J&K Police welcomes CAPF companies deployed for Shri Amarnath Yatra 2026

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Srinagar, June 3 (IANS) The police in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on Wednesday welcomed the CAPF companies deployed by the Central government for duties during the upcoming Shri Amarnath Yatra 2026.

As part of the comprehensive security and facilitation arrangements for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (SANJY)-2026, Srinagar Police extended a warm welcome to the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies arriving in the city for Yatra duties.

The arriving CAPF personnel were received by officers of Srinagar Police, reflecting the strong spirit of coordination, cooperation, and mutual support that forms the backbone of the Yatra security framework.

To ensure the comfort and operational readiness of the deployed forces, Srinagar Police have made elaborate arrangements, including accommodation, boarding and lodging, transportation, medical support, communication facilities, and other essential logistics.

The CAPF officers and personnel appreciated the warm reception and the meticulous arrangements made by Srinagar Police for their stay and deployment. They commended the professionalism, proactive planning, and seamless coordination demonstrated by the district police in facilitating their induction.

The interaction further reinforced the close synergy between Srinagar Police and CAPFs, aimed at ensuring a robust security grid and the smooth, safe, and peaceful conduct of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026.

Srinagar Police remain fully committed to working in close coordination with all stakeholder agencies to ensure the successful and secure conduct of the annual pilgrimage, said officials.

This year’s 57-day-long Shri Amarnath Yatra begins on July 3 and will end on August 28, coinciding with the Shravan Purnima and the Raksha Bandhan festivals.

Situated at 8880 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas, the cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe the ice stalagmite structure symbolises the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.

Yatris approach the cave shrine either through the traditional longer Pahalgam route in Anantnag district or through the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district. Helicopter services are also available for the Yatris from both routes.

–IANS

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Kerala Minister accuses Cong of ‘saffronisation’, warns media against acting as BJP-RSS mouthpiece

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 30 (IANS) Kerala’s Education and Labour Minister V. Sivankutty on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, alleging that the party has completed its “saffronisation” both at the national level and in Kerala, and has effectively turned into a recruitment agency for the RSS.

Addressing the media, Sivankutty cautioned sections of the press against functioning as public relations platforms for what he described as an “unholy Congress-BJP alliance”.

“At a time when Indian democracy is under severe strain, the Congress has chosen silence and submission,” he alleged, drawing parallels with former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s silence during the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992. “That silence was for whom? The same obedience continues even today,” he said.

He pointed out that after Shashi Tharoor and Digvijaya Singh, senior leader Salman Khurshid had also come out in praise of the RSS, underscoring what he termed the Congress’s ideological drift.

Turning to Kerala politics, Sivankutty alleged that the Congress-BJP nexus had moved beyond rhetoric and was manifesting through “practical experiments” on the ground. He cited the Mattathur grama panchayat election results as evidence of what he termed blatant vote trading.

“Numbers do not lie,” he said, listing instances where Congress votes collapsed sharply in wards won by the BJP. In Nooluvalli ward, he said, the BJP won while the Congress secured just 44 votes; in Korechal ward, the Congress got 58 votes when the BJP emerged victorious; and in Murikkungal ward, where the UDF won, the BJP polled only 66 votes.

“This is not adjustment politics, this is blatant vote trading,” Sivankutty alleged, accusing the Congress of sharing votes with anyone to defeat the LDF.

Despite this, he pointed out, the LDF emerged as the single largest party in Mattathur with 10 seats, dealing a setback to what he called a communal alliance.

The Minister also referred to the revelation by Mattathur panchayat member K.R. Ouseph, who claimed that DCC leaders had asked cadres to go slow on booth-level work during the Thrissur Lok Sabha election.

According to Sivankutty, the BJP’s victory and improved vote share in Thrissur were facilitated by this “covert vote transfer”.

He further alleged that Congress leaders such as K. Muraleedharan and Sabarinath had come out in support of BJP demands, including the call by a BJP councilor for CPI(M) MLA V.K. Prasanth to vacate his office in Thiruvananthapuram.

Branding the allegation that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was an “agent of the Prime Minister” as an RSS narrative, Sivankutty said it was shameful that Congress leaders were amplifying it.

–IANS

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India doubles down on making maritime sector greener, cleaner and sustainable

New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS) India stands at the threshold of a transformative maritime era – one that harnesses its vast coastline, growing industrial capacity and strategic position to not only advance trade and connectivity but also cement a legacy of sustainability and resilience, an official statement said on Monday.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) chalked out the ‘Maritime India Vision 2030,’ which is the blueprint towards empowering India’s maritime sector and enabling it to become greener, cleaner and sustainable.

The future of maritime transport lies in clean fuels like green hydrogen, ammonia, biofuels, and LNG.

