Category: INDIA

Hyderabad, July 1 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday visited the pharmaceutical unit at Pashamylaram near Hyderabad, where an explosion killed 36 workers and left many others injured.

The Chief Minister went around the premises of the pharma factory of Sigachi Industries, where the rescue work was continuing more than 24 hours after the deadliest industrial disaster in the state’s history.

CM Reddy spoke to senior officials about the blast and the subsequent fire, which left a trail of destruction in the unit located at Pashamylaram industrial area in Sangareddy district, about 50 km from Hyderabad.

He also enquired about the status of the rescue operation as scores of workers continued clearing debris from a three-storey building of the production unit, which collapsed under the impact of the blast.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by ministers Damodar Raja Narasimha, D. Sridhar Babu, P. Srinivasa Reddy and G. Vivek and senior officials.

CM Reddy later interacted with the officials of industries and other departments and representatives of the company. He asked the director of factories and the boilers’ inspector whether they conducted periodic inspections and had they found any lacunas. He directed the officials to submit a report on inspections conducted and action taken in case of deficiencies.

The Chief Minister also asked officials to take expert opinion on the cause of the explosion to prevent such disasters in future.

He directed departments engaged in rescue and relief operations to ensure coordination to prevent any accidents while removing debris.

The CM enquired with the company representatives if they have taken a decision on the payment of compensation to families of deceased and injured.

The Chief Minister and Industry Minister Sridhar Babu questioned the absence of top management of the company even 24 hours after the accident.

“If you are so preoccupied, why are you running factories?” asked Sridhar Babu. He said the government would take a serious view of it.

The Chief Minister told the company to come forward to help victims on humanitarian grounds.

The state government has appointed a high-powered committee to probe the disaster and its underlying causes.

The committer comprises the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary (Disaster Management), Principal Secretary (Labour), Principal Secretary (Health) and Additional DGP (Fire Services).

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) As the Digital India, the flagship initiative of the Modi government, completes a decade, there have been tremendous and transformative changes across the spectrum, making technology accessible and affordable to all.

When the Digital India Mission was launched in 2015, the internet penetration was limited, and digital literacy was low, and the government services existed largely on paper.

However, the digital transition and penetration over the years saw the country’s digital footprint taking a leap, and it is now raring to go global.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took note of the historic day and said that the next decade will be even more transformative, as the country moves from digital governance to global digital leadership — from India-first to India-for-the-world.

A look at the key accomplishments of Digital India

Initially, the journey of India’s digital revolution was largely clouded by pessimism. However, a decade later, India is emerging as a digital governance leader, real-time digital payments have set an example for the world, while swift 5G rollouts have drawn global attention.

India boasts of the fastest 5G rollout in the country. Today, India covers 95 per cent of the population, outpacing regions like Europe, Latin America, and Africa.

India is home to the world’s cheapest and most affordable internet, which is available at just Rs 10/GB. Today, the internet is not a dream but a reality for millions of people, even in rural areas.

Today, India is dominating global real-time digital transactions. Reports suggest that nearly half of the world’s real-time digital payments are processed here every month.

India’s Optical Fibre trail may look beyond imagination for some, but the success is real. Over 42 lakh route km of optical fibre have been laid across the country. Today, metro cities to remote villages are all connected via the internet, thereby powering e-Governance.

ABHA Accounts in the country outnumber the populations of most countries. With over 78 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts (ABHA) created, the world’s largest digital health ecosystem is being created in the country.

–IANS

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Lucknow, July 1 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) national president Akhilesh Yadav is celebrating his birthday on Tuesday with grand celebrations across Uttar Pradesh. Warm wishes poured in from across the political spectrum, including top Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted on X, “Heartfelt birthday wishes to the former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and National President of the Samajwadi Party, Shri Akhilesh Yadav. I wish you excellent health and a long life.”

