LIVE: Over 8.6 mn new job cards under NREGS scheme issued in FY21 so far

While addressing plea "Bindas bol" programme, SC asked whether media can be allowed to "target whole set of communities". Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

2:24 AM

Equities sink on virus angst, Fed aftermath

Global equity markets slid on Friday as investors sought direction after this week's US Federal Reserve meeting and a jump in coronavirus cases in Europe rattled sentiment, while gold rose and safe-haven buying lifted the Japanese yen.

 

The dollar posted its fifth straight day of declines against the yen as Japan's monetary policy of yield curve control pushes up real interest rates.

 

US technology-related stocks reversed early gains on Wall Street to extend their losses to a third day, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted a third straight week of declines.

 

The big tech names that have fueled the US rally from a pandemic-induced slump in March - Apple Inc , Microsoft Corp , Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc - led equities lower.

11:30 PM

Lok Sabha approves supplementary demand for additional spending of Rs 2.35 trillion in 2020-21

11:30 PM

India allows export of onions lying on ports in transit to all countries including Bangladesh: ANI

10:32 PM

Argument that states have not been given adequate share of tax collected by Centre does not hold ground. FM

10:26 PM

Additional resources sought under supplementary demand for grants to largely go for people-centric activities: FM Sitharaman in Lok Sabha

9:07 PM

Manipur CM inaugurates & lays foundation stones of projects worth Rs 180 crore

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday inaugurated five projects and also laid foundation stones of 46 others at a total cost of Rs 180 crore.

 

The chief minister inaugurated transit accommodation for doctors and teachers at Singhat, Churachandpur and Borobekra (Jiribam), a Manipur Police Training College barrack at Pangei and a model police station at Porompat via video conferencing, a press release issued by the CMs secretariat said.

 

The CM said the state government is giving priority to the development of hill areas of the state because hill districts are less developed compared to valley districts.

9:01 PM

Congress seeks special session of Haryana Assembly to discuss farm bills

The opposition Congress on Friday sought a special session of the Haryana Assembly to discuss the impact and ramifications of three farm-related Bills passed by the Lok Sabha.

 

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said his party will move a resolution against the legislations when the assembly session is convened. Led by Hooda, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly, a delegation of Haryana Congress MLAs submitted a memorandum to Satyadev Narayan Arya in this regard.

8:52 PM

8 beaches of India recommended for 'Blue Flag' International eco-label

8:43 PM

Kerala gold smuggling: NIA says action taken to issue Interpol Blue Notices against 4 accused in UAE

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) court here on Friday extended till October 8, the the judicial custody of 12 accused persons, including Swapna Suresh, in the Kerala gold smuggling case.

 

The court also rejected Swapna's bail petition. Prior to this, she had cited her health conditions for getting bail, but the court denied the same. The court also directed the prison authorities that, they should allow Swapna to meet her relatives in prison.

 

The 12 accused were produced before the court through video conferencing.

 

NIA which is probing the high profile smuggling case made new revelations in its application before the special court asking for an extension of the judicial custody period of the accused.

8:37 PM

19.4% drop in Hepatitis-B birth doses, 31% drop in vaccination sessions in April-June

There has been an over 19 per cent drop in Hepatitis-B doses administered at birth and 31 per cent drop in vaccination sessions in health facilities and outreach sessions from April to June this year as compared to the same period last year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, Parliament was informedon Friday.

 

During the same months this year, there has been a drop of 23.9 per cent in institutional deliveries in the country in comparison to the same duration in 2019 as per the Health Management Information System (HMIS),Minister of State for Health Ashwini Choubey saidin a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

 

As per the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) portal, a total of 10,96,048 antenatal checkups have been conducted from March to August this year.

8:29 PM

126 complaints on improper management of biomedical waste in 2 years: Govt

A total of 126 public complaints regarding improper management of biomedical waste were received in the last two years, with notices issued to healthcare facilities in Rajasthan, Assam and Madhya Pradesh, the environment ministry informed the Lok Sabha on Friday.

 

Minister of State for Environment Babul Supriyo was responding to a question on whether the government was aware that bio-medical wastes generated from various hospitals in the country were being disposed of irresponsibly, thereby posing serious threat to the health of citizens. Read more

8:24 PM

Govt should allocate more funds to schemes like MNREGA: Saugata Roy

8:18 PM

Over 8.6 million new job cards under NREGS scheme issued in current financial year

A total of 86,81,928 new job cards under the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS scheme has been issued during the current financial year so far as compared to 36,64,368 new job card issued during the same period of the FY 2019-20.

