Kashi gets ready to welcome PM Modi on Dec 13

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Kashi gets ready to welcome PM Modi on Dec 13

The newly constructed ‘Kashi Vishwanath Corridor’ of the famous and ancient Kashi Vishwanath temple will be inaugurated in Varanasi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 13.

On this occasion ‘Deepotsav’ will be celebrated all over the city of Varanasi. All the ghats of Varanasi as well as every house in the city will be lit up.

The district administration and the Uttar Pradesh government have made preparations for a grand celebration on the occasion of the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

After the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor and a puja, ‘prasad’ will be distributed to every house in the holy city.

Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agrawal told IANS that on this occasion, lamps will be lit in every house in Varanasi.

Each ghat will be illuminated with diyas and there will be a festive atmosphere in the city. After a special puja, a packet of ‘prasad’ and a religious booklet will be distributed to every house in Varanasi. This is the first time that Deepotsav, puja and prasad distribution will be held on such a large scale in Varanasi.

The administration has decided to plant trees of special reverence as per Hindu faith in and around the Kashi Vishwanath temple, such as Parijat, Rudraksh and Ashoka trees.

The golden ‘shikhar’ (dome) of the main temple, which had become stained due to the winter cold, heat, storms, etc, has been given a makeover. Agrawal said that the golden ‘Kalash’ (urn) has been completely cleaned with the help of a unique technology. Now the golden urn in the main temple appears to be completely new.

Only CNG engine boats will be used. Earlier, these boats were fuelled by diesel which caused pollution, but now the administration has decided to convert all boats in the city to CNG with the aim of making Kashi pollution-free.

Preparations are on to build a ropeway in Varanasi to reduce traffic jams on the roads. This ropeway will not only serve as a tourist attraction but will also be used as a mode of transport.

Deepak Agrawal informed that the ropeway system will greatly help establish a new transport system for the city of Varanasi for which tenders have been floated. It will take three months to learn about its technology, design and other technical aspects. The new transport system will be ready in the next 24 months.

The state government will bear the entire cost of converting the diesel-powered boats to CNG. The UP government has set up a CNG filling station at Khirkiya ghat. All boats will receive fuel from this CNG station.

As many as four special cruises have also been started for the pilgrims coming to Varanasi. Of these one is by the UP transport department in which nearly 200 people can travel at a time. Soon another cruise named ‘Bhagirathi’ will be ready to sail on the Ganga river in Kashi from next week.

Pinarayi Vijayan a ‘friend of Islamic terrorist’: BJP

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Pinarayi Vijayan a ‘friend of Islamic terrorist’: BJP

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the Kerala BJP unit on Monday described him as a “friend of the Islamic terrorist” who is implementing the agenda of the Popular Front of India (PFI).

State BJP general secretary P. Sudhir on Monday said it has come to the fore that at a school in Pathanamthitta district, the PFI activists are forcefully pinning “Me Babur” badge on the shirts of students studying at a local school at Kottangal.

“The village council in which the school is located is ruled jointly by the CPI-M and the SDPI and hence, the Vijayan government has turned a blind eye to this heinous crime. This is not at all acceptable,” said Sudhir.

“State Education Minister V. Sivankutty had publicly announced that the names of all those teachers who have not taken the Covid vaccine will be made public, but it is not being done just to appease one community,” Sudhir added.

Meanwhile, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairman Priyank Kanongoo said that he will seek a report to this effect from the Pathanamthitta district SP.

Centre keeping close watch on evolving situation in Nagaland: Shah in RS

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Centre keeping close watch on evolving situation in Nagaland: Shah in RS

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday said that Centre has been keeping a close watch on the evolving situation in Nagaland and necessary measures are being taken to ensure peace and tranquility in Mon district, following the widespread violence after a “mistaken” army raid, leaving 14 civilians and one soldier dead, while the state authorities, as precautionary measures, have promulgated prohibitory orders in the affected areas.

Making a statement in the Rajya Sabha on the incident, Shah informed the house that an FIR was registered regarding the incident in Tizit police station and considering the complexity of the case, it has been transferred to the State Crime Police Station (SCPS) and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted and directed to complete the investigation within one month.

