HM Shah begins three-day Bihar visit to review border security in Seemanchal; NDA leaders welcome move

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to begin a three-day visit to Bihar on Wednesday, focussing on border security, administrative preparedness and ongoing development initiatives in the state’s Seemanchal region, which shares proximity with Nepal and Bangladesh.

Reacting to the visit, Bihar Minister Ashok Chaudhary said, “He (Amit Shah) is coming to review our border areas with Nepal and Bangladesh because reports are coming that drug peddlers have become active from Nepal. Our resources are for our Muslims, not for Muslims of other countries.”

During his visit, HM Shah is scheduled to review security arrangements in border districts and hold high-level meetings with officials regarding issues along the India-Nepal border.

He is set to reach Purnia around 4:00 P.M. before proceeding to Kishanganj, where he will chair a review meeting at the Collectorate.

JD(U) spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar emphasised the developmental aspect of the visit, stating, “Amit Shah is the country’s Home Minister. The Seemanchal region includes the agriculture college named after A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the airport of Purnia, the development of Waqf properties, as well as other bordering areas.”

LJP MLA, Raju Tiwari welcomed the visit, saying, “The Home Minister regularly visits the Seemanchal region, and his visits are always welcome. Especially in Seemanchal, it shows the responsibility the government has towards the people. His arrival, along with the Prime Minister’s, is a good sign.”

RLM MLA, Madhav Anand added, “Home Minister Amit Shah remains consistently concerned about the people of Bihar. All the central government schemes being implemented in Bihar are regularly reviewed personally by him and by the Prime Minister. His current visit is part of this engagement — a three-day tour.”

On February 26, HM Shah will visit Araria and participate in a programme at the Letti border outpost, followed by further security assessments and a review of development initiatives under the Vibrant Villages Programme. The tour will conclude on February 27 after additional meetings in Purnia before his return to New Delhi.

Extensive security arrangements have been put in place ahead of the visit.

–IANS

rs/rad

Related Posts

Rozgar Mela 2025: Work honestly, diligently to make India developed, self-reliant nation, say Ministers

New Delhi, April 26 (IANS) The freshly recruited candidates at the 15th edition of Rozgar Mela must work honestly and diligently to make India a developed and self-reliant nation, said Union Ministers on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed 51,236 appointment letters to newly recruited candidates in central government departments and organisations at the Rozgar Mela 2025. The event was held virtually and coordinated across 47 locations nationwide.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal asked the new candidates to work responsibly and with all honesty.

“India is seeing significant growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. From 11th, India has now become the 5th largest economy globally. In the coming years, we will get to the third spot, said Goyal, while addressing media in Mumbai.

“Render faithful service to make India a developed nation,” he appealed to the newly recruited government officials.

“If everyone fulfils his responsibility honestly and diligently, we can experience positive change. If we all come together and work for the welfare of the nation, the country will undoubtedly be in safe hands and no power can stop us from becoming Viksit Bharat,” Goyal added.

The selected candidates have been appointed to various departments under the central government such as post, home, railways, education, revenue, etc.

“Providing employment to the youth is a national resolve of the Modi government. This is not just an appointment but a strong step towards building a self-reliant India,” said Kirti Vardhan Singh Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Singh distributed appointment letters to 250 newly recruited candidates at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan in Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow.

Since its inception in October 2022, the Rozgar Mela has resulted in the appointment of over 10 lakh individuals to permanent government jobs.

The first edition distributed 75,000 letters, while 71,000 were handed out in the 14th edition in December 2023.

The initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to bridge employment gaps and empower the country’s youth with meaningful opportunities.

Earlier, addressing the candidates, PM Modi also stated that the dedication of the candidates will accelerate India’s progress towards becoming Viksit Bharat.

“With your new responsibilities, you now play a crucial part in strengthening India’s economy, infrastructure, internal security, and the welfare of its people,” the PM said.

“The more dedicated you are, the faster we progress towards a Viksit Bharat,” he added.

–IANS

rvt/

Darjeeling landslides: Mamata Banerjee takes stock of situation, to visit North Bengal tomorrow

Kolkata, Oct 5 (IANS) After torrential rain and landslides wreaked havoc in Darjeeling and other North Bengal areas, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Sunday that she will visit them on Monday and will take an overview of the situation, rescue and relief operation.

So far, 13 people have been declared dead in rain-related and landslide incidents in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.

The road connectivity between West Bengal and Sikkim was completely cut off as NH 10 was washed away by the rising Teesta River at places and has also been damaged by landslides.

