Priyanka begins poll campaign in Assam

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Priyanka begins poll campaign in Assam

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra arrived here on Monday to campaign for the party in Assam, where the Congress-led seven-party alliance will take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led three-party coalition.

Priyanka soon after her arrival offered prayers at the famous Kamakhya Devi Temple, which was rebuilt in 1565 by Koch king Naranarayana and is one of the 51 holy and venerated sites in India.

Assam Congress Media Department Chairperson Bobbeeta Sharma said that during her Assam tour, Priyanka would hold interactions with party office bearers and diverse groups of people of the poll-bound Assam and address public meetings in Tezpur on Tuesday.

The Congress leader would launch a statewide campaign for the unemployed youths and hold interaction with tea garden women workers and Self-Help Group members.

Former Congress President and Lok Sabha member Rahul Gandhi on February 14 visited the state and addressed a public gathering in eastern Assam’s Sivasagar.

The Congress, which was in power in the state for 15 years (2001-2016) until the BJP-led alliance came to power in Assam in 2016, had formed the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) with three Left parties — CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) — as well as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), the Anchalik Gana Morcha, Bodoland People’s Front (BPF), three regional parties having a political base among the Muslims and indigenous people, respectively.

The BPF on Sunday joined the Congress-led grand alliance a day after snapping its ties with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The BJP, after the Bodoland Territorial Council polls in December last year, had forged an alliance with new ally United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) after discarding incumbent partner BPF.

The BJP has decided to fight the polls in western Assam’s tribal-dominated Bodoland area in alliance with new ally UPPL besides Asom Gana Parishad.

The elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held in three phases on March 27, April 1, and April 6. The results will be declared on May 2.

Telangana: Unemployment rate doubled since 2014, says Uttam Kumar Reddy

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Telangana: Unemployment rate doubled since 2014, says Uttam Kumar Reddy

HIGHLIGHTS

  • The unemployment rate has more than doubled ever since the TRS party came into power in 2014
  • Uttam Kumar Reddy asked Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to release the data of unemployed youth in Telangana State.

Telangana: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the unemployment rate has more than doubled ever since TRS came to power in 2014 and asked Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to release the data of unemployed youth in Telangana State.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that as per the latest figures, 19,43,783 qualified educated youth were registered with the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TSPSC) alone while there are over 10 lakh skilled and unskilled unemployed.

These figures do not include lakhs of people who lost their jobs during the lockdown period said Uttam reddy.

The TPCC chief made these comments while addressing a meeting held on Sunday with heads of TPCC Frontal, Departments, and Cells at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday in connection with MLC elections for two Graduates constituencies of Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda and Hyderabad-Rangareddy-Mahabubnagar.

 

Modi receives his 1st Covid vaccine dose at AIIMS

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Modi receives his 1st Covid vaccine dose at AIIMS

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS.
  • Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19.

I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the first dose of Covid vaccine here at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday, leading the country in the third phase of the inoculation drive as a massive chunk of the population aged above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities prepare to take the shots.

Modi was administered Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin. “Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS,” he informed on Twitter.

The Bharat Biotech vaccine is a vaccine that aims to protect against COVID-19.

Bharat Biotech International Limited is an Indian biotechnology company headquartered in Hyderabad, India.

At the time of the vaccination, Modi wore a “gamchha” (scarf) from Assam, which is regarded as a symbol of the blessings of women from Assam. The Prime Minister has been seen wearing it on many occasions. The vaccine dose was administered by a nurse from Puducherry P. Niveda, who was assisted by another nurse from Kerala Rosamma Anil.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to get the jab at 6.25 a.m. to avoid media glare as scores of people could be queuing up at the hospital. He remained under observation for half an hour in the hospital and left around 7 a.m.

“Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19,” Modi later wrote on Twitter.

He also appealed that those who could take vaccines should come forward for it. “I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free,” Modi said.

The ongoing vaccination drive will now reach around 27 crore people who are on the list of priority for vaccination after the healthcare and frontline workers, starting Monday.

Vaccination will be provided free of charge at the government health facilities and will be on a payment basis in the private health facilities. All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 for service charges fixed by the central government.

