DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:18:32 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-middle-east-envoy-calls-for-resumption-of-israel-hamas-talks-544125.html United Nations May 21 UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland has called for the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Hamas I urge the parties to redouble all efforts and return to the negotiating table immediately and in good faith Wennesland told the UN Security Council on MondayIf talks do not resume I fear for the worst for the beleaguered and terrified civilians in Rafah for the hostages held in unimaginable conditions for more than 225 days and for an overstretched humanitarian operation that remains on the brink inside the Gaza Strip he said as quoted by Xinhua news agency reportJust two weeks ago negotiations were taking place in Cairo with the support of Egypt Qatar and the US However those talks ended on May 9 without agreement he notedRegrettably we face yet another precipice of further catastrophe in Gaza amid stalled talks between the parties to secure the release of all hostages held in Gaza and a ceasefire to provide muchneeded relief to the civilian population he saidWennesland reiterated the United Nations full support to the mediators and its willingness to support the implementation of a deal between Israel and HamasSince the first week of May the security situation in Rafah has been rapidly worsening as the Israeli military operations and maneuvers in and around Rafah intensified he saidUN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres alongside numerous international partners and concerned neighbours has voiced serious objection to a military operation in Rafah amid clear indications of its devastating consequences for the civilian population he addedSaving lives and addressing the critical needs in Rafah and Gaza more broadly must remain our immediate priority I reiterate the SecretaryGenerals call for a humanitarian ceasefire Wennesland saidAt the same time we must not lose sight of the risks that these immediate threats pose to prospects for a resolution to this conflict and for longerterm peace and stability in the regionHe voiced concern that the failure to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and a largescale military operation in Rafah exacerbates the risk of escalating regional tensions He reiterated that there can be no longterm solution in Gaza that is not fundamentally politicalThe devastation and misery of the past seven months have reinforced a simple truthPalestinians and Israelis can no longer wait to establish a viable political horizon to end the conflict and establish a twostate solution he saidDay after day we are witnessing the deadly consequences of inaction Now is the time to lay the foundations for a better future for Palestinians Israelis and the broader region IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-middle-east-envoy-calls-for-resumption-of-israel-hamas-talks-544125.html Tue, 21 May 2024 05:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/178-yr-old-practice-of-distributing-fish-prasadam-in-hyderabad-to-be-on-june-8-9-543971.html Hyderabad May 20 Bathini family will distribute fish prasadam to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory ailments here on June 89 The family announced on Monday that the annual event will begin at 11 am on June 8 at Exhibitions Grounds Nampally and will continue till 11 am on June 9 Bathini Vishwanatham Goud president Bathini Mrigasira Trust told media persons that they are making all arrangements for the distribution of fish prasadamAsthma patients from various parts of Telugu states and other places in the country take this prasadam in June every year in the hope of finding relief from respiratory problemsThe family requested concerned government departments to make arrangements like every year for the smooth conduct of the eventThis will be the first event after the death of the head of the family Bathini Harinath Goud He passed away at the age of 84 in June last year following prolonged illnessHe was the last of the fourthgeneration Gouds distributing free fish medicine to asthma patients from across the countryHarinath Goud was instrumental in organising the event for the last three decades after the demise of his elder brothersThe Bathini Goud family claims to have been distributing this medicine free of cost for the last 178 years The secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestor in 1845 by a saint after he took an oath that it would be administered free of costMembers of the Bathini Goud family administer the wonder drug on Mrigasira Karti during the first week of June which heralds the onset of the monsoonA yellow colour herbal paste prepared by the family is placed in the mouth of a live murrel fingerling which is then slipped through the throat of the patient It is believed to provide muchneeded relief if taken for three consecutive years For vegetarians the family gives medicine with jaggeryAsthma patients from various parts of the country flock to Hyderabad to take this treatment However the medicine lost its popularity during the last 15 years due to controversies pertaining to the contents of herbal pasteSome groups working to inculcate scientific temper among people termed the fish medicine a fraud They also approached the court claiming that since the herbal paste contains heavy metals it can cause serious health problemsHowever Goud family claims that the tests in laboratories conducted as per court orders revealed that the herbal paste is safeAfter the challenge by the rationalists the family started calling it fish prasadamDespite the controversies people continue to throng the venue every year in hope of finding some relief to their nagging respiratory problems However the numbers have dwindled over the years IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/178-yr-old-practice-of-distributing-fish-prasadam-in-hyderabad-to-be-on-june-8-9-543971.html Mon, 20 May 2024 15:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/think-before-casting-vote-ktr-tells-voters-in-mlc-by-election-543767.html Hyderabad May 19 Bharat Rashtra Samithi BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Sunday urged voters of MLC graduates constituency to think before casting their votes He addressed two meetings at Bhongir and Aler as part of the partys campaign for election of Member of Legislative Council MLC from WarangalKhammamNalgonda Graduates constituencyThe byelection is scheduled to be held on May 27Rama Rao slammed both the Congress and BJP for not fulfilling their promisesHe said while Congress has backtracked on promises made in Assembly elections the BJP government at the Centre has done nothing for Telangana in last 10 yearsHe appealed to voters to apply their minds before choosing their candidateHe asked voters to see not just parties but also the qualities of candidatesThe BRS leader said his party has fielded a highly educated candidate Rakesh ReddyAn alumnus of BITS Pilani he had an opportunity to earn crores in the US but he came back to serve people said KTR as Rama Rao is popularly knownYou have a highly educated candidate from BRS and a blackmailer from Congress he said referring to Chintapandu Naveen also known as Teenmaar MalannaKTR said the Congress indulged in blackmailing activities in the garb of journalism but BRS did not pay attentionThere are 46 lakh voters in the constituency spread over 34 Assembly seats in erstwhile districts of Warangal Khammam and NalgondaThere are 52 candidates in the fray but it will be mainly a triangular contest among Congress BRS and BJP candidatesKTR said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made many promises during the last 10 years but failed to fulfill themWhenever asked what he has done he is saying he has built temple He had nothing else to say If building a temple is a criteria has KCR not built Yadadri temple he askedNot just temple We also built projects and reservoirs which are called modern temples said KTR son of BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar RaoKTR said BRS did a lot in 10 years but in the recent Assembly elections it suffered defeatHe attributed the loss to partys failure to take to people the good works done and also the party unintentionally distancing from few sectionsOur rivals also ran a misinformation campaign against us through media and social media he saidKTR said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had promised that farm loans will be waived on December 9 but even after five months this promise has not been fulfilledHe asked voters they will get cheated againIf we are cheated once its the fault of those who cheated but if we get cheated for second time it will be our mistake he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/think-before-casting-vote-ktr-tells-voters-in-mlc-by-election-543767.html Sun, 19 May 2024 21:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-universitys-political-nursery-in-full-bloom-in-2024-ls-polls-543655.html Lucknow May 19 The yield from Lucknow Universitys LU political nursery is in full bloom in the ongoing 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav had first referred to the student union in the LU as a political nursery and his words have proved propheticToday the maximum number of leaders participating in elections as campaigners motivators or contestants belong to the Lucknow University Students Union LUSUThe list begins with Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami who is a former Lucknow University student He was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad ABVP at the university and was also the president of LUs ABVP unitEven though he has made it big in politics he still remembers his friends from LU and meets them whenever he comes to Lucknow He is one of the star campaigners for the BJP in Uttar PradeshFormer Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat is also an exLU student but he has not campaigned in Uttar Pradesh this time mainly due to his health issues Rawat did his BA and LLB from the university in the 1970sUttar Pradeshs Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak is another LU alumni who has made a mark for himself in state politicsPathak first served as a law minister in the first term of the Yogi government and later became one of two deputy chief ministers of Uttar PradeshPathak joined the BJP in 2017 after quitting the Bahujan Samaj Party BSP Following the 2017 polls in which the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh he became an MLA from Lucknows central seatKnown as a prominent Brahmin leader Pathak is the partys star campaigner in the ongoing general electionSamajwadi Party Lok Sabha candidate from Lucknow Ravidas Mehrotra was an active student leader of LU He was elected LUSU general secretary in 1978Atul Kumar Anjaan national secretary of the Communist Party of India and general secretary of All India Kisan Sabha also graduated from LU student politics Anjaan passed away recently after a prolonged battle with cancerAnjaan won the post of president of Lucknow University Students Union in 1978 A gifted orator in half a dozen languages Anjaan was one of the main leaders of the policePAC revolt of Uttar Pradesh He even spent four years and nine months in jail during his political journeyRakesh Singh Rana was LUSU general secretary in 1988 and was elected LUSU president in 199293 He is a former SP MLAAnother former LUSU president 1988 Santosh Singh is a BJP MLCArvind Kumar Singh Gope who was elected LUSU president in 199394 was a minister in SP rule Similarly Gopal Rai a minister in the Delhi government also graduated from LU student politics in mid mid1990sThe two mafiaturnedpoliticians have also graduated from LUs student politics Dhananjay Singh and Abhay SinghDhananjay Singh is a former student leader who was elected MLA twice from Malhani constituency in Jaunpur as an independent He also won the 2009 Lok Sabha polls from Jaunpur on a BSP ticketSP MLA from Gosainganj in Faizabad Abhay Singh is a former LU student leader who has now crossed over to the BJPState Transport Minister Daya Shankar Singh has been a LUSU general secretary and president in the pastLikewise former LUSU vice president Arvind Kumar Singh was its elected president in 199596 He is an SP MLC and a former Rajya Sabha MPShailesh Singh Shailu former LUSU president in 200203 had contested the Assembly election on a BSP ticket from Lucknow He is contesting the byelection from the Gainsari seat on a BJP ticketFormer SP MLC Anand Bhadauria also graduated from LU student politics Pawan Pandey Tej Narain Pandey was elected LUSU vice president in 2004 and was a Minister of State during the SP rule in 2012Bajrangi Singh Bajju was elected LUSU president in 200506 He is now a secretary of Bharatiya Janata Partys Gorakhpur KshetraFormer LUSU general secretary Ram Singh Rana 2004 and former LUSU president Rajpal Kashyap 2004 were given minister rank as they were appointed chairman of commissionsUP minority welfare minister Danish Ansari was also into LU student politics and worked as an ABVP worker thereSince 2005 no student union elections have been held at Lucknow UniversityIn 2006 the thenLU administration had decided to hold the polls as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Commission This was opposed and the matter went to court after some student leaders protested the age restrictions IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-universitys-political-nursery-in-full-bloom-in-2024-ls-polls-543655.html Sun, 19 May 2024 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/drugs-valued-at-rs-7-88776-cr-seized-2-943-held-in-7-years-in-manipur-official-543520.html Imphal May 18 Various law enforcing agencies have seized various drugs worth Rs 788776 crore and arrested 2943 people during the last seven years in Manipur an official said on Saturday citing a document According to the document since 2017 a total of 2351 cases in connection with the drugs smuggling and illegal trading of various drugs have been registered under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances NDPS Act 1985 and other lawsSudden spikes in seizure of the staggering quantity of drugs trafficked from Myanmar in Mizoram since 2023 have been witnessed following the ethnic unrest in Manipur the official paper saidAccording to the official document around 16161 acres of poppy cultivation in the KukiZo communitydominated areas in the districts of Churachandpur and Kangpokpi were destroyed under the War on Drugs campaign of the Manipur governmentThe poppy has been used to manufacture various drugs There has been continuous threat to the states heterogeneous population and demography due to the constant upsurge in the number of illegal migrantsThere was a massive influx of illegal immigrants from Myanmar into Manipur particularly in the years 1988 and 1962No measures were undertaken to collect their biometric data or identities They were freely allowed to continuously encroach and settle upon the Protected Forest areas of Manipur the official document saidThe demographic changes taking place by the influx of immigrants and the adverse outcomes which have been taking place for years even before the measure for identification was launched Even before the state government started the drive to identify and collect the biometric data of the immigrants as many as 996 new villages had already mushroomed in Manipur as a result of years of illegal immigration which went unchecked and undetectedSince the military took over the administration in Myanmar in February 2021 at least 8000 Myanmarese have taken shelter in Manipurs Tengnoupal Chandel Churachandpur and Kamjong districts and the Manipur government has already recorded the biometric details of the majority of the refugeesThese fresh arrivals of illegal immigrants into Manipur following the Military coup in Myanmar are just a tip of the iceberg the official document notedManipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and leaders of other civil society organisations have often claimed that smuggling of drugs from Myanmar illegitimate poppy cultivation and illegal immigration of people in Manipur from across the border are associated with the ethnic unrest and violence that broke out in Manipur since May 3 2023Biren Singh has said that 877 sq km of forest cover in the northeastern state were destroyed in 34 years 19872021 primarily for the illegal cultivation of poppyThe eviction of unauthorised encroachers has been carried out ever since the BJP government led by Singh came to power in Manipur in 2017 and 291 encroachers were evicted from the Reserve Forest and Protected Forest throughout the stateThe eviction drive was never targeted towards any particular community the Chief Minister pointed out IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/drugs-valued-at-rs-7-88776-cr-seized-2-943-held-in-7-years-in-manipur-official-543520.html Sat, 18 May 2024 21:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/is-cm-vijayan-cutting-short-foreign-trip-to-tackle-keralas-impending-financial-crisis-542994.html Thiruvananthapuram May 17 Amid a looming major financial crisis in Kerala and state Finance Minister KN Balagopal falling ill Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has cut short his private threenation trip and is scheduled to return next week CM Vijayan was originally expected to return on May 22 but now he is likely to arrive on May 19 from Dubai which was his last leg of the threenation private visit He left Kerala on May 6The challenge before CM Vijayan and his cashstrapped government is the mass retirement of more than 13000 state government employees on May 31 which entails a massive payout to retirees The amount is approximately over Rs 8500 croreThe way out for the Vijayan government is to either turn to the Centre or immediately increase the retirement age of state government employees from the present 56 years upwardsBut for the Vijayan government increasing the retirement age could invite the wrath of the youth wings across all political partiesThe Vijayan government has a few proposals to tide over the financial crisis temporarily It includes increasing the retirement age to 58 years or deferring paying the retirement benefits and when given paying the interest for it said a sourceHowever it remains to be seen if CM Vijayan will take the gamble of extending the retirement ageOf late the vacancies in many colleges have become an issue in the state Several colleges including engineering colleges have seen a huge exodus of students to foreign universities as jobs available in the state government are only a handful More than four million educated unemployed youth are waiting for jobs in the stateThe coming days are going to be crucial for the Vijayan government and With the Finance Minister still recovering from a medical emergency CM Vijayan will have to take extra caution while making the crucial decision IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/is-cm-vijayan-cutting-short-foreign-trip-to-tackle-keralas-impending-financial-crisis-542994.html Fri, 17 May 2024 12:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-miffed-with-tn-congress-chiefs-party-was-cheated-for-57-years-remark-542925.html Chennai May 16 Tamil Nadu Congress President K Selvaperunthagais remark that the party has been cheated for the past 57 years might trigger a row in among the INDIA bloc constituents in the southern state Addressing an election rally in Dharmpuri on Wednesday night Selvaperunthagai also asked how long the Congress will have to seek alms for seats from another party adding that it was high time the Congress stopped the betrayal meted out to the party since 1967 From asking for seats during elections the Congress party should grow to the stature of allocating constituencies to its alliance partners We waited patiently for the last 57 years and now the party cadres should work hard to realise the dream of Kamaraj rule in Tamil Nadu Selvaperunthagai saidHe added How long can we seek alms for seats from another party Rahul Gandhi was worried about the partys current scenario when he visited the state Once the Congress used to allocate seats to other parties and the same should happen again in Tamil NaduSelvaperunthagais speech can create problems in the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu in which both the DMK and the Congress are allies While senior leaders of the DMK refrained from responding in public in private they said the statements of Selvaperunthagai made from a public platform were quite unacceptableA senior DMK leader told IANS on condition of anonymity I dont know in what context the TNCC President made such a statement The ground reality is the Congress is not even entitled to the nine seats the DMK allocated the party for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls DMK the largest political party in Tamil Nadu contested only 22 seats so this statement of the Congress leader is not fair If the Congress is not growing among the public it is for them to do introspection rather than making such public statements When contacted several senior leaders of the DMK said that while party President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin is unlikely to comment on Selvaperunthagais remarks he would communicate the matter to the Congress high commandSome secondrung leaders of the DMK told IANS that the Congress did not even have booth committees in most of the Lok Sabha seats they contested in the state and it was the DMK cadres who worked for the party candidates at the grassroots level so such public statements from the state Congress chief were quite unacceptableIn February 1967 the DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu for the first time after the party led by iconic Dravidian leader CN Annadurai trounced the ruling Congress led by M Bhaktavalsam The Congress has not formed a government in Tamil Nadu since then IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-miffed-with-tn-congress-chiefs-party-was-cheated-for-57-years-remark-542925.html Fri, 17 May 2024 01:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/no-fee-hike-in-private-schools-for-three-years-rajasthan-education-dept-issues-new-guidelines-542554.html Jaipur May 15 Private schools in Rajasthan cant increase fee for three academic years say new guidelines issued by the states education department The Rajasthan education department has also allowed parents to buy uniforms and books from the market apart from the schoolA committee of parentsteachers should be formed to finalise fee structure in private schools This committee will fix the fee amount The name address mobile number of all the members of this fee committee will have to be updated on the private schools portal say the guidelinesThe 10point guidelines further say that it would be illegal to charge more than the fee approved by the committee Action may be taken against such schools under the Fees Act and the extra fees collected from parents may have to be returnedThe education department has stressed that there should be 100 per cent compliance with its norms for the sale of study materials and uniforms and also with the rules made for speciallyabled and female studentsThe education department has also asked private schools to organise parentteacher meetings where student and school management related problems should be discussedIt will be mandatory to provide this information to the District Education Officer and paste the guidelines on school notice boards and upload them on their websitesAlong with prompt hearing of complaints of mental and physical harassment of students action should be taken against the culprits as soon as possiblePrivate schools affiliated with the Board of Secondary Education Rajasthan CBSE CISCE CAIE etc should select books for the academic session by following the normsIt is mandatory to upload information ie name of the author price of the book etc on the notice boards and websites of schools a month before the start of the academic session so that parents can buy them from the market also the education department said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/no-fee-hike-in-private-schools-for-three-years-rajasthan-education-dept-issues-new-guidelines-542554.html Wed, 15 May 2024 19:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/rajasthan-dgp-vows-strict-action-against-cops-in-uniform-uploading-videos-on-non-police-issues-542302.html Jaipur May 14 Strict action will be taken against policemen in uniform who upload videos reels or stories etc on nonpolicing issues on various social media platforms Rajasthan police chief UR Sahu said on Tuesday Director General of Police DGP Sahu said that it is against police rules for cops to post or upload their videos reels etc in uniform on social media which have no connection with police work Such acts have an adverse effect on the dignity and image of the department he saidAccordingly the DGP has directed all the SPs and other senior police officers in the state to ensure that a policeman in uniform doesnt post any video reel etc that has nothing to do with police work on social media The police uniform is a symbol of our commitment dedication and accountability towards the public We should take utmost care and seriousness while wearing it Broadcasting inappropriate content in uniform is not only a sign of indiscipline but also undermines the trust of the public the DGP said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/rajasthan-dgp-vows-strict-action-against-cops-in-uniform-uploading-videos-on-non-police-issues-542302.html Wed, 15 May 2024 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sc-summons-uttarakhand-chief-secretary-on-may-17-over-forest-fires-542587.html New Delhi May 15 The Supreme Court on Wednesday summoned the Uttarakhand Chief Secretary in person on May 17 over the alarming rise of forest fires in the state A bench headed by Justice BR Gavai came down heavily on the state government for underutilisation of available funds to tackle the issueExpressing displeasure on the number of vacant positions in the Forest Department the bench also comprising Justices SVN Bhatti and Sandeep Mehta remarked that the workforce is not available to control forest fires and sought to know the timeline to fill the existing vacancies in the departmentIt noted that the Election Commission of India has already exempted forest staff and vehicles from election and allied purposes in UttarakhandDuring the hearing the apex court also expressed concern at the nonpayment of salaries of contractual staff in the Forest DepartmentThe matter will be taken up for further hearing on May 17 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sc-summons-uttarakhand-chief-secretary-on-may-17-over-forest-fires-542587.html Wed, 15 May 2024 22:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jd-s-mla-revanna-granted-conditional-bail-asked-to-surrender-passport-appear-before-io-every-2nd-sunday-541996.html Bengaluru May 13 A special court in Bengaluru on Monday granted bail to JDS MLA HD Revanna in connection with the alleged kidnapping of a victim in a sex video scandal involving his son and party MP Prajwal Revanna MPMLA cases court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat imposed several conditions on Revanna who has been directed to appear before the investigating officer every second Sunday and mark his attendance between 9 am and 5 pm for a period of 6 months or till the filing of the charge sheet whichever is earlierThe court asked Revanna to execute a personal bond for Rs 5 lakh with two sureties and directed that the petitioner shall not threaten and tamper with the prosecution witnesses or the complainant and victimHe has also been told not to evade the Investigation and shall appear before the investigating officer whenever called by him for the purpose of investigation He will hand in his passport to the court and not leave the state without obtaining written permission from the court the judge statedRevanna has also been directed not to enter KR Nagar taluk or the permanent place of residence of the victim directly or indirectly till further ordersSenior counsel Jayna Kothari and Ashok Naik argued for the prosecution while senior counsel CV Nagesh appeared for RevannaSenior advocate Srinivas briefing the media after the court order argued that the court found that Revanna had not committed any crime and decided that bail could be granted to himI want to convey to the state and the nation that it has come to the notice of the court that the kidnap case lodged against HD Revanna was a political conspiracy and hence the bail petition was upheld by the court he claimedHe said that they had argued that the victim in this case was not kidnapped and found near a vegetable market and have videos of this The court maintained that at this stage it wont consider the matter he addedHowever the court considering the lapses in the FIR against Revanna granted him bail he claimedRevanna will be released from the Bengaluru Central Prison on Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jd-s-mla-revanna-granted-conditional-bail-asked-to-surrender-passport-appear-before-io-every-2nd-sunday-541996.html Tue, 14 May 2024 00:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/this-young-widows-family-is-set-to-sue-ai-express-over-the-strike-542082.html Thiruvananthapuram May 14 The Air India Express cabin crew strike last week has left a young woman called Amritha in tears forever as she failed to be by her ailing husbands side in his final moments in Muscat Amrithas family has decided to take legal steps against the airlineAmritha who was seen wailing on May 8 when she and her mother reached the airport in Keralas capital to fly to Muscat was told that due to the strike of Air India Express cabin crew flights have been cancelledShe then broke into tears and said that her young husband has suffered a cardiac arrest in Muscat and she had to urgently be with him but the airport authorities said they were helplessHer repeated attempts to fly to Muscat failed and breaking into tears at her home in Thiruvananthapuram she has now turned silent after being told her husband has passed awayHer husband 39yearold N Rajesh was working in the administration department of a school in Muscat On May 7 he suffered a cardiac arrest and was hospitalised thereAmrithas mother on Tuesday said We did our best to be with himAll our attempts to reach Muscat failed due to the flash strike of the staff of the airline We decided to go immediately as after he suffered the cardiac arrest he told bystanders that he wished to see his wife We knocked on all the doors at the airport but nothing happened said Amrithas mother unable to control her tearsMeanwhile the family of Rajesh has decided to sue the airline for the flash strikeThe airline has to give us an answer Had his wife reached there his life could have been saved We want an answer said his motherAmritha has two young kids Rajeshs body is expected to arrive later in the day IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/this-young-widows-family-is-set-to-sue-ai-express-over-the-strike-542082.html Tue, 14 May 2024 12:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/7-000-more-police-personnel-required-for-effective-policing-in-kerala-542176.html Thiruvananthapuram May 14 There is a shortage of nearly 7000 police professionals in Kerala according to the Administrative Reforms Commission report At present Keralas police force has a strength of 53222 which means one policeman for 656 peopleEven though this report came out a few years back fresh recruitment based on the report is yet to be taken upIncidentally the National Crime Records Bureau report has pointed out that in 2022 in Kerala there were 25858 criminal cases registered and one reason why the probe into cases gets delayed is because of the lack of the desired number of police officialsHowever over the years the standard reply given by the authorities with regard to the cases getting registered is that unlike many other states in Kerala due to the increased social awareness the tendency to register cases is highVery recently those whose names appeared in the selection list prepared by the Kerala State Public Service Commission to the Kerala Police had staged a protest before the state Secretariat demanding the Pinarayi Vijayan government to either start recruiting from the list of qualified candidates or extend the date of the list but it failed to happen IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/7-000-more-police-personnel-required-for-effective-policing-in-kerala-542176.html Tue, 14 May 2024 16:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/at-matua-stronghold-bangaon-amit-shah-accuses-mamata-banerjee-of-spreading-falsehood-on-caa-542203.html Kolkata May 14 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of spreading falsehood on the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA Addressing an election rally in the Matuadominated Bangaon Lok Sabha constituency in support of BJP nominee and sitting MP Shantanu Thakur the Home Minister said Mamata Banerjee is misleading the people by saying that applying for CAA will attract trouble I want to assure all of you that no one will be in trouble You will get citizenship and stay in the country with dignity No power in the world can stop Hindu Sikh and Jain refugees from becoming citizens of the countryTo recall on March 11 the Centre notified the Citizenship Amendment Rules 2024 thus paving the way for enforcing the Citizenship Amendment Act CAA which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus Sikhs Jains Buddhists Parsis and Christians who came to India from Bangladesh Pakistan and Afghanistan before December 31 2014The news triggered celebrations among the members of the Matua community a backwardclass Hindu group that came to West Bengal as refugees from neighbouring Bangladesh with a large section settling down in the Bangaon regionHe also said that on one hand the Chief Minister and the Trinamool Congress are trying to make infiltrators the citizens of the country while on the other they are opposing the CAA through which people from the Matua community will be granted citizenshipI want to remind Mamata Banerjee that grating citizenship is within the authority of the Union government and the state government he saidAmit Shah also attacked Chief Minister Banerjee for not attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya despite being invited Despite being invited she did not attend the inauguration ceremony to appease her dedicated vote bank The world knows who constitutes Trinamools vote bank Remember you are not part of their vote bank Infiltrators constitute their vote bank Amit Shah said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/at-matua-stronghold-bangaon-amit-shah-accuses-mamata-banerjee-of-spreading-falsehood-on-caa-542203.html Tue, 14 May 2024 17:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tamil-nadu-registers-9847-pass-percentage-in-cbse-class-12-exams-541831.html Chennai May 13 Tamil Nadu has registered a 9847 pass percentage in the Class 12 examinations conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education CBSE The national pass percentage is 8798 Chennai region stood third in the country in the examinations after Trivandrum and Vijayawada regionsThe CBSE class 12 exams began on February 15 and concluded on April 2The supplementary exams for students who failed will be conducted from July 15In the class 10 exams Tamil Nadu registered a 993 per cent pass rate a slight increase from last years 9914 per centThe national pass percentage for class 10 results stands at 936 per centThe class 10 exams commenced on February 15 and concluded on March 13 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tamil-nadu-registers-9847-pass-percentage-in-cbse-class-12-exams-541831.html Mon, 13 May 2024 15:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-preneet-kaur-to-file-for-nomination-for-patiala-seat-on-monday-541653.html Chandigarh May 12 Bharatiya Janata Party BJP candidate from Patiala Lok Sabha seat former Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur will file her nomination for the Parliamentary constituency on Monday A singlephase polling will be held in all 13 Parliamentary seats in Punjab including Patiala in the last phase of Lok Sabha polls on June 1While filing nomination Preneet Kaur will be accompanied by Punjab unit BJP president Sunil Jakhar and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa SarmaThereafter Jakhar will accompany Arvind Khanna a BJP candidate from Sangrur to file his nomination for the pollAnita Som Parkash BJP nominee from Hoshiarpur will also be filing her nomination papers on Monday in the presence of Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Union Minister Gajendra Singh ShekhawatUnion Minister Hardeep Singh Puri will join Rana Gurmeet Sodhi BJPs Ferozepur candidate to file his nomination on MondayUnion Minister Meenakshi Lekhi and Deputy Rajasthan Chief Minister Prem Chand Bairwa will accompany Geja Ram Valmiki the BJPs Fatehgarh Sahib candidate on Monday to file the nomination papers IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-preneet-kaur-to-file-for-nomination-for-patiala-seat-on-monday-541653.html Mon, 13 May 2024 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/four-manipur-police-personnel-abducted-and-assaulted-two-accused-held-541656.html Imphal May 12 Manipur Police on Sunday arrested two persons belonging to radical Meitei outfit Arambai Tenggol for kidnapping and assaulting four police personnel posted at tribaldominated Kangpokpi Police station officials said Police said that the four policemen were abducted along National Highway2 at Koirengei in Imphal East district on Saturday night while they were en route from Imphal to KangpokpiA police official in Imphal said that Taibanganba Sanoujam 25 and Moirangthem Bobo 40 were arrested on Sunday and search operations are continuing to rescue the abducted policemen and to arrest the other accused involved in the incidentThe kidnapped police personnel were identified as Ram Bahadur Karki Ramesh Budhathoki Manoj Khatiwoda and Md Taj KhanThe Committee on Tribal Unity CoTU a leading tribal organisation observed a 24hour total shutdown in the entire Kangpokpi district on Sunday to express their resentment over the abduction and brutal assault of the four police personnel The total shutdown continued till midnight SundayCoTU Media Cell Coordinator Ng Lun Kipgen said that police personnel from the Kangpokpi Police were brutally assaulted at KoirengeiOn May 9 Manipur Police with the support of local people rescued CRPF Assistant SubInspector Lensat Sitlhou hours after he was abducted from Imphal West district by armed men The ASI was also reportedly assaulted by his abductors IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/four-manipur-police-personnel-abducted-and-assaulted-two-accused-held-541656.html Mon, 13 May 2024 00:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-4-000-people-evacuated-in-ukraines-kharkiv-region-541669.html Kiev May 13 More than 4000 people have been evacuated in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region since Russia launched the latest round of missile attacks three days ago Regional Governor Oleg Synegubov said Among them 2097 people from the Kharkiv district 1377 from the Chuguev district 29 from the Bogoduhiv district and 570 others have been evacuated Synegubov wrote on social media Telegram on SundayThe Ukrainian authorities have provided temporary accommodation as well as humanitarian medical psychological and legal assistance to the evacuees the Governor said as quoted by Xinhua news agency reportIn the past 24 hours Russia struck 27 settlements in the Kharkiv region with artillery and mortars killing three people while the Ukrainian military repelled 31 attacks he addedOn Friday the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said battles were underway in the Kharkiv region after Russia launched a fresh offensive IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-4-000-people-evacuated-in-ukraines-kharkiv-region-541669.html Mon, 13 May 2024 03:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jaipur-airport-receives-bomb-threat-again-541635.html Jaipur May 12 Jaipur International Airport witnessed chaos on Sunday after a bomb threat was received through an email threatening to blow up the airport However nothing concrete was found after the CISF conducted a thorough search operation at the airportThe email said A bomb has been planted in the building save the lives of innocent people Following the threat alert security personnel police bomb disposal squad and dog squad conducted a thorough search of the airport while the vigilance team tried to reach the person who sent the emailSHO Airport Motilal Sharma told IANS that a threatening mail was received on the official email ID of CISF on Sunday at around 315 pm Security agencies were alerted after receiving information about a bomb at the airport The police along with airport security personnel started the search operation The bomb disposal squad and dog squad investigated the entire airport complex and its surroundings Till now no suspicious thing has been found in the airport premises SHO Sharma saidHe said that the investigation teams are trying to figure out the source from where the mail was sent A case has been registered and we are making a thorough probe he saidInterestingly a bomb threat email was sent to 12 airports across the country including Jaipur International Airport Explosive devices have been installed in the buildings of Jaipur Delhi Ahmedabad Guwahati Jammu Lucknow Patna Agartala Aurangabad Bagdhugra Bhopal and Calicut airports There will be a blast in a few hours Do not consider this mail as a threat Defuse the bomb otherwise many innocent people will die read the emailThis is the fifth time in the last six months that Jaipur Airport has received a bomb threat Talking about these threats SHO Airport Motilal Sharma said that police have arrested a few accused on charges of sending a bomb threat to Jaipur airport An accused was arrested from Andhra Pradesh and another from Bengaluru However they werent the serious offenders One amongst them was a student in depression while the other said that he learned from YouTube how to create panic Both are behind bars and further investigations are on he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jaipur-airport-receives-bomb-threat-again-541635.html Sun, 12 May 2024 21:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jampk-pc-decries-ecs-notice-about-song-shared-by-its-chief-541273.html Srinagar May 11 Jammu and Kashmirbased party Peoples Conference PC on Saturday expressed its concern over the recent notice served by the Election Commission EC targeting a song shared by PC President Sajad Lone on X The video in question is not an official song of the party but rather a creation by Kashmiri youth It embodies heartfelt sentiments of the Kashmiri people vividly portraying the enduring pain and suffering experienced in the region over decades We firmly believe that sharing such a song which reflects the painful history of the region should not be seen as a violation of electoral norms stated PC Spokesperson Adnan Ashraf MirHe further urged the EC to apply the rules uniformly and desist from selective scrutiny and that fairness and equality are indispensable in preserving the integrity of the electoral processIt is disconcerting to observe a pattern where the Election Commission singles out our party for scrutiny while displaying leniency towards others We firmly assert that mistakes of the past such as those in 1987 characterised by biased approaches of the administration should not be repeated A level playing field must be extended to all political entities without prejudice he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jampk-pc-decries-ecs-notice-about-song-shared-by-its-chief-541273.html Sat, 11 May 2024 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/oppn-leader-alleges-law-amp-order-in-kerala-is-now-under-the-control-of-cpi-m-offices-541338.html Thiruvananthapuram May 11 Launching a scathing attack over the deteriorating law and order situation in Kerala Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on Saturday said the state police has been politicised and is run by the CPIM district offices and other party committees Satheesan related this to an increase in violent crimes in the state after a youth was brutally killed by a group of criminals in the state capitalThe situation now is that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is away on a private tour and even when he was here things were no different as now the police is being controlled by the various committees of the CPIM alleged SatheesanNow the goons and the mafia who control the drug market that operates in the state have the blessings of the political masters as was evident in Alappuzha recently where the CPIM leaders roles came out added SatheesanHe asked the police higherups to act as there seems to be none in the police department who is accountable The police should not wait till Vijayan returns to tackle the deteriorating law and order situation The need of the hour is that the state police chief should step in and take over said Satheesan IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/oppn-leader-alleges-law-amp-order-in-kerala-is-now-under-the-control-of-cpi-m-offices-541338.html Sat, 11 May 2024 20:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pm-panel-report-brings-back-focus-on-changing-nature-of-demography-in-rajasthan-cities-540835.html Jaipur May 10 A working paper released by the Economic Advisory Council EAC to the Prime Minister has again brought the focus back on the changing nature of religious demography in the desert state According to the working paper released recently Indias Hindu population decreased by 782 per cent between 1950 and 2015 from 8468 per cent to 7806 per cent while the Muslim population went up from 984 per cent to 1409 per cent during this period marking a 4315 per cent riseVikrant Singh from the NGO Jansankhya Foundation told IANS that a few years back the BSF released a report that flagged concerns over increasing radicalisation of Muslim population in the border district of JaisalmerThe report released in December 2018 found rising prevalence of Arab customs in the bordering villages Singh said Now its not the border cities alone but the demography is changing in almost all the cities in Rajasthan as one particular community can be seen residing in the older pockets of the cities and towns he claimed Earlier there used to be diversity in the older parts of the towns which seems to be changing now with the Hindus migrating to the newer pockets in many cities in the state now he saidThis trend can be spotted in cities like Barmer Jaisalmer and Pokhran and other border areas he told IANSThe BSF report also found a high growth rate 2225 per cent in Muslim population as compared to 810 per cent among other communities in the areas bordering Pakistan in the state Singh claimed it is a fact that extremism is rising and hence there is a need to implement policies on a secular basis and bring in popular control measures irrespective of religion Rules such as those with more than two kids cant contest panchayat elections should be implemented through out the nation he said Nimisha a BJP leader in Jaipur also told IANS that there is a lack of diversity in the pockets of the state where the two communities used to live together before However Rajasthan Congress General Secretary Swarnim Chaturvedi argued that the figures released in the PM panel report are not based on population census He also questioned the intention of the government saying it wants to benefit from polarisation and hence comes the report in the middle of the Lok Sabha elections IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pm-panel-report-brings-back-focus-on-changing-nature-of-demography-in-rajasthan-cities-540835.html Fri, 10 May 2024 01:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mizo-body-to-stage-protest-against-fencing-indo-myanmar-border-amp-fmr-scrapping-541136.html Aizawl May 10 Amid the Mizoram and Nagaland governments strong opposition against border fencing along the IndiaMyanmar Border and scraping the Free Movement Regime FMR between the two countries the influential Zo Reunification Organisation ZORO on Friday announced to launch agitation to protest the Central governments decision on the two issues After holding a meeting with Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma ZORO leaders announced that they would bring out peaceful rallies at Zokhawthar and Vaphai in Champhai district along the IndiaMyanmar border in Mizoram on May 16 to protest the Central governments decision to fence the border and scrap the FMRThe ZORO a leading and influential Mizo organisation for the past many years seeks reunification of all people belonging to ChinKukiMizoZomi tribes of India Bangladesh and Myanmar under one administrative unitZORO leaders said that Chief Minister Lalduhoma while talking to them expressed optimism that the Centre would exempt the 510kmlong border of the IndiaMyanmar border with Mizoram from being fenced and would not scrap the FMRThe British government while demarcating the borders earlier divided the Zo tribal communities in different countries they saidThe FMR allowed citizens residing close to both sides of the border to move 16 km into each others territory without a passport or a visaMizo leaders said that the people belonging to ChinKukiMizoZomi tribes who have common ethnicity culture language and tradition residing on both sides of the border and if the fencing is erected or FMR is scrapped the closeness and relationship between the communities would be impactedThe Mizoram Chief Minister told the ZORO leaders that he had already discussed the fencing and FMR issues with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and requested them to maintain the status quoBesides the Mizoram government and ZORO various civil society organisations and student bodies have been strongly opposing the Centres move to fence the IndiaMyanmar border and scrap the FMRThe Mizoram Assembly on February 28 adopted a unanimous resolution opposing the Centres decision to fence the IndiaMyanmar border and eliminate the FMRThe Nagaland government and almost all organisations in the state are also against the border fencing and abolishing of the FMRThe Nagaland Assembly also on March 1 unanimously passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider its decision to fence the IndiaMyanmar border and scrap the FMR between the two countriesCiting the vulnerability of the 1643 km unfenced IndiaMyanmar border spanning Arunachal Pradesh Manipur Nagaland and Mizoram the Central government has decided to fence the entire border and to scrap the FMROf the four northeastern states the process to erect fencing has been started along the border in ManipurSo far a 10kmlong stretch in Manipurs Moreh has already been fenced and the work for another approximately 20 km along the state has also been sanctioned by the Union Home Ministry IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mizo-body-to-stage-protest-against-fencing-indo-myanmar-border-amp-fmr-scrapping-541136.html Fri, 10 May 2024 19:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/akali-dal-candidate-from-chandigarh-joins-aap-540703.html Chandigarh May 9 In a setback to the Shiromani Akali Dal SAD its Lok Sabha candidate from Chandigarh Hardeep Singh Buterla along with supporters joined AAP on Thursday after leaving the Akali Dal Aam Aadmi Party Punjab President and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann formally inducted Buterla and all his associates into the partyButerla has been a local municipal councilor from Chandigarh thrice He has also been the senior deputy mayor of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation Due to his strong hold among people the Akali Dal had declared him as its candidate for the Lok Sabha elections this timeAfter joining AAP Buterla thanked the Chief Minister for making him a part of the AAP family He said the works of the Mann government in the past two years and public welfare policies inspired him to join AAPThe INDIA bloc candidate for this seat is Manish Tewari who has assured the residents that he will make up for the loss of 10 years under the BJP rule if voted to powerTwotime Congress MP Tewari is up against BJPs Sanjay Tandon whom the party picked after dropping twoterm sitting MP and actorturnedpolitician Kirron KherDuring the 2019 Lok Sabha polls SAD was in an alliance with the BJPChandigarh will go to the polls on June 1 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/akali-dal-candidate-from-chandigarh-joins-aap-540703.html Thu, 09 May 2024 16:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tn-environmentalists-petition-forest-dept-for-removal-of-invasive-species-540598.html Chennai May 9 Tamil Nadu environmental groups have petitioned the state Forest Department against the unchecked growth of invasive species that was leading to the sustenance of thousands of saplings planted in the forest land of the state The invasive species Seemai Karuvelam Prosopis juliflora and unni Chedi Lantana camara are the main invasive species threatening the survival of the saplings planted in forest landsEnvironmentalists complained that the unchecked growth of invasive species like Prosopis juliflora Seemai Karuvelam and Lantana camara Unni Chedi or Nandana Chedi are threatening the sustenance of hundreds of saplings planted in the forest areas over the past few monthsEnvironmentalist and social activist Karupanan Natarajan while talking to IANS said they have petitioned the Tamil Nadu Forest Department to clear the weeds and improve green cover with native varietiesThe state Forest Department as part of efforts to improve the green cover in the forest areas spread over around 26342 square kilometres hectares planted thousands of saplings of native tree varieties like neem Indian beech pungam and ArjunMany of the saplings however withered due to climatic conditions Environmental activists said that saplings should be planted during the rainy season so as to limit such damageInvasive species are spreading more in the forests This leads to stunted growth of other native plant saplings and these invasive species to absorb moisture There should hence be clear plans made for developing forests Karupannan saidHe also proposed building check dams over the streams in forest areas to store excess water The environmentalist said that this will help wildlife quench their thirst as well as maintain floraNarayanan Vaidyanathan Director Centre for Policy and Environmental Studies told IANS that more native varieties help in regulating the temperature levels Land parcels are already dry due to insufficient rainfall in the state this year and the heatwave is making the situation worse Proper maintenance of the tree cover in forests and planting native saplings will green up the state the Director saidA Tamil Nadu Forest Department official told IANS that the department is putting in all efforts to plant the native species and are curbing the invasive species In certain forest areas invasive species like Seemai Karuvelam are present in large tranches of forest land at the expense of native species The Forest Department is looking into this and has alerted all districtlevel forest officials the official said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tn-environmentalists-petition-forest-dept-for-removal-of-invasive-species-540598.html Thu, 09 May 2024 12:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-governor-invites-common-people-to-view-cctv-footage-of-raj-bhavan-leaves-out-cm-police-540511.html Kolkata May 8 Days after a temporary staff at the Raj Bhavan in Kolkata filed a police complaint accusing Governor CV Ananda Bose of outraging her modesty the Governors office on Wednesday announced a programme titled Sach Ke Samne where the common people will be shown the CCTV footage from inside the Raj Bhavan The Governors office issued a statement which has also been posted on its official X handle saying the CCTV footage can be viewed by any citizen of West Bengal barring Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and any representative of the state policeHonble Governor CV Ananda Bose has launched a programme titled SACH KE SAMNE in the backdrop of the mischievous and fabricated allegations by the police that Raj Bhavan is not proving the CCTV footage of an incident which is under illegal and unconstitutional investigation of the police The Honble Governor has decided that the CCTV footage can be seen by any citizen of West Bengal except politician Mamata Banerjee and her police for the stand they had taken which is in the public domain the statement readIt also said that the citizens who wish to see the CCTV footage can send applications via email or call the the PBX number of the Raj BhavanThe first hundred applicants will be shown the footage inside the Raj Bhavan on May 9 2024 at 1130 am the statement addedTo recall on May 6 the Governor accused the Chief Minister of resorting to the dirtiest form of politics not even sparing the chair of the Governor I have been repeatedly saying that I do not understand politics From the slanderous statements used by the Chief Minister against me and in the manner in which she is speaking it is evident that her style of politics is extremely dirty I will pray to God to protect her But it seems that even God will not be able to save her the Governor had said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-governor-invites-common-people-to-view-cctv-footage-of-raj-bhavan-leaves-out-cm-police-540511.html Wed, 08 May 2024 23:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/five-year-old-student-gets-liquor-shop-shut-in-up-540260.html Prayagraj May 8 The Allahabad High Court has banned the renewal of the liquor vend that has been operating for 30 years near MR Jaipuria School in Azad Nagar in Kanpur Atharva a fiveyearold student from Kanpur filed a petition in court in February seeking the removal of the liquor shopThe court of Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Vikas on Tuesday gave this order on the PIL of Atharva studying in Lower KGAtharva through advocate Ashutosh Sharma had approached the High Court demanding the removal of the 30yearold liquor shop near the schoolThe court had asked the state governments counsel to seek a response from the authorities as to why the licence of the liquor shop in Kanpur Nagar was being renewed even after the school came into existence in the vicinity IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/five-year-old-student-gets-liquor-shop-shut-in-up-540260.html Wed, 08 May 2024 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-naidu-sought-centres-help-to-stop-dbt-schemes-claims-jagan-reddy-540182.html Amaravati May 7 Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday claimed that Telugu Desam Party TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu sought the Central governments help to stop the ongoing welfare distribution in the state Addressing an election rally at Rajanagaram in East Godavari district he alleged that the former chief minister through his sisterinlaw D Purandeswari who is the state BJP president sought the Centres helpThey are putting pressure on the Election Commission to stall DBT financial assistance for ongoing welfare schemes of the state like pensions and input subsidy among others said the YSR Congress party presidentYou are all witnessing the drama orchestrated by Chandrababu Naidu The people elects a government which rules the state for five years But Chandrababu Naidu with his alliance partner in Delhi stirring up major controversies to inflict suffering on the people said Jagan Mohan ReddyStating that people for the last five years have been receiving pensions at their doorstep he alleged that because of Chandrababu Naidu people are running pillar to post to collect assistance nowWill the elderly not respond with doubled vigour to vote Jagan back into power and reinstate pension services he questioned and remarked that Chandrababu Naidu has found himself embroiled in trouble by orchestrating such plots leading the chief minister to engage in legal battlesHe stated that this marks a new low in democracyOver the past 59 months we have devised a welfare calendar that outlines scheme distributions each month ensuring promises are fulfilled on time and YSR Congress will reclaim power on June 4 and within a week we will expedite all scheme distributions he saidHe claimed that every resident of this state is aware of the schemes the opposition is attempting to orchestrateWomen elderly and the youth need to be vigilant The power of the people lies in their vote and they will use it resoundingly to make their voices heard in Delhi he said appealing to the people to vote for the YSR Congress in the May 13 pollsAlleging that the TDP is offering money to voters Jagan Mohan Reddy advised them to accept Accept the money Chandrababu is offering dont refuse it It rightfully belongs to us It was Jagan who initiated the DBT ensuring it reaches the poor Chandrababu Naidu however is distributing our funds by taking them away from us But when you cast your vote consider the positive impact and welfare measures the government has provided for you he saidAddressing another public meeting in Srikakulam Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the people have witnessed the development of northern Andhra PradeshHe claimed that from 3 districts to 6 districts From 3 SPcollectors to 6 SPCollectors the government decentralised the administration in the last 59 monthsHe reiterated that in a couple of months as a part of the three capitals plan Visakhapatnam will be the executive capitalHe said on June 4 he will take oath as the Chief Minister in Visakhapatnam IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-naidu-sought-centres-help-to-stop-dbt-schemes-claims-jagan-reddy-540182.html Tue, 07 May 2024 20:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/fatalities-in-road-accidents-dip-drastically-in-assam-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma-540084.html Guwahati May 7 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asserted that fatalities due to road accidents have come down in the state during the last year crediting the number of measures taken by his government Taking to his X handle Sarma wrote Due to our relentless efforts to enforce road safety measures fatalities due to road accidents have come down drastically and consistently in the recent pastThere has been an overall decline of 22 per cent in road accident fatalities from JanApr 23 to JanApr 24 he addedThe Chief Minister also put forward a comparison chart to depict how the number of road accidents has decreasedIn comparison to December 2022 and December 2023 road accidents decreased by at least 3069 percent For January 2023 and January 2024 the decrease was 246 per cent according to CM SarmaHe also drew a comparison between the January to April period of 2023 and 2024 in which road accidents came down in Assam by 2182 per cent IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/fatalities-in-road-accidents-dip-drastically-in-assam-cm-himanta-biswa-sarma-540084.html Tue, 07 May 2024 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/challans-surge-by-67-pc-in-delhi-for-driving-against-traffic-flow-539691.html New Delhi May 6 Beware while driving against the designated flow of traffic in the national capital you might be issued a challan for violating the rule Since January a staggering 30062 motorists have been booked for violating this rule a significant increase from the 18047 violations recorded in 2023This marks a noticeable uptick of nearly 67 per cent in prosecutions for driving against the flow of traffic compared to the same period last yearOver the past few months there has been a noticeable surge in the number of vehicles violating traffic norms by driving against the designated flow of traffic This reckless behaviour not only endangers the lives of the offenders but also poses a significant threat to other road users leading to a rise in accidents and traffic congestion said the traffic copsAccording to the data shared by traffic police this year from January 1 to April 30 2024 Delhi Traffic Police booked 30062 such violators compared to 18047 in 2023A senior police officer said that Delhi Traffic Police have also conducted a comprehensive analysis of the top ten traffic circles including Kalyanpuri Dwarka Kamla Market Rajouri Garden Punjabi Bagh among others with the highest number of challans issued for the violation in 2024This study makes it possible to target enforcement operations to improve road safety and adherence to traffic regulations by identifying the areas with the highest prevalence of these types of offences said the officer IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/challans-surge-by-67-pc-in-delhi-for-driving-against-traffic-flow-539691.html Mon, 06 May 2024 13:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/with-influx-of-50-more-refugees-34-332-people-from-myanmar-sheltered-in-mizoram-539841.html Aizawl May 6 With around 50 more refugees coming to Mizoram from Myanmar as many as 34332 Myanmarese have taken shelter in the northeastern state so far officials said on Monday A Mizoram government official said that around 50 Myanmarese including 10 women fled Paletwa in the neighbouring countrys Chin region and entered Hruitezawl village in Mizorams Lawngtlai district during the past few days to evade recruitment in the Arakan Army AA militant groupBased out of Rakhine in Myanmar the Arakan Army is the largest armed ethnic outfit in the country which is recruiting people from the Chin region to intensify their battle against the ArmyYoung people in Myanmar who refuse to be forcibly recruited in the Arakan Army are fleeing to Mizoram the official saidBefore the latest influx of refugees 34282 Myanmar migrants took shelter in Mizorams 11 districts in phases after the military junta seized power in the neighboring country on February 1 2021At present a total of 34332 Myanmar nationals including 10900 women and 13310 children are living in the relief camps in Mizoram while some are staying with their relatives or in rented accommodationsBesides the Myanmar nationals around 10000 men women and children have also taken shelter in Mizoram after the ethnic violence broke out in neighbouring Manipur in May last year Also 1167 persons from the Chittagong Hill tracts in Bangladesh have taken shelter in Mizoram since 2022The KukiZomiChin tribes in Myanmar Bangladesh and Manipur share ethnic ties and cultural and linguistic similarities with the Mizo people IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/with-influx-of-50-more-refugees-34-332-people-from-myanmar-sheltered-in-mizoram-539841.html Mon, 06 May 2024 19:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/manipur-school-on-wheels-launched-for-children-staying-in-relief-camps-539602.html Imphal May 5 Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Sunday launched the School on Wheels initiative aiming to impart education to students sheltered in relief camps in the state in view of over a yearlong ethnic violence The school bus equipped with a library computers and sports items would visit different camps accompanied by a teacher The Governor after launching the pioneering initiative at Bal Vidya Mandir Complex in Imphal said that the incidents which started on May 3 last year affected thousands of people especially huge number of students of Manipur The School on Wheels scheme would reach out to students staying in the relief camps and impart them with required teaching she said Noting that she understands the pain and sorrow of the displaced persons Uikey told the gathering that she had already discussed with the Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi to initiate a process for permanent settlement of the displaced people staying in relief camps She said that the School on Wheels initiative is being implemented by Vidya Bharatis Shiksha Vikash Samiti which decided that children living in relief camps should not face any kind of problem in their academic aspects The Manipur government currently runs around 320 relief camps housing more than 59000 men women and children Around 18000 students are currently staying in relief camps After the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 last year over 70000 people including women and children of both the Meitei and KukiZomi communities were displaced from their homes and villages and took shelter in safer places in different districts of Manipur and outside the state including neighbouring Mizoram IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/manipur-school-on-wheels-launched-for-children-staying-in-relief-camps-539602.html Mon, 06 May 2024 00:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mp-jyotiraditya-scindia-shivraj-amp-digvijaya-in-fray-in-3rd-phase-of-ls-polls-539604.html Bhopal May 6 The campaigning for the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh in which voting will be held on May 7 in nine Parliamentary constituencies in the state ended on Sunday Several heavyweight candidates are in the fray in the third phase of polling Among them two are former chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan Vidisha and Digvijaya Singh Raghograh and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia GunaIn the third phase polling will be held in Bhopal Guna Raghogarh Vidisha Morena Bhind SC Gwalior Sagar and Betul SC Lok Sabha constituenciesAs per the original schedule the election in Betul was to be held in the Lok Polls second phase on April 26 However the sudden death of a BSP candidate prompted the Election Commission to reschedule the polling in the seat in the third phaseAs the deadline for campaigning ended individuals from outside the area who are not enlisted as voters in that particular Parliamentary constituency will have to leave the regionAn intensive monitoring campaign is being conducted for this Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer CEO Anupam Rajan saidRajan said that voter information slips have been distributed to the votersHe informed that a total of 177 crore voters are registered across nine Lok Sabha constituencies who will cast votes at 20456 polling boothsIn view of the heat due to summer other necessary arrangements including shade water medicines have been made at the polling stations Rajan said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mp-jyotiraditya-scindia-shivraj-amp-digvijaya-in-fray-in-3rd-phase-of-ls-polls-539604.html Mon, 06 May 2024 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sex-video-victim-kidnap-case-no-evidence-against-me-its-a-conspiracy-says-arrested-jd-s-mla-revanna-539607.html Bengaluru May 6 Arrested JDS MLA HD Revanna the son of former PM HD Deve Gowda on Sunday said that there is no evidence against him in the sex video scandal kidnapping case and that it was a conspiracy against him Talking to the media while being taken for a medical test before being produced in front of a court here Revanna stated that a kidnapping case had been lodged against him though he does not have one black mark against him in his entire career of 40 yearsWithout evidence I have been targeted All allegations against me are false My arrest has been made out of ill intention he claimedThe case was lodged on April 28 then they did not have any evidence Later the fake evidence was created on May 2 and I was fixed he allegedHome Minister Dr G Parameshwara stated on Sunday that a Blue Corner notice has already been issued against Revannas son and MP Prajwal Revanna the prime accused in the sex video scandal as he is believed to be abroadThe Interpol will communicate to all nations and he will be located Once he is located the SIT will take a call on how he should be secured and brought back to India he addedRevanna was arrested on Saturday on charges of kidnapping one of the victims of the sex video scandalParameshwara further maintained that the arrest of Revanna has saddened JDS leaders and if action was not taken the SIT would be blamed tooMeanwhile Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge refused to comment on the alleged sex