Page 57 - Madhya Pradesh

Urination case: Accused's wife moves HC against NSA, notice issued to state

The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday issued a two-week returnable notice to the state on a petition seeking that the stringent National Security Act (NSA) invoked against a person who allegedly urinated on a tribal man in Sidhi district be revoked. A division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and justice Vishal Mishra served notices to the state and the Sidhi collector seeking their reply. The case has been listed for hearing on August 1. In her writ petition, Kanchan Shukla stated that NSA was invoked unlawfully against her husband Pravesh Shukla, who has been in jail post arrest a day after the video showing him urinating on the tribal man surfaced on July 4. Her plea said Pravesh Shukla was an activist of a political party and the opposition had created an atmosphere and narrative against him. She also contended that her husband had not committed any serious crime barring some petty offences in the past. She said in her plea that provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)

Drones, UAVs banned from Jul 19-22 over select areas in Indore for G20 meet

The police has banned the flying of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles from July 19 to 22 in view of the G20 meeting to be held in Indore in Madhya Pradesh, a police official said on Monday. Police Commissioner Makrand Deuskar said drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other objects have been banned under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) within a three-kilometre radius of the G20 meet venue, hotel where the delegates will stay, as well as other identified places. "The ban will be in place from July 19 to 22 to ensure the safety of around 150 domestic and foreign delegates attending the meeting. More than 600 police personnel have been deployed for security," he said. As per officials, the first two days of G20 event will see meetings of the 4th Employment Working Group, while on the third day, Labour and Employment Ministers of member countries will hold a meet.

MP govt, UNFPA launch chatbot for adolescents on sexual health issues

The Madhya Pradesh government and the United Nations Population Fund on Monday launched an Artificial Intelligence-enabled chatbot to address the critical need for accurate and accessible information on social issues and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among adolescents and young adults. The 'Just Ask/Khulke Poochho' chatbot was launched by MP Health Minister Prabhuram Choudhary and UNFPA India Representative Andrea M Wojnar. The 'Just Ask digital engagement platform will help users with questions related to growing up, bodily changes, menstruation, reproductive health, pregnancy and family planning, gender identity, sexual orientation and other SRHR topics, an official release said. "The chatbot engages users in interactive conversations and provides them with accurate and reliable information within minutes and free of cost. The user experience is designed to be safe, personalized, multi-lingual and empathetic. It features two aspiring role models, Dhruv and ...

Power distribution co in MP preserves electricity meters of generations

While the advent of technology has changed the face of electricity meters, a government power distribution company in Indore has preserved these devices of different generations. The unique collection, which gives a glimpse of the transformation of electricity meters, includes electromechanical induction meters used nearly six-and-a-half decades ago as well as "smart" digital meters being installed these days in the houses of consumers. Madhya Pradesh Western Zone Power Distribution Company's Public Relations Officer Awadhesh Sharma told PTI on Monday that around 20 electricity meters of different generations have been kept preserved at a laboratory of the company's headquarters in Polo Ground area of the city. "The oldest one in this collection is the electromechanical induction meter. Weighing about four kilograms, the meter was imported from abroad and was used from 1960 to 1990, he said. Sharma said the company's collection also includes semi-electromechanical meters, radio ...

Fire in battery of Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express, all passengers safe

The fire has been extinguished and all passengers are safe. After the full examination, the train will be dispatched soon, an official of the Indian Railways said

6 people killed in SUV-truck head-on collision in MP's Sagar district

Police said that the offending truck crossed the central divider of GT Karnal road and rammed into truck carrying Kanwar yatris who were going to Haridwar

Cheetahs to remain in Kuno, won't be relocated, says Bhupender Yadav

Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday said the cheetahs will continue to remain in the Kuno national park in Madhya Pradesh and asserted that the project will be successful. We are in touch with experts, including international experts. Our team will visit there. The cheetahs will not be relocated and will remain in Kuno only, the minister said. Yadav's comments came amid concern expressed by some experts on the cheetah project and that some recent deaths could possibly be due to infection caused by radio collars though that is highly unusual and collars have been used in wildlife conservation in India for over two decades. Other experts, however, said only the post-mortem report will determine the exact cause. Rajesh Gopal, the head of the cheetah monitoring committee set up by the NTCA, said the reason for the cheetahs' death could be septicemia from radio collar. It is highly unusual. I have also seen it for the first time. It's .

As MP election nears, CM Chouhan's focus is on all sections of society

The state government has also announced adding two parameters to the "Ladli Behna Yojana" from July

MP hikes DA for staffers to 42% with retrospective effect from Jan 1

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said his government would give 42 per cent dearness allowance (DA) to its employees like the Centre with retrospective effect from January 1. It will benefit more than seven lakh government employees, officials said. "We have taken a lot of revolutionary steps in the interest of employees. Now, we have decided to give 42 per cent DA (with a hike of 4 per cent) like the Centre from January itself, the Chief Minister tweeted. The arrears from January to June on account of this hike will be given in three installments, he said, adding that all employees under the Sixth Pay Scale will also see a proportional increase in DA. In a video message, the CM said employees who have put in 35 years of service as on July 1 this year will be given fourth time pay scale. The measures from the BJP government come amid the Congress promising to implement Old Pension Scheme if it wins the year-end Assembly polls.

