‘Andhra’s rapid industrialisation only with special category status’

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‘Andhra’s rapid industrialisation only with special category status’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday appealed to Prime Narendra Modi to accord special category status (SCS) for rapid industrialization in the state.

“Rapid industrialization of my state is possible if only the special status is accorded. This was a commitment made on the floor of the Parliament and was a pre-condition to the bifurcation,” said Reddy.

The Chief Minister interacted with Modi during the Niti Aayog’s Governing Council meeting virtually on Saturday.

Reddy said the southern state is yet to gain the growth momentum in industrialization despite a commitment to provide a business-friendly environment.

“This is due to the several constraints, resulting in the unjust and inequitable bifurcation of the erstwhile state of AP. The bifurcation resulted in my state being deprived of a tier I city, infrastructure, employment opportunities, and financial resources,” the Chief Minister added.

Referring to the agricultural sector that employs 62 percent of Andhra’s population, Reddy said that five key policy interventions will give a boost to the sector.

He also added that a market stabilization fund should be established at the disposal of the state governments’ to help the farmers.

Development is the aim of this government: PM Modi

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Development is the aim of this government: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday virtually inaugurated a slew of projects in Kerala and said that development is the aim of the government.

“Development and good governance have no caste, creed, or religion as development is for everyone, and for that, I seek the support of the people of Kerala. Development is our aim,” Modi said while taking part in the inauguration ceremony from Delhi, in which Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also took part virtually.

Modi laid the foundation stone for the Integrated Command and Control Centre, and convert 37 km roads into world-class status.

“To facilitate our growth, we have the Smart City project and it helps in urban planning. So far, 54 Command and Control Centres have become operational,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated the 320 KV Pugalur (Tamil Nadu) to Thrissur (Kerala) power transmission project.

“Thrissur is known as the cultural center of Kerala and now with this project, it will become the power center of the state as this will get connected to the national grid. The transmission gap has to be bridged and it will be done. The High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) equipment used in the project has been made under the Make in India Aatmanirbhar movement,” said Modi.

The project has been built at a cost of Rs 5,070 crore and will facilitate the transfer of 2,000 MW of power from the western region to help meet the demand of power in Kerala.

The Prime Minister also dedicated the 50 MW Kasaragod Solar Power Project that has been developed over 250 acres at a cost of Rs 280 crore to the people.

“India has been going green in solar energy and is putting up a strong fight against climate change which is a boost to our entrepreneurs. Under the PM Kusum Yojana, 20 lakh farmers have been given solar pumps,” added Modi.

Modi also launched the 75 MLD (million liters per day) Water Treatment Plant at Aruvikkara in the capital district, built under the Amrut Mission.

“Under the Amrut scheme, 175 drinking water supply projects at a cost of Rs 1,100 crore have been launched so far, and this new one at Aruvikara will benefit 13 lakh, people,” Modi said.

He began his speech by saying that a few days back he was in Kerala to inaugurate a few projects in the petroleum sector. “Thanks to technology, we are able to connect again. We are taking positive steps for the development of Kerala and we will empower this beautiful state,” said Modi.

Vijayan in his speech said that Friday is a historic day as many projects are being unveiled which will help the development of the state.

“We assure our continued support for the implementation of the projects that are being jointly implemented by the Centre and state. It’s imperative to work together for the benefit of the people,” said Vijayan.

Pinarayi Vijayan prepares to fight anti-incumbency, tread new terrain

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Pinarayi Vijayan prepares to fight anti-incumbency, tread new terrain

No doubt, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is the tallest leader in the CPI-M and has proved himself as the most successful party secretary after being at the helm of affairs for 17 years.

But now Vijayan is preparing to face what could be his most testing moment in a glorious political career since the assembly elections are around the corner.

One reason why the coming weeks would be crucial for Vijayan is that he is definitely treading in the unfamiliar territory of having to lead his party to one of the most keenly awaited electoral fights with the traditional rival: the Congress-led UDF.

When the state went to the polls in 2016, it was never mentioned that it was Vijayan who will become chief minister, should the Left win the polls. As any political student in Kerala would know, the star campaigner then was none other than Vijayan’s bitter foe for many years and his senior in the party, V.S.Achuthanandan.

Practically every candidate who contested the polls then, had the picture of the veteran former Chief Minister and hugely adored Communist Achuthanandan in all their campaign material and despite his advanced age, every Left candidate was desperate to get the veteran at least for one of their election meetings in their constituency. At that time, not many were keen on Vijayan, as his tough demeanor and body language were not the right ones for a candidate, seeking votes for his/ her victory.

