News highlights: Leader of J&K Oppn Sunil Sharma calls on LG Sinha ahead of Budget Session

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10:07 PM

J&K: Leader of Oppn Sunil Sharma calls on LG Sinha ahead of Budget Session

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma called on Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here on Sunday, an official spokesman said. Sharma discussed various important matters pertaining to the forthcoming Budget Session of the Assembly with the lieutenant governor, the spokesman said.

10:06 PM

J&K: Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma calls on LG Sinha ahead of Budget Session

Senior BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma called on Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Raj Bhavan here on Sunday, an official spokesman said. Sharma discussed various important matters pertaining to the forthcoming Budget Session of the Assembly with the lieutenant governor, the spokesman said.

9:50 PM

JSW-POSCO to set up mega steel plant in Keonjhar district: CM

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday said a mega steel plant with an investment of around Rs 40,000 crore will be jointly set up by JSW and POSCO in Keonjhar district's Patna area. Addressing a public gathering at Champua, Majhi said, "I had vowed to set up a mega steel plant in Keonjhar district. God was kind enough to make me the chief minister to realise this dream."

9:36 PM

Punjab Police raids 510 locations, nabs 43 smugglers in anti-drug drive

Punjab Police on Sunday conducted raids at 510 locations in an anti-drug drive, leading to the arrest of 43 smugglers, an officer said. In the two days of the drive, 333 such people have been nabbed and 27 first information reports (FIRs) registered across the state.

9:17 PM

Fadnavis denies cold war' with Shinde, says Raut wants to compete with Salim-Javed

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday scoffed at speculations of a cold war between him and his deputy Eknath Shinde, and mocked Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, quipping he wants to compete with Salim-Javed, the legendary screenwriting duo. He was addressing a press conference with deputy CMs Shinde and Ajit Pawar after a cabinet meeting and customary tea party ahead of the four-week budget session of the assembly, which begins on Monday.

8:36 PM

46% voter turnout registered in Haryana civic polls

Forty-six per cent of the more than 51 lakh eligible voters for civic body polls in Haryana exercised their franchise on Sunday, officials said. The polling was peaceful, they added. Voting was held to elect the mayors and ward members of seven municipal corporations -- Gurugram, Manesar, Faridabad, Hisar, Rohtak, Karnal and Yamunanagar.

7:34 PM

Mizoram to bring law to regulate pvt agencies recruiting local youth for foreign jobs

A bill would be introduced in the Mizoram assembly on Monday, seeking to regulate private agencies engaged in sending youths abroad for jobs, an official said on Sunday. The Mizoram Private Placement Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2025, will be tabled by Labour, Employment, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister Lalnghinglova Hmar, he said.

7:25 PM

Bodies of 4 more workers recovered from avalanche site, Mana rescue op ends

The bodies of the last four of the trapped labourers were pulled out from the site of the avalanche-hit Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Chamoli on Sunday, taking the death toll to eight as authorities ended the nearly 60-hour rescue operation. Army doctors said 46 workers who were rescued on Saturday have been brought to the military hospital in Jyotirmath. Two of them have been referred to AIIMS, Rishikesh. Three of the workers are in critical condition, Lt Col DS Maldhya said.

6:41 PM

Tejashwi demands hike in pension, Rs 2,500 monthly cash transfer to poor women ahead of Bihar budget

A day before Nitish Kumar govt in Bihar is scheduled to present its last Budget ahead of the assembly elections this year, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday demanded an increase in social security pensions and cash transfer of Rs 2,500 per month to poor women. Yadav, the leader of the opposition in the assembly, said he expected that the government would announce 200 units of free electricity for all consumers in the state.

5:37 PM

CM Omar Abdullah chairs meeting of coalition partners ahead of Budget session in Jammu

A day ahead of the first budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in seven years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a joint meeting of coalition parties here to discuss smooth functioning of the house. The meeting, attended by Congress legislative party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, took place shortly after Abdullah presided over a separate legislature party meeting of the National Conference at his official residence here.

