Live news updates: The Centre on Saturday said it has sufficient foodgrain stocks to meet the requirements under the food security law and other welfare schemes. The government is also regularly monitoring the prices of essential commodities. “Government of India has sufficient foodgrain stocks under central pool to meet the requirement of NFSA and its other welfare schemes as well as for additional allocation of PMGKAY,” an official statement said.

PM Modi will participate in the golden jubilee celebration of the North Eastern Council and attend its meeting in Shillong.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold nationwide protests on Saturday against the “derogatory” remarks made by Pakistani foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against Prime Minister Narendra Modi that sparked outrage across the country. “The protests will be held in all the state capitals across the country. BJP karyakartas will burn the effigy of Pakistan and Pakistani Foreign Minister and will strongly condemn the shameful statement of Pakistani Foreign Minister,” BJP said in a statement on Friday.

The GST Council in its meeting on Saturday is expected to decide on a number of issues like decriminalisation of offences under the GST law, setting up appellate tribunals and mechanism to curb tax evasion in pan masala and gutkha businesses.

Hitting back at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that India is ignoring the threat of war from China, the BJP on Friday said he is trying to spread confusion and demoralise soldiers and added it is not Jawaharlal Nehru’s India of 1962.