Once the votes began to be counted Vijayan grew in stature and prominence. Though Achuthanandan had high hopes, the announcement came that Vijayan would be given the chair of the Chief Minister.

The only solace Achuthanandan had was that the party decided to give him a cabinet post and made him the chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission, which came with all the paraphernalia of comforts.

But now things are different. ” Yes, will be an acid test for Vijayan, as it’s he who has become the campaign leader. Achuthanandan for all practical purposes is not seen in the public domain for a long time, as he is 97 years old. This is perhaps a new challenge, which Vijayan has not faced as yet,” said a CPI-M leader who did not wish to be identified.

A top Congress leader said it’s made or break time for Vijayan, as he thinks that the recent local body polls which went his way, will be repeated in the assembly polls, but assembly and local body polls may turn out to be like chalk and cheese.

“The Kerala electorate is known for their electoral acumen, when it comes to pressing the button on the voting machine, as they think differently when it comes to Lok Sabha, assembly, and local body polls. Vijayan is certainly on the back foot, as Achuthanandan, their all-time biggest star campaigner will not be seen for the campaign. The Congress has a few star campaigners, who certainly have started drawing huge crowds, as was seen in the ongoing statewide yatra of Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala,” said a Congress leader.

However, Vijayan is optimistic about rewriting electoral history by becoming the first chief minister in the state to retain power in an assembly election, even as the Congress appears to be on a strong footing as voters may choose the party in the light of Vijayan’s perceived “arrogance.”

Patole row: Cong says it won’t stop shooting or release of films

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Patole row: Cong says it won’t stop shooting or release of films

A day after Maharashtra state President Nana Patole said that Congress workers will not allow the shooting and release of films by Amitabh Bachhan and Akshay Kumar, Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that the party respects freedom of speech but raised questions about the two actors.

He said the cause of concern is that many celebs have been tweeting in a similar pattern in favor of the government.

He assured that Congress workers will not obstruct films or the shooting of Bachchan and Kumar. “The Congress believes in freedom of speech. I have spoken to Nana Patole and he has assured me that no such thing (stopping shooting or release) will happen.”

The Maharashtra Congress had on Thursday warned that it would stop shooting or screening of Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar films as “they have failed to speak up” on burning public issues.

In a strong statement, Patole said that the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hiked petrol-diesel-gas prices exorbitantly, while farmers have been protesting outside Delhi for the past nearly three months. However, in the midst of these grave crises, many celebs including Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay, who had raised their voices against the Congress-led UPA Government in the past on various issues, are now absolutely silent. He warned that the party would stop their film shootings/screenings for keeping aloof.

“The Modi regime has hiked fuel prices with petrol going up to Rs 100, domestic cooking gas cylinders up to Rs 800. Life has become miserable for the common masses. Even the farmers are protesting outside Delhi, demanding the revoking of the three new farm laws,” Patole said.

Attempts were made to erase Netaji’s contributions: Shah

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Attempts were made to erase Netaji’s contributions: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who is on a two-day visit to poll-bound West Bengal, said on Friday that attempts were made to erase the contribution of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, but he still continues to inspire the citizens.

Shah, who on Friday attended a ‘Shauryanjali’ program at the National Library in Kolkata to pay tribute to Bengal’s icons, inaugurated an exhibition titled ‘Biplabi Bangla’. Besides, the Home Minister also flagged off a ‘cycle yatra’ in three groups, which would travel 900 km to create awareness about Bengal’s icons among the masses.

Shah said the country remembers Netaji with a lot of affection and his sacrifices and bravery would be remembered for generations.

“Everyone remembers Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the sacrifices he made for the country. Attempts were made to erase his contributions but he continues to inspire generations,” Shah added.

To pay tribute to Netaji on his 125th birth anniversary this year, the Union government has formed a committee under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah said.

Appealing to the youth to read about the life of Netaji, Shah said “his life would teach you a lot”.

“The future of the country can be only created by the younger generation who understands the history of the country and respects those who sacrificed their lives for the nation,” Shah said.

One group of the cycle yatra flagged off by Shah is named after Netaji, while the other two groups are named after freedom fighters Rash Behari Bose and Khudiram Bose.

He said the cycle yatra would visit villages across West Bengal and tell the people about the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters for the country.

One must be restrained and sensitive while in power: Modi

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One must be restrained and sensitive while in power: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that one has to be restrained and sensitive while in power.

Addressing the Visva-Bharati University convocation virtually, the Prime Minister said, “Responsibility comes with knowledge and power. Just as one has to be restrained and sensitive while in power, every scholar also has to be responsible towards those who do not have knowledge.”

Addressing the students, he said, “Your knowledge and skill can make a nation proud or can push society into the darkness of slander and ruin.”

