigrants in the US, the department shared visuals featuring the Taj Mahal and major landmarks from Colombia and China.. “You can go home with a fresh start! Receive a FREE flight home and a USD 2,600 exit bonus when you use CBP Home to self-deport,” DHS said in a post on X.. The department has asked migrants to use the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) app to start the process. Through the app, they can register their intention to leave, provide their details, and get information about travel help and the financial support available under the scheme.. According to DHS, more than 2.2 million illegal immigrants have used the programme since it started in January 2025.. The cost of deportation. The cost of forcibly deporting one person currently stands at USD 18,245.. DHS said that offering a USD 2,600 payment reduces the cost of one voluntary departure through the CBP Home app to about USD 5,100, saving more than USD 13,000 per person for taxpayers.. The programme allows migrants to “return home as regular travellers without arrest, detention, or restraints. It’s a safe, orderly alternative that provides assistance and flexibility, not fear”, according to the website.. When the scheme was introduced in May last year, DHS offered a USD 1,000 exit payment. This was raised to USD 3,000 during December if migrants chose to leave before the new year.. The payment was later set at USD 2,600 in January this year.. Netizens react to DHS’ post. Social media users responded with sarcasm and memes to the department’s post on X. Some also criticised the use of public money for the scheme.. One user wrote, “Can US citizens get $2,600 instead?”, while another said, “What amazing use of taxpayer dollars”.. “Can you send me some cash for being a legal, employed, natural-born citizen who contributes to society?” a third user asked. Another wrote, “This is what happens when u let internet trolls run federal agencies.”. With inputs from agencies 

 The government announced new guidelines for airlines on Wednesday to improve passenger experience, stating that passengers with the same PNR on their tickets will be seated together, preferably in adjacent seats. (This is a representative image). In a significant relief for passengers, the government has also instructed all airlines to make at least 60 percent of seats on every flight available for booking without additional charges, ensuring equitable access. The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated in a press release that facilitating passengers remains its top priority. It highlighted that India has become the world’s third-largest domestic aviation market, with air travel growing more accessible to people. ALSO READ | DGCA allows Air India to extend pilots’ duty time amid West Asia crisis. In keeping with its commitment to passenger facilitation, “the Ministry has launched several passenger-focused initiatives to improve travel convenience, such as UDAN Yatri Cafés for affordable meals, Flybrary for free book access, and complimentary Wi-Fi at airports,” the statement added. Centre’s directives to airlines. Here is a complete list of instructions given to the airlines by the ministry via the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA): 1. No additional fee: At least 60% of seats on every flight must be provided free of charge to guarantee equitable access. 2. Passengers booked on the same PNR and traveling together will be seated together, ideally in adjacent seats. 

 Uttam Nagar in Delhi stays tense before Eid-ul-Fitr, days after a 30-year-old man’s death in community clashes, amid locals’ reports of threats from leaders and religious groups to celebrate ‘Khoon ki Holi’. Tensions in Uttam Nagar arise from the death of a 26-year-old man in a clash between two families from different communities during the Holi festival earlier this month (PTI). As Eid draws near amid issued threats, multiple Muslim families have indicated plans to vacate the area until conditions stabilize, according to a separate HT report. The first clashes erupted on March 4 after an 11-year-old girl threw a water balloon that struck a Muslim woman, sparking an argument. Tarun Kumar, aged 26, died from injuries sustained in the clashes four days later. Police have arrested 14 individuals and detained two minors so far in relation to the case involving the ‘Khoon ki holi’ threat. Jameel Ahmad, 55, owner of Miya Ji restaurant, told HT on Tuesday that his family has resided in Uttam Nagar for over 50 years and now fears paying the price for others’ mistakes. He portrayed the matter as an ongoing feud between two families, noting that certain leaders have threatened to stage ‘khoon ki Holi,’ signaling a bloodbath. “I have three children and seven grandchildren.” Everyone is afraid after hearing leaders threaten to play ‘khoon Ki Holi’. 