Road connectivity to Kalimpong is also cut off, while several roads have been damaged, which connect Darjeeling with Siliguri. An iron bridge in Mirik collapsed, and several houses were destroyed in overflowing rivers.

The CM was in the control room in the state secretariat, monitoring the situation since Sunday morning. The Chief Minister told media persons that she will go to North Bengal on Monday along with the state Chief Secretary Manoj Pant. She will reach there by the afternoon and monitor the situation from Siliguri.

The Chief Minister said the situation in North Bengal got worse due to heavy rain in Bhutan. “North Bengal has been flooded with water from Bhutan due to the rain. This disaster is unfortunate. It is not in our hands. We are shocked to see the unfolding situation. The Chief Secretary and I have held a virtual meeting with officials of five districts of North Bengal. I have been monitoring since 6 a.m.,” she said.

CM Banerjee said that more than 300 mm of continuous rain has occurred in the last 12 hours. She compared the rains in North Bengal on Saturday with the disaster that occurred in Kolkata on September 23. “It has been raining continuously for 12 hours. Landslides have occurred in a total of seven places. I am monitoring the situation. I hope to reach by 3 p.m. tomorrow (Monday),” she said.

As many tourists were stranded in the disaster in North Bengal, the CM said the state government will make arrangements for their safe return home.

“Many tourists are stranded. They should not rush now. Stay where you are. Hotels should not charge an extra fare to tourists. It is our responsibility. The administration will look into the matter,” she said.

In addition, the Chief Minister has assured compensation to the families of those who died and provided jobs to their family members. So far, the compensation amount has not been disclosed by her administration.

Meanwhile, the administration has closed all places of tourist points in Darjeeling. Tourists stuck in Darjeeling, Kalimpong and other areas have been told not to venture out of their hotels.

The Meteorological Office has forecast heavy rain in North Bengal for the next two days, which is likely to worsen the situation and cause inconvenience to the rescue operations.

In the aftermath of rain, several trains have been cancelled in North Bengal, while many are running late as water filled the railway tracks in several areas.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has joined the rescue operations in the Mirik Lake area, one of the worst-hit zones. Deaths were reported from several locations — Sarsaly, Jasbirgaon, Mirik Basti, Dhar Gaon (Mechi), and the Mirik Lake area. At least four people were rescued from the debris in Dhar Gaon, where heavy mudslides flattened several houses.

A senior police officer said heavy and continuous rain has severely hampered rescue operations.

Meanwhile, several families in Bishnulal Gaon, Ward 3 Lake Side, and Jasbir Gaon in Mirik have been shifted to safer places as precautionary measures, while temporary relief camps have been set up in coordination with local NGOs and the district administration.

–IANS

sch/dpb

UP Cabinet approves SOP-2025 to boost Global Capability Centres in state

Lucknow, Jan 6 (IANS) The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has approved the Standard Operating Procedure-2025 (SOP) for the effective implementation of the Uttar Pradesh Global Capability Centre Policy-2024.

This move is expected to provide fresh momentum to global investments, high-level services, and large-scale employment generation across the state. Under the newly approved SOP, Invest UP has been designated as the nodal agency responsible for overseeing the policy’s execution.

The procedure will take effect from the date the GCC Policy-2024 was promulgated and will remain in force until the state government decides to amend or terminate it.

Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi highlighted the improving investment climate in the state, noting that “several industrial houses and multinational companies are actively engaging for potential investments.” He pointed out that the GCC policy has already shown promising results, with 21 companies initiating investments in global capability centres during the current financial year. These centres, defined as captive units set up by Indian or foreign companies, will focus on strategic functions including information technology, research and development, finance, human resources, design, engineering, analytics, and knowledge services.

The SOP introduces a comprehensive framework of financial incentives designed to attract GCC units. These include upfront land subsidies, stamp duty exemptions or reimbursements, capital subsidies, interest subsidies, operating expense subsidies, payroll and recruitment subsidies, reimbursement of Employees’ Provident Fund contributions, talent development and skill incentives, research and innovation support, along with special incentives evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Beyond financial assistance, the units will receive technical support, industry linkages, regulatory guidance, expedited application processing, and streamlined approval and disbursement mechanisms. All incentives under this state initiative will be provided in addition to any benefits available through central government schemes or policies. In the event of legal disputes, jurisdiction has been restricted to courts in Lucknow, and incentive disbursements will follow existing finance department rules and government orders.

The decision is viewed as a significant stride by the CM Yogi government towards positioning Uttar Pradesh as a prominent global services hub. The successful rollout of the GCC policy is anticipated to draw high-skill investments into the state while opening up substantial new employment avenues for the youth.

–IANS

sktr/uk