Noting that the situation on the ground is still critical but under control, he further said that on receipt of the incident, he immediately got in touch with the Governor and the Chief Minister.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs also got in touch with the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police of Nagaland and monitored the situation throughout the day yesterday (Sunday). MHA also deputed Additional Secretary, in-charge of North East to Kohima wherein he held a meeting with Chief Secretary and other senior officers of State Government of Nagaland and senior officers of the ParaMilitary Forces today (Monday) morning,” he said.

The situation was reviewed in detail to ensure that normalcy is restored at the earliest. It was decided that all agencies should ensure that no such unfortunate incident recurs in future while undertaking operations against insurgents, he added.

“The Government of India sincerely regrets this unfortunate incident in Nagaland and expresses its deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives,” the Minister also said in his statement.

Narrating the incident that happened on December 4, Shah said that based on inputs received by the Indian Army about movement of the insurgents near Tiru village in Tizit area of Mon district, a team of 21 para-commandos said an ambush in the evening.

During the ambush, a vehicle approached the location and it was signalled to stop. However, the vehicle tried to flee, following which the vehicle, suspected of carrying insurgents, was fired upon resulting in the killing of six out of eight persons travelling in the vehicle. However, it turned out to be a case of mistaken identity, the Home Minister stated.

The two persons who sustained injuries were evacuated to the medical facilities by the Army personnel, he added.

Following the firing incident, the local villagers surrounded the Army team, burnt two vehicles, and assaulted them resulting in death of one security force personnel and injuries to several others.

“To disperse the crowd, SFs opened fire which resulted in killing of seven more civilians and injuring some others. The local administration and police have tried to defuse the situation, which remains tense but under control,” Shah added.

Nagaland Director General of Police and Commissioner, Nagaland visited the spot on December 5, 2021 and reviewed the situation on the ground.

The Minister also informed that subsequently in the evening of December 5, a mob of approximately 250 tried to ransack the Company Operating Base (CoB) of the Assam Rifles at Mon town. The mob burnt buildings of the base following which troops had to open fire to disperse the mob. Resultantly, one civilian was killed while another was injured. More forces have been deployed in the area to prevent any further untoward incident, he added.

The headquarters of the Army’s 3 Corps has also released a press statement wherein they have deeply regretted the incident and its aftermath which resulted in the unfortunate killing of innocent civilians and it further mentioned that the cause of the unfortunate loss of lives is being investigated at the highest level and appropriate action will be taken as per law.

Scams exploded during ten years of UPA rule: Modi

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Scams exploded during ten years of UPA rule: Modi

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said scams exploded in the name of infrastructure during the ten year rule of the Manmohan Singh government.

Addressing a public gathering in poll-bound Uttarakhand after inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 18,000 crore in Dehradun, the Prime Minister accused the Congress of doing politics of appeasement and dividing the country.

He said perversion of politics does not allow people to be strong and makes them dependent on the government for their needs.

Modi claimed that “Whatever schemes we bring, we will bring them for everyone, without discrimination. We do not make vote bank politics the basis but give priority to the service of the people. Our approach has been to strengthen the country.”

Targeting the Congress, Modi said: “For 10 years there were scams, scams in the name of infrastructure in the country. We worked twice as hard to make up for the loss caused to the country and are doing it even today.”

He heaped praises on his party leader and state Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and also spoke about other veteran BJP leaders in the state.

The Prime Minister said that Uttarakhand is not just the centre of faith but is the symbol of hard work and determination. That is why development of the state is one of the foremost priorities of the ‘double engine government’ of the Centre and the state.

Comparing the pace of development, the Prime Minister pointed out that between 2007 and 2014, the then Central government (UPA), built only 288 km of national highways in Uttarakhand in seven years, whereas the current (NDA) government has constructed a national highway of more than 2,000 km in the state in seven years.

He charged that the earlier governments did not work on the infrastructure of the border hill areas as seriously as they should have.

The previous governments did nothing on critical issues like One rank, one pension, modern weapons, giving a befitting reply to terrorists that demoralised the Army at every level, he said, adding that “The government which is in place today cannot come under the pressure of any country in the world. We are people who follow the mantra of nation first, always first.”

He said the reconstruction of Kedar Dham has not only increased the number of devotees coming for darshan, but also provided many opportunities for employment and self-employment to the people there.