 A parliamentary panel has expressed concerns that candidates trained under the fourth edition of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) are not meeting the required competency standards, questioning their employability and the efficacy of training in the flagship skill development and entrepreneurship ministry scheme. A report on the ministry’s demand for grants was tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. (ANI) In its report on the ministry’s demand for grants presented in Parliament on Tuesday, the panel recommended an independent evaluation of the programme to determine if high dropout rates and assessment failures indicate deeper systemic problems, such as poor training quality, implementation gaps, or insufficient emphasis on employment outcomes. The ministry launched the first edition of PMKVY in 2016, followed by PMKVY 2.0 in 2016-21, PMKVY 3.0 in 2020-2022, and the ongoing PMKVY 4.0 in 2022-25. The ministry informed the 31-member Parliamentary standing committee on labour, textiles and skill development, led by BJP lawmaker Basavaraj Bommai, that over 635,000 of 3.34 million candidates dropped out before their assessment in the fourth edition of PMKVY. “…unless corrective measures are taken, the very purpose of the scheme would be defeated.” The Committee therefore recommended an independent assessment of the effectiveness of the training provided under the scheme. The committee stresses that it should be carried out without delay to determine whether dropouts from the training programme and assessment failures point to systemic issues, inadequate training quality, or insufficient emphasis on employment results,” the panel stated in its report. The panel raised concerns about the underuse of funds, observing that the ministry’s allocation has increased to ₹6,201 crore for 2026–27—a 62% jump from the prior year—yet actual spending continues to lag. For the 2025–26 period, against a revised estimate of ₹3,706 crore, approximately ₹1,700 crore (about 46%) had been spent by February 2026. The panel attributed this to “delayed approvals,” a “slow pace of implementation,” and poor coordination with states and industry. The report stated that the Skill India Programme—an umbrella initiative to expand institutional training and bolster the skilling ecosystem—and PM-SETU (Pradhan Mantri Skill, Employment and Entrepreneurship University initiative), which aims to establish a network of skill universities, were hampered by delayed approvals, resulting in “restricted expenditure” and a “bunching of spending in the last quarter.” The committee highlighted “negligible expenditure” under PM-SETU in 2025–26, as states did not finalize Strategic Investment Plans and industry partners were not onboarded on time. It noted a “poor response from states” to the Strengthening of Infrastructure for Institutional Training scheme, which aims to establish and upgrade Industrial Training Institutes, leading to underutilization of funds. The pa 

 Top US defence official Elbridge Colby is expected to visit India at the head of a US delegation towards the end of March to inject momentum into India-US defence relations after months of diplomatic tensions.. Elbridge Colby, under secretary of defense for policy. (Bloomberg). New Delhi and Washington will discuss speeding up pending defence acquisitions and consider reviving forums such as INDUS-X, which boosted ties between American and Indian defence companies, people familiar with the matter said, asking not to be named.. Colby, who serves as Undersecretary of War for Policy, is widely seen as one of the key figures behind the making of US defence policy in Trump’s second term. This will be his first visit to India and follows closely on the heels of visits by senior US military officials including Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo and US Space Command chief General Stephen Whiting. The visit is also significant as it is being planned at a time when the war in West Asia is raging, choking supply lines of key products such as crude oil, gas, and fertiliser for India and other Asian countries.. The visit comes as New Delhi and Washington continue efforts to restore bilateral ties after a prolonged period of tension caused by trade disagreements, the India-Pakistan conflict in May and India’s purchases of Russian energy. The conclusion of a framework agreement on trade in February has opened up room for a broader improvement in ties, although the agreement itself now needs to be renegotiated and finalised after the US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump tariffs were illegal.. But defence will the main focus of the visit. According to the people cited above, both sides will be looking for a political direction to emerge from the meetings that will set the course for the bilateral defence partnership. While the US delegation is expected to push for greater military sales, India will bat for more co-production and local manufacturing of defence equipment. The India-US defence partnership has continued to progress despite broader tensions that built up in the relationship over the course of 2025. In October, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a 10-year defence framework in an effort to further deepen bilateral security ties in the Indo-Pacific region. In November 2025, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of the Javelin anti-tank missile system and related equipment for an estimated cost of $45.7 million. It also approved a possible sale of Excalibur projectiles for an estimated cost of $47.1 million.. According to news reports, India will also consider procuring six additional P-8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft manufactured by US defence giant Boeing. The two sides will likely push forward efforts by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and America’s General Electric for the co-production of GE F414 jet engines in India.. Exploring collaborations in mutually