video scandal involving Prajwal RevannaAbout Revannas arrest he said that the SIT would initiate action as per the law Those indulging in such acts must be taught a lesson and justice should be given to the families of victims No one can escape the law No one should use this case politically he stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sex-video-victim-kidnap-case-no-evidence-against-me-its-a-conspiracy-says-arrested-jd-s-mla-revanna-539607.html Mon, 06 May 2024 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-15-000-houses-other-properties-damaged-in-manipur-in-heavy-rains-hailstorm-cm-539895.html Imphal May 6 A total of 15425 houses other properties and many vehicles have been severely damaged due to the heavy rains accompanied by gusty winds and hailstorms in Manipur on Sunday Chief Minister N Biren Singh said on Monday The heavy rains and hailstorms also left a large number of trees and electric poles uprootedThe Chief Minister said that the maximum number of houses 6053 were damaged in Imphal West district followed by 5600 houses in Imphal East district 1179 in Bishnupur 800 in Thoubal 540 in Churachandpur 292 in Kangpokpi 200 in Ukhrul and remaining in other districtsThe state sustained massive damages to various properties in Sundays rain and hailstorm Further assessments of damages are going on in different districts Among the districts the Imphal West district is worst affected by the calamity he told the mediaBiren Singh said that 42 relief camps were opened to provide temporary shelter to the disasteraffected people and the respective Deputy Commissioners are providing relief materials to them The state government has sanctioned Rs 619 crore to meet the relief expensesThe Chief Minister said that instructions were given to take suitable measures to prevent a hike in the prices of roofing and construction materials The government would compensate the losses of livestock crops and vegetables incurred by farmers he saidOfficials said that besides a large number of houses many government and nongovernment accommodations and schools were damaged in different parts of the state on Sunday with the heavy hailstones leaving holes in tin roofs while the strong winds blew away hutments in different districts leaving many people affectedThe hailstorm was so powerful that parts of the valley areas of Imphal East and Imphal West Districts were blanketed with 45 inches of ice resembling a landscape covered in thick snow Vehicles parked in the open either developed cracks or were badly damagedThe Meteorological Department issued an orange alert and predicted heavytoveryheavy rains in several northeastern states including Manipur till Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-15-000-houses-other-properties-damaged-in-manipur-in-heavy-rains-hailstorm-cm-539895.html Mon, 06 May 2024 23:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ians-interview-caste-important-factor-citizens-must-know-which-community-has-how-much-population-says-rashid-alvi-539493.html New Delhi May 5 A day after Congress MP Rahul Gandhis renewed pitch for caste census wealth redistribution and economic survey at an event stirred controversy senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi in an exclusive conversation with IANS rallied support to his call and said that in a democratic country like India citizens must be aware and informed of the population matrix Caste is an important factor for us for the country Also it is a burning issue before the electorate heading to cast their votes Caste census will form the basis for balanced governance and create a levelplaying field for all communities Everybody should be aware which community has how much population in the country Rashid Alvi told IANS when questioned on Rahul Gandhis call for wealth reorganisationAlvi also backed Rahul Gandhis call for an economic survey and termed it as the need of hourToday the nations wealth has become a preserve of a few select businessmen and corporate houses Only 1015 businessmen account for the nations whole assets while those at the bottom of the pyramid continues to remain in a miserable and wretched state Alvi saidBJP claims to be providing free ration to 80 crore people but the fact is that rich people are only getting richer he addedAlvi also spoke on other issues including the terror attack on IAF members in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch on Saturday and said that the governments silence on such matters fuels doubts in the peoples mind much like it did during the Pulwama attack in 2019The Congress leader further sought to poke fun at the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP by claiming that the latter is taking solace in the company of deities and is hoping to win the election with their blessings onlyHe said that the BJP was staring at defeat in the ongoing elections and they have no option left but to stay dependent on the Hindu deities in the electionsSilence has creeped into the ranks of BJPs over 400 paar goal All top leaders of the party are silent on 400 paar slogan A scenario has emerged where the party is not seen in a position even to form a government leave aside the ambitious 400 seats mark he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ians-interview-caste-important-factor-citizens-must-know-which-community-has-how-much-population-says-rashid-alvi-539493.html Sun, 05 May 2024 16:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ncpcr-asks-all-states-to-prevent-illegal-transportation-of-children-539147.html New Delhi May 4 The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights NCPCR has asked Chief SecretariesAdministrators of all states and Union Territories to prevent illegal transportation of children In a letter issued on Friday to the Chief SecretariesAdministrators the NCPCR said that recently 95 children were rescued and it was found that they had been attending unregistered madrasas in the Saharanpur District of Uttar PradeshThey disclosed that they were coerced into carrying bricks cleaning toilets and endured physical and mental abuseInstead of attending formal schools these children were confined to the madrasaIt appears that in the name of religious education the children were deprived of their Fundamental Rights given under the Constitution and the Right to Education RTE Act 2009Section 3 of the Act provides to every child of the age of 6 to 14 years the right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till the completion of elementary educationHowever as per the reports the children were not sent to any formal school and subsequently were devoid of their right to benefit from the entitlements given under the RTE Act 2009 an official saidOn April 26 this year these 95 children were rescued while allegedly being illegally transported from Bihar to Uttar PradeshThe Uttar Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights UPSCPCR rescued the children in Ayodhya and presented them before the Child Welfare Committee CWCFollowing counseling sessions orders were issued to relocate these children to the Government Childrens Home for Boys in LucknowThe commission said that instances where such religious institutions are found to be fundraising in the name of children and illegally transporting them could potentially amount to child trafficking and may attract the provisions of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 Section 370 of the Indian Penal Code IPC and Section 370 of the IPCThe NCPCR in its letter stated that whoever for the purpose of exploitation recruits harbours transfers or receives a person commits the offence of traffickingIn accordance with the mandate outlined in Section 13 1 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act 2005 the commission recommends that states must ensure that all children in the age group of 614 years are enrolled in neighbourhood schools and receive formal educationIn its recommendations to the states the NCPCR asked to ensure that in all such cases where it is found that money is being raised in the name of children and children are illegally taken from one place to another the concerned Investigating Officer may consider action in light of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 and Section 370 of the Indian Penal CodeThey also asked states to issue necessary directions to the District CollectorMagistrate of all Districts in stateUT to enhance vigilance in their respective districts thereby preventing the illegal transportation of children between locationsAdditionally the District Child Protection Unit DCPU AntiHuman Trafficking Unit AHTU and Special Juvenile Police Units SJPU should be instructed to conduct routine inspections and monitoring to deter such occurrencesThe compliance of the above recommendations may be send to the commission within 15 days of issue of the letter the official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ncpcr-asks-all-states-to-prevent-illegal-transportation-of-children-539147.html Sat, 04 May 2024 10:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-trying-to-create-a-monolithic-idea-of-india-says-shashi-tharoor-538784.html Panaji May 3 Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday slammed the BJP for trying to create a monolithic idea of India rather than protecting the idea of India as written in the Constitution Speaking during a public meeting at Verna in South Goa in support of Congress Lok Sabha candidate Captain Viriato Fernandes Retd Tharoor said All the precious values that we built in 65 years are under threat nowI spent my early childhood in Bombay where my classmates were from every religion But our parents never mentioned religion to us We are all Indians living in a multireligious and multilingual country he said Today we are seeing a party that is devoted not to the idea of equality but to the slogan of Hindi Hindutva Hindusthan The BJP is creating a monolithic idea of India Tharoor saidThey want one nation one election one party one leader one religion one god They want everything to be one and one ruler to control it all But that is not the idea of India as written in the Constitution by Babasaheb Ambedkar the Congress MP saidExpressing his happiness over campaigning in support Viriato Fernandes an exnaval officer Tharoor said People from every religion are there in the defence service to protect usNow we need to protect our democracy which is under threat he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-trying-to-create-a-monolithic-idea-of-india-says-shashi-tharoor-538784.html Fri, 03 May 2024 01:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/10-arrested-for-murder-of-priest-in-ups-deoria-538788.html Deoria May 3 Thirteen people have been booked of which 10 have been arrested for the murder of a priest of Hanuman Mandir in Tendua Choubey village under the Bhalwani police station in Uttar Pradeshs Deoria district the police said The police registered cases against 13 people and deployed additional forces in the village anticipating potential unrestArchana Singh the police station incharge of Bhalwani said the tension began with an altercation between the priest Ashok Choubey 65 and some youth from the Paswan community over loud DJ music on Sunday eveningAngered by the dispute the accused attacked Choubey on Tuesday night beating him brutallyThe assailants also attacked Sanjay Choubey Ashok Choubeys son Both were taken to the district hospital where Ashok Choubey succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday evening causing further tension in the villageAmid tight security arrangements Ashok Choubeys funeral was conducted on the banks of the Gandak river on ThursdayFollowing a written complaint by Sanjay Choubey the police registered cases against 13 accused and arrested 10 of them IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/10-arrested-for-murder-of-priest-in-ups-deoria-538788.html Fri, 03 May 2024 05:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/amit-shah-vows-to-restart-full-fledged-mining-in-goa-in-next-two-years-539090.html Panaji May 3 Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday assured the people of Goa to restart fullfledged mining activities in the state in the next two years Addressing a public meeting at Mapusa North Goa Amit Shah read out a list of the developmental works carried out in Goa under the doubleengine governmentChief Minister Pramod Sawant is very keen to restart mining activities in the state I also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Pramod Sawant on the mining issue Mining activities were stalled in Goa following the Supreme Courts judgment But Modis guarantee is to restart fullfledged mining in the state in the next two years the Home Minister saidHe also said the ongoing elections are a battle between the scamtainted INDIA bloc and Prime Minister Narendra Modi against whom there is not a single charge of corruption not even of 25 paiseNarendra Modi has never taken a holiday while serving the nation On the other hand Rahul Baba goes to foreign countries on vacation no sooner the temperature rises Amit Shah saidThe INDIA bloc doesnt have a leader Who will be the Prime Minister if they get the majority Can Sharad Pawar Mamata Banerjee MK Stalin Uddhav Thackeray or Rahul Baba handle the affairs of the country he asked the gatheringHe also said that the INDIA bloc leaders do not have the capacity to eradicate terrorism from the country or handle a situation like the Covid pandemicAll they can do is to create a good future for their children They will not think about the people of Goa or others Their aim is to give plum positions to their children the Home Minister said Only Narendra Modi can work for the downtrodden people the farmers and others he addedBJP North Goa candidate and Union Minister Shripad Naik South Goa nominee Pallavi Dempo Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other prominent leaders were present at the event IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/amit-shah-vows-to-restart-full-fledged-mining-in-goa-in-next-two-years-539090.html Fri, 03 May 2024 22:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/boating-on-ganga-river-in-varanasi-prohibited-after-830-pm-538425.html Varanasi May 2 Boating on the Ganga river in Varanasi has been prohibited after 830 pm officials said The decision has been taken keeping in view the safety of the tourists said Water Police Incharge Mithilesh YadavAccording to the Water Police Incharge drowning incidents increased in May and JuneFor the safety of tourists and visitors security has been increased in the Ganga by Jal Police and arrangements have been made to increase vigil on weekendsYadav added that four teams including two of NDRF and two of Water Police on two boats have been deployed to keep a vigil on the GangaIn addition a boat crew and three security personnel have been deployedYadav said that the decision to restrict the operation of the boats after 830 pm has been taken with the consent of the boatmen communityIf any boat is found operating after 830 pm the boat will be seized and an FIR will be registered against the boatman Also action will be taken to cancel the license of the boatThe step is being undertaken because of the continuous increase of tourists in KashiAfter 830 pm a monitoring team will warn sailors through loud hailers IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/boating-on-ganga-river-in-varanasi-prohibited-after-830-pm-538425.html Thu, 02 May 2024 05:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-97-per-cent-of-rs-2-000-banknotes-returned-rbi-538708.html Mumbai May 2 The Reserve Bank of India RBI said in its currency update on Thursday that 9776 per cent of the Rs 2000 banknotes in circulation as on May 19 2023 when their withdrawal was announced have now been returned The total value of Rs 2000 banknotes in circulation which was Rs 356 lakh crore at the close of business on May 19 2023 when the withdrawal of Rs 2000 banknotes was announced has declined to Rs 7961 crore at the close of business on April 30 2024 the RBI saidThe value of these Rs 2000 notes had come down to Rs 8202 crore at the close of business on March 29 2024 the RBI had said on April 1 as part of its currency updateThe facility for exchange of the Rs 2000 banknotes has been available at the 19 Issue Offices of the Reserve Bank RBI Issue Offices since May 19 2023From October 09 2023 RBI Issue Offices are also accepting Rs 2000 banknotes from individuals entities for deposit into their bank accountsFurther members of the public are sending Rs 2000 banknotes through India Post from any post office within the country to any of the RBI Issue Offices for credit to their bank accountsThe Rs 2000 banknotes continue to be legal tender the RBI said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/over-97-per-cent-of-rs-2-000-banknotes-returned-rbi-538708.html Thu, 02 May 2024 19:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/38-more-myanmarese-immigrants-deported-to-myanmar-from-manipur-538748.html Imphal May 2 With the deportation of 38 immigrants from Manipur to Myanmar on Thursday a total of 77 illegal Myanmarese migrants including 55 women and five children have been deported to their country since March 8 officials said Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said in a post on X Without any discrimination we have completed the first phase of deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar with 38 more immigrants leaving Manipur today through MorehHe added A total of 77 illegal immigrants have been deported in the first phase One Indian national was also brought back from Myanmar during the handover ceremony The state government is continuing the identification of illegal immigrants and at the same time biometric data are also being recorded Lets keep our borders and country secureA senior official said that the first batch of seven Myanmarese was deported on March 8 through the Moreh border town in Manipurs Tengnoupal districtThe Myanmar nationals fled to Manipur after the military junta seized power in the neighboring country on February 1 2021The Manipur Chief Minister had said earlier that although India is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention it has given shelter and aid to those fleeing the crisis in Myanmar on humanitarian grounds with a systematic approachSince the military took over Myanmar more than three years ago over 5000 Myanmar nationals including women and children have taken shelter in Manipur while over 32000 people have taken shelter in MizoramA majority of the refugees in Mizoram live in relief camps and government buildings while many are accommodated by their relativesA large number of Myanmarese also live in rented accommodationsBesides civilians a few hundred Myanmarese soldiers also fled to Mizoram in phases after their camps were captured by the armed prodemocracy ethnic groups in Myanmar who stepped up their battle against the army in October last yearHowever these soldiers have been deported to Myanmar in phasesFollowing the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs MHA the Manipur government has been collecting the biometric details of the Myanmar nationals sheltered in the state The Mizoram government however turned down the MHA appeal to collect biographic and biometric data of the Myanmar refugees IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/38-more-myanmarese-immigrants-deported-to-myanmar-from-manipur-538748.html Thu, 02 May 2024 21:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-shiv-sena-renominates-hemant-godse-against-ss-538406.html Mumbai May 1 The Shiv Sena has renominated sitting MP Hemant Godse from the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency thus ending the suspense Godse had already started his campaign though Ajit Pawarled NCP and BJP had also staked their claims over the Nashik Lok Sabha seat Godse who was elected in the 2014 and 2019 elections will file his nomination on Thursday He is pitted against the Shiv Sena UBT nominee Rajabhau Waje Incidentally both Godse and Waje hail from the politically influential Maratha communityMaharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that the party has announced Godses candidature from Nashik and he will win the electionsGodse who had made a strong case for his renomination by putting up a show of strength recently at the CMs Thane residence has thanked Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde saying that he will score a hattrickThe delay in arriving at a seatsharing arrangement over the Nashik constituency hogged the headlines as NCP minister and veteran OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal claimed that his name was suggested by the BJPs top leadership for the seat considering bright winning prospectsHowever due to a lack of decision from his party and also within the MahaYuti Bhujbal had recently opted out of the electoral fray saying that he would work for the victory of MahaYutis nomineeBut he had suggested the MahaYuti leaders not to delay further but announce the nominee before May 20 when the polling will take place in NashikAs far as the BJP is concerned the party had expressed strong reservations over the renomination of Godse citing adverse poll survey reports of his victory and also over Bhujbals nominationSeveral BJP leaders had met Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Rural Development Minister Girish Mahajan urging them to actively pursue the partys claim over Nashik citing it has over 100 corporators and a maximum number of legislators in the constituencyAt a time when the BJP NCP and Shiv Sena were engaged in talks Shiv Sena UBT took the opportunity to gain mileage by declaring Rajabhau Waje from Sinnar tehsil as its nomineeWaje has already filed his nomination amid a massive show of strength by Maha Vikas AghadiWaje is hopeful to outsmart Godse seeking support from Maratha minorities and especially from oniongrowing farmers who have been unhappy over inconsistent onion export policiesGodse who has undertaken a slew of development works during his 10year tenure is seeking a third term banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modis guarantee and also the work done by MahaYuti government in MaharashtraThere are 2004704 voters comprising 1045813 males and 958815 females in Nashik constituencyOf them nearly 65 lakh are Marathas 3 lakh OBCs 150 lakh Muslims and 150 lakh Dalits IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-shiv-sena-renominates-hemant-godse-against-ss-538406.html Wed, 01 May 2024 23:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-quitting-congress-ex-punjab-mla-dalvir-singh-goldy-joins-aap-538172.html Chandigarh May 1 A day after quitting the Congress former legislator Dalvir Singh Goldy who unsuccessfully contested against Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the 2022 Assembly polls joined the AAP on Wednesday Goldy who resigned from the Congress after he expressed his displeasure over the denial of a party ticket from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat joined the AAP in the presence of CM Mann hereWelcoming Goldy into the party fold CM Mann who won the Dhuri seat with a margin of 58206 votes in 2002 called him his younger brother and a hardworking youthI have always believed that youngsters should be allowed to come forward in politics and be the harbingers of change But Goldy was ignored in the Congress I am inducting him in the party as my younger brother the Chief Minister saidAAP has fielded Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer from the Sangrur parliamentary seat while the Congress candidate is Sukhpal Khaira a legislator and AAP rebelResponding to Khairas allegations that Goldy was under pressure from the Vigilance Bureau to join AAP CM Mann said Khaira has already switched parties so many times and has no business to make such baseless allegations It is the BJP that used government agencies to settle scores or scare opposition leadersIf there are allegations against Goldy we would have initiated action and not got him here There are no allegations against him the Chief Minister said adding He was told by party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal that AAP must look for good and promising candidates from other parties who were feeling ignored and induct them into AAPIn the 2017 Assembly polls Goldy defeated AAPs Jasvir Singh Jassi Sekhon by a slender margin of 2811 votesThe Dhuri Assembly constituency falls in the Sangrur parliamentary seat that commediaturnedpolitician Mann is representing IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-quitting-congress-ex-punjab-mla-dalvir-singh-goldy-joins-aap-538172.html Wed, 01 May 2024 13:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/court-hands-life-imprisonment-to-man-convicted-of-raping-minor-daughter-537756.html New Delhi April 29 A Delhi court has handed life imprisonment to a 44yearold man convicted of raping his minor daughter The judge presiding over the case Babita Puniya deemed the crime diabolical and underscored its heinous nature surpassing any mitigating factors that could have been considered The court said that such a stringent sentence was necessary to ensure justice serve the interests of society and act as a deterrent against similar atrocities while also acknowledging the possibility of redemption for the perpetrator In addition to the life imprisonment the court ordered compensation of Rs 13 lakh for the victims relief and rehabilitation The convict had previously been found guilty of rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences POCSO Act Despite considering the convicts role as the sole earner for his family which included elderly parents a grandmother wife and four children the court noted that the severity of the crime and the familial relationship between the perpetrator and victim outweighed any personal circumstances The court pointed out the aggravating factors in the case noting the innocence and helplessness of the victim who was subjected to repeated acts of violence resulting in her giving birth at the tender age of 17 The victims rejection of interim compensation granted in 2022 further underscored the trauma she endured prompting the judge to prioritise the severity of the crime societal welfare and the victims recovery over mitigating factors IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/court-hands-life-imprisonment-to-man-convicted-of-raping-minor-daughter-537756.html Tue, 30 Apr 2024 00:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/rsp-leader-writes-to-calcutta-hc-chief-justice-seeking-action-against-abhishek-banerjee-for-anti-judiciary-remarks-537166.html Kolkata April 27 Revolutionary Socialist Party RSP leader Ashok Ghosh has written to the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court TS Sivagnanam for taking suo motu cognisance of the antijudiciary remarks made recently by Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee In his communication to the Chief Justice Ghosh the General Secretary of RSPs trade union wing UTIC has specifically referred to a particular comment made by Banerjee at a public meeting in Purulia on Thursday where he said the Calcutta High Court should cease to exist Banerjee made the comments referring to a recent order of the high court cancelling 25753 appointments in teaching and nonteaching posts made by the West Bengal School Service Commission WBSSC in 2016 Indirectly referring to former Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay who is the BJP candidate from the Tamluk Lok Sabha seat Banerjee had said The judge who was hearing the school job cases earlier is a BJP candidate now While occupying the chair of the judge he admitted that the BJP was in touch with him for quite some time and he was also in touch with the party Now since that judge has joined the BJP the Calcutta High Court should cease to existSuch a comment amounts to contempt of court It also shows hostility and mistrust towards the democratic system Ghosh wrote as he requested the Chief Justice to take necessary legal action against Banerjee for his commentsHe also argued that the people of the country believe that the judicial system protects the democratic setup of the nation The comments hurt that realisation of the common people Ghosh pointed out in his communiqueDuring his speech in Purulia on Thursday Banerjee also drew a comparison between the high court ruling and matchfixing in cricketing termsThe footprints of BJP are there in the nittygritty of the Calcutta High Court order In cricket matchfixing some people can predict in advance what will happen next in a match Thats what happened in this case also This is like orderfixing and courtfixingA section of the judiciary in the Calcutta High Court has added a new dimension to betting The BJP is betting and some people occupying judges chairs are becoming partners to it But people will give a fitting reply in due course he saidBanerjees remarks came on the same day when the high court admitted a petition filed by CPIM Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Bikas Ranjan Bhattacharya seeking action against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her alleged antijudiciary remarksAddressing an election rally in Bolpur on Wednesday the Chief Minister said The BJP controls the affairs of the high courts due to its financial strength I am not saying anything against the Supreme Court We are still seeking justice there But in the high courts the BJP always has its way Others do not get justiceAt another poll rally on Tuesday she said I do not want to name anybody The judges will earn their livelihood from the public exchequer The state exchequer will bear the cost of their security Yet they will terminate services IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/rsp-leader-writes-to-calcutta-hc-chief-justice-seeking-action-against-abhishek-banerjee-for-anti-judiciary-remarks-537166.html Sat, 27 Apr 2024 19:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/kcr-family-not-in-election-battle-for-first-time-in-two-decades-536866.html Hyderabad April 26 For the first time in two decades the family of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao KCR is not in the fray for Lok Sabha elections No member of the family of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi TRS founder has filed a nomination for the May 13 polls in the stateThis is the first since the formation of TRS now BRS in 2001 that the KCR family is staying away from the contestThe former chief minister or his family member fought every Parliament and Assembly election since 2004KCR who had resigned from the Telugu Desam Party TDP to float TRS to revive the Telangana movement had contested for Lok Sabha from Karimnagar and for Assembly from Siddipet He was elected from both seats but vacated Siddipet to enter Parliament and became a minister in the Congressled UPA government at the CentreKCRs nephew and TRS leader Harish Rao was elected from Siddipet in the byelectionThe TRS founder who forced byelections in 2006 and 2008 after differences with Congress over the Telangana issue retained Karimnagars seat on both occasionsIn 2009 KCR was elected to Lok Sabha from Mahabubnagar It was during this term that he succeeded in achieving the goal of Telangana state KCRs son KT Rama Rao made his electoral debut in the 2009 elections with a win from the Sircilla Assembly seat and he retained the seat in the 2010 byelectionIn 2014 KCR contested for Lok Sabha from Medak and for Assembly from Gajwel He was elected from both places As the TRS secured a majority in the 119member Telangana Assembly he quit the Medak seat to become the first chief minister of the new stateIn the same elections KCRs daughter Kavitha was elected to Lok Sabha from Nizamabad His son and nephew who were once again elected to the Assembly from Sircilla and Siddipet respectively became ministers in his CabinetWhile TRS retained power in 2018 Kavitha lost the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat to BJPs Dharampuri Arvind in the 2019 elections She was later elected to the Legislative CouncilIn 2022 KCR changed the name of TRS to BRS to focus on national politics However after ruling the state for 10 years the party lost power to Congress late last yearKCR contested from two Assembly seats Gajwel and Kamareddy He retained Gajwel but could not win Kamareddy This was the first electoral defeat for the seasoned politician since 1985 KTR and Harish Rao retained their respective seatsThere were indications that Kavitha would again contest from Nizamabad but finally KCR decided not to field her She was recently arrested in the alleged Delhi excise policy caseThere was also speculation that KCR may contest Lok Sabha elections from Medak or Malakjgiri but the leader of the opposition decided to focus on state politics IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/kcr-family-not-in-election-battle-for-first-time-in-two-decades-536866.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 14:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/hyderabad-court-denies-bail-to-3-police-officers-in-phone-tapping-case-536954.html Hyderabad April 26 A Hyderabad court on Friday dismissed bail petitions of three suspended police officers in the phonetapping case The Nampally City Court rejected the bail petitions filed by D Praneeth Rao Bhujanga Rao and Thirupathanna agreeing with the argument by the prosecution that bail to the accused at this stage may impact the investigationsThe police voiced apprehension that if granted bail the accused may influence the witnesses and tamper with evidenceMeanwhile Radha Kishan Rao the fourth accused in the case has also filed a bail petition The court directed the police to file a counter to the petition and adjourned the hearing to April 29Radha Kishan Rao had served as an Officer on Special Duty OSD in the Task ForceMeanwhile Hyderabad Police Commissioner K Sreenivas Reddy on Friday said that the probe into the phone tapping case was still underwayHe however denied issuing a red corner notice to former Special Intelligence Bureau SIB chief and retired IPS officer T Prabhakar Rao the prime suspect in the case criticising unconfirmed reports in a section of the media about thisThe police chief said such speculation will hinder the case and make the investigative process difficultWe know what to do and be rest assured we are doing our job he told media personsReplying to a query the Police Commissioner said a red corner will be issued but some media wrote that it was already issuedI dont know what pleasure you get You are only putting spokes in the investigation Maybe you are alerting them Sorry for that he saidSreenivasa Reddy said the police were investigating the case to the best of their ability Contending that the phone tapping was done to disturb personal lives he said It is a crime not only against an individual but also the society on the whole Intruding into private lives is a heinous crimeHe said that four police officers whose role was found in the case were arrested and sent to judicial custody while some police officers were taken as witnesses and their statements recordedHe stated that the investigation is going on transparently and those involved will not be sparedThe phone tapping issue came to light last month when a case was registered with the Panjagutta police after a petition was filed by Additional SP SIB D Ramesh When the BRS was in power former SIB chief Prabhakar Rao had allegedly constituted a team within SIB with his trusted aides including DSP D Praneeth Rao for surveillance of rival political leaders and their families and dissidents within the ruling partyPraneeth Rao was arrested after he allegedly destroyed hard disks and other data after the Congress came to powerBhujanga Rao Additional Superintendent of Police in Bhupalpally district and Tirupathanna Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police City Security Wing Hyderabad City Police were arrested on March 23They had earlier served in the SIB Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Radha Kishan Rao was arrested earlier this month He had allegedly utilised official vehicles to transport cash during the 2019 elections IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/hyderabad-court-denies-bail-to-3-police-officers-in-phone-tapping-case-536954.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 20:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/gurugram-42-schools-get-notice-for-functioning-without-permission-in-sohna-536720.html Gurugram April 26 Despite having no affiliation from the Haryana government many private schools in Gurugrams Sohna block are operational which is a gross violation of educational norms Moreover despite restricting them from not enrolling any student from April 1 these schools have also been enrolling students for the new academic session Taking serious note of it Sangeeta Sanghi Block Education Officer Sohna has served notices to 42 schools in Sohna block running without prior permission from the state government The block education officer issued the notice to the school management with a warning that necessary legal proceedings would be initiated for running a school without permission The notice a copy of which is available with IANS reads Without permission schools will not continue and not admit students from the next Academic Session 202425 Therefore in compliance with the orders you are directed in this matter that you will not continue your school and not admit students from the next Academic Session 202425 which is starting on 1st April failing which your school managementtrustsocietyIndividual will be solely responsible for running the school without affiliation and this will be treated as an offence as provided under Rule191 A of Haryana School Education Rule 2003 This notice must be taken into account for strict compliance with the orders Meanwhile the District Education Officer has directed all the Block Education Officers in the district to ensure the closure of all such schools in their area so that they cannot enroll new students We have served notice to at least 42 schools here in Sohna block operational without permission We also warn the management of such schools not to enroll students for the new academic session Apart from this we have also installed posters at public places and notices outside the schools so that parents can be aware of not enrolling their wards in such schools Sangeeta Sanghi Block Education Officer Sohna told IANS The official also appealed to parents that before enrolling their wards in any schools they can collect information from the education department here in Sohna In Sohna education mafia seeks recognition to run one school but expand their wings and operate on multiple branches and all are unrecognised Often students enrolled in these unrecognised schools take classes in recognised schools They are issued documents like transfer certificates from the school which are recognised Therefore there is no proper record of the number of students and unrecognised schools running in Sohna said an official IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/gurugram-42-schools-get-notice-for-functioning-without-permission-in-sohna-536720.html Fri, 26 Apr 2024 00:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/google-searches-for-inheritance-tax-and-sam-pitroda-hit-a-new-high-amid-raging-row-536635.html New Delhi April 25 From religionbased reservation to wealth redistribution to inheritance tax this election season is witnessing intense fireworks with political parties gunning for each other Interestingly the public is also not behind in shaping the election narrative as they are showing keen interest on these issues even as the parties have accused each other of deviating from real issuesGoogle searches dated April 25 on topics like Inheritance Tax and Sam Pitroda show that they are finding enough traction among the publicThe search engine found that Google searches for inheritance tax were at their highest in the last 20 years while Google searches for Congress leader Sam Pitroda were at their highest in the last five yearsAmid the heat of poll campaign the electoral discourse got occupied by Sam Pitrodas advocacy of the inheritance tax in India and its vehement counter by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the poll ralliesIndian Overseas Congress president Sam Pitroda sparked a major row when he termed the inheritance tax as practiced in US as an interesting idea and called for the need for greater discussion on itHis remarks on inheritance tax came in response to PM Modis charge that Congress party was planning to redistribute the nations wealth to the minorities if voted to powerWhile the grand old party distanced itself from Pitrodas comments on inheritance tax terming it a personal opinion BJP leaders took turns to hit out at the Congress leaderSpeaking to mediapersons Sam Pitroda had said In America there is an inheritance tax If someone has 100 million in wealth and passes away they can only transfer about 45 per cent to their children the government takes the remaining 55 per cent Its an interesting law It suggests that youve accumulated wealth in your lifetime and upon your departure a portion of it must be left for the public not all of it but half which seems fair to meFollowing this PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress over its advisor Sam Pitroda calling for an inheritance tax lawCongress ka mantra hai Congress ki loot zindagi ke sath bhi or zindagi ke baad bhi the Congress has only one motto that is looting people during their life and even after their life PM Modi said at a poll rally at Surguja in Chhattisgarh IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/google-searches-for-inheritance-tax-and-sam-pitroda-hit-a-new-high-amid-raging-row-536635.html Thu, 25 Apr 2024 18:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/vet-student-suicide-kerala-hc-dismisses-suspended-vcs-petition-challenging-action-against-him-536666.html Kochi April 25 The Kerala High Court on Thursday dismissed the writ petition filed by suspended Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University Vice Chancellor Dr MR Saseendranath challenging the action against him by the Chancellor pending an inquiry into a students death Saseendranath was suspended on grounds of dereliction of duty and lack of sincerity over the suicide of JSSidharthan a secondyear Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry student at the College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at Pookode in Wayanad districtSidharthan was found hanging in his hostel room at the college on February 18 A huge furore had broken out after reports that Sidharthan was subjected to brutal assault from a group of students in the college most of them belonging to the SFI the students wing of the CPIM So far 20 accused persons all students have been arrested in connection with the case while the Vice Chancellor Dean and the Assistant Warden of the institute have been placed under suspensionWith the opposition parties taking up the issue and the father of the deceased demanding a CBI probe Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in March gave the nod for it but following a delay in the issue of the necessary order Jayaprakash father of Sidharthan moved the High Court which in April asked the Centre to give the sanction for itDismissing the VCs petition the court on Thursday observed This is a serious incident which allegedly occurred inside a college campus in front of a large number of students and the deceased was allegedly subjected to inhumane torture for days together which ultimately led to his suicide Therefore it is absolutely necessary that all the persons responsible for such incident and the officials who either willfully or negligently did not take any steps to prevent such torture before it escalated into the death of a person shall also be proceeded against Therefore I do not find it proper to interfere with the process of inquiry now in progressThe court also held that the arguments of the Vice Chancellor that he had no knowledge of the torture meted out to Sidharthan were not believableIn such circumstances the contention of the petitioner regarding the lack of knowledge of the torture of the deceased until 21022024 appears to be not convincing at least prima facie This probably suggests maladministration or dereliction of duty of the persons concerned including the petitioner Vice Chancellor Therefore this is a matter to be inquired into by conducting a fair and impartial inquiry it added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/vet-student-suicide-kerala-hc-dismisses-suspended-vcs-petition-challenging-action-against-him-536666.html Thu, 25 Apr 2024 20:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/drdo-develops-indias-lightest-bulletproof-jacket-against-highest-threat-level-536184.html New Delhi April 24 A unit of Defence Research and Development Organisation DRDO has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket for security forces in the country designed to withstand the highest threat level known as Level 6 officials said on Tuesday The jacket according to a DRDO official statement provides protection against 762 x 54 R API ammunition and novel material along with new processes has been used to develop itDRDOs Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment DMSRDE Kanpur has successfully developed the lightest bulletproof jacket in the country for protection against 762 x 54 R API level 6 of BIS 17051 ammunition Recently this bulletproof jacket was successfully tested at TBRL Chandigarh as per BIS 170512018 the statement saidThe front Hard Armour Panel HAP of the jacket is a standout feature capable of withstanding multiple hits up to 6 shots of 762 x 54 R API Sniper rounds in both ICW inconjunction with and standalone designsWhat sets this jacket apart is its ergonomically designed front HAP crafted from a monolithic ceramic plate with polymer backing This design not only ensures maximum protection but also enhances wearability and comfort during operationsThe areal density of ICW hard armour panel HAP and standalone HAP is less than 40 kgm2 and 43 kgm2 respectively the statement added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/drdo-develops-indias-lightest-bulletproof-jacket-against-highest-threat-level-536184.html Wed, 24 Apr 2024 02:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/extreme-heatwave-conditions-impact-electioneering-in-up-536197.html Lucknow April 24 With temperatures soaring past 40 degrees Celsius in several cities in Uttar Pradesh the impact is visible on electioneering Most of the candidates are avoiding large meetings and focussing on doortodoor campaignsWhile some areas experienced a mild reprieve with late evening showers on Tuesday others like the Bundelkhand region continue to battle the heat waveI am focussing on visiting homes of voters because a number of my party workers have already fallen ill due to extreme heatwave conditions said a candidate in Banda districtOn Tuesday Bulandshahr was the hottest in the state with a maximum temperature of 42 degrees Celsius followed by Prayagraj at 416 degrees Celsius Basti at 41 degrees Celsius Varanasi at 409 degrees Celsius Sultanpur and Agra at 408 degrees Celsius each and Jhansi 406 degrees CelsiusIn Gorakhpur intense heat in the morning hours impacted schoolchildren By 1100 am the mercury had soared to a staggering 415 degrees Celsius reaching nearly 42 degrees Celsius by noonIn Lucknow the maximum temperature on Tuesday was 396 degrees Celsius 05 units above normal while the minimum temperature was 231 degrees Celsius 09 notches above normalThe state Meteorological MeT Department issued a heatwave warning for east UP on Wednesday and most parts of the state on Thursday and Friday Dry hot winds will also lash many parts of the state during this periodMohammad Danish senior scientist at the state MeT Department said Cyclonic circulations that were responsible for thunder showers at isolated places in the east UP and partly cloudy sky in many parts of the state in the past couple of days have now fizzled out Hence the sky will remain clear in the coming days resulting in a gradual rise in temperatures Further dry hot winds coming from desert regions of Rajasthan are lashing the state All these factors are expected to create a heatwave IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/extreme-heatwave-conditions-impact-electioneering-in-up-536197.html Wed, 24 Apr 2024 08:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/surat-congress-leader-nilesh-kumbhani-vanishes-amid-election-controversy-536153.html Surat April 23 Congress leader Nilesh Kumbhani from Surat whose Lok Sabha candidacy was recently cancelled due to inconsistencies in his nomination form seems to have vanished into thin air Kumbhani is not reachable on phone raising alarms within his party and among his followers The development follows the Election Commission declaring BJPs Mukesh Dalal as the unopposed winner from the Surat Lok Sabha seat after all the other candidates withdrew their nominationsKumbhani is neither at his home nor is he taking calls He also didnt contact any party workers since the election of Mukesh Dalal a Congress worker said After rumors that Kumbhani may switch allegiance to the BJP several Congress supporters staged a demonstration outside his residence with posters labeling him a betrayer of the people Recently the Returning Officer RO Surat Collector Sourabh Pardhi rejected the nomination of Kumbhani and his substitute candidate due to alleged discrepancies in the signatures of their proposers The candidatures were dismissed under Section 362 of the Representation of the People Act 1951 which permits the RO to examine and reject nominations based on valid objectionsThe situation escalated after eight other candidates including Pyarelal Bharati of the Bahujan Samaj Party BSP withdrew their nominations under unclear circumstances leaving Dalal as the lone contender The series of withdrawals prompted allegations of foul play with Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil claiming that Kumbhanis nomination was sabotaged by the BJP as he described the incident as a murder of democracy IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/surat-congress-leader-nilesh-kumbhani-vanishes-amid-election-controversy-536153.html Tue, 23 Apr 2024 21:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-police-installs-tyre-crushers-to-check-wrong-side-driving-535958.html Lucknow April 23 The Lucknow Police for the first time has installed tyre crushers at two prominent crossings Awadh Crossing and Baikunth Dham to check wrongside driving The tyre crusher iron spike installed is designed to shred tyres of vehicles coming from the wrong directionDCP Traffic Salmantaj Patil said that if suggestions come from the public to install tyre crushers at other places the department will install them after surveying the placeWrongside driving is one of the major causes of accidents in the state capitalPeople giving suggestions for a smooth and safe traffic system will be given a citation in the office of Joint Commissioner of Police Law and Order the DCP addedIn a statement the Lucknow traffic department said Suggestions were sought from the public for the smooth operation of traffic following which many suggestions were received Vehicles come on the wrong side and block traffic which is said to be the main reason for accidents and jams IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-police-installs-tyre-crushers-to-check-wrong-side-driving-535958.html Tue, 23 Apr 2024 08:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sc-issues-notice-on-plea-challenging-west-bengal-governors-decision-to-not-give-assent-to-varsity-amendment-bill-535929.html New Delhi April 22 The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a plea filed against Governor CV Ananda Boses decision to not give assent to the West Bengal University Laws Amendment Bill 2022 Agreeing to examine the special leave petition a bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud sought within four weeks the response of the Principal Secretary to the Governor the Centre and the states Principal Secretary Higher Education In September last year the Calcutta High Court had sought an affidavit from the Raj Bhavan on a PIL filed against Governor Boses decision to not give assent to the Bill proposing to replace the Governor with the Chief Minister as the Chancellor of all state universitiesLater a division bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanm and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya suspended its earlier direction and decided to first examine the maintainability of the petition The Bill was passed by the Assembly in June 2022 Although the bill was forwarded to the Governors House on June 15 same year the Governor has not given his assent to it to date According to Article 200 of the Constitution when a Bill passed by the legislature of a state is presented to the Governor he has four options a he assents to the Bill b he withholds assent c he reserves the Bill for the consideration of the President or d he returns the Bill to the legislature for reconsideration IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sc-issues-notice-on-plea-challenging-west-bengal-governors-decision-to-not-give-assent-to-varsity-amendment-bill-535929.html Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/yogi-govt-introduces-customised-packages-for-big-projects-in-up-535781.html Lucknow April 22 The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has introduced casetocase customised packages for ultra mega category projects of special importance in the state a government spokesman said This is a part of the amended Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2022The Department of Infrastructure and Industrial Development has revised the policys provisions to enable this initiativeUnder the amendments a committee chaired by the CEO of Invest Uttar Pradesh will evaluate such projects and recommend special packages said a government spokesmanUpon endorsement by the highlevel Empowered Committee and the Cabinet customised packages will be provided for these largescale projects The Council of Ministers will grant final approval based on the Empowered Committees recommendationPreviously applications for such projects were reviewed by the nodal agencyHowever the amended policy now entrusts this responsibility to the committee under the CEO of Invest Uttar PradeshThe approval process involves the recommendation of various highlevel authorities including the Additional Chief SecretariesPrincipal Secretaries of relevant departments and a negotiation committeeAcknowledgment certificates will be issued to applicants by the nodal institution and the evaluation process will adhere to defined provisions for megacategory casesThese amendments aim to streamline the process of providing tailored incentives for projects deemed of special importance in the ultra mega category ensuring efficient decisionmaking and promoting investment in the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/yogi-govt-introduces-customised-packages-for-big-projects-in-up-535781.html Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/their-govt-is-for-20-25-select-people-rahul-gandhis-jibe-at-bjp-in-karnataka-rally-534803.html Bengaluru April 17 Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the party runs the government for 2025 select people while the grand old party looks after the welfare of everyone including the underprivileged and the farmers Addressing a massive public rally at Mandya in Karnataka Rahul Gandhi said The upcoming elections is a fight between two ideologies We the Congress run the government for the poor farmers women labourers businessmen and they referring to the BJP run the government for 20 to 25 select peopleOn one side there is the Congress which gave the Constitution and democracy to Hindustan and on the other side there is the RSS and the BJP they are finishing off the democracy and installing their people in every institution of this countryThe Wayanad MP said that if his party is voted to power at the Centre it would immediately take up some key stepsA legally guaranteed minimum support price will be given to farmers besides working towards waiving off the loans of farmers The insurance claims will be settled in 30 daysToday in Karnataka women get Rs 2000 every month Women will take care of the future of the country and future generations If a man works for eight hours women will work for 16 hours In this direction annually the Congressled government would deposit Rs 1 lakh into the account of a woman in the family the former Congress president saidFurther addressing the rally Rahul Gandhi said You are getting Rs 24000 annually now After the election our government is going to come and you will get Rs 124 lakh deposited into your accounts Every poor family will get a Rs 10500 deposit every month into their accounts This will change the lives of crores of families and it is going to be a revolutionary stepWe are going to fix Rs 400 as minimum wage Job security is not assured for employees hired on a contract basis and we are going to end hiring on a contract basis in the public and private sectors Rahul Gandhi saidYou might remember we had promised five guarantees during the Karnataka Assembly polls last year I am happy to share that all promises have been delivered he addedThe Congress has fielded Venkataramane Gowda also known as Star Chandru from Mandya in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/their-govt-is-for-20-25-select-people-rahul-gandhis-jibe-at-bjp-in-karnataka-rally-534803.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 21:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/indian-woman-in-pakistan-refuses-to-leave-without-her-kids-534637.html Islamabad April 17 Farzana Begum an Indian national hailing from Mumbai is currently in Pakistan fighting for the custody of her children has refused to return to her native country stating that her childrens lives are in danger Farzana Begum married a Pakistani citizen Mirza Mubin Elahi in Abu Dhabi in 2015 Later the couple came to Pakistan in 2018 and have two sons aged seven and six Farzanas case gained public limelight after she allegedly tortured her husband over a dispute regarding the custody of her sons and some properties in the name of her sonsFarzana rejects her husbands claims that he had divorced her stating If he has divorced me then there must be a certificateMe and my childrens lives are in danger in Pakistan over a property dispute I am confined to my house in Rehman Gardens Lahore and my children are enduring hunger she saidFarzana called on the government of Pakistan to provide her with protection until the case was resolved refusing to leave to her native country without her sonsThere are some properties in Lahore which are in the name of my sons My husband has possession of mine and my childrens passports she addedFarzana is the second wife of Mubin Elahi Elahi already has a Pakistani wife and children who Farzana alleges are plotting to bully and intimidate her to return to India and snatch control of properties which she says belong to her two sonsAdvocate Mohsin Abbas lawyer of Farzana said Mubin Elahi is spreading false rumours that Farzanas visa had expired even though her passport was in his possessionThe case has become the talk of the town as Farzana is unclear about the status of her visa and is adamant that she will not leave without her sonsI would never return to India without my sons Farzana saidWhile Farzana has been vocal about the case and her stance Elahi has been quiet and has not clarified his position on the matterFarzana also rejects the accusation of her husband that she tortured him stating that Elahi is making false allegations to get away from the core issue of the custody of her sons and possession of their properties in PakistanI know that Elahi is delaying the process to make sure my visa gets expired and I am forced to leave Pakistan But I will not leave without my sons Farzana asserted IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/indian-woman-in-pakistan-refuses-to-leave-without-her-kids-534637.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/in-up-line-between-executive-and-legislature-blurs-as-officers-take-to-politics-534667.html Lucknow April 17 It is the taste of power and an urge to remain at the centre stage of the system that is plunge into politics after retirement The trend is catching on and more and more officers are trying their luck in politicsA K Sharma a Gujarat cadre IAS officer joined the BJP in 2021Sharmas transition from bureaucracy to politics marked a significant shift and he became a member of the Vidhan Parishad and was then elevated as minister in the UP government in 2023Aseem Arun a IPS officer quit service to join politics and he won the assembly polls from Kannauj He is now a minister in the Yogi governmentRajeshwar Singh a PPS officer of the 1996 batch and former joint director of enforcement directorate also took VRS last year and successfully contested the Sarojini Nagar assembly seat in Lucknow in the 2022 Vidhan Sabha electionsA 1977batch IPS officer and former UP DGP Brij Lal also took to politics after retirement in 2014 and joined the BJP He is now a member of Rajya SabhaFormer Mumbai police commissioner and 1980batch IPS officer Satya Pal Singh who opted for VRS in 2014 won Lok Sabha election from Baghpat twice in 2014 and 2019 and went on to serve as a minister in the Narendra Modi governmentEarlier PL Punia a Dalit IAS officer joined the Congress after retirement in 2005 and won the Barabanki Lok Sabha seat in the 2009 elections He remains one of the frontline leaders of UP CongressRetired IAS officer Kunwar Fateh Bahadur joined the BSP but did not contest an election He was considered close to MayawatiSitting BSP MP from Jaunpur Shyam Singh Yadav is a former PCS officer of 1982 batch who joined BSP just before the 2019 Lok Sabha electionFormer chief engineer in PWD Tribhuvan Ram also took voluntary retirement in 2011 to join the BSP He was elected to Vidhan Sabha and later joined the BJP in 2019IAS officer Devi Dayal who retired in 2001 joined the Congress and contested Lok Sabha election from Bulandshahr in 2009 but lostSome bureaucrats who could not find an entry into other political parties formed their own partiesFormer IAS officer Chandrapal formed Adarsh Samaj Party and Tapendra Prasad former PCS formed Samyak Party Both could not make much headway in politicsRetired IPS officer Amitabh Thakur has formed his own Jan Adhikar Sena while retired DGP Sulkhan Singh who was the first DGP in the Yogi government has recently formed the Bundelkhand Loktantrik Party BLPThe trend of officers taking to politics began after the demolition of disputed structure in Ayodhya when the then SSP of Faizabad Devendra Bahadur Roy joined politics and won Lok Sabha elections from Sultanpur seat in 1996 and 1998 as a BJP candidateSamajwadi Partys Ahmad Hasan who retired as a DIG in 1994 also made it to the Samajwadi Party and Mulayam Singh Yadav appointed him as an MLC in 1996Union minister Satya Pal Singh Baghel was a police subinspector who quit the service in 1996 and went on to become a fourtime MP shifting political allegiances from BSP to SP and eventually finding a home in the BJP He is now a candidate from AgraA 1972batch IPS officer SR Darapuri took to politics after his retirement as inspector general of police in 2003 and formed his political outfit He contested from Lucknow in 2004 and then again in 2014 from Robertsganj constituency but lost both timesIn 2004 Shailendra Singh a 1991batch officer and deputy SP in the Special Task Force STF quit his job after falling out with the then SP govt over the arrest of mafiaturnedpolitician Mukhtar AnsariHe contested the 2004 Lok Sabha election from Varanasi as an independent candidate but lost and his political career failed to take offAnother officer Gyan Singh who retired from the post of DIG in home guards in 2013 joined the BJP in 2015 while former DG home guards Surya Kumar Shukla who retired from the services in 2018 joined the BJP Both are waiting for their turn in politicsBSP has fielded retired police officer Shubh Narayan Gautam from Kaushambhi in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/in-up-line-between-executive-and-legislature-blurs-as-officers-take-to-politics-534667.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/heatwave-conditions-prevail-in-telangana-yellow-alert-issued-534769.html Hyderabad April 17 Heatwave conditions prevailed in parts of Telangana with maximum temperature crossing 44 degrees Celsius on Wednesday Nidamanoor in Nalgonda was the hottest place with the maximum temperature reaching 448 degrees CelsiusAccording to the Telangana State Development Planning Society Ayyagaripalle and Garla in Mahabubabad district Munagala in Suryapet Nampalle in Nalgonda and Aswapuram in Bhadradri Kothagudem district were the secondhottest places with maximum temperature of 447 degrees CelsiusThe Hyderabad Met Office has issued a yellow alert for several districts over the next four days as maximum temperature is likely to increase by 23 degrees CelsiusHeatwave conditions are likely to prevail at isolated pockets in Komaram Bheem Asifabad Mancherial Peddapally Jayashankar Bhupalapally Mulugu Bhadradri Kothagudem Khammam Nalgonda Suryapet and Mahabubabad districts on April 18 and in isolated pockets in Adilabad KomaramBheem Asifabad Mancherial Nirmal Karimnagar Peddapally Jayashankar Bhupalapally Mulugu Bhadradri Kothagudem Khammam Suryapet and Mahabubabad districts on April 19The Met Office has also forecast light to moderate rain or thundershowers at isolated places over Telangana in the next five daysMeanwhile in Hyderabad the weather turned pleasant towards the evening as there were light rains at isolated places Cloudy weather with winds provided relief to people from the sweltering heat IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/heatwave-conditions-prevail-in-telangana-yellow-alert-issued-534769.