Category: INDIA

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Several BJP legislators have afresh moved the Delhi High Court seeking a direction to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly to call for a special sitting for the tabling of the CAG Reports.

On Monday, the matter was mentioned before a bench led by Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Vibhu Bakhru, which directed the plea to be listed in the ordinary course. As per a lawyer connected with the case, the matter is likely to be listed on Tuesday for a hearing.

The much-delayed CAG reports purportedly talk about the alleged lapses of the city government related to the now-withdrawn excise policy, anti-pollution drive and other matters of state finances that may cause embarrassment to the AAP-led government just before the Assembly polls.

The latest plea filed by BJP MLAs Vijender Gupta, Mohan Singh Bisht, Om Prakash Sharma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Abhay Verma, Anil Bajpai and Jitender Mahajan said that a special sitting of the Delhi Legislative Assembly was not called by the Speaker despite a statement made before the Delhi High Court in an earlier round of litigation.

“This is a clear violation of the statement/ undertaking given by the Senior Counsel on behalf of the GNCTD before this Hon’ble Court for which the petitioners reserve their rights to move contempt of court if advised,” it said.

Last week, the Delhi HC disposed of BJP legislators’ plea seeking direction to the city government to forward CAG reports to the Lt. Governor (L-G) after it was told that L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena has approved the 14 CAG reports forwarded by Chief Minister Atishi.

It noted that CM Atishi, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, will forward within 2-3 days these approved reports to the Speaker of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, who in turn, will promptly take a call on holding a special session for laying down the CAG reports.

The petition had said that the CAG is a “constitutional watchdog” created with the objective of providing independent and credible assurance to the public, the legislature and the executive that the public funds are being collected and used effectively and efficiently.

–IANS

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Patna/ Panchkula, Dec 23 (IANS) As Prime Minister Narendra Modi distributed over 71,000 appointment letters to newly appointed recruits across the country during the Rozgar Mela on Monday, recruits from Bihar’s Patna and Haryana’s Panchkula expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister for offering them a chance to serve the nation.

Sheelu Kumari, a resident of Patna, Bihar, was among the recruits who received an appointment letter for the post of constable in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

Sheelu speaking to IANS, reflecting on her journey saying, “I’ve been preparing for two years. Last year, I failed the physical test, but I learned from that failure, worked harder, and finally succeeded in 2024. I owe this success to my family, friends, and especially to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this incredible opportunity.”

Neha Kumari, also from Patna, was selected for the post of Assistant Branch Post Master (ABPM). She shared her joy and elation over getting employment just when the new year celebrations are about to begin.

“This appointment is the best New Year gift I could have asked for,” she said.

“I am truly grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I will work with dedication and honesty, and I owe my success to my parents, especially my mother, who always inspired me.”

Recruits from Haryana’s Panchkula were equally joyous and jubilant on receiving their appointment letters.

Anjali, who received an appointment letter from the postal department, expressed her joy, saying, “I am overjoyed to receive the appointment letter. This is a new chapter in my life, and I thank the Prime Minister for this opportunity.”

Similarly, Abhinav, who was selected for ITBP, and Deeksha Sharma, who cleared the SBI exam for the post of Junior Associate, also thanked the Prime Minister for their appointments.

The Rozgar Mela, a significant initiative by the government, aims to fulfil Prime Minister Modi’s commitment to prioritising employment generation. By offering meaningful job opportunities, the initiative empowers youth to actively participate in nation-building and secure their future.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The All-India Consumer Price Index for Agricultural Labourers (CPI-AL) and Rural Labourers (CPI-RL) for November this year declined to 5.35 per cent and 5.47 per cent respectively, compared to 7.37 per cent and 7.13 per cent in the same month last year, according to figures released by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Monday.

The inflation for agricultural and rural labourers for November was also lower than the corresponding figures for October 2024 at 5.96 per cent for CPI-AL and 6.00 per cent for CPI-RL. This is the second consecutive month of slowing inflation as the figures for retail inflation in October were lower than September.