5:01 PM

Shah inaugurates two structures at Gujarat school, takes part in temple function in Pilvai

Union Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated the Vidya Bhavan and Sanskritik Bhavan of a school trust and also took part in a religious function at Pilvai village in Gujarat's Mehsana district. He inaugurated the Shri Sunderlal Mangaldas Shah Cultural Bhavan and Shri Anilchandra Gokaldas Shah Vidya Bhavan, which has been built in the memory of former students by the Sheth Girdharlal Chunilal High School Trust at Pilvai, an official release said. Shah, who then visited a classroom, computer lab etc at the Vidya Bhavan and interacted with the students, was felicitated by the trust.

3:58 PM

Mumbai court orders FIR against ex-Sebi chief Madhabi Puri Buch, 5 others over alleged stock market fraud

Mumbai court orders FIR against ex-Sebi chief Madhabi Puri Buch, 5 others over alleged stock market fraud, regulatory violations.

3:48 PM

Israel cuts off aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to accept new ceasefire deal

Israel stopped entry of all goods and supplies into Gaza Strip and warned of additional consequences if Hamas doesn't accept new proposal to extend a fragile ceasefire. Hamas accused Israel of trying to derail existing ceasefire pact and said its decision to cut off aid was cheap extortion, a war crime and a blatant attack" on the truce, which took hold in January after more than a year of negotiations. Both sides stopped short of saying the ceasefire had ended.

3:19 PM

Employment rising, but employees' salaries not keeping pace with inflation: Niti member Virmani

Niti Aayog member Arvind Virmani has said that while employment is increasing in India, real wages for regular jobs have not kept pace with inflation over the past seven years. India has an opportunity in terms of global population, and there is a need to take advantage of it. For this, improving the quality of teaching and training is important, he noted.

2:48 PM

Mayawati removes nephew Akash Anand from key posts, says no successor till she's alive

BSP chief Mayawati removed her nephew Akash Anand from all party posts, and announced there will no successor to her in the party till she is alive. At a high-level meeting here with party office bearers from across the country to strengthen the party, she announced significant changes in the party leadership. The BSP chief appointed her brother Anand Kumar and Ramji Gautam as national coordinators to oversee party affairs across the country.

2:31 PM

Sanjay Raut slams Eknath Shinde for questioning Uddhav over skipping Maha Kumbh

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut hit out at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for raising questions over Uddhav Thackeray not attending the recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Talking to reporters, Raut also criticised Shinde's political acumen and said the BJP should train the deputy CM on how to ask questions.

2:12 PM

Odisha govt to release 5th phase Subhadra Yojana assistance on March 6

The Odisha government will release Rs 5,000 each to 1.7 lakh women beneficiaries under the Subhadra Yojana on March 6, an official said. This will be the fifth phase of disbursement of the scheme's first installment.

2:04 PM

Delhi Police planning to intensify crack down on criminal networks

Delhi Police is planning to intensify efforts to combat organised crime and crack down on gangsters operating from jails the country and abroad, police sources said. Top police officials met at the Delhi Police headquarters on Saturday, a day after a high-level law and order review meeting was conducted by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Delhi home minister Ashish Sood, and Union home secretary Govind Mohan.

1:36 PM

AAP slams BJP for 'betraying' Delhi women over Rs 2,500 honorarium promise

The Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday accused the BJP of "betraying" the women of Delhi by failing to fulfil its election promise of providing a monthly honorarium of Rs 2,500 to them. Addressing a press conference here, AAP legislator Kuldeep Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his election rallies in Delhi, assured that the financial assistance scheme would be passed in the first Cabinet meeting of the new government.

1:24 PM

Bharat fastest growing global economy in last decade, says VP Dhankar

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar said the country has seen exponential economic upsurge in the last decade and has become the fastest growing global economy during this period. The Vice President made the statement while delivering the 4th P Parameswaran Memorial Lecture organised here by the Bharatheeya Vichara Kendra.