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 19:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/stalin-calls-on-people-to-remove-narendra-modi-from-pms-chair-534779.html Chennai April 17 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin said on Wednesday that Narendra Modi should be removed as the Prime Minister of the country In a statement issued on Wednesday the last day of campaigning for the April 19 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu CM Stalin said Narendra Modi should be removed from the post of Prime Minister The country cannot afford to have him as the PM for a third termStalin also accused the RSS and BJP of attempting to convert India into an autocratic stateClaiming that the Prime Minister and his Cabinet colleagues never responded to his charge that the Centre did not release a single rupee for flood relief works in the state the Chief Minister said This made it clear that the Central government is against the interests of Tamil NaduCM Stalin also claimed that there is an apprehension among the people that if the BJP gets another chance to rule the country it will redraw the boundaries of the states and turn India into a unitary state where the Central government will be the supreme authorityIt is important that the BJP is not voted to power in the interests of Tamil Nadu and to safeguard the rights of the states he said The Chief Minister also called AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswamis decision to go solo in the elections a drama scripted by the BJP adding that the AIADMK will support the BJP after the elections if the need arisesThe 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone seat in Puducherry will go to the polls on April 19 The results will be out on June 4 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/stalin-calls-on-people-to-remove-narendra-modi-from-pms-chair-534779.html Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/a-year-after-atiqs-killing-motive-remains-unclear-534340.html Prayagraj UP April 15 Exactly a year ago on this day former MP and mafiaturnedpolitician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three assailants while they were being taken for medical examination A year later the mystery regarding the motive behind the killing remains unsolvedThe Special Investigation Team SIT constituted to investigate the murders of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf has filed a charge sheet against the three assailants arrested from the site of the killingsPolice claim that the assailants currently lodged at Chitrakoot jail committed the murders to establish a name and reputation for themselves in the underworldHowever many questions regarding the murders remain unansweredThe assailants disguised as media persons fired at the mafia brothers from close range using sophisticated firearms at the Motilal Nehru hospital The video of the shootings quickly went viral on social media platformsThe three assailants identified as Lavlesh Tiwari 22 from Banda Sunny Purane 23 from Hamirpur and Arun Kumar Maurya 18 from Kasganj were arrested from the spot They claim to have never met each other before the day of the murderBased on a complaint filed by SHO Dhumanganj Rajesh Kumar Maurya an FIR was lodged against the three assailants at Shahganj police station on April 17 under various sections including 302 murder 307 attempt to murder 120 B conspiracy 419 cheating by impersonation 420 fraud 467 forgery 468 forgery for cheating along with sections of the Arms Act 32527 and the Criminal Law Amendment Act 7 CLAPrayagraj police commissioner Ramit Sharma formed a threemember Special Investigation Team SIT with ADCP crime Satish Chandra leading the team to investigate the caseThe SIT claimed that the three assailants planned the murders themselves and did not receive help from anyone elseIn June last year the SIT filed a charge sheet against the three assailants The charge sheet comprised 2056 pages of documents including 2000 pages of case diary 56 pages of the charge sheet scientific evidence and statementsAccording to the charge sheet Lavlesh Tiwari is from Banda Arun Maurya from Kasganj and Sunny Singh from HamirpurThey had past criminal records and planned to murder Atiq and Ashraf to gain fame and money They used sophisticated firearms provided to Sunny Singh by Delhibased gangster Jitendra Man Gogi for killing his rival Tillu TajpuriaThe SIT included over 200 witnesses in the case diary and charge sheet The eyewitnesses and witnesses were mentioned separately The eyewitnesses included 21 policemen engaged in the security of Atiq and Ashraf 11 media personnel and more than 16 hospital personnel The team submitted 70 CCTV footage and 15 video recordings from CCTV cameras as court evidenceEven as the heat continues against Atiqs remaining family members and gang members they are still on the run They include his wife Shaista Parveen sister Ayesha Noori Ashrafs wife Zainab Fatima and henchmen Guddu Muslim Mohd Arman and Mohd SabirAccording to a senior police official in Prayagraj properties worth several 100 crores belonging to Atiq his kin and associates have been attachedMoreover several victims of Atiqs atrocities have come forward since his death and new cases are being registered against his sons Ali and Umar who are currently in Naini and Lucknow jail in separate casesSo far 11 persons have been arrested and are in jail in the Umesh Pal murder caseThey are Khan Saulat Hanif Dr Ikhlaq lawyer Vijay Mishra Arshad Katra Sadaqat Khan Rakesh Nana Qais Ahmad Shahrukh Mohd Sajar Niyaz Ahmad and Mohd Nafees deceasedAtiq ruled the roost unopposed for over four decades creating a reign of terror not only in Prayagraj but also in adjoining districtsLeading his IS227 gang Atiq amassed wealth and properties worth several hundred crores in many cities across Uttar Pradesh and other states Police investigations revealed that Atiq made investments through his associates in diamond mining dairy and the hotel industry in Delhi Madhya Pradesh Gujarat and MumbaiPolice officials said that Atiq and his gang members would threaten farmers and landowners to transfer their properties into their names at a much lower rate than the actual costUsually the properties were purchased under the names of unknown individuals who worked as labourers or domestic helpTwo such individuals identified as Hublal and Shyam Saroj have come forward and surrendered the documents of properties purchased in their names by Atiq and his associates in recent yearsShyam Saroj has filed an FIR against three of Atiqs associates whose names recently emerged during police investigationsSome of Atiqs former associates and friends have turned against his family lodging cases against themOne such case involves a builder named Mohd Muslim once a trusted associate of Atiq who filed an FIR against Atiqs eldest son Umar shortly after Atiqs murderSeveral cases of extortion have also been registered against Atiqs second son Ali by his own former associates and gang membersACP Varun said that the police had obtained remand for Ali and Umar in connection with the murder case of lawyer Umesh Pal and his two police guards The two would soon be questioned in jail after which charge sheets would be filed against them in courtMeanwhile the police have announced a reward of Rs 25000 for the arrest of Ashrafs wife Zainab Atiqs wife Shaista already carries a reward of Rs 50000However the police have yet to find any leads regarding their whereabouts Arman Sabir and Guddu Muslim along with Atiqs sister Ayesha Noori are still at large IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/a-year-after-atiqs-killing-motive-remains-unclear-534340.html Mon, 15 Apr 2024 10:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/gang-of-fake-journalists-held-for-extortion-in-up-534055.html Varanasi April 14 The Lanka police in Uttar Pradeshs Varanasi has arrested nine people of a gang of fake journalists a police officer said Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Kashi zone Pramod Kumar said that an Innova car camera electronic equipment mobile SIM card and six hundred rupees have been recovered from themAccording to the DCP during questioning the accused confessed that they would go out on the highway in the night and would stop vehicles on the highway and threaten their drivers with a sting operationOne would pose as the chief editor someone a reporter and another a cameramanApart from this they used to extort money from illegal and overloaded vehicles by threatening to seize themIf they met policemen on the way they would threaten them by recording their video and pretending to be journalistsThe arrested gang members include Mridul Kumar Tiwari Lal Babu Sonkar Akash Kumar Gautam Gaurav Kumar Bharti Prakash Verma Sawan Kumar Anil Kashyap Dilip Kumar and Jitendra SonkarPolice said that Mridul Kumar Tiwari is the leader and he posed as chief editor Lal Babu Sonkar became assistant cameraman Akash Kumar Gautam Jitendra Sonkar and Sawan Kumar alias Nayak became reporters Gaurav Kumar Bharti was the driverDilip Kumar Anil Kashyap and Prakash Verma were involved in this business of extortion by posing as cameramenPolice have recovered the alleged channels reporting mic stand three handtalks mobile selfie stick 360 degree camera data cable 11 mobile phones 11 SIM cards three data cables Innova car and Rs 600 as recovery money from themThe DCP added that every day the police were receiving complaints of extortion from vehicles by gangs of fake journalists travelling in vehiclesFollowing this top officials formed a police team the DCP saidDuring investigation the police got the number of the gangs car The gang members met under the Maldahiya bridge near Dafi bypass They were caught near Harsevanand Public School under Maldahiya bridge IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/gang-of-fake-journalists-held-for-extortion-in-up-534055.html Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-chief-condemns-irans-attack-on-israel-urges-immediate-cessation-534076.html United Nations April 14 UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres has condemned Irans airborne attack on Saturday against Israel and urged a cessation of hostilities media reports said I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the largescale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities he said in a statement as quoted by Xinhua news agency reportGuterres added that he is deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating regionwide escalationI urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle EastI have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war he saidIran began an airborne attack against Israel on Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital of Damascus The Israeli strike killed at least seven members of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps including two top generalsIran has accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed to respondTel Aviv has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack but it has for months carried out several strikes against Iranian targets across SyriaIran and Hezbollah its main ally in Lebanon have said the attack will not go unpunished IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-chief-condemns-irans-attack-on-israel-urges-immediate-cessation-534076.html Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-chief-condemns-irans-attack-on-israel-urges-immediate-cessation-534081.html United Nations April 14 UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres has condemned Irans airborne attack on Saturday against Israel and urged a cessation of hostilities media reports said I strongly condemn the serious escalation represented by the largescale attack launched on Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran this evening I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities he said in a statement as quoted by Xinhua news agency reportGuterres added that he is deeply alarmed about the very real danger of a devastating regionwide escalationI urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle EastI have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war he saidIran began an airborne attack against Israel on Saturday in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike on its diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital of Damascus The Israeli strike killed at least seven members of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps including two top generalsIran has accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed to respondTel Aviv has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack but it has for months carried out several strikes against Iranian targets across SyriaIran and Hezbollah its main ally in Lebanon have said the attack will not go unpunished IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/un-chief-condemns-irans-attack-on-israel-urges-immediate-cessation-534081.html Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-40-hr-rescue-effort-6-yr-old-boy-found-dead-in-borewell-in-mp-534124.html Bhopal April 14 Sixyearoldboy Mayank Kol who fell into a borewell in Madhya Pradeshs Rewa district on Friday was found dead on Sunday morning after more than 40hour efforts by NDRF and SDRF teams After being rescued when the boy was rushed to a hospital the doctors declared him dead The doctors said the boy was dead threefour hours after he fell into the deep borewell in a village in Teonthar tehsil of Rewa district bordering Prayag and Varanasi Uttar PradeshState Disaster Response Force SDRF and National Disaster Response Force NDRF called from Varanasi made their all possible efforts and kept digging to reach the boy stuck 40 feet deep in the dry borewellMayank is the fresh victim of the borewell tragedy Madhya Pradesh has been witnessing with open eyes but helpless for the past several years Incidents of children falling into borewells and hourslong rescue operations have been a regular occurrence in the state for the past twoandahalfyearShockingly over half a dozen children died after falling into borewells in different parts of Madhya Pradesh in the past two yearsRewa district collector Pratibha Pal SP Vivek Singh and Tenothar MLA BJP Siddharth Tiwari along with aggrieved parents of the victim with hundreds of villagers present there kept watching the rescue operation and were praying for his life for the past two days But at last they witnessed yet another borewell tragedy in Madhya PradeshBefore Mayank other children who became the victims of borewelltragedy in Madhya Pradesh in the past two years were fiveyearold boy Vijay December 12 2023 in Alirajpur district fiveyearold girl Mahi December 5 2023On June 8 last year sixyearold girl Shristi Kushwaha fell into a borewell left open at a village in Sehore district She was rescued after more than 60 hours of efforts jointly by the SDRF NDRF and Army however her life could not be savedOn December 10 2022 fiveyearold Tanmay Sahu died after falling into a borewell in Betul district IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-40-hr-rescue-effort-6-yr-old-boy-found-dead-in-borewell-in-mp-534124.html Sun, 14 Apr 2024 16:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/3-journalists-injured-in-israeli-shelling-in-gaza-strip-533915.html Gaza April 13 At least three Palestinian journalists were injured in an Israeli shelling targeting them at the Nusseirat refugee camp in central Gaza Palestinian sources said Eyewitnesses told Xinhua news agency on Friday that the Israeli artillery fired a shell towards a group of journalists while they were covering events in the Nusseirat campOn Thursday the Israeli army announced the start of a surprise military operation on the outskirts of the Nusseirat camp Xinhua news agency reportedMedical sources told Xinhua news agency that the three injured journalists arrived at the Shuhada alAqsa Hospital in Deir alBalah One of them suffered an amputation of his right foot and scattered shrapnel wounds on his body while the other two sustained moderate injuriesThere was no comment from the Israeli army on the incidentMeanwhile the Hamasrun government media office said in a statement that the Israeli army targeted the three journalists while they were wearing vests with clear Press markingsThe statement considered it a crime of targeting media crews as part of a series of severe violations against Palestinian journalistsThe statement condemned the Israeli armys targeting of media crews as deliberate and intentional in a clear message to intimidate and threaten them in an attempt to silence the truthThe International Federation of Journalists was called upon to condemn this crime and pursue the occupation in international forums and courts for its crimes against journalists and media professionalsIt is not the first time that the Israeli army has targeted journalists while they were covering events during the ongoing war since October 7 last yearNearly 140 journalists have been killed in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip over the past six months according to data from the Gaza government media office IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/3-journalists-injured-in-israeli-shelling-in-gaza-strip-533915.html Sat, 13 Apr 2024 17:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/two-tourists-die-in-jampks-hill-stations-533932.html Srinagar April 13 Two tourists one from the US and another from Gujarat died on Saturday in JampKs Sonamarg and Pahalgam hill stations Officials said that the US tourist identified as Lana Marie fell ill at a hotel in Sonamarg hill station in Ganderbal districtMarie was shifted to the primary health centre PHC in Sonamarg where doctors said she had been dead on arrival the officials saidThe body is at the PHC in Sonamarg and medicolegal formalities are being completed the officials saidThe Gujarati tourist identified as 63yearold Vangikar Anagha fell unconscious inside the hotel in the Pahalgam tourist resort they saidAnagha was shifted to the hospital where doctors said she was dead on arrival Medicolegal formalities have been started in this incident by police in Pahalgam they added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/two-tourists-die-in-jampks-hill-stations-533932.html Sat, 13 Apr 2024 17:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/followers-of-ysrcp-mla-booked-for-violence-at-police-station-533357.html Vijayawada April 10 Police in Andhra Pradeshs Krishna district on Wednesday registered a case against followers of YSR Congress Party YSRCP MLA Perni Nani in connection with Tuesdays violent protest at a police station The former minister along with his supporters had gone to Chilakalapudi Police Station after a subinspector allegedly thrashed some YSRCP workers arrested in connection with a clash with Telugu Desam Party TDP workersThe YSRCP leaders alleged that SI Chanakya along with another SI and constable assaulted YSRCP workers in front of a TDP leaderThe YSRCP leaders condemned the police action and had an argument with the police officials allegedly involved They demanded that SI and others responsible be suspended They also allegedly ransacked CCTV cameras and furniture The protest had led to a tense situation Senior police officials rushed to the spot and pacified the protestors with an assurance to conduct an inquiryOn Wednesday police registered a case under Indian Penal Code IPC section 188 Disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant section 143 unlawful assembly and section 427 Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees or upwards against Perni Nanis supportersSection 188 was invoked as section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code is in force in view of Model Code of Conduct for the electionsTuesdays incident was linked to a recent clash between workers of the two parties at Ullipalem village during a local fairYSRCP leaders alleged that workers who were injured in the clash were summoned to the police station after they were discharged from hospital and they were allegedly beaten up IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/followers-of-ysrcp-mla-booked-for-violence-at-police-station-533357.html Wed, 10 Apr 2024 14:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-gen-secy-nara-lokesh-dares-andhra-pradesh-cm-for-debate-on-welfare-schemes-533441.html Amaravati April 10 Telugu Desam Party TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh on Wednesday dared Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for a debate on welfare schemes He said that the TDP is ready for a debate on welfare schemes implemented by its government between 2014 and 2019 and the schemes undertaken by the YSR Congress Party YSRCP government during the last five yearsNara Lokesh remarked that Jagan Mohan Reddy is a master in crediting Rs 10 in the accounts of the poor in the name of welfare and looting Rs 100 from them in various ways He mentioned that in the past five years Jagan increased the power tariff nine times and was resorting to withdrawing welfare schemes in the guise of hefty power billsWe are ready for an open debate on under whose regime more welfare has been done Are you ready for the debate Nara Lokesh asked during his interaction with the residents of Jupiter Apartments and nearby areas in China Kakaki in Mangalagiri Assembly segment as part of his ongoing election campaignNara Lokesh who is son of TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that Jagan Mohan Reddy is the only chief minister who has withdrawn 100 welfare schemesDuring the previous election campaign Jagan Mohan Reddy has made umpteen promises to the people but after coming to power he is moving behind the screens as he is scared of people questioning him the TDP general secretary remarkedPointing out that the Videsi Vidya scheme implemented during the TDP regime for the poor students to go abroad for further studies has been cancelled by Jagan Mohan Reddy he said that both the daughters of the chief minister are pursuing their higher studies abroadDoes Mr Jagan feel that the students for the middle and lower middle class should not pursue their higher studies abroad Lokesh asked and said that in the name of Vidya Deevena and Vasathi Deevena he stopped fee reimbursementNara Lokesh promised to revive the fee reimbursement scheme and also hand over the certificates to over six lakh students by making a onetime settlement to all the educational institutions which has been pending for longHe alleged that those who are posting some comments on social media questioning Jagan Mohan Reddy on the promises that he has made are being subjected to harassment by registering false cases against them He stated that the entire Telugu Society has been living under constant fear for the past five yearsThe TDP general secretary said that if Chandrababu is back as the chief minister the state will certainly move forward on the progressive path but if Jagan Mohan Reddy is back the attacks on SCs STs and BCs will go up and will be reported dailyCalling Jagan as a destructive ruler Lokesh said that he has totally destroyed Amaravati and Polavaram projectsOne State one capital is our slogan and within 100 days of coming back to power the Amaravathi works will be taken up again and all the dues to the farmers who have sacrificed their lands will also be cleared on a war footing basis Nara Lokesh addedAndhra Pradesh Assembly elections will be held simultaneously with the the Lok Sabha polls on May 13 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-gen-secy-nara-lokesh-dares-andhra-pradesh-cm-for-debate-on-welfare-schemes-533441.html Wed, 10 Apr 2024 17:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-seeks-public-donations-launches-website-533261.html Amaravati April 9 Ahead of the next months elections the Telugu Desam Party TDP on Tuesday launched a website to receive public donations TDP president and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu launched the website TDPforAndhracom and appealed to supporters of the party to make online donationsNaidu who made the first donation of Rs 99999 said the NRIs can also make donations through the website He mentioned that TDP gets membership money every two yearsWe are spending that money along with the money given by the wellwishers Unlike other political parties we are not accepting illegal money The YSRCP took Rs 160 crore through bonds from online gambling By taking money from the gamblers they are speaking about ethics and values he saidNaidu stated that TDP always depended on the people Several people have benefited from TDP policies People should come forward and help the party in their possible capacity I am asking people to come directly and talk about their experience and the benefits they got They are in a position to compete across the world after using the policies implemented by us he saidThe TDP chief said people should also contribute financially to the party be it Rs 100 Rs 1000 or whatever they wishPeople will be given a receipt after they donate to the party People will be donors in the party books and accounts and they will be honoured We have taken all precautions and permissions for NRIs to donate to the party We will verify their donations and we will accept them if they are eligible he addedHe pointed out that TDP has a history with 42 years of experienceIt worked constantly with new ideas to change the lives of peopleHe asserted that not only rich and landlords but educated and honest people should enter politicsHe recalled that in 1982 TDP ensured social justice for backward classesIt made the educated with no prior experience in politics as MLAs and MPsPoliticians should also be valuebased he saidNaidu said there was a time when Telugu people had no importanceThey used to be called Madrasis The TDP started from there and introduced the selfrespect of Telugu people to the world Through public policies we can bring changes to peoples lives he said and recalled that it gave importance to Information TechnologyWe used to tell them that instead of doing jobs they should also innovate products We also said that they should not only do jobs but should give jobs to others We told them about artificial intelligence cloud management data centers and data science 20 years ago he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-seeks-public-donations-launches-website-533261.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 19:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-chief-secys-reply-in-school-jobs-case-irks-calcutta-hc-533264.html Kolkata April 9 A division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over the failure on the part of West Bengal Chief Secretary BP Gopalika twice in submitting a proper explanation in a matter related to the multicrore school jobs case within the courtstipulated dateline The Chief Secretary was supposed to submit his reply to the court on Tuesday specifying by when the state government would give its statutory approval for beginning the trial against the state government employees involved in the multicrore cashforschool jobs caseHowever when the state governments counsel submitted the report on behalf of the Chief Secretary on Tuesday the division bench of Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Gaurang Kanth expressed dissatisfaction over its contentAs per the report the matter has been forwarded to the states legal department for the latters observation and a decision on the beginning of the trial can be taken only after the Lok Sabha pollsWhat is the connection between the judicial process and the elections Have the police stopped filing FIRs Has the investigation process stopped Why is the Chief Secretary not discussing the matter with the central agencies probing the case Justice Bagchi questionedThe bench also noted that the silence of the Chief Secretary in this matter is creating doubts about the level of the involvement of influential persons in this case It has been nearly oneandahalf years but the trial process could not be initiated because of the nonavailability of approval from the state government The Chief Secretary will have to take the responsibility Maybe he will become unpopular with a political party for that But he should understand that he has a much bigger responsibility observed Justice BagchiAfter passing its observations the bench set a third and final deadline for the Chief Secretary to submit a definitive report to the bench by April 23 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-chief-secys-reply-in-school-jobs-case-irks-calcutta-hc-533264.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 20:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/shops-and-establishments-in-mumbai-not-displaying-marathi-boards-to-pay-double-property-tax-533096.html Mumbai April 8 Shops and establishments in Mumbai without Marathi nameplates will have to pay double property tax from May 1 the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation announced on Monday Also the license issued for an illuminated signboard glow board not in the Marathi language will be cancelled with immediate effect and a new registration will have to be done If the glow sign board license is revoked the establishment owners concerned will be charged a penalty ranging between Rs 25000 and Rs 15 lakhThese decisions were taken at the meeting chaired by BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Administrator Bhushan GagraniIt is binding on the shops and establishments in Mumbai to put up nameplates in Marathi written in Devnagari script following the order issued last year by the Supreme CourtThe BMC conducted an inspection from November 28 2023 to March 31 2024 and it was found that of the total 87047 shops and establishments inspected 84007 9650 per cent had complied with the Supreme Courts order However the remaining 3040 shops and establishments did not put up the boards as per the rules and the BMC had served legal notices to them IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/shops-and-establishments-in-mumbai-not-displaying-marathi-boards-to-pay-double-property-tax-533096.html Tue, 09 Apr 2024 00:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/arvind-kejriwal-would-walk-out-of-jail-in-a-day-if-he-joins-bjp-atishi-533085.html Guwahati April 8 Delhi Minister Atishi claimed on Monday that if Arvind Kejriwal decides to join the BJP he would walk out of jail within a day Delhi Chief Minister is presently in judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the excise policy caseAtishi who is in Assam for a threeday visit to the state to campaign for the AAP candidates in Dibrugarh and Sonitpur Lok Sabha seats also attacked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa SarmaIf Arvind Kejriwal joins the BJP like Himanta Biswa Sarma he would be freed from jail within a day But Kejriwal is a fighter He will not surrender before BJPs pressure tactics and will continue to serve the people of Delhi Punjab and Assam irrespective of whether he is in jail the AAP leader saidShe also claimed that the people of Assam have shown their love for AAP in earlier elections as wellWe have seen good results in the local body polls in Guwahati she saidAtishi who holds the education portfolio in Delhi among others also alleged that the quality of education is poor in AssamIn the last few years at least 8000 schools were shut down in Assam citing poor enrolment People are not sending their children to government schools in Assam because they lack good infrastructure she claimedAccording to Atishi the AAP government has revamped the education system in Delhi where people are now opting for government schools over private institutionsThe AAP leader also spoke on the minimum wages of tea garden workers which according to her is very low in AssamDelhi has the highest minimum wage We shall raise these issues during the polls Atishi said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/arvind-kejriwal-would-walk-out-of-jail-in-a-day-if-he-joins-bjp-atishi-533085.html Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/when-pm-modis-out-of-the-way-gestures-won-hearts-of-people-politicians-amp-sportspersons-533090.html New Delhi April 8 Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in leading by example and abides by what he says or promises His appeal and charisma continue to inspire the billionplus population while there are many instances of his statesmanship which has left leaders cutting across political lines enamoured Here is a compilation of such instances which endeared him to peoples heartsThe first instance is of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presenting her first Budget in the NDA government While presenting the 25 hours long Union Budget Sitharaman felt unwell in the middle and had to take permission from the Speaker for the sitin presentationSometime later she recalled PM Modis deep concern for her health and wellbeingShe said that PM Modi sent his personal doctor for my checkup and also revealed that he kept on enquiring about her wellbeing even many years after the incidentIn another instance PM Modis teary farewell for then Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad while the latter was retiring from the Upper House left the Opposition lawmakers in awe of himLater Ghulam Nabi Azad also made a gushing praise for PM Modi and said that despite repeated criticism of PM Modiled governments policies for many years the Prime Ministers tearful speech made him emotionalPM Modi showed true statesmanship by giving me the Leader of Opposition in House an emotional farewell Besides being a hard worker PM Modis heartwarming gesture left me and Opposition members enamoured Ghulam Nabi Azad saidSmriti Irani also faced a personal crisis during her first stint as ministerSharing the incident she revealed that while she shuttled between hospital and home for sons health while also facing a raging issue in Parliament PM Modis concern and assistance helped her tide over itI was worried and hassled but PM Modi kept asking what kind of help you need He is such a person such a boss whom one would like to die for she saidAnother instance is PM Modis surprise visit to the Indian national cricket teams dressing room when the Men in Blue lost the World Cup 2023 final against AustraliaPM Modi met the cricketers in the dressing room consoled and uplifted the spirits of the players while they felt dejected over losing the trophy in the final matchA couple of cricketers later revealed that silence and gloom in the dressing room subsided and the cricketers got talking only after PM Modi met them and consoled them IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/when-pm-modis-out-of-the-way-gestures-won-hearts-of-people-politicians-amp-sportspersons-533090.html Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-ex-dgp-known-for-panchang-policing-joins-bjp-532885.html Lucknow April 8 Former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vijay Kumar who retired from service in January this year joined the BJP on Monday He was a 1988batch IPS officer who is known for his concept of policing according to the moonIn August last year Vijay Kumar hit the headlines when he issued a circular to police officials in districts and directed them to study crime records of UP 112 and Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems CCTNS during the new moon amavasya days and a week after it and prepare a mapping plan to tackle illegal activitiesNoting that most incidents of crime take place a week before the Amavasya in the Krishna Paksha dark phase of the moon and a week after it Kumar had instructed that the incidents of crime during the period must be reviewed monthlyIt was a full moon day on August 1 and there was bright moonlight from 6 pm till 6 am on August 2 restricting the movement of criminals From August 8 the new moon period began which continued till August 16 he saidOn August 16 it was dark from 6 pm to 6 am which helped criminals take advantage of the darkness and commit crime he saidThe then DGP said that Amavasya would occur on September 14 and October 14 therefore officers should remain alert a week before and after it The circular is not just for the police but also for the general public so that they stay alert Through strong policing a secure environment should be established in the state he said Terming it as Panchang policing Vijay Kumar had asked cops to keep tabs on moons phases IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-ex-dgp-known-for-panchang-policing-joins-bjp-532885.html Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ktr-lashes-out-at-congress-after-another-brs-mla-switches-camps-532827.html Hyderabad April 7 Bharat Rashtra Samithi BRS Working President KT Rama Rao on Sunday hit out at the hypocrisy of the Congress after another BRS MLA joined the ruling party in Telangana This hypocrisy of a party called Congress Yesterday Rahul Gandhi waxed eloquent about party defections and amendments to the 10th schedule for automatic disqualification Today his party shamelessly poached one BRS MLA Rama Rao posted on XWhen you dont mean it Why this Nautanki amp Drama Rahul Ji he askedKTR as the BRS leader is known noted that the Congress in its election manifesto for Lok Sabha polls promised that if voted to power it would amend the Constitutions 10th Schedule to ensure automatic disqualification of MLAsMPs if they defect adding that the party says one thing before coming to power and does its opposite after coming to powerHe said the Congress was offering MP tickets to lure BRS MLAs and that there is no difference between it and the BJPHis outburst came in the wake of the defection of another of his party MLAs Tellam Venkat Rao to the CongressThe MLA from Bhadrachalam joined the ruling party in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy Venkat Rao is the third BRS MLA to switch loyalties in the last three weeksOn Saturday KTR had asked the Congress to practice what it preaches by making two BRS MLAs who defected to it resign or face disqualification by the Speaker IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ktr-lashes-out-at-congress-after-another-brs-mla-switches-camps-532827.html Sun, 07 Apr 2024 21:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-mla-n-pugazhenthi-dies-after-brief-illness-532608.html Chennai April 6 DMK MLA N Pugazhenthi who represented Tamil Nadus Vikravandi constituency died on Saturday following a brief illness Pugazhenthi 71 partys Villupuram south district secretary passed away at the Government Villupuram Medical College and Hospital GVMCH in Mundiyambakkam while undergoing treatmentHe is survived by his wife son and three daughtersThe DMK leader was admitted to the GVMCH a few days ago after he complained of healthrelated issuesHe was discharged on Friday and attended a public meeting addressed by Chief Minister M K Stalin at VikravandiHowever his health condition worsened on Friday night after which he was rushed to the hospital where he breathed his last on SaturdayPugazhenthi was a native of Athiyur Thiruvadi near Sankarapuram He started his political career in 1973 and served in various positions in the DMKs Villupuram district unitHe lost the 2019 byelection to the Vikravandi assembly constituency to AIADMKs Muthamizhselvan by a margin of 44924 votesIn the 2021 Assembly elections however he wrested the seat from the AIADMKTamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin condoled the death of Pugazhenrhi In a statement he expressed shock and pain over the MLAs deathStalin said Despite his health issues he had come to participate in my election campaign meeting on Friday and complained of dizziness after which he was taken to the hospital I had spoken to the doctors and asked them to take care of his health We were hoping that he would recover and come back But the news of his death has caused deep griefThe Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said that Pugazhenthi joined the DMK in 1973 as a branch secretary and started his political journey He further said that due to his hard work he became a district secretary and a legislatorThe DMK president said that Pugazhenthis demise was a great loss not only to the people of Vikravandi constituency and Villupuram district but also for the DMKIt is an irrevocable loss Stalin saidThe Chief Minister extended his condolences to the late MLAs family and friends as well as party cadres IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-mla-n-pugazhenthi-dies-after-brief-illness-532608.html Sat, 06 Apr 2024 15:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/gauhati-hc-overturns-order-giving-relief-to-kokrajhar-mp-naba-sarania-532336.html Guwahati April 4 The Gauhati High Court has overturned its singlejudge bench order that had given interim relief to Lok Sabha MP Naba Sarania in a case challenging his Scheduled Tribe Plains STP status Sarania has served as MP from Assams Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat since 2014The writ petition filed by Sarania in the case before the singlejudge bench was directed by the twojudge bench headed by Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi in its judgment on Wednesday to be scheduled for final disposal on Friday because of the urgency of the situation The seat goes to polls on May 7We are of the view that the impugned order passed by the learned single judge cannot be sustained and the same is therefore set aside the bench which also included Justice Suman Shyam saidThe court directed the Registry to list the writ petition filed by Sarania before the singlejudge bench on April 5 for final disposalThe order came on a case brought by the Assam government and four other parties contesting a singlejudge benchs order from March 27 which had stayed a January 2024 order against Sarania and any subsequent actions that would have affected his tribal status until the writ petition was resolvedSarania had contested a January 12 2024 speaking order of the State Level Scrutiny Committee SLSC according to which he was declared not to be a member of the STP community The state Department of Tribal Affairs Plains then issued an order on January 20 in which Saranias caste certificate issued on October 17 2011 was cancelledSarania argued that he was a member of the Boro Kachari community which has been granted STP status and represented a Lok Sabha constituency designated for it IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/gauhati-hc-overturns-order-giving-relief-to-kokrajhar-mp-naba-sarania-532336.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 23:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ec-orders-strict-vigilance-along-indias-border-with-myanmar-nepal-amp-bdesh-532163.html New Delhi April 4 The Election Commission EC on Wednesday directed the central agencies to ensure strict vigilance is maintained along the countrys bordering areas with Myanmar Nepal and Bangladesh The EC has also directed Chief Secretaries and DGPs of all states and union territories and heads of central agencies to ensure peaceful and inducementfree general electionsThe EC earlier on Wednesday ahead of the Lok Sabha polls held a crucial meeting with all statesUTs The meeting was chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv KumarThe EC reviewed support from the Indian Air force and state civil aviation departments for sorties to ferry polling teams in challenging regions of states like Arunachal Pradesh Chhattisgarh and MaharashtraDirections were given for adequate security measures to safeguard political functionaries and candidates based on threat perception particularly in Chhattisgarh and Jammu amp KashmirThe recent violence and turmoil in Manipur was also discussed with the Commission urging swift action to assist Internally Displaced Persons and ensure their participation in the electoral processThe meeting was held to review and assess the law and order situation prevention of illicit activities seizures and strict vigil across interstate and international bordersThe general directions given by EC include setting up integrated check posts at international and interstate borders for strict surveillance and sharing of intelligence on criminals and antisocial elements between bordering districtsThe EC also ordered sealing of interstate borders to prevent bogus voting while suggesting regular interstate coordination meetings of border districts intensifying patrolling on interstate border districts seal interstate border on polling day among other measuresBesides the EC has asked for expenditure monitoring It has asked officials to plug in the inflow of illicit liquor cash drugs along interstate and international borders while also strengthening monitoring at checkposts with CCTV installationThe EC also recommended joint checking and operations by police excise transport GST and forest departmentsIt also ordered strict vigilance at helipads airports bus stations and railway stationsThe Election Commission also underscored the importance of strict vigilance to curb the movement of contraband items including narcotics liquor arms and explosives across international bordersIt directed identification of exit and entry points for movement of liquor and cash along the borders curbing illegal ganja cultivation in some states IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ec-orders-strict-vigilance-along-indias-border-with-myanmar-nepal-amp-bdesh-532163.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-bloc-running-parivar-bachao-party-says-nadda-in-rajasthan-532167.html Jaipur April 4 BJP President JP Nadda on Wednesday launched a scathing attack against the leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc accusing them of running a Parivar Bachao Party Addressing an election rally in support of the party candidate from the JhalawarBaran Lok Sabha seat Dushyant Singh in Jhalawar on Wednesday the BJP chief said The Congress committed scams in all the three spheres the sky the earth and waterCommenting on the countrys economy JP Nadda said Today the countrys economy is growing at a fast pace India will soon become the thirdlargest economy in the world We have already outnumbered Britain and are presently ranked fifth in the worldOn threetime sitting MP Dushyant Singhs candidature the senior BJP leader said Dushyant Singh is contesting the elections from here for the fifth time The works that Vasundhara Raje and Dushyant Singh carried out here and the bond they developed with the public will continue to strengthen in the future as well Speaking on the occasion former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said she shares a 35yearold relationship with Jhalawar Remembering BJP stalwarts such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee LK Advani and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Raje said it was Shekhawat who sent her to Jhalawar to meet the people here That tie has continued since then she said Addressing the gathering Dushyant Singh said The Congress has always played the politics of appeasement while we are continuously working for the people of JhalawarBaran The picture of India will change by 2047 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-bloc-running-parivar-bachao-party-says-nadda-in-rajasthan-532167.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ed-begins-process-to-freeze-bank-accounts-of-sheikh-shahjahan-532198.html Kolkata April 4 Enforcement Directorate ED has started the process to freeze the personal bank accounts of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan as well as those accounts linked to the businesses owned by him Sources aware of the development said that the process has started with two bank accounts one personally held by Shahjahan and the other linked to the fish exports entity Mesars Sheikh Sabina Fish Supply Only which is registered in the name of Shahjahans daughter Sheikh SabinaAccordingly the ED sleuths have written to the authorities of the banks concerned to immediately freeze the debit and credit transaction facilities of these two accounts At the same time the central agency sleuths have also enquired with certain bank authorities on the transaction details in some other account linked to Shahjahan his family members and close associatesSources said that a total of 15 such bank accounts and transactions worth Rs 137 crore through these accounts are currently under the scanner of the ED sleuthsED sleuths have already secured definite clues on how Shahjahan used his prawn and shrimp export business to earn hefty profits as well as to divert the scam proceeds in different cases of money laundering including the ration distribution caseThe ED has already filed two separate enforcement case information reports ECIR against Shahjahan also the accused mastermind behind the attack on ED and CAPF personnel on January 5 at SandeshkhaliThe first ECIR is related to his involvement in the ration distribution and the second is related to using his fish exports business for money launderingShahjahan is also accused of forcefully grabbing farmland from the local farmers at Sandeshkhali and then illegally converting them into pisciculture farms by flowing in saline water thereHe is also accused of putting pressure on other pisciculture farm owners to sell the prawn and shrimps produced on their farms at a nominal profit to his export business and subsequently sell the same products purchased at the nominal rate at premium prices in the export market IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ed-begins-process-to-freeze-bank-accounts-of-sheikh-shahjahan-532198.html Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/kabul-confirms-detention-of-2-us-nationals-in-afghanistan-531502.html Kabul April 1 Afghan caretaker governments spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has confirmed the detention of two US nationals in Afghanistan local media said A number of foreign nationals including two US nationals have been held in Afghanistan and the reason for their imprisonment is a violation of Afghanistans laws Afghanistan National Radio and Television quoted Mujahid on Sunday as sayingWithout providing more details the official noted that anyone who obtains an Afghan visa and enters the country is obliged to respect the law of the land Xinhua news agency reportedMujahid also said that in other countries if Afghan nationals violate the law they will definitely be arrestedThe Afghan administrations spokesman made the remarks amid reports that some in the US have been asking President Joe Biden to ensure the release of Americans held in Afghanistan and bring them back to their homeland IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/kabul-confirms-detention-of-2-us-nationals-in-afghanistan-531502.html Mon, 01 Apr 2024 03:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/taliban-confirms-detention-of-2-us-nationals-in-afghanistan-531503.html Kabul April 1 Afghan caretaker governments spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has confirmed the detention of two US nationals in Afghanistan local media said A number of foreign nationals including two US nationals have been held in Afghanistan and the reason for their imprisonment is a violation of Afghanistans laws Afghanistan National Radio and Television quoted Mujahid on Sunday as sayingWithout providing more details the official noted that anyone who obtains an Afghan visa and enters the country is obliged to respect the law of the land Xinhua news agency reportedMujahid also said that in other countries if Afghan nationals violate the law they will definitely be arrestedThe Afghan administrations spokesman made the remarks amid reports that some in the US have been asking President Joe Biden to ensure the release of Americans held in Afghanistan and bring them back to their homeland IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/taliban-confirms-detention-of-2-us-nationals-in-afghanistan-531503.html Mon, 01 Apr 2024 03:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/all-netherlands-cafe-hostages-released-suspect-arrested-531309.html The Hague March 31 A hostage situation in the central Dutch town of Ede in the Netherlands has ended after four hostages were freed and a suspect was arrested according to the Police The incident began early Saturday morning at Cafe Petticoat a popular bar in the area Xinhua news agency reported By around 11 am local time three hostages had been released from the barNearly an hour later the fourth hostage exited the premises and the suspect surrendered and was subsequently taken into custody by police officersAlthough the immediate hostage situation has concluded law enforcement is continuing its investigation in and around the cafe The area surrounding the cafe remains cordoned off and residents have been evacuatedThe motive of the hostage taker remains unclear IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/all-netherlands-cafe-hostages-released-suspect-arrested-531309.html Sun, 31 Mar 2024 06:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/will-legally-seek-justice-for-mukhtar-says-afzal-ansari-531323.html Ghazipur UP March 31 Member Parliament Afzal Ansari has said that his priority would be to exercise legal options and ensure justice for his deceased brother Mukhtar Ansari Talking to IANS on phone a day after Mukhtar Ansari was laid to rest in Ghazipur Afzal Ansari said We possess sufficient evidence to prove that Mukhtar had been poisoned inside the Banda jail More shocking was the behaviour of doctors who found it necessary to admit him in ICU on March 26 but suddenly decided that Mukhtar was fit enough to be discharged a few hours laterHe further said Despite being an MP I was not allowed to talk to the principal of Banda medical college to know about my brothers actual ailment We kept requesting doctors to alert us and refer Mukhtar to a higher facility in time so that he can be given required treatment to save his lifeHe said that Mukhtar was taken back to his barrack when he could not stand on his feet and was falling unconscious at regular intervalsWith all the evidence we have collected we will sit with the team of our legal experts in a day or two to explore ways for seeking justice for him from the court Mukhtar has been eliminated in a properly planned conspiracy he statedThe MP said I was punished in a Gangsters Act case despite the fact that I had been acquitted in the case which was made base for booking me under the Act I lost my membership from Parliament but the Supreme Courts order to suspend the punishment till disposal of my appeal in the apex court not only restored my membership of Parliament but also made me eligible to contest the 2024 LS pollAfzal Ansari will be contesting the Ghazipur Lok Sabha seat on the Samajwadi Party ticket and said that people of Ghazipur were with him in this hour of grief and crisisHe had won the Mohammadabad Assembly seat in Ghazipur district four times between 1985 and 1996 on the CPI ticket and then won it again as SP candidate in 1996He contested Lok Sabha polls from Ghazipur seat on the SP ticket in 2004 and emerged victorious while in 2019 he retained it as a BSP candidate IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/will-legally-seek-justice-for-mukhtar-says-afzal-ansari-531323.html Sun, 31 Mar 2024 09:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/telangana-kcr-inspects-withered-crops-comforts-affected-farmers-531416.html Hyderabad March 31 Bharat Rashtra Samithi BRS president and leader of opposition in the Telangana Assembly K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday inspected withered crops in a couple of districts and interacted with farmers who suffered losses The former chief minister visited Jangaon and Suryapet districts and inspected crops which dried up due to lack of waterFarmers explained to him how they suffered huge losses as water was not supplied to their crops through canalsWhile inspecting the crops at Dharawath Thanda in Palakurthy constituency of Jangaon district he comforted the affected farmers and advised them not to lose hopeKCR assured farmers that BRS will stand with them in their fight to get water 24hour power assistance under Rythu Bandhu and farm loan waiverThe BRS chief who left in a bus along with other party leaders from his house at Erravelli in Siddipet district was accorded a warm welcome by people en route to Jangaon districtA woman Sattyamma broke down while narrating her tale of woes to the former chief minister She said she dug four borewells but did not get a drop of water resulting in withering of crops on four acres She told him that she suffered a loss of Rs 4 to 5 lakhThe woman farmer informed her that she had fixed the marriage of her son and now with the crop loss she was facing financial problems KCR announced Rs 5 lakh assistance for the marriage of his sonKCR interacted with other farmers of the hamlet and enquired about their problems Women farmers turned emotional while showing him their damaged cropsDont lose hope Let us fight together said KCR who lost power to Congress in the November 30 2023 electionsOne of the farmers told the BRS leader that during his 10year rule they lived happily He said they never thought that their life would take such a turnAnother farmer said they had hoped that like every year they will get water through canals for cultivation but with the Congress government came the droughtFormer minister E Dayakar Rao accompanied KCR during his visit to Jangaon district From there the former chief minister reached Suryapet district where former minister and Suryapet MLA Jagdish Reddy former MLA G Kishor Kumar and other public representatives welcomed him IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/telangana-kcr-inspects-withered-crops-comforts-affected-farmers-531416.html Sun, 31 Mar 2024 15:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/newspaper-delivery-boy-to-mumbai-2611-hero-ips-officer-sadanand-v-date-to-helm-elite-nia-530721.html Mumbai March 27 Sadanand V Date an IPS officer decorated with the Presidents Medals and one of the heroes of the deadly 2611 Mumbai terror strikes 2008 has been named as the new Director General of the muchfeared National Investigation Agency NIA on Wednesday Presently Date is the DG Maharashtra AntiTerrorism Squad ATS and has previously served as DIT Central Bureau of Investigation CBI besides other important policing positions at the state and Centre in the past 34 yearsBorn in a humble family in Pune Date 58 had a life full of struggles having lost his father when he was 15 and his mother worked as a cook to earn a living for the familyThe bright young Date hungry for education chipped in by working as a newspaper delivery boy from 1977 for nearly 10 years to partfinance his studies in school and collegeOver the years he completed his B Comm and MComm became a Cost Accountant ICAI and earned a PhD in Commerce from the Savitribai Phule Pune University but was lured by public service so he also appeared for his UPSC exams and cracked it to become an IPS officer in 1999During his tenure with the CBI he was sent on a Humphrey Fellowship 20052006 to the University of Minnesota where he studied the scourge of whilecollar and organised crimes in the US plus the theoretical and practical aspects of dealing with itArmed with the expertise on his return to India he was made the Additional Commissioner of Police Economic Offences Wing then headed the elite Force One in Maharashtra designed on the lines of the National Security Guards was the first Commissioner of Police of the newlycreated Mira BhayanderVasai Virar Commissionerate MBVVDuring the dastardly terror strikes on Mumbai for 60 hours from the night of November 2629 2008 armed with the Mumbai Polices weapons and jawans Date literally chased the 10 Pakistan terrorists particularly the triggerhappy duo Ajmal Kasab nabbed alive and his equally bloodthirsty associate Abu Ismail Khan near the Cama amp Albless Hospital where more than 500 women children doctors and nurses trembled waiting for helpDate and his loyal band of Mumbai Police personnel courageously battled KasabKhan lurking around hospital campus in the darkness firing indiscriminately at the police before they gave up and moved ahead to create mayhem at another locationFirst they hijacked a police jeep then they abandoned it and overpowered a private car driver sped off towards the Chowpatty Beach at the dead of the night where after a gunbattle Khan was killed while Kasab was nabbed alive and virtually unharmedIn the shootout which saved many lives of innocents at the hospital Date and his men were also wounded in fact at one point he was even speculated to be dead in some sections of the media but he not only survived recovered fully and bounced back to his passion of policingBarely a month earlier on October 27 2008 the plucky Date had shot dead a Bihari youth Rahul Raj who had come to kill Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray for his antinorth Indian stanceFlaunting a countrymade pistol the youth hijacked a BEST doubledecker bus with over a dozen passengers held as hostages shot and injured the bus conductor and one passengerAfter giving chase to the BEST bus Date and his team managed to shoot dead Raj in a fierce gunbattle and saved the lives of all the hostages on boardDate was awarded the Presidents Medal 2007 and the Presidents Police Medal 2008 for his meritorious and gallantry services to the countryQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/newspaper-delivery-boy-to-mumbai-2611-hero-ips-officer-sadanand-v-date-to-helm-elite-nia-530721.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 13:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-police-to-get-mobile-drone-vehicles-530736.html Lucknow March 27 The new hitech Mobile Drone Vehicle MDV will soon join the Lucknow Police to make policing more effective The flying time of this drone will be 1015 hours some leap from the present 15 minutesThe new MDV serves both as its base and carries the drone allowing for remote monitoring It is ready to be used as it can be installed within a few minutes The drone has a 10hour flight duration as opposed to the typical drone with a 15 to 20minute flying limitUpendra Kumar Agrawal Joint Commissioner of Police JCP Law and Order said We did a trial run and it was successful We are in the final stage to launch it where big events such as processions cricket matches and upcoming Lok Sabha elections can be monitoredThe drone has been developed by a citybased Robotic company Roboz run by a robot expert Milind Raj and is being funded by Goenka Group under its corporate social responsibility programmeContinuous monitoring will be done through the drone installed in this vehicle It will continue to get battery backup through a wire and a generator in the vehicle Till now only 1015 minutes of monitoring has been possible through drones added the JCPA 32inch screen in the car will help the team sitting inside the vehicle monitor captured proceedings Interestingly the drone will be able to keep an eye from a height of about 70 feet Till now drones can take good pictures only from a maximum height of 20 feet he said adding that the drone will be significant to keep a watch on sensitive programmesAgarwal said that the drone system can be fed criminal data from police records and can be used to scan for criminals who may be present at such eventsThe device will be useful for managing traffic since in the event of a jam a parked drone in the vicinity may fly to identify the cause of the jam eliminating the need for a traffic cop to investigate said the JCP IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-police-to-get-mobile-drone-vehicles-530736.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 14:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pac-jawan-injured-under-mysterious-circumstances-in-ayodhya-530620.html Ayodhya March 27 A Provincial Armed Constabulary PAC jawan was shot at under mysterious circumstances at the Ram Temple complex here on Tuesday The injured jawan who received the bullet in his chest has been referred to the Trauma Centre in Lucknow for treatmentIG Ayodhya range Praveen Kumar reached the spot soon after getting the information However he said it is not yet clear if the victim was fired upon by someone else or was hit by a bullet from his own gunA probe has been ordered into the incidentInitial reports said that the jawan Ram Prasad 53 was deployed on the premises of the temple when he was hit by a bullet His colleagues immediately rushed him to the district hospital from where he was referred to LucknowThe police are interrogating other police personnel posted in the area IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pac-jawan-injured-under-mysterious-circumstances-in-ayodhya-530620.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/singapore-president-walks-on-jaisalmer-streets-to-explore-the-city-530623.html Jaipur March 27 Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam who is a visit to Rajasthans Jaisalmer city visited the historic Patwa Haveli on Tuesday He was seen walking on the streets of Jaisalmer on the second day of his visitMany foreign guests accompanying the Singapore President also visited Patwa HaveliHe was impressed by the embroidery works of Jaisalmer at Chidiya Haveli and also bought some local productsHe also invited Chidiya Haveli members to organise an exhibition of embroidered products in SingaporeThe Singapore President arrived here on a 4day visit on MondayHe was in Patwa Haveli for more than an hour IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/singapore-president-walks-on-jaisalmer-streets-to-explore-the-city-530623.html Wed, 27 Mar 2024 01:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pakistan-preparing-to-send-back-nearly-1-million-afghans-in-repatriation-drive-530327.html Islamabad March 25 Pakistan has started preparations to launch the second phase of its repatriation drive to send nearly one million Afghans back to their homeland the media reported Instructions had been issued to district administrations and police to expedite the mapping of Afghan Citizen Card ACC holders Dawn reportedNo date has yet been announced but the campaign to repatriate hundreds of thousands of ACC holders could begin in early to midsummerAccording to UNHCR the UN refugee agency there are 218 million documented Afghan refugees in Pakistan This includes the 13 million refugees holding Proof of Registration PoR cards as per the census carried in 200607 as well as an additional 880000 refugees granted ACCs following a registration drive in 2017The return of Taliban to power in August 2021 saw another influx of worried Afghans into PakistanOfficials put their numbers anywhere between 600000 and 800000 some with valid travel documents but an uncertain futurePakistan launched the first round of repatriation of what it called undocumented aliens in November last year Dawn reportedNo official data has been released as to how many of the estimated 17 million undocumented Afghans have left for their country since November 2023 though the figure likely fell hugely short of what is now being considered a grossly exaggerated number the report saidAccording to sources the total number of undocumented Afghans who have returned to Afghanistan via Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in the first round stands at around the half millionmark Dawn reported IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pakistan-preparing-to-send-back-nearly-1-million-afghans-in-repatriation-drive-530327.html Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/women-empowerment-is-possible-only-with-tdp-chandrababu-naidu-530365.html Kuppam Andhra Pradesh March 25 Telugu Desam Party TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu said on Monday that womens empowerment is possible only with his party alleging that all the welfare schemes implemented during his government were scrapped after Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister Addressing a meeting of women in his home constituency Kuppam in the Chittoor district he alleged that to mint money the Jagan government resorted to supply of spurious liquor which resulted in women turning widowsThe TDP supremo said that the state government is giving just Rs 100 each per the beneficiaries of various schemes but looting Rs 1000 from them through heavy prices of essentials petrol diesel and other commodities including the power tariff hikeI get some new energy whenever I visit Kuppam these elections should be onesided and the TDP should emerge victorious with a massive majority The Chief Ministers post is nothing new to me What is important for me is the people and the state I am worried that when the whole world is marching ahead Andhra Pradesh is moving in the reverse direction Naidu saidRecalling that some people made fun of him when he advised that every house in Kuppam should have at least two cows the former Chief Minister said that Kuppam has now created a record in milk productionAssuring women that he will always solidly stand by them and will see to it that their revenue too will grow he said he had come here now to take their blessingsRecalling that it was the TDP founder the late N T Rama Rao who had taken steps to give women a share in ancestral property Chandrababu Naidu stated that it was his party that created reservations for women in local bodies and women could become sarpanches MPTCs ZPTCs and MLAs because of the eight per cent reservations given by the TDPTo uphold the selfrespect of women toilets were built by the TDP he saidRecalling various welfare schemes launched by the TDP for women like monthly pension and Pasupu Kumkuma besides Baby Kits the former Chief Minister asked them whether these schemes are being implemented nowHe said that he believed that all the women in the state were supporters of the TDP and appealed to them to tell their husbands that the future of their kids would flourish only if they voted for his partyRecalling with concern how he and his wife Bhuvaneswari who has no connection whatsoever with politics were abused on the floor of the Assembly he told the women gathered there to work hard for the coming 40 days for the better future of the stateI am promising you all that I will create a povertyfree society by creating assets he saidMaintaining that he has been indebted to the women since they have been honouring him for the past 45 years he said that he as their brother was making an appeal to them to make getting the maximum majority for his party as their target in these electionsStating that he will never forget the sacrifices made by the people of Kuppam Chandrababu Naidu made a fervent appeal to them that Kuppam should be the Assembly segment that creates a record with the maximum majority in the state in these elections IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/women-empowerment-is-possible-only-with-tdp-chandrababu-naidu-530365.html Mon, 25 Mar 2024 21:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/akhilesh-shivpal-to-celebrate-holi-in-native-village-530034.html Lucknow March 24 After a gap of almost eight years vibrant colours of Holi will mark the celebrations in the Mulayam Singh Yadav family in Uttar Pradeshs Etawah this year On Sunday the Yadav family members will exchange Holi greetings with the people using flower petals and present a show of unityThis show of unity is especially significant for four family members Shivpal Yadav Badaun Dimple Yadav Mainpuri Akshay Yadav Firozabad and Dhamendra Yadav Azamgarh who are seeking election to the Lok SabhaThe people of Etawah who are our family will bless the candidates and pray for their success The festival therefore assumes greater significance After Holi everyone will move to their constituencies to begin their campaign It is going to be a really happy Holi for us said a family memberCelebrations in the family have been marked by undercurrents of tension since 2016 when the nowfamous feud began between Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav The divisions within the family were palpable though they did attend the Holi celebrationsAfter the demise of family patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in October 2022 the Holi celebrations in 2023 were subdued and mutedHowever this year the family is back together with their differences ironed out and all set to contest the Lok Sabha polls hand in handThe Holi festivities in Saifai was a tradition that was introduced by Mulayam Singh Yadav when he first became an MLA from Jaswant Nagar in 1967The event grew bigger after he became the UP Chief Minister for the first time in 1989 and was scaled up further after 1992 when he founded the Samajwadi PartyMeanwhile family sources said that Mulayam Singhs younger son Prateek Yadav and daughterinlaw Aparna Yadav are likely to give the family Holi celebrations a missAparna has moved to the BJP and there was a buzz that she could be contesting the Lok Sabha polls against Dimple Yadav from MainpuriMoreover after the demise of Mulayam Singh Prateek and his wife have been seen maintaining a distance from Akhilesh Yadav and his family IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/akhilesh-shivpal-to-celebrate-holi-in-native-village-530034.html Sun, 24 Mar 2024 14:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/northern-railways-slash-fare-in-kashmir-valley-by-50-pc-529589.html Srinagar March 20 As a major relief to commuters Northern Railways on Wednesday decided to reduce the train fare in the Kashmir Valley Railways have reinstated second class ordinary fare on passenger trains in the Valley the officials said The charges have dropped from 40 to 50 per cent Before the relief the fare was Rs 35 from Sadura station Anantnag district to Srinagar It has now come down to Rs 15 This relief is applicable across the Valley in Kashmir and travelling by train has become highly affordable and cheap after the relief officials said The rail services are presently operating from Baramulla town in the north of the Valley to Sangaldan in Ramban district of the Jammu division By the end of April rail service will be operational from Udhampur to Baramulla thereby connecting the Valley with the rest of the country through railway services IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/northern-railways-slash-fare-in-kashmir-valley-by-50-pc-529589.html Wed, 20 Mar 2024 12:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-gears-up-for-bypolls-to-four-assembly-seats-529629.html Lucknow March 20 Along with the Lok Sabha elections Uttar Pradesh will also witness bypolls to four Assembly seats Lucknow East Dadraul in Shahjahanpur district Gainsari in Balrampur district and Duddhi in Sonbhadra district Three of the four seats Lucknow East Dadraul and Duddhi were held by the BJP while Gainsari was with the Samajwadi PartyThe election in the Lucknow East seat was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Ashutosh Tandon on November 9 2023 A threetime MLA from the seat Ashutosh Tandon son of former minister Lalji Tandon was a cabinet minister in the first government of Yogi AdityanathThe seat has been a BJP stronghold but the party is yet to announce its candidate for the bypoll Other parties have also not announced their candidates for the seat Polling in Lucknow East Assembly constituency will be held on May 20 the fifth phase of the general electionsBypoll to the Dadraul Assembly constituency in Shahjahanpur district will take place on May 13 in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls The Assembly seat became vacant following the death of BJP MLA Manvendra Singh on January 5 after a prolonged illness He was 70Having been with the Congress for a long time Manvendra Singh joined the BJP in 2017 and became an MLA from Dadraul He retained his seat in the 2022 pollsThe voters of the Gainsari Assembly seat will exercise their franchise on May 25 the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls The constituency in Balrampur district was declared vacant following the demise of sitting Samajwadi Party MLA Shiv Pratap Yadav on January 26 at the age of 74 Shiv Pratap Yadav had started his political career from Lok Dal and was a fourtime MLA from GainsariThe bypolls to the Duddhi Assembly segment in Sonbhadra district will be held on June 1 the seventh phase of the general elections The Assembly constituency reserved for Scheduled Tribes fell vacant following the disqualification of the BJPs Ram Dular Gond from the House after being convicted in a rape caseRam Dular Gond was sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a girl nine years ago He was disqualified as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in December 2023Our effort will be to win all four seats and the candidates will be announced soon said a BJP functionary A Samajwadi Party SP spokesman said that they will also declare their candidates well in time IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-gears-up-for-bypolls-to-four-assembly-seats-529629.html Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-us-paving-way-for-free-prosperous-indo-pacific-envoy-garcetti-529502.html New Delhi March 19 US Ambassador Eric Garcetti said India and America are paving the way for a free open and prosperous IndoPacific as he hailed the ongoing joint exercise between the two nations on Tuesday A bilateral triservice Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief HADR exercise between India and the US Tiger Triumph24 commenced on Monday and will continue on the Eastern Seaboard till March 31Congratulations to USNavy and IndianNavy for a stellar kickoff to TIGERTRIUMPH 2024 Joint exercises like this underscore the vital USIndiaDefense partnership strengthening our bonds and securing our shared interests Ambassador Garcetti wrote in a post on XTogether were paving the way for a free open and prosperous IndoPacific that benefits all nations he added with a hashtag USIndiaFWDOn Monday US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin appreciated the important role being played by the Indian Navy in conducting antipiracy operations in the Indian Ocean regionIn a telephonic conversation with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh he discussed ways to implement the IndiaUS Defence Cooperation Roadmap which was concluded last yearTiger Triumph24 is aimed at developing interoperability for conducting HADR operations and refining the Standard Operating Procedures SOPs to enable rapid and smooth coordination between forces of both countries the Indian Navy said in a statementThe Harbour Phase is scheduled from 18 to 25 March Personnel from both navies would participate in Training Visits Subject Matter Expert Exchanges Sports Events and Social interactionsFollowing the completion of this phase the ships with the troops embarked would sail for the Sea Phase and undertake Maritime Amphibious and HADR operations in accordance with injected situations the navy said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-us-paving-way-for-free-prosperous-indo-pacific-envoy-garcetti-529502.