Page 70 - India

India supplied 47,500 MT of wheat to Afghanistan since Taliban's takeover

Besides sending wheat, India has also been consistently providing medical and food assistance using land routes bordering Pakistan and the Chabahar Port in Iran

Nuh-like riots may be engineered in MP ahead of polls: Digvijaya Singh

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday claimed that communal riots would be engineered in Madhya Pradesh ahead of assembly elections as the ruling BJP knows that it is facing a tough challenge. The former chief minister was speaking at 'Vidhik Vimarsh 2023', a gathering of lawyers organised by the state Congress's Legal and Human Rights Cell here. The way these people caused riots in Nuh in Haryana, they have plans to trigger such riots (in MP) because the BJP knows there is a lot of resentment against it," Singh said. During the last 2018 MP Assembly election, Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha made thousands of advocates stand by the Congress. We formed the government then. Again, a large number of lawyers have assembled here. Hopefully, we are going to form the next government in MP, he said. Speaking at the event, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath said corruption is plaguing the state at every level, from panchayats to the Mantralaya (state headquarters).

215 fined for not taking care of horses, mules on Kedarnath route

Around 215 horse and mule handlers on the Kedarnath trek route have been fined this year for not taking proper care of the animals they use to earn livelihood by ferrying pilgrims to the Himalayan temple, an official said on Saturday. While challans have been issued against 215 handlers for not taking good care of the animals, FIRs were lodged against 16, Rudraprayag Chief Veterinary Officer Ashok Kumar said. He added that 15,651 horses and mules were inspected, of which 3,730 sick and injured animals were treated. The authorities also removed from the route 469 mules and horses found unfit, Kumar said. In a recent order, Uttarakhand High Court asked the state government to blacklist equine handlers and owners on the Char Dham Yatra route who inflict cruelty on animals, saying merely fining them is not enough. It also issued a slew of directions for the welfare of these animals. Setting up barricades to allow only registered operators, allowing animals to rest at night and providin

Over 49,000 youth can get admission to polytechnics in UP: State govt

Considering the interest level of students towards various courses, the government has determined the number of seats available

Ministry launches campaign to project India as premier wedding destination

The Ministry of Tourism on Saturday launched an ambitious campaign to showcase India as a premier wedding destination globally. Officials on Saturday said the wedding tourism campaign also aims to unlock the potential of India's huge wedding industry. Building upon the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to developing tourism in a mission mode, the ministry has unveiled an "ambitious campaign aimed at showcasing India as a premier wedding destination on the global stage," according to an official statement. This campaign also envisions to explore avenues of great potential, for scaling tourism in India to new heights, the ministry said in the statement. It seeks to "expand India's wedding industry, by enticing couples from around the world to embark on a remarkable journey to celebrate their special day in India," it added. Launching the special campaign, G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Tourism, said, "Today marks the beginning of a remarkable journey. A mission to position

Kerala CM makes his first Vande Bharat journey from Kannur to Ernakulam

Kerala's first Vande Bharat Express was flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station on April 25

Congress criticises PM Modi, Amit Shah over 'undernourishment' in Gujarat

The Congress on Saturday cited a Niti Aayog report to hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, alleging high levels of undernourishment in Gujarat. In a post on X, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a media report which said Gujarat still has a long way to go on the nutrition front as 38.09 per cent of the population in the state is undernourished. It cited the National Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report, released by Niti Aayog in July. "The nation is often reminded by G2(Modi & Shah) especially of what they call Gujarat model. But what the nation is not told has been revealed in a recent Niti Aayog report: Over 38% of population is under-nourished. Nearly half of rural Gujarat is deprived of nutrition. Ranks 4th worst in India in terms of stunted children. Ranks 2nd worst in India in wasted and underweight children." "More than a third of the rural population (in Gujarat) is deprived of housing," Ramesh said.

Maha govt to hold Govinda pyramid formation competition in Mumbai on Aug 31

The Maharashtra government will organise a human pyramid formation competition, the staple of the state's renowned 'Govinda' festivities, on August 31 with participating teams vying for the first prize worth Rs 11 lakh, state minister Uday Samant said on Saturday. The competition will be held at the Worli indoor stadium from morning to evening on August 31, Samant, the state industries minister, told reporters. "We are organising this competition as formation of human pyramid is now recognised as an adventure sport. We want to take this competition to international level," state sports minister Sanjay Bansode said.