Around 10,000 hospitals impaneled under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS can be used by states as Covid vaccination centers (CVCs).

The COWIN portal will provide the facility for booking an appointment based on the vaccination centers declared by the states/UTs, with their location, the dates on which appointment slots are provided and the capacity declared as open slots, and the vacancies available at the time of booking.

Besides, all beneficiaries, regardless of the mode of access, i.e through online registration or mobilization through on-site registration are advised to carry the following for verification at the time of vaccination — Aadhar Card, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC); and Certificate of comorbidity for citizens in the age group of 45 years to 59 years.

Active COVID-19 cases in India stand at 1,68,627, while 1,07,86,457 people have recovered from disease so far.

‘Mann Ki Baat’: Modi stresses on water conservation

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‘Mann Ki Baat’: Modi stresses on water conservation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to the people to start a 100-day ‘Catch the Rain’ campaign to conserve water ahead of the summer.

Addressing the country in his monthly radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the Prime Minister said, “This is the best time to think about water conservation in the summer months ahead”.

“In most parts of India, rainfall begins in May-June. Can we right away start a 100-day campaign for the sake of cleaning up water sources around us and conserving rainwater?

“With this very thought in mind, in a few days from now, Jal Shakti Ministry will begin a similar campaign ‘Catch the Rain’. Its credo is ‘Cath the rain, where it falls when it falls’,” the Prime Minister said.

Modi further said, “We shall commit ourselves to the task right now and get existing rainwater harvesting systems repaired, clean up lakes and ponds in villages, remove impediments in the way of water flowing into water sources; thus we shall be able to conserve rainwater to the maximum.

“For the conservation of water, we should begin efforts right away. A few days later, just on the 22nd of the month of March, it’s World Water Day.”

Referring to ‘Kumbh’ being organized in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar — a major pilgrimage and festival in Hinduism — the Prime Minister said that water is not only connected with our life but also our faith and the stream of development.

“There must not be a single day in India when there is no festival connected with water in some corner of the country or the other. Water has been crucial for the development of humankind for centuries,” Modi said while beginning the interesting discussion on water conservation in the second ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme of this year.

“For us, water is life, faith too, and the flow of development as well. In a way, water is more important than PARAS, the philosopher’s stone. It is said that with the touch of a PARAS, iron gets turned into gold. Similarly, the touch of water is necessary for life; imperative for development.”

Mentioning the festival of ‘Magh Poornima’ which was celebrated on Saturday, the Prime Minister said the month of ‘Magh’ is related especially to the rivers, lakes, and water sources.

“In the month of Magh, a bath in any holy water body is considered sacred,” Modi said, adding, “In every society of the world, invariably, there is one tradition or the other with respect to a river”.

Mamata winning Bengal, BJP perception battle

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Mamata winning Bengal, BJP perception battle

The battle for the states is a mixed bag with Mamata Banerjee projected to win the high-stakes battle for West Bengal despite losing the war of perception, DMK-Congress is sweeping Tamil Nadu, the Left is comfortably retaining Kerala while the BJP is retaining Assam and the AINRC–BJP alliance in Puducherry is slated to be victorious, as per the IANS C Voter opinion poll wave 2.

An important observation in the tracker is a significant gap between the numbers of actual voting intention and the perception of winnability in West Bengal.

“While the BJP is leading the war of perception and winnability, it is the TMC which is still leading the likely voter’s equation”, it said.

The survey has a sample size of 70608 for 824 seats in 5 states with a margin of error of 3-5 percent.

In Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry, there is no contradiction observed as far as the actual voting and perception of winning are concerned. In fact, in all these states, the perception of winning goes further up for the leading party in actual vote share, which confirms the trend reported by the Tracker.

The TMC led by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is tipped to get a simple majority in the high decibel and cut-throat Bengal election with a projected seat share of 156 seats in an assembly of 294. TMC is holding on to its vote share with erosion of just 2.1 per cent. The challenger, BJP is making big gains with a vote share swing of 27.8 percent to notch 38 per cent vote share and will get 100 seats while the Left-Congress combine is projected to get 35 seats.