Before the Kedarnath tragedy in 2012, 5,70,000 devotees had darshan, which was a record number, whereas before the start of the corona period, in 2019, more than 10 lakh people had come to visit Kedarnath.

Omicron effect: Cluster declaration if 3 Covid cases are found, says K’taka CM

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Omicron effect: Cluster declaration if 3 Covid cases are found, says K’taka CM

Taking tough measures to contain the spread of Covid-19 and guard against its latest variant Omicron, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday that any place with three or more Covid cases would be declared a cluster. Earlier, the minimum requirement was 10 cases.

Speaking to mediapersons, Bommai said that preliminary reports on Omicron cases have been received, and the health department has been instructed to obtain comprehensive reports on the treatment protocols being followed in various countries.

According to the available information, at present the protocol being followed for the Delta variant is being followed for Omicron too, Bommai said, adding: “I want a scientific system to be followed.”

“Expert opinion is that Omicron is a fast-spreading variant, but it has not shown severe implications so far. Instructions have been issued to intensify tracing and treatment,” Bommai said.

As for cluster management, two types of clusters have been planned. One for places like schools, colleges and hostels, and the other for the apartment complexes in Bengaluru, from where cases have been reported.

Everyone in the clusters would be tested and treated. Only those with double vaccination would be allowed to assemble together in apartment complexes. No outsiders would be allowed into the apartments and the BBMP Commissioner has been instructed in this regard, Bommai said.

Double dose has been made mandatory for parents of students who attend classes in off-line mode, while testing is compulsory for all the inmates and staff of students’ hostels.

Testing has been made mandatory for those with comorbidities too. Officials have been instructed to take foolproof measures, Bommai said.

Replying to a question on Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya’s statement that none of the states except Punjab had submitted report on deaths caused by oxygen shortage, Bommai said, “I have no information as to in what context the statement was made.”

Asked about statement of Karnataka Health Minister K Sudhakar about 10 passengers from South Africa going missing in the state, Bommai said, “I have not received official information about this. I will speak to the Health Minister about it.”

The legislature session at Belagavi would be held as scheduled with adequate precautionary measures, he said, adding that the district administration has been instructed in this regard.

Double vaccination has been made compulsory for taking part in the session, he said.

Vijayan hand in glove with TN on Mullaperiyar dam issue: Congress

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Vijayan hand in glove with TN on Mullaperiyar dam issue: Congress

In a scathing attack on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the manner in which he is handling the vexed issue of the leaking Mullaperiyar dam, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan on Saturday remarked that Vijayan is hand in glove with Tamil Nadu, which is aiming to raise the water level to 152 feet.

Satheesan attacked Vijayan at the 24-hour fast protest launched by Idukki Lok Sabha Congress member Dean Kuriakose, near the dam site at Cheruthonni, demanding that permission be granted to build a new dam in place of the leaking one which is now 126 years old.

Satheesan, inaugurating the 24-hour fast, recalled a protest of the then Left Democratic Front opposition on December 8, 2011 when Oommen Chandy was the chief minister.

“Vijayan along with then Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan was part of human chain that was formed which saw lakhs taking part in the 208 km stretch from near the Mullaperiyar dam site to the Arabian sea at Kochi and took a pledge demanding a new dam at Mullaperiyar replacing the then 116 years old leaking Mullaperiyar dam. And see what’s he saying now, he says the dam is safe and is hand in glove with Tamil Nadu, who are demanding raising the water level to 152 feet,” said Satheesan.

“We all saw on what happened when permission was granted to cut trees to strengthen the baby dam at Mullaperiyar. We have two State Ministers (Water Resources Minister, Forest Minister) who have no clue of what’s happening in their department, as all decisions are taken by Vijayan. We are also seeing the way Tamil Nadu is opening the shutters of the Mullaperiyar dam without following the rules and none in Kerala government is bothered about it and we all heard a statement that Vijayan has written a letter to his counterpart in Tamil Nadu. Is this the way this serious issue has to be tackled?” asked Satheesan.

Incidentally this protest is taking place when in the Lok Sabha the other day Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Bishweswar Tudu said in a written reply that there is a report titled ‘Ageing Water Storage Infrastructure: An Emerging Global Risk’ published in the 11th Series Report of the United Nations University-Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) which has mentioned certain safety concerns of the Mullaperiyar dam.

