Category: INDIA

Dehradun, Dec 23 (IANS) The Election Commission on Monday announced the poll dates for Uttarakhand Municipal elections, bringing an end to rounds of speculation and also setting the stage for another face-off between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.

As per the election schedule announced by the poll panel, the whole election exercise will be spread over a month, starting from December 27 to January 23.

The nomination filing process of candidates will be done from December 27 to December 30 while the scrutiny of nomination papers will be done from December 31 to January.

Candidates will have the flexibility to withdraw from the contest, for whatsoever reason, till January 2.

People across the municipal corporations, municipal councils and the Nagar panchayats will vote in a single phase election on January 23 while the results will be declared on January 25.

According to reports, the hilly state has a total of 92 civic bodies, comprising 8 Municipal Corporations, 42 Municipal councils and 42 Nagar Panchayats. Out of 8 municipal corporations, 5 civic bodies were held by the BJP.

The panel has also effected some crucial changes in the upcoming civil polls, with regard to reservations in civic bodies.

Haldwani Mayor post, which was till now reserved for the OBC community, has been made into a general seat, while Almora mayor seat has been reserved for OBC candidates in the upcoming polls.

Meanwhile, the political parties have intensified their preparations for civic polls, preparing the stage for a thrilling contest. Congress is hoping to counter Pushkar Singh Dhami government on slew of local issues while the BJP is high on confidence over its recent show in Kedarnath Assembly by-polls.

The local body polls will be completed before the National Games in the state, starting from January 28 to February 1.

After the National Games, the Devbhoomi will again gear up for village and block panchayat elections as their term expired in November this year.

–IANS

mr/pgh

Kolkata, Dec 23 (IANS) The Union Minister of State for Port, Shipping and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, on Monday, handed over appointment letters to as many as 25 candidates at the Rozgar Mela organised at Salt Lake in Kolkata.

The event was organised by the office of the South Bengal Division of Border Security Force (BSF).

Speaking to IANS, Union Minister Thakur said that the event at Kolkata was a part of a nationwide exercise organised in 27 different places in the country simultaneously.

“A total of 71,000 students participating at the events nationally were handed over appointment letters. Here I handed over the same to 25 candidates,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, he described the Rozgar Mela as a noble effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The country is happy that so many people are getting jobs at this event. I really applaud the Prime Minister’s efforts to promote youth power in the country through such an event. Personally, I feel very happy participating in the event,” Union Minister Thakur said.

Speaking to IANS, Sujata, who got enrolled in BSF, said that it was a great day for her since her dream had been fulfilled finally.

“It was a great moment to receive the appointment letter from the Union Minister. I am so happy,” she added.

Sukumar Roy, who received an appointment letter for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), said that he was particularly happy with the arrangement of the event.

“I am feeling so good and this was surely a great day for me,” he added.

Pratap Chandra Roy, who also got an appointment for CRPF, said that he found the words of the organisers at the event quite motivating.

“This was really a great day for me since my dream was fulfilled and I thank the organisers of the event for that,” he said.

Fawaz T. K., who received the appointment as an associate professor with the Indian Maritime University, Kolkata, said that the event was extremely illustrious.

“I was really excited over the extremely fast process of appointment. The college where I have got an appointment letter is one of the best engineering colleges in the country,” he said.

All the recipients of the appointment letters thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity.

–IANS

src/khz

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Monday issued a notice to Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Saket Gokhale over his failure to pay Rs 50 lakh damages to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri, wife of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

A bench of Justice Manoj Jain was hearing a contempt plea filed by Lakshmi Puri against Saket Gokhale for the latter’s “wilful and deliberate non-compliance” of the Delhi HC judgment.

Issuing notice, Justice Jain-led Bench ordered Saket Gokhale to file an affidavit disclosing all his assets, properties, and bank accounts and deposits within the next four weeks.

The matter will be heard next on February 5 next year.

In its July 1 decision, the Delhi High Court had ordered the Trinamool Congress leader to pay Rs 50 lakh damages in a defamation case filed by former diplomat Lakshmi Puri.

It had also directed Saket Gokhale to publish an apology in a newspaper and on his social media platform “X” handle within four weeks for publishing wrong and unverified allegations.

