Bihar govt signs MoU for Sankara Eye hospital in Patna

Shimla, Dec 23 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh capital and its nearby tourist resorts on Monday experienced mild spells of snow, bringing cheers among members of the hospitality industry with the sublime promise of a White Christmas, which has been elusive since 2016 when heavy snowfall occurred on Christmas Eve.

“Shimla and its nearby areas have been experiencing light snowfall and this was the season’s second snowfall in Shimla town,” an official of the Meteorological Department here told IANS.

Places near Shimla like Kufri and Narkanda have also been experiencing snowfall, turning the tourist destinations more picturesque.

Though the snowfall was light, it has warmed up the Yuletide spirit of the hospitality industry. There is the expectation of more spells before the New Year dawns as the MeT Office forecasts scattered rain or snow in the state till Tuesday.

After the opening of the skies, the minimum temperature across the state could plummet by three to four notches, a weatherman said.

The mountain peaks viewed from Shimla’s historic Ridge and Dharamsala and Palampur towns have been wrapped in a blanket of snow.

As news of the snowfall spreads, tourists may flock to Shimla, known for the imperial grandeur of its buildings that were once institutions of power when the town served as the summer capital of British India.

Reports said some of the areas in the apple belt Jubbal and Kharapathar also experienced snow.

“High-altitude areas of Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur and Shimla districts have been experiencing snow,” the official said.

The majestic Dhauladhar ranges in the Kangra Valley have also got snow cover. Lower areas of the state like Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur and Mandi towns received rain, bringing down the temperature considerably.

Shimla saw a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius, while it was 1.8 degrees in Manali, 4.5 degrees in Dharamsala and 1.5 degrees in Palampur. The past week was largely sunny across the state.

Before 2016, the erstwhile capital of British India saw Christmas snows in 1991 when 49 cm of snowfall was recorded. Though some years between 2014 and 2018 had mild spells before the Yuletide spirit.

Also except in 2010, there has been no white New Year’s Eve in Shimla either in the past 12 years.

Deforestation and pollution are blamed for the change in Shimla’s climatic conditions, says a study by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It says Shimla’s harsh winter, which normally commenced in November and ended in March, has declined after the mid-1980s. The study examines the snowfall trend in Shimla from 1990 to 2007.

–IANS

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Imphal, Dec 21 (IANS) Former Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh on Saturday alleged that the BJP government in Manipur has been violating constitutional provisions by not convening the winter session of the state Assembly.

Singh, who is also the Congress legislature party leader, said that the state government is violating the provisions of the Constitution in holding the Assembly sessions in the stipulated period.

Referring to the Constitutional provisions and other rules, the former Chief Minister (2002-2017) told the media that three Assembly sessions — budget, autumn and winter — must be held in a calendar year.

However, the state government is yet to summon the winter session even though the calendar year is almost over now, the Congress leader said, adding that they have submitted a memorandum to the governor, the Speaker and the chief minister requesting them to convene the winter session immediately.

Singh said that the Congress was compelled to urge the Governor, Chief Minister and the Assembly Speaker to call the winter session of the Assembly to maintain that democratic institutions like the legislative Assembly function normally.

“As a responsible opposition party, we cannot remain mute spectators if the government does not perform its constitutional duties and responsibilities,” the Congress leader stated.

State Congress President Keisham Meghachandra Singh strongly criticised the ruling BJP in Manipur for the prolonged delay in conducting elections for the Autonomous District Council (ADC).

“Not holding the elections in the ADCs. It is a violation of the constitutional provisions,” Singh said during an interaction with the District Congress Committee (DCC) at Limkhu in Chandel district.

Highlighting that the ADC elections have been postponed for over four years, the Congress leader expressed concern over the adverse impact of this delay, particularly the withholding of approximately Rs 500 crore allocated by the 15th Finance Commission for hill development.

Questioning the rationale behind government initiatives like “Go to Hills” and “Go to Village” in the absence of funds, the state Congress chief stated that such slogans are appealing, but the promised funds have been delayed due to the absence of elections, which is a clear violation of constitutional rights.

Manipur has six ADCs for the socio-economic development of the tribals, who constitute 40 per cent of Manipur’s around 3.2 million population with Nagas and Kuki-Zo being major tribal communities among the 34 tribes.

The last election to ADCs was held in 2015 when the Congress government was in power in the state and the terms of six ADCs ended in 2020.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 16 (IANS) The contractual employees in the Indian manufacturing sector saw their compensation packages grow at a 5.9 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from FY21 to FY24, according to a report on Monday.

This growth was driven by inflation, increased demand for skilled workers, and the need for competitive pay to retain talent, according to the report by TeamLease Services, India’s leading staffing solutions company.

Moreover, the sector’s workforce is predominantly young, with most individuals in the 28-37 age group (43.6 per cent).

The expansion of the manufacturing sector in the country is led by industries like electronics manufacturing, automotive, textiles, and chemicals.

“To unlock its potential, the sector must prioritise inclusive policies and invest in upskilling for Industry 4.0. Strategic workforce outsourcing can help reduce costs and address operational inefficiencies,” said Subburathinam P, Chief Operating Officer of TeamLease Staffing.

“By focusing on retention and adaptability, the sector can not only achieve its $1 trillion valuation goal but also set a global standard for sustainable and equitable industrial growth,” he noted.

As the manufacturing sector aims to achieve a $1 trillion valuation by 2025-26, addressing workforce dynamics will be pivotal in ensuring sustained growth.

This growth is led by strategic government initiatives, technological advancements, and an evolving workforce landscape.

The workforce is also diverse in terms of educational backgrounds, with nearly half being graduates.

Both genders show the highest representation at the graduation level, 48.5 per cent for males and 46.4 per cent for females.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra (17.2 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (14.6 per cent) are the leading states in contractual workforce contributions, followed by Uttar Pradesh (9.6 per cent) and Karnataka (9.4 per cent), the report mentioned.

“A significant 89.5 per cent of employees in temporary roles are male, highlighting a significant underrepresentation of women. Females in the workforce, however, demonstrate higher representation in postgraduate qualifications (24.3 per cent compared to 10.5 per cent of males),” it noted.

The report highlighted that companies are encouraged to enhance workplace safety, foster inclusivity, and invest in career development initiatives such as structured mentorship programmes.

—IANS

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