He however, sought to allay fears about the safety of the dam, stating that through inspections, investigations, tests and studies, the health of a dam can be evaluated. Various instruments, which are installed in the dam, provide relevant information on the safety conditions of a dam. Pre and post-monsoon inspections are generally carried out by the dam owning agencies every year.

The dam has been a bone of contention between Kerala – where the dam is located – and Tamil Nadu, which owns the dam as per the old lease agreement.

BJP MPs from West Bengal meet PM, demand implementation of CAA in state

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BJP MPs from West Bengal meet PM, demand implementation of CAA in state

BJP MPs from West Bengal on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state.

The delegation, led by state unit president Dr Sukanta Majumdar, also requested the Prime Minister to visit the state.

Reportedly, it also urged the Prime Minister to frame rules for CAA and implement it in the state. “We requested Prime Minister Modi for early implementation of CAA in West Bengal after framing the rules. Those who are eligible should be given citizenship,” a team member said.

The delegation also sought allocation of funds announced in the budget which is still pending. “The budget announced is still pending. Funds for the North South corridor are yet to be allocated. Development of tea gardens is still to take off. We requested the Prime Minister to implement the budget,” he said.

Raising the issue of post-poll attack on the BJP workers, the MPs said despite a an ongoing CBI probe, the violence has not stopped.

The delegation also apprised the Prime Minister of the corruption in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme.

It also the pointed out that ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) was misusing the state machinery in upcoming civic polls.

Another member of the team said that the Prime Minister gave a patient hearing to all the demands made by them and assured action.

India’s digital public infra solutions can improve lives globally: Modi

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India’s digital public infra solutions can improve lives globally: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India’s digital public infrastructure solutions can improve the lives of citizens around the world.

Speaking at the InFinity Forum organised by Bloomberg and IFSCA, he said via video link: “We believe in sharing our experiences and expertise with the world and learning from them as well.”

“Tools like ‘UPI’ and ‘RuPay’ provide an unparalleled opportunity for every country. An opportunity to provide a low cost and reliable ‘real time payment system’ as well as a ‘domestic card scheme’ and ‘fund remittance system’.”

According to the Prime Minister, India has proved to the world that it is second to none when it comes to adopting technology or innovating around it.

“Transformational initiatives under Digital India have opened doors for innovative Fintech solutions to be applied in governance.a

PM Modi cited successes achieved with ‘Jan Dhan’ Accounts, ‘Rupay’, ‘FastTag’, and other such initiatives taken by the Centre.

He mentioned that last year, in India, mobile payments exceeded ATM cash withdrawals for the first time.

The Prime Minister said that fully digital banks, without any physical branch offices, are already a reality and may become commonplace in less than a decade.

Besides, he said the time has come to convert these “FinTech initiatives into a FinTech revolution”.

“A revolution that helps to achieve financial empowerment of every single citizen of the country.”

Furthermore, he emphasised on FinTech security.

“Common Indian has shown immense trust in our FinTech ecosystem by embracing digital payments and such technologies,” he said.

“This trust is a responsibility. Trust means that you need to ensure that the interests of the people are secured.”

In addition, PM Modi said that finance combined with technology would be an important part of India’s future development.

“Our aim is to provide the best international financial services not just for Indians, but for the world,” he added.

My complexion may be dark but intentions clear: Kejriwal

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My complexion may be dark but intentions clear: Kejriwal

In a reply to Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s remarks of ‘black Englishman’, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said “all mothers of Punjab adore their black son (Kejriwal), and sisters like their black brother”.

Talking to media here, Kejriwal said: “This time our (AAP) government will be formed in Punjab and this black person (Kejriwal) will fulfill all his promises.”

“I do not make false declarations, because my intentions are clear not false. Everyone knows whose intentions are false.”

In his reply, Kejriwal said that since he has announced to give Rs 1,000 per month to the women of Punjab, Channi has been abusing him.

“He is referring me as the person who wears cheap clothes and of black complexion,” the AAP supremo said, adding: “My complexion is black. My complexion has turned black after roaming in the sun from village to village. I don’t travel in a helicopter like Channi sahab flies in the air but my intention is not false.”

