CBI Director stresses on need for increased international cooperation among police agencies
BJP releases list of all 60 candidates for Meghalaya assembly polls
LCA Tejas to be at the centre stage of ‘India Pavilion’ at 14th edition of Aero India Show
Digi Yatra to be implemented at Kolkata, Pune, Vijayawada and Hyderabad Airports by March 2023
One-day workshop organised at Bhopal under India's G-20 presidency
Govt is taking measures to augment domestic capacity for the future realisation of space tourism: Dr Jitendra Singh
India to hold first Energy Transitions Working Group Meeting in Bengaluru from Feb 5 under G-20 presidency
Parliamentary delegation from Zambia calls on President Droupadi Murmu
Telangana Assembly Budget Session to start on Friday
Foreign Affairs Minister of Nepal Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal leaves for Colombo to attend 75th Independence Day celebrations of Sri Lanka
THE HEADLINES:-
<><><>
In Gujarat, campaigning for the second and final phase of elections has reached a crescendo as it comes to an end tomorrow evening. Top leaders of all political parties are making all out efforts to woo the voters. Voting for the second phase will be held on Monday for the remaining 93 seats spread over 14 districts including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. A total of 833 candidates are in the fray in this phase. Top BJP leader and Prime Minister Narendra Modi & Union Home Minister Amit Shah, are scheduled to address rallies at various places including Ahmedabad today. Senior Congress leaders including state President Jagdish Thakor are also campaigning for their party candidates today.
Meanwhile, 63.14 percent polling was recorded in the first phase of assembly polls yesterday. As per the data released by the Election Commission, Narmada district has recorded the highest voter turn out with 78. 24 percent followed by Tapi district with 76.91 percent. With 57.58 percent, Botad district has registered the lowest turnout in yesterday's voting. The first phase of polls covered 89 seats in 19 districts yesterday in the state.
Campaigning for Delhi's Municipal Corporation elections will come to an end today. Voting for 250 seats of the MCD will be held on Sunday and counting will take place on the 7th of December. This will be the first municipal election in the National Capital after delimitation of the wards. Both the BJP and the Aam Admi Party have fielded 250 candidates, while Congress is only contesting on 247 seats as three of its nominations were canceled. Our correspondent has filed this report on leaders and candidates making last-ditch efforts to woo the voters.
"Political parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters on the last day of campaigning. Main players BJP, Aam Aadmi Party and Congress have fielded their prominent leaders in different parts of the city. Sanitation, garbage, corruption, and the problem of MCD employees are among the main issues which have dominated the campaign for civic polls. Apart from better facilities in MCD, the ruling BJP is prominently raising the issue of corruption by highlighting the purported videos of jailed Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain to corner the AAP. On the other hand, in its campaign AAP is questioning BJP over its alleged failure in addressing civic issues including garbage in the national capital. Blaming both BJP and AAP for problems in MCD, Congress is citing the works done by the previous Sheila Dixit government in the city while promising to launch several welfare schemes. With Diwaker, Bhupendra Singh, AIR News, Delhi."
Meanwhile, the Delhi State Election Commission is taking all possible steps to ensure free and fair MCD polls in the national capital. Talking exclusively to AIR, State Election Commissioner Vijay Dev said, elaborate measures are being taken to increase voter participation including special arrangements for senior citizens, first time voters and women as well as ballot paper system for polling staff. The Commission has also launched a WhatsApp number facility through which voters will get information of ward number, ward name and polling station address in the form of downloadable voter slips.
Meanwhile, Delhi State Election Commission is taking all possible steps to ensure free and fair MCD polls in the national capital. Talking exclusively to AIR, State Election Commissioner Vijay Dev said, elaborated measures are being taken to increase voter participation including special arrangements for senior citizens, first time voters and women as well as ballot paper system for polling staff.
The government has approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for drones and drone components for implementation during 2022-23 to 2024-25 with an outlay of 120 crore rupees. The scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
The Ministry said, support under the scheme will be provided only to companies engaged in manufacturing of drones and drones components in India.
According to the guidelines, minimum annual sales turnover for claiming the benefit of PLI must be two crore rupees for drones and 50 lakh rupees for component segment for MSME and Startups. Non-MSMEs are required to have an annual sales turnover of four crore rupees for drones and one crore rupees for component segment. The Civil Aviation Ministry said, the Empowered Group of Secretaries chaired by Cabinet Secretary will monitor the scheme.
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Administrative Council headed by the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, approved the installation of Roof Top Solar power plants on Residential Buildings across the state. AIR Jammu Correspondent reports that 20 Mega Watt Rooftop Solar Power Plants on Residential Buildings shall be installed by Jammu and Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA) under the Grid Connected Rooftop Solar Programme, Phase-II of the Ministry of New Renewable Energy. These Rooftop Solar Power Plants will be connected to the Grid on Net Metering basis. The project is scheduled to be completed by November 2023 and shall be maintained free of cost for a period of five years by JAKEDA.
The Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered that the legal heirs of an agriculturist shall fall in the category of agriculturist under the Land Revenue Act. The Revenue department has said that the legal heirs of an agriculturist mother, father, wife and children of an agriculturist shall also fall in the agriculturist category. The Jammu & Kashmir Land Revenue Act bars the transfer of land in favor of a person who is not an agriculturist.
