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Bihar CM Nitish Kumar holds all-party meeting on report of caste-based survey
Delhi Environment Minister launches Green War Room for better implementation of Winter Action Plan against air pollution
Swachh Bharat Mission unites 8.75 crore people to offer Shramdaan at 9 lakh sites
THE HEADLINES:
Restoration and relief operations underway in Balasore train accident in Odisha; Death toll reaches 261.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs high-level meeting to review situation following Balasore rail mishap; Leaves for Odisha to assess the situation.
Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says reason for accident to be ascertained only after completion of the inquiry
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukha L Mandaviya emphasises need for global collaboration to face challenges and ensure vaccines to all in Covid 19 pandemic like situations.
And in Hockey, Indian Men’s team to take on Great Britain in FIH Pro League at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London this evening.
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Restoration and relief operation are underway on a war-footing in Balasore's Bahanaga train accident in Odisha. The death toll of the tragic train accident has risen to 261, and around 900 are feared critically injured. Informing this, Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said the causality could increase as rescue operations are underway at accident site. He said the body identification has been carried out as per the procedures. The bodies of some persons have been handed over to their families and relatives. Seven NDRFs, five ODRFs, 24 fire service units, and local police and volunteers are currently carrying out the rescue operation. He said another two or three hours would take to complete the rescue operations, as two coaches of the Coromandel Express and SMVT-Howrah Super Fast Express are being removed to see whether anyone is still trapped under the coaches.
Meanwhile, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is on the accident site and reviewing the rescue operations said, our prime focus is on rescue and proper treatment of the injured persons, and dissemination of proper information of the passengers to their relatives. He said Rescue operation has been completed and restoration is underway.
Mr Vaishnaw also informed that a detailed high-level inquiry will be conducted and the Rail Safety Commissioner will also carry out an independent inquiry into the accident deemed as one of the worst the country has witnessed in the last 15 years. He said that the reason can be ascertained only after completion of the inquiry.
Meanwhile, Several special and express trains are being cancelled today following the derailment of the Coromandal Express on the Kharagpur - Bhadrak section of South Eastern Railway's Kharagpur division.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today chaired a high level meeting in New Delhi to review the situation in connection with the rail accident in Balasore. The aspects relating to rescue, relief and medical attention to those affected were discussed in the review meeting. It was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, NDRF Chief S.N. Pradhan and other senior officials. Meanwhile, after the meeting, the Prime Minister has left for Odisha where he will assess and review the situation. Mr Modi will first inspect the accident site in Balasore and then he will visit SCB Hospital in Cuttack. He will also interact with those who were injured in the crash.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took stock of the situation this morning at the accident site. He visited Balasore District Hospital to supervise the treatment of injured persons.
Odisha and Tamil Nadu Governments are observing a state mourning today.
Tamilnadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin has announced an ex gratia amount of five lakh rupees to the families of the deceased and 50 thousand rupees to the injured. He has expressed shock and condoled the death of those who lost their lives in the accident.
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has expressed deep shock over the train mishap.
Condolences from across the world have poured in for the victims of the Odisha train crash. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, European Council President Charles Michel, Australian Foreign Ministry Penny Wong, and American Envoy to India Eric Garcetti have sent their condolences to those affected by the train accident.
In a tweet Taiwan President Tsai Ing-Wen said, praying for everyone affected by the train accident in India and hope that rescue operations can save all those in need.
European Council President, Charles Michel said they wish a speedy recovery to all the victims. European Union stands ready to provide assistance in any way they can. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at this difficult time Canadians are standing with the people of India. Australian Foreign Ministry Penny Wong also expressed their deepest sympathies for the devastating train crash. Expressing condolence, US envoy Eric Garcetti said they stand with India and the people of Odisha in this time of grief.
Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Mansukha L Mandaviya today emphasised the need for global collaborations for ensuring access to vaccines to all and the need for building capacities to face challenges in situations like pandemics like COVID-19. He was addressing G20 representatives at a workshop ahead of the G20 Third Health Working Group meeting. It is beginning tomorrow in Hyderabad. He said that the pandemic has brought forefront the need for enhancing capacity building and vaccine research. He recalled how the Government had taken measures to increase vaccine production and carried out a massive awareness campaign to create awareness among the people about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Telangana Industries Minister Jayesh Ranjan informed on the occasion that the Malaria vaccine will be produced in Hyderabad very soon as the vaccine has got WHO approval already. He informed that Hyderabad is producing one-third of the global vaccine doses.
As the Narendra Modi Government completes nine years in office, Akashvani News is bringing a series of special stories on the initiatives taken by the Government. Today, we take a look at Rapid socio-economic development of the people from Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes which has been the priority of the Tripura Government. To facilitate quality education for students from these communities, the State government has various dedicated schemes. A report from our Agartala correspondent.