In a controversial statement, Channi had termed Kejriwal as ‘kale angrej’ (black Englishman).

PM to launch multiple development projects in Dehradun on Dec 4

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PM to launch multiple development projects in Dehradun on Dec 4

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dehradun on Saturday and lay the foundation stones of multiple development projects worth around Rs 18,000 crore.

According to the Prime Minister’s Office, a significant focus of the PM’s visit will be on projects to improve road infrastructure, which will make travel smooth and safer, and also increase tourism in the region.

“PM will lay the foundation stone of eleven development projects which includes the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor (from Eastern Peripheral Expressway Junction to Dehradun) which will be built at a cost of around Rs 8,300 crore,” the PMO said in a statement.

The corridor is expected to significantly reduce the travel time from Delhi to Dehradun from six hours to around 2.5 hours. It will have seven major interchanges for connectivity to Haridwar, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Yamunanagar, Baghpat, Meerut and Baraut.

The Delhi-Dehradun corridor will also have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor (12 km) for unrestricted wildlife movement. Also, the 340 m long tunnel near Dat Kaali temple, Dehradun will help reduce the impact on wildlife.

Further, multiple animal passes have been provided in the Ganeshpur-Dehradun section for avoiding animal-vehicle collisions. The corridor will also have arrangements for rainwater harvesting at intervals of 500 m and over 400 water recharge points. The greenfield alignment project from the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, connecting Halgoa, Saharanpur to Bhadrabad, Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 2000 crore. It will provide seamless connectivity and reduce travel time from Delhi to Haridwar as well.

The Haridwar Ring Road Project from Manoharpur to Kangri, to be built at a cost of over Rs 1600 crore, will give a respite to Haridwar residents from traffic congestion, especially during the peak tourist season, and also improve connectivity with Kumaon zone.

The Dehradun-Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1700 crore, will reduce travel time and provide seamless connectivity between the two places. It will also boost inter-state tourism.

The Nazimabad-Kotdwar road widening project will reduce travel time and also improve connectivity to Lansdowne. A bridge across the Ganga River next to Lakshman Jhula will also be constructed. The world renowned Lakshman Jhula was constructed in 1929, but has now been closed due to decreased load carrying capacity. The bridge to be constructed will have provision for a glass deck for people walking, and will also allow lightweight vehicles to move across.

Modi will also lay the foundation stone for the Child Friendly City Project, Dehradun, to make the city child friendly by making the roads safer for their travel.

The foundation stones for projects related to development of water supply, road and drainage system in Dehradun at a cost of over Rs 700 crore will also be laid.

The PMO said that a new Medical College in Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 500 crore and the foundation stone for infrastructure development work at Shri Badrinath Dham and Gangotri-Yamunotri Dham will be laid.

The Prime Minister will also inaugurate seven projects, including those which focus on making travel safer by tackling the problem of chronic landslides in the region.

Amongst these projects are the landslide mitigation project at Lambagad (which is en-route to the Badrinath Dham), and chronic landslide treatment at Sakanidhar, Srinagar and Devprayag on NH-58. The Lambagad landslide mitigation project in the chronic landslide zone includes construction of reinforced earthwalls and rockfall barriers. The location of the project further adds to its strategic significance.

Also being inaugurated is the road widening project from Devprayag to Srikot, and from Brahmpuri to Kodiyala on NH-58, under the Chardham road connectivity project. The 120 MW Vyasi Hydroelectric Project, built over the Yamuna River at a cost of over Rs 1700 crore, will also be inaugurated, along with a Himalayan Culture Centre at Dehradun.

The Himalayan Culture Centre will house a museum, a 800 seat art auditorium, library, conference hall, among others, which will help people follow cultural activities as well as appreciate the cultural heritage of the state.

During the Prime Minister’s visit a state-of-the-art Perfumery and Aroma Laboratory (Centre for Aromatic Plants) will also be inaugurated in Dehradun.

The research done here will prove useful for production of a variety of products including perfumes, soaps, sanitisers, air fresheners, incense sticks, among others, and will lead to establishment of related industries in the region as well. It will also focus on development of high-yielding advanced varieties of aromatic plants.

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