Page 153 - Politics
India provides USD 15 million assistance to Niger for holding AU summit
India has extended USD 15 million grant to Niger in support of organising the African Union summit scheduled in July in Niamey. The grant assistance of USD 15 million was symbolically handed over to Niger's Deputy Foreign Minister Lamido Ousseini Bala Goga Salamatou in the presence of Minister and Special Advisor to the Niger President Mohammed Saidil Moctar, by Indian Ambassador to that country Rajesh Agarwal at a ceremony held on Monday in Niamey. The support was in response to a specific request by the Niger government, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement. Niger is hosting the AU Summit for the first time. The AU Summit, from July 7-8 in Niamey, is also expected to launch the historic African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). India and Niger relations have expanded significantly since the opening of the Indian Resident Diplomatic Mission in Niamey in 2009. India has provided Lines of Credit worth USD 96.54 million to Niger for projects in transport, ...
Ruckus in Maharashtra Legislative Council over 'Budget leak' on Twitter
A ruckus was created in the Upper House i.e. Legislative Council in Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday when it's Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde alleged that the details of the Budget were leaked from the official Twitter account of Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantivar even before it was presented in the House.The Opposition disrupted the Budget presentation in the Legislative Council by junior Minister Deepak Kesarkar. Maharashtra Legislature is a bicameral legislature, with Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council as two Houses. While Finance Minister Mungantivar presented the Budget in Assembly, Minister of State Kesarkar presented it in the Upper House.Following the ruckus, Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar adjourned the House for 10 minutes. However, when it was resumed, BJP's Chandrakant Patil said he would move a no-confidence motion."This is the first time in the history of the House that when a Finance Minister is giving his speech he has been ...
Russia attracts 32 pc of all foreign investments to its far east region, says Russian Dy PM Trutnev
Around 32 per cent of all foreign investments in Russia lands in the country's Far East region, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev said here on Tuesday."Thirty-two per cent of all investments to Russia are attracted towards the country's the Far East," Trutnev said, while talking to media persons here.When asked if India will become a $ 5-trillion economy in the next five years, he said: "Russia ranks 31 among 190 countries in terms of ease of doing business. Today 17 countries have invested in Russia's far east. India has now started investing."Trutnev informed that there were three more companies from India which have expressed their interest to invest in the Far East besides Tata Power, KGK Diamond and a few more.Trutnev's remarks come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his opening remarks at the 5th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, on Saturday said that the goal to make India a five-trillion-dollar economy is challenging but can be achieved.Modi, after ..
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to lead Congress in Lok Sabha
Senior Congress leader and West Bengal MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was on Tuesday named by the Congress as its leader in the Lok Sabha after Rahul Gandhi is understood to have declined to take charge of the post.He will be replacing senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who served as the Leader of the Congress in the 16th Lok Sabha and lost the recent elections from Gulbarga in Karnataka.Chowdhury, who will lead the the Congress which has 52 MPs, pips Manish Tewari, Shashi Tharoor and Kodikunnil Suresh, whose names were doing the rounds for the post of the Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha.There was also speculation that Rahul Gandhi would take over as Leader of the Party in the House after his decision to quit as Congress President, which has been rejected by the Congress Working Commitee.The nomination of Chowdhury, a fifth term member from Berhampore in West Bengal, by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at its meeting here earlier in the day at the ...
Govt restores provision of 'ration in kind' to military officers in peace areas
The government has restored the provision of 'ration in kind' to military officers in peace areas, a defence official said on Tuesday. The facility was withdrawn by the government in 2017 and it started paying a certain amount in instead of the ration to defence personnel. "The Government of India has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Defence for restoration of the 'ration in kind' to the defence officers posted in peace areas," a defence official said. The decision to withdraw the provision of 'ration in kind' had met with criticism from several quarters within the three services of the armed forces.
34 Pakistani migrants granted Indian citizenship in Rajasthan
The Rajasthan government has granted Indian citizenship to 34 Pakistani migrants living in the state for more than a decade, a senior official said on Tuesday. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Rajeeva Swarup said 34 migrants have been granted Indian citizenship in June 2019. He said they have been living in the country for over a decade. The displaced include 19 from Barmer, 10 from Pali and five from Jalore district, he added. A total of 79 Pak migrants have been given Indian citizenship from January 1 to June 17 this year, Swarup said.