Further, the Delhi HC had directed that the apology tweet published on Saket Gokhale’s X account should be retained for six months.

In the latest plea, Lakshmi Puri contended that Saket Gokhale should be punished for his non-compliance and willful disobedience of the court’s decision.

The contempt plea added that Saket Gokhale was completely aware of the July 1 judgment passed against him, and he had also published related tweets on his social media handle.

The defamation suit was filed following Saket Gokhale’s successive X posts accusing Lakshmi Puri of purchasing property in Switzerland disproportionate to her income. He also named Hardeep Puri in the tweets.

The Delhi High Court had held that the plaintiff suffered irreparable harm on account of Saket Gokhale’s defamatory statements.

It said: “The defendant (Gokhale) is restrained from publishing further defamatory content against the plaintiff. Damages to the tune of Rs 50,00,000 are awarded to the plaintiff for the harm caused to her reputation.”

–IANS

pds/pgh

Bhubaneswar, Dec 23 (IANS) Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari on Monday said that the state government will provide compensation to farmers for the damage to the crops due to unseasonal rainfall in the state within the next five days.

Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, Pujari said that the district administrations have been asked to conduct proper assessment of the crop loss due to the unseasonal rainfall in the state.

He also said that the district administrations have also been instructed to rope in officials from unaffected areas for the assessment work.

“The revenue department officials have already started on-the-ground assessment. They have been instructed to complete the assessment within three days,” said Pujari.

He urged the farmers not to worry as the state government will compensate for the losses caused by the natural disasters.

The revenue minister also asserted that the process of assessment is likely to be completed within three to four days. He stated that the compensation would be provided to the farmers through district administrations within five days.

Pujari further added that the district collectors have been asked to help farmers with the sale of crops not damaged completely.

The revenue minister noted that Ganjam district is worst affected due to the untimely rains.

He also clarified that all the affected farmers including those paid premium under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) will be compensated by the government through input subsidy for the crop loss.

The minister said that the insurance companies have also been instructed to pay the compensation amount to the farmers at the earliest.

As per report, the harvested crops of farmers in many coastal and interior districts -Angul, Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Kendrapara, Keonjhar, Khordha, Koraput, Mayurbhanj, Nawrangpur, Nayagarh, Puri and Raygada, have been damaged due to the unseasonal rainfall recently.

–IANS

gyan/pgh

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) Ahead of the Assembly elections, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), R. Alice Vaz, on Monday urged voters to use helpline number 1950 (toll-free) for their electoral queries and complaints.

To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, the helpline offers assistance in approved local/regional languages.

It operates on all days a week, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., allowing citizens to connect at their convenience, she said.

This effort focuses on improving accessibility and ensuring that every voter receives accurate information and timely support, she added.

The Voter Helpline – 1950 serves as the first point of contact for citizens seeking assistance with electoral services, she said.

Callers can inquire about various queries, including EPIC (Voter ID), electoral roll, polling station details, online registration, voting dates, and other election-related matters. The helpline is designed to provide comprehensive and user-friendly support to all voters in English and Hindi, she said.

The helpline is designed to provide comprehensive and user-friendly support to all voters in English and Hindi, she added.

In addition to providing information, the helpline facilitates complaint registration.

Citizens can report issues related to electoral services by dialling this toll-free number, 1950. Feedback and suggestions from callers are also encouraged to help improve the quality of services offered, she said.

Earlier last month, the CEO said that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) collected nearly 1.62 lakh forms during house visits to address additions, deletions, and corrections in the electoral roll in the past three months.

On November 28, Vaz also highlighted that for the upcoming Assembly elections, the number of polling stations is likely to increase by 70, ensuring better accessibility and convenience for voters across Delhi.

She said house-to-house verification was conducted by BLOs from August 20 to identify unenrolled voters, prospective electors who will turn 18 by October 1, 2025, and entries requiring deletion, such as those for deceased or permanently shifted voters.

“Cases of multiple entries and family splits were also identified. During this extensive verification drive, BLOs collected nearly 1.62 lakh forms (6, 7, and 8) to address additions, deletions, and corrections in the electoral roll,” Vaz said in a statement.

–IANS

rch/khz

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) From expanding health coverage to all elderly above 70 years of age to promoting cervical cancer vaccination among young girls to slashing customs duty on cancer drugs and improving several disease rates, India has made substantial progress in healthcare in 2024.