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, also took to X, saying, “The resounding voice of PDA @yadavakhilesh — heartfelt birthday wishes and congratulations to brother! May you stay healthy, stay happy. We stand shoulder to shoulder with you in this fight for justice and equality.”

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya, and BSP chief Mayawati also extended birthday greetings to the SP chief.

UP CM wrote on X, “Heartiest congratulations to former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav ji on his birthday.”

Akhilesh Yadav responded, saying, “Heartiest thanks for your wishes.”

Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya wrote, “Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to SP chief, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, MP Akhilesh Yadav ji on his birthday. May you have good health and long life with the blessings of Lord Shri Ram, Lord Krishna, and Lord of Gods Mahadev.”

BSP chief Mayawati also posted on X, “Heartiest congratulations to Samajwadi Party chief and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, currently MP Akhilesh Yadav ji, on his birthday. Many best wishes for a happy and long life.”

Born on July 1, 1973, in Saifai, Etawah, Akhilesh Yadav entered politics after studying engineering and has since carried forward the legacy of his father, late SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav.

He led the Samajwadi Party to power in the 2012 Assembly elections and served as the Chief Minister. However, the party suffered defeats in both the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections.

In the recent 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Akhilesh’s leadership helped the SP emerge as the third-largest party nationally, halting the BJP’s momentum in the state.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) In a major move to combat air pollution, the Delhi government has enforced a strict fuel ban on ‘end-of-life’ (EoL) vehicles — petrol vehicles older than 15 years and diesel vehicles older than 10 years — from being refuelled at petrol pumps across the national capital.

Authorities confirmed that two motorcycles have already been identified and seized under the new enforcement, and the vehicles will be scrapped in accordance with the official policy.

The crackdown follows the alarming findings by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), whose November 2024 analysis found that vehicles contribute 51 per cent of pollution from all local emission sources in Delhi — making them the single largest source of air pollution in the city.

The Transport Department has implemented a multi-agency deployment plan involving the Delhi Police, Traffic Police, and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) personnel at strategically chosen petrol stations, particularly those with a high volume of old vehicles.

Delhi Police officers have been assigned to petrol stations numbered 1 to 100, while the Transport Department has deployed 59 dedicated teams across stations numbered 101 to 159.

One traffic police officer has been stationed at each of the 350 petrol pumps identified for monitoring refuelling activities, with two additional police personnel present at every station to maintain law and order during the drive.

To support real-time detection, 498 fuel stations have been equipped with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras.

These cameras, integrated with the national VAHAN database, automatically identify overage vehicles and alert fuel station operators. Once flagged, details of these vehicles are sent to enforcement teams for immediate action, including impounding and scrapping.

Traffic Inspector Ashok Kumar, speaking to IANS, said, “According to the Delhi government’s guidelines and directions from senior officers, EoL vehicles which are over 10 years diesel and over 15 years petrol will be acted upon. Four petrol pumps have been identified in the Parliament Street circle with ANPR cameras installed, and we have deployed our transport and local police staff there.”

“The ANPR cameras will detect the vehicle and trigger an alarm. Our staff has also been given e-Challan software. If any such vehicle is identified, the owner will be informed, and the vehicle will be seized as per procedure and handed over to the Risk-Based Supervisory Framework (RBSF),” he said.

He further added, “From the data collected from four petrol pumps so far, we have seized two motorcycles older than 15 years and handed them over to registered scrap dealers. The vehicle owners can claim reimbursement directly from the scrapping authority.”

Petrol pump staff have also been briefed on the enforcement policy. One employee told IANS, “We’ve been instructed not to refuel vehicles older than 10 or 15 years. AI cameras installed at the pumps first identify the vehicles, and then we decide whether to provide fuel. If needed, we verify the vehicle’s RC and inform the authorities.”

This comprehensive enforcement is part of the Delhi government’s broader effort to curb vehicular emissions and improve the city’s air quality.

–IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, July 1 (IANS) The first function of the new State Police chief Ravadha Chandrasekhar began on a sour note due to a security failure.