Pak cops thwart terror plot in Punjab province, arrest 13 terrorists

Pakistan's law enforcement agencies on Saturday claimed to have averted a major terror plot by arresting 13 terrorists, including three ISIS commanders, who were planning to target important installations across the Punjab province. The militants were arrested from Lahore, Bahawalpur, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Rawalpindi, Chiniot, Kasur and Multan during the last couple of days, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) of Punjab police said in a statement. "The arrested terrorists had planned to target important installations across the province," it said. With the arrest, law enforcement agencies foiled a "major terror plot" in the Punjab province, it said. The arrested terrorists belong to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Daesh (ISIS), Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Al-Qaeda. Some 2,360 grams of explosives, one IED bomb, 11 detonators, pistols and bullets and banned literature have been recovered from them, the statement said. Last week, the CTD arrested 21 terrorists in ...

Rishikesh-Badrinath NH shows fresh signs of subsidence after cracks appear

A stretch about 50 metres long on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway near Pursari village is showing signs of land subsidence with cracks appearing on it. The stretch located between Chamoli and Nandprayag is apparently sinking towards the Alaknanda River. Alarmed by the situation, authorities have warned vehicles coming from the mountainside to go slow. A police team has been deployed on the affected spot to alert the drivers. The subsidence-sensitive spot has been demarcated with reflective tapes for the safety of vehicles and drivers are being asked to drive carefully, Traffic Inspector Praveen Alok said. Land subsidence near Pursari increased after the Kedarnath disaster in 2013. As a result, the government undertook a road stabilisation project roping in big companies and experts from the area and constructed concrete blocks along the banks of the Alaknanda at the cost of crores of rupees after which the subsidence stopped. However, the place is showing signs of erosio

'I feel pity': Nirmal Khanna on Mushaal Malik's induction into Pak cabinet

Yasin Malik was convicted by National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in terror funding cases and sentenced to life imprisonment on May 25, 2022

Income Tax dept operationalises board for Advance Rulings in Delhi, Mumbai

According to the CBDT release, these Boards started functioning through e-mail-based procedures and conducting hearing through video conferencing

Fire breaks out at garment warehouse in south Delhi, no injuries reported

A fire broke out at a garment warehouse in south Delhi on Saturday morning, officials said. Information regarding the fire in the warehouse, located on the terrace of a building in South Extension Part-1 here, was received at 5.25 am, they added. Eight fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the blaze was doused around 9 am, the officials said, adding that no injuries were reported. The clothes stored in the warehouse got burnt in the blaze, the officials said. The building where the fire broke out comprises a basement, two floors and a terrace, they added.

New National Cooperative Policy almost ready: Chairman Suresh Prabhu

The new National Cooperative Policy is almost ready, and a 47-member committee is in the process of submitting the draft to the central government, chairman of the panel and former Union minister Suresh Prabhu said. Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah had last year announced that a dedicated policy will soon be prepared to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country, and that Prabhu will head the national-level committee. The panel members include experts and representatives of the cooperative sector and officials of central ministries. "The policy document is almost ready and the submission process is underway. We can now look forward to the release of the policy and its implementation," Prabhu told PTI on the sidelines of an event organised by the Merchants' Chamber of Commerce & Industry here. The former commerce and industry minister said the policy has the potential to change the socio-economic dimension of India, substantially increasing the share of ...

Will return soon: Afghan envoy to India after 'missing' reports

He further stated that the embassy continues to function its routine work normally and has diligently addressed various matters

Om Birla to inaugurate CPA's India Region Conference in Udaipur on Aug 21

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will on Monday inaugurate the ninth India Region Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Rajasthan's Udaipur. The theme of the two-day conference is 'Strengthening Democracy and Good Governance in the Digital Age'. The India Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) comprises 31 legislatures from across the country and has the second largest number of member branches after the African Region. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi, CPA Chairperson Ian Liddell-Grainger and other dignitaries will be present at the inaugural event. During the conference, presiding officers of state legislatures will brainstorm on how to make public representatives more effective/efficient in encouraging good governance through digital empowerment and the role of public representatives in strengthening the nation through democratic institutions. Vice President and

India, China set for bilateral talks on sidelines of Brics summit next week

"I am confident that as two nations, two countries, we will have direct talks, direct meetings," at the Aug. 22-24 summit, Chen Xiaodong, China's ambassador to South Africa said

India faces record low rains in August and threatening summer crops

India is on course to receive an average of less than 180 mm (7 inches) of rainfall this month, he added, based on rains so far and expectations for the rest of the month

India likely to discuss crude oil discounts with Iraq and UAE soon

Refiners seek fixed commitment from middle-eastern suppliers akin to Russia

SC to hear Rahul Gandhi's appeal against Gujarat HC verdict on July 21

From refusing to pass directions to prohibit the slaughter of cow to reserving verdict on the rules of game for judoicial appointment, here's a list of important developments in the apex court today