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 20:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/gurugram-police-to-apply-for-elvish-yadavs-production-warrant-on-march-20-529510.html Gurugram March 19 Gurugram Police will apply for a production warrant for Bigg Boss OTT winner Elvish Yadav in connection with the assault case involving fellow YouTuber Sagar Thakur aka Maxtern on March 20 in a Gurugram court Police will file Yadavs production warrant in the court of Harsh Kumar Judicial Magistrate First Class JMFC here in GurugramSHO Sector53 Police Station Rajender Kumar told IANS The police are going to file a production warrant for seeking custody of Elvish Yadav on Wednesday The court will decide the date on which Yadav will be produced by the Uttar Pradesh Police in the Gurugram court after the Gurugram Police will take Yadav into custodyHe said once Elvish is brought in on the production warrant he will be questioned regarding the assault case and will also seek information regarding others involved in the incident based on the information obtained during the interrogationOn March 8 a video went viral showing Elvish Yadav physically assaulting a Delhibased content creator Following which an FIR was registered against Elvish and others under Indian Penal Code Sections 147 rioting 149 unlawful assembly 323 punishment for voluntarily causing hurt and 506 criminal intimidation at the Sector 53 police station IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/gurugram-police-to-apply-for-elvish-yadavs-production-warrant-on-march-20-529510.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 21:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/2-retired-up-cops-get-life-term-for-1994-rape-case-529344.html Muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh March 19 The court of the additional district judge ADJ Muzaffarnagar on Monday sentenced two former Pradeshik Armed Constabulary PAC constables to life imprisonment for raping and robbing a female protester from Uttarakhand in the 30yearold Rampur Tiraha incident here The court convicted the two constables Milap Singh and Virendra Pratap and pronounced punishment said additional district government counsel of Muzaffarnagar Pravendra KumarHe added that both retired constables were sent to jail to serve life imprisonment and were also fined Rs 50000 eachThe convicted PAC constables were posted in 41st battalion of PAC which was camped in Ghaziabad during the time of incidentAt least seven Uttarakhand activists were killed and many women activists were allegedly molested during police firing at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar on October 1 1994The activists were on their way to Delhi from Rishikesh to raise their demand for a separate state of Uttarakhand that was later carved out of Uttar Pradesh on November 9 2000As per the district counsel the court of ADJ Shakti Singh convicted now retired PAC constables Milap Singh and Virendra Pratap under Sections 354 376 2 G 392 and 509 of the Indian Penal CodeThe Central Bureau of Investigation CBI presented 15 eyewitnesses in the court including the then Uttar Pradesh Home Secretary Deepti Vilas who were examined during the hearingCBIs Deputy Superintendent of Police SR Agarwal had lodged a case in Rampur Tiraha incident on January 25 1995 and miscellaneous writs filed by Uttarakhand Sangharsh Samiti in the case were also included in it for investigation IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/2-retired-up-cops-get-life-term-for-1994-rape-case-529344.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sidhu-makes-comeback-to-cricket-commentary-amid-ls-election-fever-529396.html Chandigarh March 19 In the runup to the Lok Sabha polls cricketerturnedpolitician Navjot Singh Sidhu has made his comeback to commentary and will be seen during the IPL 2024 which gets underway on March 23 However his continuation in politics is still suspense A wise man once said Hope is the biggest tope And this wise man the great sherryontopp himself has joined our Incredible StarCast said Star Sports in a post on XThe IPL season opener is between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in ChennaiFormer Cabinet minister and Punjab Congress president Sidhu is lying low in politics after walking out of jail in April last year He remained behind bars for 317 days in a Patiala jail in his hometown Patiala in a 1988 road rage caseA day earlier Sidhu slammed the Aam Aadmi Party AAP government in Punjab Today the shocking reality of Punjabs financial state has been brought to light Recent figures reveal a dire situation with the governments debt soaring to Rs 47262 crore in 202223 Rs 44032 crore in 202324 revised estimates and Rs 41831 crore in 202425 Budget estimates he saidHe said the Economic Survey of India highlighted a concerning reverse multiplier trend where Punjabs investment to GDP ratio has plummeted from 3022 per cent in 1990s to a mere 1407 per cent in recent yearsResponding to Sidhus rejoining cricket commentary Punjab BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal said he was the first person in the world to foresee thisI tweeted this two years back that you may be join back as cricket commentator or in comedy circus Will watch your shows in the busy schedule of elections he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sidhu-makes-comeback-to-cricket-commentary-amid-ls-election-fever-529396.html Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/two-men-found-dead-with-stab-wounds-in-delhi-529192.html New Delhi March 18 The bodies of two men with stab wounds were found merely a short distance away from each other in Delhis Baprola village said police on Monday adding that both were declared brought dead at the hospital The deceased were identified as Mukesh 34 and Rajesh 33 and both had visible stab wounds on their chestAccording to police on Sunday at 944 pm a police control room PCR call was received regarding a man lying in a pool of blood at Das Garden near Machi Market Baprola village following which a police team rushed to the spotThe man was rushed to Jaffarpur Hospital where he was declared dead The man was identified as Mukesh said a senior police officialLater another body was found nearby with a stab wound in the chest and apparently dead and he was identified as RajeshThe official said that a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code IPC was registered on Monday at Ranhola police station and an investigation is in progressPolice teams have been formed to crack the case We are scanning CCTV cameras in the area to identify the culprits and to know the crime sequence said the official IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/two-men-found-dead-with-stab-wounds-in-delhi-529192.html Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bihar-ls-results-will-surprise-everyone-tejashwi-yadav-529132.html Patna March 17 Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday said that the Bihar results in the upcoming Lok Sabha election will surprise everyone The biggest festival of democracy has started Bihar results will surprise everyone Our preparation for the Lok Sabha election is completed and we will contest the election with full strength We are confident that we will win big in the Lok Sabha election the LoP saidHe said that various television channels have been doing surveys ahead but the result of Bihar will surprise everyoneI am using the surprising result word again The common voters are different from what is shown in surveys People in Bihar will vote on the work done during the 17month tenure of the Mahagathbandhan government versus 17 years of the NDA government headed by Nitish Kumar People are also analysing what the Central government has done for Bihar in the last 10 years LoP Yadav saidHe said that the Centre has not given anything to Bihar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and other leaders of his party also criticised it when they were in the Mahagathbandhan governmentWe enhanced reservation up to 75 per cent in Bihar The NDA government did nothing as far as reservation is concerned while Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also turned silent after joining NDA He is our senior and we understand his compulsions Yadav saidI want to challenge the Central government on permanent jobs They should make the data public about who gave more jobs was it the NDA government or the Mahagathbandhan government in the 17 months They have failed to address issues like price hike farmers issue among others If the Centre would not help backward states like Bihar how will the country develop he saidHe said that NDA won 39 seats of Lok Sabha from Bihar in the 2019 election Those 39 MPs should point out the developmental work they have done in their respective constituencies in the last 5 yearsHow many industries came to Bihar When Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Union Railway Minister he had given many railway factories introduced Garib Rath trains low fares in trains coolies were given permanent jobs and various trains were given to Bihar the LoP saidWhen asked about NDA leaders claiming more than 400 seats in the Lok Sabha election Tejashwi said that they can say anything but the INDIA bloc is concentrating on the issues related to the common people IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bihar-ls-results-will-surprise-everyone-tejashwi-yadav-529132.html Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/with-10-big-solar-projects-bundelkhand-on-way-to-become-new-power-house-of-up-529138.html Lucknow March 17 The Bundelkhand region once seen as one of the most arid and backward areas is taking rapid strides in development With the groundbreaking ceremony of projects worth more than Rs 10 lakh crore recently the entire region is set to become the new energy hub of Uttar Pradesh Around 10 solar energy projects have been launched in Bundelkhand which will generate over 3000 megawatts of electricityThe solar energy production plants will be established in Jalaun Jhansi Lalitpur Banda Chitrakoot and Mahoba districts of Bundelkhand Three solar power units are being set up in Jhansi district aloneIt is worth mentioning here that the Yogi Adityanath government launched several development and infrastructure projects in Bundelkhand to encourage investors to set up their enterprises in this region since 2017 Another 29 big projects worth about Rs 30000 crore were launched in Bundelkhand sometime agoIn Jhansi district a 600 MW solar plant is being established by Tusco at the cost of Rs 3430 crore with the potential to create 300 job opportunitiesFourth Partner Energy Private Ltd will set up a 100 MW solar plant at Rs 1200 crore adding more than 1000 employment opportunitiesSun Source Energy is set to begin a 135 MW openaccess solar power project worth Rs 600 crore with the potential to create 2000 jobsA 600 MW solar power plant is being established by Tusco in Lalitpur district at the cost of Rs 3450 crore which will create 300 employment opportunitiesSimilarly a 1015 MW solar power project will be set up by Surya Urja Four Private Ltd at a cost of Rs 150 crore which will generate employment opportunities for 200 people Furthermore Avada Ind Solar Private Ltd will set up a 750 MW solar power project in Banda at a cost of Rs 350 croreA 15 MW solar power project is also being established by Sunsure Solar Park Private Ltd at a cost of Rs 62 crore In Chitrakoot Tusco Ltd will set up an 800 MW solar power project at the cost of Rs 4700 crore This will provide employment to 400 peopleShree Cement Private Ltd will set up a solar power plant worth Rs 202 crore Similarly Tusco Ltd is establishing the 155 MW Arjun Sagar Floating Solar Power Project worth Rs 1008 crore in Mahoba which will create jobs for 78 peopleIB Vogt Solar Four Private Ltd will also set up a solar power project in Mahoba at the cost of Rs 80 croreOther major projects being implemented in Bundelkhand region include Railways LBH coach project and track work plant worth Rs 2840 crore a private university by Sant Maa Karma Manav Samvardhan Samiti worth Rs 501 crore stone mining project worth Rs 30 crore and a gun propellant project worth Rs 20 crore IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/with-10-big-solar-projects-bundelkhand-on-way-to-become-new-power-house-of-up-529138.html Sun, 17 Mar 2024 21:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/first-palm-oil-processing-unit-begins-operation-in-arunachal-locals-elated-over-job-prospects-529004.html New Delhi March 16 In a historic milestone the countrys first integrated oil palm processing unit commenced operations in Arunachal Pradesh on Saturday under the Mission Palm Oil With 3F Oil Palm one of the largest palm oil development companies launching its commercial operations this is set to herald positive changes in the region besides setting the stage for multiple job opportunitiesLocals are a happy lot as this will generate numerous chances and possibilities for jobs and employment generation for themThe factory will create employment for villagers we can work here and earn money for our livelihood said a villagerAnother villager thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for opening opportunities for growth and employment in the regionNotably this is the first palm oil factory in Arunachal Pradesh and Indias first palm oil factory under the National Mission on Edible Oils Oil Palm NMEOOPIt was during the Viksit BharatViksit Northeast event in Arunachal Pradesh on March 9 that PM Modi inaugurated the palm oil processing unit virtually and also highlighted the governments focus on Mission Palm Oil with special focus on the northeast to achieve Atmanirbharta and also to boost farmers incomeNotably the NMEOOP was launched in August 2021 aimed at escalating oil palm cultivation and also elevating palm oil production to 1120 lakh tonnes by 202526NMEOOP has provisioned Rs 5870 crore exclusively for the northeastern region out of the total national budget of Rs 11040 for the promotion of palm oil where 90 per cent contribution will be made by the Central governmentThe northeast will play a pivotal role in achieving Atmanirbharta in edible oil production as the scope for palm oil production spans across six northeastern states Arunachal Pradesh Assam Manipur Mizoram Nagaland and Tripura accounting for an area of 84 lakh hectares which is 38 per cent of the national potentialAs of now more than 30 nurseries have been established in the region with a capacity of 30 lakh planting materialUnder the NMEOOP special assistance of Rs 100000 per hectare is given to farmers for planting material management and to address the topographical challenges faced by the northeastern farmers IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/first-palm-oil-processing-unit-begins-operation-in-arunachal-locals-elated-over-job-prospects-529004.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 20:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/4-710-firs-filed-in-6-months-against-election-fraudulent-activities-in-ktaka-529007.html Bengaluru March 16 Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer CEO Manoj Kumar Meena on Saturday said that they have filed 4710 FIRs in the last 6 months across the state against election fraudulent activities Between August 1 2023 to March 14 2024 Rs 53151 crore worth of liquor drugs gold 2447 kgs silver and other items have been seized Around 190 FIRs on cash seizure 3328 FIRs on liquor 42 cases precious metals 1130 cases drugs one case on freebies and 19 other FIRs were registered CEO told media personsHe said that the Excise Department has registered 28485 cases for violation of excise lawsThe enforcement teams include Flying Squads with 2357 personnel Static Surveillance Teams 2669 Video Surveillance Teams 647 Accounting Teams 258 and Video Viewing Teams 257 he saidHe said that as of March 16 there are 542 crore electors in Karnataka Presently the male voters are 271 crore and female voters are 270 crore The voters in the 18 to 19 years age group are 1124 lakh There are 4933 thirdgender votersBengaluru North Parliamentary seat has the highest electors 3174 lakh The lowest electors 1572 lakh are in UdupiChikkamagaluru seat the CEO said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/4-710-firs-filed-in-6-months-against-election-fraudulent-activities-in-ktaka-529007.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 21:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjps-eshwarappa-to-contest-ls-polls-as-independent-nominee-from-shivamogga-528792.html Bengaluru March 15 Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka KS Eshwarappa announced on Friday that he will contest as an Independent candidate from Shivamogga in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections Eshwarappa announced this after a meeting with his supporters in Shivamogga on Friday BY Raghavendra the son of former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa is the BJP candidate from Shivamogga while the Congress has fielded Geetha Shivarajkumar as its candidate from the seat Geetha Shivarajkumar is the daughter of late former Chief Minister S Bangarappa and the sister of state Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa She is married to Kannada superstar Shivarajkumar Meanwhile Eshwarappa said on Friday that he will contest the polls as an Independent nominee to highlight how the state BJP is under the clutches of Yediyurappas family The Hindutva activists are pained over family politics in the state he said Reacting to the development former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that he never cheated Eshwarappa adding that he had even told the party high command to give ticket to Eshwarappas son KE Kantesh based on social justice Talking to reporters in Haveri from where he is contesting Bommai said he was not aware of the meeting convened by Eshwarappa I had requested to consider Kantesh for GadagHaveri based on social justice But Prime Minister Narendra Modi Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda asked me to contest from the seat That is why I am contesting from Haveri Bommai saidThe senior BJP leader also said that Eshwarappa has built the party in the state of which he is a loyal soldier Bommai also said that he along with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi will speak to Eshwarappa IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjps-eshwarappa-to-contest-ls-polls-as-independent-nominee-from-shivamogga-528792.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 00:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-declares-jklf-unlawful-association-for-5-more-years-528873.html Srinagar March 16 Central government on Saturday declared the Yasin Malikled Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front JKLF as an unlawful association for a further period of 5 years Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in an Xpost said that The Modi government has declared the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Mohd Yasin Malik faction as an Unlawful Association for a further period of five years He said The banned outfit continues to engage in activities that foment terror and secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir Anyone found challenging the security sovereignty and integrity of the nation will face harsh legal consequencesThe Central government has so far declared all antinational and secessionist armed or political organisations and trusts as unlawful associations This is part of the governments larger policy to target the ecosystem of terror that sustained and supported various terrorist groups and individuals so violence started in JampK in late 1989 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-declares-jklf-unlawful-association-for-5-more-years-528873.html Sat, 16 Mar 2024 13:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-ls-polls-aicc-office-in-delhi-will-be-closed-forever-padmaja-venugopal-528677.html Thiruvananthapuram March 15 Padmaja Venugopal daughter of fourtime Congress Chief Minister K Karunakaran who recently joined the BJP on Friday said the after the Lok Sabha polls AICC office in Delhi will be closed forever Addressing a rally in Pathanamthitta before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Padmaja Venugopal said I assure you that this time in Kerala the BJP will open its account though I will not predict how many seats it will bagIts now clear that the Congress party does not want the children of Karunakaran When I realised it I quit the Congress and am now preparing to receive my brother K Muraleedharan who will soon realise what I said is true she saidK Muraleedharan is the sitting Lok Sabha member from Badagara and this time he has been fielded from ThrissurPadmaja had unsuccessfully contested as a Congress candidate in the 2004 Lok Sabha polls 2016 and 2021 assembly polls IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-ls-polls-aicc-office-in-delhi-will-be-closed-forever-padmaja-venugopal-528677.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/karnatakas-shivamogga-ls-seat-all-set-to-witness-dramatic-contest-528708.html Bengaluru March 15 The Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat in Karnataka is considered the fortress of former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappas family However this time it is all set for a dramatic turn of events B Y Raghavendra Yediyurappas son is representing the seat and hopes to get elected for the fourth time The Congress has fielded Geetha Shivarajkumar the daughter of late former CM BS Bangarappa and wife of Kannada superstar Dr Shivarajkumar In another development former BJP minister and senior leader K S Eshwarappa is holding a meeting of his supporters on Friday to decide on contesting from the Shivamogga seat as an independent candidate Eshwarappas move has come following the denial of a ticket to his son K E Kanthesh to contest from the Haveri Lok Sabha seatGeetha Shivarajkumar is also the sister of Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa The Congress government is seriously strategising to wrest the seat and deliver a shock to the BJP and Yediyurappas family Eshwarappas rebellion against his party has made the Congress camp jubilantThe constituency had elected B Y Raghavendra as the MP in the 2009 and 2019 general elections He also emerged victorious in the 2018 Parliamentary byelection against Minister for Education Madhu Bangarappa In 2014 Yediyurappa was elected with a whopping margin of 363 lakh votes from Shivamogga Geetha Shivarajkumar who was fielded as the JD S candidate was relegated to third place In his first Lok Sabha election in 2009 Raghavendra had defeated late former CM S Bangarappa who was fielded by the CongressAfter the announcement of the candidatures of Raghavendra and Geetha respectively by the BJP and the Congress intense competition was expected However Eshwarappas rebellion is likely to turn the competition more dramaticEshwarappa one of the close associates of Yediyurappa hails from Shivamogga district and they have contributed to the growth of the party from humble beginnings in Karnataka Eshwarappa on Friday lashed out at Yediyuarppa and stated that it was only because of him that his son was denied a ticketMy supporters have called a meeting on Friday Lets see what happens there Now they are promising to make me an MLC which I am not going to believe he stated Eshwarappa had resigned as a minister when the BJP was in power and did not issue a statement when he was denied a ticket to contest from Shivamogga city assembly segmentWith a Pocso case lodged against Yediyurappa fingers are crossed over the turn of events in the Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/karnatakas-shivamogga-ls-seat-all-set-to-witness-dramatic-contest-528708.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/iit-kanpur-organises-suicide-prevention-gatekeeper-training-528718.html Kanpur March 15 The Indian Institute of Technology IIT Kanpur has unveiled significant steps to enhance student welfare initiatives with a focus on prioritising mental health and wellbeing within the campus community Among the many initiatives the Institute Counselling Service of IIT Kanpur organised a Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training in collaboration with professionals from the Suicide Prevention India Foundation SPIFThis training was aimed at equipping its community members with vital skills to support individuals in crisis situationsThe event saw active participation from 110 selected individuals including faculty staff hall managers doctors nurses security personnel and studentsThe programme highlighted the importance of identifying warning signs intervening effectively and connecting individuals with necessary resourcesThe training sessions featuring interactive workshops and practical exercises provide participants with valuable insights into suicide prevention strategies and the significance of offering empathetic supportBy emphasising mental health initiatives such as the Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training IIT Kanpur is nurturing a compassionate community where every individual feels valued and empowered to seek help when needed an official said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/iit-kanpur-organises-suicide-prevention-gatekeeper-training-528718.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 17:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-unveils-financial-upgradation-scheme-for-256-lakh-gramin-dak-sevaks-528738.html New Delhi March 15 Union Minister for Communications and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday unveiled a financial upgradation scheme for 256 lakh Gramin Dak Sevaks GDS working in the Department of Posts The aim of the government is to improve service conditions and remove stagnation in the service of GDSThe GDS serves as the backbone of the Department of Posts in rural areas and plays a vital role in delivering postal and financial services to the remotest part of the countryEvery Gramin Dak Sevak will get three financial upgrades on completion of 12 24 and 36 years of service amounting to Rs 4320 Rs 5520 and Rs 7200 per annum respectively the Union Minister announcedThis is in addition to the remuneration provided to GDS in the form of Time Related Continuity Allowance TRCA according to the governmentIn a significant step to improve the service conditions of GDS this scheme is expected to benefit more than 256 lakh GDS and remove stagnation in their service said Ashwini Vaishnaw IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-unveils-financial-upgradation-scheme-for-256-lakh-gramin-dak-sevaks-528738.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 18:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/colaba-seepz-metro-3-line-first-phase-of-1244-km-between-bkc-amp-aarey-to-be-commissioned-by-may-528758.html Mumbai March 15 The wait is over for the Mumbaikars to take the underground metro ride The first phase of the 1244 km route between BKC and Aarey Colony of the total 335 km Colaba SEEPZ Metro 3 will be commissioned in May while the rest is by the end of December 2024 The entire stretch of 335 km Metro 3 will be operational by the end of this yearThe Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited MMRCL which is a joint venture of the Central Government and the Government of Maharashtra said that the Metro 3 will propel Mumbai into the league of other big cities in the world having a futuristic mass transport networkThis will be yet another major transport infrastructure project after the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link and Mumbai Coastal Road that will be used by the Mumbaikars for smooth pollutionfree and trafficfree commutingThe project has been running behind schedule due to the controversy over the establishment of Metro 3 car depot at Aarey Colony and later because of the lockdown during the coronavirus pandemicMumbai Metro Line3 ColabaBandraSEEPZ is the first and only fully underground metro proposed for Mumbai Metro3 is a key project to improve and facilitate transportation in the city of opportunities Once operational Metro3 will cater to 17 lakh passengers daily with an unfailing frequency of 34 minutes ferrying approximately 2500 passengers at a time said an MMRC spokespersonThe Metro 3 project entails a total investment of Rs 37000 crore of which 57 per cent is loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA while the balance comprises equity from both the Centre and the state government sub debt contribution of Rs 777 crore by Mumbai International Airport Ltd MIAL and proceeds from the property developmentThe commute from Cuffe Parade to Aarey Colony would be within an hourIt will have connectivity to 6 major business and employment centres including Nariman Point Cuffe Parade Fort Lower Parel BKC and SEEPZMIDCBesides it will have easy access to over 30 educational institutes 13 hospitals 14 religious places and over 30 recreational facilitiesMetro3 will provide connectivity to the areas hitherto not connected with suburban rail like Kalbadevi Girgaon Worli International and Domestic Airports and integrate with other Metros Monorail Suburban Rail and state transport bus services and also reduce congestion on suburban railways by 15 per centThe economic benefits will come in the form of an economic internal rate of return EIRR of 1795 per cent and huge employment and business opportunities said the spokespersonThe MMRC has projected that Metro 3 will lead to a reduction in vehicular trips by 665 lakhday by 2031 cutting fuel consumption by 354 lakh litre per dayAdditionally the corridor will reduce 261 lakh tonnes CO2 emissions per annum and decrease traffic on the road by 35 per centAn MMRC spokesperson said various challenges were faced in the construction of Metro3 such as tunnelling in complicated geology and below old dilapidated buildings around congested neighbourhoods and in close vicinity of heritage buildingsAlso certain limits for vibrations have to be maintained and continuously monitored while tunnelling to ensure the safety of such buildings in the vicinity of the station area surrounded by historical structuresFor the first time 17 tunnel boring machines TBM worked simultaneously for an underground metro projectMMRC also achieved the First Twin tunnel breakthrough of line3 and third in the countryThe most daunting task was tunnelling beneath the difficult geology of the Mithi river However the teams of experts and engineers have surmounted such challenges by using the latest technical knowhow and engineering expertiseThe MMRC has successfully completed 3km up and down line tunnelling by TBM from BKC to Dharavi out of the total 3km stretch from BKC to Dharavi 484meter tunnel lies below the active Mithi river channelTunnelling below the existing Metro line at Marol Naka Western Express Highway at Santacruz heritage precinct at Hutatma Chowk were equally challenging an MMRC official said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/colaba-seepz-metro-3-line-first-phase-of-1244-km-between-bkc-amp-aarey-to-be-commissioned-by-may-528758.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 19:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jampk-formula-4-car-run-to-be-held-in-srinagar-on-march-17-528769.html Srinagar March 15 A Formula4 car run will be held in JampKs Srinagar city for the first time on March 17 The Formula4 car run will be held from the Lalit Ghat on the banks of the Dal Lake to Nehru Park Renowned formula car drivers are likely to participate in the event The run will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on March 17 over a distance of 17 kmVijay Kumar Bidhuri Divisional Commissioner Kashmir reviewed a meeting to ensure arrangements for the event Bidhuri instructed proper security arrangements for the event including the deployment of drone surveillance He also instructed the installation of Ctype 2tier barricades including red barricades at both ends of the route besides deployment of a medical team with two critical care ambulances and fire extinguishersHe said that the hosting of the Formula4 car race in Srinagar is a major achievement IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jampk-formula-4-car-run-to-be-held-in-srinagar-on-march-17-528769.html Fri, 15 Mar 2024 20:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/an-interesting-poll-battle-shaping-up-in-keralas-kasargod-ls-seat-528481.html Thiruvananthapuram March 14 The upcoming poll battle primarily between sitting Congress MP Rajmohan Unnithan and CPIM district secretary MV Balakrishnan in Keralas Kasargod is expected to be an interesting one especially after the entry of a third contender a BJP candidate A young BJP leader ML Ashwini the peoples representative at the Manjeswaram panchayat block is also fighting the pollsIn the 2019 Lok Sabha polls the Congress gave a rude jolt to the CPIM which was holding the seat from 1989 onwards For the CPIM the Kasargod seat is special as it was from here that the legendary CPIM leader and also the first Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha in 1957 AK Gopalan had wonUnnithan who hails from an area located at the southern tip of the state capital was a surprise choice in 2019 when he was asked to contest the constituency situated at the northern tip that borders Mangalore in Karnataka He won with a margin of over 40000 votesBalakrishnan who was a school teacher and quit his job to be fulltime with CPIM is a hugely popular politician in Kasargod districtAshwini also a teacher is also very active in the district and the BJP is geared up to give a tough fight to the traditional rivalsHowever figures from the 2019 polls shows that the BJP will have to work hard as their candidate managed to get 176 lakh votes while the winner and the runner up managed to get more than four lakh votes eachThe CPIM appears to be confident this time as in the 2021 Assembly polls it won five out of the seven segmentsWith a fairly sizeable Muslim voters in the constituency both the Congress and the CPIM are hoping that the CAA will turn to their advantage IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/an-interesting-poll-battle-shaping-up-in-keralas-kasargod-ls-seat-528481.html Thu, 14 Mar 2024 14:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pawan-kalyan-to-contest-for-andhra-assembly-from-pithapuram-528528.html Amaravati March 14 Ending the suspense Jana Sena Party chief and Tollywood actor Pawan Kalyan on Thursday announced that he would be contesting the Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections from Pithapuram constituency Addressing the partys formation day celebrations at its headquarters at Mangalagiri he announced that he will be entering the fray from Pithapuram in Kakinada districtThis ended the speculations that Pawan Kalyan may contest the Lok Sabha electionsFor now I dont have any plans to contest for Lok Sabha polls he saidHe will contest the poll as the candidate of the TDPBJPJSP allianceThe YSR Congress has appointed the sitting MP from Kakinada Vanga Geetha as its coordinator for PithapuramHowever with Pawan Kalyans announcement the ruling party may field Mudragada Padmanabham who recently announced joining the YSR CongressMudragada Padmanbham is a key leader of Kapus a community Pawan Kalyan comes fromIn 2019 Pendem Dorababu of the YSR Congress was elected from Pithapuram defeating SVSN Varma of the TDP by 14992 votes M Seshu Kumari of the Jana Sena had finished a distant thirdUnder the electoral alliance with the TDP and the BJP announced recently the Jana Sena is contesting 21 Assembly and two Lok Sabha seatsSimultaneous elections to the 175member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in the state are slated to be held in AprilMayThe TDP will contest 144 Assembly and 17 Lok Sabha seats Ten Assembly and six Lok Sabha seats have been left for the BJPPopular as a power star Pawan Kalyan had a disastrous electoral debut in 2019 losing both the Assembly seats he contested He contested from Gajuwaka and Bhimavaram from Visakhapatnam and West Godavari districts respectively but lost both to the YSR Congress candidatesThe Jana Sena which had contested the polls in alliance with BSP and the Left parties could secure just one Assembly seatPawan Kalyan the younger brother of megastar K Chiranjeevi entered politics by floating the Jana Sena in 2014 The party however did not contest the electionExpressing himself impressed with the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi he backed the BJPTDP alliance The actor later distanced himself from both the BJP and TDP after charging them with backtracking on the promise of special category status to Andhra Pradesh After the drubbing of the 2019 polls Pawan revived ties with the BJP and joined the NDAPolitical analysts say he played a key role in forging the tripartite alliance with the TDP and the BJP to challenge the YSR CongressJana Sena has so far announced six candidates for Assembly polls At a meeting with party leaders on Wednesday night Pawan Kalyan is said to have given approval for another nine candidates IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pawan-kalyan-to-contest-for-andhra-assembly-from-pithapuram-528528.html Thu, 14 Mar 2024 17:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ap-fibernet-case-cid-gets-nod-to-approach-court-for-attachment-of-properties-528578.html Amaravati March 14 The YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh has authorised the CID to approach a court for attachment of the properties worth about Rs 1775 crore of the accused in the Fibernet case which allegedly involves former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and others The government authorised the CID to apply in the ACB court under Sections 3 and 10ab of the Criminal Law Amendment Ordinance 1944 for the attachment of properties The Principal Secretary Home issued the Government Order based on the letter from the ADGP CID permitting it to approach the ACB court seeking attachment of the properties worth about Rs 1775 crore of accused Vemuru Harikrishna Thummala Gopichand Thummala Pavana Devi Thummala Bapaiah Choudary and Tera Software Pvt Ltd The CID has named TDP President and then Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as accused number one in the case According to the CID Chandrababu Naidu conspired with Vemuru Harikrishna Prasad and Tummala Gopichand Director of Tera Software Ltd hatched up a conspiracy and awarded AP Fibernet Project Phase1 in favour of Tera Software Ltd in a fraudulent manner by accepting false experience certificates It alleged that though Tera Software Ltd was ineligible to participate in the tender it was awarded the contract thereby causing a wrongful pecuniary loss of Rs 1145323396 to the government exchequer While executing AP Fibernet Project PhaseI the accused in pursuance of their conspiracy violated the tender agreements and involved the companies of other accused Viplav Kumar VLS Vijaykumar Rammurthy Ramkumar Ramurthy and Kanumuri Koteswara Rao with a mala fide intention utilised substandard materials and got released the funds to Tera Software Ltd in a fraudulent manner without any supply of goods and services IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ap-fibernet-case-cid-gets-nod-to-approach-court-for-attachment-of-properties-528578.html Thu, 14 Mar 2024 23:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/denied-ls-ticket-another-sitting-trinamool-mp-turns-rebel-528580.html Kolkata March 14 After Arjun Singh another sitting Trinamool Congress MP has turned rebel after being denied a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha elections by the party leadership Sunil Kumar Mondal the sitting Trinamool MP from the BardhamanEast constituency on Thursday expressed his displeasure over the party not renominating him for the Lok Sabha pollsInstead the Trinamool has fielded Sharmila Sarkar a practising doctor and a fresher in politics as the party nominee from BardhamanEast this timeMondal claimed that a section of the district leadership of the party misled the top Trinamool leadership against him which cost him a chance to get renominatedThe district president and an influential member of the state Cabinet from the district wanted me to blindly follow their orders which was not possible for me he saidHe also claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee often praises leaders who mislead and at times even backstab herOn Sharmila Sarka Mondal said that he is not aware of what kind of experience she has in public serviceShe is a fresher in politics I dont know how she will strike a chord with the district leadership of the party Mondal saidSince the Trinamool announced its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Sunday there has been a wave of infighting in the partyFirst Trinamool state General Secretary and actressturnedpolitician Sayantika Banerjee resigned from her party post After that the sitting Lok Sabha member from Barrackpore Arjun Singh turned rebel after being denied renomination stating that he would join the BJP in Delhi on FridayThere are also talks that the sitting MP from Tamluk Dibyendu Adhikari might join the BJP on Friday Adhikari the younger brother of Suvendu Adhikari BJPs leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly was denied a ticket by the Trinamool IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/denied-ls-ticket-another-sitting-trinamool-mp-turns-rebel-528580.html Thu, 14 Mar 2024 23:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mission-bharosa-launched-in-up-for-safety-of-school-children-528139.html Lucknow March 13 The Uttar Pradesh government has officially launched Mission Bharosa its portal and mobile application to ensure the safety of school children Recognising the critical importance of safe transportation of school children this initiative focuses on implementing appropriate measures including police verification of drivers and attendants to ensure safe journey to and from school for studentsVehicles of any type whether bus van autorickshaw or erickshaw used in transportation of children are to be registered and integrated on the Bharosa platform and the condition mandatory documentations and other safety features of school transport vehicles will be verified by the Regional Transport Office RTOUttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Bharosa provides a framework to establish proper coordination among various stakeholders like RTO police Education department schools CMO transport owners parents and citizens using an advanced Artificial Intelligence machine learningenabled technology platform that strives to provide safe driver and vehicle for transport of childrenLucknow Municipal Commissioner Inderjeet Singh said Mission Bharosa stands as a beacon of commitment to the safety and security of our schoolgoing children In a world where every journey counts especially for the young minds heading towards education this proactive initiative takes lead in ensuring their wellbeing Mission Bharosa prioritises safe transportation of school childrenHe added The highlight of the project is that the drivers and attendants are provided training and exposed to awareness programmes to enhance their understanding of child safety protocols apart from regular health and eye checkup services Mission Bharosa is the need of the hour and deserves to be emulated across Uttar Pradesh and the countryLucknow Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob said Parents students school authorities and common citizens are encouraged to provide feedback and report of any concerns via Bharosa Portal and mobile application regarding the school vehicle driving performance or any other useful suggestions facilitating prompt intervention and resolutionIt is an initiative to make the transportation of schoolgoing children safe and secure Children specially of the age below 14 years need sensitive care and protection and I feel that it is the duty of administration to make that extra effort to assist in this endeavour she added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mission-bharosa-launched-in-up-for-safety-of-school-children-528139.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-man-duped-by-two-posing-as-cbi-officials-528149.html Lucknow March 13 A man was duped in Lucknow of his gold chain a diamondstudded gold ring and a gemstudded gold ring by two men posing as CBI officials The victim Malay Ganguli was on his way to Goel Market in Aliganj to purchase flowers for his morning pujaWhen he reached the Mama Crossing two men in civilian clothing intercepted him claiming to be CBI officers They cautioned Ganguli about the prevalent incidents of robbery and gold chain snatching in the city and advised him to secure his ornaments under the scooters seatGanguli took off his ornaments and one of the imposters wrapped them in paper and returned them to Ganguli instructing him to inspect them only after reaching homeI was frightened I did not dare to question them and hastily departed from the scene on my scooter Upon arriving home I inspected the wrapper they had given me and was shocked to find it filled with fake gold ornaments said GanguliV K Tiwari the SHO of Aliganj said that the case has been registered and CCTV footage will be scanned to identify the accused IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/lucknow-man-duped-by-two-posing-as-cbi-officials-528149.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 17:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mahayuti-to-woo-youth-population-to-achieve-its-mission-45-plus-in-ls-polls-528250.html Mumbai March 13 The MahaYuti comprising BJP Shiv Sena and NCP has geared up to woo youth particularly the firsttime voters in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by launching an advertising campaign The MahaYuti proposes to reach out to the maximum number of youth population on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who claims that youth are at the forefront of the Viksit BharatAs per the data gathered by the Maharashtra Government and Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation of the 1267 crore states population youth constitute over 261 per cent while those in the category of 1529 years are over 267 per centThe MahaYuti partners hope that with the increase in turnout of youth during voting it will be able to achieve its Mission45 plus in Maharashtra The MahaYuti government has taken a slew of initiatives for the welfare of youth largely related to providing job opportunities and skillingThe government has signed MoUs with 1175 renowned institutions and industries generating job opportunities for 686 lakh youth Nearly 2 lakh employment opportunities were made available through NaMo Maha Rajgarh Melaka at every revenue division at Nagpur Latur Baramati Ahmednagar and Thane The government has so far organised 557 employment fairs under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Rajgarh Melaka and it has established International Skill Development Centre at every revenue divisionSimilarly job opportunities were made available in foreign countries through the medium of International Employment Centre The modern training and skill development Bhavan will be constructed at Worli Mumbai The government is spending money to provide financial assistance training and counselling services for startups Already the government has launched the implementation of its start up and Fintech policy with an aim to make Maharashtra its hubThe government has started a recruitment process for more than 153 lakh vacancies In order to attract the players from all streams the government has increased their salary by 25 times The prize amount for the Asian Games winners has been increased 10fold similarly 10 per cent of the prize money of the players will be given to the coaches Further the amount of Chhatrapati State Sports Award has been hiked while Rs 5 lakh will be given as lifetime achievement award instead of the previous Rs 3 lakh IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mahayuti-to-woo-youth-population-to-achieve-its-mission-45-plus-in-ls-polls-528250.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-slams-ktaka-cm-siddaramaiah-for-silently-releasing-water-to-tn-528291.html Bengaluru March 13 The BJP leader of the opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in the state for silently releasing water to Tamil Nadu Siddaramaiahs lies are disgraceful to the Chief Ministers chair Ashoka saidThe reports of Tamil Nadus dams brimming with water is proof that the Congress government in Karnataka is silently releasing Cauveri water to Tamil Nadu state he saidWhen people of Bengaluru are struggling due to an unprecedented water crisis and more than 900 farmers have committed suicide Siddaramaiah is cheating the people of Karnataka by releasing water to Tamil Nadu he statedAshoka had earlier also slammed the Congress government for releasing water to Tamil Nadu at a time when state capital Bengaluru is facing a water crisisHe demanded that the Congress government stop releasing water to Tamil Nadu immediately and respond to the woes of the people of BengaluruMr Dy CM DK Shivakumar you patted your own back by claiming that your government delivered on its promises You stand exposed in matters of releasing Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu The Congress government also stands exposed he had statedThe BJP claimed that the water is being released to Tamil Nadu to keep its INDIA bloc ally DMK happy at the cost of the people of Karnataka However CM Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar flatly refuted the allegation of releasing water to Tamil Nadu IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-slams-ktaka-cm-siddaramaiah-for-silently-releasing-water-to-tn-528291.html Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/kerala-triangular-contest-on-cards-at-attingal-with-two-mps-one-mla-in-fray-527896.html Thiruvananthapuram Mar 11 The stage is set for the Lok Sabha elections at Attingal in Keralas Thiruvananthapuram district which will witness a triangular contest between the three main political fronts in the state The highprofile candidates in Attingal include two Members of Parliament and one legislatorWhile the Congress has renominated sitting MP Adoor Prakash the BJP has fielded Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan from Attingal For the CPIM twotime sitting Varkala MLA V Joy will contest the pollsIn 1019 Prakash a former state minister was a surprise choice for the Congress to take on sitting CPIM MP A Sampath However Prakash considered an outsider as he hailed from another district handed a stunning defeat to Sampath winning the seat by 38247 votesSignificantly firebrand BJP leader Sobha Surendran finished third raising the saffron camps vote count from 90528 in 2014 to 248041 in 2019 That performance has raised the hopes of the BJP and Muraleedharan to spring a surprise this timeHowever Joy the only local candidate in the fray knows the constituency like the back of his handWhat is boosting the confidence of Joy and the CPIM is the fact that all the seven Assembly seats in the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency are held by the ruling Left parties five by the CPIM and two by the CPIWhile Joy was the first to hit the campaign trail Prakash and Muraleedharan have just started theirs though one thing is certain Attingal is one of the few seats among the 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in Kerala that will witness a real triangular poll battle this time IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/kerala-triangular-contest-on-cards-at-attingal-with-two-mps-one-mla-in-fray-527896.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 13:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/magnetic-maharashtra-continues-to-be-favoured-investment-destination-mahayuti-govt--527906.html Mumbai March 11 Maharashtras MahaYuti grand alliance government comprising the BJP Shiv Sena and NCP claimed on Monday that the state continues to be a favoured investment destination Earlier in the runup to the Lok Sabha elections the MahaYuti government earmarked at least Rs 8410 crore Rs 140 crore per day for a special publicity campaign till March 31 The government has also rolled out the advertisement claiming that Magnetic Maharashtra continues to be the favoured investment destination In another advertisement titled Resolve for rural development the state Rural Development has listed out a slew of initiatives to boost development The MahaYuti wants to project Maharashtras development while overall growth will be the major poll plank in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at the same time it will also publicise the decisions taken on the line of the Central governmentDespite fierce competition from several states in the era of Cooperative and Competitive Federalism the Mahayuti government has said that Maharashtra leads in attracting Foreign Direct Investment FDI as it has received FDI worth Rs 118422 crore during AprilDecember 2023 A sum of Rs 100112 crore of investment was attracted in Maharashtra which will contribute to 30 per cent of the nations FDIThe government has claimed signing of MoUs worth Rs 373 lakh crore during the World Economic Forum summit in Davos for investment in varied sectors including steel IT green energy agriculture logistics and electronics This is expected to generate employment opportunities for 2 lakh personsThe cabinet subcommittee approved projects worth Rs 127675 crore which are expected to create 162500 jobsMemorandums of Understanding MoU have been signed with 7 companies for the production of green hydrogen with a proposed investment of Rs 276300 crore to generate 64000 employment opportunitiesThe government has announced the Export Policy 2023 and integrated Textile Policy to attract more investments Besides the government expects an investment of Rs 95000 crore under the new IT and ITeS policy The government has claimed that the Maharashtra Industry Trade and Investment Facilitation Cell will enable 119 facilities for industries providing ease of access and faster servicesThe government has further claimed that Maharashtra is leading in defence manufacturing and it is the firstever state in the country to create a defence and aerospace policy MoUs worth Rs 1358 crore in the defence manufacturing sector were signed at the recently held by the Defence ExpoThe government has also taken credit for the approval of 12326 loan cases in 202223 through the Chief Minister Employment Generation Programme In 202324 loans of Rs 342 crore cleared for 14822 entrepreneurs The government in a bid to smoothen logistics has also installed 6 parks in the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/magnetic-maharashtra-continues-to-be-favoured-investment-destination-mahayuti-govt--527906.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 14:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/central-govt-is-curtailing-development-of-states-by-snatching-funds-stalin-527926.html Chennai March 11 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the Central government is curtailing the development of states by snatching away fund resources Lashing out against the BJP government at the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in particular Chief Minister Stalin said that the BJP is trying to destroy states and thereby the culture and tradition of the statesHe was addressing a public programme at Dharmapuri on Monday after laying the foundation stone for 75 new projects worth Rs 560 crores He also distributed welfare aid to 8736 beneficiaries of Salem Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districtsHe said that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is regularly coming to Tamil Nadu as part of the election gimmick and also alleged that the same Prime Minister was not seen when the people were suffering from floods in December 2023Stalin said that All India Institute of Medical Science AIIMS project has now gained momentum only due to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and ridiculed that the foundation stone for AIIMS was laid in 2019 but there was no progressHe said that the sudden reduction in prices of gas cylinders were only due to the elections and added that the people of Tamil Nadu will never ever fall for such political gimmicksIn response to the criticisms that the DMK was under dynasty rule Stalin said that the DMK rule in Tamil Nadu is for crores of people of the state and added that these were all partys family membersHe said that during AIADMKs rule no welfare projects were initiated or executed but they only indulged in looting and plundering wealthCan the AIADMK listout any completed projects during their period Stalin askedHe said that the AIADMK had curtailed the DharmapuriHoggenakkal drinking water project that was taken up by the previous DMK government IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/central-govt-is-curtailing-development-of-states-by-snatching-funds-stalin-527926.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pmk-in-tn-divided-over-alliance-in-ls-polls-527802.html Chennai March 11 The political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community the PMK is divided over stitching an alliance in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections PMK founder leader Dr S Ramadoss prefers an alliance with the AIADMK while his son and party state president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss wants a tieup with the BJPIn the 2019 Lok Sabha elections the BJP and AIADMK were part of the NDA of which PMK was also a member However in September 2023 AIADMK snapped its alliance with the BJP This created confusion in the PMK and the party is now vertically divided between the two power centres of father and sonDr Anbumani Ramadoss is for the BJP alliance as the party had offered him a Union Cabinet Minister post while his father Dr Ramadoss wants an AIADMK alliance as it would be a better bet to establish in Tamil Nadu by the 2026 Assembly electionsThe AIADMK has offered the PMK 12 Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha seat while the BJP according to party sources had not committed on the number of seatsWith elections likely to be announced by this week the PMK which has a deep support base in Western and Central Tamil Nadu will have to take a decision soon on the alliance peferenceGeorge Vargheese political analyst and psephologist while speaking to IANS said BJP should somehow keep the PMK in its fold as the party is representing a powerful community like the Vanniyars and in terms of social engineering it will be a major political move AIADMK according to my information is now at an upper hand as far as deal with PMK is concerned as beyond a point Dr Anbumani Ramadoss will not oppose his father Dr S Ramadoss He also said that PMK would be a good bet for the BJP for its future forays in Tamil politics IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pmk-in-tn-divided-over-alliance-in-ls-polls-527802.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/toll-free-mumbai-coastal-road-north-south-arm-inaugurated-527846.html Mumbai March 11 Chief Minister Eknath Shinde inaugurated the national commercial capitals first Mumbai Coastal Road projects phase ones northsouth arm connecting WorliMarine Lines here on Monday Shinde along with Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis Ajit Pawar and other dignitaries present cut the ribbon throwing open the southbound lane It will be opened for regular traffic movement from TuesdayThe swank new road constructed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC includes a twintunnel running below Malabar Hill the entire phase one project which will be tollfree as announced by the government is expected to be completed by May 2024Once operational the MCR will slash the road commute time from around 60 minutes to barely 10 minutes saving time plus fuel and is expected to be extended from Worli to Dahisar northwest Mumbai in the coming years officials saidThe MCR is being constructed by the BMC from its resources and has implemented a series of environmentfriendly initiatives like gardens a green belt parking lots a new seawall and promenade and other public amenities besides a smooth tollfree ride as decided by the state government and civic administration IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/toll-free-mumbai-coastal-road-north-south-arm-inaugurated-527846.html Mon, 11 Mar 2024 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/stalin-questions-pm-modi-over-past-promises-527745.html Chennai March 10 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President MK Stalin on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to fulfil his promises In a statement he contended that the promises PM Modi had made ten years ago were not fulfilled even nowStalin who interviewed aspirants seeking DMK tickets for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls also claimed that the opposition INDIA bloc had succeeded in sowing the idea that the BJP should be defeated at any cost in the mind of the peopleThe leaders of the alliance are holding talks in various states to ensure that the antiBJP votes are not splitStalin said that in Tamil Nadu the alliance led by the DMK had completed seatsharing with its alliance partners including the Congress the CPIM the CPI the VCK the MDMK the IUML and the KNMDK the last which would be contesting on the DMK symbol and that his party would contest 21 of the states 39 Lok Sabha constituenciesHe also said that MNM founder and actor Kamal Haasan had joined the DMK alliance and would campaign for its candidates Kamal Haasan will be allotted a Rajya Sabha seat in 2025 he addedThe DMK chief in a diplomatic manner noted that it was not his DMK that was giving seats to alliance partners but all the parties in the alliance sat together and took decisions unanimously on seatsharingWe are united by the singleminded pursuit of defeating the BJP and the same sentiments would pave the way for victory in 39 seats he saidStalin called upon the DMK cadres to work for the alliances victory in all 40 constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry He also said that it was necessary to usher in a political change and formation of a government at the Centre that would respect the state governmentsThe DMK leader also said that the INDIA bloc would highlight the achievements of the Dravidian Model government in Tamil Nadu in three years IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/stalin-questions-pm-modi-over-past-promises-527745.html Sun, 10 Mar 2024 20:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/gujarat-unveils-rs-1-500-crore-education-schemes-15-lakh-students-to-benefit-527433.html Gandhinagar March 9 Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday unveiled two schemes the Namo Lakshmi Yojana and Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana with a combined investment of Rs 1500 crore The announcement was made at a ceremony held at Gyanda Girls High School in Ahmedabad highlighting the states commitment to enhancing secondary and higher secondary educationKuber Dindor the Minister for Gujarat Primary and Secondary Education among other dignitaries attended the eventThe Namo Lakshmi Yojana with an allocation of Rs 1250 crore in the 202425 state Budget is designed to support girls pursuing secondary and higher secondary educationIt offers Rs 50000 in financial aid to each girl completing her education from class 9 to 12 targeting about 10 lakh beneficiaries across government aided and private schools The initiative aims to boost enrollment curb dropout rates and foster empowerment through education and nutritionThe state is also promoting science education among class 1112 students with the Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana YojanaStarting from the academic year 202425 the scheme will support students who scored over 50 per cent in their Class 10 Board Exams facilitating their admission into science streams across State Government aided and CBSErecognised schoolsWith a budgetary provision of Rs 250 crore the scheme offers Rs 25000 assistance to each eligible studentThese schemes are poised to benefit around 15 lakh students delivering financial assistance directly via DBT Direct Beneficiary Transfer annuallyThe launch event witnessed the distribution of benefits worth Rs 61 crore to over 60000 students under various merit scholarships and excellence schools programmes IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/gujarat-unveils-rs-1-500-crore-education-schemes-15-lakh-students-to-benefit-527433.html Sat, 09 Mar 2024 16:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/yemens-houthis-strike-singapore-flagged-ship-in-gulf-of-aden-527322.html Aden Yemen March 9 Yemens Houthi group has launched a missile attack on a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden continuing their escalation of tension in the region said a progovernment Coast Guard official The official who requested anonymity said on Friday that a Singaporeflagged cargo ship PROPEL FORTUNE was targeted by missile fire while sailing about 50 nautical miles off the coast of Aden Xinhua news agency reportedHe confirmed that at least two missiles detonated in the vicinity of the vessel although there were no immediate reports of casualties among the crewThe United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations confirmed the incident noting that it had been alerted to two blasts near a vessel at around 1500 GMT on Friday nearly 50 nautical miles off the coast of AdenSo far the Houthi group has not claimed responsibility for the attackThe attack follows a similar missile strike by the Houthis on Wednesday targeting the Barbadosflagged TRUE CONFIDENCE cargo ship which the group claimed was Americanowned That attack killed at least three crew members and seriously injured four others of the multinational 20person crew according to the US Central CommandSince November 2023 the Houthis have increasingly targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden which they claim is in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Gaza In response the US and Britain launched airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen starting in midJanuaryThe spiraling confrontation disrupts a major global shipping lane as millions of barrels of oil pass through the Bab elMandeb Strait between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden on a daily basis IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/yemens-houthis-strike-singapore-flagged-ship-in-gulf-of-aden-527322.html Sat, 09 Mar 2024 07:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/northeastern-states-took-major-strides-in-womens-empowerment-in-last-one-year--527111.html Agartala March 8 Unlike previous years womens empowerment got a major boost in the last one year in northeastern states A record number of women became ministers and legislators and thousands of others got involved in diverse economic activities through Self Help Groups SHGs and various other fora meant for their economic empowermentHistory was made when a record number of 17 women got elected to the state Assemblies of four northeastern states Tripura Meghalaya Nagaland and Mizoram in last years Assembly electionsLike previous years this year too women voters outnumbered men in several northeastern states like Manipur Meghalaya Mizoram and NagalandTripura is one of the very few states in the country where 33 per cent seats were reserved for women in government jobs as part of its State Policy for Empowerment of WomenIn April Nagaland will hold civic body polls and 33 per cent reservation has been made for women candidatesThe terms of the civic bodies ended in 200910 and the elections to the Urban Local Bodies ULBs in Nagaland will be held after a gap of 20 years as many powerful Naga organisations had earlier claimed that reservation for women in ULBs would go against their communitys customary lawsArticle 371A grants special protection to the traditional customary religious and social practices of the Nagas and also on ownership and transfer of land and its resourcesIt was only after a series of agitations and extensive consultations with tribal bodies Naga tribal hohos civil society organisations and all stakeholders that the state Assembly in November 2023 passed the new Nagaland Municipal Act 2023 with 33 per cent reservation for womenSo strong were the sentiments against participation of women in the ULB polls that in 2017 violent protests were witnessed after the then Naga Peoples Front government led by former Chief Minister TR Zeliang tried to hold the electionsTwo people died and scores were injured in the 2017 protests while government properties and offices were also vandalised The agitations eventually led to the fall of the Zeliang governmentHowever in 2023 signaling the change in the mindset of society a record 17 women were elected to Tripura Meghalaya Nagaland and Mizoram AssembliesIn fact Tripura scripted history in the region when nine women were elected to its Assembly followed by three each in Meghalaya and Mizoram and two in NagalandFor Nagaland which had been up in arms about reservation for women in ULB polls it was a coming of age of sorts as for the first time in 60 years of statehood two women Hekani Jakhalu and Salhoutuonuo Kruse of the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party NDPP were elected to the Assembly from Western Angami and DimapurIII constituencies respectivelyThis was a far cry from the 2018 Assembly elections in Nagaland when five women contested and none were electedIt was a similar story in other northeastern states as 24 women fought the 2018 Assembly elections in Tripura and just three won In Meghalaya 32 women tried their electoral fortunes and only three were successful None of the women candidates won the 2018 Assembly polls in MizoramWhile Meghalaya is a matrilineal society in Mizoram the society is patriarchal and the states main political parties hardly ever nominated women candidates for the Lok Sabha and Assembly electionsIn such a bleak scenario the BJP government in Tripura led the way in womens empowerment by reserving 33 per cent government jobs for womenTripura Chief Minister Manik Saha while addressing a seminar on women empowerment in the farm sector said We introduced One Stop Centre scheme the Tripura Mukhyamantri Matru Pushti Uphaar Yojana The number of SHGs increased to 56479 this year from 4000 previously and as many as five lakh women are involved in these SHGs and they earn a reasonable amount from various sectorsIn 2023 Tripura set itself a target to make 90000 women lakhpatis through SHGs by December this yearThe Chief Minister said If women are not empowered a country cannot develop Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked us to talk to the beneficiaries and we are doing this and trying to resolve their problemsIn violencehit Manipur a nonprofit organisation Eta Northeast Womens Network has been providing emotional and mental succor and livelihood avenues to women hit by the strifeEta has been counselling hundreds of distressed and displaced women living in relief camps since the ethnic riots broke out in May 2023Etas founderchairperson Sophia Rajkumari told IANS We are now providing skill training and mental support to hundreds of women in 12 relief camps in three districts Bishnupur Kakching and Imphal East Gradually the number of beneficiaries and number of relief camps would be increasedRajkumari a lawyerturnedsocial activist added After providing essential skills for manufacturing various items like incense sticks clothes blankets and confectionery items we are providing them with initial interestfree capital to embark on entrepreneurial ventures and are connecting them to potential markets and customers We also ensure that all the proceeds go to these womenIn the midst of misery and conflict in Manipur Eta has emerged as a beacon of hope and economic empowerment of women seeking refuge in relief campsSujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujitciansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/northeastern-states-took-major-strides-in-womens-empowerment-in-last-one-year--527111.