LIVE: Delhi's law and order situation in 'serious turmoil', says Kejriwal

11:43 PM

Chidambaram slams govt over its stand on farmers' protest

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday attacked the government over the ongoing farmers' protest, saying the reward to the farm sector for growing at 3.9 per cent in a recession year is to treat the protesting farmers as if they are enemies of the state, PTI said.

11:16 PM

Bureaucrats may misuse vast powers of new social media rules: Congress

The Congress Saturday alleged the government has brought "non-statutory" guidelines without Parliament's assent to control social media platforms, saying vast powers have been given to bureaucrats which could be misused, according to PTI.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi did say social media cannot be left unregulated, but added no attempt should be made to control it through non-statutory rules and executive orders.

10:26 PM

SC not to use WhatsApp groups to share video conference links for hearings

The Supreme Court will no longer use WhatsApp groups to share video conference links for court hearings, the apex court registry said on Saturday, accordint to a PTI report.

In a circular, the registry said that instead of WhatsApp, the links for virtual court hearings in the apex court will be shared on registered email ids and registered mobile numbers of the concerned advocates-on-record and party-in-person.

10:14 PM

Actively pursuing Airbus to begin manufacturing aeroplanes in India: Goyal

Union minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday said he is "actively pursuing" Airbus to begin manufacturing aeroplanes in India, according to PTI.

 

Addressing the CEOs session at the country's first Toy Fair 2021, the Commerce and Industry Minister said: "We are looking at world domination in the toy sector and anything short of that would be a terrible disappointment".

9:56 PM

RJD to contest Assembly polls in Assam, looking at forming alliance with other parties: Tejaswi

Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader Tejaswi Yadav on Saturday said that his party will contest upcoming Assembly elections in Assam and are in talks with other parties for an alliance, according to ANI.

 

"Earlier, our party used to be a national party and now we want to expand as a political party. Without contesting elections, we can't achieve that. Assam is the gateway to the northeast. We've decided to contest Assembly polls in Assam," Tejaswi said while addressing a press conference in Guwahati.

8:53 PM

465 electric four-wheelers registered since the launch of Delhi's EV policy last year: Gahlot

A total of 465 electric four-wheelers have been registered since the notification of Delhi's electric vehicle (EV) policy last year, Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot said on Saturday.

He said incentives of up to Rs 3 lakh are provided under Delhi's EV policy, which includes 1.5 lakh subsidy, registration, and road tax exemption.

Since the launch of the policy, 465 new electric four-wheelers have been registered, Gahlot said.

"This is the highest subsidy in India and makes the total cost of ownership of an electric car in Delhi the same as a diesel car. Subsidies provided on electric cars under the EV policy reduce the total cost of electric cars by up to 30 per cent," the minister said.

7:50 PM

Delhi's law and order situation in 'serious turmoil': Delhi CM Kejriwal

7:49 PM

Delhi's law and order situation in 'serious turmoil': Kejriwal

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said Delhi's law and order situation is in "serious turmoil" citing the recent murder of an eight-year-old girl and stabbing of a teenaged boy, and requested the Union home minister under whom the city police function for appropriate action.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia met the family of the deceased girl in Khichripur. He assured the family the case would be tried in a fast-track court and that best lawyers would be engaged to ensure death penalty to the guilty.

7:09 PM

BJP begins selection process for candidates in poll-bound states, UT

Ahead of Assembly elections in four poll-bound states and a Union Territory beginning from March end, the BJP has kick-started its process to identify and select potential candidates.

 

All the party units in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry have started directing their district level groups to prepare a list of potential candidates for the polls.

 

The party has asked observers in these states and the UT to find out and prepare a list of candidates from grassroots workers to office-bearers who have reach in the public, based on demography of the concerned constituency and its voter composition.

6:41 PM

West Bengal Assembly elections: Polling stations in Darjeeling increased in view of Covid-19

District Election Officer of Darjeeling and District Magistrate Shashank Sethi has increased the polling stations in five Assembly constituencies in the district for the upcoming polls in the view of ongoing pandemic.

In the last polls, there were 1,413 polling stations and now it has been increased to 1,719. There are 12,22,190 voters in the district.

