Security Beefed Up In Mumbai
Police personnel with a sniffer dog checks at Mumbai Central station as the idol of Lord Ganesha being taken to Delhi from Mumbai ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi on Sunday.
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Month: August 2019
Super Sindhu Bags Gold At World Championship
India’s Pusarla Sindhu celebrates on the podium with her gold medal after winning the women’s singles final 2019 -Badminton World Championships at St. Jakobshalle Basel in Basel on Sunday.
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Naxal commander Surrenders In Dantewada
Muchaki Budra a Naxal deputy commander, carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakhs on his head in Chhattisgarh surrendered before Dantewada SP Abhishek Pallav on Sunday.
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Tej Pratap Yadav Celebrates Janmashtami
Rashtriya Janata Dal legislator Tej Pratap plays ‘dandia’ with an artist during Janmashtami celebration at ISKON temple in Patna on Saturday.
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Modi Calls For Plastic-Free India
While addressing the nation in his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for launching a “new mass movement” against single-use plastic from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
“When we celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th anniversary, we will not only dedicate him an open-defecation free India but also be kick-starting a mass movement for making India plastic-free. I appeal to all to celebrate this year’s Gandhi Jayanti by freeing Mother India of plastic,” he said.
“This time our emphasis must be on plastic. On 15th August, I had urged you from the Red Fort… the way one hundred and 25 crore countrymen ran a campaign for cleanliness with utmost enthusiasm and energy, and toiled tirelessly towards freedom from open defecation; in a similar manner, we have to join hands in curbing single-use plastic,” he added.
The Prime Minister also stressed upon the need to maintain cleanliness at public places as a part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. “Home or the neighbourhood lane, street circles, crossings, or drains, schools and colleges … we have to involve ourselves in a Mega campaign of ensuring cleanliness at public places.”
Besides, plastic-free India and cleanliness drive, the Prime Minister also touched upon the issue of malnutrition in India and said the month of September will be observed as ‘Poshan Abhiyan’ across India.
“There are many little things that can be employed in our country’s effective fight against malnutrition. Today, due to lack of awareness, both poor and affluent families are affected by malnutrition. The month of September will be celebrated as Poshan Abhiyan across the country. You must get connected with it, get information about this initiative, add some new facet to Poshan Abhiyan by contributing to it. If you manage to save a few people from malnutrition, it would mean that we can bring the country out of the circle of malnutrition,” he said. (ANI)
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Jaitley Cremated With Full State Honours
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley was cremated with full state honours at the Nigambodh Ghat here on Sunday. The last rites were performed by his son Rohan in the presence of several family members at the cremation ground.
A number of politicians attended the last rites of the late BJP leader. Those in attendance included – Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP working president JP Nadda, Ramesh Pokhriyal, Smriti Irani, Ramdas Athawale, Hans Raj Hans, Gautam Gambhir, Anurag Thakur and Congress leader Kapil Sibal, among others.
Several incumbent BJP chief ministers including Devendra Fadnavis, B S Yediyurappa, Trivendra Singh Rawat and former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan were also present at Nigambodh Ghat to bid adieu to the party strongman.
Earlier, leaders paid floral tributes to Jaitley at the Ghat before the last rites. Vice-president Naidu was seen in tears as he bid the last adieu to his “friend”.
Minister Ramvilas Paswan, Baba Ramdev and many other personalities were also present at the cremation ground.
Before his final journey, Jaitley’s mortal remains were kept at BJP headquarters for people to pay tributes. Several friends and colleagues remember their associations with the political stalwart as they walked past his casket wrapped in a tricolour.
Jaitley passed away in New Delhi on Saturday at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). He was 66.
(ANI)
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J&K Flag Removed From Secretariat
The state flag of Jammu and Kashmir was removed from the Civil Secretariat here on Sunday, weeks after the provisions of Article 370 and Article 35 were scrapped by the Modi-led government at the Centre.
Till the last week, both the tricolour and the state flag used to fly atop the Civil Secretariat building.
As per the reports, the state flag of Jammu and Kashmir will soon be phased out from all the government buildings in the Union Territory with only the tricolour being flown in the region.
Earlier on August 7, just two days after Parliament revoked Article 370 and passed Jammu and Kashmir (Reorganisation) Bill, 2019 which bifurcated the state into two Union Territories, Nirmal Singh, the state’s former Deputy Chief Minister, removed the state flag from his vehicle.
“This is a big day for us. BJP is for one Constitution, one flag, and one President,” Singh told ANI. (ANI)
]]>Arun Jaitley No More, Tributes Pour In
Former Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the face of the middle class in BJP and who was a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, died here on Saturday at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) following prolonged illness.