1:14 PM

Uttarakhand avalanche: 1 more body recovered, death toll goes up to 5

Body of one more person missing in the avalanche that hit near Mana village in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand on February 28 has been recovered by the Army, an official said. With this the death toll in the avalanche has gone up to five and rescuers are continuing efforts to trace the remaining three missing individuals. The body recovered today is being brought to Mana post as per PRO (Defence), Dehradun.

12:59 PM

Haryana local body elections: Haryana minister Anil Vij cast his vote in Ambala

Haryana Minister Anil Vij cast his vote in the ongoing Haryana local body elections in Ambala. After casting his vote, he showed his inked finger. "This is the biggest festival of democracy. We should all participate in this. Step out and spend a little time celebrating this festival," Vij told reporters.

12:29 PM

Baramulla Police registers first-ever e-FIR via WhatsApp

In a significant step towards digital policing, Police Station Pattan in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir has registered its first electronic First Information Report (e-FIR) following a complaint lodged via WhatsApp on February 28, Baramulla Police said. The complaint was filed by a resident of Bemina, Srinagar (name withheld), a government employee in the Horticulture Department. The complaint is against Shakeel-Ur-Rehman, who is also a government employee in the same department.

12:20 PM

Miscreants break into temple in Maharashtra's Palghar; steal valuables worth Rs 2.35 lakh

Unidentified persons broke into a temple and stole valuables worth Rs 2.35 lakh in Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Sunday. The theft occurred at Pimpal Nala in the Chinchani area late on Thursday night, an official said.

11:50 AM

PM Modi visits Vantara animal rescue centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning visited Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar district. Vantara, spread over 3,000 acres, is located at the Reliance Jamnagar refinery complex. It is a rescue centre dedicated to the welfare of captive elephants and wildlife

11:36 AM

AAP brings back Bhaben Choudhury as Assam chief after 5 months

The Aam Aadmi Party said the party has appointed its national joint secretary Bhaban Choudhury as the acting state president of the Assam unit, five months after replacing him from the post. As the party's permanent president Manoj Dhanowar is not active due to "personal reasons", the executive committee in its meeting on Saturday unanimously chose Choudhury for the position. Choudhury was the chief of AAP Assam prior to Dhanowar taking charge as state president in September last year.

11:30 AM

Uttarakhand avalanche: IAF Mi-17, Cheetah helicopters deployed for rescue operations

A Mi-17 helicopter is set to airlift the drone-based Intelligent Buried Object detection system for search operations on Sunday in the avalanche affected areas in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district as per Indian Air Force officials. IAF Cheetah helicopters have been engaged in rescue operations in the Mana area of Chamoli since Saturday in the avalanche that happened at the BRO camp near Mana village in Joshimath on February 28.

11:01 AM

Haryana local body elections: Manohar Lal Khattar casts vote in Karnal

Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar cast his vote in the ongoing Haryana local body elections in Karnal. Speaking to reporters, Khattar urged voters to come forward and vote. "It is the right of every citizen, and they must exercise their franchise. I appeal to all voters to come forward and vote. I have never missed casting my vote," he said after casting his vote.

10:56 AM

T'gana tunnel collapse: Silt removal intensified at trapped workers' sites

Efforts to remove silt at locations where the trapped persons were detected inside the partially collapsed SLBC tunnel here have been intensified with an increased deployment of personnel and equipment. The damaged conveyor belt, which was impacted by the collapse, is expected to be repaired by Monday, an official said on Sunday. Once restored, it will allow for easier removal of muck and debris from the tunnel.

10:18 AM

42 more firearms surrendered, 5 illegal bunkers destroyed in Manipur

Forty-two more firearms and cartridges have been surrendered by the public in five districts of ethnic strife-torn Manipur, police said. The firearms were surrendered in Imphal West and East, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Tamenglong districts on Saturday, a police officer said. Five firearms, including two pistols, six grenades and over 75 cartridges were surrendered in Bishnupur district.