Page 9 - President

Looking forward to India trip, disappointed Xi not attending G20: Biden

US President Joe Biden has said that he is looking forward to his trip to India this week but is "disappointed" that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will not attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi. Biden will travel to India on September 7 to participate in the G20 Summit and will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 on the sidelines of the historic meeting, the White House announced on Friday. In its capacity as the current president of G20, India is hosting the annual summit of the influential grouping in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. Ahead of his trip, reporters asked Biden on Sunday whether he was looking forward to his visits to India and Vietnam. Yes, I am," Biden replied. He expressed his disappointment over President Xi of China not attending the summit in New Delhi. "I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him," Biden said in response to a question. Biden, along with more than two dozen world leaders, is scheduled to attend

Prez Murmu accepts credentials from 4 nations' envoys at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday accepted credentials from envoys of Estonia, Ukraine, Burkina Faso and Norway at a ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, an official statement said. Those who presented their credentials were Marje Luup, Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia; Oleksandr Polishchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine; Desire Boniface Some, Ambassador of Burkina Faso; and May-Elin Stener, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Norway, said the statement issued by the president's office.

Wait for official word on Russian participation in G20 Summit: Envoy Alipov

Russian envoy to India Denis Alipov on Monday said that the Presidential office will soon announce who will represent his country

By 2040, we want to create 'atmanirbhar' India: Prez Murmu in Goa assembly

Earlier, the President was accorded a warm welcome at the assembly complex by Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai, Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant

Distressed over loss of lives in Mizoram bridge collapse: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said she was distressed to know about the loss of lives in the tragic bridge mishap in Mizoram and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. At least 17 workers were killed and several others feared trapped after an under-construction railway bridge collapsed near Sairang area of the north eastern state on Wednesday, police said. "Distressed to know that a tragic bridge mishap in Mizoram caused loss of lives. I express my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," Murmu said on microblogging site X.

Envoys of 6 nations present credentials to Prez Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan

President Droupadi Murmu on Monday received credentials from the envoys of six nations, including Australia and the Netherlands, at a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, an official statement said. Those who presented their credentials were Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez, the Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela; Victor Hugo Echeverri Jaramillo, the Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia; and Ambassador of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria Ali Achoui, it said. The statement, issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, said Kenneth Felix Haczynski da Nobrega, the Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil; Philip Green, the High Commissioner of Australia; and Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands Marie Louisa Gerards also presented their credentials.

Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League urge Prez Alvi to step down

Ministry of Law and Justice said a bill is sent to the president under the Constitution's Article 75 and he has two options - either approve it or return it with objections

Vindhyagiri in Kolkata sign of Atmanirbhar Bharat: Prez at Navy launch

Describing the indigenous construction of an advanced stealth frigate for the Indian navy, 'Vindhyagiri' by Kolkata's Garden Reach Shipyards as a symbol of India's self-reliance in shipbuilding, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday launched the ship at the dock on the banks of the river Hooghly here. She also said that the production of the advanced frigate was a symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat and of technological advancement made by the country. "The launch is a symbol of self reliance in ship building," the President said, adding that projects like these reflect India's "commitment to self reliance and technological advancement". "I am very happy to be here at the launch of Vindhyagiri. This event also marks a move forward in enhancing India's maritime capabilities," the President said. "We are now the fifth-largest economy in the world, and we are now striving to be the third largest in future A huge part of our trade goods transit through the seas. This fact highlights the ...

Murmu to launch advanced stealth frigate, de-addiction campaign in Kolkata

President Droupadi Murmu will visit in Kolkata on Thursday, during which she will launch an advanced stealth frigate for the Indian Navy and a de-addiction campaign. Murmu will launch the 'Vindhyagiri' at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly river, further propelling India's maritime prowess, a defence official said. This is the sixth of seven ships being built under 'Project 17 Alpha' for the Navy. The first five ships of the project were launched between 2019 and 2022. This is the third and last stealth frigate that the Kolkata-based warship maker was contracted to build for the Navy under the project. The official said that 75 per cent of orders for equipment and systems of P17A ships are from indigenous firms, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The state-of-the-art ship will be fitted with the latest gadgets and undergo extensive trials before being handed over to the Indian Navy for commissioning into ...

President Murmu to launch advanced stealth frigate for Navy on Thursday

President Droupadi Murmu will launch an advanced stealth frigate here for the Indian Navy on Thursday, further propelling India's maritime prowess, a defence official said. Murmu will launch the 'Vindhyagiri' at Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of River Hooghly in Kolkata, he said. This is the sixth of seven ships being built under Project 17 Alpha for the Navy. The first five ships of the project were launched between 2019 and 2022. This is the third and last stealth frigate that the Kolkata-based warship maker was contracted to build for the Navy under Project 17A. The official said that 75 per cent of orders for equipment and systems of P17A ships are from indigenous firms, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The state-of-the-art ship will be fitted with the latest gadgets and undergo extensive trials before being handed over to the Indian Navy for commissioning into service. P17A ships are guided missil

Stalin urges President Murmu to clear TN's anti-NEET Bill at the earliest

Flagging the 16 suicide deaths of students over NEET in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday urged President Droupadi Murmu to accord her assent at the earliest to the state's anti-NEET Bill. Writing to the President, Stalin pointed to the "unfortunate consequences" due to the delay in the grant of approval to the Tamil Nadu Admission to Undergraduate Medical Degree Courses Bill, 2021 and urged her to provide assent immediately. The chief minister underscored the back-to-back suicide deaths of a son and his father on August 12 and 13 respectively due to the stress of NEET. "With this, the toll of students who have died by suicide due to NEET has increased to 16 in our State. These tragedies could have been definitely avoided if our Bill for exemption from NEET had been given assent and the medical admissions done on the basis of +2 marks," Stalin said in his letter to the President. Giving a background to the legislative process, Stalin referred to the Justice A K Rajan