 

The data was provided by Union Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

8:11 PM

Monsoon withdrawal likely to begin next week: IMD

The Southwest Monsoon is likely to start withdrawing from west Rajasthan by the end of next week, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday. Conditions are likely to become favourable in the next two days for the withdrawal of monsoon. North Indians plains are also witnessing above normal temperatures, it said.

 

"These are one of the weather patterns we see when conditions are ripe for monsoon withdrawal. From September 20 onwards, we don't see the possibility of monsoon rains in west Rajasthan," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

 

The IMD has revised the withdrawal dates for monsoon from this year.

8:05 PM

Zoos, national parks in Bengal to reopen from Sep 23 with safety measures in place

All national parks, zoological gardens and ecotourism destinations in Bengal, which were shut in March after the Covid-19 pandemic struck, will reopen for visitors from September 23, a notification said on Friday. According to the forest department, visitors will be allowed at its "various establishments", where necessary safety protocols have been put in place.

 

"The effect of the pandemic is still being felt, but in view of the gradual unlocking and the need to restart economic activities... it has been decided to allow public to various establishments of the forest department with appropriate restrictions," the notification said.

 

Bookings have to be made online, and tourists would have to undergo temperature check at the entry points.

8:01 PM

Calcutta HC forms panel to look into Visva-Bharati University violence

The Calcutta High Court formed a four-member committee, including two of its sitting judges, to find out ways and means for appropriate resolution of issues relating to the Visva-Bharati University, which had witnessed violence over construction of a boundary wall.

 

The committee will be headed by Justice Sanjib Banerjee and include Justice Arijit Banerjee as one of its members along with West Bengal Advocate General and the Additional Solicitor General of the Union government here.

 

In view of the importance of the "great institution" founded and carried forward by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, the division bench comprising Chief Justice TBN Radhakrishnan and Justice Shampa Sarkar directed that the matter will be treated as a suo motu public interest litigation, and appointed senior advocate Jaydip Kar as amicus curiae.

7:54 PM

With over 36.8 mn subscribers, PFRDA pension corpus touches nearly Rs 5 trn: Chairman

The total assets under management of the National Pension System and the Atal Pension Yojana are approaching towards a corpus of Rs 5 trillion, Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) chairman Supratim Bandyopadhyay said on Friday.

 

"Our total assets under management (AUM) as on September 12 was very close to Rs 5 trillion, it is Rs 4.93 trillion. Still, about 83 per cent of the total assets are from the central and state government employees," Bandyopadhyay said at the 22nd CII Insurance and Pensions Summit.

7:49 PM

Bamboo industry to play crucial role in post-Covid economy: Jitendra Singh

Modi government is planning to promote domestic bamboo industry which is going to play a critical role in shaping the post-Covid economy of India, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Friday.

 

Addressing two separate webinars on 'World Bamboo Day', Singh said the Northeastern region will be one of the favourite business destinations of India post-Covid-19 and bamboo is going to be the key pillar of economic activities. He said many business houses are looking at the Northeastern region to exploit its vast agro-farming resources and people should not miss this opportunity.

 

7:43 PM

Bihar CM inaugurates Super-Speciality Hospital, Bus Terminal in Patna

7:32 PM

Bandhan Bank collection efficiency ratio touches 80 per cent in August

Private lender Bandhan Bank on Friday said collection efficiency ratio has touched 80 per cent at the end of August, and expected collections to normalise by December.

 

The ratio, which is improving on a "daily basis", is likely to be over 90 per cent in October, it said.

 

"Our micro borrowers have showed great resilience. The ability to get back on feet is exemplary and there has been no destruction of their assets," MD & CEO Chandra Sekhar Ghosh said.

 

In case of non-microbanking credit, collection efficiency has also increased for mortgage lending, SME lending, NBFC lending, the bank said.

 

Ghosh said prospects for credit offtake in the second half of the fiscal look promising. "The recovery process will be led by rural and semi-urban India".

 

7:27 PM

'No data govt': Congress MP's jab on lack of data on migrant workers' death

7:25 PM

Top brands' value declines 6% in 2020; next year likely to be tough: WPP

The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in the value of top 75 Indian bands declining by 6 per cent to $216 billion in 2020, and entities are staring at a bleak future, according to the world's biggest advertiser WPP. It will not be easier till the economy which is expected to contract by up to 10 per cent in FY2021 returns back to growth mode, Preeti Reddy, South Asia chief executive for group company Kantar's insights division, told reporters.

 

"2021 will also be a tough year for brands. Things will not improve much and we will have a period of stagnancy even if it is not de-growth," she said.

 

Indian brand valuations have not been at par with the world, the agency said, pointing that the value of the top 100 global brands has increased by 5.8 per cent.