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mmy-scheme-addresses-malnutrition-issues-among-women-in-gujarat-527118.html Ahmedabad March 8 Gujarat governments scheme Mukhyamantri Matrushakti Yojana MMY has been the cornerstone of health growth and development for the women in the western state The scheme inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 18 2022 has been meticulously designed to address the issues of women in the stateThe scheme specifically targets the enhancement of nutritional intake among pregnant women and lactating mothersAn official said that this landmark initiative is poised to significantly curb malnutrition rates in Gujarat by ensuring these mothers and their offsprings have access to essential nutrition during these pivotal early stagesHe said that the scheme is spanned across 40 districts involving 427 components while utilising 53037 Anganwadi centresThe MMY has processed 298969 approved applications out of 320559 total applications This extensive reach is helping Gujarats mothers and children to overcome malnutritionThe official said that all pregnant and lactating women registered with the Health Departments software as pregnant or as mothers of children up to 2 years are eligible for this schemeThey will receive 2 kg of chickpeas 1 kg of toor dal and one litre of groundnut oil from their local Anganwadi centre The government has allocated a substantial budget of Rs 811 crore for the schemes implementation with plans to invest a total of Rs 4000 crore over the next five years the official saidHe said that the eligibility for the scheme encompasses firsttime pregnant women and mothers with children up to two years oldThe MMY provides a nutritional kit comprising 1 litre of groundnut oil 1 kg of Tuver Dal and 2 kg of Chana aimed directly at satisfying the dietary needs of its recipients he saidTo ensure the MMYs benefits are easily accessible the Gujarat government in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre NIC has also unveiled a dedicated portal https1000dgujaratgovinThis portal allows eligible women to register and avail themselves of the schemes offerings from the nearest Anganwadi centre marking a significant leap towards excellent governance standardsProjected outcomes from the MMY are comprehensive They aim not only to enhance the nutritional health of mothers and their children but also to decrease the occurrence of preterm births and low birth weight infants the official saidHe said that the initiative seeks to lower the Infant Mortality Rate IMR and Maternal Mortality Rate MMR representing a critical advancement in Gujarats battle against malnutrition and improving public healthEarlier the Gujarat government took serious note of the NITI Aayog and the National Family Health Survey NFHS5 reports of 2023 which highlighted the malnutrition issues among the women in GujaratThereafter the state government took effective steps to address the malnutrition issues among the women in the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mmy-scheme-addresses-malnutrition-issues-among-women-in-gujarat-527118.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/from-mahout-to-protector-assams-elephant-girl-barua-broke-glass-ceiling-to-do-it-all-527127.html Guwahati March 8 The first female mahout elephant trainer in India Parbati Barua 67 known as the Elephant Girl Hasti Kanya in Assam was honoured with the Padma Shri award this year The fourthhighest civilian award was bestowed on her in acknowledgement of her efforts in animal protection and for her groundbreaking contributions as Indias first woman mahoutIt was not an easy journey and Barua worked hard to break stereotypes to establish a female presence in a traditionally maledominated fieldBorn into the Gauripur royal family in the Goalpara District of Assam Barua first caught elephants with her father Prakritish Barua in the Kachugaon forests of Kokrajhar District when she was only 14yearsoldThere was no looking back for her after that first encounter with elephants and Barua spent the next 40 years of her life reducing humantusker conflict even as she fought against gender stereotypes in the professionHumanelephant confrontations have a long history in Assam and Barua was instrumental in developing government regulations to minimise themShe became a master in taming wild elephants and due to her extensive knowledge of pachyderm behaviour she became wellknown not just in Assam but also in West Bengal and OdishaBarua also assisted the forest department in driving troublemaking elephant herds foraging in agricultural fields back into the forestsQueen of the Elephants is the title of a 1996 book written about her by British travel writer and naturalist Mark Roland Shand Later the BBC produced a documentary that was widely praisedAfter over 40 years of continuous service as a mahout Barua committed her life to animal conservation and is part of the International Union for Conservation of Natures Asian Elephant Specialist Group IUCNThe girl from a royal family who could have led an easy life chose a difficult path and broke the glass ceiling in her journey towards becoming a protector of the animals she loves IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/from-mahout-to-protector-assams-elephant-girl-barua-broke-glass-ceiling-to-do-it-all-527127.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 14:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/rajasthan-free-travel-for-women-in-roadways-buses-on-international-womens-day-527132.html Jaipur March 8 Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari has said that women can travel for free in roadways buses within state limits on the occasion of International Womens Day on Friday They can make free entry to biological parks zoos museums across the state on the occasion she saidThe amount spent on the free bus journey by women will be reimbursed by the Finance Department she addedThe state government has taken this decision with the aim of promoting women empowermentUnder this decision fare will not be charged in ordinary and express buses of Rajasthan Roadways within state limitsHowever fares in AC and Volvo buses will remain the same The free travel will last till 1159 pmWomen will also get fare concessions in lowfloor and midfloor buses of Jaipur City Transport Services Limited JCTSL running in Jaipur city along with roadways said officials IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/rajasthan-free-travel-for-women-in-roadways-buses-on-international-womens-day-527132.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/every-day-must-be-womens-day-not-just-march-8-says-kalki-subramaniam-527165.html Chennai March 8 Kalki Subramaniam is a renowned trans woman and a member of the National Council for Transgender Persons constituted by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Kalki Subramaniam is a multifaceted personality as she is also an artist and an author of three books Her book titled We are not the Others has now been added to the Harvard Business School library for research and reference on gender studiesIn an exclusive interview with IANS the activist says that every day should be Womens Day and not just March 8IANS As a trans woman what do you feel about International Womens DayKalki Subramaniam Every day must be Womens Day not just March 8 as women around the world including trans women work harder at home and at their workplace International Womens Day is a day to remember and honour the accomplishments and sacrifices of women continue to work for gender equality advocate for the safety of young girls and bring transformative changeIANS How is the condition of trans women in Tamil Nadu nowKalki Subramaniam Women in Tamil Nadu are more progressive better educated and are becoming economically independent However the progress of transgender women remains slow Thousands of transgender women still continue to beg and our communitys social status isnt anywhere near equal to cis men and cis women Reservation in education and employment still remains a dream We are repeatedly demanding that the government focus on our social and economic progressIANS Do you think that there should be more governmental intervention to uplift trans womenKalki Subramaniam Absolutely yes As a member of the National Council for Transgender Persons I am in close touch with the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Though I represent all the five South Indian states and the Union Territory of Pondicherry I urge the government to work for the progress of transgender people all over India The ministrys officials are keen to make various schemes in order to reach out to the transgender persons in the country I advise the ministry on the priorities of the community like health education and economic uplift I want the transgender community to be poverty free There is a long way to go but I am not restingIANS What were your struggles as a trans womanKalki Subramaniam For all my success today I had to struggle hard in life As a transgender teenager I struggled at school and again in college as I didnt want the world to see me as the person I am not I rewrote my destiny like a movie script and created my own fate in order to be the genuine person I am today my true and real self But as I progressed I reminded myself that I will always represent and fight for the rights of the transgender community I am proud of the thorny path I walked on but I try to spread roses on that path for the younger generation of trans peopleIANS You are an artist a writer and an entrepreneur How do you achieve so muchKalki Subramaniam I have always followed my heart I write and paint on my journey as a transgender woman I document my life and of those like me through my writings and works of art and poetry I am now into fashion fusing my creations with art and poetry Many of my creations carry my poetry and art I am excited about the infinite creative possibilities this offers I will soon launch an ecommerce website for my creationsIANS You have been part of the court case which led to the trans community getting the Third Gender status in government records Please fill us in on thatKalki Subramaniam I sensitised Supreme Court lawyers and the judiciary for legal recognition of the transgender community Former Chief Justice of India the late Altamas Kabir was the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority He was very instrumental in filing the PIL for transgender legal recognition I worked hard with him for the legal recognition of the community I have sensitised several Supreme Court and High Court lawyers and judges through sessions in the National Judicial Academy and the Madras Judicial AcademyIANS What are your plans in the days to comeKalki Subramaniam Our organisation Sahodari Foundation is opening an Art and Design Skill Centre on March 23 to train underprivileged transgender and cis gender women in art design and tailoring and encourage them to be entrepreneursIANS You are an international gender activist You have spoken at world renowned universities like Harvard Yale and Cornell Where are you speaking nextKalki Subramaniam I have received an invitation from the University of British Columbia UBC in Vancouver Canada to speak on gender and sexuality It is one of the reputed universities of Canada That is where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau graduated from in 1998 I am excited to speak at UBC IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/every-day-must-be-womens-day-not-just-march-8-says-kalki-subramaniam-527165.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-a-tech-mother-who-became-a-successful-entrepreneur-while-fulfilling-the-dreams-of-twin-daughters-527173.html Bengaluru March 8 A 47yearold senior tech professional turned entrepreneur from Rajasthan and settled in Bengaluru for the last 17 years Kanika Jain is the proud CEO and founder of Ikaanya a leading gymnastics and dance wear clothing and apparel company which is all set to make a mark in the global market Olympians representing India in gymnastics such as Prathima Nayak and Deepa Karmakar sport the outfits of Ikaanya at international competitions Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan has given her testimonial appreciating the products Her children are using Kanikas designs for gymnasticsKanikas journey into entrepreneurship began when she faced challenges finding suitable attire for her twin daughters both passionate dancers and gymnasts Recounting her story to IANS she shared I am a mother of twin daughters who are 16 years old They love dancing and were also into gymnastics for a long time They represented India in the Dance world cup which was held in Portugal last year As they were growing up and participating in many gymnastics competitions and dance performances I would end up arranging their costumes from outside India sometimes the UK and sometimes the US I realized that I was not the only one there were many parents who would do the same and probably that was the seed of Ikaanya Identification of the gap in the market where almost every dancer and gymnast struggles to get good quality costumes even when they are willing to pay Thats why we wanted to bring variety and quality to India so that all dancers and gymnasts here have the option of getting multiple designs Thats how Ikaanya started in 2019When I started my family helped a lot My husband was my part time tech support or photographer The company is profitable now and funds are transacted from there I have been working for 17 years in the corporate sector We had savings and with family money the business was started Now we are at a stage of significant expansion We are the first Indian company manufacturing international attire addressing the gap in the market for topnotch quality Now the market is growing and the craze for belly dancing and gymnastics is growing in India Kanika explainsIkaanya manufactures its products outside India due to the unavailability of the required machinery and fabric domestically The meticulous process involves providing designs to factories receiving samples and undertaking multiple rounds of resampling taking three to four months to bring a product to the market There are small players but proper international quality is definitely missing in them The type of machinery required the type of fabric needed is not easily available in India Kanika saysNavigating the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic Ikaanya found an unexpected ally in Amazon in 2021 Initially focusing on a BtoB model with schools the closure of educational institutions during the pandemic compelled a shift to retail The brand gained recognition and Amazon became a significant revenue platform Reflecting on her achievements Kanika proudly mentioned that Pranathi Nayak wore an Ikaanyadesigned dress at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 marking a significant milestone since the companys inception Gymnasts Deepa Karmakar and Pranathi Nayak continue to be ambassadors for the brandLooking ahead Kanika envisions Ikaanya expanding into all western dance forms including belly dancing and swimming Amazon is the platform where we get the most revenue Before Amazon we focused on BtoB Recently Soha Ali Khan has begun using our products for her kids gymnastics We have received a very good testimonial from her I didnt even have to ask her it was amazing It was a proud moment as well she addsWhen asked about her message to aspiring entrepreneurs Kanika emphasizes Dont overthink it If you are passionate and courageous begin your journey The worst that can happen is a temporary slowdown With passion courage and focus success will follow in your businessKanika Jains future plans are to expand into all western dance forms She wants to get into belly dancing and swimming and also go global with Amazon The US would be our obvious choice I am quite confident in the designs we are thinking for introducing Indian patterns for global marketing It will be different in that market she says IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-a-tech-mother-who-became-a-successful-entrepreneur-while-fulfilling-the-dreams-of-twin-daughters-527173.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-15-all-female-flights-operated-by-air-india-and-aix-527186.html New Delhi March 8 More than 15 allfemale flights of Tata owned Air India and Air India Express AIX were operated on the occasion of International Womens Day on Friday said CEO Campbell Wilson Wilson in his letter to employees on Friday said that the airline spent the week celebrating the achievements of women and the women and many men who have championed the cause of greater gender equality in aviation over the yearsThe CEO further said that this week the Competition and Consumer Commission of Singapores CCCS also granted approval for the merger of Air India and VistaraThis complements the one granted by the Competition Commission of India six months ago and being the final competitionrelated approval permits Air India and Vistara to now share detailed information to optimise our schedules contracts and accelerate the journey to merger he saidIn light of this it is heartening to see that a key enabler of our merger has already been running full steam ahead The project weve been running involving more than 80 people over 8 months to harmonise operating procedures and manuals across the four Tata airlines is now entering its final phase said WilsonThe crossairline team is hard at work having spent yesterday and today together making the final changes to documents and charting the implementation path Alignment of procedures will expedite the safe transfer of crew and aircraft from one AOC to another so it is a critical aspect of bringing our two LCCs and our two FSCs into the final state said Wilson IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-15-all-female-flights-operated-by-air-india-and-aix-527186.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 16:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-gender-disparities-in-legal-profession-and-the-call-for-systemic-change-527208.html New Delhi March 8 The very profession that postulates equality as a principle and way of life is itself deficient when it comes to a gender gap in the profession The legal profession has made great strides over the years in upholding rights and giving recognition to the most fundamental of our rights however gender inequality is an intrinsic problem that still awaits resolutionThere is a huge disparity which is evident from the fact that women constitute only 15 per cent of practicing lawyers In the higher judiciary too women are underrepresented with only 6 per cent of the judges in the Supreme Court being women and only 115 per cent among the High Court judgesThese are not just statistics but is a topic that requires deep deliberation and change of mindset which is not an overnight taskOne cannot be ignorant of the reality where if a reference is made to a household chore the automatic presumption of its responsibility is attached to the womanAnother reason for many females to drop the profession is marriage and the child rearing that followsWhile we take pride in wearing that collar band stepping up on the dais and fighting for what is right there is still a large segment of society especially in the rural areas that scorns at women taking up this profession thus reducing the prospects of marriageThe institutional infrastructure of our courts is also not gender friendly The most basic of things such as hygienic and clean toilets be it for males or females creches etc are absentThe fight today is to establish an inclusive bar as well as bench devoid of caste gender and class inequalitiesA genderneutral bar and bench is not only for the sole purpose of equality but also to provide a different perspective and perception in each caseSpeaking to IANS Advocate Vediccaa Ramdanee said While there is a long journey ahead to achieve this goal a more immediate solution would require the women in the legal profession to step forward and be more proactive They should come together to tackle issues of gender inequality in the workplace at leastShe added There are many women lawyers who can lead such associations and while it may not change things overnight there is strength in numbersIt is also a suggestion and request to the more privileged lot of women to be more approachable for this causeThe fight for women empowerment has never been about individual women but has been about the community More women in positions of power for example means more women with better insights into the plight of female litigants more judges who can relate to and understand their concerns their socioeconomic challenges and their motivations Or at least that has been the dreamAdvocate Ishika Mittal said What we are often left with in action is that these women in positions of power struggle to survive in the boys club and are forced to adopt the ideas of masculinity and power just so that they can continue to have a fighting chance of survivalWomen in the judiciary are faced with a cruel irony Officers of the law who are unsafe themselves and are denied justice on a regular basisHow often does one come across news of female members of the judiciary in the lower courts being sexually harassed and abused One may be forced to think about all the incidents that still remain unreported out of fear of being transferred punished and abused for speaking up It is saddening how often these women pay the price for their bravery with their careerWomens safety is somehow spoken about too much and not enough Every conversation about women empowerment ends up also centering safety concerns as though that is at the core of their struggles and constitute the majority of it While it undeniably is a major cause for concern there are also several other minute ways in which the patriarchy materialises which cisgendered heterosexual men may not completely ever be able to fathomJudges who are women do not have the liberty to be playful like their male counterparts lest they be taken lightly They do not have the liberty to be strict and temperamental either lest they be called stuck up and arrogant It is as though they are constantly under a microscope doomed no matter what Mittal saidShe added As a practicing litigant myself I have seen way too many times female judges being denied the respect they deserve by the litigants the advocates themselves and even their own court staff sometimes for that matter Many male advocates especially if they are older than the judge herself are loath to take directions from them almost as if acknowledging a woman as their superior is beneath them The judge no matter how learned or superior in post continues to be treated as just a womanBeing looked down upon patronised dismissed and belittled for being a woman is something every woman in this field would concur to have experienced whether as an advocate or as a judicial memberAdvocate Akankshya Misra also told us how the struggle intensifies in the lower judiciary despite comparatively better representationWomen judges face not only the challenges of a maledominated profession but also grapple with issues such as sexual harassment Recently the poignant account of a woman judge in UP seeking euthanasia due to the systemic dismissal of her grievances sheds light on the harsh realities we face as women in this legal fraternity Misra saidShe went on to say that as a female litigating lawyer in Delhi NCR the battleground extends beyond courtroomsThe quest for connections becomes a delicate balancing act where approaching people for professional networking raises questions about favourseekingThis challenge is not exclusive to the legal profession but resonates across industriesBeing a female lawyer carries no inherent advantage before the court and for firstgeneration advocates like myself the additional hurdle of building connections without compromising professional integrity is palpable Misra saidBeyond the courts confines the struggles persist in the professional realm This unfolds as a professional in the making where the ratio of women lawyers remains disproportionately low compared to our male counterpartsWe deserve more than merely filling a gender imbalance we merit meritorious recognition and elevated positions The path to achieving this involves consistent courtroom presence enabling a collegium to choose from a pool of competent candidates rather than a limited selection she saidMisra added My journey as an advocate especially as a woman is not a conventional 9 to 5 job It requires assuming roles as diverse as an entrepreneur professional administrator and leader Overcoming the challenges of toxic work environments meager remuneration and a demanding worklife we strive for a sense of accomplishment power and position However as I candidly acknowledge not everyone may be ready for this challenging expeditionAs a young advocate Misra said her personal experiences shed light on the stark gender disparities within legal officesFrom the lack of female washrooms to the struggle for inclusion in a maledominated atmosphere the challenges faced by women in the legal profession go beyond courtroom battles This clearly calls for a reevaluation of basic facilities and challenges the status quo where women are forced to make compromising choices to be part of the boys club she saidIn essence the battles fought within and outside the courtroom reveal a pressing need for systemic change emphasising that the legal profession should not be a realm where gender determines success but a platform where merit and talent flourish irrespective of gender IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-gender-disparities-in-legal-profession-and-the-call-for-systemic-change-527208.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 17:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-goan-fadista-sonia-glitters-on-fado-527228.html Panaji March 8 Be it in a small intimate room at Madragoa Home of Fado and Mando in the capital city Panaji or the classy glittering Cidade de Goas Portuguese restaurant Alfama Noite de Fado when Sonia Shirsat sings Fado the audience is mesmerised and falls in love with the genre At Hotel Cidade de Goas Alfama Noite de Fado the only regular commercial Fado event has been running since 2007 once a monthThe melancholic and soulful expression of Fado conveying the essence of love God mother pain and sufferings are sensitively taken care of by musicians guitarists like Franz Schubert Cotta Orlando de Noronha Carlos Menezes Sherwyn Correia or Dr Allan AbreoI have two or more guitarists when I perform on the stage Playing the Portuguese guitar is either Franz Schubert Cotta or Orlando Noronha and classic guitar is Carlos Menezes or Sherwyn Correia or Allan Abreo We take care to present it in its purest form and to take listeners into a state of longing and nostalgiaThe daughter of the late Shashikant Shirsat and late Maria Alice Pinho e Shirsat Sonia was exposed to music and Fado by her mother who corrected her accent Later she fell in love with FadoFado is a very different art form it is not like singing any other song One gets so deep into it the poem and emotions of the song At times when I am performing physically I am there but my soul is somewhere else So its a different experience altogether Sonia Shirsat told IANSSonia Fadista of Goa says that fado must have come from Portugal to the coastal state through travellersFado was born in Lisbon around the 1830s or 40s and arrived in Goa in the 1890s or maybe even earlier while it was still a Portuguese colonyI assume by different ways there is no documentation or record however people who went to Portugal to study medicine and law when they came back they brought it and people from Portugal who came here they too brought it There were gramophone records and Fado was played also on radio Shirsat saidI would say Fado has made me a calmer person with wider understanding and a better person because Fado has deep meaning lyrics When we go into the lyrics we can see how the lyricist must have gone through his life or has suffered pain Since I started to understand and sing fado my world has become wider My way of looking at life has changed through fado she saidI have been regularly singing Fado once a month at Hotel Cidade Goa for the last seventeen years and thats on the first Friday of every month and there is another place in Panaji Madragoa House of Fado and Mando she saidHaving performed across India and in 19 countries globally some being Luxembourg Canada Singapore Macau Portugal Paris Sonia is on a mission to revive and popularise fado Hence she has also started to spread awareness and teach her studentsSonia says that she was never drawn to Fado her only exposure to it was through her mother who sang the Fado at home as a hobbyI never took vocal training as far as Fado is concerned because technically or traditionally in Portugal itself there is no way you can go somewhere to learn Fado because they believe that one is born as a Fado singer There is no course grade exam or guru you can go to But over time you can practice and sing the Fado Sonia opinesSonia said that she learned to master the pronunciation of Fado It was my goal My mother used to correct me and so it was easy when I went to Portugal with the correct pronunciation she said adding she is guiding around 300 students to preserve the FadoWhile comparing the lyrics of Fado with Ghazals Sonia says that they are deep and meaningful poems Like Ghazals sometimes it has references of love God mother place they love love from the past pain and suffering she saidHaving no formal training in music Sonias rise to being the noted fadista in India has brought a proud moment for the culture of GoaIn 2003 during the Portuguese guitar workshop in Panjim Sonia sang a fFdo with hesitation but at the end of it she was told that her voice was best suited for it This gave her the confidence to carve a niche in FadoWhen I perform the response is always very nice Because the audience appreciates the fact that I am from India and not from the Fado world I am into that art form which was originally not ours Sonia Shirsat who grew up in temple town Pondain South Goa said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-goan-fadista-sonia-glitters-on-fado-527228.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/maharashtra-readies-roadmap-to-become-1-trillion-economy-527241.html Mumbai March 8 Maharashtras MahaYuti government comprising the BJP the Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party has firmed up a comprehensive plan to take the states economy to the 1 trillion approx Rs 8279 lakh crore mark from the present level of 433 billion Rs 3584 lakh crore Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who holds the Finance and Planning Department in his interim budget for 202425 contended that Maharashtra is on the path of a 1 trillion economy in line with the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a 5 trillion economyAs per the governments action plan for a 1 trillion economy the youth women poor and farmers will be focus areas with a substantial increase in capital investment through state government departments state public sector undertakings and the private sectorThe government is pursuing the development of roads and over 70000 km of rural roads are being proposed with an outlay of Rs 7600 crore It has also given due priority to railway development including 337 km of metro lines to be built in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region of which 263 km have been sanctioned and 465 km commissionedMeanwhile the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport will be operational by March 2025In order to retain its most favoured investment destination the government has put in place a slew of investment promotion policies and schemes MoUs with 19 companies at the World Economic Forum Davos are expected to generate investment of Rs 3 lakh crore and two lakh jobsFurther the government hopes that a 1 trillion economy will be achieved through sustainable development mainly by increasing economic growth and implementing measures to protect the environmentIt hopes that 40 per cent of the total energy generation will be from nonconventional sources by 2030 by promoting solar energyAmid the rising danger of climate change and global warming the government plans to undertake tree plantation on both sides of roads of around 25000 km per year on state highways and major district roadsBesides the water conservation schemes including Jalyukt Shivar Mission 20 will be aggressively implementedThe government has proposed policies and schemes for inclusive growth by laying emphasis on farmers women and children health higher education skill development tourism and sportsThe governments plan is in line with the roadmap prepared by the Maharashtra Economic Advisory Council EAC headed by Tata Sons Chairman N ChandrasekaranThe EAC had clearly said that the state economy needs to grow 1415 per cent annually from 67 per cent in 202223 to become a 1 trillionAccording to EAC the key enablers include ease of doing business energy land and skill developmentThe EAC made a strong case for the improvement of ease and cost of doing business by the state government to accelerate investments through the establishment of Udyog Seva Kendras centres that can support industries acquire licenses permits and approvals in a timely and predictable fashionIn the energy sector Maharashtra will have to double its installed energy capacity and provide energy at a competitive rate The state will have to encourage renewable installation across multiple use cases from utilityscale solar parks to solar panel installation at farms improve grid infrastructure especially for EV adoption and encourage renewable energy consumption via norms like Green Open AccessThe government needs to make available one lakh acres to support industry growth and another one lakh acres for renewable energy growth Further the skill development will have to be taken up on a war footing as it will generate 15 million plus employment opportunities IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/maharashtra-readies-roadmap-to-become-1-trillion-economy-527241.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 18:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sharmila-turns-emotional-after-taking-pledge-to-achieve-special-status-for-andhra-526988.html Vijayawada March 7 Congress Andhra Pradesh President YS Sharmila Reddy turned emotional on Thursday after taking a pledge along with other leaders and cadres to dedicate their lives to achieve special category status to the state Addressing party workers at Mangalagiri Sharmila broke down while explaining that she entered Andhra Pradesh politics and joined the Congress as it is the only party committed to accord special category statusAter taking the pledge along with senior leaders and hundreds of party workers she made it clear that the lives and careers of state Congress leaders and the cadres were dedicated to fighting and achieving special status for the stateAccording to the pledge every Congress activist cutting across cadres with the entire state standing as the witness would continue to fight for the special status till their last breathSharmila Reddy sister of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy came down heavily on the ruling YSR Congress and also the BJP and the TDP for deceiving the people of Andhra PradeshAll three parties today stand in the dock for playing with the sentiments of the people and backstabbing them without remorse The pledge taken by us today will rattle their spirits and shake their morale she saidFor the parties that are bent on widening the divide among people in the name of caste and religion Congress serves this message loud and strong special status is the only caste or religion for the 55 crore people or the state Congress will continue to fight with an indomitable spirit and expose the sham of these parties in front of the entire nation she addedSeveral activists and supporters also turned emotional on seeing tears in Sharmila Reddys eyes She also choked for a while when she spoke about the plight of the youth in the state Senior Congress leaders Pallam Raju JD Seelam G Rudraraju and Sunkara Padmasri were present on the occasion IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sharmila-turns-emotional-after-taking-pledge-to-achieve-special-status-for-andhra-526988.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 00:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/homemakers-turned-businesswomen-have-become-job-providers-in-rural-bihar-527247.html Patna March 8 A number of homemakersturnedbusinesswomen in Bihar are providing jobs to other women in rural areas of the state One of them is Ramwati Devi a native of Bahuarwa Village in West Champaran District She started a paper cup and plate manufacturing plant in her village and now dozens of women are working with herI was inspired by a video on YouTube and decided to enter the paper cup and plate manufacturing business I consulted my husband and also discussed the matter with the Jivika Didis of my village They supported me in arranging a loan from the bank I started the manufacturing unit on a small scale in 2018 and now within five years of starting the unit I am giving jobs to dozens of women in my village she saidRamwati Devi added At present we are producing around 70000 cups and plates per day Moreover the waste material from the unit is used in the manufacture of egg trays It has improved our financial status a lotAnother job creator Manju Devi of Gayas Anjaneya Tada Village is also an inspiration for women in Bihar especially in the rural areasManju Devi came into the limelight due to her decision to grow lemongrass in her farm and is now earning around Rs 10 lakh per annumI learnt that lemongrass is very useful and there is a big demand for it in the medicine industry The central and state governments were also running campaigns and trying to inspire farmers to cultivate lemongrass I liked the idea and took the help of my husband to learn about lemongrass farmingHe went to the agriculture department and learnt about lemongrass cultivation and then taught me Manju Devi saidAs the farmers of my village were involved in growing regular crops like wheat and paddy the villagers initially taunted me for farming lemongrass but I stuck to my decision Currently I am growing lemongrass on 15 acres of land and earning more than Rs 10 lakh per year I have also employed many women to help me in my farm and I pay them for their services she saidLemongrass is useful in manufacturing vitamin A tablets and other medicinal products apart from sanitisers cosmetics phenol etcLemongrass oil is a popular product that is used in spas and also in the tea industry Traditionally people used to put lemongrass in their tea as it has medicinal propertiesManju Devi has won many awards in the agriculture sector and has become a wellknown name in the state to the extent that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also knew about herRajkumari Devi popularly known as Kisan Chachi is another woman from Bihar who has inspired many in the country A 2019 Padma Shri recipient Rajkumari Devi is a resident of Anandpur Village under Saraiya block in Muzaffarpur DistrictShe faced many hurdles in the early stages of her life After passing her class 10th Board examination in 1974 Rajkumari Devi wanted to study further and become a teacher but her family members did not allow her to finish her educationAfter her marriage to Awadesh Kumar Choudhary she started living with her inlaws in Anandpur Village As the financial status of our family was not good I started growing vegetables in our farm The villagers laughed at me but I did not care I met the officials of the agriculture department and learnt how to cultivate vegetables in a scientific manner However as the earnings from vegetable farming were very low I started manufacturing pickles Rajkumari Devi saidRajkumari Devi continued In the year 2000 I started pickle production using mango chilli lemon mixed vegetables and many others I used to go door to door on my bicycle and sell pickles in the village Many people taunted me for riding a bicycle and selling pickles from house to house but I ignored them and concentrated on my workThe rest as they say is history In 2003 former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav gave her an award during the agriculture fair She also got an award in 2007 and she became even more popular after superstar Amitabh Bachchan appreciated her workCM Nitish Kumar also gave her a tractor and Prime Minister Narendra Modi too awarded herToday Rajkumari Devi employs many women in her pickle manufacturing business and her pickles are famous across the world IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/homemakers-turned-businesswomen-have-become-job-providers-in-rural-bihar-527247.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 19:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-a-tech-mother-who-became-a-successful-entrepreneur-while-fulfilling-the-dreams-of-twin-daughters-527284.html Bengaluru March 8 A 47yearold senior tech professional turned entrepreneur from Rajasthan and settled in Bengaluru for the last 17 years Kanika Jain is the proud CEO and founder of Ikaanya a leading gymnastics and dance wear clothing and apparel company which is all set to make a mark in the global market Olympians representing India in gymnastics such as Pranati Nayak and Dipa Karmakar sport the outfits of Ikaanya at international competitions Bollywood actress Soha Ali Khan has given her testimonial appreciating the products Her children are using Kanikas designs for gymnasticsKanikas journey into entrepreneurship began when she faced challenges finding suitable attire for her twin daughters both passionate dancers and gymnasts Recounting her story to IANS she shared I am a mother of twin daughters who are 16 years old They love dancing and were also into gymnastics for a long time They represented India in the Dance world cup which was held in Portugal last year As they were growing up and participating in many gymnastics competitions and dance performances I would end up arranging their costumes from outside India sometimes the UK and sometimes the US I realized that I was not the only one there were many parents who would do the same and probably that was the seed of Ikaanya Identification of the gap in the market where almost every dancer and gymnast struggles to get good quality costumes even when they are willing to pay Thats why we wanted to bring variety and quality to India so that all dancers and gymnasts here have the option of getting multiple designs Thats how Ikaanya started in 2019When I started my family helped a lot My husband was my part time tech support or photographer The company is profitable now and funds are transacted from there I have been working for 17 years in the corporate sector We had savings and with family money the business was started Now we are at a stage of significant expansion We are the first Indian company manufacturing international attire addressing the gap in the market for topnotch quality Now the market is growing and the craze for ballet dancing and gymnastics is growing in India Kanika explainsIkaanya manufactures its products outside India due to the unavailability of the required machinery and fabric domestically The meticulous process involves providing designs to factories receiving samples and undertaking multiple rounds of resampling taking three to four months to bring a product to the market There are small players but proper international quality is definitely missing in them The type of machinery required the type of fabric needed is not easily available in India Kanika saysNavigating the challenges posed by the Covid pandemic Ikaanya found an unexpected ally in Amazon in 2021 Initially focusing on a BtoB model with schools the closure of educational institutions during the pandemic compelled a shift to retail The brand gained recognition and Amazon became a significant revenue platform Reflecting on her achievements Kanika proudly mentioned that Pranati Nayak wore an Ikaanyadesigned dress at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 marking a significant milestone since the companys inception Gymnasts Deepa Karmakar and Pranathi Nayak continue to be ambassadors for the brandLooking ahead Kanika envisions Ikaanya expanding into all western dance forms including ballet dancing and swimming Amazon is the platform where we get the most revenue Before Amazon we focused on BtoB Recently Soha Ali Khan has begun using our products for her kids gymnastics We have received a very good testimonial from her I didnt even have to ask her it was amazing It was a proud moment as well she addsWhen asked about her message to aspiring entrepreneurs Kanika emphasizes Dont overthink it If you are passionate and courageous begin your journey The worst that can happen is a temporary slowdown With passion courage and focus success will follow in your businessKanika Jains future plans are to expand into all western dance forms She wants to get into ballet dancing and swimming and also go global with Amazon The US would be our obvious choice I am quite confident in the designs we are thinking for introducing Indian patterns for global marketing It will be different in that market she says IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/womens-day-a-tech-mother-who-became-a-successful-entrepreneur-while-fulfilling-the-dreams-of-twin-daughters-527284.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 21:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/in-indian-society-women-are-often-made-equal-through-discrimination-527033.html Kolkata March 8 For Anindita Maitra Das a Kolkatabased engineering entrepreneurcumperforming Ghazal singer the fallacy of women empowerment in Indian society is that women are often made equal through discrimination As women half the sky belongs to us Half the earth and half the oxygen No one can give anything to the women in the form of special incentives Women need to achieve their due positions through their own strengths Many successive governments have introduced exclusive womencentric welfare schemes but I feel that these schemes in reality have encouraged the discrimination against women Had the society been liberal then there would have been no necessity for such womencentric welfare schemes says Anindita the founderdirector of Citius Infracon Private Limited a civil engineering entity specializing in buildings and bridges designs and also a performing Ghazal singerShe adds that instead of such womencentric welfare schemes which are primarily dole schemes the real necessity is to provide women with a level playing field in all spheres to increase their participation in economic activitiesAccording to her research says that the percentage of Indian women going outside their homes for work is quite nominal compared to that in China or the US This lack of initiative in encouraging women to be equal participants in economic activities is the real discrimination against women That discrimination is compensated by womencentric dole schemes That is why I am saying that in Indian society women are often made equal through discrimination she tells IANSI refuse to accept this situation of constantly reminding a woman that she is a woman We dont want womens magazines All we want is a level playing field asserts AninditaAfter completing her bachelors degree in civil engineering from Kolkatas iconic Jadavpur University JU and then her postgraduate degree in management Anindita started her career as a working professional However she always had the spirit of doing something of her own and thus at a later stage she along with a fellow engineer started her companyAt the same time Anindita continued to pursue her childhood passion for Indian classical music and over the years she established herself as a popular Ghazal singer in the state regularly performing in soirees stages and musical eventsAnindita has her own explanation about how she makes an even distribution between her parallel careers as a consultant engineer and a stage performerOften we waste time in nonproductive activities like fruitless and meaningless gossip or unnecessary lethargy If we avoid that then it is not too difficult to pursue two parallel initiatives at the same time Anindita saidHappily married to her JU batchmate who is also an engineer by profession the couple has a daughter currently pursuing a PhD from the Indian Institute of Technology GuwahatiAnindita profusely thanks her husband and inlaws for whatever advancement she has made in her career both as a consultant engineer and as a professional singerIt is often said that behind every successful man there is a woman In my case it is the opposite My husband has always encouraged me to concentrate on my professional career At the same time after my daughter was born my inlaws took a major responsibility of nurturing her so that I could concentrate on my work concludes Anindita IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/in-indian-society-women-are-often-made-equal-through-discrimination-527033.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/uk-envoy-advocates-promoting-living-bridge-links-for-womens-voices-roles-527043.html Chandigarh March 8 Advocating to promote the living bridge links between India and the UK and in particular to highlight womens voices and roles British Deputy High Commissioner Caroline Rowett says she meets inspiring women and girls all the time as she travels in this region There are too many inspiring women to choose from remarked Chandigarhs first British woman Deputy High Commissioner on International Womens DayAs a starter there are 75 women in my book In addition I meet inspiring women and girls all the time as I travel in this region playing cricket in rural Punjab picking up waste in the Himalayas rescuing and caring for animals and working in rural health centres The list is endless and Im constantly inspired by those I meet working in challenging environments she told IANSThe British Deputy High Commission Chandigarh last year commemorated the 75th year of Indian Independence by launching a book titled 75 years 75 women 75 wordsThe book highlights the exceptional contributions of women in strengthening the living bridge between India and the UKRegarding 75 women she told IANS that Indias 75th Independence anniversary offered a unique opportunity to give a voice to 75 women with links to our two countriesIt was fascinating to read how they had blended and adapted two cultures to suit their lives and careers And it was wonderful to bring these women together There are so many opportunities to promote the Living Bridge links between India and the UK and in particular to highlight womens voices and roles Im not yet sure what our next venture will be but Im open to ideas she addedThe coffee table launch event held at the residence of Caroline Rowett had brought together many of the remarkable women featured in the book both inperson and virtuallyAdvocating to adopt the principles of three Rs reduce reuse and recycle the Deputy High Commissioner who donated personal items to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporationrun RRR or 3R centre here told IANS that the phrase three Rs crops up often in conversations about how to be more environmentally friendly and how to live a greener lifeThere are so many small things we can do to live a more sustainable life Yesterday I met international skier Aanchal Thakur and two representatives from Waste Warriors to discuss the impact of climate change on sports Waste Warriors highlighted the importance of waste management and the role and responsibility of households in waste segregation she saidIn Chandigarh I have reduced my waste to a minimum by creating a wormery for vegetable peelings and composting all other food which is then used to fertilise my fruit and vegetable garden I urge others to follow suit she addedAfter completing his assignment as the UKs Charge dAffairs in Haiti Caroline Rowett replaced Andrew Ayre who completed his fouryear tenure in February 2021Vishal Gulati can be contacted at gulatiiansgmailcom IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/uk-envoy-advocates-promoting-living-bridge-links-for-womens-voices-roles-527043.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/as-world-celebrates-intl-womens-day-female-feticide-remains-a-cause-of-concern-in-india-527044.html Mumbai March 8 Despite stringent measures by the health authorities over 630 crore 63 million girls are missing from the Indian population since Census 2011 owing to female feticide and infanticides sparking concerns on the occasion of the International Womens Day being celebrated on Friday The startling figures were revealed in the Economic Survey of India 20172018 tabled in the Parliament the last such document after which there is no official data available according to expertsPunebased activistmedico Dr Ganesh Rakh who launched the trendsetter Save Girl Child campaign in 2012 which has now spread to other countries globally said an analysis of the birth rates and gender of the lastborn child has estimated that more than 210 crore 21 millionIts a serious predicament The obsession for sons among Indian couples and families is not only preventing girls from being born but also resulting in higher mortality of the females who are born a doubleloss to the country said Dr RakhAfter the Economic Survey the Lancet Global Health2018 report came out with even more glaring detailsIt said that nearly 239000 girls aged under five die each year in India because of their gender partly owing to unwanted childbearing and partly due to sheer neglect of the female childStrict laws notwithstanding selective abortion of female fetuses continues resulting in fewer girls being born in the countryThe scourge of female feticide coupled with the premature death of very minor girls up to 5 years of age due to neglect or abandonment have led to an estimated 630 crore girls missing from the countrys population he addedWhile most research studies have highlighted gender bias in India with a focus on prenatal mortality a recent study by the International Institute for Applied System Analysis IIASA has drawn attention to the high female mortality at the underfive years of age at the district levelExcess mortality is defined as the difference between the observed and expected mortality rates in both genders with the female mortality rate found to be higher than the male mortality rate said Dr RakhUnfortunately barring the Economic Survey and the Lancet study which are now nearly eight years old there is no authentic contemporary data available on these serious social issues with severe future implications Dr Rakh pointed outThis is because Census 2021 was postponed due to the Covid19 pandemic and there is no certainty on when the next Census will be conducted he said while adding that conclusions of certain other nationallevel surveys have been questionedHowever in recent times experts have observed that gradually gender discrimination for girls after birth is reducing due to many social awareness programmes plus the literacy rate in primary and secondary education is increasingYet girls are facing more instances of domestic violence owing to a perceived social imbalance as a result of a skewed sex ratio of girls for many decades Besides the marriage expenses have shot up drastically not only among the affluent or billionaires but also farmers and lower middleclass families and in most cases the load is borne by the girls sideIn our crusades all over India we have come across ordinary families or even landless farmers or labourers who blew off Rs 1520 lakh on the wedding expenditure for their daughters They take loans and then struggle for the rest of their life to repay but the grooms side has no such liabilities Dr Rakh addedHe feels that the shortterm solution to the problem is increased awareness levels and campaigns among the people to Save Girl Child and empower the girls at every stage in their lives education and jobs along with reservations if necessary and other similar national policy initiatives to strengthen the countrys socialpoliticaleconomic fabricQuaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/as-world-celebrates-intl-womens-day-female-feticide-remains-a-cause-of-concern-in-india-527044.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 09:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/invest-in-women-accelerate-progress-says-un-women-527056.html New York March 8 On International Womens Day UN Women has called to Invest in Women Accelerate Progress as the best way to accelerate economic growth and build more prosperous equitable societies This is particularly urgent when war and crisis are eroding the achievements of decades of investments in gender equality From the Middle East to Haiti Sudan Myanmar Ukraine Afghanistan and elsewhere women pay the biggest price for conflicts that are not of their making The need for peace has never been more urgentClimate change is accelerating persistent poverty gaps As competition for scarce resources intensifies livelihoods are threatened societies become more polarised and women bear an increasingly heavy burden One in every 10 women in the world lives in extreme povertyThe number of women and girls living in conflictaffected areas doubled since 2017 now more than 614 million women and girls live in conflictaffected areas In conflict areas women are 77 times more likely to live in extreme povertyClimate change is set to leave 236 million more women and girls hungry by 2030 twice as many as men 131 millionAt prime working age only 61 per cent of women are in the labour force versus 90 per cent of menWe cannot continue to miss out on the genderequality dividend More than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments prioritised education and family planning fair and equal wages and expanded social benefits says UN WomenAlmost 300 million jobs could be created by 2035 through investments in care services such as the provision of daycare and elderly care and closing gender employment gaps could boost gross domestic product per capita by 20 per cent across all regionsThe current reality is far from this Programmes dedicated to gender equality represent only four per cent of official development assistance An additional 360 billion in developing countries is needed per year to achieve gender equality and womens empowermentThis is less than onefifth of the 22 trillion spent globally on military expenditure in 2022 for exampleThe areas needing investment are clear and understood First and foremost there must be an investment in peace Beyond this the investments needed include laws and policies that advance the rights of women and girls transformation of social norms that pose barriers to gender equality guaranteeing womens access to land property healthcare education and decent work and financing womens groups networks at all levelsUN Women has also called on member states at the Commission on the Status of Women starting in New York on March 11 to back up their commitments on gender equality with resourcesThe worlds leaders have this opportunity to develop concrete and progressive agreed conclusions that reflect the crucial need for financing gender equality womens empowerment and womens organisations They must seize it for the sake of equality the planet and the Sustainable Development Goals IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/invest-in-women-accelerate-progress-says-un-women-527056.html Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/one-third-of-all-new-jobs-created-by-women-owned-msmes-went-to-female-employees-study-526851.html New Delhi March 7 Womenowned MSMEs hired 11 per cent more women employees than maleowned MSMEs as per a data analysis of womenowned MSMEs by Kinara Capital The analysis further revealed that 13rd of all new jobs created by womenowned MSMEs went to women employees thus boosting local economiesHardika Shah Founder amp CEO Kinara Capital said Women entrepreneurs demonstrated better repayment of their business loans created more jobs for other women and experienced an income increase for themselvesAs per the analysis women employees constituted over 324 per cent of all jobs created by womenowned MSMEs Outperforming maleowned MSMEs by 11 per cent women entrepreneurs contributed to increased female employment and economic development in their local communities Women entrepreneurs across all three MSME sectors of Manufacturing Trading and Services exhibited a higher degree of acceptance as womenowned MSMEs are evidently more receptive to women employees than their male counterpartsWomen MSME entrepreneurs exhibit a higher ability to optimise costs and drive income the analysis said When supported with resources particularly formal credit womenowned MSMEs showcased a 12 per cent rise in their organisations monthly revenue What stood out even more was their ability to drive income growth Womenowned MSMEs registered a 19 per cent increase in monthly net income compared to 18 per cent by menowned MSMEs indicating better utilisation of resources and control over costsWomen entrepreneurs demonstrated higher loan repayment diligence According to the analysis while only 34 per cent of the women entrepreneurs defaulted on loan repayment the rate among men was higher at 46 per centThe study analysed data from 44821 MSMEs across six states Andhra Pradesh Gujarat Karnataka Maharashtra Tamil Nadu and Telangana and the Union Territory of Puducherry IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/one-third-of-all-new-jobs-created-by-women-owned-msmes-went-to-female-employees-study-526851.html Thu, 07 Mar 2024 15:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-mix-up-of-corpses-at-mortuary-leads-to-high-drama-526742.html Lucknow March 7 In a bizarre situation the bodies of two women having similar names were accidentally swapped at the King Georges Medical Universitys KGMU mortuary here on Wednesday According to police confusion arose after postmortem examination of the bodies of two women Sandhya Prajapati 26 and Sandhya Trivedi 24The mortuary staff omitted surnames from the autopsy reports leading to the mixupTrouble began when Vipin Prajapati arrived to claim his wifes body and found it had been taken away by somebody else When Prajapati and his family created a ruckus at the mortuary the staff rummaged through the files and found that Sandhya Prajapatis body had been handed over mistakenly to Sumit brother of Sandhya TrivediAngry family members locked the gates of the mortuary and it took police intervention to get them openedSandhya Trivedi had consumed poisonous substance and died late Monday night during treatment at the trauma centre After her death her inlaws fled the scene abandoning the body at the trauma centre said policeSandhya Trivedis brother Sumit and father Amarnath along with other family members reached the trauma centre to take the body after the inquest was filled The autopsy could not be done on Tuesday and was completed on Wednesday but staff handed over the body of Sandhya Prajapati to SumitAdditional DCP West Zone Vishwajeet Srivastava said that Sumit and his family went ahead and cremated the body of Sandhya Prajapati at Gulala Ghat crematoriumSumit told police he was griefstricken so did not see the face and ended up cremating someone elseMeanwhile when the mixup was discovered Vinay Prajapati and his family rushed to Gulala Ghat but the cremation had already taken place by thenFamilies of the deceased created a ruckus at the mortuary that lasted several hoursLater police pacified the families and Sumit handed over the ashes of Sandhya Prajapati to her family and took his sisters body and cremated herMeanwhile the KGMU Spokesman said that after post mortem the bodies are handed over to the police which give it to the kin of the deceasedThe mix up took place probably because of similar names but KGMU is not responsible for it he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-mix-up-of-corpses-at-mortuary-leads-to-high-drama-526742.html Thu, 07 Mar 2024 09:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/vck-mp-writes-to-tn-law-minister-flagging-caste-based-discrimination-in-state-prisons-526644.html Chennai March 6 Leader of Dalit political party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK D Ravikumar has written to the Tamil Nadu Law Minister seeking immediate steps to end castebased discrimination in the prisons of the state The Lok Sabha MP from Villupuram also pointed out the status of the revised prison manual for the state to the Law MinisterIn the letter addressed to Law Minister S Regupathy Ravikumar said that there were media reports on discrimination in the prisons of the state based on caste and religionThe VCK leader also said that he had come to know of instances where prison authorities specifically asked the caste of the prisoners upon their entry into the jailHe said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs MHA too had taken serious note of this discrimination of prisoners who were assigned prison duties based on their casteIn the letter Ravikumar pointed out to the minister that the MHA has already written to the chief secretaries of all the states and Union Territories including Tamil Nadu urging them to ensure that their jail manuals do not contain any discriminatory provisionsThe VCK leader also said that a threejudge bench of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud had found that prisons in more than 10 states including Tamil Nadu continued to witness discrimination including forced labour based on casteRavikumar said that he wants to draw attention to Rule No 447 of the Prison Manual of Tamil Nadu which restricts the involvement of convicts in extramural employment if they belong to a wandering or criminal tribe He said this rule explicitly violates Article 14 of the Constitution IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/vck-mp-writes-to-tn-law-minister-flagging-caste-based-discrimination-in-state-prisons-526644.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/hyderabad-man-duped-into-fighting-for-russian-army-in-ukraine-killed-526690.html Hyderabad March 6 A 30yearold man from Hyderabad who was duped into joining the Russian Army and fighting against Ukraine has been killed The Indian Embassy in Moscow on Wednesday confirmed the death of Mohammed Asfan but has not revealed the cause of the death We have learnt about the tragic death of an Indian national Shri Mohammed Asfan We are in touch with the family and Russian authorities Mission will make efforts to send his mortal remains to India the embassy said in a post on X TThe family of Afsan was shocked upon learning about his death He is survived by his wife and two children an eightmonthold daughter and a twoyearold son His brother Mohammed Imran said they were not in a position to say anything now The family which resides in the Bazar Ghat area was informed about Afsans death by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi Afsan who was working in a readymade garment shop was duped by a job agent based in Dubai He and two others went to Moscow via Sharjah in November last year after they were promised jobs as helpers in the Russian Army They were promised Rs 30000 per month initially The agent had also told them that they would get Rs 15 lakh later Asfans family grew suspicious after they were unable to contact Afsan They lodged a complaint with Hyderabad police and later approached Asaduddin Owaisi The AIMIM President on February 21 appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take steps to bring back 12 Indians who were forced to fight Ukraine alongside the Russian Army He said these unemployed youth who had gone to Russia to work for security at buildings were cheated and were taken to the war front They included two youths from Telangana three from Karnataka two from Kashmir and one each from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh Hamil Mangukiya 23 from Gujarat was killed in an airstrike on February 21 in the Donetsk region on the RussiaUkraine border Owaisi had said three agents cheated unemployed youth by sending them to Russia to fight against Ukraine Faisal Khan one of the agents is in Dubai while Sufiyan and Puja are from Mumbai Ramesh and Moin are Indian agents in Russia IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/hyderabad-man-duped-into-fighting-for-russian-army-in-ukraine-killed-526690.