Madhya Pradesh govt announces biggest-ever auction of mineral blocks

This includes strategic and critical minerals and metals like gold, diamond, graphite and vanadium

Madhya Pradesh puts 51 blocks on auctions including 14 of critical minerals

Madhya Pradesh on Friday issued a tender notice for the auction of 51 mineral blocks, including 14 with critical minerals, according to a release. This is the highest number of mineral blocks notified for the auction in a single tranche by any state, the Mines Ministry said in the release. "Madhya Pradesh has announced the largest number ever of mineral blocks for auction. The state has issued Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for auction of a record number of 51 mineral blocks on July 14th," it said. The 51 blocks comprise 14 minerals including strategic and critical minerals like graphite and vanadium, platinum group of elements (PGE) and also other major minerals such as manganese, bauxite, limestone, iron ore, base metal and gold. "13 blocks are for mining lease and 38 blocks are for composite licence," it said. While mining lease is given for mines with proven reserves, composite licence for mines where some level of exploration is needed. Madhya Pradesh auctioned 29 blocks in ..

With 'Suraj', 8 cheetahs have now died At Kuno National Park in 4 months

The African cheetah, Suraj, was found dead at the Kuno National Park early this morning

In wake of Cheetah deaths experts demand increased role of experienced vets

In the wake of the death of seven cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park since March this year, wildlife experts have questioned the way the African felines have been handled and suggested more experienced veterinarians be involved in taking care of these animals. In the latest incident, male cheetah Tejas died in the KNP on Tuesday. The autopsy report revealed the cheetah was "internally weak" and unable to recover from a "traumatic shock" after a violent fight with a female cheetah, according to a forest official. The death of Tejas, brought to KNP in Sheopur district from South Africa in February this year, is yet another blow to the central government's cheetah reintroduction programme launched with much fanfare in September last year. With this, seven felines, including three cubs born to Namibian cheetah 'Jwala', have died at the KNP since March. Talking to PTI, Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India's (WII) former dean and senior profession Y V Jhala said, "Thou

Shah attends meeting in Bhopal, to launch campaign ahead of MP polls

The BJP has decided to launch a special campaign in view of the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, due later this year, after Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired an important meeting of the party in Bhopal on Tuesday night. Ahead of the upcoming assembly polls, Shah has announced to launch 'Vijay Sankalp Abhiyan' from Madhya Pradesh after deeply reviewing preparations for the polls, Madhya Pradesh BJP president VD Sharma told reporters after the meeting. Shah reviewed the current political situation in Madhya Pradesh and discussed poll strategies in detail at the meeting. He also took stock of the party's preparations for elections and analysed various aspects, Sharma said. Shah landed in Bhopal on Tuesday evening to attend the meeting. Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw, appointed as BJP incharges for Madhya Pradesh, and their cabinet colleagues Narendra Singh Tomar, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Prahlad Patel, also attended the meeting. BJP's national joint ...

One more African cheetah, Tejas, has died in MP's Kuno National Park

One more African cheetah died in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park (KNP) on Tuesday, a senior forest department official said. The male cheetah, Tejas, was brought to KNP in Sheopur district from South Africa in February this year. Cheetah Tejas, aged around four years, died in KNP due to suspected infighting, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Wildlife J S Chauhan told PTI. The feline, brought from South Africa as part of the ambitious cheetah reintroduction programme, was in an enclosure at the time of the incident, the official said.

2 more cheetahs released in Madhya Pradesh's KNP range, count now at 12

Two more cheetahs have been released into the wild at the Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh's Sheopur district, taking the count to 12, a senior forest official said on Tuesday. Eight Namibian cheetahs, comprising five females and three males, were brought to the KNP and released into special enclosures by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 17 last year as part of an ambitious programme to reintroduce the species in India. Twelve more cheetahs seven males and five females were brought to the KNP from South Africa on February 18 this year. On Monday, two male cheetahs, Prabhash and Pavak, were released into the wild at the KNP, Sheopur's Divisional Forest Officer P K Verma said. Both of them were brought to India from South Africa, the official said. Now, the number of cheetahs in free range has gone up to 12, while five felines and a cub are in the enclosures, he said. Six cheetahs, including three cubs born to cheetah Jwala, have died at the KNP since March. C

G20 meet in Indore from July 19; Bhupender Yadav reviews preparations

Union Labour and Employment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Sunday reviewed the preparations for a three-day meeting of the G20, which is slated to begin from July 19 in Madhya Pradesh's Indore. The fourth employment working group meeting will be held in the first two days, while a meeting of the labour and employment ministers of G20 countries will be held on the third day, officials said. Yadav instructed officials to showcase the historical, cultural heritage and wildlife of Madhya Pradesh to delegates during the G20 meeting here, they said. After the meeting, the minister also reached the city's famous 56 shops, a centre with eateries, and a hotel and took stock of the arrangements being made for G20 delegates. While addressing party workers later at the city BJP office, Yadav said, "I hope that the upcoming meeting of the G20 will see the same enthusiasm of people of the city as witnessed in the previous events of the Pravasi Bharatiya Sammelan and the agriculture working group of

MP police register case against Digvijaya Singh over controversial post

The Indore police have registered a case against Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh for allegedly sharing a controversial post on former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief MS Golwalkar on social media, an official said on Sunday. Following a complaint filed by local lawyer and RSS worker Rajesh Joshi, the FIR was registered on Saturday night against Singh under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence), 469 (forgery for purpose of harming reputation), 500 (defamation) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), said the official from Tukoganj police station. In his complaint, Joshi alleged that Singh had shared a controversial poster on Facebook bearing the name and picture of "Guruji" (as Golwalkar was popularly name) to incite people by creating conflict among Dalits, backward classes, Muslims and Hindus, as per the FIR. The complaint claimed Singh's Facebook post on Golwalkar ...

Rs 5 lakh provided to Sidhi urination case victim on CM Chouhan's direction

The announcement was made from the official twitter handle of Sidhi Collector late Thursday night. The tweet reads, "As per the directions of CM

Assembly polls: BJP picks in-charges for Raj, Chhattisgarh, MP, Telangana

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed union ministers and senior party leaders as in-charges for the upcoming state elections this year