“Many who are spreading terror and violence across the world are highly educated, highly skilled. On the other hand, there are people who are risking their lives and are stationed at hospitals and labs to save people from a pandemic like Covid,” Modi said.

He explained that this is not about ideology but the mindset, whether it is positive or negative, there is scope for both and paths are open for both.

He urged the students to decide whether they want to be part of the problem or the solution. “If you put the nation first, then every decision will move towards some solution,” he said.

The Prime Minister advised the students not to be afraid of making a decision. “As long as the youth of the country have the passion to innovate, take risks, and move forward, there is no worry about the future of the country,” he said.

Calling Bengal an inspiration for “Ek Bharat-Shreshth Bharat”, the Prime Minister said that the Visva Bharati University will play a big role in the 21st-century knowledge economy, taking Indian knowledge and identity to every corner of the world.

Modi called upon the students of the prestigious institute to prepare a vision document for the next 25 years about the 25 biggest goals of Visva Bharati in 2047.

The PM also urged the students to always remember that knowledge, thought and skill is not static but a dynamic and continuous process.

He pointed out that Visva Bharati for Gurudev (Rabindranath Tagore) was not just a knowledge imparting institution but an attempt to reach the topmost goal of Indian culture, which is to achieve oneself.

“Success and failure do not determine our present and future. You may not get the results you thought after a decision, but you should not be afraid to make a decision.”

Highlighting the importance of knowledge, Modi said, “You will always have to remember that knowledge, education and skill’ are not static, it is a continuous process. There will always be scope for ‘course correction’.”

Highlighting Bengal’s contribution to education, Modi said, “Bengal has led the country in advancing India’s rich knowledge and science in the past. Bengal has been the site of inspiration for the best of India and also a place of work.”

Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP), the Prime Minister said, “The new NEP, apart from breaking the old shackles, has given the students complete freedom to show their ability. This education policy gives you the freedom to read different subjects in your language.”

“The policy promotes entrepreneurship and self-employment, research and innovation. This education policy is a major milestone in the making of an Aatmnirbhar Bharat,” said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister mentioned that scholars have recently been given free access to lakhs of journals by the Government.

“This year’s Budget has proposed Rs 50 thousand crores in five years for research through the National Research Foundation. This Education Policy has made provision for the Gender Inclusion Fund that will give girls new confidence. A higher dropout rate of girls was studied and arrangements made for entry-exit options and yearly credit in the degree courses,” he said.

The Prime Minister called upon students to find ways to make nearby villages Aatmnirbhar and take their products globally.

Maha Cong threatens to stall Amitabh, Akshay’s films for ignoring public causes

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Maha Cong threatens to stall Amitabh, Akshay’s films for ignoring public causes

The Maharashtra Congress on Thursday warned that it would stop shooting or screening of Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumars films as “they have failed to speak up” on burning public issues.

In a strong statement, state Congress President Nana Patole said that the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hiked petrol-diesel-gas prices exorbitantly, while farmers have been protesting outside Delhi for the past nearly three months.

However, in the midst of these grave crises, many celebs including Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay, who had raised their voices against the Congress-led UPA Government in the past on various issues, are now absolutely silent, and he cautioned that the party would stop their film shootings/screenings for keeping aloof.

“The Modi regime has hiked fuel prices with petrol going up to Rs 100, domestic cooking gas cylinders up to Rs800. Life has become miserable for the common masses. Even the farmers are protesting outside Delhi, demanding the revoking of the 3 new farm laws,” Patole said.

“Compared with the rates during the UPA government, the prices of fuel are nearly double now in the 7 years of BJP rule At that time all these celebs spoke out against the government, but now they are scared of the BJP and keeping mum,” Patole said.

He was speaking at a bullock cart-cum-tractor rally in Bhandara to support the farmer’s agitation and the four-hour-long all-India rail-roko stir by farmers organizations.

“The UPA Government was a democratic and constitutional administration, that is why Bachchan and Kumar and many other celebs were raising their voice without fear against it. Today, when they are expected to speak out, they have become puppets of the BJP,” alleged Patole.

Now, the celebs no longer talk about or speak out against inflation, spiraling fuel prices, atrocities against farmers, and other sections of society though people from all over the world have tweeted and thrown their weight behind the farmers of India, he said.

“These Indian celebs remained quiet even when the BJP and its IT Cell denounced the farmer’s protests, labeling them as terrorists, Khalistanis, Maoists, etc. But at the behest of the BJP and its IT Cell, they resorted to anti-farmer tweets. Have the celebs become mere ‘parrots’ of the IT Cell..?” Patole demanded.