Darjeeling will go for the polling in the fifth phase on April 17. Two companies of the central armed police forces will be arriving in the district, officials said.

6:25 PM

Single-phase poll in Bengal if BJP voted to power: Dilip Ghosh

Slamming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for raising questions over eight-phase assembly elections, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh Saturday said it was required because of the "political violence unleashed by the ruling TMC", and asserted that his party will ensure single-phase poll if voted to power.

He also vowed to make the state free from violence and terror if the BJP comes to power.

"The eight-phase poll in the state is to ensure a free and fair election. Political violence unleashed by the TMC is rampant in the state," Ghosh said during a 'chai pe charcha' (discussion over tea) session.

The BJP MP said it will be a matter of pride if the polls are conducted in a single-phase.

5:35 PM

Our party used to be a national party, now we want to expand it. Talks on: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

4:56 PM

Comments against judges a disturbing new trend: Ravi Shankar Prasad

"We can surely criticise the reasoning of a judgement. But, I foresee a new trend which I need to flag today", Prasad said referring to "grossly unfair" comments on social media against judges by those who file PILs and feel aggrieved when the judgement is not favourable.

4:22 PM

Ind-Ra upgrades FY21 credit growth estimates to 6.9%

India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has upgraded its FY21 credit growth estimates to 6.9 per cent from 1.8 per cent, given the improved economic environment in 2H FY21 and the government's focus on higher -- spending especially on infrastructure.

Amid the pandemic, the credit offtake in banking system remained muted, which led to lesser issuances of certificates of deposits (CDs). The CD issuances for January 2021 increased for public sector banks but remained muted for private banks. Concurrently, the CD yield across maturities was confined to a narrow range amid subdued issuances.

The issuances of commercial paper (CP) by corporates fell due to a lesser requirement amid fewer rollovers. The CP yields, however, saw an upward revision due to the Reserve Bank of India's announcement of the restoration of liquidity management operations.

3:42 PM

Left-Congress-ISF alliance to kick off Bengal campaign with mega Kolkata rally

The Left-Congress-ISF alliance will kick-off its campaign for the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal with a mega rally at the Brigade Parade Grounds in Kolkata on Sunday.

The CPI(M)-led Left Front and the Congress have already sealed a seat-sharing agreement, while the talks between the Left and Pirzada Abbas Siddiqui's ISF have also concluded with both agreeing on 30 seats for the newly- floated outfit.

The negotiations between Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF) are at present underway, and both sides are hopeful that the differences over a few seats would be resolved, sources said.

2:58 PM

TN assembly polls: AIADMK-BJP begin seat sharing talks

The ruling AIADMK and BJP commenced the talks for sharing seats for the April 6 assembly election in the state.

Both the parties are likely to arrive at a consensus soon.

A delegation from the BJP which included Union Ministers Kishan Reddy, Gen V K Singh, BJP national general secretary in-charge of Tamil Nadu C T Ravi, state party chief L Murugan, held discussions with Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami and AIADMK coordinator and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam, on Saturday.

BJP state organising general secretary Kesava Vinayagan was also present during the talks.

1:32 PM

I am in full support of women reservation in the Judiciary as well as Parliament: Rahul Gandhi

I am in full support of women reservation in the Judiciary as well as Parliament. In every space, Indian men need to view the Indian women with the same lens they view themselves: Congress' Rahul Gandhi at VOC College in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu

12:36 PM

Maharashtra: Actor Hrithik Roshan at the office of Mumbai Police Commissioner

12:33 PM

Uttarakhand floods: Water being pumped out of Tapovan tunnel in Chamoli

12:20 PM

India to send second batch of medicines to Palestine as Covid-19 assistance: India at UN

Noting the fact that pandemic's impact on the people of Gaza has been particularly severe due to fragile healthcare infrastructure, India on Saturday assured Palestine of providing the second batch of medicines and also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to Palestine as Covid-19 assistance, said Nagaraj Naidu, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of India's Mission at UNSC on Saturday.

 

"We are in the process of sending the second batch of medicines as a grant to the Palestinian people in the coming weeks. We will also facilitate an early supply of vaccines to Palestine," he said at the UN.