"The Post Matric Scholarship for SC Students, Tripura 2022-23 is an initiative for SC students who have passed the Class 10 examination. The scholarship is being offered by the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. This scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to the Scheduled Caste students studying at the post-matriculation or post-secondary level. Besides, Pre-Matric Scholarship to SC students is a State Budget Scheme. The SC students of Classes VI to VIII are getting this scholarship and a total of 44,962 students benefited during 2018-19 and 2019-20. This apart, the Post Matric Scholarship to SC students, is a Centrally Sponsored scheme. Students of different levels from classes XI to College/University are being provided scholarships for BS/Engineering/Agri B. Sc/BHMS/BVSc etc. courses. The Tribal welfare department of the Centre has been implementing pre-matric scholarships for ST Students. The main objective of this scheme is to support parents of ST students for the education of their wards studying in classes 9th and 10th. Tripura Epass Scholarship 2023 is being given to students who are willing to pursue their higher studies but are not financially sound. This way scholarship in Tripura has lowered the rate of dropout of students. Kunal Shinde, Akashwani news, Agartala."
The Rural Development Ministry has said that about 88 per cent of the wage payment has been made through Aadhaar Based Payment Bridge System till May this year. It said that States will organise camps and follow up with beneficiaries to achieve hundred per cent Aadhaar Based Payment Bridge System. The Ministry has made it clear to all the States that the beneficiary who comes for work should be requested to provide the Aadhaar number but will not be refused work on this basis.
In Jammu and Kashmir, a state-of-the-art Integrated Command and Control Centre has been set up on the outskirts of Srinagar city under the Smart City Mission. The Centre will act as the "brain and nerve" for all Smart City IT-related interventions. It will be responsible for GIS mapping and will have a digital address for all the properties in the City. The Centre is also tasked to lay a 175 Kilometer long fibre net for uninterrupted services to the locals.
The ICCC will also have a traffic management system, early warning system, location-based targeted surveillance and messaging service.
Additional Director General, PIB and spokesman of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Rajeev Jain, while deliberating the services provided by the ICCC said, that besides providing citizen-centric services, the surveillance mechanism provided by the centre will be helpful in curbing the crimes.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin and German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius are visiting New Delhi for bilateral talks with Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh. Mr. Singh's meeting with the US Secretary of Defence will be held on Monday while talks with the German Federal Minister of Defence will take place on Tuesday. A host of bilateral defence cooperation issues with focus on industrial cooperation are likely to be discussed during the two meetings.
Mr Austin will arrive tomorrow on a two-day visit to India.
The German Defence Minister will be on a four-day visit to India beginning Monday. Apart from his meeting with Raksha Mantri, Mr Boris Pistorius is likely to meet a few defence start-ups during an event organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence in New Delhi.
In Turkiye, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be sworn in at the Parliament today after winning a historic runoff election securing another five years in power.
Inauguration ceremony will be attended by twenty-one heads of state, 13 prime ministers as well as parliamentary, ministerial-level representatives and representatives of international organisations, including the Organisation of Turkic States, NATO and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
The UN Security Council has extended the United Nations political mission for six months in Sudan as conflicts worsens. In a short resolution, the Council unanimously agreed to extend until the 3rd of December, 2023 the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan. The 15-members Security Council also resolved to condemn the attacks against the civilian population, UN personnel and humanitarian actors, as well as the looting of humanitarian supplies. However, Sudan's army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has accused Special Representative for Sudan Dr. Volker Perthes of stoking the brutal conflict.
In Hockey, India's men team will take on Great Britain in the FIH Pro League at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London this evening. Indian team yesterday stunned olympic champions Belgium 5-1. Captain Harmanpreet Singh showcased exceptional performance as he struck a brace to secure India's remarkable triumph.
In Thailand Open Badminton, Indian star shuttler Lakshya Sen will take on Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn in the semifinals of Men's singles in Bangkok this afternoon. Earlier, Sen defeated the Malaysia's Jun Hao Leong 21-19, 21-11 in the quarter finals.
Sri Lanka is immersed in the festivities of Poson Poya Day today. The festival marks the arrival of Buddhism in the country over 2,000 years ago and holds immense importance for the Buddhist community. Poson Poya Day stands as the second most significant Buddhist celebration in Sri Lanka, following Vesak.
Poson Poya Day, celebrated on the full moon day of June, commemorates the pivotal moment when Arahat Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka, converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism. The main centers of celebration are the ancient monastic complex at Mihintale, and Anuradhapura, which attract large crowds of pilgrims.
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN