Page 2773 - Politics
Govt sets up key panel under NSA to assist National Security Council
The government has set up a panel, headed by NSA Ajit Doval, to assist the National Security Council, which advises the prime minister on matters of national security and strategic interests, officials said Monday. The Strategic Policy Group (SPG) will assist the National Security Council and undertake among other tasks, a long-term strategic review of country's security affairs. It will be the principal mechanism for inter-ministerial coordination and integration of relevant inputs in the formulation of national security policies, a top Home Ministry official said. The SPG will be chaired by National Security Advisor (NSA) Doval and its members include the NITI Aayog vice chairman, the cabinet secretary, the chiefs of the three defence services, the RBI governor, the foreign secretary, the home secretary, the finance secretary and the defence secretary. The secretary of the Department of Defence Production and Supplies, the scientific adviser to the defence minister and the secretary
Sabarimala: 'Deliberate' attempts being made to destroy
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday flayed those agitating against his government's move to implement the Supreme Court verdict on entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple, saying "deliberate" efforts were being made to destroy the state's unity and secular fabric. As protests against the verdict continued in the state with police chasing away BJP activists at Haripad in Alappuzha district, a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking review of the judgement which lifted the ban on entry of women of all ages into the Lord Ayyappa temple. The petition filed by Shylaja Vijayan, president of National Ayyappa Devotees Association, said the September 28 judgmentis "absolutely untenable and irrational.." The issue has taken a political turn with main opposition Congress and BJP coming out against the LDF government's move to implement the verdict, saying they are with the believers. Stepping up its agitation, BJP Monday said at Kochi that it would
Stalin seeks appointment with TN Governor on corruption
DMK President M.K. Stalin has sought an appointment with Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit to impress upon him the need for taking steps against the guilty to check corruption in the state.
Govts' welfare schemes to benefit Tharus of both UP and Nepal: Adityanath
Various welfare schemes run by the Union and the state governments will be benefitting the Tahru community people living in both the border areas of Uttar Pradesh and the neighbouring Nepal, said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday. "People from Tharu community live both in India and Nepal. In India, attention was paid to their health and education, hence the Tharus living in India became nationalist, while the majority of those living in Nepal embraced Maoism in absence of any developmental programme," said Adityanath, addressing a public meeting in Tulsipur near here. The Chief Minister said "various welfare schemes run by the Centre and the state government pertaining to the health and education will benefit the people living in border areas, and also those in Nepal." Adityanath made the remarks at a function held here for unveiling of a statue of Mahant Awaidhyanath at Pateshwari Public School in Tulsipur area of the district by him. On the occasion, UP Governor Ram Naik urged ..
Fill vacant posts in govt departments in a month: Pondy CM
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Monday directed the officials of the territorial administration to speed up measures to fill 800 vacancies in government departments through direct recruitment in a month. The directive comes after Narayanasamy, along with his ministerial colleagues, reviewed the vacancies in the departments, an official press release said here. "This (filling up vacancies) will help the administration implement developmental schemes quickly and open up job opportunities for the educated youth," the release quoted the Chief Minister as telling the officials at a meeting. Chief secretary Ashwini Kumar and secretaries of all the departments and developmental commissioner explained to the chief minister about the vacancies and modalities that could be adopted to fill the posts, the release said. Also, the officials briefed the chief minister on the court cases related to some postings pending disposal, it said. The chief minister mentioned that the ..
Yogi dials up Rupani over 'attacks' on north Indians in Gujarat
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Monday he had called up his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani over the reported attacks on north Indians in the western state and was assured that the government there would ensure the safety of all. The Gujarat chief minister told me over the phone there was no incident in the past three days and that he had appealed to people against paying heed to any rumour, Adityanath said here. "Gujarat is a peace loving state and a model of development. Those who do not have any issue (to criticise the state government) spread such rumours. Those who do not want development spread rumours," Adityanath said. Some north Indians living in Gujarat had called me and I told them also, not to pay heed to the rumours, and on keeping the local administration and government in confidence, Adityanath said. He asked everyone to cooperate with the state government while hailing the steps taken by the Gujarat chief minister for maintaining peace and normalcy, .
Youth wings of 14 parties hold joint protest against Modi govt
United Youth Front, a combined youth wing of 14 major national and regional political parties, marched to Parliament on Monday against the "apathetic behaviour" of the NDA government on issues such as unemployment, inflation and fuel price hike. The front, with youth outfits of several non-BJP parties including the Congress as constituents, was formed last month for joint protests against the Modi government "There is discontent and anguish among diversified youth of the country towards completely apathetic behavior of the Modi government on issues of unemployment, inflation, fuel price hike, irregularities in SSC and other competitive exams, police atrocities, BJP sponsored crimes and major corruption in the Rafale deal," Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said while addressing the gathering at Parliament street. The protest march titled "Desh Bachao, Yuva Bachao" saw participation from youth wings of the Indian Youth Congress, All India Youth Front (CPI), Nationalist Youth ...
Sanitation workers call Kejriwal, Modi indifferent, want salaries released
Sanitation workers of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest salary delays, and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of being indifferent to their problems.
India offers USD 20 mn to Tajikistan for development projects
India on Monday offered a grant of USD 20 million to Tajikistan for financing development projects in the resource-rich Central Asian country as President Ram Nath Kovind and his Tajik counterpart held talks and reaffirmed their determination to counter all forms of terrorism and violent extremism. President Kovind, who is here on a three-day state visit to strengthen India's ties with the country, reviewed the Guard of Honour along with Tajik President Emamoli Rahmon before the start of bilateral discussions. "This is my first visit to Central Asia. Tajikistan is our nearest neighbour in Central Asia. I have, therefore, decided to make my first call in Dushanbe," Kovind said. India has historical ties with Tajikistan. Poets and philosophers like Rudaki, Amir Khusro and Bedil are household names in India and Tajikistan, he said. "Their works bear testimony to our shared values of humanism and tolerance," the president said. He said India recognises Tajikistan's great contribution to ..
Goa SIT probing illegal mining cases gets new chief
The Goa government Monday appointed Deputy Inspector General Parmaditya to head the Special Investigation Team probing cases of illegal mining in the state. The Goa Crime Branch's SIT is probing half a dozen cases of illegal mining in which several politicians, including former chief minister Digambar Kamat, government officials and mine owners have been named in charge sheets. The Supreme Court-appointed M B Shah Commission had in its report in 2012 stated that illegal mining to the tune of Rs 3,000 had taken place in Goa between 2005 and 2012 and had named several persons who are currently being investigated by the SIT. Parmaditya's appointment order was issued Monday by Goa's government Under Secretary (Personnel-II) Shashank Thakur. DIG Jaspal Singh has been relieved as head of SIT, the order added. Parmaditya will also supervise the work of the Superintendents of Police of North and South Goa districts. The mining industry in the state has come to a standstill ...
President Kovind, PM Modi greet air warriors on IAF's 86th anniversary
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed air warriors on the occasion of Indian Air Force's 86th anniversary.Taking to Twitter, President Kovind hailed the contribution of the IAF in defending the country and said: "On Air Force Day, we proudly honour our air warriors, veterans, and families of the Indian Air Force. They safeguard our skies with courage and commitment."Meanwhile, the Prime Minister tweeted "A grateful nation salutes our valorous air warriors and their families on Air Force Day. They keep our skies safe and are at the forefront of serving humanity in times of disasters. Proud of the Indian Air Force!"Congress President Rahul Gandhi also praised the valour of the Air Force personnel, adding that their commitment is an inspiration for all Indians."On #AirForceDay I salute the brave men and women of the Indian Airforce. Their valour and commitment is an inspiration for all Indians. Jai Hind," Gandhi tweeted.The official twitter handle of
J-K municipal polls: Kargil takes lead with 73.6% voter turnout
Voter turnout in Jammu and Kashmir municipal polls witnessed a significant boost, with Kargil taking over the lead from Rajouri in terms of voter turnout as of 1 PM on Monday.Voter turnout in Kargil increased from 33 per cent to 73.6 per cent in a span of two hours. While Rajouri recorded 67.7 per cent, Poonch was close with 63.5 per cent. Jammu and Leh recorded voting percentages of 43.4 and 44.2, respectively.Bandipore recorded the lowest voter turnout of 2.5 per cent, while Anantnag, Budgam and Baramulla, which are heavily infested by militancy, registered voter turnouts of 6.1 per cent, 12 per cent and 3.7 per cent, respectively.Amid terror threats and boycott calls by separatist groups and the two main regional parties, the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polling for the first phase of municipal elections in 422 of the 1,145 wards began on Monday morning.Unprecedented security arrangements were put in place by the state authorities and the ...
President Kovind holds talks with Tajikistan counterpart
In his very first visit to Central Asia after assuming office, President Ram Nath Kovind met President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe on Monday.President Kovind, while recalling the 27-year long diplomatic relations with Tajikistan, said "India and Tajikistan together have built a strong foundation for bilateral and multilateral cooperation. In 2012, we elevated our relationship to the level of Strategic Partnership."Taking ties forward, the President Kovind signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in the fields of political relations, strategic research, agriculture, renewable energy, traditional medicine, space technology, youth affairs, culture and disaster management.President Kovind also said that India will remain committed to providing capacity building and development assistance support to Tajikistan."We are happy to offer a grant of USD 20 million for financing development projects as identified by the Government of Tajikistan. We will undertake a feasibility study ..
Pappu Yadav's meeting with top Cong leader in Bihar causes ripples in political circles
A late night meeting between the AICC in-charge for Bihar Shaktisinh Gohil and Jan Adhikar Party chief Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav triggered political ripples Monday within the Congress party and its ally, Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal. Yadav, who represents the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat, met Gohil at the Sadaqat Ashram, the state Congress headquarters, late on Sunday night. Speaking to media after the meeting, Gohil sought to downplay it as a courtesy call by Yadav, whose wife Ranjeet Ranjan is a Congress MP. When contacted for a comment, a close aide of Yadav told PTI he was not available for a response as he was addressing a party workers meeting at Khagaria. The development, however, triggered speculations about the Congress toying with the idea of some sort of understanding with Yadav, who has had a troubled relationship with Lalu Prasad since the 1990s, for the Lok Sabha polls. In the 2014 general elections, Prasad, who was then disqualified from contesting elections ...
BJP asks states ruled by oppn parties to reduce oil prices
The BJP on Monday asked opposition parties to desist from spreading "propaganda" against the central government over the issue of oil prices and instead slash petrol and diesel rates in states ruled by them. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi told reporters that while the Centre and the states ruled by her party have brought down petrol and diesel prices by Rs 5, opposition parties like the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have not helped the masses by effecting a cut. She argued that states have been benefitting due to rise in oil prices as the taxes they earn are based on a fixed percentage of the cost of petrol and diesel per litre, while the Centre's share of revenue is fixed for every litre. Even out of the excise duty of Rs 19 the central government earns on a litre of petrol, 42 per cent goes to the states which, she added, earn extra revenue based on the value added tax they levy. It ranges from 26 per cent to 30 per cent for most states. "Non-BJP states
China calls for mutually beneficial cooperation with US
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Monday that he urged visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to favour bilateral cooperation between the two nations instead of conflict.
SC reserves verdict on Congress plea on duplicate voters in MP
The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its order on a plea by Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Kamal Nath claiming existence of a large number of duplicate voters in the electoral rolls of the state going to Assembly elections in November.
30 swine flu deaths in Gujarat, state taking special measures: Govt to HC
The Gujarat government Monday told the high court that special measures were being taken to tackle the spread of the H1N1 virus which causes swine flu. The Gujarat High Court was informed that 786 people had tested positive for the virus in the state till September 30, and 30 of them had died. In an affidavit in response to a PIL filed by one Manasvi Thapar through advocate K R Koshti, the state government Monday told the court that measures, including mass surveillance and setting up of a special helpline number, were being put in place to control the spread of the disease. "Community diagnosis and treatment camps are being organised in remote areas and personal hygiene practices are being popularised in places of mass gathering such as Navratri. Hand sanitisers and first-aid facilities will be provided at Navratri pandals," the state government's affidavit said. As per the affidavit, four rounds of house-to-house surveillance were conducted by district administration and municipal ..
Arunachal govt launches 2 agri programmes
Arunachal Pradesh Agriculture Minister Dr Mohesh Chai on Monday launched two schemes for farmers to increase production and their income. The two schemes are the Chief Minister's Sashakt Kisan Yojana (CMSKY) and the Chief Ministers Krishi Samuh Yojana (CMKSY). Finance Minister Chowna Mein in his 2018-19 budget speech had announced a number of initiatives to transform farm economy in the state, Chai said. "The two new initiatives launched today is aimed at fulfilling the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to double farmer's income by 2022," he said. Under these initiatives, all allied departments would be involved under District Agricultural Development Society which is responsible for planning and implementation of farmers oriented development schemes he said. The minister said the state government is coming out with more policies for the enhancement of farmer's income. The government plans to link farmers with markets, and develop scientific and integrated ways ..
'KCR not able to give clear reason why he opted for early
TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has not been able to give a clear reason why he opted for assembly elections ahead of schedule in Telangana, state BJP president K Laxman alleged Monday. Till today, Chief Minister KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao) had not given a clear reason for early polls, indicating his sense of insecurity and despair, he said. "It makes people think. The TRS graph is falling gradually," he told reporters at Karimnagar. Rao had opted for early polls on the basis of some surveys and the latest ones indicated TRS losing in the December 7 assembly polls, he claimed. The administration suffered badly due to the early polls, with people not being able to avail basic facilities and Rao is to be squarely blamed for the situation, the BJP leader said. Laxman was in Karimnagar to review arrangements for the public meeting to be addressed by BJP Chief Amit Shah on October 10. Shah had kicked off his party's campaign for the assembly polls