President Murmu to launch new frigate 'INS Vindhyagiri' on Thursday

But the navy is going ahead with its tradition of keeping its warships, or at least their memory, alive

Top headlines: 7 laws get Presidential nod, UP identifies new mining areas

Business Standard brings you the top headlines at this hour

7 new laws, including Delhi services bill, receive Presidential assent

Seven new laws, including the one related to the control of services matter in Delhi, passed by Parliament this week came into force on Saturday after they received the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. An official gazette notification in this regard was issued by the government. The legislations that become operational are the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023; The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023; The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023; The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Act, 2023; The Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Act, 2023; The National Dental Commission Act, 2023; and The Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023. The Delhi services bill secured parliamentary approval on Monday after the Rajya Sabha passed the contentious measure that will give the Centre control over bureaucracy in the national capital, with the BJP-led NDA thwarting opposition challenge in

Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill gets President's assent

The Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which was passed in both Houses of Parliament during the Monsoon Session, has received the President's assent. The law will allow the use of a birth certificate as a single document for admission to an education institute, issuance of a driving licence, preparation of a voter list, Aadhaar number, registration of marriage or appointment to a government job. According to a notification issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice, President Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the legislation. The law will help create a national and state-level database of registered births and deaths which eventually would ensure efficient and transparent delivery of public services and social benefits, and digital registration. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha that the original Act had not been amended since its inception and to keep pace with the societal change and technological advancements during the perio

Ecuador arrests 6 in prez candidate Villavicencio assassination case

The six men arrested as suspects in the assassination of an anti-corruption Ecuadorian presidential candidate are Colombian nationals, a police report said Thursday as authorities investigated the motive for a crime that shocked a nation already reeling from a surge in drug-related violence. The six men were captured hiding in a house in Quito, Ecuador's capital, said the report, which was reviewed by The Associated Press. Officers also seized four shotguns, a 5.56-mm rifle, ammunition and three grenades, along with a vehicle and a motorcycle, it said. Fernando Villavicencio, 59, who was known for speaking up against drug cartels, was assassinated in Quito on Wednesday, less than two weeks before a special presidential election. He was not a front-runner, but his death deepened the sense of crisis around organised crime that has already claimed thousands of lives and underscored the challenge that Ecuador's next leader will face. Ecuador's interior minister, Juan Zapata, had earlier

Lok Sabha passes Bill to empower President with management of IIMs

The Lok Sabha Friday passed a Bill seeking to entrust the management accountability of the IIMs with the President, who will be a Visitor and have powers to audit their functioning, remove directors and nominate a member in the selection committee. Piloting the Indian Institutes of Management (Amendment) Bill, 2023, in the Lower House, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the government has no intention to take away the academic accountability from the institute but the Bill will only ensure its management accountability as the Centre has spent over Rs 6,000 crore in setting up the IIMs. Under the existing dispensation, the President of India is also a visitor at IITs and NITs, but no questions are being raised on the academic autonomy of these institutes, Pradhan said. The Bill, which was introduced on July 28, was passed by the Lower House by a voice vote amid disruptions by opposition members over the recent violence in Manipur. According to the Bill, which seeks to amend

Oppon leaders meet President Murmu, seek intervention on Manipur issue

Opposition leaders on Wednesday met President Droupadi Murmu here to seek her intervention on the Manipur issue. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had sought time from President Murmu on behalf of the opposition parties. The opposition parties are seeking the President's intervention in the matter, claiming that violence in the BJP-ruled northeastern state is continuing unabated. Some MPs of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) who visited Manipur on July 29-30 are part of the opposition delegation meeting the President. The opposition is demanding a statement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi followed by a discussion under Rule 267 after suspending all other House business, while the ruling dispensation wants a short-duration discussion on Manipur which will be replied to by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Prez assented 247 bills from 2014-22; 95 bills still under process

The President has assented 247 bills that were received from the state governments and Union territories between 2014 and 2022, Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Of these assented bills, the highest 24 were from Gujarat, followed by 23 from Uttar Pradesh. Mishra, the minister of state for home, said the central government has also received 95 bills between 2014 and 2022 from different state governments and UTs for obtaining assent of the President and all these legislations have been processed in consultation with the nodal central ministries and departments. Twenty-four bills from Gujarat, 23 bills from Uttar Pradesh and 22 bills from Maharashtra were assented by the President between 2014 and 2022, according to the data given by the minister in a written reply. Of the 95 bills still under process, 11 are from Uttar Pradesh, 10 from Maharashtra and nine from Andhra Pradesh. "In case of observations from the nodal ministries and departments, the ..

Impose president's rule in Manipur: DCW in report to President Murmu

President's rule should be urgently imposed in Manipur and a Supreme Court monitored SIT be set up to probe clashes in the state, the Delhi Commission for Women has said in a report listing interim recommendations sent to President Droupadi Murmu. DCW chief Swati Maliwal was in Manipur last week to interact with survivors of the ethnic violence that has wracked the state since May. "Given the extent of violence and the polarization between the two communities, President's rule, as per Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, should be urgently imposed in the state. The administration needs to be run by neutral persons whom both communities can trust," the report said. As part of the interim recommendations, the DCW has said Chief Minister N Biren Singh should resign from office and that a Supreme Court Monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) be set up to probe ethnic clashes and the government's response. Besides, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers should urgently