In Tamil Nadu, it is the DMK-led combine that is headed towards a nearly two-thirds majority with the alliance with the Congress and others projected to win 158 seats out of 234 while the ruling AIADMK in alliance with BJP and others will get only 62 seats. The UPA alliance is only gaining a 2 percent vote share but AIADMK is losing heavily with the erosion of 15 percent vote share.

In Kerala, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is repeating its 2016 performance and will form the government again with a haul of 87 seats compared to 91 in the previous election. While the LDF is losing a 3.4 percent vote share, the Congress-led UDF is losing more with 6.2 percent erosion and even BJP is losing a vote share while others are gaining. The UDF is projected to win 51 seats in a house of 140.

In Assam, BJP Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is headed for a second term with the party matching its 2016 performance and winning 72 seats, just down 2 seats in a house of 126. The Congress is winning 47 seats despite winning big in vote share by almost 10 percentage points reducing the gap with the BJP to just 2 percent but winning fewer seats.

In Puducherry, while the Congress government lost the vote in the assembly, it is also losing at the hustings. The AINRC-BJP-AIADMK alliance is winning big with 19 seats in a house of 30.

Shah to visit poll-bound Puducherry, Tamil Nadu on Sunday

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Shah to visit poll-bound Puducherry, Tamil Nadu on Sunday

Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Amit Shah will visit poll-bound Puducherry and Tamil Nadu on Sunday to participate in various poll-related programs of the party.

In a statement, BJP Rajya Sabha MP and media in-charge Anil Baluni said, “The Union Home Minister will leave for Tamil Nadu today and reach Chennai by 10:45 pm tonight. He will participate in various important programs tomorrow.”

Baluni further stated that Shah will attend BJP’s Puducherry core committee meeting at Karaikal.

“After the core committee meeting, he will address a public rally at Karaikal. After the public rally, the Home Minister will attend the BJP Puducherry Mandal and office bearers meeting in the afternoon,” he said.

After Puducherry, Shah will then reach Villupuram in Tamil Nadu where he will attend the BJP Tamil Nadu core committee meeting at the Theivanai Ammal College for Women.

“In the evening, he will address a Vijay Sankalp rally at Jankipuram, Villupuram (Tamil Nadu). After that, he will participate in the BJP Tamil Nadu Mandal and office-bearer’s meeting at Theivanai Ammal College for Women,” Baluni said.

SC stays quashing of FIR against T’gana minister

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SC stays quashing of FIR against T’gana minister

The Supreme Court has stayed a Telangana High Court order which quashed a 2017 FIR lodged against Telangana Education Minister Audimulapu Suresh and his civil servant wife T.N. Vijayalakshmi, in an alleged disproportionate assets case.

Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, representing the CBI, has submitted before the top court that in breach of the well-settled principles which have been laid down by it, the single-judge bench of the High Court has quashed an FIR in a case involving allegations of the possession of disproportionate assets, under Section 109 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 read with Section 13(2) and Section 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988. The CBI has moved the top court challenging the High Court order.

A bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and M.R. Shah noted that it has been urged that the single-judge bench, in its February 11 order, launched impermissibly into a detailed inquiry, more akin to a trial. The bench issued notice to the couple on CBI’s petition.

“Issue notice, returnable in six weeks,” said the bench. According to the top court order, the minister and his wife would continue to face the investigation in the matter. The couple has earlier moved to the High Court, which observed that the investigation into the matter is unsustainable.

“Pending further orders, there shall be a stay of the operation of the impugned judgment and order of the High Court of Telangana dated February 11, 2020..,” said the top court.

The CBI’s ACB Chennai registered an FIR on September 20, 2017, against 1992-batch IRS officer Vijayalakshmi and former civil servant-turned-politician YSRCP MLA Suresh.

The investigating agency had alleged the couple has acquired assets to the tune of Rs 5,95,58,322 against the income of Rs 4,84,76,630 during the check period of April 1, 2010, to February 29, 2016. The CBI has alleged the difference in the income is 22.86 percent more than the known sources of income.

CM KCR for new policy to promote horticulture

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CM KCR for new policy to promote horticulture

Telangana: CM K Chandrashekhar Rao directed the Agriculture Department officials to formulate a horticulture policy taking into account the soil and climatic conditions in the State as well as its history, heritage, and requirements.

