THE HEADLINES:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is playing an important role in making India atmanirbhar; Inaugurates country’s biggest helicopter manufacturing plant and various other projects in Karnataka.
Two earthquakes claim over 2,000 lives in Turkey and Syria.
Government to dispatch rescue teams, relief materials to quake-hit Turkey, Syria; International aid also pours in.
Opposition's protest over Adani issue stalls Parliament proceedings for third day in a row.
Political parties and leaders pick up election campaigning in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched various development programmes in Tumkuru after inaugurating the country’s biggest helicopter manufacturing plant in Karnataka. Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, the double-engine Government at the Centre and the State has increased the pace of development in Karnataka.
"डबल इंजन सरकार के ईमानदार प्रयासों के कारण आज भारत के नागरिक का विश्वास बुलंदी पर है आत्मविश्वास बुलंदी पर है। हम हर देशवासी का जीवन सुरक्षित करने के लिए भविष्य समृद्ध करने के लिए दिन-रात मेहनत कर रहे हैं। आपका निरंतर आर्शिवाद ही हम सभी के लिए ऊर्जा है, हमारी प्रेरणा है।"
The Prime Minister further added that the recent Budget announcements have reinforced the roots that will transform India into a developed country by 2047. He pointed out that India today manufactures assault rifles to aircraft carriers within the country and our armed forces are given weapons and equipment made in India. He said, the doors have been opened for the Private sector to contribute to defence production.
"बीते आठ वर्षों में हमने एक तरफ सरकारी फैक्ट्रियां सरकारी डिफेंस के कामकाज में सुधार किया, उनको ताकतवर बनाया। वहीं, दूसरी तरफ प्राइवेट सैक्टर के लिए भी दरवाजे खोले। इससे कितना लाभ हुआ वो हम एच. ए. एल. - हिन्दुस्तान एयरोनॉटिक्स लिमिटेड में भी देख रहे हैं।"
Mr. Modi took on the Opposition for their false allegations against the Government, which he said, provoked people by saying that HAL is being weakened. He said, today HAL is playing an important role in making India atmanirbhar.
Mr. Modi said, the setting up of the Helicopter manufacturing unit of HAL in Tumkuru will help the growth of auxiliary units around the town, and generate employment. Small and medium industries will also thrive, he added. On setting up the Industrial township in Tumkuru, the Prime Minister said, this will be a part of the Bengaluru-Chennai and Bengaluru Hyderabad industrial corridor. The Prime Minister also spoke at length on the Union Budget announced recently.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri today said, the Government is taking transformative measures to increase domestic exploration and production of traditional hydrocarbons.
Speaking at the India Energy Week 2023 in Bengaluru, the Petroleum Minister said that India has already pledged to become net-zero in emissions by 2070 and cut down the emission by one billion tonne by the end of 2030.
India and the European Union today announced the establishment of three Working Groups under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) and their Terms of Reference. They are a Working group on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity, a Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technologies and a Working Group on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains.
The External Affairs Ministry in a statement said that TTC was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during her visit to India in April last year.
The death toll due to two massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria has gone up to over 2000 while thousands of people are injured in the region.
The magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck at 4:17 am local time in Gaziantep about 90 kilometres from the Syrian border. Local media said, over 1,000 people were killed in Turkey alone after the first quake, with more than 5,300 wounded. Syrian authorities said 783 people died and more than 2,000 were injured.
Authorities said, at least 20 aftershocks followed the first massive quake. Hours later, a second giant earth quake of magnitude 7.6 struck more than 60 miles away in southeastern Turkey's Kahramanmaras region.
Millions of people across Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus and Israel felt the earthquake.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, 2,818 buildings collapsed in today's quake, calling it is his country's largest disaster since 1939.
India and other countries along with international organisations are rushing aid to the earthquake hit region.
The Government of India has decided to immediately dispatch search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and medical teams along with relief material to Turkey. The decision was taken in a meeting held by Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. P. K. Mishra in New Delhi today in the light of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s instructions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives due to the Earthquake in Turkey and Syria. In a tweet, Mr Modi said, India is committed to providing assistance and support in this difficult time.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned for the day following Opposition's protest over the Adani Group issue. This was the third consecutive day when the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha could not transact any substantive business due to disruption by the Opposition parties.
Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri has said that around 123 lakh houses were sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) during the last fiscal, of which 68 lakh houses were completed and handedover till last month.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today, he said the Centre has approved two lakh crore rupees under the scheme, out of which 1.36 lakh crore rupees have been released so far.