7:16 PM

National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 likely to be released next month: Pant

The National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 is awaiting Cabinet approval and is expected to be released next month, National Cyber Security Coordinator Lt Gen Rajesh Pant said on Friday.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15 had announced that a new cyber security strategy will be presented to the nation as dependence on cyberspace is will increase multifold in coming years.

 

"I am hoping that the month of October, which is regarded globally as the 'National Cybersecurity Awareness Month', we have a lot of awareness programs in that month and I am hoping that one of the programs would be release of the national strategy," Pant said at ASSOCHAM CySecCon 2020.

7:05 PM

In a reshuffle, retd IAS officer Raghvendra Singh appointed culture secretary

Former bureaucrat Raghvendra Singh was appointed as the culture secretary on Friday in place of Anand Kumar, who has shifted as the secretary of the National Commission for Backward Classes, as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle, according to a Personnel Ministry order.

 

Singh, a 1983-batch (retired) IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, is at present the Chief Executive Officer, Development of Museums and Cultural Spaces. He has been appointed as the Secretary, Ministry of Culture on a contract basis and on usual terms and conditions applicable to re-employed central government officers for a period of one year from the date of assumption of the charge of the post, the order said.

7:03 PM

About 40% school syllabus reduced in TN for 2020-21:Minister

About 40 per cent of the syllabus for school students in Tamil Nadu has been reduced for this academic year based an expert committee's recommendation in the backdrop of Covid-19 pandemic, School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan said on Friday.

 

The 18-member panel, set up to look into reducing the syllabus for the 2020-21 academic year in view of closure of schools due to Covid-19, submitted its report last month and based on this, 40 per cent of the syllabus had been cut, he said.

 

The state government had on May 12 formed the committee under the leadership of Commissioner of School Education Sigy Thomas Vaidhyan to evaluate and recommend the way forward for school education amid the pandemic.

 

Among the issues assigned to this committee was to evaluate the problems in teaching due to early closure of schools this year, delay in beginning the academic year and how to make good the loss of time due to this delay.

6:48 PM

Plea against ''Bindas Bol'': Can media be allowed to target whole set of communities, asks SC

The Supreme Court Friday questioned Sudarshan TV over its ‘Bindas Bol’ programme, whose promo had claimed that the channel would show the ''big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service'', and asked whether media can be allowed to “target whole set of communities”.

 

The apex court, while hearing a plea which has raised grievance over the programme, said the channel is entitled to break story but it cannot “brand the entire community” and “alienate them” by doing such kind of stories.

 

“This is the real issue. Whenever you show them joining civil services, you show ISIS. You want to say that Muslims joining civil services is a part of a deep-rooted conspiracy. Can the media be allowed to target whole set of communities,” a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud asked.

 

“Painting all candidates as carrying out an agenda shows the kind of hatred. This is the element of concern,” said the bench, also comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and K M Joseph.

6:41 PM

Nadda releases special edition of BJP mouthpiece, says Modi changed political culture

BJP president J P Nadda on Friday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for changing the country's political culture by not bowing down to any pressure and upholding the rights of the downtrodden, and cited three farm sector bills as an example of his resolve.

 

The three bills have been passed by Lok Sabha amid protests by opposition parties and BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal. They will now be tabled in Rajya Sabha.

 

Speaking at the party headquarters here at the launch of a special edition of the party mouthpiece, 'Kamal Sandesh', which highlights the life journey of the prime minister to mark his 70th birthday on Thursday, Nadda said that Modi had empowered the farmers through these bills and liberated them from middlemen.

 

"We have seen many governments but the pro-poor welfare and economic reforms under the leadership of Modi and other changes brought to keep the unity and integrity of the country intact is something unimaginable and amazing," he said.

6:28 PM

1,100 indigenous PPE kit makers have been developed by govt till date: Irani

As many as 1,100 indigenous manufacturers of PPE kits have been developed by the government till date and most of them are from the MSME sector, Parliament was informed on Friday.

 

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said the capacity and production of PPE coveralls for Covid-19 touched a peak of 5 lakh per day in mid-May 2020.

 

"From zero manufacturers in March 2020, 1,100 indigenous manufacturers of PPE kits have been developed by the government till date, most of them being from the MSME (micro, small and medium enterprise) sector," she said.

 

As on September 13, she said a total of 1.42 crore PPE kits have been supplied to HLL Lifecare Ltd, the procurement arm of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, for the use of health professionals in government hospitals.

6:19 PM

Chinese apps TikTok, WeChat to be banned in US from Sept 20: Report

6:15 PM

India-Japan ties have become strategic due to maturing relationship: Jaishankar