“Visit other regions and prepare a comprehensive policy within three months. Within one year, there should be revolutionary changes in the cultivation of horticulture crops,” the CM directed officials on Friday.

For promoting horticulture crops on a large scale, he emphasized the need for encouraging research activities and suggested strengthening Konda Laxman Bapuji Horticulture University in the State.

Besides reorganizing the Horticulture Department and strengthening it with additional staff, he asked the officials to take all measures to protect the agricultural markets in the State irrespective of the new farm laws introduced by the Union government.

At a high-level meeting at Pragathi Bhavan here on Friday, the Chief Minister announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence in 300 acres on the campus of Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University.

The objective is to develop and promote modern cultivation methods for horticultural crops in the State. Necessary funds will be allocated in the forthcoming budget for improving the infrastructure of the Horticulture University and strengthening it further.

He wanted the authorities to increase the number of seats available in the agricultural polytechnic colleges at Vantimamidi and Ramagiri Khila.

He said irrespective of the new farm laws of the Centre, there was a need for taking measures for protecting the agricultural markets in the State.

In view of the increased responsibilities, Chandrashekhar Rao emphasized the need for reorganisation of the Horticulture Department by decentralising the work.

In addition to the existing Commissioner of Horticulture, he suggested the appointment of four senior officers as in-charges for handlings issues pertaining to the cultivation of fruits and orchards, vegetables, palm oil, and other horticultural crops.

 

Priyanka visits Ravidas temple in Varanasi

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Priyanka visits Ravidas temple in Varanasi

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Saturday attended the 644th birth anniversary celebration of Sant Shiromani Shri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj at Seer Govardhanpur of the Ravidas temple in Varanasi.

Priyanka also sought the blessings of Sant Niranjan Das and enquired about his well-being. She had last visited the temple in 2020.

The Congress General Secretary’s visit witnessed a massive crowd as she reached here at around 11 a.m. and offered her prayers at the Sant Ravidas temple to mark the celebration of the Jayanti.

Priyanka was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Kumar Lallu, former MLA Ajay Rai, Varanasi Metropolitan president Raghavendra Choubey, Manindra Mishra, Gaurav Kapoor, Naveen Mishra, and other Congress leaders.

Prime Minister,Vice President Pay Tributes to Saint-Poet Ravidas on His Birth Anniversary

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Prime Minister,Vice President Pay Tributes to Saint-Poet Ravidas on His Birth Anniversary

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Prime Minister Modi said on Twitter “Saint Ravidas centuries ago on equality, goodwill and compassion will inspire the people of the country for ages”,
  • “My humble tributes to great poet-saint Guru Ravidas Ji on his Jayanti today. Ravidas Ji believed in universal brotherhood and spread the message of unity through his writings & teachings. As we remember him, let us emulate his teachings & resolve to follow the path shown by him,” M Venkaiah Naidu said on Twitter.

 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday paid tributes to saint-poet Ravidas on his birth anniversary.

Saint Ravidas was an Indian mystic poet-saint of the Bhakti movement. Ravidas was the founder of the Ravidassia religion during century 15th to 16th centuries.

PM Modi tweet on Twitter “Saint Ravidas centuries ago on equality, goodwill, and compassion will inspire the people of the country for ages”,

The prime minister also greeted people on the occasion of ”Magh Purnima”.

“My humble tributes to great poet-saint Guru Ravidas Ji on his Jayanti today. Ravidas Ji believed in universal brotherhood and spread the message of unity through his writings & teachings. As we remember him, let us emulate his teachings & resolve to follow the path shown by him,” M Venkaiah Naidu said on Twitter.

Mamata showers sops hours before poll date announcement

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Mamata showers sops hours before poll date announcement

Hours before the Election Commission announced the schedule for Assembly polls in five states, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee showered sops for the people of Bengal in a bid to garner their support.

“I am pleased to announce a hike in the wages of daily wage workers under West Bengal Urban Employment Scheme: It has been increased to Rs 202 per day from Rs 144 earlier for unskilled labor, to Rs 303 from Rs 172 earlier for semi-skilled and Rs 404 for skilled labor – a new category that has been introduced,” Banerjee Tweeted.