12:19 PM

Will reimburse pending Rs 4,832 cr food subsidies: Govt to Chhattisgarh CM

Union Minister Piyush Goyal has assured Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of reimbursing pending food subsidies worth Rs 4,832 crores

 

Baghel on Friday met Union Food and Public Distribution Minister and reiterated his demand of increasing the permitted amount of 24 lakh metric tonnes of rice to be procured under the central pool in FCI to 40 lakh metric tonnes in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21.

 

He also requested the Union minister to reimburse pending food subsidies for the year 2019-20 and 2020-21 of Rs 5214.97 crore. Read on...

11:51 AM

Can we make an effort to make minimal use of plastic in toys?: PM Modi at the India Toy Fair 2021

I would like to appeal to the toy manufacturers of the country to build such toys that are better both for ecology and psychology. Can we make an effort to make minimal use of plastic in toys and use such material that can be recycled?: PM Narendra Modi at the India Toy Fair 2021

11:40 AM

Delhi's air quality improves to 'poor' category, AQI drops to 211

The air quality of the national capital has improved to the 'poor' category with the Air Quality Index (AQI) dropping to 211 on the morning on Saturday, said Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

 

The concentrations of PM 2.5 and PM 10 stood at 201 in the 'moderate' category and 94 in the 'poor' category respectively.

 

SAFAR in its bulletin said that an increase in temperature and boundary layer height has helped in pushing the national capital's overall air quality from the 'very poor' to 'poor' category. Read on...

11:22 AM

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates The India Toy Fair 2021

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates The India Toy Fair 2021.

9:59 AM

Republican leaders call for US boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

Accusing China of "horrific" human rights abuses, some top Republican leaders, including Indian American Nikki Haley, have demanded that the US boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and called on the International Olympic Committee to select a new site for the event.

 

The White House, however, said that no decision has been taken yet on the demands of the leaders. Read on...

9:57 AM

US senators introduce legislation to end China's access to multiple year visa

A legislation has been introduced by a group of influential Republican senators to end China's access to 10-year multi-entry visas until it is certified that Beijing has ceased its campaign of economic and industrial espionage against the US.

 

The legislation, Visa Security Act, was introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Tom Cotton, Rick Scott, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio on Friday.

 

It would prohibit Chinese nationals from receiving 10-year B-1/B-2 visas until the Secretary of State certifies that China has ceased its campaign of economic and industrial espionage against the United States and ended its provocative and coercive behaviour towards Taiwan.

 

The B-1/B-2 visas are issued to those who come to the US for business, visit or tourism purposes.

9:56 AM

Fresh snowfall on J&K mountains

Rains in plains and snowfall in higher reaches of J&K occurred on Saturday as the meteorological (MET) department forecast same weather conditions during the next 24 hours till Sunday.

 

"Intermittent light to moderate rain in plains and snow over higher reaches of J&K most likely to continue today. Significant decrease in rain/snow likely from tomorrow onwards.

 

"Hilly areas may receive snowfall up to one foot," a statement issued Aby the MET office said.

9:55 AM

Gujarat earthquake: Tremor of 3.1 magnitude recorded in Surat

A 3.1 magnitude tremor was recorded in Gujarat's Surat early on Saturday, the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said.

 

The tremor was recorded at 4.35 am with its epicentre located 29 km north-north east of Surat in south Gujarat, the Gandhinagar-based institute said.

 

No casualty or damage to property was reported due to it, the district administration said.

9:43 AM

Delhi: Fire breaks out at a factory in Pratap Nagar area

Delhi: Fire breaks out at a factory in Pratap Nagar area. Fire tenders present at the spot. More details awaited.

9:35 AM

US President Biden surveys Texas weather damage, encourages virus shots

President Joe Biden heard firsthand from Texans clobbered by this month's brutal winter weather on Friday and pledged to stick with them for the long haul as he made his first trip to a major disaster area since he took office.

 

Biden was briefed by emergency officials and thanked workers for doing God's work. He promised the federal government will be there for Texans as they try to recover, not just from the historic storm but also the public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Read on...