Patole’s warning came barely two days after State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh announced that a preliminary Mumbai Police probe has revealed the involvement of the BJP IT Cell chief and 12 other influencers in the recent controversy surrounding celeb tweets.

Earlier, Congress state Spokesperson Sachin Sawant said that the Congress charge of pressure being put on celebs to tweet in favor of the government now stands exposed.

“After our demand to probe if the BJP had arm-twisted the celebs to speak up in favor of the government vis-a-vis the farmer’s protests, not a single celebrity has come forward to declare that it was his/her opinion,” Sawant pointed out.

Though BJP President J. P. Nadda, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar, and state Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis tried to cover up the BJP’s conspiracy with regard to the celeb’s tweets, the silence of these renowned celebrities has spoken by itself, Sawant said.

Paytm Money opens F&O trading for all at Rs 10, receives over 1 lakh early access requests

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Paytm Money opens F&O trading for all at Rs 10, receives over 1 lakh early access requests

India’s homegrown digital financial services platform Paytm on Thursday announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Paytm Money has opened Futures & Options trading for all. It aims to empower the masses with F&O trading as an important wealth management product.

The company said that it received an overwhelming response for F&O trading on its platform with over 1 lakh requests for its Early Access Program. Trading is now live on the Paytm Money app and website for all.

The company said that it has enabled users with the lowest and most competitive brokerage at Rs 10 for F&O, which is in line with its intraday charges of Rs 10, and zero for delivery. The pricing disruption will benefit experienced as well as first-time traders to seamlessly trade in futures & options with a best-in-class product, on their mobile and in a secure environment. The F&O platform has seamless UI and easy onboarding that makes F&O trading accessible and feasible for every Indian.

Paytm Money said that during the Early Access Program the company witnessed massive interest coming from tier-III, tier-IV, and the rest of India towns in F&O trade. It has also seen a rise in interest in wealth products in the user base below the age of 30 and women investors. Paytm Money aims at simplifying stock trading for all Indians, be it seasoned traders or new to a market investors by offering them the flexibility to invest and trade via both the app and its website.

Varun Sridhar, CEO – Paytm Money said, “We are delighted to share that more than 1 lakh users were granted access during the first few weeks of the F&O early access phase in January after its early access launch. The platform witnessed greater adoption by users from Tier 1 cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. Amongst the smaller cities that showed maximum interest were Patna, Kota, and Guntur. Additionally, more than 50 per cent of users belonged to the age group of 20-30 years. Our pricing of Rs 10 flat per order without any contracts or commitments brings the overall cost of trading significantly lower and makes it super transparent. With this, Paytm Money is taking one step further to become India’s most comprehensive & top digital wealth management platform.”

F&O Trading in India is a highly competitive arena that hosts a number of old and young players. This widespread adoption of F&O Trading on Paytm Money in such a short span holds considerable significance for us and indicates recognition towards our efforts to democratize digital trading for every Indian. Along with simplified trading in the futures and options segment, the platform offers ample opportunities to the user to research the markets, explore market movers, create customizable watchlists, and set price alerts for as many as 50 stocks.

Also, with the built-in Brokerage Calculator, the investor can discover the transaction charges & know the exact breakeven price to sell stocks profitably. Besides, the Advanced Charts and other options like Cover Order & Bracket Order have been added to make the stock trading experience more rewarding. All this and a lot more would be available with absolute data privacy to keep investors’ personal data safe with bank-level security. Apart from this, the company is planning to come up with more value-adding features and intends to launch a few more exciting products on its platform very soon.

Paytm Money is a wholly-owned subsidiary of One97 Communications that owns and operates Paytm. It is the largest online investment platform in the country and has now added F&O to its current offerings of Stocks, ETF, IPO, Digital Gold, Direct Mutual Funds & NPS for its users.

It aims to become a full-stack investment and wealth management platform and bring wealth creation opportunities to millions of Indians. Headquartered and operating from Bengaluru, the team is 300+ members strong.

Google removes Trump’s campaign app from Play Store

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Google removes Trump’s campaign app from Play Store

Google has removed former US President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign app from its Play Store for violating its policies.

Android Police first reported that the app was unable to load any content and appeared to have been taken down.

Both the Android version of the app and its iOS counterpart has been left online since the November 2020 elections but hadn’t received recent updates.

The Play Store version hadn’t been updated since October 30.

“The Trump 2020 campaign app recently stopped working and we reached out to the developer multiple times in an attempt to get them to address the issue,” a Google spokesperson was quoted as saying in reports on Wednesday.

“People expect that apps downloaded from Google Play provide a minimum level of functionality and our policy is to remove non-working apps from the store if they are not fixed,” the spokesperson told TechCrunch.

The Trump 2020 app dates back to 2016, where it was used in the former president’s first campaign.