The CM further said that a total of 56,500 workers (40,500 unskilled, 8000 semi-skilled, 8000 skilled) will benefit from this.

“These wages are in parity with rural workers’ enhanced pay (MNREGA unskilled and semi-skilled),” Banerjee added.

She said that budget provision for this step has been made available for both the financial years in 21 and 22.

Mathura knows how to break people’s arrogance: Priyanka

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Mathura knows how to break people’s arrogance: Priyanka

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Tuesday that the holy land Mathura is known to break the arrogance of people.

“Lord Krishna had broken the arrogance of Lord Indra and had lifted the Govardhan mountain on his finger to save the people here. This government has also become arrogant and will not survive the wrath of the farmers who keep the nation alive,” she said.

Tuesday’s meeting was in continuation of a series of Kisan Panchayats that the Congress is organizing in 27 districts in western Uttar Pradesh against the three Central farm laws.

Priyanka said that nearly 215 farmers lost their lives during the ongoing agitation but the leaders of the ruling party did not even come to the Delhi borders to meet the agitating farmers though the Prime Minister travels across the globe.

“When my brother Rahul Gandhi observed a two-minute silence in the Parliament in the memory of the farmers who had died, not a single member of the ruling party stood up in respect,” she said, adding that when arrogance keeps leaders away form the people, “you know the end is near”.

Priyanka said that the BJP had promised to double the income of the farmers and pay their cane dues.

“The cane dues amount to about Rs 15,000 crore. But instead of paying this, the government has bought two aircraft worth Rs 16,000 crore for the Prime Minister. This shows where their priority lies,” she pointed out.

The Congress leader also expressed concern over the condition of gaushalas (cow shelters) in the Braj region, saying even the cows have not been spared by the government.

She further said that the new farm laws had been made to benefit the capitalist friends of the government.

“You must now save the ‘Govardhan parvat’ or they will sell it away too,” she added.

The Congress General Secretary, while addressing a Kisan Mahapanchayat in Muzaffarnagar district on February 20, had lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

She had said, “In our old stories, kings and queens became arrogant after they won power. After becoming the Prime Minister twice, Narendra Modi is also showing arrogance.”

Priyanka announces ‘Nadi Adhikar Yatra’ for UP fishermen

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Priyanka announces ‘Nadi Adhikar Yatra’ for UP fishermen

A day after Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra visited Prayagraj to meet fishermen whose boats were allegedly damaged by the police, she on Tuesday announced that the party will take out a “Nadi Adhikar Yatra” in support of the community’s cause.

She also announced a sum of Rs 10 lakh to the affected fishermen whose boats were damaged.

In a series of tweets in Hindi, she said that the rights of river resources are of the fishermen community and the Congress will be taking out a Yatra to fight for the rights.

She demanded that the government investigate the illegal sand mining and the mining being done by big companies. She also has sought a white paper from the government detailing the river where mining was being done.

Earlier on Sunday, the Congress General Secretary visited Prayagraj to support the boatmen who were allegedly harassed by the local police. She was informed by a boatman named Sujit Nishad about the issues that the boatmen belonging to the Nishad community were facing, including brutality against them, by police whom he alleged had destroyed their boats.

Nishad is one of the largest communities of OBCs after Yadavs, Maurya, and Kurmi in Uttar Pradesh and has been with Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party. The BJP and the Congress, both are eyeing to make inroads and galvanize support from the community said sources.

Odisha FM presents Rs 1.7 lakh crore budget for 2021-22

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Odisha FM presents Rs 1.7 lakh crore budget for 2021-22

Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari presented the annual budget for 2021-22 with an outlay of Rs 1.7 lakh crore in the state Assembly on Monday.

Pujari also presented a separate agriculture budget of Rs 17,468 crore.

The Minister said despite the severe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the state’s own revenue is estimated to register a robust growth of about 10 percent during 2020-21, though there is a decline in the central transfer.

In the budget, the state government has proposed to spend Rs 3,500 crore over the period of three years to convert SCB Medical College and Hospital into ‘AIIMS Plus institute’ to provide world-class healthcare facilities to citizens.