In 2024, the Union government continued its emphasis on tackling non-communicable diseases and allocating funds for research in the healthcare sector.

The Union Budget 2024-25’s total outlay for the health sector was Rs 89,287 crore, amounting to 1.85 per cent of the budget expenditure. While it remains below the 2 per cent mark for health outlays from FY18 to FY22, it is marginally up from 1.76 per cent, and Rs 79,221 crore in the revised estimate for budget 2023-24.

It exempted customs duty on three crucial cancer drugs — Trastuzumab deruxtecan (for breast cancer), Osimertinib (lung cancer drug for EGFR mutation), and Durvalumab (for lung and biliary tract cancers).

In addition, GST rates for these drugs were also slashed — from 12 per cent to 5 per cent; the maximum retail price (MRP) was reduced for these drugs.

Further, the flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) was expanded to provide health coverage to all senior citizens above 70 years irrespective of their income.

The government has also worked towards medical education and infrastructure. In his address to the nation on Independence Day, PM Narendra Modi promised to create 75,000 more medical seats in the next five years, from the current over one lakh in the country to reduce foreign dependence in medical education. The government added 5,150 more seats for MBBS courses in 2024.

Over two lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been established across the country to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment. More than 14,000 Jan Aushadhi Kendras have also been launched across the country where medicines are available at an 80 per cent discount — a significant reduction in the cost of treatment for both poor and middle-class families.

Further, emphasising the vision of ‘Swasth Bharat’ (Healthy India) for ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, the Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) also introduced the Rashtriya Poshan Mission to enhance the nutritional status of children, pregnant women, lactating mothers, and adolescent girls.

Parallelly, India’s digital health infrastructure has seen remarkable advancements through the Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) initiative — a hassle-free method of accessing and sharing your health records digitally. Till December 22, more than 71.81 crore ABHA numbers have been generated and 46.53 crore health records have been linked with ABHA.

Mission Indradhanush led to the vaccination of 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women. The programme also includes a provision of 11 types of vaccines enhancing protection against preventable diseases. A U-WIN portal was also launched to digitise routine immunisations.

Notably, these efforts led to remarkable improvement in key health indicators, including a reduction in Maternal Mortality Ratio, Infant Mortality Rate, and Total Fertility Rate.

India also got WHO certification for eliminating trachoma — a bacterial eye infection that can cause irreversible blindness. India is the fourth country in Southeast Asia, after Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan to achieve the feat.

A shorter and more effective treatment regimen for tuberculosis was also launched under the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). It reduced the treatment duration from 9-12 months to 6 months.

Meanwhile, the government has also launched several health projects related to the Ayush sector, with the Ayurveda manufacturing sector seeing an 8-fold growth in the last 10 years. It has led to significant growth in medical tourism resulting in about 123 regular Ayush visas and 221 e-Ayush visas issued to foreigners seeking treatment in India.

–IANS

rvt/uk

Giridih (Jharkhand), Dec 23 (IANS) A woman in Giridih district of Jharkhand allegedly committed suicide on Monday due to continuous harassment by employees of a microfinance company.

The police arrived at the scene after getting the information and recovered the body, which has been sent for post-mortem examination. An investigation into the matter is underway, the police said.

The deceased, identified as Sulekha Devi, was a resident of Bhurai village under the Teesri police station area. Her husband, Amarjeet Sharma, works as a labourer in another state.

Reports say that Sulekha had taken a loan of Rs 50,000 from the microfinance company but was struggling to pay some installments. Company employees reportedly pressured her repeatedly to repay the outstanding amount.

On Monday morning, the company officials visited Sulekha’s house again, demanding immediate payment. Despite her pleas for some more time, the employees allegedly issued threats.

As tensions escalated, villagers gathered outside her home, but the company representatives continued to put pressure on her for immediate payment of dues.

Tragically, Sulekha ended her life by hanging herself inside her home. Villagers rushed to save her, but she had already succumbed by the time they brought her down from the noose.

The company employees fled the scene after the incident.

Local panchayat head Ibrahim Mian informed the police, who recovered the body and sent it to Sadar Hospital for post-mortem.

The police station in-charge said that an investigation is going on and culprits will be brought to book.