The app allowed users to register for Trump rallies, check into events, contribute financially, keep up to date with campaign news, and earn rewards.

The iOS version was still able to load which means Apple has not suspended the app as yet.

Amid political crisis, Rahul Gandhi lands in Puducherry

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Amid political crisis, Rahul Gandhi lands in Puducherry

As Congress-ruled Puducherry plunged into political uncertainty, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi arrived in the Union territory on Wednesday.

With Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanswamy’s close aide A. John Kumar resigning from the party on Tuesday, citing “dissatisfaction with the Congress government” in the Union territory, it has pushed the Congress government to the brink of losing power.

Kumar submitted his resignation to Speaker V. P. Sivakozhunthu in the Assembly, just a day after Puducherry minister Malladi Krishna Rao tendered his resignation.

Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to interact with the fishing community in the Solai Nagar area and meet students of a girls’ college.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit Puducherry on February 25. Modi will be visiting Coimbatore in neighboring Tamil Nadu on the same day.

Modi’s visit to Coimbatore will include a rally in the city. The trip to Puducherry assumes added significance given the political instability in the Union territory and the recall of Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi ahead of the Assembly election.

Third phase of panchayat polls begin in Andhra Pradesh

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Third phase of panchayat polls begin in Andhra Pradesh

The third phase of the four-phased Panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh kicked off on Wednesday with voting commencing at 6.30 a.m. in 18 revenue divisions.

The revenue divisions in which polls are being held are Srikakulam, Palakonda, Vizianagaram, Paderu, Rampachodavaram, Yetapaka, Jangareddygudem, Kukunuru, Machilipatnam, Gurazala, Kandukur, Gudur, Naidupeta, Adoni, Kurnool, Ananthapur, Rajampet, Kadapa and Madanapalle.

As many as 2,639 sarpanch posts are being contested, along with 19,553 wards.

In Kurnool district, elections started off on a peaceful note and district collector Veerapandian reiterated that people should exercise their franchise fearlessly.

He advised people to call control room number 1800-4255180 in case any forces are trying to influence the elections.

Similar to the second phase polls, district officials made arrangements to complete vote counting faster in major panchayats.

Starting at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, senior officials have been monitoring the election arrangements and polls in the control room set up at the Collectorate.

As many as 14 manuals, comprising 245 panchayats and 2,516 wards are going to the polls at 2,204 polling centers.

Kurnool district administration deployed 2,557 policemen on poll duty.

As many as 219 villages are going to the polls in the district.

Out of the 2,204 polling stations, the district identified 605 polling stations as troublesome ones and another 374 as hyper-sensitive.

Polling and vote counting officials number is 7,250 in the Rayalaseema district.

Zonal officials, shadow teams, striking force teams, route mobile teams, flying squads, drones, and webcasting are deployed to monitor the elections.

Police Act 30 and CrPc Section 144 have been imposed in the district, including banning victory rallies, pyrotechnics, and other musical celebrations.

“Non-locals, newcomers, and people not related to the polls are banned from the villages where polls are occurring,” reiterated an official statement.

In Anantapur district, elections are happening in 19 mandapams. Out of 379 panchayats, 23 sarpanches have been elected unanimously, while 936 contestants are competing for the remaining 356 sarpanch posts.

In a similar fashion, 1,076 wards have gone for unanimous polls, even as polling began for the remaining wards in which 2,620 candidates are contesting.

By 10:30 a.m. Anantapur district witnessed a polling percentage of 48.15 percent.

PM, CMs greet KCR on 67th birthday

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PM, CMs greet KCR on 67th birthday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Ministers of various states greeted Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on his 67th birthday on Wednesday.

“Greetings to Telangana CM KCR Garu on his birthday. Praying for his long and healthy life,” tweeted Modi.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, also received birthday greetings from Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. She expressed her best wishes for his healthy and long life so that he can continue to serve people.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also greeted KCR on his birthday. “Warm birthday greetings to Chief Minister of Telangana Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao Ji. I wish you good health and long life in service of the people,” Om Birla tweeted.

KCR’s son K.T. Rama Rao and daughter K. Kavitha also took to Twitter to express his feelings.

“To a warrior who fought against all odds to make Telangana state a reality… To a leader who was an awe-inspiring agitator & now a fabulous administrator… To a living legend who epitomizes the word Visionary… To a man I am privileged to call my Father, #HappyBirthdayKCR Garu,” tweeted Rama Rao who is the minister for industry, information technology, municipal administration, and urban development.

Kavitha, who is a member of the Telangana Legislative Council, also greeted her father.

Chief ministers of various states and leaders of different parties also greeted Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief.