A total sum of Rs 9,164 crore is allocated for public health care with an increase of about 19 percent over the previous year.

Rs 1,353 crore has been allocated under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.

With the focus to transform the periphery of famous temples, Rs 542 crore has been set aside as part of the mega plan to transform pilgrim city, Puri, into a world heritage city under the ABADHA scheme.

Rs 200 crore has been made for Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economic Initiative (SAMALEI) scheme and 200 crores allocated under Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action (EKAMRA) plan.

Rs 3,050 crore for disaster management including Rs 2,139 crore under State Disaster Risk Management Fund (SDRMF) and Rs 961 crore under National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) has been proposed.

The Budget has made an allocation of Rs 17,468 crore for agriculture and allied activities, including Rs 1800 crore for the KALIA scheme, Rs 106 crore for millet mission, and Rs 1415 crore for fisheries and animal resources development.

To further boost irrigation potential, Rs 8,266 crore has been allocated for water resources in the Budget. The major outlay is for mega lift irrigation projects, construction of in-stream storage structures, flood control & drainage work.

Rs 100 crore provided for land acquisition, construction, renovation, expansion of airports at Rourkela, Jeypore, Utkela, Jharsuguda, and renovation of Birasal airstrip.

With Odisha going to organize the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023, the state government will construct Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, which will be India’s largest Hockey stadium with an outlay of Rs 120 crore.

The budget has a provision of Rs 3,000 crore with a target for the construction of another five lakh pucca houses through the convergence of PMAY-Gramin and Biju Pucca Ghar schemes.

Besides, Rs 300 crore has been allocated for the construction of 20,000 dwelling units under beneficiary-led construction and affordable housing and slum development components of Odisha Urban Housing Mission AWAAS.

Punjab CM launches urban projects worth Rs 1,087 crore

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Punjab CM launches urban projects worth Rs 1,087 crore

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday virtually laid the foundation stones and inaugurated a slew of projects worth Rs 1,087 crore for the holistic development of the urban areas under the Smart City and AMRUT schemes.

He urged the Union government to include the holy city of Anandpur Sahib under the Smart City scheme, as a tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur on his 400th birth anniversary.

Thanking the people of the state for their overwhelming support to Congress in the recently concluded civic elections, Amarinder Singh said the mandate is a vindication of the pro-people policies of his government.

Pointing out that while Congress won 1,410 of the 2,206 wards (64 percent), the Chief Minister said that all the opposition parties had been decimated because of their anti-people and vicious negative agendas.

He lambasted the earlier Akali-BJP regime for ignoring the development of the urban areas and expressed confidence that the launch of these projects will drive sustainable progress in these regions.

The Chief Minister said he was particularly delighted to lay the foundation stone for the Rs 721 crore surface water supply scheme for Amritsar city, his erstwhile Parliamentary constituency.

He said this scheme would ensure access to clean drinking water to the residents of the holy city, instead of the contaminated and fast depleting groundwater.

The Chief Minister said under the first phase of the Urban Infrastructure Improvement Programme, 2,065 projects have been started, with the majority being completed, at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

He said another 4,227 projects have been approved under the second phase and work on 1,300 of them has already started.

Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra said that Amarinder Singh had taken a personal interest in ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation in urban areas during the difficult phase of the Covid-19 pandemic.

India’s growth engine to be powered by Assam, NE: PM

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India’s growth engine to be powered by Assam, NE: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India’s growth engine would be further boosted with the development of Assam and the northeastern region.

Addressing a massive public gathering at Silapathar in eastern Assam’s Dhemaji district, the Prime Minister said that the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision would be further strengthened with the ‘Aatmanirbhar Assam’ and northeast.

“To achieve the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision continuous endeavours are going on. Whenever I visit Assam, I get the fresh impetus and inspirations to do more for the northeastern region,” Modi said after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of five mega projects worth Rs 3,000 crore in gas, oil, and education sectors.

“We are correcting the faults of the previous governments. If the policy is accurate, destiny would be perfect. Connectivity, health, education, and infrastructure developments were ignored by the previous governments.”