The easing of the inflation burden for both agricultural and rural labourers comes as a welcome relief for these vulnerable segments that are hit hardest by spiralling prices. It also leaves more money in their hands to buy a wider range of goods, leading to a better lifestyle.

The decline also comes in the backdrop of India’s retail price inflation based on the CPI index declining to 5.48 per cent in November as the increase in prices of food items eased during the month bringing relief to household budgets, figures released earlier this month showed.

The slowing inflation marks a reversal of the increasing trend in the previous two months when the inflation rate touched 6.21 per cent in October.

During November, a significant decline in inflation was observed in vegetables, pulses, sugar and confectionery, fruits, eggs, milk and products, spices, transport and communication subgroups, according to the official statement.

The easing in inflation is a welcome sign as it was the first time that the rate of retail inflation crossed the RBI’s upper limit of 6 per cent in October. The RBI is waiting for retail inflation to come down to 4 per cent on a durable basis before it can go in for an interest rate cut to propel growth.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its latest monetary policy slashed the cash reserve ratio (CRR) for banks by 0.5 per cent to make more funds available for lending to spur economic growth but kept the key policy repo rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent with an eye on inflation.

The CRR has been reduced from 4.5 per cent to 4 per cent which will infuse Rs 1.16 lakh crore into the banking system and bring down market interest rates.

The monetary policy decision maintains a delicate balance between controlling inflation and pushing up the growth rate in a slowing economy,

In his last monetary policy view, former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said, “India’s growth story is still intact. Inflation is on the declining path, but we cannot overlook the significant risks in the outlook. This risk cannot be underestimated.”

He was optimistic about the outlook for the economy, observing that “the balance between inflation and growth is well poised.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) A day after Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge accused the BJP-led Centre of systematic conspiracy to assault the Election Commission’s integrity, the latter dismissed the charges as baseless and unwarranted.

Former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, speaking to IANS, reflected on the amendments and changes in country’s electoral system during the past seven decades and stated that it was the Congress which was at the helm while varied reforms were initiated in the poll panel.

Mallikarjun Kharge, taking to X on Sunday and condemned Modi government’s move to limit public access to certain electronic election-related documents, including CCTV footage, webcasting, and video recordings of candidates. He called it a ‘calibrated erosion’ of the ECI’s integrity, labelling it as a frontal assault on India’s Constitution and democratic values. Kharge’s remarks follow a recent amendment by the Central government, which restricts public inspection of specific electronic records, ostensibly to prevent their misuse.

In a rebuttal, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi accused Kharge of hypocrisy, pointing to the Congress Party’s historical role in amending and altering the country’s election system, on multiple occasions.

Naqvi fired back, saying, “The Election Commission of India was established in 1950, and reforms in elections, both big and small, have primarily taken place under Congress rule. The Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems he now criticises were both introduced during Congress’s time.”

Naqvi further reminded Kharge of several key changes brought under Congress regime including tax exemptions on political party funding, foreign funding for parties, and relaxed election contest rules for those with criminal records.

He also praised the Modi government’s contributions to improving the election process, highlighting increased transparency and efficiency.

“Prime Minister Modi has worked to make elections more transparent and accessible to voters. Today, state funding of elections is up to 70 per cent, voter slips are distributed efficiently through government channels and the creation of voter ID cards has been completed for all citizens,” Naqvi added.

Naqvi also responded to recent events in Uttar Pradesh, where three Khalistani terrorists were killed in a police encounter in Pilibhit.

“Anyone who challenges the integrity and security of our nation will face a firm response. This encounter is a testament to the commitment of our security forces to safeguard the nation and its citizens,” he concluded.

–IANS

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New Delhi, 23 Dec (IANS) Companies like Google, Oracle and American Express have offered jobs to students of IIT Delhi, who have secured over 1,200 offers including pre-placement offers (PPOs). About 1150 individual students are being uniquely selected.