The Minister said the PMAY-U scheme has been extended up to next year, to complete all the houses sanctioned during the last financial year.
The Comptroller and Auditor General of India signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Tajikistan and Kazakhstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Supreme Audit Institutions Leaders’ meeting in Lucknow today. The agreements are aimed at strengthening cooperation, and facilitating exchange of expertise in the field of auditing. The MoUs will also provide a platform for the exchange of auditing professionals and technical teams, collaboration in training programmes, and mutual assistance in conducting audits. The agreements are a step forward in promoting closer ties and collaboration among the Supreme Audit Institutions of the three nations.
Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Shri Nisith Pramanik has said that through the Y-20 meeting in Guwahati, the Northeastern States will get an opportunity to showcase the rich heritage and culture of this region to the world. The first meeting of the Youth-20 engagement group under India's G-20 presidency is being held at Guwahati in Assam from today.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs & Sports Anurag Singh Thakur will participate in a panel discussion with the Y-20 delegates on the topic "Youth Dialogue with Your Minister" at IIT Guwahati tomorrow and will also launch a white paper on the concluding day.
The 3-day long Y-20 Inception Meet will conclude on the 8th of February 2023.
The first Tourism Working Group Meeting as part of G-20 will begin at Dhordo in Kutch tomorrow. Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister for Fisheries Parsottam Rupala and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will officially inaugurate the meeting on the 8th of February.
Addressing the media at Dhordo today, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism Arvind Singh said there will be four Tourism Working Group meetings that will be held as part of G-20 at various places in the country.
Senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that the Modi Government is committed to bringing peace to the North East region. He said that the BJP government signed peace treaties with militant groups in Tripura. Addressing the Vijay Sankalp rally at Santirbazar today, Mr. Shah said that Tripura has witnessed all-around development under BJP rule. Later, he also addressed a rally at Khowai.
TMC Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached Agartala this evening to campaign for her party candidates.
Congress, Left parties and TIPRA Motha are also holding rallies and door-to-door campaigns for their candidates. Polling for the 60 member Assembly will be held on the 16th of this month in Tripura.
With just one day left for closure of the filing of nominations in Meghalaya, political activities gained momentum today. AIR correspondent reports that BJP candidate from Pynthorumkharah and former minister Alexander Laloo Hek filed his nomination papers today. In Nagaland, Chief Minister and incumbent NDPP candidate Neiphiu Rio filed his nomination papers from 11 Northern Angami II Assembly Constituency.
One hundred eight pilgrims from South Korea will visit Buddhist sites in India and Nepal from the 9th of February to the 23rd of March. The pilgrims will walk for 43 days and visit Buddhist sites in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar as well as parts of Nepal. During their journey, they will cover a distance of one thousand 167 kilometres. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Secretary Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Apurva Chandra said that the purpose of this exercise is to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic ties between South Korea and India. Mr Chandra said, the exercise also aims to increase the friendship and collaboration between the two countries.
Speaking on the occasion, South Korean Ambassador Chang Jae-bok said, during the Pilgrimage, Buddhist monks will offer prayers for a peaceful and prosperous world.
Light Combat Aircraft (Navy) and MIG29 K Fighter Aircraft today successfully performed their maiden landing and take off from India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant. According to Indian Navy, the successful landing and take-off will provide further impetus to self-reliance initiatives in the defence sector and will strengthen the country's combat preparedness.
The Government has said that for the first time, Haj package costs have been reduced by around 50 thousand rupees under the new Haj Policy. In a tweet, Minority Affairs Ministry said, this new landmark Haj Policy will bring financial relief to the pilgrims. It said, for the first time, under the new Haj Policy there will also be no application charges for those applying for Haj.
Indian music composer Ricky Kej has won his third Grammy Award at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards for his globally acclaimed album, Divine Tides with Rock-legend Stewart Copeland. He dedicated the award to India.
Domestic equity markets fell today amid weak global cues. The index of the top 30 companies on the Bombay Stock Exchange, Sensex, ended around the 60,500 level. A report from the business desk:
"The Sensex declined 335 points to close at 60,507. The Nifty lost 89 points to end at 17,765. At the Multi Commodity Exchange, Gold prices were trading at around 57,000 rupees per ten gram. Silver was up nearly 100 rupees to trade at around 68,000 rupees per kilogram And Brent crude oil futures rose 64 cents, to 80.58 dollars a barrel, while US crude gained 37 cents to 73.76 dollars a barrel. LALIMA ANEJA DANG For AIR News."
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