In this direction, India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission is paving the way for zero-emission fuels, ensuring that our ports are not just fuelling trade, but also fuelling a sustainable future, according to the statement.

The National Green Hydrogen Mission was launched to cut carbon emissions and make India a global leader in green hydrogen.

By 2030, the goal is to produce 5 million tonnes of green hydrogen every year, bringing in Rs 8 lakh crore investments, creating 6 lakh jobs, and saving Rs 1 lakh crore in fossil fuel imports.

The mission focuses on production, pilot projects, electrolyser manufacturing, skill training, infrastructure, and research, with plans to replace fossil fuels in steel, transport, and fertilizer sectors.

To push this forward three major ports namely Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin ports have been identified by the ministry to be developed as Green Hydrogen hubs.

Through visionary programmes, legislative reforms and green-shipping initiatives, the country is rewiring its maritime ecosystem for the future: cleaner ports, low-emission fleets, smart infrastructure and inclusive opportunity. As India charts its course toward 2047, it is doing so not just as a rising maritime power, but as a responsible steward of the seas, a globally competitive economy and a partner committed to the well-being of the planet.

Building onto this foundation is the ‘Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, a long-term roadmap for India’s maritime resurgence, with investments of nearly Rs 80 lakh crore earmarked for ports, coastal shipping, inland waterways, shipbuilding, and green shipping initiatives.

The government is driving sustainable maritime operations by setting up green corridors, introducing green hydrogen bunkering at major ports, and promoting the use of methanol-fueled vessels.

Outlining more than 300 actionable initiatives, it projects India’s rise as one of the world’s top maritime and shipbuilding powers by the centenary of independence.

Through initiatives like the ‘Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines’, 2023, ‘National Green Hydrogen Mission, 2023’, and the ‘Green Tug Transition Programme’, 2024, the nation is transforming its ports and shipping industry into beacons of sustainability.

The recently announced Rs 25,000 crore Maritime Development Fund aims to catalyse investments in green infrastructure, alternative fuels, and fleet modernization, ensuring that India remains a leader in decarbonisation, the statement noted.

–IANS

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Off-budget borrowings may lead to debt trap, CAG warns Maha govt

Mumbai, July 18 (IANS) The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in its report on Maharashtra State Finances for the year 2023-24 has said that ‘off-budget borrowings’ (OBBs) affect state’s fiscal transparency.

It issued a strong warning to the state government that off-budget borrowings increases the public liabilities of the State substantially over a period of time leading to a debt-trap, and asked the Maharashtra government to bring them within the ambit of legislative control to ensure sustainable financial management.

“Financing expenditures through off-budget borrowings increases the public liabilities of the State substantially over a period of time leading to a debt-trap, without the Legislature even knowing that such liabilities are being created,” the report said.

The CAG report was tabled by the Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the state assembly on Friday.

“Government of Maharashtra’s increasing use of off-budget borrowings not only affects fiscal transparency but also risks circumventing budgetary controls and legislative oversight. The State Government needs to improve its fiscal accountability by ensuring that all liabilities are comprehensively reported in the annual financial statements. Furthermore, these off-budget borrowings should be brought within the ambit of legislative control to ensure sustainable financial management,” said the report.

Off-budget items are government borrowings and expenditures that do not get reflected in the government budget. CAG’s observations come when the Maharashtra government has been heavily depending on raising OBB.

According to the report, all Government borrowings and expenditure should legitimately be covered within the respective budgets and the Government must include the disclosure of the details of the off-budget borrowings done through various agencies of the State Government in the Budget and Accounts.

The CAG report said that the Off-budget borrowing allows the government to meet its expenditure requirements without recording these debts in the budget, thereby bypassing legislative scrutiny. “Such borrowings are often raised through State-owned or State-controlled entities, with repayments ultimately covered by the State Government’s budget. These borrowings, which are serviced through the State’s budget, are effectively considered as the State’s own liabilities under Article 293(3) of the Constitution,” it said.

The CAG in its report pointed out that as outlined in the Maharashtra Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (MFRBM) Act and the Rules (2006, amended in 2008), the State Government must provide full disclosure of its liabilities including off-budget in Form B-6 of the Medium-Term Fiscal Policy Statement (MTFPS) of that particular year.

“However, the CAG in its report has observed that despite the requirement for transparency, off-budget borrowings were not disclosed in the budget documents. As per the MTFPS 2023-24, the State Government has disclosed an outstanding off-budget borrowing of Rs 19.40 crore only (outstanding prior to 2004-05),” it said.

The outstanding off-budget borrowing increased significantly from Rs 51 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 10,135 crore by the end of 2023-24, indicating the increase in the state’s reliance on off-budget borrowing for large-scale capital expenditures.

–IANS

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