In this phase, students have also received 50 plus international offers from 15 plus prestigious organisations across multiple global regions, including Japan, Netherlands, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The placement season for the academic year 2024-25 is currently going on. However, IIT Delhi did not disclose the high-value packages. IIT Delhi said that they have a policy where they have decided to not mention high-value packages in their placement-related public statements.

The institution informed that the recruiters with double-digit offers on campus this year, so far include Google, Oracle, American Express, Texas Instruments, Barclays, BCG, BlueStone Jewellery and Lifestyle Private Limited, Deutsche India Pvt Ltd, Goldman Sachs, Graviton Research Capital, Intel India, Meesho, Micron Technology, Microsoft, OLA, PayU, Quadeye, Qualcomm, Robust Results Private Limited, Shiprocket, Squarepoint Capital, Trident Group, and Turing Global India Pvt. Ltd.

Commenting on the ongoing placement season, Prof. Naresh Varma Datla, Professor-in-Charge, the Office of Career Services (OCS), said, “IIT Delhi had a very good start and has been doing very well so far. We believe that a similar trend will continue in the upcoming days as well. The Office of Career Services is focused on expanding the range of companies and job profiles in the coming days to cater to the students appearing for placements.”

Prof Suresh Neelakantan, Co-Professor-in-Charge, OCS, IIT Delhi, said, “We sincerely appreciate our recruiters for recognising the talent and potential of our students, and we congratulate the students for their perseverance and outstanding efforts.”

The placement season spanning till the end of next semester, is focused on the placement of undergraduate and postgraduate students of IIT Delhi. The smooth and efficient execution of the placement process is the result of the dedicated efforts of the entire Office of Career Services team, including staff, student coordinators, and volunteers, alongside the continued collaboration with industry partners across various sectors, the official added.

–IANS

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Jaipur, Dec 23 (IANS) Former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje visited SMS Hospital in Jaipur on Monday to check on the condition of those injured in the Jaipur LPG tanker blast.

In line with medical protocols and to avoid the risk of infection to the patients, she refrained from entering the ICU of the Burn Unit. Instead, she met the families of the injured in the office of Superintendent Sushil Bhati.

Lok Sabha member from Jaipur Manju Sharma accompanied her during the visit.

Raje expressed her empathy with the kin of the injured victims and offered all assistance.

After visiting the families, she said and also posted on X, “I wish to extend my condolences to the families who have lost their members. It was a horrible accident. The doctors are taking care of everyone…”

She said this was a humanitarian issue and not a political matter.

At least 12 people were burnt alive in a catastrophic chain of events that unfolded on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway early on December 20 when a truck crashed into an LPG Tanker taking a U-turn, triggering a fireball that engulfed close to 34 vehicles. Several people were injured with some battling for their lives with severe burn injuries.

“The Jaipur-bound tanker was coming from Ajmer and tried to take a U-turn from the highway to move towards the Agra Road,” said Jaipur Police Commissioner Biju George Joseph. “While taking the turn, an Ajmer-bound truck coming from Jaipur suddenly appeared and hit it from behind. The collision caused a gas leak and it immediately caught fire. The rest of the mishap took only 10 to 15 minutes.” Over 30 people are in SMS hospital getting treatment for burn injuries. Out of these, many are on ventilators and have sustained over 60 per cent burn injuries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured in the accident. The Rajasthan government also announced financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 1 lakh for those injured.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 23 (IANS) Karnataka Minister for Large and Medium Industries, M.B. Patil on Monday defended Minister for Women and Child Welfare, Laxmi Hebbalkar, in the row involving BJP MLC C.T. Ravi. Patil said, “Can a woman make such allegations purely out of imagination?” He emphasized that the matter would be resolved if Ravi issued a public apology.

Speaking to media persons in Bengaluru, Patil remarked, “No woman can level such accusations based solely on imagination. They [the BJP] often lecture about the culture of this country — is this their culture? Provocation is one thing, but the use of derogatory language is entirely unacceptable.”