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 23:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-to-finalise-ls-candidates-of-ktaka-in-a-day-or-two-ex-cm-yediyurappa-526515.html New Delhi March 6 Former Chief Minister and BJPs Central Parliamentary Board Member BS Yediyurappa said on Wednesday that the party will finalise the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka in a day or two Speaking to reporters in New Delhi Yediyurappa said that he has arrived in the national capital to take part in the Election Committee Meeting in the evening to discuss the candidates from KarnatakaI have confidence that the final decision will be made in one or two days by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit ShahThe meeting will be attended by PM Modi Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP National President JP Nadda They will discuss the candidates and the final decision will be made by PM ModiMost probably the final decision will be made on candidates The top leaders will take a decision on seat sharing with the JDS Barring the seats in which JDS candidates are fielded the names of all candidates from the BJP in other constituencies would be announced in the second list he statedSources confirmed that State BJP President BY Vijayendra and former CM Basavaraj Bommai will also reach New Delhi by evening When asked about the new faces being given opportunity in Karnataka by the party Yediyurappa said that nothing could be said now in this regard and he will abide by the partys decision IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-to-finalise-ls-candidates-of-ktaka-in-a-day-or-two-ex-cm-yediyurappa-526515.html Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mva-may-seal-seat-sharing-deal-on-march-6-suspense-continues-on-vba-526163.html Mumbai March 5 The Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA is likely to finalise its seatsharing pact for the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra at the last round of talks scheduled for March 6 official sources said here on Tuesday However suspense continues on the role of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi VBA headed by Prakash Ambedkar and the number of seats it may be offered to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls besides satisfying the demands of other smaller alliesThe VBA stumped the Opposition bloc last week by seeking at least 27 parliamentary seats plus a unilateral choice of its candidates in certain constituencies which was reportedly unacceptable to several MVA constituentsClaiming that the VBA is fully geared up for parliamentary polls Ambedkar has threatened several times that he is prepared to go solo in all 48 constituencies if the MVA alliance fails to consider his demandsOn Monday NCPSP National General Secretary Dr Jitendra Awhad publicly appealed to Ambedkar to join the seatsharing efforts and help safeguard democracy and the Indian Constitution in the interest of future generationsAs per current indicators the MVA may allot the VBA around 10 per cent four or five of the Lok Sabha seats plus three or four seats are likely to go to other smaller alliesThe remaining 40 constituencies shall be divided among the major MVA allies ie CongressNCPSPShiv SenaUBT as per their formula plus they would also accommodate their own allies if needed said a NCPSP leaderAt Wednesdays meeting the top leaders slated to seal the deal barring any lastminute glitches include Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole NCPSP President Sharad Pawar Shiv SenaUBT President Uddhav Thackeray VBA President Ambedkar and the representatives of the six other smaller parties IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mva-may-seal-seat-sharing-deal-on-march-6-suspense-continues-on-vba-526163.html Tue, 05 Mar 2024 12:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/spicejet-settles-112-mn-dispute-with-cross-ocean-partners-informs-delhi-hc-526197.html New Delhi March 5 SpiceJet has settled a dispute of about 112 million US dollars with the Cross Ocean Partners the lessor behind the Special Purpose Vehicle SPV known as VS MSN 36118 CAY Designated Activity Company leased in 2018 Last year in June after a judgement was obtained against SpiceJet in the UK High Court the lessor moved to Delhi High Court and filed a case on November 21The parties made the settlement announcement before the Delhi High Court in the ongoing execution petition being pursued by Cross Ocean Partners said the SpiceJet spokespersonThe settlement is expected to result in significant savings for SpiceJet and also put an end to the dispute As part of the arrangement the airline will also benefit from the transfer of an airframe and an engine at no additional cost augmenting its operational capabilities said the spokespersonAjay Singh Chairman and Managing Director SpiceJet said We are pleased to have reached a mutually acceptable resolution with Cross Ocean Partners which will result in significant cost savings for SpiceJet and also cease prolonged expensive litigationThis settlement reinforces our commitment to effectively settle with our partners and strengthen our operational capabilities We remain focused on sustaining the positive momentum and creating longterm value for our stakeholders said SinghDuring proceedings in the UK High Court the lawyer for Cross Ocean Partners had informed the court that SpiceJet had been intermittently failing to fulfil its monthly lease payments for a B737700 since late 2020The aircraft in question is registered as VTSLP msn 36118 and remains in operation with the carrier which the lessor seeks to halt Cross Ocean also seeks access to the Boeing twinjet for inspection purposes the lawyer had said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/spicejet-settles-112-mn-dispute-with-cross-ocean-partners-informs-delhi-hc-526197.html Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/maulana-siddiqui-delaying-trial-in-mass-conversion-case-up-govt-tells-sc-526267.html New Delhi March 5 The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday apprised the Supreme Court that cleric Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui is attempting to delay the trial in a mass religious conversion case Siddiqui has been charged by the state AntiTerrorist Squad ATS for allegedly running the biggest conversion syndicate across the country A bench presided over by Justice Aniruddha Bose was told by Additional Advocate General AAG Garima Prashad that Siddiqui and the other accused persons in the case are trying to delay the trial court proceedings Refuting the allegations the counsel appearing for Siddiqui said that in the last one year 11 witnesses have already been examined during the trial AAG Prashad requested the bench to place on record the additional facts including the cancellation of bail of three accused The bench also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar allowed the state government to file a rejoinder affidavit in the matter by March 19 The matter will be heard next on April 2 The Uttar Pradesh government has filed a special leave petition before the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of bail granted to cleric Siddiqui by the Allahabad High Court In April last year a division bench of Justices Attaur Rahman Masoodi and Saroj Yadav of the high court had directed Siddiquis release on bail Siddiqui was arrested from Meerut on charges of converting over 100 peopleThe high court granted him bail on the grounds of parity as one of the coaccused was granted bail by the Supreme Court IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/maulana-siddiqui-delaying-trial-in-mass-conversion-case-up-govt-tells-sc-526267.html Tue, 05 Mar 2024 16:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/six-time-trinamool-mla-tapas-roy-resigns-quits-party-also-525871.html Kolkata March 4 Cracks in Trinamool Congress widened further as sixtime party legislator Tapas Roy tendered his resignation from the membership of West Bengal Assembly on Monday He confirmed his resignation after coming out of the room of Assembly Speaker Biman Bandopadhyay to whom he tendered his resignation as per protocolTapas Roy also tendered resignation from all organisational posts in Trinamool Congress including the primary membership of the party as confirmed by him However he did not say anything about his future course of actionSensing that Roy might sever all his ties with the party state education Minister Bratiya Basu and another rebel Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh rushed to his residence in North Kolkata on Monday morning to persuade him to refrain from taking this extreme stepHowever all their efforts proved fruitless as around 1215 pm Roy came out of his residence and started for the Assembly He reached the Assembly at around 1235 pm and tendered his resignationBefore leaving for the Assembly he pointed out that although Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee initially defended Sheikh Shahjahan on the floor of the House in the ED attack case she was silent about the central agencys raid at his residence in north Kolkata in connection with the multicrore municipalities recruitment case in West Bengal This has saddened me immensely Roy saidOn Monday morning Roy gave hints about his decision to resign after clearly hinting that a section within his own party was responsible for orchestrating the recent raid at his residenceI have been a legislator since 1996 I have not raised the medical bills that were due to me as a legislator Even after that there was an ED raid at my residence It has to be seen who orchestrated that Roy saidThis is not the first time that Roy had raised such an allegation against a section of his own party leadership of conspiring against him On March 2 when he raised the similar allegations on ED he was more direct in pinpointing at the sitting Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member of Kolkata North constituency Saudi Bandopadhyay and claimed that the latter played a key role in orchestrating the central agencys singleday action at his residence IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/six-time-trinamool-mla-tapas-roy-resigns-quits-party-also-525871.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/aiadmk-conducts-protests-against-drug-menace-in-tn-525917.html Chennai March 4 AIADMK on Monday conducted statewide protest marches against the drug menace engulfing the state and DMK governments failure to crack down on the menace During the protest rally at Villupuram party Rajya Sabha MP and former law minister CVe Shanmugham attacked the government for its failure to act against the drug menaceHe pointed out that DMK leader Jaffer Sadik has gone missing after the Narcotics Control Bureau NCB busted a drug racket in New Delhi on February 15 and added that the drug racket had international ramificationsHe said that Tamil Nadu is turning into a dumping ground for drugs and added that AIADMK has been warning against the menaceCVe Shanmugham said that the Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu and General Secretary of AIADMK Edappadi KPalaniswami EPS had warned the government against the drug racket which has international connections but the state government had not listened to itHe said that the DMK government is not concerned about the future of the young generation and called upon Chief Minister MK Stalin to crack the whip against those responsible and crack down on drug racketsSenior AIADMK leaders D Jayakumar SP Velumani Vijayabaskar Sengottayian Sellur Raju led the protest rallies at different places across the stateThe NCB has seized several kilograms of contraband drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine from various places in Tamil NaduCentral agencies had also alerted the state police and other agencies like the NCB on drug cartels in Tamil Nadu and also about the involvement of Tamil ultranationalists organisations in this network IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/aiadmk-conducts-protests-against-drug-menace-in-tn-525917.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 15:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/telangana-cm-not-for-confrontation-with-centre-calls-pm-elder-brother-526027.html Adilabad Telangana March 4 Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday said that the state government does not want confrontation with the Centre and called Prime Minister Narendra Modi an elder brother Sharing the dais with the Prime Minister at the launch of development works in Adilabad Revanth Reddy said that the state government has no intention of a confrontation with the Centre and would like to work together for the states developmentIf there is a clash between the Centre and states the people will suffer Politics should be only during elections After the elections the elected public representatives should work for the states development with the help of the Centre he saidUnlike his predecessor K Chandrasekhar Rao who was not receiving the PM on his visits to the state for the last couple of years Revanth Reddy reached Adilabad to welcome the PM and attended the official programmeThis was PM Narendra Modis first visit to Telangana after the Congress came to power in the stateRevanth Reddy stated that his government gives respect to those who hold constitutional postsFor us Prime Minister means elder brother If there is support from the elder brother every CM in his state can carry forward development If Telangana is to develop like Gujarat your help is needed he said adding that Hyderabad as one of the five metropolitan cities in the country would also like to contribute to the PMs goal of a 5 trillion economyHe recalled that after assuming office as the Chief Minister he met the Prime Minister and requested him to fulfill the commitments made in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 and also discussed other issues related to the stateThe Chief Minister thanked the PM for his cooperation for the development works in Telangana especially transfer of defence lands in Hyderabad for construction of skyways He sought the Centres assistance for expansion of Metro Rail Musi riverfront development and for establishing semiconductor industryHe also requested the Prime Minister to help the state in construction of Tummidi Hatti project in Adilabad district which will irrigate 150 lakh acres of landReferring to inauguration of NTPCs 800 MW Unit2 of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project in Peddapalli Revanth Reddy said as per the promise made at the time the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh the installed capacity of NTPC thermal power project should be 4000 MW but due to the previous governments inefficiency only 1600 MW was generatedHe announced that the state government will give all required permissions for the remaining 2400 MW of power generation IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/telangana-cm-not-for-confrontation-with-centre-calls-pm-elder-brother-526027.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 20:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/uttar-pradesh-bjp-mp-opts-out-of-ls-polls-over-obscene-video-526033.html Lucknow March 4 Bharatiya Janata Party BJP MP from Uttar Pradeshs Barabanki Upendra Singh Rawat said on Monday that he was withdrawing his candidature for the upcoming general elections after an alleged obscene video went viral Rawat who is the sitting MP from Barabanki was named in the BJPs first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha electionsAfter his nomination a video clip went viral showing Rawat in a compromising position with a woman of foreignoriginThe Barabanki MP however called the video fake and lodged an FIR as wellAccording to the FIR some people allegedly made public a fake video of the MP in an attempt to tarnish his imageIn a post on X Rawat said An edited video of mine is being made viral which is generated by DeepFake AI technology for which I have lodged an FIR In this regard I have requested the national president to get it investigated I will not contest any election in public life until I am proven innocent IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/uttar-pradesh-bjp-mp-opts-out-of-ls-polls-over-obscene-video-526033.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/churu-mp-rahul-kaswan-rues-being-denied-ls-ticket-526035.html Jaipur March 4 The sitting BJP MP from Churu Rahul Kaswan on Monday expressed his displeasure after being denied a ticket from Rajasthan for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections In its first list of 195 candidates announced on Saturday the BJP has named Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia in place of Rahul Kaswan from ChuruTaking to social media on Monday Kaswan said What was my fault Was I not honest Was I not hardworking Was I not loyal Was I tainted Had I left any stone unturned in getting the work done in Churu I was at the forefront of the implementation of all the schemes of the Honourable Prime MinisterKaswan added What else was needed Whenever I ask this question everyone remains speechless No one is able to give me an answer Maybe my own people can tell me somethingKaswan showed signs of displeasure as soon as he was denied a ticket by the BJP on SaturdayOn Sunday he greeted the people of Churu and said With your trust and support we will overcome every crisis move forward on the path of development and climb the heights of progress You must be patient I will be among you people in the next few days information about which will be shared with you soonKaswan a twotime MP from Churu belongs to a wellknown political family in the city His father Ram Singh Kaswan has been a fourtime BJP MP besides being the MLA onceRam Singh Kaswan had defeated veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar in the Lok Sabha polls from ChuruKamla Kaswan the wife of Ram Singh Kaswan has been a BJP MLA from Sadulpur In 2014 Rahul Kaswan got a BJP ticket for the first time and won from Churu IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/churu-mp-rahul-kaswan-rues-being-denied-ls-ticket-526035.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/4-killed-3-injured-in-road-accident-in-jampks-ramban--525798.html Jammu March 4 Four persons were killed while three others sustained injuries in a road accident in JampKs Ramban district on Monday after their vehicle skidded off the road Police have identified as Abdul Wahid Bali Anayattullah Mohammad Ayoub Bali and driver Sajjad Ahmad A vehicle on the way from Maligam to Ukhrall in Ramban district skidded off the road near Maligam The vehicle went out of the drivers control and dropped into a deep gorge police said Police said that a rescue operation was launched and four bodies were recovered from the accident site Three injured have been shifted to the primary health centre in Ukhrall police said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/4-killed-3-injured-in-road-accident-in-jampks-ramban--525798.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/schools-reopen-in-kashmir-after-3-month-winter-break-525801.html Srinagar March 4 Capital city Srinagar and other towns of the Valley came to life on Monday as thousands of children returned to schools which were reopened after the winter break of nearly three months School buses carrying children wearing uniforms of various colours parents rushing to school busstops and some using private transport to reach the schools dotted all the roads in Srinagar city as traffic cops had a tough time bringing order to jammed roadsChildren hugged and greeted each other at the school compounds as they met each other after the winter recess for the first timeIn the absence of adequate heating arrangements in various educational institutions authorities had little choice other than to keep these institutions closed during the harsh winter monthsSchool managements have spruced up their premises and cleaned classrooms libraries and assembly halls to give a healthy look to their institutionsAuthorities have announced that schools will function from 10 am to 3 pm in Srinagar city from Monday till further ordersTeachers started receiving students with affection and warmth as schools without students wore a deserted look during the winter monthsCities and towns echoed with morning prayers as thousands of students gathered for their daily assembly at different places in the ValleyLife had become a little lazy for children during the winter months and after the schools reopened today their faces wore a bright look in the morning said Muhammad Afzal a parent living in Hyderpora area of Srinagar IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/schools-reopen-in-kashmir-after-3-month-winter-break-525801.html Mon, 04 Mar 2024 11:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/vizag-steel-plant-employees-take-out-rally-to-oppose-privatisation-525613.html Visakhapatnam March 3 Employees of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant VSP on Sunday conducted Maha Padyatra demanding the Centre to withdraw its move to privatise the plant Leaders of various workers unions and the political parties supporting them participated in the Maha Padyatra from their protest camp at Kurmannapalem to the GVMC Gandhi statueThey demanded that the political parties should make it clear in their manifestos for the coming elections that they oppose the privatisation of VSPThe protestors were carrying placards and raising slogans opposing the privatisation of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited commonly referred to as Visakhapatnam Steel PlantLeaders of the Telugu Desam Party TDP Communist Party of India CPI and Communist Party of IndiaMarxist CPIM joined the workers unions in the protest demanding withdrawal of the privatisation bidThe participants including family members of the workers were carrying placards reading Visakha Ukku Andhrula Hakku Visakha Steel a right of Andhras stop the strategic sale of RINL Re merge RINL with SAILThey warned that parties failing to protect VSP will be taught a lesson in the coming electionsSimultaneous elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha are slated to be held in AprilMayThe employees of VSP have been protesting for nearly three years demanding the Centre to withdraw its move to privatise the public sector undertakingThe workers had intensified the protest in April last year after the Centre had stated that the disinvestment was in progressThe Ministry of Steel had stated that there is no freeze on the disinvestment process of RINLEmployees said that the people of Andhra Pradesh made many sacrifices for the plant and they will not allow the sale of the plantIn 2021 the Andhra Pradesh Assembly had passed a resolution opposing the disinvestment plans and proposed privatization of VSPChief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had also written to the Centre opposing the move to privatise the VSPHe suggested that the Centre take measures to protect the plant recover its losses and make it viableHe also suggested the conversion of debts and loans into equity allotment of captive iron ore and monetising the companys land bank for the continuation of the plant IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/vizag-steel-plant-employees-take-out-rally-to-oppose-privatisation-525613.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/vizag-photographer-murdered-for-camera-525736.html Visakhapatnam March 3 A 23yearold professional photographer from Andhra Pradeshs Visakhapatnam was murdered by two men for his camera police said on Sunday After calling the victim P Sai Pawan Kalyan on the pretext of a photo shoot the accused killed him and looted his camera and other equipmentThe shocking incident occurred on February 26 near Ravulapalem in Dr BR Ambedkar Konaseema district and the accused had buried the photographers body at Mulasthanam in the same districtThe Visakhapatnam police which had taken up the investigation on February 29 after Kalyans parents had lodged a missing complaint cracked the case on Sunday and exhumed the body after the accused were taken to the place where they had buried itAccording to police Kalyan a resident of Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam used to eke out a living through photography taking photos and videos at weddings and other events He was taking bookings online and visiting remote places for the assignmentsMain accused Shanmukh called him for a photo shoot to Ravulapalem and Kalyan left on February 26 with his camera and other equipment After reaching Rajamahendravaram railway station he was picked up by Shanmukh and his friend in a carAs per their plan they attacked him near Ravulapalem and strangled him to death They later buried the body at a deserted place and took away his camera and other equipmentWhen Kalyan did not return even after three days and his mobile was not reachable his parents lodged a complaint with PM Palem police station in Visakhapatnam Based on the call data police picked up Shanmukh for questioning He confessed to committing the crime with the help of a friend for the sake of Kalyans camera said to be valued at Rs 10 lakh IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/vizag-photographer-murdered-for-camera-525736.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/trump-wins-missouris-republican-presidential-caucus-525552.html Washington March 3 Former US President Donald Trump on Saturday won Missouris Republican presidential caucus continuing his march toward the GOP nomination Trumps victory over former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley in the midwestern state was another piece of good news for the former President who previously won Iowa New Hampshire Nevada and South CarolinaIn Michigan a key swing state Trump won the Republican primary on Tuesday garnering more than 68 per cent of the vote Xinhua news agency reportedOn Saturday he was awarded more delegates during a Republican convention cementing his victory in the northern stateTrump who has already collected more than 100 delegates in the contests so far will need to attain at least 1215 delegates to clinch the Republican presidential nominationSuper Tuesday the day in the presidential primary cycle when most states vote is fast approaching Its typical for nearly onethird of all delegates to the Republican or Democratic conventions to be distributed on this day This years Super Tuesday falls on March 5 when some 15 states and one territory will voteEarlier this week the US Supreme Court decided to take up Trumps assertion of immunity from prosecution in his efforts to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election as he seeks to postpone legal proceedings while campaigning for a return to the presidencyThe US presidential primaries extending through June precede the Republican National Convention in July where the partys presidential nominee is officially selected by delegates followed by the Democratic National Convention in AugustThe 2024 Election Day falls on November 5 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/trump-wins-missouris-republican-presidential-caucus-525552.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 07:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jordan-us-conduct-joint-aid-airdrops-to-gaza-525553.html Amman March 3 Jordan and the US have jointly carried out airdrops of aid to Gaza the first time that the US participated in the multinational humanitarian effort Two aircraft from the Jordan Armed Forces airdropped in the northern Gaza Strip while three aircraft belonging to the US Air Force airdropped in the south the staterun Petra news agency reported on SaturdayThe US Air Force said its three planes carried 66 bundles containing about 38000 meals Xinhua news agency reportedJordan has been airdropping supplies directly to Gaza and sending aid planes to Egypts North Sinai since November last yearSome of the operations involve cooperation with other countries including the UAE Egypt France and Britain among others IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jordan-us-conduct-joint-aid-airdrops-to-gaza-525553.html Sun, 03 Mar 2024 07:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/namo-job-fair-in-baramati-cm-promises-employment-to-25-000-people-525442.html Pune Maharashtra March 2 Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said at the twoday NaMo MahaRojgar Melava in Baramati on Saturday that at least 25000 young men and women would be given jobs in the state The twoday job fair got underway in Baramati town just weeks ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections here on SaturdayThis is a big opportunity for the youth who have assembled here as 25000 people shall be given jobs as per their qualifications and abilities by various companies participating in the event said CM ShindeHe said that the government was working dedicatedly for the people and had generated employment in all sectors including government semigovernment private the police force and other departmentsThe Maratha community for whom 10 per cent reservation was announced last month is also getting employment opportunities the CM saidIn the recent past the government has organised similar job fairs in Nagpur Latur and Ahmednagar where thousands of youths were given gainful employment and similar events are being planned soon for other places in the state including Thane he addedBesides more than 140 crore students are being trained under the Prime Ministers skill development scheme and they will be ready for jobs in the future he stressedAnother fourfive lakh people are slated to get jobs due to the investment proposals worth over Rs 5 lakh crore signed by the state in Davos Switzerland recently informed CM ShindeHe assured that the Maharashtra government would never politicise developmental or employment issues which were in the interest of the massesApart from the mega jobs fair Baramati town got a swanky newlyrenovated bus terminus of the Maharashtra State Transport Corporation and a new police station on SaturdayEarlier burying a political controversy that had been raging for the last three days the job fair got underway at the sprawling Vidya Pratishthan campus in the presence of CM Shinde Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar and NCPSP President Sharad PawarOther dignitaries like Supriya Sule Dr Amol Kolhe Vandana Chavan all MPs plus other elected leaders government officials and prominent invitees attended the grand function IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/namo-job-fair-in-baramati-cm-promises-employment-to-25-000-people-525442.html Sat, 02 Mar 2024 17:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/kerala-bjp-candidate-m-abdul-salam-no-stranger-to-electoral-politics-525525.html Thiruvananthapuram Mar 2 M Abdul Salam the former vicechancellor of Calicut University who has been named by the BJP as its candidate from the Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency is no stranger to electoral politics Soon after he joined the BJP in 2019 Salam made his electoral debut by contesting from the Tirur Assembly constituency in Malappuram district However he finished third in the contest securing just 9097 votes a mere 533 per cent of the total votes polledBefore being named the VC of Calicut University in 2011 Salam was the professor and head of the department of Agronomy at the Kerala Agricultural University hereAn agricultural scientist by profession Salam did his graduation from the University of Kerala before doing his MSc in Agronomy from the Kerala Agricultural University in 1976 and PhD in Agronomy from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in 1984He also did his postdoctorate from the University of Aberdeen the UK in 1992Salam who has over 31 years of teaching experience in various universities had also worked as a visiting professor at Kuwait University during 20032007Salam will now hit the campaign trail against Indian Union Muslim Leagues sitting MP ET Mohammed Basheer and CPIM candidate and youth leader V VasifBasheer represented the Ponnani Lok Sabha seat for the past three terms but this time he has swapped the Malappuram seat with MP Abdussamad Samadani IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/kerala-bjp-candidate-m-abdul-salam-no-stranger-to-electoral-politics-525525.html Sat, 02 Mar 2024 22:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/palestinian-death-toll-in-gaza-rises-to-30-228-ministry-525289.html Gaza March 2 The Palestinian death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30228 as the Israeli military killed 193 in the past 24 hours the Hamasrun Health Ministry said In a press statement the Ministry added on Friday that 71377 Palestinians have been wounded in the coastal enclave since the outbreak of the IsraelHamas war in October last year Xinhua news agency reportedIsraeli forces killed 193 Palestinians and wounded 920 others in the past 24 hours Some victims remain under the rubble because of heavy bombardment and lack of civil defence and ambulance crews the Ministry saidThe Hebrew public radio reported that the Israeli army was continuing its military operations in the Gaza Strip for the 147th consecutive day adding that 450 Palestinians were killed during the last 10 daysBenjamin Netanyahu the Israeli Prime Minister said in a press conference on Thursday that Israels military operation will continue until total victory is achieved IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/palestinian-death-toll-in-gaza-rises-to-30-228-ministry-525289.html Sat, 02 Mar 2024 04:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jagans-cousin-appeals-to-people-to-defeat-him-support-her-fight-for-justice-525243.html AmaravatiNew Delhi March 1 Alleging that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is protecting the accused in the murder of his uncle and former minister YS Vivekananda Reddy the latters daughter Y S Sunitha Reddy on Friday appealed to people to defeat him in the coming elections Addressing a news conference in Delhi she appealed to people to defeat the YSR Congress Party YSRCP and support her fight for justicePlease do not vote for and bring my brothers party into power If that happens there will be no hope for justice said Sunitha Reddy who has been fighting for justice in the murder case for the last five yearsShe alleged that the YSRCP government encouraged the politics of murderYou dont want murderers to be ruling you You need a healthy democracy You need a government that helps improve society and help uplift the society in all aspectsStating that the CBI investigations into her fathers murder have come to a standstill she said there was pressure on the investigating agencyReplying to a query she alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy is shielding YS Bhaskar Reddy her fathers cousin and his son and Kadapa MP YS Avinash Reddy who are accused in the caseAsked if she was suspected Jagan Mohan Reddys involvement she said I cant say if his role is there or not It is for the CBI to probe His name has come up probe it If there is involvement make it public and if not leave him I am not here to say whether they did or not It is for the CBI They have to complete the investigationShe referred to the CBIs statement that Jagan Mohan Reddy knew about the death of Vivekanand Reddy early on March 15 2019 much before MV Krishna Reddy publicly announced itShe said on March 15 it will be five years since her fathers murder but the case has still not been solvedNormally a murder case is solved in five days but here five years have passed she saidShe recalled that Vivekananda Reddy had contested the MLC election in 2017 and was defeated under a conspiracy He however became stronger after that betrayal and was active in politicsSunitha Reddy also mentioned that after rushing to Pulivendula after learning after her fathers murder she went to the mortuary where Avinash Reddy told her that Vivekananda Reddy campaigned for him till 1130 pmI did not realise the motive behind this In criminal cases we hear and see on TV many times the murderers will be amidst us but we dont realise This was one of those things she saidVivekananda Reddys daughter remarked that she never realised that those close to them may be involvedShe said Jagan Mohan Reddy who was then Leader of Opposition had filed a petition in the High Court for transfer of murder case to the CBI She said after the elections she met him and drew her attention to the case pending in the High Court for transferring the murder case to CBIIf I dont catch those who killed my uncle what will people think of me I need to solve this It will be done Whoever is the culprit will be found she quoted Jagan Mohan Reddy as sayingSunitha Reddy said when she again met him with the same request he told her that if the case is transferred to the CBI Avinash Reddy will go to the BJPShe said Jagan Mohan Reddy also withdrew the case he had filed in the High Court She later filed a petition for a CBI probe The agency took over investigation in July 2020 and it took one year for it to make arrests and file a charge sheetThe moment accused number four Shiva Shankar Reddy was arrested the scenario changed because the fear started about who is next in line Bhaskar Reddy and Avinash Reddy With that started the filing of cases against CBI officers she saidShe mentioned that in JanuaryFebruary 2022 the CBI team left for Kadapa because of the cases This forced her to approach the Supreme Court which asked the CBI to restart investigations and complete it as possible and also transferred the case to TelanganaSunitha Reddy also referred to the Kurnool incident of May last year when a CBI team waited two days outside a hospital seeking support of local police to detain Avinash Reddy but had to return emptyhandedShe alleged that after getting bail the accused were influencing witnesses in the caseDemanding an early completion of the CBI probe she remarked It should not become like 11 other cases which have not gone to trial even after 11 yearsShe was apparently referring to the disproportionate assets cases the CBI registered against Jagan Mohan ReddySunitha Reddy thanked her cousin and state Congress chief YS Sharmila Reddy TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan and all those who have supported herAt this point I dont have an answer Let us see how things go forward she said when asked if she would join any political party to carry forward her fight for justiceFormer minister and former MP Vivekananda Reddy was murdered at his residence in Pulivendula on March 15 2019 weeks before the elections He was alone there at the timeIn April last year the CBI had arrested Bhaskar Reddy and claimed that both Avinash and Bhaskar Reddy conspired to eliminate Vivekananda Reddy because he was against fielding Avinash Reddy from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and wanted Jagan Mohan Reddy to instead field his mother Vijayamma or sister SharmilaHowever the fatherson duo denied the allegationAvinash Reddy was granted anticipatory bail by the Telangana High Court on May 31 2023 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jagans-cousin-appeals-to-people-to-defeat-him-support-her-fight-for-justice-525243.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 21:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/cm-yogi-to-launch-projects-worth-rs-25-cr-for-secondary-education-in-gorakhpur-524988.html Gorakhpur March 1 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will launch projects worth Rs 25 crore in the secondary education sector in Gorakhpur on Sunday According to the government spokesman he will inaugurate Project Alankar in 26 secondary schools and introduce premium smart classrooms in 141 secondary schoolsThis event will take place at Jubilee Inter College The chief minister will participate in the distribution ceremony of smartphones and tablets with 3000 students receiving smartphones and 1500 others receiving tabletsHe will personally hand over these devices to some studentsFurthermore Yogi Adityanath will lay the foundation for the renovation and establishment of facilities in 21 government schools under Project Alankar with a total cost of Rs 1205 crore Five nongovernment aided inter colleges receiving assistance will see renovations at a total expenditure of Rs 529 croreThe chief minister will also inaugurate 330 premium smart classes for hightech education in 141 secondary schools in Gorakhpur These classes costing Rs 229 lakh each will amount to a total expenditure of Rs 757 crore IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/cm-yogi-to-launch-projects-worth-rs-25-cr-for-secondary-education-in-gorakhpur-524988.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 08:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-to-continue-working-with-bhutan-on-its-development-agenda-525262.html New Delhi March 1 The annual IndiaBhutan Development Cooperation Talks were held in the national capital on Friday with both sides reviewing the progress of the projects supported by the Indian government in the Himalayan nation While the Bhutanese delegation was led by Secretary Aum Pema Choden Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade the Indian side was headed by Foreign Secretary Vinay KwatraSenior officials from the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Ministry of External Affairs MEA were also present at the talks which were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere in keeping with the excellent bonds of friendship and cooperation between the two countriesThe projects are supported by India under the 12th Five Year Plan of Bhutan an MEA statement notedIt further stated that through the 12th Five Year Plan bilateral partnership 83 Project Tied Assistance and 524 high impact community development projects in areas of education health digital development capacity development law infrastructure trade agriculture sports and culture have been successfully implementedBoth sides discussed priority sectors and projects for Bhutans 13th Five Year Plan to achieve the Royal Government of Bhutans goal of a Healthy Prosperous and Secure BhutanIndia conveyed that it will continue to work together with their South Asian neighbour on its development agenda in line with His Majestys vision and based on the priorities and aspirations of BhutanWith this intent the two sides agreed to hold the next Development Cooperation Talks in Thimphu at a mutually convenient dateThe Bhutanese side also expressed appreciation to the people and the Indian government for their unwavering support and cooperation extended during the Covid19 pandemic IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/india-to-continue-working-with-bhutan-on-its-development-agenda-525262.html Fri, 01 Mar 2024 22:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/nda-vs-upa-data-driven-study-decodes-growth-in-two-eras-check-insightful-analysis-524832.html New Delhi Feb 29 Growth rate under Congressled UPA I and UPA II and BJPled NDA era is a debatable issue as both parties have gone at great lengths to brag about landmarks and milestones achieved under the respective regimes Here is an insightful analysis based on hardcore data analysis which compares the growth charts in last 1015 years with specific attention to Parliamentary constituencies and also district to subdistrict levels and also concludes which era got the better of whom in terms of growthShamika Ravi a member of Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister has taken a deep dive and done a comprehensive analysis by mixing two data sets Her research titled Politics in Action has collated daytime satellite data for builtup area under Parliamentary constituencies and compared it with data sourced from Election Commission to map the growth under UPA and NDA governmentsBJPled NDA wins the comparison hands down as it is found to have nurtured fastpaced growth and spurring economic activity in remote and faroff locations neglected under the UPA 1 and UPA 2The daytime satellite imagery data studied growth rates from Parliamentary constituency to subdistrict levels and found 18 per cent higher growth rate under Modi governmentThe daytime satellite imagery data captured the builtup surface area under Parliamentary constituencies at extremely high resolution The growth of builtareas including roads building commercial establishments and other units of infrastructure were studied for drawing conclusions on high growth rateWhen the average growth was compared across Parliamentary constituencies it was found to be 33 per cent annualised growth in NDA rule 20152023 as compared to 28 per cent during UPA ruleOn question of which Parliamentary constituency grew the most the research found that growth was more widespread under Modi govt as more green spots of growth were recorded across the country North in particularIt further found that year 20152020 saw fastest growth in some of most backward and underdeveloped part of the countryUnder NDA highest built up area growth happened in least developed parts of country Those constituencies rural and remote in nature recorded highest annualised growth the research foundComparing the growth on district levels the research found that it was 21 per cent higher under Modi government as compared to UPA 2 while it was 31 per cent higher in comparison to UPA 1At the subdistricts level also 31 per cent greater growth was recorded under NDA compared to UPA II while 21 per cent higher growth under NDA was recorded as compared to UPA IOverall the study finds that economic activity under Modi government was more focused on least developed parts of the country which either lagged behind or remained of least priority during UPA 1 or UPA 2 ruleOn inequality factor too the study finds that NDA government was more effective in bringing economic dynamism in backward regionsEconomist Shamika Ravi further said that the daytime data used for drawing the comparison chart is irrefutable as it maps the realtime changes on the groundDistrict and subdistrict level data over last 10 years was studied to see changes under different regimes with extremely localised analysis she added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/nda-vs-upa-data-driven-study-decodes-growth-in-two-eras-check-insightful-analysis-524832.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 16:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-naidu-pawan-kalyan-vow-to-end-jagans-destructive-rule-524645.html Tadepalligudem Andhra Pradesh Feb 29 Telugu Desam Party TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan on Wednesday sounded the war cry for the forthcoming polls calling on the people of Andhra Pradesh to back their alliance to end the destructive rule of the YSRCP Addressing the first public meeting of the TDPJana Sena combine after announcing their seatsharing pact the two leaders launched an allout attack on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan ReddyDeclaring that the alliance is unstoppable Chandrababu Naidu said they will rest only after putting a full stop to the YSRCPs anarchy Stating that the coming elections are crucial for Andhra Pradesh the former Chief Minister appealed to people to join hands with the combine for rebuilding the stateTDP and Jana Sena joined hands for the sake of the people Ours is a winning team YSRCP is a cheating team he saidBoth he and actor Pawan Kalyan delivered powerpunched dialogues to hit out at Jagan Mohan ReddyThey held the flags of each others party at the public meeting titled Jenda to demonstrate their unityAdding glamour to the public meeting was TDP MLA and popular actor N BalakrishnaAny Chief Minister runs the administration with development works but ever since Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister he is running the administration with anarchism the TDP supremo said He recalled that he had designed Amaravati as a state capital at par with HyderabadWe also tried to irrigate every acre of land with water from the Polavaram project but today there is psycho rule in the state he saidThe TDP chief alleged that unable to bear the harassment of the YSRCP cricketer Hanuma Vihari had to quit the Andhra teamWhen his sister Sharmila joined another party she was harassed on social media These incidents reflect the mental condition of Jagan Mohan ReddyChandrababu Naidu asked why Jagan Mohan Reddy failed to achieve special category status for the state He recalled the promise made by him in the previous election that if he had 25 MPs he would bring special statusThe TDP chief said Jagan Mohan Reddy even alienated bigwigs of the film industry He alleged that in the name of the movie tickets issue he insulted megastar Chiranjeevi and great director SS RajamouliJagan Mohan Reddys rule is an utter flop movie Will there be a sequel to such a movie he asked predicting the defeat of the YSRCP Naidu also questioned Jagan Mohan Reddy on the murder of the latters uncle and former minister Y S Vivekananda ReddyForget everything Just tell who killed Babai uncle the TDP leader asked amid cheers from the massive crowdThe TDP chief said that the TDPJana Sena combine has a blueprint to develop the state We will bring investment to create wealth and the same will be distributed among the poor he saidReferring to dissidence among some TDP leaders due to seat sharing with Jana Sena Naidu said some leaders may face difficulties due to the unstoppable alliance but promised to do justice to all those who work for the partyPawan Kalyan also told the dissidents in his Jana Sena to leave the party strategy to him and just follow him He also dismissed the criticism for accepting 24 Assembly seats out of total 175 seatsTrust me and follow me My supporters are those who follow me and dont question me he saidThe actorpolitician vowed to politically finish Jagan Mohan Reddy He launched a scathing attack on the YSRCP leader for his personal attacks on himTDP leader and actor Balakrishna said that TDP founder NT Ramarao introduced several revolutionary schemes and after him Chandrababu Naidu is leading the party with the same discipline He alleged that during the YSRCP regime all the institutions in the state were destroyedBalakrishna said under Jagan Mohan Reddys rule there is no fee reimbursement for students and there is no irrigation for farmersUnder the seatsharing pact announced three days ago the TDP will contest 151 Assembly seats leaving the remaining 24 for Jana Sena The TDP has also left three out of 25 Lok Sabha seats for its partner IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-naidu-pawan-kalyan-vow-to-end-jagans-destructive-rule-524645.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/court-rejects-petition-challenging-maintainability-of-suit-on-teele-wali-masjid-524667.html Lucknow Feb 29 The court of additional district judge has rejected the revision petition of Muslim parties challenging junior courts order on maintainability of a civil suit seeking rights to offer prayers at Lord Shesh Nagesh Teeleshwar Mahadev Mandir situated on the compound of the Teele Wali Masjid along river Gomti in Uttar Pradeshs state capital Additional district judge Narendra Kumar III passed the order on Wednesday on a petition filed by advocate Nripendra Pandey and othersMaulana Kari Sayyed Shah Fazlul Mannan had filed the civil revision petition challenging the order passed on September 6 2023 by civil judge south ordering that the suit of Hindu parties was maintainableAdvocate Nripendra Pandey had filed the suit in court on February 15 2023 seeking permission to offer prayers at the Lord Shesh Nagesh Teeleshwar Mahadev MandirThe civil court junior division will now hear the application seeking rights to offer prayer at the templeAdvocate Abhay Srivastava represented Hindu parties in court and advocate Ritesh Rastogi represented the state governmentAnother application seeking survey of Teele Wali Masjid will come up for hearing on March 2 in the court of additional district judgeOriginally lawyer Hari Shankar Jain had filed this case in the civil court in Lucknow in 2013 seeking survey of the mosque The case has been pending since thenMuslim litigants had challenged the case in the court of additional district judge stating that it is not maintainableHindu litigants had claimed that the Teele Wali Masjid was Lakshman Teela constructed by Lakshman younger brother of Lord Ram They urged the court to allow survey of the mosque campus especially the area that was annexed by the mosque committee in 2013 by erecting a boundary wallThe suit also claims that the Tileshwar temple exists inside the mosque and that the entire complex is the place of Sheshnag Dudheshwar Mahadev IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/court-rejects-petition-challenging-maintainability-of-suit-on-teele-wali-masjid-524667.html Thu, 29 Feb 2024 06:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/french-army-chief-visits-south-western-command-hq-in-jaipur-524634.html Jaipur Feb 28 French Army chief Gen Pierre Schill on Wednesday visited the Indian Armys South Western Command headquarters here Gen Schill was received by Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth General Officer CommandinginChief of South Western CommandAn official said that the French Army chief interacted with Lt Gen Seth and other officers of South Western Command and shared vital insights in furtherance of good relations between the armed forces of the two nationsThe official said that Gen Schills visit underscores the mutual desire of France and India to strengthen their strategic collaboration across various domains including defence security and technologyThe meeting further reinforces the enduring bond between the armed forces of India and France and highlights their commitment towards promoting regional stability and international security the official added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/french-army-chief-visits-south-western-command-hq-in-jaipur-524634.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 22:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/aiadmk-undecided-on-electoral-alliances-after-snapping-ties-with-nda-524388.html Chennai Feb 28 The AIADMK leadership is uncertain on the political alliance it has to forge for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections After cutting ties with the BJPled NDA in Tamil Nadu following differences of opinion with the state BJP President KAnnamalai the AIADMK is in political uncertainty on new combinations and permutationsWhile the party leadership has travelled across Tamil Nadu and met people before its manifesto was finalised the party is unable to stich in a credible alternative to DMKThe AIADMK which is the principal opposition party of Tamil Nadu had more than 33 vote share in the 2021 assembly polls and is planning to win a few seats from the state in the Lok Sabha electionsParty general secretary and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu assembly Edappadi K Palaniswami EPS had recently met a senior leader of Pattali Makkal Katchi PMK and also Vijayakanths party Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam DMDKHowever sources in AIADMK told IANS that the meeting with these political parties were not as expected and EPS said that more discussions will be conducted as expectedIt may be recalled that in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections AIADMK in alliance with NDA could garner only one seat Theni which AIADMK leader P Ravindhranath won defeating senior Congress leader and former Union Minister EVKS ElangovanAfter breaking up the alliance with the BJP the AIADMK is expecting secular votes in its kitty and is tryingn to align itself with the PMK at any cost as it is the political arm of the powerful Vanniyar community which can have a a major say in the Western region of Tamil NaduSources in AIADMK told IANS that hectic bargaining was taking place behind the scenes and major decisions will be taken soon IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/aiadmk-undecided-on-electoral-alliances-after-snapping-ties-with-nda-524388.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 11:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ongole-mp-magunta-quits-ysr-congress-524430.html Amaravati Feb 28 In another setback to YSR Congress Party in the runup to elections Ongole MP Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy on Wednesday resigned from the party He told media persons that it was difficult decision but had become inevitableHe declared that his son Magunta Raghava Reddy will contest the election from Ongole parliamentary constituencyHis decision came after YSRCP president and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy announced Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy as the party candidate from Ongole for the forthcoming pollsSrinivasulu Reddy and his son are likely to join the Telugu Desam Party TDPThe MP said he had been in politics for 33 years and Magunta is a brand in Prakasam districtOur family has no ego We only have selfrespect he said adding that he cant compromise on selfrespectSrinivasulu Reddy mentioned that he contested 11 times including eight times for Parliament twice for the Legislative Assembly and once for the Legislative Council positionHe is the sixth MP to quit YSRCP ahead of simultaneous elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok SabhaRebel MP Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Narsapuram resigned from YSRCP on February 24On February 21 Rajya Sabha MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy resigned from the party and also from Rajya SabhaIn a letter to Jagan Mohan Reddy he said he was resigning as YSRCPs Nellore district president and also from the primary membership of the party due to personal reasonsPrabhakar Reddy had announced in the past that he would contest forthcoming Lok Sabha elections from Nellore constituency However he felt sidelined by the party in selecting candidates for Assembly electionsNarasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayulu Kurnool MP Sanjeev Kumar and Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashwory resigned from the YSRCP last month after the party denied them tickets for coming electionsSimultaneous elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in AprilMay IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ongole-mp-magunta-quits-ysr-congress-524430.html Wed, 28 Feb 2024 13:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sandeshkhali-crisis-aisfs-naushad-siddique-released-8-hours-after-his-arrest-in-kolkata--524274.html Kolkata Feb 27 Nearly eight hours after his arrest Naushad Siddique the lone All India Secular Front AISF legislator was released by Kolkata Police on Tuesday evening Naushad Siddique was arrested on Tuesday morning as he tried to proceed towards troubleridden Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district of West BengalAfter coming out of the police headquarters at Lalbazar in central Kolkata he threatened to drag the city police authorities to court on charges of illegal arrestThe polices action was against my right to free movement which is guaranteed by the Indian Constitution I will move court against those police officials who prevented me from reaching Sandeshkhali I will make them understand that the democratic rights of a free citizen and a responsible Opposition leader cannot be trampled in such a manner Naushad Siddique saidOn Tuesday morning as the AISF legislator started for Sandeshkhali he was stopped within the periphery of Kolkata in front of Science City in the Eastern Metropolitan BypassAs the cops stopped his vehicle Naushad Siddique entered into a heated argument with themEven as he was arrested by the police Naushad Siddique demanded they cite the reason for it asserting that he had neither breached any rule nor had he tried to move forward by breaking the barricade put up by the copsI have been arrested at a place which is over 60 kms from Sandeshkhali citing Section 144 that has been imposed there But Section 144 has not been imposed at the place where I have been stopped Moreover not more than three persons were with me he told newspersons before getting into the prison van IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sandeshkhali-crisis-aisfs-naushad-siddique-released-8-hours-after-his-arrest-in-kolkata--524274.html Tue, 27 Feb 2024 19:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/jolt-for-india-as-cpi-stakes-claim-to-wayanad-announces-annie-rajas-candidature-523943.html Thiruvananthapuram Feb 26 Spelling fresh discord in the INDIA bloc the CPI on Monday announced four candidates from Kerala for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls including Annie Raja wife of party General Secretary D Raja from Wayanad presently held by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Announcing the candidates Kerala CPI state Secretary Binoy Viswam asked the Congress to explain if Rahul Gandhi need to contest from Kerala only and not from north IndiaNoting even while the CPI and the Congress are part of the INDIA block he said We have the highest regards for Gandhi and he has the right to contest from any constituency in the country but the Congress has to answer questions if he is going to contest from WayanadThe Congress party has to answer if Gandhi should contest from Kerala which has just 20 seats and not from north India he added Incidentally a row had broken out after the CPIs national leadership in September last year decided to convey to the Congress that as the CPI was a part of the INDIA bloc Gandhi should not contest from Wayanad However this was met with stiff resistance from the CPIMled Left and the CPI dropped the idea but on Monday this issue surfaced againAnnie Raja expressed happiness that her party has selected her for Wayanad I am happy to accept the directive of the party and my assurance to the people of Wayanad is I will always be with them she said in her first reaction Another reason why I am happy to fight it out at Wayanad is I learned the basics of politics at Wayanad she addedIncidentally Annie Raja hails from Iritty which borders the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency but has always been based out of Delhi with her husband who is now the topmost leader of the CPI This will be Annie Rajas first electoral battle in Kerala and in Wayanad where Gandhi won a landslide victory in the 2019 polls with the highest margin in the state of 431 lakh votes Among the three other candidates that was announced include 78yearold Pannyan Raveendran the CPIs veteran former state Secretary and Lok Sabha member from Thiruvananthapuram to take on the mighty and flamboyant Congress Lok Sabha member Shashi Tharoor who has already won thrice from that seat Former state Agriculture Minister VS Sunilkumar will be taking on sitting Congress member TN Prathapan in the Thrissur seat and CA Arun Kumar will be taking on Congress veteran and seventime sitting Mavelikera Lok Sabha member Kodikunnil Suresh IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/jolt-for-india-as-cpi-stakes-claim-to-wayanad-announces-annie-rajas-candidature-523943.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 20:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-to-hold-meetings-with-alliance-partners-to-finalise-seat-sharing-523718.html Chennai Feb 26 The DMK which aims at a clean sweep in the upcoming general elections will conduct seat sharing talks with its alliance partners on Monday The Dalit political party Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK the left parties CPI and CPIM and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MDMK leaders will hold talks with the DMK leadership led by former Union Minister TR Baalu at the DMK headquarters in ChennaiThe DMK leadership will also hold a similar meeting with the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee TNCC leadership on TuesdayThe DMK is adamant on not allocating the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat to the CPIM for the upcoming general electionsSources said that the DMK has told CPIM leaders that they can contest from Madurai and another seat but not from Coimbatore The CPIM State Secretary K Balakrishnan has however said that the party is keen to contest from CoimbatoreThe CPI is likely to get the Nagpattinam and Tiruppur the two seats it is representing since 2019The DMK has also been holding discussions with Tamil super star and President of Makkal Needhi Maiam MNM Kamal Haasan The DMK leadership is keen that Kamal Haasan should contest the elections along with its alliance from either Coimbatore or from one of three seats in ChennaiViduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK will be contesting on two seats Party founder Thol Thirumavalan and General Secretary C Ravikumar sitting MPs are likely to be fielded again from these seatsIn the 2019 general elections DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance SPA won 38 of the 39 seats from Tamil Nadu The party is expecting a clean sweep in the upcoming election by winning all the 39 The party leadership is conducting several layers of screening before finalising on the seat distribution among allies IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-to-hold-meetings-with-alliance-partners-to-finalise-seat-sharing-523718.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 10:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/andhra-cm-jagan-takes-poll-battle-to-chandrababu-naidus-home-turf-kuppam-523975.html Chittoor Andhra Pradesh Feb 26 Taking the electoral battle to Telugu Desam Party TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidus home turf Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday and declared Krishna Raghava Jayendra Bharath as YSRCP candidate against the former chief minister The YSRCP president appealed to the people of Kuppam to elect Bharath as MLA and promised to make him a ministerVote for Bharath as Kuppam MLA I will give him a ministerial position in my cabinet Together we vow to bring further development and welfare initiatives to the Kuppam constituency through him he saidBharath a member of state Legislative Council touched Jagans feet when the latter made the announcement calling Bharath a leader of the weaker sections Jagan said he did not secure victory in 2019 he served as MLC to ensure effective governance over the past five yearsTDP chief Chandrababu Naidu has never lost an election from Kuppam since 1989Addressing the public meeting at Gundisettipalle Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Chandrababu Naidu failed to fulfil aspirations of locals and lost the right to represent Kuppam constituencyThe Chief Minister said that Naidu who opted to contest from Kuppam after he lost in Chandragiri in 1983 has been a failed leader as he totally neglected the constituency though it elected him as MLA seven timesHe also remarked that Naidu is not worthy to be the Chief Minister Neither he owns a house in Kuppam nor did he give anything to the people of the constituency though they gave him everything and he neglected the Backward Classes who form the majority in Kuppam Jagan saidWhile Naidus style of functioning was full of deception and backstabbing Jagan said his administration revolved around the welfare of the peopleThe former chief minister has no single achievement to his credit despite holding the mantle thrice as chief minister he addedThe YSRCP chief said that as Naidu cannot claim to have implemented even a single welfare scheme he has forged alliances with foster son and others and is ready to cheat people again with false promises and deceptive alliancesHe appealed to people not to be misled by the impracticable assurancesIf Naidu could not complete even the Kuppam Branch Canal during his 14 year stint what he can do to the state he questionedThe Chief Minister listed out the slew of welfare and development programmes carried out in Kuppam constituency in the last 57 months and said the government has distributed Rs 1899 crore to eligible beneficiaries in full transparency through various welfare schemes with the DBT component being Rs 1400 croreHe said that Kuppam people have a special place in the heart of the government and 82039 families out of the total 87941 families in the constituency have received the Navaratnalu welfare benefits The Chief Minister was all praise for the Kuppam people saying that they had remained patient all these years though Naidu and his supporters blocked the efforts to establish the facilities of Vellore CMC Medical College and Hospital in Chittoor district Naidu also pushed the Chittoor Dairy towards insolvency for selfish gains he said adding that it was only after YSRCP came to power that the Chittor Dairy took rebirth and the CMC hospital and college facilities came to the district IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/andhra-cm-jagan-takes-poll-battle-to-chandrababu-naidus-home-turf-kuppam-523975.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 22:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-slams-jagan-after-cricketer-hanuma-vihari-vowed-not-to-play-for-andhra-523982.html Amaravati Feb 26 The Telugu Desam Party TDP on Monday targeted Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy after cricketer Hanuma Vihari vowed not to play for Andhra Pradesh again after he was humiliated Vihari revealed that he was asked to resign as captain of Andhra team after a runin with a player whose father a politician complained to the Andhra Pradesh Cricket AssociationSenior TDP leader and partys national spokesperson Kommareddy Pattabhi Ram slammed Jagan Mohan Reddy for what he called crushing talented players like Hanuma VihariAccording to the TDP leader Hanuma Vihari was pressurised to resign after an altercation with his teammate Kuntrapakam PrudhvirajPrudhvirajs father Kuntrapakam Narasimha is a YSRCP corporator from TirupatiVihari was subjected to relentless verbal abuse and humiliation finally resulting in his decision not to play for Andhra ever again Pattabhi Ram saidEven in the Andhra Cricket Association Jagan Mohan Reddy has put his henchmen The president of the cricket association is Sharat Chandra Reddy who is also accused in the Delhi liquor case Criminals who are close to Jagan Reddy are running the cricket association he saidHe also hit back at Jagan for YSRCPs unsolicited interference in the Andhra Cricket AssociationAndhra Pradesh lost a bright cricket talent because of Jagan Reddy added the leaderVihari posted on Instagram that he decided not to play for Andhra where he lost his selfrespectHis post was about the Ranji Trophy 202324 seasonI was the captain in the first game against Bengal during that game I shouted on 17th player and he complained to his dad who is a politician his dad in return asked the Association to take action against me Although we chased 410 against last years finalists Bengal I was asked to resign from captaincy without any fault of mineI never said anything on a personal note to the player but the association thought that player was more important than the guy who gave his body on the line last year and batted left handed took Andhra to knock outs 5 times in the last 7 years and played for India in 16 tests I felt embarrassed but the only reason I continued playing this season because I respect the game and my team he wroteSad part is association thinks that players have to listen to whatever they say and players are there because of them I felt humiliated and embarrassed but Ive not expressed it out until today I have decided that I will never play for Andhra where I lost my self respect I love the team I love the way were growing every season but association doesnt want us to grow Vihari added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tdp-slams-jagan-after-cricketer-hanuma-vihari-vowed-not-to-play-for-andhra-523982.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-tears-into-ktaka-govt-over-deportation-of-controversial-uk-writer-from-bluru-airport-523985.html Bengaluru Feb 26 The Karnataka BJP unit has levelled serious allegations against the Congress government in connection with the reported deportation of British academic and writer Nitasha Kaul from the city accusing it of channelising taxpayers funds to terroristsympathisers urban naxals antinationals and riotsaccused to destabilise the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections On Sunday Nitasha Kaul was detained by the security agencies on her arrival at the KempeGowda International Airport in Bengaluru before she was deported back to London Kaul later claimed that she was denied entry despite having an invitation to speak at a conference organised by the Karnataka governmentKaul a controversial writer was invited by the government of Karnataka to participate in a conference titled The Constitution and Unity of India in BengaluruLashing out at the Congress government for inviting Kaul the BJP posted on social media without taking her name The Congress has disgraced the Indian Constitution by inviting a Pakistani sympathiser who wants India to break upDont you have any shame Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Are you trying to challenge the Constitution and threaten the unity and integrity of IndiaIt is now apparent that the Congress is now using Karnataka as its laboratory to prepare ground for its divisive agendas potentially undermining national unity and integrity the BJP allegedThanks to our security agencies one such antiIndia element was caught suspiciously entering India and was detained at the airport No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka but Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the Break India Brigade it saidKaul an OCI cardholder and writer based in London stated on X Denied entry to India for speaking on democratic and constitutional values I was invited to a conference as an esteemed delegate by the government of Karnataka Congressruled state but Centre refused my entry All my documents were valid and current UK Passport and OCDI was given no reason by immigration except we cannot do anything orders from Delhi I spent 12 hours in a flight from London to Bengaluru several hours at immigration where they shuttled me here and there providing no info on the processThen 24 hours in a holding cell under the direct CCTV with restricted movement a narrow area to lie down and no easy access to food and water made dozens of calls to airport for basic things as a pillow and blanket which they refused to provide then 12 hours on the flight back to London IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjp-tears-into-ktaka-govt-over-deportation-of-controversial-uk-writer-from-bluru-airport-523985.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/congress-repeats-sudhakaran-from-kannur-ls-seat-in-kerala-523731.html Thiruvananthapuram Feb 26 The Congress on Monday cleared the candidature of K Sudhakaran for the Lok Sabha election from the Kannur seat in Kerala He is the sitting Lok Sabha member from the constituency and also is Congress Kerala chiefSudhakaran a twotime MP from Kannur was not keen to enter the fray due to some health issues But following pressure from several quarters in the party after the CPIM decided to field local strongman MV Jayarajan the Congress asked Sudhakaran to enter the frayIn the 2019 Lok Sabha polls the Congressled UDF had won 19 out of the 20 seats in the state losing just the Alappuzha seatThe Congress contested on 16 seats the IUML two and the Kerala Congress and RSP one eachIn the 2019 polls the UDF allies IUML won two seats as did RSP candidate at Kollam and Kottayam which was won by Kerala Congress Mani partys candidate who later moved to the ruling CPIMled Left FrontThe only seat that the Congress lost in 2019 was the Alappuzha seat and now with all the sitting Congress MPs cleared to contest all eyes are on who will contest from Alappuzha IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/congress-repeats-sudhakaran-from-kannur-ls-seat-in-kerala-523731.