The Government’s move came after the Revenue Department’s field formations received applications wherein legal heirs of agriculturists were also claiming to be agriculturists.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has arrested the most wanted terrorist Harpreet Singh from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, after he arrived from Malaysia yesterday. Harpreet Singh was the key accused in the Ludhiana Court Building blast in New Delhi in December last year, in which one person was killed and six were injured. According to NIA, the investigations revealed that Harpreet Singh, an associate of Pak based self-styled Chief of ISYF, Lakhbir Singh Rode, was one of the conspirators of the blast, along with Rode. Acting on the directions of Rode, Harpreet coordinated the delivery of the custom-made IED to his India based associates to be used in the Ludhiana blast. The IED was supplied from Pakistan. Harpreet Singh has also been involved and is wanted in various cases, including smuggling of explosives, arms and narcotics.
The Enforcement Directorate has searched 16 premises across Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi covering office and residential premises of share brokerage and financial services companies. The investigation revealed that the directors and beneficial owners of the companies have transferred the shares worth 160 crore rupees in off-market and subsequently sold the same to generate huge proceeds of crime. The searches led to seizure of over one crore rupees cash, gold and diamond jewellry, identification of immovable properties of more than 30 crore rupees and other movable assets in various DMAT accounts.
The Supreme Court today set aside a Kerala High Court order granting bail to four accused, including a former Director General of Police, in the alleged frame-up of scientist Nambi Narayanan in the 1994 ISRO espionage case. A bench comprising Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar has sent the matter back to the Kerala high court for fresh consideration of the anticipatory bail pleas of the accused individually. The Kerala High Court order was issued in 2021 in the matter. The bench also directed the CBI not to arrest the four accused for five weeks.
President Droupadi Murmu has expressed grief over the demise of legendary Odia actress Jharana Das. The President said, Jharana Das will always be remembered for her outstanding contribution to the Odia film industry. She also conveyed her deepest condolences to the family and admirers.
Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of North Eastern Region, G Kishan Reddy and Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will inaugurate the Silchar- Sylhet Festival in the Barak Valley of Assam today. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Mizoram Governor, K Hari Babu are also expected to attend the 5-day festival among others. The festival commemorates 75 years of India's Independence and 50th anniversary of Bangladesh's liberation from Pakistan. Sylhet in Bangladesh and Silchar in Assam are neighbouring regions and share close cultural ties. The programme is being organised in the context of the historical relation between Sylhet and Barak Valley.
The festival is being jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture and India Foundation. Around 100 dignitaries from Bangladesh will also join the programme. The event will showcase the cuisine, arts, crafts, culture and local produce of the neighbouring regions.
The United States and Japan have announced fresh sanctions on North Korea, in response to Pyongyang's latest ballistic missile tests. In a statement, the U.S. Department of the Treasury said, the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three North Korean senior officials who have led the organizations linked to the development of Weapons of Mass Destruction. On other hand, Japan imposed sanctions on three entities and one individual for their ties with the nuclear and missile programmes. These measures come in the wake of Pyongyang's Inter-Continental ballistic missile launch on November 18, marking its eighth launch this year. Meanwhile, Pyongyang said, its missile tests were in response to provocations by the US and its regional allies, South Korea and Japan.
Indian Naval Fleet is paying a friendship visit to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Indian Naval Ships, Shivalik and Kamorta which are forward deployed in the South China Sea are visiting Vietnam. During the visit, the Indian Naval ships would be undertaking numerous professional interactions with the Vietnam People's Navy. Within the framework of the visit, Indian officers and sailors will also participate in a number of friendship activities.
In the FIFA World Cup, South Korea will take on Portugal in Group 'H' stage match at Education City Stadium, Qatar, while Ghana will lock horns with Uruguay at Al-Janoub Stadium, Qatar. Both the matches will be played at 8.30 Indian Standard time. Yesterday Japan secured another incredible triumph beating Spain 2-1 at the Khalifa International Stadium and qualified for the round of 16 stage.
In another match, Germany beat Costa Rica 4-2 at Al-Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Qatar in a Group 'E' match, but failed to qualify for the round of 16 stage as they lag behind Spain on goal difference.
In Badminton, India's Tankara Gnana Dattu Talasila stormed into the men's singles semi-final of the under-17 Asia Junior Championships 2022 at Nonthaburi, Thailand today. He defeated Radithya Bayu Wardhana of Indonesia 21-11, 13-21, 21-11 in the quarterfinals.
Earlier, Unnati Hooda stormed into women's singles quarter-finals. She beat Thailand’s Nutchavee Sittiteeranan in her Round of 16 match. Hooda will now take on South Korea's Min Ji Kim in the quarter-final tomorrow. Besides Unnati Hooda, India's two doubles pairs also emerged victorious to progress into the pre-quarterfinals in the under-17 section.
The Sensex and the Nifty today fell more than half a percent snapping a winning streak of eight straight sessions in the afternoon trade. Both indices slipped amid negative cues from global share markets. The Sensex was trading below the 63,000 mark while the Nifty was trading below the 18,700 level. The Sensex declined 428 points to trade at 62,856. The Nifty was trading 120 points down at 18,693 when reports last came in.