Turkey says US ultimatum over S-400 'not in spirit of alliance'
Turkey on Tuesday accused the US of not acting as an ally in its official response to Washington's ultimatum to Ankara to abandon a Russian missile defence system deal. The Turkish defence ministry said in a statement "the wording and approach" of a letter sent early this month by Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan "was not in the spirit of an alliance (and) caused unease". The ministry said Turkey's previously "known" opinions on acquiring the Russian S-400 missile defence system had been shared in a detailed manner, without offering further information. Shanahan's letter warned Ankara has until July 31 to renounce the S-400 purchase or Turkish pilots would be booted from US training on America's latest-generation F-35 fighter jets. Ankara's push to buy the missile defence system from Moscow has caused significant tension between the NATO allies, whose ties are already strained by multiple issues including US support for a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed as terrorists by ...
TRS non-committal on support to NDA nominee for Speaker's post
The ruling TRS in Telangana was non-committal on Tuesday on supporting NDA nominee Om Birla's candidature for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post. "We will take the call when it comes", the Parliamentary party leader of the TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti), K Keshava Rao, told PTI. He had last week said that the TRS, headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, would give issue-based support to the BJP-led NDA government. On the policy of TRS, which has nine members in the Lok Sabha, towards the NDA government, Keshava Rao, a Rajya Sabha member, had said: "No animosity, no friendship". The TRS had backed the NDA on the demonetisation and GST, and in the elections to the post of President and Vice-President during the previous term.
TN Minister joins issue with Stalin for "old wine" jibe
Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar on Tuesday slammed DMK chief M K Stalin for mocking Chief Minister K Palaniswami's Delhi visit and said it was aimed at diverting attention. Jayakumar, who is also a senior AIADMK leader, said Palaniswami in his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi days ago, had urged for a direction to Karnataka to not take up any construction activities in the Cauvery basin without the prior consent of Tamil Nadu. Delving into a memorandum submitted by Palaniswami to Modi on June 15, he underscored that the Chief Minister had batted for linkage of Godavari and Cauvery rivers to bring water to Tamil Nadu and rejuvenation of the Cauvery river on the lines of "Namami Gangae" plan. Stalin had alleged Sunday that Palaniswami pledged Tamil Nadu's rights in Delhi and returned empty handed to the State. Listing out issues, including the Mekedatu dam row, the DMK chief had said the Chief Minister "missed the opportunity" to resolve such issues and .
Pak Army chief made member of newly established National Development Council
In a move that would further expand the powerful Pakistani military's influence, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has been made a member of the newly-formed National Development Council headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, the media reported Tuesday. The Express Tribune, quoting a notification issued by the Cabinet Division, reported that the 13-member council set up by Prime Minister Khan will also include the foreign minister and advisor on finance. The cash-strapped Pakistan government is seeking financial bailout packages from global multilateral lenders like the IMF and the World Bank to tide over a ballooning balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple its economy. The powerful army, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its 70 plus years of existence, has hitherto wielded considerable power in the matters of security and foreign policy. But now, the military will play greater role in economic matters of Pakistan as the Khan-led government grapples with ...
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury named Congress leader in LS
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was on Tuesday named as leader of Congress in Lok Sabha by UPA Chairperson and Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi.
Delhi court extends NIA custody of terror funding accused by 7 days
A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to quiz Mohammad Arif Ghulambashir Dharampuria for seven days in connection with the Pakistan-based Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) terror funding case.
BJP Working President JP Nadda felicitated at party headquarters
Jagat Prakash Nadda, recently appointed as working president of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP), was felicitated by his party leaders at BJP headquarters here on Tuesday.The felicitation follows his appointment on Monday at a BJP parliamentary board meeting held after the first day in the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament ended.The former Union minister of Health and Family Welfare became the working president of BJP after the party's national president Amit Shah joined PM Modi's cabinet as Union minister of Home Affairs.
Om Birla is all set to be next LS speaker, may elect unopposed
With numbers clearly on the ruling combine's side, NDA candidate Om Birla, a two-time BJP member from Kota in Rajasthan, is all set to be the next Lok Sabha speaker and may be elected unopposed in the House on Wednesday.The BJP nominated 56-year-old Birla, who was also a Member of Assembly in Rajasthan for three terms and was the parliamentary secretary in the government of Vasundhara Raje between 2003-08, as the NDA candiate on Tuesday.Birla has the support of 10 parties including BJD and YSRCP, which are not part of the NDA. The BJP on its own has 303 MPs and the NDA has 352. BJD has 12 while YSRCP has 22 members in the lower House. In all, the ruling combine has the support of 386 members in the 543-member Lok Sabha.Nominations have been filed on behalf of Birla by parties which are supporting his candidature, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, who said he has appealed to the Congress also to back his candidature.While the Congress has not got back to the government, the
90 pc people favour free rides for women in metros and buses: AAP
Over 90 per cent of the people favour free rides for women in Delhi metro and buses, the Aam Aadmi Party claimed Tuesday. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said the finding was based on a survey conducted by his party legislators, municipal councillors and women wing over a period of ten days with more than 71,000 people participating in it. "We met all the sections of society. The party held 1,120 meetings and found that out of 71,572 people, as many as 64,972 were in favour of the free rides for women in metros and buses," Rai told reporters. He said the report of the survey would be submitted to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The party wants to implement the proposal as soon as possible, Rai added. "The DMRC gave two proposals, one of them being the issuance of pink cards for women. The DMRC said it would take about eight months to implement the proposal but we would like to enforce it as soon as possible," he said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on June 3 announced his .