This incident highlights a troubling pattern of harassment by microfinance and non-banking financial companies in Jharkhand. Similar cases have been reported in the past as well.

In October last year, Zaibun Khatoon, a resident of Khandoli village in Bengabad police station area, consumed poison after facing harassment from microfinance agents. She succumbed during treatment.

In September last year, a 17-year-old girl from Hara Naukadih village under the Pratappur police station area in Chatra district died after consuming poison. She had reportedly been beaten and harassed by loan recovery agents.

Authorities continue to urge stricter regulations on recovery practices to prevent such tragedies.

–IANS

snc/skp/

Patna, Dec 23 (IANS) As Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar started the first phase of Pragati Yatra from Valmikinagar in West Champaran on Monday, the Cabinet Secretariat of the state issued the schedule of the second phase of the Yatra starting from January 4 from Gopalganj.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar initiated Pragati Yatra, a development-oriented journey with the aim of reviewing ongoing projects and introducing new schemes to boost the infrastructure and welfare systems across Bihar.

S. Siddhartha, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Cabinet Secretariat issued the notification of the schedule and said that Nitish Kumar will embark on the second phase of his Pragati Yatra from Gopalganj on January 4, followed by neighbouring Siwan on January 7, Saran on January 8, Darbhanja on January 11, Madhubani on January 12 and Samastipur on January 13.

The copies of the letter were sent to the district magistrate, Superintendent of Police and Divisional Commissioners for the respective areas and directed them to start the preparation.

Nitish Kumar is expected to announce schemes worth crores in every district.

He will also review and monitor the ongoing development projects to ensure timely and effective implementation.

The Pragati Yatra reflects Nitish Kumar’s commitment to community-centred governance and equitable development.

In the first phase, Nitish Kumar started his Pragati Yatra from Valmikinagar, West Champaran on Monday.

He laid the foundation stones of various projects worth ₹700 crore, including a landmark ₹139 crore scheme for electrification using underground cables in the Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve area.

The electrification project is expected to be completed within 18 months, significantly transforming the lives of people in these villages.

Nitish Kumar’s Pragati Yatra highlights his long-standing tradition of engaging directly with citizens and officials to drive development at the grassroots. The phased approach to this journey ensures that every region of Bihar receives attention, with specific interventions tailored to local needs.

–IANS

ajk/kvd

Hassan (Karnataka), Dec 23 (IANS) Expressing dissatisfaction over the Belagavi police handling the BJP MLC C.T. Ravi case, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, said on Monday that if BJP legislators pursued the legal fight properly, all the police officers involved in the case could be suspended.

Speaking to the media at Haradanahalli in Hassan district, Union Minister Kumaraswamy said: “Any police officer who mentally tortured C.T. Ravi, under the influence of a Minister will have to face the consequences.”

C.T. Ravi was accused of making a derogatory remark against Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar in the Legislative Council.

Following the complaint by Minister Hebbalkar, BJP MLC Ravi was arrested and later released after the order by the Karnataka High Court.

BJP MLC Ravi alleged that he was assaulted, made to travel throughout the night, not given food, water and not even allowed to visit the toilet, adding that the police threatened him of carrying out his encounter.

“They discussed Union Minister Amit Shah’s statements made in the Rajya Sabha during the Assembly sessions. This issue pertains to the Rajya Sabha. Is Amit Shah a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council?” he asked.

“I am closely observing everything happening in this state. The Congress government is harassing political opponents in every possible way. They are preparing the stage for the kind of politics Karnataka might face in the future,” he noted.

Union Minister Kumaraswamy alleged that the government is misusing the police to suppress political opponents.

“Was it necessary to drag C.T. Ravi around all night? He is an elected representative. If he needed to be arrested, he could have been directly presented before the magistrate’s court in Bengaluru. What was the need for this humiliation? Who directed this?” he asked.

The JD-S leader warned that if BJP members take the right legal route, the officials responsible would face suspension.

Union Minister Kumaraswamy warned, “Any officer who mentally tortured C.T. Ravi, under the influence of a Minister will have to face the consequences.”

“This behaviour is unacceptable,” he said.

The JD-S leader said, “Does this state even have a Home Minister? Over the past six or seven months, several incidents about law and order have taken place, yet the government remains silent. Karnataka is heading toward darker days as political vendettas and hatred are taking centre stage,” he added.

