Yoga, tactical drills dominate AUSTRAHIND 2025 activities in Western Australia

Jaipur, May 30 (IANS) Union Mines Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao on Friday emphasised the Central government’s commitment to strengthening the mining sector by encouraging private sector participation in exploration, operations, processing, and recycling.

Highlighting the rising global demand for critical minerals, he said that both central and state mineral exploration agencies are now being joined by private experts to accelerate progress.

During a meeting in Jaipur with Principal Secretary Mines, T. Ravikant, and other stakeholders, Kantha Rao noted that 35 private exploration agencies have been registered with the National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET), and 20 agencies have already commenced work, including in Rajasthan.

“Rajasthan is the most progressive state in the mining sector,” Kantha Rao said, praising the state for auctioning the highest number of major mineral blocks.

He reiterated that the National Critical Mineral Mission has been launched to boost research and development, with NMET providing financial support for exploration, processing, and recycling efforts.

To address delays in operationalising auctioned mines, Kantha Rao called for enhanced coordination among stakeholders and reduced procedural hurdles.

He urged institutions like GSI, MECL, IBM, DGMS, and relevant state agencies to hold workshops and seminars to educate industry participants on recent developments. T. Ravikant, Principal Secretary of Rajasthan’s Mines and Geology Department, shared that Rajasthan has auctioned 88 major mineral blocks, leading the nation.

He highlighted the state’s proactive approach, including a new mineral policy, M-sand policy, and streamlined regulations that are yielding positive outcomes. Director of Mines, Deepak Tanwar, presented updates on auction blocks and their development through a detailed presentation. Senior officials from the central and state governments were present at the meeting.

During discussions, Neemkathana MLA Suresh Modi called for resolving mining sector issues. Mining Association representatives proposed granting industry status to mining, reviving dormant leases by treating them as sick units, ensuring DMFT funds are used in mining-affected areas, creating a land bank, addressing the concerns of small mine owners, and updating land records to reflect mining activity.

The meeting also included detailed interactions with auction mine representatives to expedite their operational rollout.

–IANS

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New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) In a road rage incident on the day of Holi, a motorcyclist was murdered in cold blood on a busy road by another biker who smashed a bottle on his head and slit his neck with the glass after their vehicles grazed each other in east Delhi’s Kalyanpuri area.

The assailant Pankaj, 25, a Ghaziabad resident who works as a salesman in a coffee company Sleepy Owl, and his co-rider Jeetu, a resident of Mandawali, were arrested for the murder of Ashish, 25, within four hours of the incident at 6.30 p.m. on Friday, said a police official.

The victim was rushed to a hospital after the clash by his friend accompanying him on the vehicle but he died on the way, the police said.

Ashish, a resident of Ghaziabad, was a tea stall vendor who also owned an outlet in Noida’s Sector 9, police said.

Additional DCP, East, Vineet Kumar, said Pankaj and Jeetu have been arrested on murder charges.

“Their medical report is awaited to confirm if they were drunk at the time of the incident,” he said, adding that witnesses claimed that Pankaj appeared to be under the influence of alcohol when the fight took place.

The police were informed about the killing by the hospital where Ashish was rushed after the incident.

A senior official said several teams were formed to trace the accused and using the registration number of Pankaj’s bike they zeroed in on his home in Ghaziabad and arrested him.

On the day of Holi, the Delhi Traffic Police prosecuted 1,213 motorists for drunken driving during celebrations in the national capital, an official said.

Dinesh Kumar Gupta, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, said that during a special drive between 8 a.m. to midnight on Friday, 2,376 two-wheeler riders were prosecuted for driving without a helmet.

For triple riding, the traffic police prosecuted 573 vehicle owners. Apart from these, 3,068 other tickets were issued for various traffic rule violations, he said.

“A total of 7,230 traffic rule violations were reported on the day of Holi,” said Gupta.

–IANS

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Ernakulam, Sep 25 (IANS) Congress leader V.D. Satheesan on Thursday defended the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) decision to boycott the Ayyappa Sangamam organised with the support of the Pinarayi Vijayan government, asserting that the move was a conscious political choice aimed at exposing what he termed the state government’s “pretentious devotion” ahead of elections.

Speaking to the media in Ernakulam, Satheesan said the opposition had a responsibility to reveal the ruling front’s “real face” to believers.

He outlined three questions that the Chief Minister and the state government continue to “evade”.

“Will the government withdraw the affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court on the Sabarimala issue? Will it withdraw the cases registered against thousands of devotees, including NSS workers and women? And why is a government that did nothing for Sabarimala’s development for a decade suddenly rushing in with a master plan?” Satheesan asked.

He maintained that the government’s record on Sabarimala is well known to the people and has not changed.

Community organisations, including the Nair Service Society (NSS), are entitled to take their own stand, he said, adding that the opposition respected such decisions.

Satheesan argued that if the UDF had participated, it would have been “reduced to ridicule” like the Chief Minister.

“The government claimed 4,200 participants, but only about 600 actually attended. People were brought in to deliver hate speeches. Should we have become witnesses to that?” he asked.

The Opposition Leader said the boycott was a considered political response, not an act of disrespect to faith.

“We anticipated what the government was attempting, and we took a stand. We will continue to remain firm in that decision,” he said.

Incidentally, while the Vijayan government supported the first Ayyappa meeting held at Pampa, the BJP oversaw the holding of another one at Pandalam.

“We are not going to hold any such meetings,” said veteran Congress legislator Ramesh Chennithala.

–IANS

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