Patil defended Minister Hebbalkar, dismissing claims by BJP leaders that the allegations were part of a conspiracy. He also criticized the BJP’s counter-allegation that the police had threatened C.T. Ravi with an encounter to suppress the issue. “Everything will be resolved if C.T. Ravi tenders a public apology,” Patil asserted.

Addressing accusations of police misconduct against Ravi, Patil said Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, would make an official statement on the matter.

Responding to the controversy, C.T. Ravi insisted he had never engaged in personal attacks against opponents, asserting that his criticisms were “ideological and political.” Speaking to the media in Haveri following his release on Karnataka High Court orders, Ravi encouraged people to investigate his reputation in his hometown, Chikkamagaluru.

“Let people also inquire about Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar in Ramanagara,” he added.

Ravi claimed that the Chairman of the Legislative Council had clarified there was no audio or video evidence of him using the alleged derogatory term. He accused the government of filing a false case and treating him “like a terrorist.”

The incident erupted last Thursday during a heated debate in the Karnataka Legislative Council. C.T. Ravi allegedly referred to Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, as a “drug addict.” This provoked strong reactions, with Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar calling Ravi a “murderer.” Ravi reportedly responded with an obscene remark directed at Hebbalkar.

The alleged comment led to Ravi’s arrest on charges of using derogatory language against Hebbalkar. However, following a High Court directive, Ravi was released, sparking further political drama.

–IANS

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Mumbai, Dec 23 (IANS) Upset over his exclusion from the cabinet, a veteran NCP leader and Samata Parishad founder Chhagan Bhujbal on Monday met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed the growing resentment in the OBCs especially after he was denied a ministerial berth.

Bhujbal had earlier created a stir by making a statement — “Jaha Nahi Chaina, Vahan Nahi Rehna (There is no point in staying where there is no comfort)”. On Monday, he said, “I have told Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis everything that has been happening after December 15. He has asked me for 8 to 10 days. The Chief Minister has said he is aware that the OBC community is upset and that he would definitely think about addressing their resentment and dissatisfaction.”

“Sameer Bhujbal (his nephew) and I both met the Chief Minister. We discussed many issues, including social and political issues with him. We discussed everything that happened and what was going on. The CM told me that he saw and heard many things in the media. He further stated that the OBC community has a big role in the victory of the Mahayuti in the recently held Assembly election and we should thank everyone for that. Keeping this in mind, he said I am also concerned that the OBCs will not be harmed under any circumstances,” said Bhujbal.

“Currently, there are holidays due to festivals, there is a different atmosphere in the state. Therefore, the CM has assured me to discuss later and find a way out,” said Bhujbal who has repeatedly questioned the decision by Ajit Pawar and Tatkare to deny him a ministerial berth without taking him into confidence.

“The CM told me to give him 8 to 10 days and after that, we will meet again. He also asked me to tell the OBC leaders to discuss the pros and cons of the present situation and meet again,” said Bhujbal. He reiterated that “I have told the Chief Minister everything. He has understood the entire issue saying that OBCs are upset and he is also worried about it.”

To a question whether he would leave the NCP and join the BJP, he said, “I have said everything I wanted to say to the chief minister. I will not say anything more on this.”

Meanwhile, in his reaction after Bhujbal’s exclusion from the cabinet and his latest meeting with CM Fadnavis, NCP chief and Dy CM Ajit Pawar in Pune, said, “It is our internal issue, we will address it internally.”

Bhujbal meeting the CM, the first after he was dropped from the cabinet expansion held on December 15, is important especially as the OBC organisations, including Samata Parishad, have started organising protests and meetings across the state against his exclusion. The meeting is also to send a strong signal to NCP president and Dy CM Ajit Pawar that he may be down but certainly out. After his exclusion from the cabinet, Bhujbal has not met Ajit Pawar neither the latter nor the state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare had interacted with him in person or through phone.