Union Minister Kumaraswamy said the deterioration of the state’s police system is unfortunate, which once served as a model for the country.

“Our forefathers built a robust system and created a healthy environment. Karnataka Police was respected nationwide. Unfortunately, this government is hell-bent on destroying it. They are working to tarnish the reputation of the police department,” he said.

Citing examples, Union Minister Kumaraswamy asked, “What happened to the case involving former Congress Minister Vinay Kulkarni? What action was taken in the complaint filed by a teacher against Congress leader Gurappa Naidu accused of sexually harassing teachers in Bengaluru?”

He clarified that he does not hold the police department entirely at fault.

“Certain Ministers in the government are giving directions to a few select officers, leading to unlawful decisions within the department. Cases are being booked as per their whims, and their opponents are being crushed through abuse of power and violation of laws,” he said.

He warned, “Time will provide answers to all of this.”

Speaking about the inauguration of the Jayadeva Hospital in Kalaburagi by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Union Minister Kumaraswamy questioned the CM’s contribution to the project.

“When I was the Chief Minister, I initiated this project. Later, the BJP government released Rs 128 crore. BJP MP C.N. Manjunath from Jayadeva Hospital raised Rs 40 crore for this initiative. This government shows no gratitude toward those who worked on it before. This is an uncivilised government,” he said while targeting the Congress government.

He further added, “Now they claim they will manage NIMHANS. They cannot even manage the hospitals already in place. In north Karnataka, maternal and child deaths continue daily. It is heartbreaking. What measures have been taken to stop this? Hospitals lack adequate doctors and staff. Is this how you plan to build the state?”

He also criticised the government for its lack of concern about the issues in North Karnataka.

“The government made grand claims about addressing the region’s problems, but just yesterday, a young mother died during childbirth in Ballari. These deaths are occurring daily, yet the government shows no concern,” he said.

–IANS

mka/khz

New Delhi, Dec 23 (IANS) In the last one and a half years, around 10 lakh permanent government jobs have been offered, setting a remarkable record, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, taking part in the 14th edition of Rozgar Mela.

While distributing 71,000 job offers, PM Modi highlighted that such job fairs were part of the government’s endeavour to provide employment with complete transparency. So far, 9.25 lakh job letters have been issued in 14 editions of Rozgar Mela.

On Monday, the Rozgar Mela was held at 45 locations across the country. The recruitments took place for various ministries and departments of the Central Government.

PM Modi launched Rozgar Mela – the recruitment drive for 10 lakh personnel — on October 22, 2022. The first edition saw the handing over of appointment letters to 75,000 new appointees.

Rozgar Mela represents a significant initiative by the Government to enhance employment opportunities for the youth across India. By facilitating direct connections between job seekers and employers, it not only addresses the pressing issue of unemployment but also empowers individuals to contribute to national development.

In the 13th edition of Rozgar Mela held on October 29, PM Modi distributed 51,000 appointment letters. On that occasion, the Prime Minister remarked that the government was creating new opportunities to make it easier for Indian youth to get jobs abroad.

Citing the recently released Germany’s Skilled Labour Strategy for India, PM Modi informed that Germany had increased the number of visas given to skilled Indian youth every year from 20,000 to 90,000. He added that India’s youth will benefit greatly from this.

PM Modi also mentioned that India had signed agreements related to migration and employment with 21 countries in recent years, including countries like Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Mauritius, Israel, the UK and Italy, apart from the Gulf countries.

A total of 71,000 appointees each were given letters in Rozgar Mela edition number 2, 3, 4 and 5. In the sixth (June 13) and seventh editions (July 22), 70,000 appointment letters each were distributed by the PM.

In the eighth edition of Rozgar Mela, held on August 28, 2023, 51,000 job letters were distributed. A total of 51,000 appointment letters each were distributed in the ninth, 10th and 11th editions of Rozgar Mela held earlier last year.

The highest number of 1 lakh appointment letters were distributed in the 12th edition of Rozgara Mela held on February 12.

On that occasion, the PM highlighted the Budget announcement of about 1 crore rooftop solar plants and said this scheme will create lakhs of new jobs.

–IANS

rch/uk