“Birthday greetings to Telangana CM Shri K Chandrasekhar Rao Ji. Wishing for your happy and healthy life,” wrote Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan conveyed his greetings to his Telangana counterpart and prayed for his good health and long life.

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and union minister for chemicals and fertilizers Sadananda Gowda were among the other leaders who greeted KCR.

DDA receives 30,979 applications on last day of housing scheme

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DDA receives 30,979 applications on last day of housing scheme

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) received 30,979 applications for its Housing Scheme 2021 offering 1,350 flats on Tuesday, the last day for submission of applications.

Out of the total applications, the DDA received payment from 19,972 applicants, a senior official told IANS.

Under its new housing scheme, the DDA is offering flats in Dwarka, Jasola, Manglapuri, Rohini, and Vasant Kunj.

As per the information, a total of 254 HIG (higher income group) flats are on offer, the majority of which are located in Jasola.

Pocket 9B flats in the HIG category are available in the price range of Rs 1.97 crore to Rs 2.14 crore while 13 flats are on sale in Vasant Kunj in the price range of Rs 1.43 crore to Rs 1.72 crore.

As many as 352 MIG (middle-income group) flats located in Dwarka Sector 19-B, 348 in Dwarka Sector 16, and four in Vasant Kunj are on sale under the scheme while as many as 276 EWS flats in Dwarka’s Manglapuri area are being offered.

When asked whether the last date would be extended, the official said, “No, as of now.”

BJP govt is rectifying the mistakes of history, says PM Modi

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BJP govt is rectifying the mistakes of history, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that the government is correcting irregularities in the writing of history which did not give importance to most of the people who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

The correction is being done as the country approaches the 75th year of its independence, said the Prime Minister while addressing people after laying the foundation stone of Maharaja Suheldev Memorial and development work of Chittaura Lake at Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich via video conference.

It is more important to remember the contribution of the historical heroes and heroines that have made an immense contribution to the country, the Prime Minister said.

He lamented the fact that the people who sacrificed everything for India and Indianness have not been given their due in history books.

“These irregularities and injustice against the makers of Indian history by the writers of Indian history are now being corrected as we are entering the 75th year of Independence.”

The Prime Minister emphasised that the history of India is not just the history written by colonial powers or those with colonial mindsets. “Indian History is what has been nurtured by the common people in their folklore and taken forward by generations.”

The Prime Minister asked whether the first Prime Minister of Azad Hind Government, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, has been given the place that he deserves.

Modi said that the ruling government had recognized Neta ji by strengthening his identity from Red fort to Andaman Nicobar.

Similarly, the Prime Minister said, that the treatment of the unifier of more than 500 princely states, Sardar Patel is also well-known. “Today, the Statue of Unity, the world’s tallest statue is of Sardar Patel.”

The key architect of the Constitution and voice of the exploited, deprived, and downtrodden, Baba Saheb Ambedkar, was always looked through the political prism. Today, the Prime Minister said, all places associated with Dr. Ambedkar from India to England are being developed as PanchTeerth.

“There are innumerable personalities who were not recognized due to various reasons. Can we forget what happened with the Bravehearts of Chauri Chaura?” asked the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister said that Maharaja Suheldev’s contribution to protecting Indianness was similarly ignored.

The Prime Minister recalled Maharaja Suheldev’s contribution as a sensitive and development-oriented ruler.

“Maharaja Suheldev has been kept alive in the hearts of people by the folklore of Awadh, Tarai, and Poorvanchal despite being ignored by textbooks.”

YSRCP to undertake ‘padayatra’ against steel plant privatisation

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YSRCP to undertake ‘padayatra’ against steel plant privatisation

In the face of the protests by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) against the privatization of the Vizag Steel Plant, the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders have decided to undertake a ‘padayatra’ for the plant on Saturday.

“At 8:30 a.m. on February 20, we will undertake a padayatra from Mahatma Gandhi’s statue at GVMC, covering all the constituencies (in Visakhapatnam) from south, east, west, north, and Gajuwaka to protect the prospects of the steel plant,” said senior YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP V. Vijayasai Reddy.

He said this padayatra will be called ‘steel plant parirakshana porata yatra’, which will cover a distance of 23-25 km.

Reddy said the padayatra will terminate at the steel plant to voice the ruling party’s protest against the Central government’s privatisation plan. The MP said the padayatra will be conducted in such a fashion that it will be heard in Delhi.

“YSRCP is ready to take up any program required to oppose the steel plant’s privatization without compromising,” he said, attacking TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu.

He claimed that the YSRCP leaders do not enact dramas like Naidu, and said that YSRCP supremo Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy speaks the truth as it is.