The first function of the new Star Police Chief is a press meeting with the media.

During the event, a security failure occurred when a non-media person reached near Chandrasekhar.

The press conference was held at the high-security area of the State Police headquarters in the state capital city.

The intruder had papers in his hand and claimed that he was a former police official who had yet to get justice despite approaching Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

While many expressed concerns about what happened, Chandrasekhar, who was speaking to the media about the way police officials should behave towards the people, told the intruder that his grievance would be addressed.

Later, the intruder was given coffee and handed over to the local police station, which began a detailed probe.

Likewise, the Assistant Inspector General of Police has also started a probe.

Incidentally, the intruder, who claimed to be a former police official, also had an identity card from an online media outlet.

It has been found that the intruder entered the headquarters, claiming to be a former security official of Chandrasekhar and used his media identity card to gain entry to the media room.

On Monday evening, incumbent SPC Shaikh Darvesh Saheb superannuated, and as Chandrasekhar was in Delhi, he took charge as the new SPC.

The customary guard of honour was first given, and then the baton of the SPC was handed over to him by ADGP of Police H. Venkatesh, who was holding charge after Saheb retired and till Chandrasekhar took over on Tuesday morning.

–IANS

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Mumbai, July 1 (IANS) The State Bank of India (SBI), the nation’s largest financial institution, is celebrating its 70th year of operations with a balance sheet that has soared to Rs 66 lakh crore and the number of its customers surging past a staggering 52 crore.

Since its inception in 1955, SBI has evolved from supporting India’s early development goals into a driving force of its digital and green economy.

In order to play a lead role in India’s renewable energy transition, SBI’s Solar Rooftop Programme aims to solarise four million homes by FY2027, advancing India’s Net Zero 2070 goals, according to an SBI statement.

SBI also announced that as part of its continued focus on customer excellence, it is modernising its Trade Finance operations through digitalisation, standardisation, and centralisation. A new centre in Kolkata will serve branches across India, ensuring faster and efficient service.

Globally, with 244 overseas offices in 55 countries, SBI has been ranked the 4th Most Trustworthy Bank Globally by Newsweek (2024) and Best Bank in India 2024 by Global Finance Magazine.

A cornerstone of SBI’s long-term vision is the expansion of its Project Finance & Structuring Strategic Business Unit (PF&S SBU), which plays a vital role in funding large-scale infrastructure and emerging sectors like renewable energy, e-mobility, data centres, semiconductors, green hydrogen, decarbonisation and smart infrastructure. Towards this end, SBI is setting up a Centre of Excellence which will serve as a guiding force on new age sectors and become an “asset of national Importance”, the SBI statement said.

SBI drives financial inclusion through 151 million+ Jan Dhan accounts and an extensive correspondent network. The bank’s agricultural lending exceeded Rs 3.5 lakh crore in FY25 — the highest in the country — supporting farm infrastructure, according to the statement.

In FY2025, the Bank reinforced its social impact footprint by investing Rs 610.8 crore in CSR initiatives, reaching 94 Aspirational Districts. Its efforts spanned healthcare, education, rural development, and environmental sustainability.

Digital innovation is central to SBI’s strategy, with 98.2 per cent of transactions via digital platforms and over 8.8 crore YONO users. As a key digital offering for supporting MSMEs, SBI has also deployed its Business Rule Engine (BRE) to fast-track SME loans up to Rs 5 crore, enabling Straight Through Processing. By March 2025, over 93,900 loans worth Rs 47,789 crore had been sanctioned through BRE, the statement said.

SBI is actively deploying Gen AI, Big Data, predictive analytics, and LLMs to personalise customer experiences. To modernise customer touchpoints, over 25,000 ATMs will be upgraded in FY2026. This is supported by the upcoming Data Lakehouse Project, delivering real-time AI insights across the Bank’s operations, the statement added.