The Prime Minister said that the government is trying to give engineering and medical education in local languages so that its benefit could be obtained by the poor students and learners residing in the far-flung areas. Referring to the song of a great singer and composer Bhupen Hazarika and rich Assamese cinema, Modi said that Assam’s all-around development would make the development of India easier.

“The entire world is now respectful of India’s engineering and technological milestones,” he pointed out. The Prime Minister said that as the government is working with the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, LPG and electricity connections are being given to 100 percent of households in Assam and other parts of India as these were earlier available to less than 40 to 50 percent familes.

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said that Rs 95,000 crore would be invested in Assam’s gas and oil sector for the projects initiated by the Prime Minister on Monday. He said that the earlier Congress-led UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh despite him representing Assam in the Parliament did nothing to utilize the gas and oil resources for the benefit of Assam and the country.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in his speech said that Prime Minister Modi with his great vision for the all-around development of the region has won the hearts of every person of the eight northeastern states.

Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi and state Finance and Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also spoke in the gatherings. Monday’s visit and public address are the third in poll-bound Assam by the Prime Minister within 30 days since his visit to Sivasagar on January 23 and at Dhekiajuli in Assam’s Sonitpur district on February 7.

Priyanka assures UP boatmen of her support

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Priyanka assures UP boatmen of her support

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday reached Prayagraj district to support the boatmen who were allegedly harassed by the local police.

Priyanka had recently taken a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj on ‘Mauni Amavasya’ and had traveled in boatman Sujit Nishad’s boat who informed her of the atrocities being committed on local boatmen.

Nishad had informed Priyanka about the issues that boatmen belonging to the Nishad community were facing, including brutality against them, by police whom he alleged had destroyed their boats.

The boatman requested her assistance in raising their voices against the oppression to which she agreed, party sources said.

Sujit said several boats belonging to the Nishad community, an OBC (Other Backward Class) caste, were damaged by police and administrative officials in the Banswaar village in the trans-Yamuna area.

He said the incident took place on February 4 when some people complained that illegal mining was being done here. The police came and damaged 16 boats and 30 people were left injured in the ensuing scuffle. The police also brought a number of dogs to create fear among the people, mainly those belonging to the Nishad community.

The Uttar Pradesh government had banned the use of boats in sand mining across the state on June 24, 2019, leaving thousands of boatmen unemployed.

As soon as the news of Priyanka’s visit on Sunday reached the district administration, workers were sent to the Banswara village to repair the damaged boats.

Meanwhile, a huge crowd turned up in the village to meet Priyanka Gandhi, who patiently listened to their problems and assured them of support from the Congress.

Addressing the people in Banswara village, the Congress leader said the Nishad community is directly related to rivers but the state government is standing with those involved in illegal mining that threatens the life of a river.

She said the Congress would legally fight for the rights of the boatmen and when the party comes to power, boatmen would be given landholdings.

Earlier, on her arrival at the Prayagraj airport, Priyanka was accorded a warm welcome by party workers. Sujit Nishad also reached there to welcome her.

It is always special to be in Assam: Modi

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It is always special to be in Assam: Modi

A day before his visit to poll-bound Assam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said it is always special to be in the Northeastern state.

“It is always special to be in Assam. Tomorrow, 22nd February, I will once again have the opportunity to interact with the people of Assam at a public meeting in Dhemaji. At the program, various development works will be launched,” tweeted Modi.

During his visit to Assam on Monday, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation some oil and gas sector projects, engineering colleges aimed at opening avenues of opportunity for the local youth, in line with the government’s vision to drive eastern India’s socio-economic growth.

The Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation important projects of the oil and gas sector at an event organized in Silapathar at 11.30 a.m., besides inaugurating the Dhemaji Engineering College and laying the foundation stone for Sualkuchi Engineering College.

In Assam, the Prime Minister will dedicate to the nation the INDMAX Unit at Indian Oil’s Bongaigaon Refinery, Oil India Limited’s Secondary Tank Farm at Madhuban, Dibrugarh, and a gas compressor station at Hebeda Village in Tinsukia.

