‘Ungaludan Stalin’ camps to be held from July 15 across Chennai wards

Guwahati, April 10 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that over 43 lakh persons, including a large section of women, are set to benefit from the state government’s cash transfer scheme.

Taking to social media platform X, CM Sarma wrote, “It’s the 10th of April and like every month, today is Pension and Orunodoi Day in Assam, our most comprehensive Jan Kalyan effort. Over 43 lakh people, mostly women will get over ₹384cr directly in their bank accounts to enable them to fulfill their basic necessities.”

Under the Orunodoi scheme, the state government provides financial assistance to women on the 10th of every month.

The CM earlier also asserted that to prevent fraudulent claims, the Orunodoi scheme is being linked with ration cards. The state administration has distributed at least 20 lakh new ration cards to the beneficiaries across the state recently.

CM Sarma highlighted the steadfast commitment of the current state government to ensure that the needy have regular access to rice.

He noted that the National Food Security Act (NFSA) was implemented in Assam in December 2015, with the aim of safeguarding the nutritional needs of approximately 2.51 crore beneficiaries.

He emphasised that 85 per cent of rural residents and 60 per cent of urban inhabitants should be entitled to ration cards.

The CM said that following the linking of ration cards with Aadhaar, an additional 60 lakh cards have been issued, thus facilitating the distribution of free rice via biometric verification.

He commended the successful implementation of the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ scheme, which has been in place for the past three years, allowing beneficiaries to access provisions from anywhere in the country.

The Chief Minister clarified that ration cards must be collected between the 1st and 10th of each month and reassured the public that no fraudulent claims would be entertained, as the government has made substantial efforts to ensure that deserving families receive their entitlements.

CM Sarma stated that in the 2023-24 fiscal year, 42,85,745 new beneficiaries have been included, with 10,73,489 new families receiving ration cards in January alone, benefitting more than 52 lakh people. The Chief Minister also said that families holding ration cards would be eligible for free medical treatment up to Rs five lakh at government hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat and Ayushman Assam schemes.

–IANS

tdr/svn

Kolkata, April 5 (IANS) In the wake of intelligence alerts warning of possible tensions during Ram Navami celebrations in parts of West Bengal, the state and Kolkata police have decided to bring every procession under comprehensive camera surveillance on Sunday.

To bolster monitoring, additional CCTV cameras have been installed along key procession routes in the state.

Furthermore, police personnel deployed for security will be equipped with body cameras to ensure transparent documentation of events.

“In the event of any disturbance, identifying the instigators and perpetrators is our top priority,” said a senior state police official.

“With enhanced video coverage this time, it will be significantly easier to pinpoint those responsible for inciting or engaging in violence,” the official said.

In Kolkata, drone surveillance will supplement ground-level monitoring. All officers and personnel deployed along the routes have been advised to wear adequate protective gear.

The state police have identified 10 particularly sensitive areas across Bengal. District police superintendents and commissioners of the respective police Commissionerate have been instructed to implement heightened security arrangements in these areas.

To reinforce security in these high-risk areas, 29 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have been deployed. In addition to uniformed forces, a substantial number of plainclothes officers will also be present during the processions.

All lanes and bylanes adjacent to procession routes will be thoroughly sanitized before the events begin.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, West Bengal BJP president and Union Minister of State Dr Sukanta Majumdar urged the state administration to ensure peaceful celebrations of Ram Navami.

“Crores of Hindus will be celebrating Ram Navami on Sunday. The festival has been observed in Bengal for thousands of years, just as it is across the country. Any attempt to disrupt these celebrations must be thwarted at all costs,” Majumdar said.

–IANS

src/skp

Mumbai, May 11 (IANS) The Indian stock market outlook for next week will be guided by several domestic and international cues such as retail inflation, quarterly results, US jobless claims data and others.

Next week, companies like SMC Global, Bajaj Electricals, JM Financial, Raymond, Tata Steel, UPL, AB Capital, Bharti Airtel, Cipla, Hero MotoCorp, Tata Motors, HAL, Tata Power, and JSW Energy will release their Q4 FY2024- 25 results.

In India, inflation will be in focus with the release of CPI YoY data on May 13, providing clarity on consumer price trends and their implications for the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy. Additionally, Exports YoY data on May 15 will shed light on the health of India’s external trade amid global uncertainties.

In the US, the spotlight will be on inflation and consumption metrics. On May 13, both CPI MoM (Month-on-Month) and YoY (Year-on-Year) figures will be closely watched for signals on the Federal Reserve’s policy direction.

Meanwhile, China will release its Money Supply M2 YoY data on May 15, a critical indicator of liquidity and credit growth that could influence monetary easing expectations.

Bajaj Broking Research said, “The week of May 13 to 16, 2025, brings a slate of crucial economic data releases across India, the United States, and China, which are likely to guide investor sentiment and central bank expectations.”

Last week, the stock market ended lower due to the escalation between India and Pakistan.

The Sensex declined by nearly 1,047 points to settle at 79,454, while the Nifty slipped 338 points to close at 24,008 — both registering a weekly loss of approximately 1.4 per cent.

Sector-wise, real estate and PSU banks were the major laggards, falling around 6.5 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, while the auto and media sectors bucked the trend to emerge as top gainers.

Puneet Singhania, Director at Master Trust Group, said, “Rising tensions between India and Pakistan are likely to dominate investor sentiment in the coming week, creating a cautious undertone in Indian equity markets. Any escalation along the border or strong diplomatic developments could lead to uncertainty.”

“Alongside geopolitical concerns, the ongoing Q4 corporate earnings season will continue to drive stock-specific action. Further developments on both geopolitical and corporate fronts will play a crucial role in determining the market direction,” he added.

–IANS

avs/dpb