SBI Chairman C.S. Setty said, “As India steps into a new era of growth and opportunity, SBI is building the foundation for the future of banking — one that is digital at its core, inclusive in its reach, and sustainable in its impact. To reiterate from our press release on 1st July 1955, our policy, as always, will be guided by the ideal — to further the interests of our customers and those of the entire nation, now and in the years to come.”

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) A day after alleging Russian funding to over 150 Congress MPs, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Tuesday dropped a fresh bombshell, accusing the previous dispensations of receiving money from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) — an intelligence service of the United States.

The funding by the United States’ CIA was made for toppling state governments, he alleged.

The BJP lawmaker made the startling allegations on X and also shared declassified documents, which he claimed were the conversation between the then US President Richard Nixon and Kissinger, and claimed that the duo’s conversation on giving Rs 300 crore in aid stands documented.

The BJP MP also claimed that the issue resonated in the Rajya Sabha debate on May 10, 1979, when the then Home Minister raised the issue of US ‘funding’ to the Indian government.

“In the RS debate, the then Home Minister HM Patel ji is responding to the book by the US Ambassador to India, Moynihan ji, stating that the US gave funds to the Congress party twice, first to defeat the Communist Party in Kerala, and second to contest the Lok Sabha elections, and this is a violation of FERA, i.e., today’s PMLA,” he wrote in a post on X.

Dubey, speaking to IANS, said that barring a few years since Independence, Congress governments have repeatedly received illegal funding from foreign governments which in turn ‘influenced’ its governance and policy-making and demanded that a judicial commission be set up to probe into the multiple incidents of country’s ‘betrayal’ and ‘slavery to foreign powers’.

He also raised the issue of Ravindra Singh, whom he claimed doubled up as a RAW as well as a CIA agent and said that he was privy to these details.

He said that the RAW agent fled to the US with the tacit support of the then Congress government as it feared ‘dark secrets’ coming out of the closet.

Notably, the explosive allegations by Nishikant Dubey come a day after he made similar charges of foreign funding to past Congress governments.

On Monday, he took to X and cited a 2011 document released by the US intel agency CIA and alleged that over 150 Congress MPs were “funded” by the Soviet Union under the leadership of the late party veteran H.K.L. Bhagat.

“Congress, Corruption, and Slavery. This unclassified secret document was released by the CIA in 2011. According to it, under the leadership of the late Congress leader HKL Bhagat, more than 150 Congress MPs were funded by Soviet Russia, acting as agents for Russia?” Dubey said in a post on X.

He also claimed that the document he shared contained a list of 16,000 news articles that Russia got published, through its ‘agents’ in India.

–IANS

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Bhopal, July 1 (IANS) The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy rain in most parts of Madhya Pradesh, especially in Gwalior-Chambal, Rewa and Sagar divisions.

The weather department has issued an orange alert for districts — Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Sheopur, Datia, Umaria, Dindori, Katni, Mandla and Panna. According to the IMD, an orange alert suggests the possibility of moderate to heavy rainfall.

As per the forecast, these districts are likely to receive between 2.5 to 8 inches of rainfall in the next 24 hours beginning from Tuesday.

Heavy rainfall is also predicted in districts such as Narmadapurm, Chhindwara, Pandhurna, Seoni and Balaghat.

The monsoon has covered all 55 districts in Madhya Pradesh, and at least 37 per cent more than normal rainfall was recorded till June 30.

Indore and Ujjain divisions are predicted to receive light showers of rain at different intervals in the next 24 hours, while the state capital, Bhopal and Jabalpur are likely to remain dry on Tuesday.

However, the sky remained cloudy since early morning in Bhopal and drizzle was witnessed during early morning. Maximum and minimum temperatures in Bhopal would remain between 29 and 23 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, as per the weather office. Rainfall also brought down daytime temperatures across the state

According to the IMD’s data, during the last 24 hours, rainfall was recorded in Shahdol, Gwalior-Chambal, Rewa and Sagar divisions.