“Please do not believe his (Naidu’s) dramas. We will do it (hinting at salvaging the steel plant),” claimed Reddy.

Similarly, senior YSRCP leader Muttamsetti Srinivas Rao criticized Naidu and his party leaders for allegedly speaking what they want and making claims that the state government met with POSCO officials.

“I want to tell one thing. So many industrialists come to the state to meet the Chief Minister and to India to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is wicked to say that we have a dark understanding of everyone we meet. There is no such need for Jagan Mohan Reddy or the government,” asserted Rao.

Rao claimed that Naidu has a fancy for foreign investments and overseas industrialists, compared to Indian businessmen.

Meanwhile, the police in Visakhapatnam forcibly ended the indefinite fast of TDP leader Palla Srinivas, protesting the privatisation of the steel plant.

YSRCP leader Srikanth Reddy claimed that Srinivas was shifted to a hospital in the interest of his family’s welfare, which TDP was allegedly politicizing.

He questioned Naidu as to why he didn’t encourage his son Nara Lokesh or Gitam University founder M.V.V.S. Murthy’s grandson to go on an indefinite fast to protect the steel plant.

Srikanth Reddy drew an analogy that APSRTC has been merged into the government for its welfare and proper functioning but still some people are allegedly targeting the CM.

Meanwhile, Naidu reached the port city on Tuesday and addressed a large gathering of people protesting the privatisation of the steel plant.

“Visakhapatnam is the heart of new Andhra Pradesh. The steel plant is like the heart of Visakhapatnam. If there is no steel plant, then we have no name,” said Naidu, reminding that 32 people sacrificed their lives decades ago for the plant.

Naidu said the CM will come to Visakhapatnam because he came there but will visit Saradapeetam, a spiritual center, to allegedly meet fake ‘babas’ (godmen).

He was accompanied by TDP state president Kinjarapu Atchannaidu and other leaders.

However, Naidu’s plans of meeting Srinivas got canceled as the police had forcibly ended the latter’s fast.

UP to boost herbal cultivation along Ganga banks

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UP to boost herbal cultivation along Ganga banks

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to boost herbal and organic cultivation along the banks of the Ganga. He has said that the area for herbal cultivation will be increased to over 10 lakh hectares.

According to a government spokesman, the state government has prepared a unique plan with the allocation of Rs 4,000 crore to step up organic and zero budget farming in the state and also support its distribution with a dedicated market, which in turn will help farmers living in the adjoining regions by increasing their income up to Rs 500 crore.

At present, the National Medicinal Plants’ Board (NMPB) is supporting the cultivation of medicinal plants in an area of 2.25 lakh hectares in the state. Nearly 800 hectares of land along the Ganga river will be put under cultivation with NMPB.

Along with this, the agriculture and horticulture department is also aiding the ambitious plan of the government by providing grants for selected crops on basis of acreage per hectare.

Uttar Pradesh is extremely prosperous in terms of agro-climatic conditions. It has the presence of nine kinds of agro-climatic zones, abundant water, human wealth, and the immensely fertile land of the Indo-Gangetic region.

Considering the large market demand for organic products in the country as well as abroad, this step of the state government is expected to emerge as a special benefit scheme for the farmers.

The department of agriculture has taken major steps to boost medicinal farming in the state. It recently started a scheme- ‘Amrita’ with the help of the Uttar Pradesh Ayush Society.

Under the scheme, an Ayush Vatika (model herbal nursery) consisting of medicinal plants has been set up in an area of about 20 hectares in Dehwa, an agricultural sector of Mohanlalganj, Lucknow.

The nursery will facilitate the process of seed production, transplanting, and cultivation of several herbs like Shirish, Ghritkumari, Neem, Shatavari, Punarnava, Sahajan, Jatamanashi, Tulasi, Ratanjot Ginsenga, Giloy, and Aonla.

The spokesman said that farmers will also be trained and quality seeds and saplings from the nursery will be provided to them at the lowest price. Units will be set up to process individual products in the future. The government will also help farmers in grading and packing of the products.

Additional Director (Publicity), agriculture department, Anand Tripathi said that during the training of the farmers, they will also be made to visit the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) for a better understanding of herbal farming.

The government will also make arrangements for the farmers to grasp a practical knowledge of the cultivation techniques by making them interact with scientists and experts at their own expense.

In addition to this, farmers will also be connected to well-established Ayurvedic companies and exporters to enable them to get fair prices for their produce.

According to WHO, even today, about 80 percent of the people in developing countries depend on medicinal herbs for primary health care. The annual demand of up to 15 percent for medicinal plants confirms that people still rely on them for health purposes.