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tns-ijk-to-contest-lok-sabha-polls-in-alliance-with-bjp-523734.html Chennai Feb 26 The Indiya Jananayaka Katchi IJK will contest the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the BJP in Tamil Nadu This was announced on Monday by party founder and Chairman Paarivendhar alias Patchimuthu He said that he will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the BJPled NDA from the Perambalur Lok Sabha seatPaarivendhar interacted with the mediapersons at the BJP headquarters here and said that his party has requested for two seats Perambalur and KallakurichiHowever sources in the BJP told IANS that the IJK would be contesting the Perambalur seat and that the party has not decided on allocating a second seat to the IJKBJP Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai and BJP national secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu Aravind Menon met Paarvendhar at the BJP state headquarters and finalised his candidature from the PerambalurThe AIADMK snapped its ties with the BJPled NDA last year IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tns-ijk-to-contest-lok-sabha-polls-in-alliance-with-bjp-523734.html Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ram-temple-to-be-completed-by-december-523544.html Ayodhya Feb 25 All ongoing construction work in the Ram temple will now be completed by December 2024 The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has set this as the deadline for the completion of construction works at the Ram templeAccording to Anil Mishra a Trust member some projects inside the whole complex could take time and will be completed by the end of next yearThe Yogi Adityanath government has also set deadlines for all ongoing development projects in Ayodhya outside the temple complexThe state and central governments are executing projects worth Rs 32000 crore in the temple townThe key projects in the pipeline are Shri Ram Kund Karm Kshetra for rituals Hanuman Gadhi Shri Ramlala Purakalik Darushan Mandal Shri Kamm Keerti Guru Vashishtha Peethika Bhakti Teela Tulsi open theatre Ram Darbar Mata Kaushalya Vatsalya Mandap Ramangan Maharashi Valmik Archives Centre and Mata Sita Rasoi Annakshetra kitchenTwelve more temples are coming up inside the Ram Janmabhoomi complex along with various facilities for devoteesWhen fully completed the temple will be 161 feet high 235 feet wide and 360 feet longThe Trust does not want to lose its momentum as far as the construction work is concerned said Mishra IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ram-temple-to-be-completed-by-december-523544.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 14:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/limiting-rahuls-nyay-yatra-to-one-district-is-injustice-say-raj-cong-leaders-523575.html Jaipur Feb 25 The Congress leaders in Rajasthan are upset with the short route of Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in the state which has been restricted to only one district The Yatra will enter Dholpur in Rajasthan on Sunday evening where the flag of the Yatra will be handed over to Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra by Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President Ajay Rai said Swarnim Chaturvedi spokesperson Rajasthan CongressHowever the party leaders are upset with the yatra being held in only one district and have questioned why it has been limited to only Dholpur when the Lok Sabha elections are so nearThey said that it is injustice with the desert state As per the schedule the yatra will enter Rajasthan on Sunday and then will terminate here and resume on March 2nd As of now there is no clarity on further schedule of the yatra says Varun Purohit a senior Congress leaderThe leaders are also questioning the four day break time being taken by Rahul Gandhi in the middle of the yatraVarun Purohit said Covering just one district in Rajasthan before the Lok Sabha polls is injustice to Rajasthan and its people who gave 69 seats to Congress in Assembly polls and we won the recently held bypoll in Sri Ganganagar The touch and go stand of Congress in Rajasthan is not what the people here expected and have waited forThe state should have cared for its senior leaders said Varun Purohit adding The party leaders should have focused on Rajasthan a little more Congress has a big scope in Rajasthan however the need of the hour is to explore the things here Rahul Gandhi should have focused more in Rajasthan and the yatra should have stayed here for three to four days to raise crucial issues before the Lok Sabha pollsHe also questioned the kind of people gathering in the yatra and said Grassroots workers who are connected with the public should have been made a part of the yatra and not those who were elected in the Rajya Sabha pollsSushil Asopa another PCC member told IANS In his journey from south to north he visited eight districts in Rajasthan earlier It is from east to west that one has to look at the geographical perspective and he is going to two districts that are Dholpur now and Banswara later on he addedHe said The party should convince former CM Ashok Gehlot to stop using the Congress platform in Rajasthan otherwise the confusion of 2018 will arise again and it will be difficult for the CongressHe further said that after three defeats under Ashok Gehlot in the Assembly election only Sachin Pilot can bring Congress back to power because even today he is a favorite in all age groups including the youthAnother leader on condition of anonymity said Congress workers are looking for opportunity however the top leadership brings parachute candidates for elections and they get the chance while the grassroots workers get no opportunity Now I am focusing on farming rather than on working in politics as elite workers are getting all the chances to grow and not people like us IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/limiting-rahuls-nyay-yatra-to-one-district-is-injustice-say-raj-cong-leaders-523575.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 16:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/varun-gandhi-likely-to-contest-ls-polls-from-amethi-523641.html Amethi Feb 25 With Congress MP Rahul Gandhi remaining noncommittal on contesting from Amethi Lok Sabha seat the people in traditional grandold partys bastion is now rooting for the other Gandhi Varun Gandhi Ever since Rahul Gandhi lost the election from Amethi in 2019 to BJPs Smriti Irani he has shown no interest in reclaiming his family constituencyRahul is now a Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad in Kerala and if sources are to be believed Rahul would prefer to seek election from Wayanad againIf Priyanka Gandhi contests the Lok Sabha elections she is also likely to choose Rae Bareli over AmethiAn indication to this effect was already made in a letter that Sonia wrote to the people of her constituency earlier this month in which she said I know that you will stand by me and my family in future just as you have in the pastRam Karan Singh a veteran Congressman who started his career with late Sanjay Gandhi said that Amethis relationship with the Gandhi family began when Sanjay Gandhi won the seat in 1980 Time seems to have come full circle now and there are talks that Varun is likely to contest from Amethi in case Rahul Gandhi does not agree to contest If that happens we all will be delighted said Ram Karan SinghWhen Varun contested the Lok Sabha election in 2014 he had made it a point to reach out to all veteran Congress leaders who had worked with his late father and despite the political differences they all responded wholeheartedly and welcomed Varun with open armsSources said that the BJP is unlikely to give a ticket to Varun Gandhi who is known to have been highly critical of the partys policiesVarun can shift to Amethi while Maneka Gandhi may go back to Pilibhit where she continues to enjoy a strong base Varun is likely to contest as an independent with the Congress and Samajwadi Party supporting him Varun enjoys good relations with Akhilesh Yadav said a source close to Varun GandhiIncidentally Manekas constituency Sultanpur has a strong contender from BJP in Rajeshwar Singh former ED officialturnedpoliticianRajeshwar Singh who belongs to Sultanpur is MLA from Sarojini Nagar assembly seat in Lucknow but has been working overtime in Sultanpur He is said to be in the good books of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/varun-gandhi-likely-to-contest-ls-polls-from-amethi-523641.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 20:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-takes-tough-stand-not-to-allocate-coimbatore-seat-to-cpi-m-523648.html Chennai Feb 25 Tamil Nadus ruling DMK has refused to again allocate the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat currently held by the CPIM to it for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections After the second round of discussions with the CPIM leadership DMK leaders said that they may not be able to allot the Coimbatore seat to the CPIMThe DMK team led by senior leader TR Baalu was adamant that the CPIM should be satisfied with Madurai and another seat but not CoimbatoreThe CPIM had won the Madurai and Coimbatore Lok Sabha seats as part of the DMKled alliance in the 2019 pollsIANS had reported that Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan would be fielded as a DMK alliance candidate in either Coimbatore or Chennai While Chennai North South and Central seats are held by the DMK Coimbatore seat is represented by the CPIMKamal Haasan is founder president of Makkal Needhi Maiam MNM and is a better bet for the DMK than the CPIM which is entirely piggybacking on the DMK for a victoryKamal Haasan had contested the 2021 Assembly elections for his party from Coimbatore South constituency but lost to senior leader BJP Vanathi Sreenivasan by a margin of 1504 votes In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections Kamal Haasans MNM party leader DrMahendran had garnered 16 per cent of total votes polled and had reached the third place contesting the elections without any allianceThese factors are the major considerations for the DMK while allocating the Coimbatore Lok Sabha seat The CPIM is however insisting on both the Madurai and Coimbatore seats to be allocated to itA third round of meetings between the CPIM and the DMK is likely to be held on Monday and the seat sharing is likely to be finalised on Monday itself IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/dmk-takes-tough-stand-not-to-allocate-coimbatore-seat-to-cpi-m-523648.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 22:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-bjp-to-launch-campaign-to-connect-with-labharthis-today-523455.html Lucknow Feb 25 The Bharatiya Janata Partys campaign to connect with the beneficiaries known as labharthi of the public welfare schemes of the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government begins on Sunday BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and state general secretary organisation Dharampal Singh will join the campaign by contacting the beneficiaries in LucknowAll public representatives and workers including state ministers party officials MPs MLAs will contact and paste the sticker of prosperity of beneficiaries Modi guarantee at the beneficiaries house and hand over leaflets of public welfare schemes of the Modi governmentDuring the campaign the beneficiary will be connected with the party by making a missed call on a designated numberPartys state general secretary Govind Narain Shukla said that a large section of beneficiaries benefited from the schemes of the central and state governments that were strongly associated with the BJPThe party will knock on the house of every beneficiary and collect the feedback IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/up-bjp-to-launch-campaign-to-connect-with-labharthis-today-523455.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 09:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tamil-nadu-dmk-cong-seat-sharing-for-ls-polls-to-be-finalised-by-tuesday-523489.html Chennai Feb25 Seatsharing between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam DMK and the Congress for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be completed by Tuesday February 27 Tamil Nadu Congress Committee TNCC President KSelvaperunthagai told IANS that the Congress will hold meetings with the DMK delegation led by senior leader TR Baalu on Tuesday and complete the proceedings on seatsharingHowever KSelvaperunthagai who assumed office of the TNCC president just a week ago refused to comment on the formalities of the discussionsIt may be noted that in the 2019 general elections Congress contested in nine seats of the total 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and won eight seats losing the Theni Lok Sabha seat to AIADMK This was the only seat that the DMK front comprising its allies lost in Tamil Nadu in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls winning 38 seatsThe DMK leadership according to sources is insisting that Congress contest in seven seats only on which the Congress leadership has not agreed so far DMKs local leaderships led by party district secretaries have insisted that the Congress doesnt have any strength at the grassroots and that the party was riding on the DMK to win the polls These leaders have according to DMK think tanks are against allocating nine seats to the Congress in the 2024 general electionsHowever a senior Congress leader privy of the discussions told IANS that if Sonia or Rahul Gandhi makes a call to MK Stalin the Congress is likely to get all the seats it had contested in the 2019 pollsThe DMK is also likely to complete its seatsharing formalities with the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi VCK and Left parties CPI and CPIM on Monday February 26It may be recalled that the DMK has already allocated the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat to the Indian Union Muslim League IUML IUML national president Khader Moideenand has been announced sitting MP Navas Kanis candidature for the seatAnother ally of the DMK the Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi KMDK has also been allocated the Namakkal Lok Sabha seat The party has however not announced its candidate for the seat IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tamil-nadu-dmk-cong-seat-sharing-for-ls-polls-to-be-finalised-by-tuesday-523489.html Sun, 25 Feb 2024 11:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/hc-dismisses-delhi-universitys-plea-against-protests-deems-it-a-police-matter-523303.html New Delhi Feb 24 The Delhi High Court has disposed of a petition from Delhi University concerning protests led by a former professor at the North Campus Justice Subramonium Prasad said that the situation presented a law and order issue which falls under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Police to address as per legal standardsThe court expressed its unwillingness to further pursue the matter at this stage thereby disposing of the petitionIt was noted that the university has the option to file a complaint directly with the Commissioner of Police who is then tasked to act based on the law and the specifics of the situation presentedDelhi University had brought the plea alleging that Dr Ritu Singh and her followers had commenced unauthorised occupation of land in front of Gate No 4 of the Faculty of Arts conducting protests and dharnas that disrupted the universitys operationsThe university sought intervention from the court to instruct the Commissioner of Delhi Police to ensure the uninterrupted and peaceful operation of the university and its associated colleges and departmentsAdvocate Monika Arora representing the university informed the court that the protestors led by Singh who is neither a current teacher student nor staff member were essentially outsiders causing disruptionsJustice Prasad in response pointed out the primary responsibility of the police in such matters and expressed reluctance to issue a directive mandamus for police actionHe stressed the significance of understanding the constitutional implications of arguing for judicial intervention in what is essentially a police dutyThe universitys plea stated how Dr Singhs activities not only hindered the accessibility of the university premises for students and officials but also involved defamation and threats towards the universitys officials including the ViceChancellorMoreover the plea accused Singh of defacing public property IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/hc-dismisses-delhi-universitys-plea-against-protests-deems-it-a-police-matter-523303.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/nadendla-manohar-ramakrishna-figure-in-jana-senas-first-list-for-assembly-polls-523312.html Amaravati Feb 24 Jana Sena Party political affairs committee chairman and former Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar and former minister Konathala Ramakrishna are among the five candidates announced by the party for Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections on Saturday Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan announced the first list of candidates at a joint news conference with Telugu Desam Party TDP president and former chief minister N Chandrababu NaiduThe TDP has left 24 out of 175 Assembly seats and three out of 25 Lok Sabha seats for its allyPawan Kalyan announced candidates for five seats The first list does not have the name of the actor politicianNadendla Manohar who was the last Assembly speaker in united Andhra Pradesh will contest from TenaliNadendla Manohar son of former chief minister Nadendla Bhaskar Rao quit Congress to join Jana Sena in 2018A twotime MLA from Tenali Nadendla Manohar contested unsuccessfully from the same constituency on Jana Sena ticket in 2019Konathala Ramakrishna who was minister in united Andhra Pradesh will be Jana Sena candidate from Anakapalli The former MP had been keeping away from active politics since 2014 when he quit YSR Congress Party He recently joined Jana SenaThe other candidates are Lokam Madhavi Nellimarla Battula Balaramakrishna Rajanagaram and Pantham Nanaji Kakinada RuralThe remaining 19 names for the Assembly election and candidates for threee Lok Sabha seats will be announced laterThe Jana Sena had contested the 2019 elections in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party BSP and the Left parties The alliance however came a cropper Jana Sena won just one seat in the 175member Assembly Pawan Kalyan himself suffered defeat in both the seats he contested IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/nadendla-manohar-ramakrishna-figure-in-jana-senas-first-list-for-assembly-polls-523312.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 15:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/sandeshkhali-unrest-ktaka-bjp-mahila-morcha-seeks-scs-intervention--523326.html Bengaluru Feb 24 The President of BJPs Mahila Morcha in Karnataka C Manjula on Saturday sought the intervention of the Supreme Court to protect the women victims of alleged harassment by local Trinamool Congress leaders at Sandeshkhali in West Bengals North 24 Parganas district Speaking to the media Manjula whos also the former Chairman of the Karnataka State Commission for Women said I am an advocate and exPresident of the state womens commission I can relate to what is happening to the women in Sandeshkhali Because of the failure of the law and order system in West Bengal the police are not doing anything about crime against women We are aware of judicial activism and the Supreme Court must intervene effectivelyThe authorities in Bengal including the Chief Minister and the police have failed miserably to protect the women of the state Where should the common women go Ensuring their safety and security is the primary responsibility of the state The Centre cant intervene in the matters of the state In this situation I am humbly demanding the judiciary to intervene she addedShe has also demanded the CBI to probe the events in Sandeshkhali Sandeshkhali is rattled by a series of disturbing events Trinamool leader Sheik Shahajahans associates are barging into the houses of people and harassing women she claimedThe women in Sandeshkhali have taken to the streets in protest but no action has been taken she said The Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who herself is a woman is protecting the goons and turning a blind eye towards the atrocities on women Manjula claimedManjula also said that Mamta Banerjee has not yet visited the village nor has she spoken to the victims Manjula saidMeanwhile stating that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in West Bengal to address a womens rally on March 6 Manjula said that in support of the occasion Karnataka Mahila Morcha is organising a walkathon across the state covering all the district headquarters on March 5 The walkathon will be organised in all the 312 mandals and 232 revenue talukas of the state Manjula said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/sandeshkhali-unrest-ktaka-bjp-mahila-morcha-seeks-scs-intervention--523326.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 16:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/biren-singh-lauds-assam-govts-decision-to-recognise-manipuri-associate-official-language-523366.html Guwahati Feb 24 Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday lauded the decision of Assam government to recognise Manipuri as an associate official language in four districts by amending the Assam Official Language Act 1960 Many many thanks Himanta ji for including Manipuri as an associate official language in four districts of Assam Your recognition and trust on the Manipuris is highly appreciated Biren Singh wrote on XThe Assam government took this decision in a Cabinet meeting on Friday nightAssam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma termed it a historic decisionHe said that the Cabinet has approved the Assam Official Language Amendment Bill 2024 to recognise Manipuri language as an Associate Official Language in four districts including Cachar Karimganj Hailakandi and HojaiThe Cabinet decision mentioned The Bill seeks to amend the Assam Official Language Act 1960 by inserting a new Section 5B which will provide for the recognition of Manipuri language as an Associate Official Language in the four districtsThe decision has been taken in the interest of protecting preserving and promoting the cultural social linguistic identity and heritage of the Manipuri people living in Assam it added According to Kamalakanta Singha chief advisor of the All Assam Manipuri Students Union AAMSU they have been voicing this demand since 1991 and the Assam government has now acknowledged it after thirty yearsIn Hailakandi in 1991 we first brought forward this demand We persisted in our campaign receiving backing from numerous other organisations We finally have a cause to rejoice he remarked Singh further said that the number of people who speak Manipuri has surpassed 2 lakh as of the 2011 census and it is currently over 3 lakhManipuris are living in 13 districts in Assam but Cachar Hailakandi and Hojai have the largest population he saidThe bulk of people in the Barak Valley region of Assam speak Bengali and three of the four districts where Manipuri will be the official associate language are located thereBarak Upatyaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan the largest language organisation in the Barak Valley has expressed gratitude to the state government for thisThey have meanwhile also called for Bengali to be acknowledged as an associate official language of the stateGautam Prasad Dutta the organisations general secretary said We believe in respectful coexistence and we welcome this step As per the 2011 census 28 per cent people in Assam speak Bengali as their mother tongue making it the second most spoken language in the stateLooking at the large chunk of population speaking Bengali in the state we appealed to the state government to recognise Bengali as the official associate language of the state We hope that the government will take a decision in this regard as well he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/biren-singh-lauds-assam-govts-decision-to-recognise-manipuri-associate-official-language-523366.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 18:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/delhi-records-87-degrees-as-minimum-temp-523195.html New Delhi Feb 24 The national capital on Saturday recorded a minimum temperature at 87 degrees Celsius two notches below the seasonal average the India Meteorological IMD Department said The IMD predicted that the maximum temperature on Saturday is likely to hover around 25 degreesThe weather department said that there will be partly cloudy sky throughout the dayMeanwhile the air quality at several AQI stations across the city fell under the very poor on SaturdayIn the Anand Vihar area at 8 am PM 10 levels were recorded in the severe category standing at 453 and PM 25 reached 340 or very poor while the Nitrogen dioxide NO2 was at 222 in poor levels according to the Central Pollution Control Board CPCBThe Air Quality Index AQI between zero and 50 is considered good 51 and 100 satisfactory 101 and 200 moderate 201 and 300 poor 301 and 400 very poor and 401 and 500 severeThe Indira Gandhi International IGI Airport T3 recorded PM 25 levels at 225 and PM 10 at 256 both falling under poor category while the NO2 was at 111 and CO reached at 103 both under moderate levelsDwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM 25 levels at 280 and PM 10 was at 356 while the CO was at 101 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/delhi-records-87-degrees-as-minimum-temp-523195.html Sat, 24 Feb 2024 09:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-working-proactively-to-transform-health-sector-nadda-523074.html New Delhi Feb 23 Bharatiya Janata Party BJP President JP Nadda on Friday said that the Central government has been proactively working to transform the health sector in the country He said this at the inauguration of new healthcare facilities and the laying foundation of night shelter at AIIMSBilaspur in Himachal PradeshThe Union Government has been proactively working for the transformation of the health sector which can not only be witnessed in the expansion of the AIIMS network but also in other areas of the health sector like the doubling of medical colleges increase in MBBS and PG seats creation of nursing colleges Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and many other similar policies Nadda saidToday our health policy embraces a holistic approach emphasising on preventive measures to avoid diseases in the first place Our focus extends beyond prevention to include curative palliative and rehabilitative healthcare he addedThe BJP president also spoke about other achievements in the health sector in the last 10 years which include 64 per cent increase in TB notifications and more than 80 per cent success in treatment of TB cases reduction in prices of stents and medicines and facilitating their wider reach across the nation through the expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras promoting holistic healthcare through the creation of AYUSH blocks in medical institutes like AIIMS creation of bulk drug parks etcA slew of new healthcare facilities including Radiation Oncology 128 Slice CT Scanner and a Liquid Medical Oxygen LMO plant were inaugurated today at AIIMSBilaspurOn the occasion Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya underlined how despite the enormous challenges brought forward by the Covid19 pandemic the healthcare system in India not only withstood the pressure but is today more prepared than ever in addressing such challengesMost of the healthcare infrastructure that has been created in the last 10 years like LMO plants installation of advanced medical equipment and cuttingedge machinery in AIIMS and other medical institutions is to ensure the preparedness of the health sector especially in dealing with health emergencies he saidMandaviya said that the Central government has been working to bring healthcare services to the last mile and in pursuit of that endeavour many new medical colleges nursing colleges and AIIMS have been opened across the nationHe said the purpose was to ensure that people do not have to move to metro cities to avail quality medical treatment IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-working-proactively-to-transform-health-sector-nadda-523074.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 18:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-working-proactively-to-transform-health-sector-jp-nadda-523082.html New Delhi Feb 23 Bharatiya Janata Party BJP President JP Nadda on Friday said that the Central government has been proactively working to transform the health sector in the country He said this at the inauguration of new healthcare facilities and the laying foundation of night shelter at AIIMSBilaspur in Himachal PradeshThe Union Government has been proactively working for the transformation of the health sector which can not only be witnessed in the expansion of the AIIMS network but also in other areas of the health sector like the doubling of medical colleges increase in MBBS and PG seats creation of nursing colleges Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and many other similar policies Nadda saidToday our health policy embraces a holistic approach emphasising on preventive measures to avoid diseases in the first place Our focus extends beyond prevention to include curative palliative and rehabilitative healthcare he addedThe BJP president also spoke about other achievements in the health sector in the last 10 years which include 64 per cent increase in TB notifications and more than 80 per cent success in treatment of TB cases reduction in prices of stents and medicines and facilitating their wider reach across the nation through the expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendras promoting holistic healthcare through the creation of AYUSH blocks in medical institutes like AIIMS creation of bulk drug parks etcA slew of new healthcare facilities including Radiation Oncology 128 Slice CT Scanner and a Liquid Medical Oxygen LMO plant were inaugurated today at AIIMSBilaspurOn the occasion Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya underlined how despite the enormous challenges brought forward by the Covid19 pandemic the healthcare system in India not only withstood the pressure but is today more prepared than ever in addressing such challengesMost of the healthcare infrastructure that has been created in the last 10 years like LMO plants installation of advanced medical equipment and cuttingedge machinery in AIIMS and other medical institutions is to ensure the preparedness of the health sector especially in dealing with health emergencies he saidMandaviya said that the Central government has been working to bring healthcare services to the last mile and in pursuit of that endeavour many new medical colleges nursing colleges and AIIMS have been opened across the nationHe said the purpose was to ensure that people do not have to move to metro cities to avail quality medical treatment IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/centre-working-proactively-to-transform-health-sector-jp-nadda-523082.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 19:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/priyanka-gandhi-to-launch-two-schemes-of-telangana-govt-on-feb-27-523086.html Hyderabad Feb 23 Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will launch two new schemes of the Telangana government on February 27 Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy announced on Friday that Priyanka Gandhi will formally launch the schemes to provide 200 units of free electricity per month and cooking gas cylinder for Rs 500 for Below Poverty Line BPL familiesThese schemes will fulfil the poll promises made by the Congress as part of its six guaranteesThe Chief Minister was talking to mediapersons at Medaram in Mulugu district after paying obeisance to deities Samakka and Saralamma during an ongoing tribal fair in the areaThe announcement came two days after Revanth Reddy announced in his Assembly constituency Kodangal that the two schemes would be launched within a weekRevanth Reddy also said that 6000 employees will be recruited on March 2 adding that the state government will soon make an announcement on waiver of farm loans up to Rs 2 lakhEarlier the Chief Minister issued orders to the officials to make necessary preparations immediately for the implementation of the Gruha Jyothi 200 units free power and LPG cylinder for Rs 500 schemes Revanth Reddy directed the officials to ensure that all those who have applied during the Praja Palana programme gets to avail the benefits of the two guarantees The Chief Minister also inquired from the finance and civil supplies department officials about the challenges and hurdles to be faced and the possibilities in disbursing the gas subsidy benefit either directly into the accounts of the beneficiaries or to the gas agency The Chief Minister emphasised that a userfriendly mechanism should be adopted where the beneficiary should get the cylinder by paying Rs 500 only as he asked the officials to hold talks with the gas distribution agenciesThe Chief Minister also said that arrangements should be made to pay the subsidy amount immediately on behalf of the state government to the agenciesHe also directed the officials of the energy department to implement the Gruha Jyothi scheme in a transparent manner without a scope of doubt or misconception The CM gave clear instructions to the authorities concerned to extend the scheme to all those who possessed a white ration card and consume below 200 units of power per month for domestic needs only The energy department has been asked to issue Zero electricity bills to all the eligible beneficiaries of the Gruha Jyothi scheme from the first week of March Revanth Reddy also suggested that the officials should give an opportunity to the applicants to rectify any error like wrong card numbers and power connection numbers mentioned in the applications submitted during the Praja Palana This will help the applicants who got rejected avail the scheme The electricity bill collection centres and service centres will undertake the correction of the wrong details in the applications he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/priyanka-gandhi-to-launch-two-schemes-of-telangana-govt-on-feb-27-523086.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 19:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bsp-mps-from-up-begin-looking-for-greener-pastures-522877.html Lucknow Feb 23 The sitting MPs of the Bahujan Samaj Party have started looking for greener pastures for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections after party president Mayawatis repeated assertions that the party would contest the polls on its own BSP MPs feel that with BJPled NDA and Congress ledINDIA bloc there would be a polarisation of votes between the two formations leaving little scope for parties that contest independentlyBSP MP Afzal Ansari has already been declared a candidate by the Samajwadi Party from Ghazipur parliamentary seatAnother MP Danish Ali who has been suspended by Mayawati for antiparty activities is on his way to the Congress and sources said that he was all set to contest Amroha seat on a Congress ticketBSP MP Ritesh Pandey is also said to be looking for options outside the BSPHis father Rakesh Pandey is SP MLA from Jalalpur seat in Ambedkar Nagar while Ritesh is MP from Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seatThe BSP MP is likely to seek reelection to the Lok Sabha on a SP ticketTalking to IANS one of the BSP MPs said that the Lok Sabha elections would be contested on a highly polarised note and in such a situation the idea of contesting alone is not wiseWhy would someone vote for us if they know that we are neither going to sit in treasury benches and nor in the opposition The BSP usually benefits in a multicornered contest but as things stand now there will be a straight fight between NDA and INDIA bloc he saidIn 2019 the BSP had contested the general elections in alliance with the SP and had won 10 seats However immediately after the polls Mayawati snapped ties with the SPIn the 2022 assembly polls the BSP could manage to win only one seat making it almost irrelevant in state politics IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bsp-mps-from-up-begin-looking-for-greener-pastures-522877.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 10:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/mp-chief-minister-makes-surprise-visit-to-cm-helpline-centre-in-ujjain-523154.html Bhopal Feb 23 Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday made a surprise visit to a CM Helpline centre in Ujjain where he received two complaints After hearing peoples grievances he instructed the officials to resolve the issues at the earliest The Chief Minister heard the grievance of one of the complainants who had an issue related to a bank After a brief discussion CM Yadav directed the concerned officials to provide an assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the complainant and resolve all his problemsThe second complainant was a student who had a problem related to scholarship Taking immediate action the Chief Minister instructed the officials to make arrangements for scholarship for the studentCM Yadav later said that he visited the centre to send out a message to the officials that the government is keeping a close watch on them I conducted a surprise review of the CM Helpline service and talked with two persons One complain was related to scholarship and the other was related to bank and cyber fraud the Chief Minister saidCM Yadav was in Ujjain to review the preparedness for the Vikramotsav Trade Fair 2024 and an investor meet to be held from March 1 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/mp-chief-minister-makes-surprise-visit-to-cm-helpline-centre-in-ujjain-523154.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 22:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-cm-attends-ls-cluster-meeting-in-up-raises-abki-baar-400-par-call-523158.html Jaipur Feb 23 Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma attended a Lok Sabha cluster meeting in Uttar Pradesh on Friday where he addressed the party workers and peoples representations from five Lok Sabha seats including Sitapura Sadar Misrikh Hardoi Dhaurahra and Lakhimpur Speaking on the occasion CM Sharma said that the path to the countrys progress and development passes through Uttar Pradesh which is the land of sages Being in the Awadh region Sitapur is the land of Lord Ram and Mother Sita Today India is shining for which Uttar Pradesh has a made a big contribution the Rajasthan Chief Minister said while addressing the gathering in Sitapur districtHe also discussed the partys strategies along with various organisational issues related to the upcoming Lok Sabha electionsDiscussing the plans and achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi he said the party workers should start making full preparations from now to ensure a big victory for the party in the Lok Sabha elections CM Sharma also attacked the working style of the Congress saying that despite ruling the country for years it continues to seek votes from the people in the name of poverty Today the same party can be seen negotiating even for single digit seats with the regional parties he saidCM Sharma also said that in order to make India a developed nation as per the vision of PM Modi we have to fulfil our duties as citizens of the countryHe also called upon all the party workers to discharge their responsibilities by reaching every booth in the runup to the Lok Sabha elections and create history by ensuring BJPs victory for a third straight term CM Sharma said that under the leadership of PM Modi every member of the BJP family is working with full dedication to fulfil the target of Abki Baar 400 ParThe Rajasthan CM also offered prayers at the Maa Lalita Devi temple and wished for the prosperity of the country and the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-cm-attends-ls-cluster-meeting-in-up-raises-abki-baar-400-par-call-523158.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 23:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/trumpeter-to-blow-sharad-pawar-ncps-lok-sabha-poll-bugle-522927.html MumbaiNew Delhi Feb 23 The Election Commission of India ECI has allotted a Man Blowing Turha Man Blowing Trumpet poll symbol to the Nationalist Congress Party SP and was welcomed by the latter on Friday The trumpet or tutari in Marathi enjoys great relevance for all important or auspicious or military events in Maharashtra and is a well recognised musical instrument across the state since times immemorialHailing the ECIs decision announced late on Thursday NCPSP leaders said they are now fully ready to blow the trumpet for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections as the clock ticks awayThe Tutari in the form of great valour of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had once deafened the emperor of Delhi It is a great honour for our party to get Tutari Man Blowing Turha as our symbol for upcoming elections Our Tutari is now ready to shake Delhis throne under the leadership of Sharad Pawar the NCPSP said in a post on XThe development came barely days after the ECI and the Maharashtra Speaker ruled that the NCP founded by Sharad Pawar 25 years ago now belongs to the breakaway faction headed by his nephew and now Deputy CM Ajit Pawar awarding also the name NCP and Clock symbol to himEmbracing the new symbol the NCPSP said that with the united support of farmers workers youth women Maharashtra will conquer the throne of DelhiNCPSP President Sharad Pawar Working President Supriya Sule General Secretary Dr Jitendra Awhad state President Jayant Patil MP Dr Amol Kolhe MLA Rohit R Pawar and other bigwigs lauded the ECI for giving the new symbolJayant Patil saluted the new poll symbol with the simple but iconic warcry Jai Bhavani Jai Shivaji Jitendra Awhad urged the party to blow the trumpet bury the traitors while Dr Amol Kolhe exhorted all the party men to lets fight again win again lets blow the trumpet of struggle IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/trumpeter-to-blow-sharad-pawar-ncps-lok-sabha-poll-bugle-522927.html Fri, 23 Feb 2024 12:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ktaka-got-road-projects-worth-over-rs-4-lakh-cr-in-10-year-period-gadkari-522782.html Bengaluru Feb 22 Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday that after Prime Minister Narendra Modiled BJP government assumed power in 2014 the aim was to execute road projects worth Rs 3 lakh crore in Karnataka He said that Karnataka got road projects worth over Rs 4 lakh crore in a 10year period He said this while addressing a rally at Belagavi after inaugurating and laying the foundation for 18 National Highway projects worth Rs 7290 crore on ThursdayAfter 10 years Rs 62000 crore worth of road works have been completed Rs 80000 crore to Rs 1 lakh crore worth projects are ongoing and Rs 25 lakh crore worth projects are in pipeline Karnataka is a progressive state and without road infrastructure the overall development is not possible Gadkari saidWhen PM Modiled BJP government came to power in 2014 the length of national highways in Karnataka was 6707 km In 2024 the length of national highways is 8200 km he saidGadkari further said that the much soughtafter Bengaluru Peripheral Ring Road Project would solve the traffic congestion woes in the state capital adding the project would be completed by January 2025The ring road project was taken up with a budget of Rs 17000 crore The state government is giving 30 per cent of the land acquisition cost he saidThe ring road would have a length of 282 km of which and 242 would pass through KarnatakaGadkari also said that Belagavi is going to be an exporter of green oil to the world in the form of ethanolThere are 28 sugar factories in Belagavi and production of ethanol will benefit farmers The sugarcane is cultivated in abundance So dont take my words lightly he statedKarnataka Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi BJP MPs Mangala Angadi Annasaheb Jolle and others were also present on the occasion IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ktaka-got-road-projects-worth-over-rs-4-lakh-cr-in-10-year-period-gadkari-522782.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 22:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/vijay-sinha-slams-tejashwi-for-skipping-budget-session-of-bihar-assembly-522817.html Patna Feb 22 The Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Vijay Kumar Sinha on Thursday slammed leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav of the RJD for not taking part in the Assembly proceedings He asked Tejashwi Yadav to resign from the post of leader of opposition if he does not want to participate in the Assembly proceedings during the ongoing budget sessionI got an opportunity for the first time to present the budget of the road construction department in the Assembly on Thursday Tejashwi Yadav was the minister of this department in the Mahagathbandhan government He is also holding the post of leader of opposition in the Bihar Assembly I was expecting a healthy discussion in the House Unfortunately that was not the case If he Tejashwi does not want to participate in the Assembly proceedings he should resign from the post of leader of opposition Sinha said on ThursdayHe added that Tejashwi Yadav is that kind of opposition leader who used to go before the people to win their trust when Assembly proceedings were underway When there is no Assembly session he Tejashwi stays in Delhi Sinha said Tejashwi Yadav is currently taking out the Jan Vishwas Yatra in Bihar since February 20 He was in Siwan on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/vijay-sinha-slams-tejashwi-for-skipping-budget-session-of-bihar-assembly-522817.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 23:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-kumaraswamy-meets-amit-shah-discusses-seat-sharing-in-ktaka-522585.html New Delhi Feb 22 Former Chief Minister and Karnataka JD S President HD Kumaraswamy met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Thursday and held a meeting for 30 minutes at his office Sources stated that Kumaraswamy met Amit Shah in the wake of taking a final decision on seatsharing between the parties and also regarding rise of dissent against JD S from certain BJP leaders in the state Sources further explained that Kumaraswamy insisted with Amit Shah to allow JD S candidates to contest from Mandya Hassan and Bengaluru Rural or Kolar Lok Sabha seatsThough the alliance between the parties was declared four months ago the seatsharing is yet to be finalised Sitting MP Sumalatha Ambareesh an independent candidate from Mandya seat announced her support to BJP She had stated that it is her final decision to contest from the Mandya seatAmit Shah has promised Kumaraswamy to take final call on seatsharing soon and consider his demands to allow JD S candidates to contest from Mandya and Hassan Parliamentary seats after taking opinion from the state leadershipKumaraswamys son and actorturned politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy accompanied his father during the meeting JD S is hopeful of getting five to seven seats from the BJP majorly located in south Karnataka in the Lok Sabha elections IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-kumaraswamy-meets-amit-shah-discusses-seat-sharing-in-ktaka-522585.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 15:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/its-now-condom-politics-in-poll-bound-andhra-pradesh-522680.html Amaravati Feb 22 Its now condom politics in Andhra Pradesh ahead of simultaneous polls to state Assembly and Lok Sabha Videos of condom packets with the names and symbols of ruling YSR Congress Party YSRCP and the main opposition Telugu Desam Party TDP have surfaced on social media triggering a war of words between the two parties The two parties blamed each other for a new low into politicsVideos show condom packets with names and symbols of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddys YSRCP and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naiduled TDP being distributed allegedly by party cadres to votersDistributing condoms to people for their party campaign What kind of publicity madness is this Will they start giving out Viagra next Will they stop there or going forward stoop to another low reads a post from YSRCP handle on X while reacting to the video posted from a handle Deccan 24x7Hitting back at the ruling party the TDP shared a picture of a condom pack with the YSRCP symbol Is this the siddam preparedness the party was talking about the opposition party commented referring to title of Jagan Mohan Reddys political campaignsSimultaneous elections to the Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in AprilMay The TDP has entered into an alliance with the Jana Sena of actor Pawan Kalyan to take on the YSRCP IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/its-now-condom-politics-in-poll-bound-andhra-pradesh-522680.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 17:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/need-to-deepen-economic-engagement-with-india-albanian-foreign-minister-522685.html New Delhi Feb 22 Acknowledging India as a major international player and an economic power Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania Igli Hasani said on Thursday that immense possibilities of cooperation exist between the two countries in spheres ranging from IT digitisation tourism and economy Hasani who arrived here for the 9th Raisina Dialogue on Wednesday said that Albania will soon open an embassy in New Delhi and further strengthen and deepen the bilateral relationship which he described as excellentAlbania he said is moving rapidly to foster stronger economic ties with IndiaIm so happy to find the opportunity to visit the country for the Raisina Dialogue we are working great together but at the same time we should deepen economic engagement between our countries because the potentials are high the possibilities are immense and we need to create the necessary mechanisms to make things happen Hasani said in a media interaction with reporters in the capitalThe minister who had interactions with entrepreneurs and businesses from both Albania and India said that the country would like to profit from Indias expertise in IT innovation and digitisationYour country is worldwide famous for IT IT infrastructure digitisation and innovation You are one of the actors and we would not only like to profit from you and your expertise but also look at great opportunities he saidIndia is currently the fifthlargest economy in the world and is soon to go up and higher this is something that should only encourage us to do more on not only possibilities but mechanisms to make this engagement as profitable for our people as possible Hasani said one of the first things he prioritised after taking over as the countrys foreign minister last year was to increase engagement with India and increase opportunities of working with the IndiansSpeaking of the Indian community in Albania he said it is small but significant and a rise in their number will only benefit the country in terms of their expertise in business and many other aspectsAlbanian language traces its roots in Sanskrit and has a strong connect with India and according to recent Ministry of External Affairs data approximately 400 Indians are in Albania with most of them being temporary workersWith nearly 50000 Indians visiting the country located in southeastern Europe in the Balkan Peninsula last year Hasani said there are possibilities of having direct flights from India to AlbaniaAt the same time possibilities of Albanians visiting India should be well explored because you have a beautiful country you have an excellent history You have such good traditions and I am sure my compatriots will enjoy visiting the minister saidIn terms of opportunities I would say that we are at the threshold of the partnership between India and Albania touching heights that have never been seen before And the kind of similarities and synergies that the two countries have is in many ways I would say mindboggling Honorary Consul General of Albania to India Dikshu Kukreja who was present along with the minister saidIndia and Albania completed 65 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2021 and held their third Foreign Office Consultations in Delhi last year reviewing bilateral regional and international issues IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/need-to-deepen-economic-engagement-with-india-albanian-foreign-minister-522685.html Thu, 22 Feb 2024 18:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/fear-of-cross-voting-looms-large-in-rs-polls-in-up-522007.html Lucknow Feb 20 The fear of cross voting is now looming large over the BJP and Samajwadi Party in the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial electionsResentment is brewing in the Nishad Party an ally of the BJP over the selection of candidates for the Rajya Sabha biennial electionsAt least two Nishad Party legislators have voiced their reservations over the candidature of Sanjay Seth who is BJPs eighth candidateSeth needs eight extra votes from outside the BJP to emerge as winner and the support of allies like the Nishad Party is crucialThe Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by a system of proportional representation according to which each candidate in UP will require at least 37 votes to winThe BJP has 252 MLAs and its NDA allies account for 34 MLAs 13 from the Apna Dal nine from the Rashtriya Lok Dal RLD six each from the NISHAD Party and the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party SBSPThe Jansatta Dal Loktantrik which has two MLAs and is headed by strongman politician Raja Bhaiya is also expected to vote in favour of the BJPIf the BJP manages to get all the 36 votes from these parties its total number of votes will reach 288 However for its eighth candidate to get elected the BJP will need 296 votes As things stand the BJP will fall short by eight votesAccording to a Nishad Party MLA who spoke to IANS on condition of anonymity on Tuesday Sanjay Seth is an affluent builder and we would have preferred an OBC or SC candidate We will discuss the issue and decide what is to be doneSeth was previously elected to the Rajya Sabha as an SP candidate in June 2016 He later switched to the BJPSanjay Nishad UP minister and President of the Nishad Party however denied any differences within his partyThere is total unity in my party and we will all go with BJP If needed I will even issue a whip for my MLAs he saidThe BJP has also nominated former Union minister R P N Singh exMP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh state party general secretary Amarpal Maurya former state minister Sangeeta Balwant party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi former MLA Sadhna Singh and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain for the Rajya SabhaMeanwhile the SPs Rajya Sabha list includes senior leader and actor Jaya Bachchan Dalit leader Ramji Lal Suman and former state chief secretary Alok RanjanIf the two Congress MLAs vote for the SP candidates taking the SPs tally to 110 the latter will still fall short by one vote to reach the required 111 votes 37 multiplied by 3 to get its three candidates electedSP MLA Pallavi Patel has already announced that she would not vote for candidates like Bachchan and Ranjan because they do not fit into the PDA Pichhda Dalit Alpasankhyak formulaSources said that some other legislators could cross vote because of prevailing crisis in the SPIf the BJP had not nominated an eighth candidate the state would not have needed an election as all 10 candidates would have been elected unopposed IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/fear-of-cross-voting-looms-large-in-rs-polls-in-up-522007.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 12:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tax-money-of-kannada-people-going-to-rahuls-pocket-ktaka-bjp-leader-522024.html Bengaluru Feb 20 Condemning the move of Congress government to provide compensation to the family of elephant attack victim in Kerala Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said on Tuesday that the Kannada taxpayers money was going into Rahul Gandhis pocketMr Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre do you think the state of Karnataka is the property of the Indian National Congress and it can release the money paid as tax by the people of Karnataka as per the diktat of Rahul Gandhi and AICC General Secretary KC VenugopalMr CM Siddaramaiah dont your ministers have the capacity to question the high command courageously that it is the tax money of the people of Karnataka Ashoka questionedMeanwhile former National General Secretary of BJP CT Ravi took to social media saying Why is Karnataka government dancing to the tune of a mere CONgress MP from Kerala CONgress has time and again betrayed the interests of Karnataka at the altar of its mastersHow long should Kannadigas sacrifice their interests simply because of CONgis who prostrate before the Chinese puppetWill CM Siddaramaiah explain to Kannadigas why their money is being spent on the orders of a Silly Dynasty whose only achievement in life is being born into the Fake Gandhi dynastyAnd why is a Karnataka minister copying a CONgress functionary in his letter Is KC Venugopal a courier boy or an extraconstitutional authority who can bulldoze the state governmentThe incompetent CONgress government spends money on Madrasas Wakf properties and other whims and fancies while continuously blaming the central government for all its failures Kannadigas are eagerly waiting to get rid of this antipeople Tughlaq Durbar Ravi saidOn Monday Karnataka Minister for Forests B Eshwar Khandre announced the compensation of Rs 15 lakh to the family of deceased Ajeesh who lost his life in elephant attack in Wayanad Kerala The order copy by the government stated that the compensation was being provided as per the advice of Rahul GandhiA tusker named Makna which was captured at Belur in Karnatakas Hassan district was relocated to the Bandipur Tiger reserve in November 2023 It was radio collared last year Two months later the elephant was sighted in the Wayanad area of Kerala the parliamentary constituency of Rahul Gandhi IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tax-money-of-kannada-people-going-to-rahuls-pocket-ktaka-bjp-leader-522024.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-school-job-case-sujay-bhadra-finally-returns-to-correctional-home-from-hospital-522033.html Kolkata Feb 20 After spending over six months at the staterun SSKM Medical College Hospital since his bypass surgery in August last year Sujay Krishna Bhadra one of the prime accused in the alleged cashforschooljob scam in West Bengal has been shifted back to Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata Sources in the state correctional services department said that the decision to release Bhadra from the hospital was taken on Monday afternoon and he was shifted back silently to the correction home late on Monday eveningTo recall the entire period of six months of his stay in hospital was mired in controversiesFirst of all the medical fraternity questioned the authenticity of the prolonged period of his recovery after the bypass surgerySecond the Enforcement Directorate ED sleuths investigating the case alleged that Bhadra was deliberately kept in hospital to avoid the voice sample testHowever armed with a Calcutta High Court order finally in the first week of January this year the EDs sleuths managed to get the voice sample test done The final forensic report of the test is awaitedMeanwhile Bhadras counsel approached a singlejudge Bench of the Calcutta High Court with a bail plea on medical grounds The final order on this count is expected on February 23 IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-school-job-case-sujay-bhadra-finally-returns-to-correctional-home-from-hospital-522033.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pregnant-woman-evacuated-in-jks-sopore-amid-heavy-snowfall-522139.html Srinagar Feb 20 Responding promptly to a distress call police in Jammu and Kashmirs Baramulla district evacuated a pregnant woman amidst heavy snowfall on Tuesday morning a police official saidSopore police received a call from Shamshad Ahmad Mir a resident of Zethan Dangiwacha requesting urgent medical evacuation of his pregnant wife who was in a critical condition the official saidDue to heavy snowfall in the last two days the road was completely blocked and the movement of vehicles very difficultUpon receiving the distress call a police party led by SHO PS Dangiwacha quickly reached the location Despite the difficult conditions including treacherous roads the rescue team evacuated the pregnant woman in the official vehicle to PHC Dangiwacha for immediate medical treatment police said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pregnant-woman-evacuated-in-jks-sopore-amid-heavy-snowfall-522139.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/10-cong-mlas-suspended-in-guj-assembly-amid-protests-over-fake-govt-offices-522228.html Ahmedabad Feb 20 Ten Congress party members including the legislative party leader Amit Chavda and prominent MLA Jignesh Mevani were suspended from the Gujarat Assembly on Tuesday amid protests over fake government offices detected in Bodeli under the Tribal Development Department The suspension came after the MLAs disrupted Assembly proceedings by chanting slogans and demanding accountability for the fake Tribal Development Department offices that had been running undetected for several yearsApart from Chavda and Mevani the other legislators suspended were Tushar Chaudhary Geniben Thakor Gulabsinh Chauhan Amrutji Thakor Anant Patel Imran Khedawala Kanti Kharadi and Arvind LadaniThe row erupted during a question regarding the bogus government offices in BodeliTribal Development Minister Kuber Dindor revealed that the fake office in Bodeli was promptly shut down following its discovery with an FIR leading to the arrest of five individuals involved in its runningDespite the scamsters having illicitly secured approximately Rs 21 crore in government funds Dindor assured that swift and decisive action was taken upon detection of the fraudTushar Chaudhary alleged that there were more such fake offices in Chhota Udepur implying a larger plan afoot to siphon off significant government resourcesA query from MLA Amrutji Thakor revealed that the Bodeli office had been operational since 201617 raising concerns that the scam had been going on for a long time IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/10-cong-mlas-suspended-in-guj-assembly-amid-protests-over-fake-govt-offices-522228.html Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/act-against-teachers-we-will-see-raj-thackeray-dares-ec-521744.html Mumbai Feb 19 Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS President Raj Thackeray on Monday trained guns at the Election Commission EC for its compulsions to involve school teachers in pollrelated duties Sounding annoyed the MNS chief demanded to know why the EC is involving school teachers for election work which could directly affect the education of children He was speaking to the media here after meeting a delegation of teachers from the Shardashram Vidyamandir School of Dadar west The teachers complained that they were being forced to do election duties against their wishes and threatened with disciplinary action if they failed to comply Dont they know that the elections are coming periodically Have the elections been announced abruptly They why cant they create a separate cadre for poll duties train them and then deploy them for their work said a visibly irked Raj Thackeray On the apprehensions of the teachers that they would face disciplinary proceedings if they flouted the orders Raj Thackeray countered that disciplinary action must be initiated against the EC instead of the teaching community He directed the school teachers not to report for election duties or programs anywhere and instead pay their attention to the student community Every time elections are held things are being done in a hasty manner You people dont go for election duties You just concentrate on the school children If they EC act against you then we will see said Raj Thackeray For the upcoming Lok Sabha elections BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation BMC and other primary school teachers Class IIV have been asked to report for pollduties More than 4000 teachers hailing from only civic schools besides other schools have been deployed for election work prompting Raj Thackeray to ask Why is there so much work now What does the Election Commission do for five years Action should be taken against the EC for not doing its work for five years He queried why the EC does not have a proper system in place and everytime they go after the teachers even as elections are being held in the country for so many decades Should not you have your system ready for the polls The school teachers are supposed to impart knowledge to the children Have they been taken into service for election work said Raj Thackeray slamming the EC Maharashtra English School Trustees Association MESTA President Sanjayrao TayadePatil said that it is a routine practice to take away the government or aided school teachers for pollrelated duties before and during the actual Lok Sabha or Assembly elections Most teachers are reluctant to report for such extra duties with limited compensation and a lot of responsibilities that disturbs our academic schedules said TayadePatil welcoming Raj Thackerays assertions A government school Headmaster declining to be identified said that the teachers have to go for a minimum fourday training session followed by threefour days during the elections at all the polling stations At the end of this exercise they are paid between Rs 8001200 plus given a meal on the final voting day after they complete all their duties For those teachers who dont attend they are served notices issued memos or other forms of punitive action is taken said the Headmaster When asked to react on Raj Thackerays challenge to the EC they chuckled and asked whether he will really stand by any teacher if any schoolteacher dares to flout the EC directive Quaid Najmi can be contacted at qnajmiiansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/act-against-teachers-we-will-see-raj-thackeray-dares-ec-521744.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 17:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/pm-modi-in-up-today-will-attend-two-functions-521497.html Lucknow Feb 19 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend two important functions in Uttar Pradesh on MondayThe Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Hindu shrine Kalki Dham in Sambhal on Monday morning and later in the day he will attend the Ground Breaking Ceremony in Lucknow where he will unveil 14000 projects worth Rs 10 lakh croreThese projects will help create 335 lakh employment opportunities and a major part of the investment is coming into sectors like manufacturing renewable energy information technology housing and real estateThese projects stem from Memorandums of Understanding MoUs inked during the UP Global Investors Summit held last year where investment proposals totaling Rs 40 lakh crore were receivedThe investments are spread across regions with Paschimanchal west getting the maximum 52 per cent followed by Poorvanchal east 29 per cent Madhyanchal central 14 per cent and Bundelkhand five per cent said Uttar Pradesh Industrial and Infrastructure Development Minister Nand Gopal GuptaOf the Rs 10 lakh crore maximum investments are coming up in sunrise sectors like manufacturing 21 per cent renewable energy 13 per cent IT and ITeS nine per cent food processing six per cent housing and real estate six per cent hospitality and entertainment three per cent education three per cent etc he addedNearly 3500 investors and guests comprising individuals from India and overseas including representatives from Fortune 500 companies ambassadors and high commissioners are expected to participate in the eventThe events are set to unfold concurrently across all 75 districtsMeanwhile in Sambhal Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of Hindu shrine Kalki DhamKalki Dham situated in Anchora Kamboh locality of Sambhal is named after Kalki believed to be the 10th and final incarnation of Vishnu who would appear to end the KalyugThe Prime Minister will be visiting the district after 15 years He had last visited Sambhal in 2004 and 2009 as Gujarat Chief Minister said BJP Sambhal district president Harendra ChaudharyThe party has planned a magnificent welcome for the Prime MinisterThousands of seers from across the country are expected to attend the eventThe Dham is headed by its Peethadheeshwar Acharya Pramod Krishnam who was expelled from the Congress last week days after he met Modi and invited him to lay the foundation stone of the shrineKrishnam who contested from Sambhal on a Congress ticket in 2014 Lok Sabha polls may join the BJP soonThis incidentally will be Modis first visit to the west Uttar Pradesh district as Prime Minister similar to his visit to Ayodhya in August 2020 to lay the foundation stone of Ram temple and it comes after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony for the Ram temple last monthHis visit to Sambhal which has a sizeable population of Muslims is significant in BJPs bid for a robust performance in the upcoming Lok Sabha electionsThis time BJP plans to wrest back seats it had lost to the opposition in the 2019 polls in this region BJP had lost all the five seats of Moradabad Bijnor Rampur Amroha and Sambhal to the Samajwadi Party SPBahujan Samaj Party BSP alliance in 2019Sambhal is currently represented by SP MP ShafiqurRahman Barq a fourterm former MLA and a fiveterm MP IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/pm-modi-in-up-today-will-attend-two-functions-521497.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 04:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-elections-aiadmk-to-release-manifesto-soon-after-reaching-out-to-voters-across-tn-521529.html Chennai Feb 19 The AIADMK will soon be releasing its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections after reaching out to different segments of voters A team of AIADMK leaders led by deputy leader in the legislature Assembly RB Udhayakumar and former minister Natham RViswanathan had toured the state from February 5 to 10 and met people from all sectionsThe manifesto committee noted the response of the public and will soon be finalising its manifestoUdhayakumar told IANS that the people of the state of Tamil Nadu were totally dejected by the performance of the DMK governmentHe said that the DMK had made 100 promises before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and 520 promises before the 2021 Assembly elections The promises were never fulfilled and the DMK government had betrayed the peopleThe former minister also said that the DMK government was clueless on the MSME sector and had not done anything for the development of the sector He added that if properly tappedthe sector would lead the development engine of Tamil NaduThe senior leader also said that they met people from all sections including farmers youths students women entrepreneurs and industrialistsHe also said that the DMK MPs were ineffective in Parliament and added that even in the Cauvery issue they were not able to properly and effectively communicate for the state of Tamil Nadu IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-elections-aiadmk-to-release-manifesto-soon-after-reaching-out-to-voters-across-tn-521529.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 11:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/congress-mp-muraleedharan-rules-out-bjp-opening-its-account-in-kerala-521840.html Kochi Feb 19 Veteran Congress Lok Sabha member K Muraleedharan on Monday categorically ruled out the possibility of the BJP opening its account in Kerala in the upcoming general electionsNo matter whatever they do the BJP will not be able to cross the Tamil Nadu border and enter Kerala said Muraleedharan the son of eminent Congress leader late K KarunakaranIt is fine for PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to visit Kerala Each time they wave their hands to our people they also respond by waving back But thats all Nothing beyond can be achieved by the BJP in Kerala Muraleedharan saidMuraleedharan represents the Vadakara Lok Sabha constituency in Kozhikode district where he defeated popular CPIM leader P Jayarajan by a margin of over 84000 votes in 2019There are speculation that CPIM has cleared the name of its highprofile former Health Minister and senior party legislator KK Shailaja for the seat this timeThe BJP doesnt have any member representing Kerala in the Lok Sabha nor does it have any representation in the 140member state Assembly IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/congress-mp-muraleedharan-rules-out-bjp-opening-its-account-in-kerala-521840.