Senior weather scientist at the divisional IMD official in Bhopal, Dr E. Surendran, said the monsoon is passing over the state. Additionally, secondary cyclonic circulation systems are influencing the weather conditions. The IMD said that a low-pressure system over Gujarat’s Saurashtra and Kutch regions was active, the effects of which could reach Madhya Pradesh in the next 48 hours.

Due to heavy rainfall predicted in the coming days, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has directed officials to ensure all necessary arrangements for the safety of people are made due to heavy rainfall. He has also directed officials to keep a close watch on all religious places in the state.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 1 (IANS) The investigating team probing the Kasba law student gang-rape case has been able to secure some circumstantial evidence that matches the statement given by the victim after the crime was committed on June 25 evening which corroborates the charges against the three arrested accused in the case.

Sources said the first source of circumstantial evidence is the footage of the CCTV cameras, substantiating the victim’s claims of being dragged from the common room to the guard room where the sexual assault on her took place.

The second source of circumstantial evidence, sources added, is the positioning of two benches side-by-side at the guard room, giving the structure the shape of a bed and a cover on it

Another source of circumstantial evidence, insiders aware of the developments said, is from the clothes the three accused persons were wearing on the evening of June 25 when the sexual assault on the victim took place.

These are in addition to the statements already given by two arrested accused persons in the case namely Jaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay admitting how they played the roles of their facilitators in this pre-planned and well-thought-out ploy of the third accused Monojit Mishra targeting the victim for sexual assault and subsequently recording that offence in their mobile phone to blackmail her.

An investigation is also being carried out to find out whether the video clip of the crime had already been circulated to anybody else or not. Insiders said that several sleazy videos were stored in the mobile phones of the three accused, especially that of Mishra, which hints towards their addiction to such sleazy items.

The governing body of the law college at Kasba has initiated internal disciplinary proceedings against the three accused. Mishra, a former student of the college, has been expelled from the position of a temporary staff member of the institution.

At the same time, the governing body has also decided to expel Ahmed and Mukhopadhyay, both are students of the college.

Meanwhile, even four days after the arrests of the three accused persons, there has not been a single statement or even a comment from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Governor C.V. Ananda Bose had also been silent so far on the matter.

–IANS

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Patna, July 1 (IANS) An on-duty transport officer was killed and two others injured after an unidentified vehicle rammed their SUV in Bihar’s Darbhanga district on Tuesday.

The accident took place around 6 a.m. The deceased, Munna Kumar, an ESI of the Darbhanga DTO office, tragically died on the spot in the horrific accident on the Darbhanga-Muzaffarpur NH-27 near the Reliance Petrol Pump under Mabbhi police station limits.

According to the SHO of Mabbhi police station, an unknown speeding vehicle collided with the DTO’s vehicle during a routine checking operation, causing it to plunge 30 feet into a roadside ditch.

Alongside Munna Kumar, two other personnel — Ajay Kumar and Ravi Kumar — sustained serious injuries in the accident.

They have been admitted to Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where doctors have stated that their condition remains critical.

Following the incident, MVI Satish Kumar from the Darbhanga DTO office arrived at the scene to initiate an investigation.

The deceased, Munna Kumar, was a resident of Khori village under Hasanpur police station in Samastipur district.

Authorities are scanning nearby CCTV footage and cameras installed in the surrounding areas to identify and trace the unknown vehicle responsible for the collision.

Police have confirmed that efforts are underway to track down the vehicle and ascertain the exact sequence of events.

The family of the deceased has been informed, and further legal procedures are being carried out.

“We have recovered the body and sent it for the post-mortem in DMCH. We have also registered an FIR under relevant sections of rash and negligent driving against the unknown person and are making efforts to locate the errant driver,” the SHO said.

This tragic incident highlights the increasing dangers faced by traffic enforcement teams on highways and underscores the need for stricter monitoring of overspeeding vehicles on the National Highway-27.

–IANS

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