The demand for herbal medicines because of the resistance they provide to life-threatening viruses, witnessed a whopping increase during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bengal polls: Cong to hold seat sharing talks with Left

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Bengal polls: Cong to hold seat sharing talks with Left

The Congress will hold seat sharing talks with the Left parties on Tuesday, ahead of the West Bengal Assembly polls.

Sources said it is likely that an agreement will be reached on Tuesday about the number of seats to be contested by each side.

The Congress and Left had missed the earlier seat-sharing deadline, which was January 31. The party is now pressing its state unit to finalize the seat-sharing agreement so that the preparations for the election could be started immediately.

Sources privy to the talks said that the Congress’ main focus will be on the quality of seats and not quantity, unlike in Bihar where the party contested too many seats but won only 19.

The Congress has set up a committee to chalk out a seat-sharing agreement with the Left parties, which includes Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan, Pradeep Bhattacharya, and Nepal Mahato.

The committee has identified strong seats and is talking to the Left with all prospects on the table. One of the panel members said, “We are focusing on strong seats only.”

Congress sources said that the results of the Bihar Assembly polls will not have a bearing on West Bengal as every state is different. In the 2016 Bengal Assembly election, the Left had contested more seats but it was the Congress that came second with 44 seats.

PM to address 3-day NASSCOM event on February 17

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PM to address 3-day NASSCOM event on February 17

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the NASSCOM Technology and Leadership Forum (NTLF) on Wednesday via video-conferencing.

Modi will deliver his speech at the three-day event at 12.30 p.m. It is the flagship event of the National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM).

The 29th edition of NTLF is being organized from February 17 to 19. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Shaping the future towards a better normal’. The event will see 1,600 participants from more than 30 countries showcasing more than 30 products.

As per the NTLF, it is a platform that has been the voice of the 190 billion dollar industry ecosystem.

The NASSCOM website mentions that the focus is to create a platform for an immersive learning experience through NTLF 2021 as it embraces the hyper virtual world.

NTLF 2021 with the overarching theme ‘Shaping the future towards a better normal’ aims to achieve three key objectives — mark a celebration of technology that has served as a backbone to boost businesses during the crisis, drawing a roadmap for the way ahead towards building a better future and bringing out the importance of trust and responsible technology in this hyper virtual world.

All 75 UP districts to have medical colleges, announces CM

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All 75 UP districts to have medical colleges, announces CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath plans to construct a medical college in each of the 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh.

The medical colleges will soon be opened on the Public-Private-Partnership model in 16 districts of the state that do not have any college till now while others will be upgraded. The Uttar Pradesh Government will soon introduce a new policy on this.

According to the government spokesman, the state government wants to strengthen health facilities at the grassroots level and the government will increase the number of health centers in rural and urban areas. Super-specialty hospitals will be constructed in districts including Gorakhpur, Agra, and Varanasi.

Two months ago, while interacting with some top businessmen in Mumbai, the chief minister had said, “Out of a total of 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh, many still require medical colleges. There is an opportunity for investors to make these medical colleges on the PPP model.”

He had said that the state needs super-specialty hospitals and the government will extend full support if somebody wants to set up these hospitals.

The state government now is working towards making Uttar Pradesh a hub of medical education, where not only the people of the state but people from other countries can get all types of medical facilities.

The establishment of AIIMS in Gorakhpur and Rae Bareli is already proving to be a milestone in terms of the state’s medical education and health facilities.

The government also plans to set up labs in hospitals of every district to deal with a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic.

For this, the Department of Medical and Health will seek the cooperation of Rs 20 lakh crore from the central government.

Liberal policies on geospatial data part of ‘Aatmanirbhar’ vision: PM

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Liberal policies on geospatial data part of ‘Aatmanirbhar’ vision: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the liberalizing of policies governing the acquisition and production of geospatial data is a massive step in the government’s vision for an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

The Prime Minister said this will generate employment and accelerate economic growth.

In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said these reforms will unlock tremendous opportunities for the country’s start-ups, private sector, public sector, and research institutions to drive innovation and build scalable solutions.

“Our government has taken a decision that will provide a huge impetus to ‘Digital India’. Liberalizing policies governing the acquisition and production of geospatial data is a massive step in our vision for an Aatmanirbhar Bharat,” said the Prime Minister.

Considering the ongoing farmers’ agitation against the three contentious farm laws which they have termed as “black laws” and “anti-farmer”, Modi further said that India’s farmers will also be benefited by leveraging the potential of geospatial and remote-sensing data.

“Democratising data will enable the rise of new technologies and platforms that will drive efficiencies in agriculture and allied sectors,” he said.

These reforms demonstrate our commitment to improving ease of doing business in India by deregulation, the Prime Minister added.

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