Bhujbal has already denied the party’s offer to go to Rajya Sabha after resigning from the Assembly citing that it would be a betrayal of the Yevala constituency. He also claimed that the party neglected his request to field him in the Lok Sabha elections from Nashik constituency and for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Further, Bhujbal said he decided to contest the Assembly election after the party leadership told him that he was needed in the state. Bhujbal, who took on the pro-Maratha reservation activist Manoj Jarange, was expecting his induction into the cabinet.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The redevelopment of India’s railway stations is expected to open up business opportunities worth Rs 30,000 crore for engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) players over the next two years, according to an ICRA report released on Monday.

A total of 1,318 railway stations are being considered for redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).

The government has increased the budgetary allocation by more than seven times from Rs 2,159 crore in FY2023 to Rs 15,511 crore in FY2025 Budget Estimates (BE) of Indian Railways for the redevelopment of railway stations. This allocation is expected to remain at healthy levels in the medium term, the report states.

Earlier, the Government of India had envisaged the majority of the station redevelopment projects under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mode, which accounted for around 12 per cent of the National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) target. However, with limited participation in the PPP mode owing to restrictions on pricing, market risk related to real estate development and limited track record of PPP projects in railways, the government reallocated station redevelopment work on the EPC mode in December 2022. This has resulted in the increased budgetary allocation.

ICRA’s sector head, Corporate Ratings, Vinay Kumar G. said: “The competition, in traditional segments like roads and buildings, remains elevated and hence the railway station redevelopment provides business opportunities estimated at Rs 30,000 crore for construction companies to grow and derisk their businesses through diversification.”

“The station redevelopment project awards witnessed moderate competition in the past two years, reflecting maximum discounts of up to 18 per cent and a median discount of up to 4 per cent and have been similar to other railway EPC projects where the median discount is up to 5 per cent. Indian Railways, being a strong counterparty, the receivable cycle is also expected to remain low and comparable to that of the NHAI,” he added.

Among the stations being taken up for redevelopment under the ABSS, Uttar Pradesh has the maximum number — 149 stations — followed by Maharashtra 126, West Bengal 94, Gujarat 87, Bihar 86, Rajasthan 82 and Madhya Pradesh 80. Foundation stones have been laid for 553 stations and a total of more than Rs 20,000 crore of station redevelopment projects has been awarded to date.

Currently, the key awarded stations under the EPC mode include — Mumbai (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminal/CSMT), Ahmedabad, Surat, Prayagraj, Bangalore Cantt, Chennai Egmore and Secunderabad, etc. Furthermore, the awards for 765 stations are pending and some of the key stations like New Delhi, Pune, Borivali, Mumbai Central, Thane, Amritsar, etc., are yet to be awarded.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to Tamil Nadu government and the state police over the alleged electrocution of two contract labourers of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) in Tiruchi last week, an official said on Monday.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report on the incident, the NHRC issued notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, calling for a detailed report on the matter within two weeks.

The media report said that two persons, working as contract labourers with the Tangedco died due to electrocution while repairing a high-tension overhead power line near Olaiyur Ring Road in KK Nagar, Tiruchi on December 18, said a statement.

The Commission observed that the contents of the media report, if true, indicated gross negligence on the part of the electricity department, resulting in the death of two labourers.

The Commission also noted that such incidents had occurred in the state earlier too. This is a serious human rights violation and a matter of concern for the Commission.

In its notice, the NHRC said that the response from the state government should include the status of the FIR registered in the matter and compensation, if any, provided to the next of kin of the two victims.

The Commission said that it would also like to know the steps taken/proposed by the State government and Tangedco to ensure that such incidents do not recur.

According to the media report, as per the preliminary investigations, the power supply to the cable was not fully turned off during the repair work in Tiruchi. The workers were on the job without any protective gear.

In a similar incident, a worker was electrocuted to death while repairing a transformer in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu last year. Last month, a migrant worker was reportedly electrocuted during Cyclone Fengal and his body was found near an ATM in Muthialpet.

–IANS

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