Sonia Gandhi takes oath as member of 17th Lok Sabha
Sonia Gandhi, who retained the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat for the Congress, on Tuesday took oath as a member of the 17th Lok Sabha, amid desk-thumping applauds by the Opposition.Five times Member of Parliament (MP) from the Nehru-Gandhi traditional seat of Rae Bareli, she was welcomed to take the oath amid slogans of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai" and "Jai Sri Ram".Dressed in a maroon colour saree with dark green and gold border, she read the oath in Hindi.Gandhi retained the Rae Bareli seat by defeating BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh by over 1.67 lakh votes. Her win in the Uttar Pradesh constituency was the only saving grace for the Congress party in the state.Gandhi was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 1999 for the 13th Lok Sabha.Currently, she is also serving as the chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA).Gandhi is a native of Italy but she settled down in India after getting married to Rajiv Gandhi, late former prime minister. The duo has an elder daughter Priyanka Gandhi ..
VBA demands Maha polls through ballot papers
Alleging that EVMs are being manipulated, the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) Tuesday demanded that upcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra be held through ballot papers. VBA leader A R Anjaria said the electronic voting machines are not reliable, and that even the counties like the USA have discontinued their use. "We are witnessing widespread protests across the country against faulty EVMs which can be manipulated. Even technologically advanced countries like the USA and Spain which invented EVMs have started using ballot papers for voting. Only a few parties like the BJP and the Shiv Sena are silent on EVMs," he said. The VBA, headed by Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar, was formed ahead of the recently-held Lok Sabha elections. It also comprises AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi. The front contested all 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. AIMIM candidate Imtiyaz Jaleel won his maiden victory in the polls. Anjaria said the VBA would hit streets if poll authorities failed to ...
BJP wants assembly session to discuss JSW land sale
The BJP's Karnataka unit Tuesday demanded that the State government convene an assembly session immediately to discuss the sale of land to JSW steel. Senior BJP leader andformer deputy chief minister R Ashoka said the party will intensify its protest on the issue. The BJP will not accept the cabinet sub-committee report on it, he said. "On Jindal issue our fight will continue, it will not stop here...we will not leave the issue until it reaches logical end. We are discussing on taking the protest on this issue to district and taluk level," Ashoka said. He claimed that coalition leaders like Congress H K Patil and JD(S) A H Vishwanath and Basavaraj Horatti have raised objection to the sale of land to JSW Steel. "..Congress party MLA from the region Anand Singh hasalso raised his objection to the sale of land." The assembly session should be called immediately, Ashoka asserted. "We are ready to discuss the issue in detail. The CM has said he was ready to discuss with us the
Jagan, KCR bonhomie giving a leg-up to resolving sticky issues
The bonhomie between the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and K Chandrasekhar Rao appears to be paving the way for sorting out contentious issues between the two Telugu States. After the AP government recently agreed to hand over its buildings located here to its Telangana counterpart, Governor E S L Narasimhan is likely to call for a meeting of Chief Secretaries and senior officials of both the states on June 24 to sort out issues arising out of the 2014 bifurcation, a senior official of AP Government said. "The issues ranging from river water sharing to asset bifurcation and employees allocation are likely to be discussed during the meeting with (common) Governor (of both the States). Though the official agenda for the meeting is yet to be finalised, several issues are likely to be taken up," the official told PTI. There was not much headway in some of the issues such as river water disputes, power dues from Telangana, division of ..
Russia says victim of US cyberattacks 'for years'
The Kremlin on Tuesday said Moscow had been the victim of US cyberattacks "for years" following a New York Times report that Washington is stepping up digital incursions into Russia's power grid. "We -- I'm talking about several of our financial and media organisations, state institutions and critical infrastructure -- have been under attack for several years," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The cyberattacks "come from various Western countries, including the US," he added. Peskov said that President Vladimir Putin had "several times suggested to Washington and his American counterpart to work together in the field of cybersecurity. These suggestions have been rejected by our American colleagues." The Times at the weekend reported current and former government officials describing the classified deployment of American computer code inside Russia's power grid and other targets. The action is intended partly as a warning but also to leave the US poised to conduct cyberstrikes in .