Programme on new Labour Codes enhances awareness among stakeholders

Itanagar, Sep 17 (IANS) The Military authorities under Spear Corps have commenced a two-week long Yoga training programme for combat soldiers in Arunachal Pradesh’s Along, officials said on Wednesday.

Defence spokesman Lt Col Mahendra Rawat said that the Yoga training programme (September 15 to 27) was initiated with an aim to strengthen the holistic well-being of troops by enhancing endurance, concentration, and resilience through the ancient discipline of Yoga.

He said that the structured sessions, led by trained instructors, are specifically tailored to meet the physical and mental demands of combatants operating in the challenging terrain and weather conditions of Arunachal Pradesh.

According to the official, the programme focuses not only on physical fitness but also on mental calmness, emotional stability, and spiritual balance, qualities vital for effective soldiering under adversity. Yoga, rooted in India’s indigenous tradition, resonates with the ethos of discipline and self-control.

Its practices harmonise body, mind, and spirit, enabling soldiers to maintain composure under operational stress, recover quickly from fatigue, and build inner strength for demanding military tasks, an army statement said.

Training modules include posture-based exercises, meditation techniques, and breathing practices to help combatants manage stress, sharpen focus, and sustain high readiness.

The statement said that this initiative also reflects the Indian Army’s commitment to holistic fitness, aligned with the national vision of promoting Yoga as a way of life.

The enthusiastic participation of troops at Along underscores the relevance of this ancient practice in contemporary military life.

Lt Col Rawat said that the two-week programme is expected to leave a lasting impact on participants, equipping them with enhanced physical robustness and psychological resilience.

It reaffirms the Indian Army’s dedication to nurturing its soldiers not only as warriors, but as balanced individuals capable of meeting every challenge with composure and strength, he added.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) Commuters not having a functional FASTag will now have to pay just 1.25 times the applicable fee at toll plazas on National Highways (NHs), if they pay through online mode using Unified Payment Interface (UPI), from November 15, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement on Saturday.

To incentivise digital payments and eliminate cash transactions at the user fee plazas on NHs for Non-FASTag users, the government of India has amended the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.

Under the new rule, vehicles entering a fee plaza without a valid, functional FASTag will be charged twice the applicable user fee if the fee payment is made in cash.

“Such users who opt to pay the fee via the Unified Payment Interface (UPI) will be charged only 1.25 times the applicable user fee for that category of the vehicle,” the statement read.

For example, if a vehicle needs to pay a user fee of Rs 100 through a valid FASTag, the fee will be Rs 200 if paid in cash and Rs 125 if paid via UPI.

This amendment aims to strengthen the fee collection process, enhance transparency in toll collection and promote ease of commuting for the National Highway users.

“This notification will come into effect from November 15, 2025,” the Ministry said.

The latest amendment in the rules reflects the Government of India’s commitment to leveraging technology for efficient toll collection and reducing congestion at the toll plazas, the statement noted. ​

The revised rules will encourage the adoption of digital payments, enhance transparency in toll operations, and improve the overall user experience on National Highways.

On Independence Day this year, the government introduced a FASTag-based annual toll pass for private vehicles, priced at Rs 3,000.

This service is available at toll plazas managed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the National Highways Authority of India for cars, jeeps, and vans.

The pass is good for 200 toll trips or one year after it is activated, whichever comes first. The FASTag automatically transitions to standard pay-per-trip mode when the limit is reached. Each one-way crossing at a point-based toll plaza counts as one trip, and a return counts as two. A full journey from entry to exit is considered a single trip in closed or ticketed systems.

The pass will only be granted to cars, jeeps, and vans registered for personal use, and it is only valid for non-commercial private vehicles.

–IANS

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Chennai, July 1 (IANS) PMK President Anbumani Ramadoss on Wednesday launched a statewide public awareness march from Biligundlu in Dharmapuri district to the historic town of Poompuhar, intensifying his party’s campaign against Karnataka’s proposed Mekedatu dam project across the Cauvery River.

Flagging off the march, Anbumani described the project as a grave threat to Tamil Nadu’s water security, agriculture and ecology, and urged the State government to strengthen its legal efforts to prevent the dam from becoming a reality.

Addressing reporters, he said the primary objective of the campaign was to mobilise public opinion across the Cauvery delta and other river-dependent regions against the proposed reservoir.

He alleged that Karnataka’s plan would adversely affect the flow of Cauvery waters into Tamil Nadu, jeopardising irrigation, drinking water supply and the livelihoods of millions of people.

Calling the Cauvery the lifeline of Tamil Nadu, Anbumani said more than five crore people in the State depend directly or indirectly on the river for agriculture, industry and domestic consumption.

He warned that if the Mekedatu dam is constructed, the already limited flow of water reaching Tamil Nadu could be further reduced, aggravating water scarcity in several districts.

Rejecting Karnataka’s argument that the project is intended primarily to meet Bengaluru’s drinking water requirements, Anbumani said the city’s needs could be met with a much smaller quantity of water.

He expressed concern that the proposed 70 TMC reservoir could eventually be used for irrigation, enabling Karnataka to retain more Cauvery water upstream and affecting downstream releases to Tamil Nadu.

The PMK leader also raised environmental concerns, pointing out that the proposed reservoir area includes nearly 12,500 acres of dense forest that serves as habitat for elephants, tigers and several other wildlife species.

He noted that environmental activists in Karnataka, too, had voiced opposition to the project and urged authorities to reconsider it on ecological grounds.

Accusing successive Karnataka governments of failing to honour Cauvery water-sharing commitments, Anbumani called upon the Tamil Nadu government to continue pursuing every available legal remedy to stop the project.

He also reiterated his opposition to the State government’s proposal for a new Cauvery tribunal, maintaining that the existing tribunal framework remains adequate.

Appealing for widespread public participation, Anbumani urged the youth of Tamil Nadu to unite in defence of the Cauvery, drawing parallels with the mass mobilisation witnessed during the Jallikattu movement.

He also called on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to oppose the Mekedatu project and persuade the Congress-led Karnataka government to withdraw the proposal.

The awareness march will pass through major Cauvery irrigation regions before concluding at Poompuhar, with PMK leaders, farmers’ representatives and party workers taking part in the campaign.

—IANS

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