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-thackeray-meets-bjp-city-chief-sparks-speculation-of-tie-up-521606.html Mumbai Feb 19 Sparking fresh speculation of a tieup the Mumbai Bharatiya Janata Party BJP President Ashish Shelar called on Maharashtra Navnirman Sena MNS chief Raj Thackeray at the latters residence here on Monday morningThe duo was closeted for over an hour without aides fuelling talks of a possible electoral pact with the ruling Mahayuti alliance of Shiv SenaBJPNationalist Congress Party though both sides have yet to comment officially on the meetingHowever MNS Chief Spokesperson Sandeep Deshpande said that both Raj Thackeray and Ashish Shelar are good friends and they keep meeting regularly so nothing much should be read into it while not outrightly ruling out the possibility of any political linkupPolitical circles were rife with contentions that Shelar reportedly conveyed a message from the BJP high command to the MNS chief as the countdown to the Lok Sabha elections gets underwayThough Raj Thackeray enjoys cordial relations with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde whom he met last week to greet on his 60th birthday Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar he has so far remained a fencesitter and kept all political cards close to the chest specially the prospects of an election tieupRecently senior MNS leaders like Bala Nandgaonkar had met Shinde Fadnavis and other BJP bigwigs but there were no concrete developments pertaining to the upcoming Lok Sabha Assembly and civic elections in MaharashtraHowever Fadnavis kept up the suspense claiming that everything will be known at the right time and hinted that anything could happen in the near future IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-thackeray-meets-bjp-city-chief-sparks-speculation-of-tie-up-521606.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/kiren-rijiju-counters-rahuls-obc-barb-on-secretaries-in-govt-521632.html New Delhi Feb 19 Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday strongly countered Congress leader Rahul Gandhis allegations of discrimination against the Other Backward Class OBC community in the countrys top bureaucratic setupIs he naive or a fool Rijiju lashing out at the Congress leader took to his X handle and explained in detail the progression process of bureaucratsRahul Gandhi during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in UPs Amethi on Monday told newsmen The number of Dalits Adivasis and other backward people remains very low in courts same is the case in BureaucracyTaking strong exception to Rahuls statement that only 3 out of 90 secretaries in Government of India belong to OBC community Rijiju explained that the current batch of secretaries are from either 1992 or previous batches when OBC reservation was not even in effectToday Rahul Gandhi again said there are only 3 OBC secretaries to Govt of India and negligible OBC judges Is he naive or a fool A fresh IAS officer cant just become secretary and a fresh lawyer cant become a judge of High Court or SC directly Rijiju saidMinister of Earth Sciences further said that at that time OBC was not even classified under reserved category only SC and ST community got quotas in jobs OBC classification into All India Service AIS came only post 1995 following the court verdictSpeaking light on the functioning of bureaucracy he said Anyone who understands the service and the progression of the service knows how the batch system works in gaining seniorityNotably the Congress party in its recent campaign for equal share of power corresponding to their population has been cornering the Centre over its neglect of the community Rahul at repeated instances has said that OBC community remains hugely underrepresented despite comprising 50 share of countrys populationRijiju further accused Rahul of fostering division in the country on caste and community basis with support from antiIndia forcesLambasting the Congress he asked Had Congress party done anything in their time to promote more OBCSCST IAS officers and SCSTOBC judges IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/kiren-rijiju-counters-rahuls-obc-barb-on-secretaries-in-govt-521632.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 14:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-dares-jagan-for-open-debate-on-ysrcps-destructive-rule-521470.html Amaravati Feb 19 Telugu Desam Party TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday dared Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for an open debate on the destructive rule of the YSR Congress Party YSRCP The former chief minister said he was ready to thoroughly expose the blatant lies being uttered by Jagan at the public meetings being organised in the name of Sidhham ready by misusing power and spending crores of public moneyResponding to Jagans allegation that TDP chief was making empty promises Naidu said that if Jagan is daring enough he should come for an open debateI am ready anywhere anytime and on any issue Let us discuss whose rule is the golden era and whose rule is the stone era Are you daring enough to come for the debate Mr Jagan the TDP supremo said in a statementThe former chief minister believes that the one chance given by the voters in 2019 to Jagan is going to be the last chance for himHe said since Jagan knows that he is going to be defeated in the upcoming elections he is trying again to take the people for a ride by coming onto the roadsHow can the Chief Minister who has given to the people Rs 10 on one hand and looted Rs 100 the other talk about welfare he saidChandrababu Naidu alleged that behind every scheme introduced by the YSRCP government there is a scam and even the natural resources too are no exception for lootingHow can this Chief Minister talk about the poor and their lives he questionedAt every corner of the state Jagans destructive rule is clearly visible and in the name of Sidhham he is simply uttering blatant lies the TDP chief saidChandrababu Naidu stated that with the fear of defeat Jagan had already sealed the fate of 77 sitting MLAs and the people would seal the fate of others in another 50 daysJagan who has deceived all sections of society has no right to talk about social justice and every family that has fallen victim to this Chief Ministers misdeeds is becoming a star campaigner and is getting ready to defeat him he saidAlleging that people were forcibly shifted by RTC and the school buses to Sundays Raptadu meeting from 52 Assembly segments in Rayalaseema region Chandrababu said that had the meeting been a success there was no need for physical attack on the media personsTerming the coming polls as a battle between real feudalist Jagan and the fivecrore people he said that the people are now ready to send him homeThe poor are also prepared to see to it that Jagan is out of power as he diverted lakhs of crores of fundsThe TDP leader asked how people can trust Jagan as he had promised total prohibition before coming to power but after becoming the Chief Minister he began minting money out of spurious liquor salesHe alleged that the Chief Minister lost credibility as 98 per cent of the promises made to the people are not fulfilled IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/chandrababu-dares-jagan-for-open-debate-on-ysrcps-destructive-rule-521470.html Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bharatiya-kisan-union-calls-for-tractor-march-on-feb-21-521230.html Muzaffarnagar Uttar Pradesh Feb 18 The Bharatiya Kisan Union BKU has announced that a tractor march would be held at all district headquarters of Uttar Pradesh on February 21Farmers would park their tractors on highways going towards Delhi on February 26 and 27 in support of protesting farmers and their demands including minimum support priceAddressing a Mahapanchayat at its headquarters in Sisauli Muzaffarnagar on Saturday BKU leader Rakesh Tikait appealed to farmers to show their full strength during the tractor march on February 21Addressing a huge gathering of farmers Tikait made a scathing attack on the ruling BJP government and said It is a battle to protect nasal and fasal generation and cropTikait appealed to farmers to show their full strength during the tractor march on February 21 and then park tractors on highways from Haridwar to Delhi on February 26 and 27 without disturbing trafficThe farmer leader accused vested interests of hatching a conspiracy to take over roti through the ruling government because they had understood that the business of roti was more profitable People ate roti 700 times a year while gold was worn by women barely 17 times a year on festivals and during celebrationsHe warned farmers that the government may try to break the unity of farmers but they should be ready to foil any such attemptTikait claimed that he was also approached and asked what he wanted but he said the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha should be contacted instead of an individual The BKU leader asked the gathering to be ready to spend oneyear earnings on the movement because it was a battle of farmers survival IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bharatiya-kisan-union-calls-for-tractor-march-on-feb-21-521230.html Sun, 18 Feb 2024 05:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/safety-inspection-of-banihal-sangaldan-rail-link-completed-ahead-of-pms-jk-visit-on-feb-20-520991.html Jammu Feb 17 Mandatory safety inspection of 48km long BanihalSangaldan railway section in JKs Ramban district was successfully completed on Friday ahead of the inauguration of BaramullaSangaldan railway train service by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20Commissioner of Railways Safety CRS DC Deshwal did his twoday inspection of recently completed 48 kmlong BanihalSangaldan section along the ambitious UdhampurSrinagarBaramulla Rail Link USBRL on FridaySangaldan railway station in Ramban district falls between Banihal and Katra on the remaining 111 km stretch of the USBRL project which upon completion will connect Kashmir valley with the rest of the countryCRS along with his team conducted the final inspection of the railway track tunnels and other systems between KhariSumbar and Sangaldan sectionA speed trial of the electric train was successfully conducted between Sangaldan and Khari railway stations during the inspection The commissioner returned to Srinagar in a rail car from Khari last eveningIn Srinagar Deshwal is scheduled to hold a meeting with Northern railway authorities before submitting a final reportOut of the total 272km USBRL project 161 km stretch was commissioned in phases while first phase of 118km QazigundBaramulla section was commissioned in October 2009 followed by 18 km BanihalQazigund section in June 2013 and 25 km UdhampurKatra section in July 2014Work on the challenging UdhampurSrinagarBaramulla rail link had started in 1997 and this service is likely to become functional by MarchApril this year IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/safety-inspection-of-banihal-sangaldan-rail-link-completed-ahead-of-pms-jk-visit-on-feb-20-520991.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 12:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-eci-chooses-police-nodal-officer-in-bengal-rejecting-first-choices-of-govt-521027.html Kolkata Feb 17 In a major departure from established norms the Election Commission of India ECI has chosen the Nodal Officer of police for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections instead of assigning that responsibility to the Additional Director General Law Order in West BengalAnand Kumar who is currently the Additional Director General Legal of state police has been appointed as the Nodal Officer after rejecting the first choice of the state government on this countVeterans in the state government with long experience of conducting elections say that this is a deviation from the longfollowed practice of the state police Additional Director General Law amp Order playing the role of the Nodal Officer of police for any election in West BengalIt is learnt that on the ECIs demand the West Bengal Government recommended the names of three Indian Police Service IPS officers but the commission rejected all three namesThereafter sources said the government had recommended the names of three other IPS officers and Kumars name was on that listFinally the ECI approved Kumars nameObservers say that the development is quite significant as the ECI has conveyed to the state government that it will be keeping a close eye on the administration during the forthcoming Lok Sabha pollsThe ECIs outlook of the law and order situation in West Bengal is reflected in the fact that recently the commission sought the deployment of 920 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces in the state for the Lok Sabha polls which is the highest among all Indian statesSources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer CEO West Bengal said what the commission is actually planning will become evident after the full Bench of the ECI arrives in the state for a twoday visit from March 4 to take a stock of the poll preparednessBesides holding meetings with the top bureaucrats and police officials the full Bench of the commission will also be meeting representatives of political parties in the state IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/ls-polls-eci-chooses-police-nodal-officer-in-bengal-rejecting-first-choices-of-govt-521027.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 13:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/once-friends-they-will-now-fight-it-out-for-kottayam-lok-sabha-seat-521078.html Thiruvananthapuram Feb 17 Though the upcoming Lok Sabha polls are yet to be announced the traditional rival political fronts here have announced their candidates who will fight it out for the prestigious Kottayam parliamentary seatThe seat is presently represented by Kerala Congress Mani Thomas Chazhikadan from the ruling CPIMled Left Democratic FrontOn Monday the name of Chazhikadan was announced by his partyWith Saturdays announcement naming Francis George as candidate by party chairman PJ Joseph of Kerala Congress the die has been cast for what is going to be an intense electoral fight to finish between once former party colleagues and good friendsA look into the rival candidates reveals that they have more similarities than differencesThe similarities include both come from the dominant Catholic community are former bankers have been in the Lok Sabha in the past Besides they were colleagues in the Kerala Congress M for over a decade until there was a split in their party and more importantly both are known for their soft demeanorThe 71yearold Chazhikadan who is a chartered accountant by profession and worked in a leading private sector bank jumped into politics when his brother Babu Chazhikadan while being a candidate at the 1991 assembly polls died after being hit by a lightning during his election campaignIt was after the tragedy that Chazhikadan came into politics and he won all elections before 2011 when he lost to CPIM candidate Suresh Kurup and again in the 2016 pollsBut in 2019 when the KC M was the third biggest ally of the Congressled UDF Chazhikadan was chosen to contest the Kottayam seat and he won defeating the present State Minister for Ports and Cooperation VN Vasavan with a margin of over one lakh votesIncidentally after the KC M led by iconic party founder KM Mani passed away in 2019 the relation with the Congress party got strained and soon after that Jose K Mani faction joined the ruling Left led by the CPIMSo during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls Chazhikadan contested as a Congressled UDF candidate this time he is contesting as LDF candidateLikewise 68yearold George worked in a leading private sector bank and quit the job to join politicsGeorge is son of KM George the founder of the Kerala Congress party and was a fourtime legislator who passed away while being a minister in 1976George was a member in the 13th and 14th Lok Sabha but then lost successive assembly elections to the Idukki assembly seat once while contesting as a Left candidate and on the other occasion when he was with the UDF But on both occasions he lost to the present State Water Resources Minister Roshy AugustineMeanwhile the BJPled NDAs main ally is also contesting from the seat and in all likelihood the party chief of BDJS Thushar Vellappally will contest making it an almost triangular poll battle IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/once-friends-they-will-now-fight-it-out-for-kottayam-lok-sabha-seat-521078.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 16:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/day-after-being-stripped-of-portfolio-court-rejects-first-ever-bail-plea-filed-by-jyotipriya-mallick-in-pds-case-521104.html Kolkata Feb 17 A Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA Special Court in Kolkata rejected the first bail plea filed by former West Bengal Minister Jyotipriya Mallick on Saturday just a day after he was stripped of his ministerial portfolio Mallick is currently in judicial custody because of his alleged involvement in the multicrore PDS case in his capacity as the West Bengal Food amp Supplies Minister from 2011 to 2021Mallicks bail plea was significant on two counts First he moved the plea just a day after he was stripped of his ministerial portfolio on Friday and second this was the first time that he moved a bail petition since his arrest by the sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate ED in October last yearPolitical observers say that the West Bengal Governments action against him has convinced Mallick that he will now have to fight his own battles as the Trinamool Congress leadership has distanced itself from himOn Saturday while moving his plea Mallicks counsel pleaded that his client does not have any connection with the PDS case and hence should be granted bailHe also argued in support of the petition citing Mallicks poor healthWhile rejecting the bail plea the PMLA court said that the next hearing in the matter would be on February 20With the Lok Sabha polls around the corner the Mamata Banerjee Government is under pressure to clean up its image as a regime mired in corruptionThe Opposition BJP is breathing down its neck and will make it a point to corner the Mamata Government on the issue of graft and the numerous scams that the Trinamool Congress leaders have been involved in IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/day-after-being-stripped-of-portfolio-court-rejects-first-ever-bail-plea-filed-by-jyotipriya-mallick-in-pds-case-521104.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 17:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/resolution-on-caste-survey-is-eyewash-brs-leader-kavitha-521134.html Hyderabad Feb 17 Bharat Rashtra Samithi BRS leader K Kavitha has termed as eyewash the resolution passed in Telangana Assembly for conducting caste census in the stateShe alleged that the resolution was moved by the Congress government with an eye on the Lok Sabha pollsStating that the government is not sincere in providing political reservation for OBCs she asked why it did not bring a Bill for caste censusHowever the Congress made the most insincere effort yesterday in the Assembly by placing the resolution This shows the insincerity of the Congress government towards OBC sections This is very unfortunate The resolution is an eyewash This wont work It will not stand anywhere in the court and it will not empower the government to conduct the survey she saidThe BRS leader said if the Congress government was sincere it should bring a Bill in the Assembly on the lines of Bihar Karnataka and Andhra PradeshThe BRS MLC noted that there have been demands from across the country for caste census She said the BRS completely supported the demand She claimed that it was only after the demand from BRS and the pressure from people that the government passed a resolutionHowever this will not solve the problem It should bring the Bill allocate budget and complete the entire process in a timebound manner she saidShe mentioned that BRS and all other parties in the Assembly demanded from the government the Bill to conduct the census and assured their support for the sameShe alleged that instead of taking positive and concrete steps for development of people and government the government was doing diversionary politicsShe said to divert attention from the demand for Bill instead of resolution the government presented whitepaper on irrigation projectsThey are not implementing the promises which they made They are bringing something or the other as a diversionary tactic she said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/resolution-on-caste-survey-is-eyewash-brs-leader-kavitha-521134.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 18:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/naughty-boy-gslv-rocket-now-smart-disciplined-mature-isro-521156.html Sriharikota Andhra Pradesh Feb 17 The successful orbiting of Indias third generation weather satellite INSAT3DS in a copybook style on Saturday has enhanced the confidence about the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV rocket for the next prestigious launch said officials of Indian space agency The GSLV rocket formerly GSLVMkII had earned the nickname naughty boy during its initial days for its inconsistent performance The confidence on the GSLV rocket is now high S Somanath Chairman Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO said He said the next space mission for the GSLV rocket will be the launch of IndoUS collaboration earth observation satellite NASAISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar NISAR On Saturday the naughty boy came to a lot of praise from the ISRO officials starting from Somanath SUnnikrishnan Director Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre VSSC said the naughty boy has now become smart and everything pertaining to the mission went off smoothly The naughty boy has matured and has become a disciplined boy now The rocket had injected the satellite in its intended orbit said Tomy Joseph Mission Director of GSLVF4INSAT3DSJoseph also said the rocket had carried 50 kg more weight than what was carried in the earlier mission According to the Satellite Director Imteyaz Ahmad the four metre diametre heat shield is important as it enables to build bigger satellites VNarayanan Director Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre said the payload capacity of the rocket has been increased from about 1500 kg first to 2274 kg now the weight of the INSAT3DS satellite According to M Sankaran Director U R Rao Satellite Centre INSAT3DS life span has now extended by three months mission design life 10 years owing to the orbit achieved A Rajarajan Director Satish Dhawan Space Centre said the launch campaign went off without any hitch and the centre is gearing up for the next rocket launch Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at vjagannathaniansin IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/naughty-boy-gslv-rocket-now-smart-disciplined-mature-isro-521156.html Sat, 17 Feb 2024 19:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/govt-seeks-public-feedback-on-new-rules-to-check-misleading-ads-by-coaching-institutes-520740.html New Delhi Feb 16 The Central Consumer Protection Authority on Friday issued an invitation for public comments on draft guidelines for prevention of misleading advertisements in the coaching sector The Draft Guidelines are placed on the website of the Department of Consumer Affairs and are accessible through the link httpsconsumeraffairsnicinsitesdefaultfilesfileuploadslatestnewsPublic20Comments20Letter202pdfPublic commentssuggestionsfeedback are solicited and may be provided to the Central Authority up to March 16 2024 according to an official statementThe objective of the Guidelines is to protect consumers from misleading advertisements in the coaching sectorThe Central Consumer Protection Authority CCPA conducted a stakeholders consultation on misleading advertisements in the coaching sector on 8th January 2024 The draft guidelines have been framed after detailed deliberations with all stakeholders including coaching institutes law firms Government and Voluntary Consumer Organizations and are now being put up for public consultation Proposed Guidelines shall be issued under section 18 2 l of the Consumer Protection Act 2019The draft guidelines define Coachingas tuition instructions or academic support or learning programme or guidance provided by any person Under the Guidelines conditions for misleading advertisement have been laid out Any person who engages in coaching shall be considered to be engage in a misleading advertisement if it employs any of the following practices Conceal important information related to name of the course whether free or paid amp duration of course opted by successful candidate or any other important information which can influence a consumers decision to choose their servicesMake false claims regarding success rates number of selections or rankings of students in any competitive exam without providing verifiable evidenceFalsely represent that students success is solely attributable to the coaching without acknowledging the individual efforts of the students Clearly state the extent of the coaching involvement in their successCreate false sense of urgency or fear of missing out that may heighten anxieties among students or parentsAny other practices that may mislead consumers or subvert consumer autonomy and choiceGuidelines would be made applicable to every person engaged in coaching The proposed Guidelines seek to prevent such misleading advertisements which affects consumers as a class Misleading advertisements by the coaching sector will be governed as per Consumer Protection Act 2019 and the proposed guidelines will bring clarity to the stakeholders and protect consumer interests IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/govt-seeks-public-feedback-on-new-rules-to-check-misleading-ads-by-coaching-institutes-520740.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/govt-significantly-enhanced-financial-assistance-for-farm-sector-in-last-10-years-520540.html New Delhi Feb 16 Farmer unions in Punjab are accusing the Central government of doing injustice to them however official data has revealed that the present regime has provided financial assistance to the farming community more than everAccording to the official data in 201314 the budget allocation for the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry was Rs 2766267 crore This has been increased to Rs 12503579 crore in 20232024 The food grain production has also increased from 26505 million tonnes in 201314 to a record 32969 million tonnes in 202223 which is the highestever food grain production The horticulture production was 35192 million tonnes in 202223 which is also the highest ever as per second advance estimates The data showed that the Agri and allied exports have increased from 5024 billion in 202122 to 5315 billion in 202223 which is an increase of 58 per cent The government has also increased the minimum support price MSP for all mandated Kharif Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent overall India weighted average cost of production each year since 201819 Similarly the MSP for Paddy common has increased from Rs 1345 per quintal in 201314 to Rs 2203 per quintal in 202324 The MSP for Wheat increased from Rs 1350 per quintal in 201314 to Rs 2125 per quintal in 202324 The figures also showed that since 201819 11532 LMT of pulses have been procured under the Price Support Scheme PSS having the MSP value of Rs 6303455 crore paid to 6311631 farmers Since 201819 5175 LMT of oilseeds have been procured under the PSS having the MSP value of Rs 2632841 crore benefitting 2355876 farmers Further during the Khairf 202324 season 22938292 MT of oilseeds pulses and copra have been procured till date from 137957 farmers having the MSP value of Rs 222855 crore Since 201819 a quantity of 4477 LMT was sanctioned for implementation of the Market Intervention Scheme MIS for procurement of perishable agricultural and horticultural commodities such as apple potato onion garlic mango and turmeric As many as 56797 lakh farmer applications have been insured under the scheme from 201617 till 202324 A total of Rs 155977 crore has been paid as the claim against the farmers premium of Rs 31139 crore the data showed Since 201819 Rs 281 lakh crores have been transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer DBT to more than 11 crores farmers through various instalments Since 201819 Rs 892993 crore has been paid out as fertilizer subsidy with a total sold quantity of 3725 LMT Institutional credit for the agriculture sector is increased from Rs 73 lakh crore in 201314 to Rs 2039 lakh crore in 202324 till 31012024 for 126851 lakh accounts The benefit of concessional institutional credit through Kisan Credit Card KCC at 4 per cent interest per annum has also now been extended to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers for meeting their shortterm working capital needs As of March 31 2023 there were 73470282 operative KCC accounts with an outstanding amount of Rs 885463 crore revealed the figures During the period from 201415 to December 2023 an amount of Rs 640555 crore has been allocated for agricultural mechanization As many as 1523650 units of machines and equipment have been provided to farmers on subsidy So far 7960 Farmer Producer Organisations FPOs have been registered under the scheme with an equity grant of Rs 1451 crore released to 3187 FPOs A new Central Sector Scheme was also launched in 2024 in which financial assistance at 80 per cent of the cost of drone and accessories charges up to a maximum of Rs 8 lakh will be provided to 15000 women Self Help Groups SHGs for purchase of drones Since the inception of the National Agriculture Market or eNAM 1389 mandis of 23 states and 4 Union Territories have been integrated with the platform and more than 177 crore farmers and 253 lakh traders have been registered Under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana RKVY Agristartup Programme since 201920 1524 startups have been selected and Rs 10625 crore has been released as grantsinaid for funding these startups Since the declaration of the International Year of Millets IYM 2023 by the UNGA in 2021 the government has taken a proactive multistakeholder engagement approach to achieve the aim of IYM 2023 and taking Indian millets globally The government has also promoted Pension Schemes for farmers and agricultural labourers Since 2014 the government has taken several initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana PMKMY and Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana PMSYM amongst others to ensure old age protection to the farmers and agricultural labourers of the countryOver 36 lakh farmers and agricultural labourers are registered in the PMKMY 23 lakh and PMSYM scheme 13 lakh the data revealed IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/govt-significantly-enhanced-financial-assistance-for-farm-sector-in-last-10-years-520540.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 07:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/goa-cm-st-leaders-meet-munda-over-political-reservation-520813.html Panaji Feb 16 Goas Scheduled Tribes delegation along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday called on Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda seeking political reservationJoao Fernandes President of Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes MPRST told IANS that they have met Munda and discussed the issueTomorrow we have sought an appointment with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and will try to meet him Fernandes saidAfter the ST community had carried out morcha in the capital city during the Budget session which concluded last week Sawant had assured the ST community to take the delegation to central leadership and discuss the issueGoa Legislative Assembly had unanimously adopted a private member resolution in July 2023 moved by ST leader MLA Ganesh Gaonkar recommending the government to make provision for political reservation in the Goa Legislative Assembly for the Scheduled Tribes of the StateIn the past the ST community took out rallies and tried to draw the attention of the government for political reservation According to them there are around 130 lakh ST voters in Goa and hence they should be given political reservationIn May 2023 the ST community members held a meeting at Lohia Maidan in Margao and resolved to boycott the Lok Sabha election in 2024 if their demand for political reservation was not conceded by the government IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/goa-cm-st-leaders-meet-munda-over-political-reservation-520813.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-school-jobs-case-ed-plans-to-question-partha-chatterjees-relatives-residing-abroad--520818.html Kolkata Feb 16 The Enforcement Directorate ED is considering to issue notices to at least to two close relatives of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee who are currently residing abroad for questioning in connection with the multicrore cashforschooljobs case in the stateChatterjee a prime accused in the case is in judicial custody since his arrest by the ED in July 2022 Sources said that one of the two relatives of Chatterjee whom the central agency is considering to send notice to is the former ministers sonin law Kalyan Bhattacharya The second person is Krishna Chandra Adhikari the maternal uncle of BhattacharyaSources said the central agency is planning to question Bhattacharya and Adhikari because of their alleged links as directors in some corporate entities whose names surfaced during the course of the investigation into the school jobs case Also the central agency wants to interrogate them about the properties that Chatterjee purchased in the name of his relatives especially BhattacharyaA few months back Bhattacharya who currently lives abroad with Chatterjees daughter Sohini Bhattacharya came to Kolkata and was questioned by the Income Tax Department about the properties purchased in his name Bhattacharya had then reportedly handed over some related documents to the Income Tax officersMeanwhile on Friday the ED conducted raid at the residence of a private promoter named Rajib Dey believed to be a confidant of Chatterjee The move came after the central agency got information about Deys realestate business in which the close the relatives of Chatterjee including his deceased wife and soninlaw served as directors IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bengal-school-jobs-case-ed-plans-to-question-partha-chatterjees-relatives-residing-abroad--520818.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 18:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/centres-deprivation-of-bengal-to-be-trinamools-key-campaign-plank-abhishek-banerjee-520855.html Kolkata Feb 16 Setting the tone for his partys aggressive drive to win the hearts of the voters in West Bengal ahead of the Lok Sabha polls Trinamool Congress national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee made it clear on Friday that pending Central dues to the state government will be the key campaign plank of the party in the runup to the electionsDuring a virtual meeting with all the Trinamool MPs and MLAs as well as the top leadership of the party Banerjee said that from February 18 to 25 the party will organise mass outreach camps in different parts of the state to make the people aware of how the Union government is allegedly depriving the common people of their legitimate dues because of political vendetta The camps will be organised from 10 am to 6 pmAccording to the leaders attending the meeting Banerjee insisted that often people do not have a clear idea about the formalities involved with the Central funds under the Centrallysponsored schemes such as the 100day job scheme under MGNREGAOften people are not aware whether it is the Union government or the state government which is supposed to bear the expenses of such Centrallysponsored schemes So Abhishek Banerjee has instructed us to organise mass outreach camps to update the common people about the true picture behind the payments under different schemes said a party leader who was present at the meetingHe said Banerjee also directed the party leadership to conduct mass meetings throughout the state on March 1 and March 2 with special focus on the 100day job scheme Zamindari Hatao Bangla Bachao will be the principal slogan of the Trinamool Congress for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls as reportedly directed by Banerjee IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/centres-deprivation-of-bengal-to-be-trinamools-key-campaign-plank-abhishek-banerjee-520855.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 20:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/shops-will-be-allowed-to-remain-open-till-1-am-in-bluru-siddaramaiah-520868.html Bengaluru Feb 16 Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that shops and other establishments will be allowed to open till 1 am in Bengaluru and 10 other corporation areas in order to further trade and commerce While presenting the budget on Friday Siddaramaiah said To develop Bengaluru into a worldclass city we have conceptualised Brand Bengaluru After assuming power our government has accorded approval for whitetopping works of major roads of 147 km length at a cost of Rs 1700 crore These works will be completed before December 2025 The state government has decided to resolve traffic congestion in the city by constructing underground tunnels On a pilot basis a tunnel will be constructed this year at Hebbal junction on the Bengaluru International Airport Road where there is high traffic congestion the CM said It is proposed to reposition the peripheral ring road as the Bengaluru Business Corridor to address traffic congestion and to promote large scale economic activities in Bengaluru Under this project RFP has been invited to construct 73 km of road at a cost of Rs 27000 crore in the PPP model It was proposed to start the project this year itself Siddaramaiah said Internationallyrenowned architects have been invited to prepare a novel design for constructing a 250 metrehigh Skydeck in Bengaluru It will become a landmark tourist destination in the city he said By March 2025 an additional 44 km of metro line will be added to the existing 74 km Outer ring roadairport road works under Metro Rail project Phase2 and Phase2A will be completed by June 2026 the CM stated It is a matter of pride that during this year the Metro rail service has become profitable operational profit for the first time in its history The state government has accorded administrative approval for works under Namma Metro Phase3 at an estimated cost of Rs 15611 crore Approval of the Central government is awaited he said After our government assumed power the Bengaluru suburban rail project which was moving at a snails pace has picked pace and civil works for corridor2 from Baiyappanahalli to Chikkabanavara are being implemented rapidly Work orders have been issued for construction of a 462 km long line from Heelalige to Rajanukunte under Corridor4 RFP has been invited for operation and management of Rolling stock and agreements are being signed with European Investment Bank and KFW bank of Germany for financial assistance During this year we will draw the attention of the Central government towards this ambitious project and we will urge them to provide additional grants The state government will release matching grants Siddaramaiah said In collaboration with the Japan government Area Traffic Signal Control System will be installed at 28 major junctions in Bengaluru city using stateoftheart technology thereby reducing vehicle density at traffic signals by 30 per cent and average delay by 13 per cent he stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/shops-will-be-allowed-to-remain-open-till-1-am-in-bluru-siddaramaiah-520868.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 21:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/rld-likely-to-get-two-ministerial-berths-in-yogi-ministry-520692.html Lucknow Feb 16 The Rashtriya Lok Dal RLD is likely to get two ministerial berths in the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar PradeshAccording to sources the talks regarding RLDs alliance with BJP include two ministerial berths in the UP governmentOf the two RLD MLAs who will be included in the Yogi cabinet one will be a cabinet minister and the other will be a minister of stateSources in RLD said that Ashraf Ali and Rajpal Balyan could be named as ministersThis is obviously to consolidate the JatMuslim equation in western UP and send out a message to MuslimsAli is MLA from Thana Bhavan while Baliyan is MLA from BudhanaIf RLD gets Rajya Sabha seat then Shahid Siddiqui can be sent to Rajya Sabha said a senior party leaderTwo days ago on Wednesday RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary had called all the nine party MLAs to Delhi where he discussed with them the necessity for an alliance with BJPHe assured the MLAs that their interests would be protected under the alliance and when they authorised him to take the decision he asked all the MLAs to vote in favour of NDA in the Rajya Sabha elections and also start preparing for the Lok Sabha electionsHe also asked all the MLAs to maintain constant contact with Muslim voters and participate in their joys and sorrows so that Muslims remain connected with RLDSources said that the BJP has given Baghpat and Bijnor Lok Sabha seats to RLD which wants one more seatOur president Jayant Chaudhary will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon and may seek an additional seat said party functionary IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/rld-likely-to-get-two-ministerial-berths-in-yogi-ministry-520692.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-leader-malviya-slams-cong-in-delhi-as-rumours-of-mla-joining-bjp-today-fly-520696.html Jaipur Feb 16 Even as rumours of Congress MLA Mahendrajeet Singh Malviya joining the BJP flew thick and fast in Rajasthan the veteran leader reached New Delhi on Friday where for the first time he slammed the grand old party in front of the mediaEven though the BJP and the Congress leaders office remained tightlipped about the possibility of him joining the BJP sources close to Malviya said that he has decided to leave the partyIn Delhi Malviya tried to corner the Congress high command without taking names He said You all are seeing the situation in the Congress The vision that propelled the party earlier is no longer there I was not made a minister for three years My name was and still is in the CWC The Congress is limited now to being surrounded by a few peopleMalviya currently represents the Bagidora Assembly seat in Banswara DistrictParty sources said that Malviya was miffed over not being made the Leader of OppositionHe was also not happy with the fact that the Congress high command did not meet him while he had camped in Delhi for several days to present his case Even though senior leader KC Venugopal met him it was a brief meeting that lasted for barely twothree minutesAlso the fact that no one from the tribal area was sent to the Rajya Sabha left Malviya disappointed as he has a huge following in the beltAll these factors and the fact that no serious effort was made by the Congress party to pacify Malviya had resulted in disillusionment for the senior leaderOn the other hand he came in contact with the think tank of the BJP especially some prominent tribal leaders of the saffron party in Gujarat which resulted in him deciding to leave the Congress camp IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/raj-leader-malviya-slams-cong-in-delhi-as-rumours-of-mla-joining-bjp-today-fly-520696.html Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/cattle-smuggling-case-ed-summons-actor-turned-trinamool-mp-dev-to-delhi-for-questioning-520470.html Kolkata Feb 15 The Enforcement Directorate ED on Thursday summoned actorturnedpolitician and Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha MP Dipak Adhikari alias Dev to the central agencys headquarters in Delhi on February 21 for questioning in connection with a case related to money laundering an ED official saidSources said the Trinamool MP has been summoned for questioning in connection with the multicrore cattle smuggling case in West BengalIf Dev appears before the ED office it will be the second time that the popular actor will be questioned by a central agency In February 2022 he was questioned for five hours by the officers of the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI which is conducting a parallel probe into the cattle smuggling caseIt was said that Dev was questioned for allegedly having links with Enamul Haque a key accused in the cattle smuggling caseMeanwhile Trinamool spokesman Kunal Ghosh claimed that the notice to Dev is a reflection of the political vendetta of the Union governmentDev recently said that he will not surrender before the BJP under any circumstances That is why he is being harassed with a fresh ED notice He has become a victim of vendetta politics Ghosh saidIn 2023 another actorturnedpolitician and BJP legislator Hiranmoy Chatterjee aka Hiran had accused Dev of accepting an amount of Rs 5 crore from Enamul Haque a charge that the Trinamool MP had denied IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/cattle-smuggling-case-ed-summons-actor-turned-trinamool-mp-dev-to-delhi-for-questioning-520470.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/rs-polls-accompanied-by-party-big-wigs-2-bjp-candidates-file-nomination-in-raj-520478.html Jaipur February 15 BJP candidates for Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan Madan Rathore and Chunnilal Garasia filed their nominations on Thursday for the biennial polls scheduled on February 27Both Rathore and Garasia submitted two sets of nomination papers each to returning officer Mahaveer Prasad SharmaWhile Garasiya was accompanied by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma BJP MP CP Joshi former CM Vasundhara Raje and exminister Rajendra Rathore Madan Rathore was accompanied by the Chief Minister Deputy Chief Ministers Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa and Vasundhara RajeThursday was the last day for filing nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections for three seats in the stateFormer Congress President Sonia Gandhi had filed her nomination from Rajasthan on WednesdaySo far only three candidates have filed their nomination after the BJP on Monday declared Garasiya and Madan Rathore as its candidates from Rajasthan for the Upper HouseRathore is an exMLA who became a member of the Legislative Assembly for the first time in 2003 before being elected again in 2013 From 2013 to 2018 he was the deputy chief whip in the Vasundhara Rajeled BJP governmentGarasiya is a former state minister and has held many positions in the party He is currently the vicepresident of the partys state unitAfter filing his nomination Madan Rathore said that when he didnt get a ticket for last years Assembly polls he was told that he would get new opportunitiesI will try to work in the interest of Rajasthan he saidGarasia said that he was preparing for the Lok Sabha elections from Udaipur but the party had something else in mind for himThe tenures of the present Rajya Sabha members from Rajasthan Manmohan Singh Congress and Bhupendra Yadav BJP will end on April 3 Election will also be held for a vacant seat as BJPs Rajya Sabha member Kirodi Lal Meena had resigned in December after being elected as an MLAThere are 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Rajasthan At present six are from the Congress while three are from the BJP IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/rs-polls-accompanied-by-party-big-wigs-2-bjp-candidates-file-nomination-in-raj-520478.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/who-is-nand-kishore-yadav-bihar-assemblys-new-speaker-in-nitish-govt-520255.html Patna Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Dy CMs Samrat Choudhry and Vijay Kumar Sinha greet newly elected Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav in his chamber in Patna Thursday Feb 15 2024 PTI Patna Feb 15 Nand Kishore Yadav the BJP MLA from Patna Sahib was elected as the new Speaker of Bihar Assembly on Thursday Yadav was the one who on January 28 brought the noconfidence motion against Awadh Bihari Choudhary the then Speaker of the Bihar Assembly soon after the NDA government came into power in the state Choudhary was defeated after 125 votes were cast against him while he got only 112 votes Nand Kishore Yadav filed the nomination for the post of Speaker on February 13 He was associated with the Jan Sangh in 1969 as a Swayamsewak and was an active member of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in 1971 Yadav served a jail term of 15 months during the JP movement from 1974 to 1976 He was elected as a municipal councilor of Patna in 1978 became deputy mayor in 1982 and mayor of Patna in 1983 He was elected as an MLA for the first time in 1995 on a BJP ticket and has been registering wins since then from Patna Sahib Assembly seat He also held various posts including BJP state president road construction minister and tourism minister in earlier Nitish Kumar governments IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/who-is-nand-kishore-yadav-bihar-assemblys-new-speaker-in-nitish-govt-520255.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 16:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-success-of-gaon-chalo-bjp-to-launch-beneficiary-contact-campaign-in-rajasthan-520305.html Jaipur Feb 14 After the Gaon Chalo campaign the BJP will now launch a beneficiary contact campaign in RajasthanThose who have been benefited by the Centres various welfare schemes will be contacted and their problems while availing the benefits will be noted said BJP state president CP JoshiAddressing a press conference here on Wednesday he said Just last week a Gaon Chalo campaign was launched by the BJP in which the problems of the villagers were heard and a dialogue was also held with the beneficiaries of PM Modis public welfare schemesJoshi informed the media that in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections three organisational marathon meetings were held under the leadership of BJP National General Secretary Sunil Bansal on WednesdayThe action plan of the programmes to be organised in the Lok Sabha constituencies in the coming days was discussed in detail in these meetingsA discussion on Beneficiary Contact Campaign was held and an outline of this campaign was chalked out This campaign would run from February 25 to March 5 he saidA meeting of the coordinators and coconvenors of Atal Samvad Kendra was held under the IT wing of the party National General Secretary Sunil Bansal explained in detail to the state group about the upcoming action plans and implementation IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/after-success-of-gaon-chalo-bjp-to-launch-beneficiary-contact-campaign-in-rajasthan-520305.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/tata-group-assam-govt-to-build-rs-25-000cr-semiconductor-packaging-plant-mos-it-520362.html New DelhiGuwahati Feb 15 Assam will soon have its firstever semiconductor packaging plant worth nearly Rs 25000 crore built jointly by the state government and Tata Group Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Thursday Addressing the firstever Digital India Future Skills Summit in Guwahati the minister said that youth from the state will now have jobs in the semiconductor industry at their doorstep It is because of the leadership of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that a semiconductor packaging plant will be established in partnership with the Assam government and Tata Group said Chandrasekhar We will soon obtain all approvals and submit it to the cabinet for final approval Young Indians aspiring to enter the world of semiconductors wont have to leave their state or travel to other cities anymore he added The minister emphasised how Indias economy has undergone significant progress over the past decade from being Fragile 5 to now ranked as the worlds Top 5 economy The significant milestone under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unleashed many opportunities for young Indians particularly in emerging technology sectors where the country is on the same starting line as the rest of the world Through Future Skills we want to convey to young Indians that in the coming years due to the policies of PM Modi numerous opportunities will open up for them Students need to empower and equip themselves with skills in areas such as AI cybersecurity and semiconductors he emphasised The worlds biggest companies in these fields including Nvidia Intel AMD HCL Wipro and IBM are present in GuwahatiThe objective of this summit is to motivate young Indians to fully immerse themselves in the world of skills the minister added PM Modi has created a threepronged strategy to shape the future of tech futureDESIGN for design innovation futureLABS for innovation around systems and futureSKILLS for preparing young Indians with capabilities in emerging sectors The summit facilitated more than 30 strategic collaborations between National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology NIELIT and leading industry players and academia such as Intel HCL Wipro Microsoft Kyndryl IIM Raipur and IIITM Gwalior among others IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/tata-group-assam-govt-to-build-rs-25-000cr-semiconductor-packaging-plant-mos-it-520362.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/varanasi-court-to-hear-plea-against-puja-in-gyanvapi-mosque-on-feb-28-520367.html Varanasi UP Feb 15 A Varanasi court on Thursday fixed February 28 as the date for hearing the Gyanvapi masjid committees plea against puja in a cellar of the mosque the Hindu sides counsel said The Varanasi district court had on January 31 ruled that a priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosqueThe mosque committee moved the court challenging the verdictAdvocate MM Yadav said Additional District Judge I Anil Kumar has fixed February 28 for the hearingThe mosque committee has also moved a petition in the Allahabad High Court against the district courts verdict IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/varanasi-court-to-hear-plea-against-puja-in-gyanvapi-mosque-on-feb-28-520367.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 17:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/arrest-accused-or-suspend-cop-ktaka-speaker-on-threat-to-bjp-mla-520001.html Bengaluru Feb 14 Karnataka Speaker UT Khader on Wednesday asked the state government to get the accused who gave life threat to the BJP MLA in Bengaluru arrested by evening or suspend the concerned police inspectorAddressing the Congress government in the Assembly Khader said The House must take the issue seriously Two to three members of the Assembly have been threatened and this shows he is given courage Why has he not been arrested yet He should be arrested immediately by the eveningOtherwise the police inspector should be suspended The government should send out a strong message in this regardMahalakshmi Layout BJP MLA K Gopalaiah raised the issue of former corporator and Congress leader Padmaraj giving him life threat At 1105 pm I got a call and the accused demanded money from me When I refused he abused me in vulgar language He threatened that he would get my house looted and get my family executed He runs clubs and has no fear he saidMLA Gopalaiah further said that senior BJP leader S Sureshkumar was also threatened by the accused He should be deported from the city I need protection from the government Anytime he can send his men to harm me and this might result in tragedy he saidThe police are waiting like dogs in front of his house for 10 to 12 hours He is not coming out though he is very much at home he statedBJP MLA and General Secretary V Sunil Kumar said that there should not be politics in this case and the MLAs should get protectionSuresh Kumar BJP MLA and senior leader said Myself and LoP R Ashoka have suffered at the hands of the same person Though no clubs are allowed to run in the entire Bengaluru he runs clubs in his buildings Though he is in the house why has he not been arrested yet The Speaker should give direction for his immediate arrestFormer Home Minister Araga Jnanendra said that during the BJP rule all clubs and casinos were shut down and local officers were held responsible if the clubs were run LoP Ashoka MLAs Suresh Kumar and Gopalaiah are the victims If an MLA is expressing his helplessness in the House what is the situation of the common people he saidLoP Ashoka said MLA Gopaliahs total family is in politics His wife was a deputy mayor Even hours after the life threat the arrest has not been made The accuseds residence is located within half a km from the police station The accused is given royal treatment We are threatened The government should take action which should set a precedentMinister for Social Welfare Dr HC Mahadevappa said The accused was with BJP MLA Gopalaiah earlier I dont know presently he is with which party There is no prejudice as far as law is concerned The government will initiate ruthless action on him for undermining the dignity of a legislator and threatening himGopalaiah demanded that the government should shut down all clubs operating in BengaluruKarnataka Police filed an FIR against the Congress leader on Wednesday for allegedly threatening Gopalaiah BJP MLA from the Mahalakshmi Layout Constituency in BengaluruThe Kamakshipalya police in Bengaluru have registered a case and initiated an investigation against Padmaraju a Congress leader and former corporator in BengaluruMLA Gopalaiah has stated that he will also file a complaint with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara demanding the externment of the accused Padmaraju had left the BJP and joined the Congress in April last year IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/arrest-accused-or-suspend-cop-ktaka-speaker-on-threat-to-bjp-mla-520001.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/basirhat-tense-as-west-bengal-bjp-president-falls-sick-after-scuffle-with-police-520008.html Kolkata Feb 14 There was tension in Taki in Basirhat subdivision on Wednesday afternoon after the BJPs state President Dr Sukanta Majumdar became unconscious after getting caught in the midst of a scuffle between BJP supporters and the police His bodyguards rushed him to the nearby Basirhat State General Hospital where he is undergoing treatment and is on oxygen supportLocal BJP leaders said that Majumdar was not in his senses for quite some time and the state BJP leadership is considering shifting him to a hospital in Kolkata after his condition stabilizes slightlyBJP leaders said that on Wednesday morning Majumdar offered prayers on the banks of the River Ichamati in Taki on the occasion of Saraswati PujaAfter offering prayers he returned to his hotel and then started towards Sandeshkhali area in the same district However a huge police contingent stopped us on the way and said that we would not be able to go to Sandeshkhali since Section 144 has been imposed in certain pockets there said one of Majumdars associatesMajumdar entered into a heated exchange of words with officials leading the contingent Thereafter a scuffle between the BJP workers and the policemen broke out and Majumdar got stuck in the midst of the scuffle and fainted He was not in his senses for quite some timeHe had not slept as he was on a nightlong demonstration in front of the office of the Police Superintendent of Basirhat Police District in protest against the BJP supporters arrest on Tuesday while conducting at agitation programme there one of Majumdars associates said IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/basirhat-tense-as-west-bengal-bjp-president-falls-sick-after-scuffle-with-police-520008.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/farmers-to-block-rail-traffic-in-punjab-on-thursday-520084.html Chandigarh Feb 14 In protest against firing of tear gas shells on agitating farmers on PunjabHaryana border by the police the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ugrahan will block rail traffic in Punjab on Thursday from 12 noon to 4 pm The rail roko will take place at 10 locations initially and more locations may be added union leaders saidThey said they would block road and rail traffic against the dictatorial attitude of the Haryana governmentThis protest is against the repression by the Haryana government against the farmers of a few unions who had to go to Delhi as part of their Dilli Chalo protest call BKU Ugrahan general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan told the media IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/farmers-to-block-rail-traffic-in-punjab-on-thursday-520084.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/punjab-objects-to-dropping-of-tear-gas-shells-by-haryana-520089.html Chandigarh Feb 14 The Punjab government on Wednesday objected to dropping tear gas shells via drones in its territory by Haryana Police to prevent protesting farmers to enter the stateIn a missive Patiala Deputy Commissioner Showkat Ahmed raised an objection with his Ambala counterpart Shaleen to refrain from entering the states territoryAhmed asked the civil administration to refrain from such acts and restrict them within their Haryana territoryResponding to the letter Haryana Home Minister Anil Vij said I am surprised that the Punjab government has released a notice asking us not to send drones to our border This means that they want the farmers to create terror in DelhiHe said that farmers want to go to Delhi and have a conversation with representatives of the government but when they came to Chandigarh the farmer leaders refused to talk to themVij said when farmers started moving from Amritsar the Punjab government did not even try to stop them This clearly means that they want the farmers to create terror in Delhi Stone pelting is going on and one of our DSP and 25 other police officers have been injuredHuge security buildup continued on interstate borders between Punjab and Haryana on the second day on Wednesday as assembled protesting farmers are adamant on heading to the national capital to lodge their protest over unfulfilled demands including legal guarantee of minimum support prices MSP of cropsPolice used tear gas on demonstrators in a bid to stop farmers protests from reaching the capital Scores of policemen and farmers got injured in stone pelting that ensued between themThe farmers representing over 200 farmer unions also want waiver of farm loans and criminal cases against those protesting farm laws dropped IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/punjab-objects-to-dropping-of-tear-gas-shells-by-haryana-520089.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/trouble-brews-in-samajwadi-paradise-in-up-519859.html Lucknow Feb 14 There is trouble in Samajwadi paradise in Uttar Pradesh A day after Swami Prasad Maurya quit his party post and accused the SP of being discriminatory the Apna Dal Kamerwadi has now expressed its opposition to the SPs selection of candidates for the Rajya SabhaApna Dal leader and Sirathu MLA Pallavi Patel said she will oppose SPs Rajya Sabha nomineesPatel had won the Assembly election in 2022 on a Samajwadi Party ticket defeating deputy Chief Minister Keshav MauryaPallavi questioned the absence of PDA Pichhda Dalit and alpsankhyak among the Samajwadi Partys Rajya Sabha nomineesWhere is PDA in Bachchan and Ranjan she said in an obvious reference to the candidature of Jaya Bachchan and retired IAS Alok Ranjan to the Upper HousePallavi categorically said that she being an MLA will oppose the SPs nominees and abstain from voting if it takes placeHowever when asked if this will be the end of Apna DalK alliance with the SP Pallavi said her decision is not about the alliance with SPThe decision on alliance will be taken by Apna DalK president Krishna Patel now known as Rajmata she saidAsked whether her decision meant drifting towards the BJPled NDA of which her estranged sister Anupriya Patel is a part Pallavi said she was against the policies of the BJPSources in Apna Dal said the party was upset because they had expected Akhilesh Yadav to nominate Krishna Patel as a candidate for the Rajya SabhaKrishna Patel sources said had played a key role in stitching up an OBC alliance for SP in 2022 but could not win elections for herselfShe rightly deserves being in the Rajya Sabha because she represents the Kurmi community which is second to Yadavs on the OBC platform said an Apna DalK leaderIf voting is held for the Rajya Sabha biennial polls in Uttar Pradesh and Patel decides to abstain SP would be left with 107 MLAs two short of 109 votes required to see all three candidates throughHowever the SP is confident that with the support of two Congress MLAs and four RLD MLAs who were SP members contesting on RLD tickets its three candidates will sail to victoryMeanwhile SP MLC Swami Prasad Maurya who resigned as partys national general secretary on Tuesday is also said to be upset with the choice of RS candidatesThough he did not mention this in his lengthy resignation letter sources close to him said that his view was not accepted by the SP president in selection of candidates IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/trouble-brews-in-samajwadi-paradise-in-up-519859.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 08:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/setback-for-assam-cong-working-president-3-time-mla-kamalakhya-dey-purkayastha-to-join-bjp-519886.html Guwahati Feb14 Congress has been dealt a big blow in Assam before the Lok Sabha polls as the working president of the party and threetime MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha has decided to join hands with BJPPurkayastha started his political journey with NSUI the student wing of the Congress party Later he joined the Youth Congress and eventually became an MLA from Karimganj district in 2011Amidst a saffron storm in the state in 2016 Purkayastha was able to win his North Karimganj assembly constituency for the second time He won the same seat again in 2021 and became the working president of Congress in AssamApart from that Purkayastha is a vocal leader and he has been often seen fiercely attacking the BJP and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on numerous issuesAfter a series of meetings with the Chief Minister recently Purkayastha was offered to join hands with the BJP and according to sources he has accepted thatThe Congress MLA told IANS Yes I have got an offer from the Chief Minister and I accepted his proposalMeanwhile it is not clear whether Purkayastha will directly join the saffron camp or will support the BJPled government inside and outside the assemblyAccording to sources Sarma has advised Purkayastha to announce his support for the BJP without resigning from the Congress so that he does not lose the MLA post as of nowAnother MLA Shashikanta Das who won from Raha constituency on Congress ticket earlier supported the BJP in the same way The Congress suspended Das from the party however he could continue functioning as an MLA without any bielectionIn southern Assams Barak valley region Purkayastha was the most prominent face of the Congress Following his departure the grand old party will face a major setback in that region just before the Lok Sabha polls IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/setback-for-assam-cong-working-president-3-time-mla-kamalakhya-dey-purkayastha-to-join-bjp-519886.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 10:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjds-to-support-ashwini-vaishnaw-for-rs-seat-520156.html Bhubaneswar Feb 14 The ruling Biju Janata Dals unconditional support to the candidature of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for Rajya Sabha elections has again brought to the fore the strange and unique relationship between the ruling BJD and the main opposition BJP The BJDs decision to support Vaishnaw came up just a couple of minutes after the BJP nominated him for the Rajya Sabha seat from Odisha on WednesdayVaishnaw a former IAS officer of Odisha cadre was also elected to the upper house of parliament for the first time in June 2019 with the support of BJDAs per the political analysts Vaishnaw plays a major role as a bridge between both BJP and BJD due to his camaraderie with the leaders of both the parties at center and stateBoth the parties have also benefited much by sticking to the principle of cooperative federalism BJD which claims of maintaining equidistant from both BJP and Congress has often helped the saffron party in the parliament for the smooth passage of many controversial bills Similarly the Patnaikled government manages to fetch a larger allocation of funds for Odisha ensuring a significant economic growth for the state during the last decadeConspicuously the BJD government by offering unwavering support to the BJP at center successfully gets rid of the central probe agencies like Enforcement Directorate Central Bureau of Investigation etc even though several allegations of corruption were raised against the state BJD government such as the mining scam chit fund scamThough the BJP leaders in the state as well as other senior leaders during their visits to Odisha attack the Naveen Patnaikled government over corruption law and order issues yet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Saha have always refrained from targeting PatnaikMoreover PM Modi during his recent visit to the state addressed Chief Minister Patnaik as my mitra friend Shriman Naveen Patnaik ji during a programme at IIMSambalpur on February 3 The Chief Minister Patnaik too responded by praising PM Modi for the significant economic progress of the country under his regimeMany experts claimed that the common BJP party workers at the ground in the state got demoralised with the support of party Rajya Sabha candidate Vaishnaw and PM Modis silence on Naveenled governments policies ahead of the general elections 2024 The experts said the state will witness a friendly fight between BJD and BJP in the coming electionsWhile the elections are round the corner and BJP is considered as the prime opposition party in the state it is interesting to watch how people are reacting to the relationship between both the parties The BJD and BJP will have a friendly fight during the elections in 2024 said veteran journalist Rabi DasThis bonhomie has also fueled the speculations about a possible alliance between both the parties Analysts asserted that BJD and BJP may strike a postpoll alliance if the former registers a dismal performance in the upcoming general elections to the state assembly This apart the opposition Congress which is trying to get back its foothold in the state will apparently use this as an opportunity to pose itself as the real alternative of ruling BJD in the coming elections The local Congress leaders have even arranged a sarcastic marriage between BJP and BJD symbolising the tacit relationship between both the parties in the state a few months backThe Congress Odisha incharge Ajoy Kumar on Wednesday targeted both the parties following BJDs announcement of support to Vaishnaws candidatureNow the Odias understand why CBI ED never conducted a raid on the Chief Minister and his close aide Mr Pandian even though the state witnessed Massive Scams posted Kumar on his X account IANS https://dailyworld.in/focus/bjds-to-support-ashwini-vaishnaw-for-rs-seat-520156.html Wed, 14 Feb 2024 22:32:00 +0530