The INDMAX unit leverages the technology developed indigenously by the Indian Oil R&D to produce a higher LPG and high-octane gasoline yield from heavy feedstocks. The unit will increase the refinery’s crude processing capacity from 2.35 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum) to 2.7 MMTPA. Its commissioning will also significantly enhance LPG production from 50 TMT (thousand metric tonnes) to 257 TMT and petrol production from 210 TMT to 533 TMT.

Oil India Limited’s Secondary Tank Farm has been built for safe storage of about 40,000-kilo liters of crude oil, and the separation of formation water from wet crude oil. The Rs 490 crore project will also have a dehydration unit with an operating capacity of 10,000-kiloliters per day.

The gas compressor station at Makum, Tinsukia, will increase the nation’s crude oil production capacity by nearly 16,500 MT per annum. Built at a cost of Rs 132 crore, the station comprises three low-pressure booster compressors and three high-pressure lifter compressors.

The Dhemaji Engineering College has been built on 276 bighas of land at a cost of about Rs 45 crore. It is the seventh government engineering college in the state which will offer B. Tech courses in civil, mechanical, and computer science streams. The Sualkuchi Engineering College will be built on 116 bighas of land at a cost of about Rs 55 crore.

Udit Raj booked for ‘misleading tweet’ in Unnao girls’ case

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Udit Raj booked for ‘misleading tweet’ in Unnao girls’ case

Former MP and Congress leader Udit Raj has been booked by the police for claiming that the two girls found dead in the fields in Unnao were raped and their bodies burnt against their family’s wishes.

The Dalit leader made these allegations on the micro-blogging website Twitter on Friday.

The police have stated that rape was not confirmed in the post-mortem report and neither the family alleged any use of force in the incident.

Unnao Superintendent of Police Anand Kulkarni, said, “Dr. Udit Raj is accused of sharing false and fabricated information on social media.”

Kulkarni said that an FIR has been registered against Udit Raj under charges of provocation with intent to cause a riot and the Information Technology act.

The tweet by Udit Raj said: “I just spoke to former MP Savitri Bai Phule Ji. The police let them meet the victim families in Unnao with great difficulty. The victim’s family said that the girls had been raped and the bodies were burnt against their will.”

Congress needs to win states to be relevant in Parliament

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Congress needs to win states to be relevant in Parliament

The Congress is trying hard to win elections in Assam and Kerala where it is directly pitched against its opponents with senior party leader Rahul Gandhi initiating a campaign in all the poll-bound states barring West Bengal.

After being decimated in the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, Congress is losing its numbers in the Upper House, especially following the demise of senior party leader Ahmed Patel.

While the BJP is winning state after state, the Congress has been reduced to just four states and it is in alliance in two states. However, Congress has not been able to win the big states.

Party insiders say that Congress has to focus on winning state polls to keep itself relevant in the Upper House. The situation is worse in the Lok Sabha where the Congress lacks representation from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Delhi.

The combined strength of the Congress has fallen below 100, and the gap between the BJP and the Congress in the Rajya Sabha is also at its widest ever. The BJP has 92 members in the Upper House and is set to gain two more from the bypolls in Gujarat, while the Congress has only 36 members in the Upper House.

The five states going to the polls this year could change the dynamics if the party puts up a good show there, as Tamil Nadu has 18 seats, followed by West Bengal (16), Kerala (9), Assam (7), and Puducherry (1).

If Congress wins the elections in Assam and Kerala, it could enhance its numbers in the Upper House, but it will still be short of the BJP’s tally.

The BJP has been able to drive its legislations in both the Houses of the Parliament owing to its numerical majority, while the opposition has been alleging that the ruling did not follow the procedures, especially while passing the farm laws.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has been appointed the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha by M. Venkiah Naidu, chairman of the House, after the post fell vacant following the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad on February 16.

The Congress leaders are saying that before the 2004 general elections, the Congress-ruled 14 states but the number has reduced to just four now. If the party wants to survive, it has to focus on regional leaders and on winning state elections.

The party has lost the crucial states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to regional players, while it has failed to dislodge the government in Odisha. In the northeast too, it has lost all the states where it once held the fort.

The Congress dissenters are also emphasizing the need to nurture state leaders and have demanded elections from block to the CWC level to galvanize the organization.

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