66-year-old Jaitley, who was Lawand Information Minister in the Vajpayee government and held the portfolios of Finance, Defence and Information and Broadcasting during the first term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leaves his wife Sangeeta, son and a daughter.
His body was taken to his house in Greater Kailash area in South Delhi where it will be kept till tomorrow morning. It will be taken to the BJP headquarters tomorrow morning before funeral at the Nigambodh Ghat on the banks of Yamuna.
“It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of Arun Jaitley, Member of Parliament and former finance Minister, Government of India at 12:07 pm on August 24, 2019,” the hospital said in a statement.
Admitted to the hospital on Aug 9, he was being monitored by the multidisciplinary team of doctors including a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and a nephrologist. His health condition had worsened in the past two weeks.
A senior doctor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity told ANI, that a team of doctors at AIIMS had spoken to Jaitley’s family members last week as chances of his survival seemed bleak.
“On late Thursday night last week, he was put on ECMO. This is a higher version of a ventilator. His lungs were not working. ECMO was used to manage his heart. As he was also diagnosed with soft tissue skin cancer, fungal infection increased extensively,,” the doctor said.
The former Union Minister was a diabetic and had undergone a kidney transplant last year in May. He was also diagnosed of a rare soft tissue sarcoma cancer.
The 66-year leader’s death has left a void in the BJP with all its senior leaders expressing a deep sense of loss.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah were among the party leaders who condoled his demise. Congress leaders, including interim party chief Sonia Gandhi, also paid their tributes.
Modi, who is in UAE as part of a three-nation visit, described Jaitley as a “political giant, towering intellectual and legal luminary” and said he had lost a “valued friend” whom he had “the honour of knowing” for decades and whose insight on issues and nuanced understanding of matters had very few parallels.
He remembered Jaitley in a series of tweets and said the party will miss him.
“With the demise of Arun Jaitleyji, I have lost a valued friend, whom I have had the honour of knowing for decades. His insight on issues and nuanced understanding of matters had very few parallels. He lived well, leaving us all with innumerable happy memories. We will miss him!”, he said.
“Arun Jaitleyji was a political giant, towering intellectual and legal luminary. He was an articulate leader who made a lasting contribution to India. His passing away is very saddening. Spoke to his wife SangeetaJi as well as son Rohan, and expressed condolences. Om Shanti,” he added.
Modi also recalled Jaitley’s wit, sense of humour, charisma and his knowledge across domains.
“Full of life, blessed with wit, a great sense of humour and charisma, Arun Jaitleyji was admired by people across all sections of society. He was multi-faceted, having impeccable knowledge about India’s Constitution, history, public policy, governance and administration.”
He praised the former finance minister for taking “multiple ministerial responsibilities” and contributing to India’s growth across sectors.
“During his long political career, Arun Jaitley held multiple ministerial responsibilities, which enabled him to contribute towards India’s economic growth, strengthening our defence capabilities, creating people-friendly laws and enhancing trade with other nations,” he said.
Modi said Jaitley was a much-liked face of BJP.
“BJP and Arun Jaitleyji had an unbreakable bond. As a fiery student leader, he was at the forefront of protecting our democracy during the Emergency. He became a much-liked face of our party, who could articulate the party programmes and ideology to a wide spectrum of society.”
Jaitley, a member of Rajya Sabha, was admitted on August 9 to All at AIIMS’s Cardio Neuro Centre (CNC) in the ICU ward and was put on artificial life support system after the complaints of breathlessness, weakness and palpitation.
It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of
Arun Jaitley, Member of Parliament and former finance Minister, Government of India at 12:07 pm on August 24, 2019,” the hospital said in a statement. He was being m”onitored by the multidisciplinary team of doctors including a pulmonologist, a cardiologist and a nephrologist. His health condition had worsened in the past two weeks.
A senior doctor, who spoke on the condition of anonymity told ANI, that a team of doctors at AIIMS had spoken to Jaitley’s family members last week as chances of his survival seemed bleak.
“On late Thursday night last week, he was put on ECMO. This is a higher version of a ventilator. His lungs were not working. ECMO was used to manage his heart. As he was also diagnosed with soft tissue skin cancer, fungal infection increased extensively,,” the doctor said.
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Modi Conferred UAE's Top Civilian Award
Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Saturday conferred UAE’s highest civilian award ‘Order of Zayed’ on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The award, which is named after Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE, acquires special significance as it is being awarded to Modi in the birth centenary year of Sheikh Zayed.
Modi, who is on a two-day visit to UAE, held “fruitful talks” with the Crown Prince and discussed the full spectrum of bilateral relations.
Zayed Al Nahyan warmly welcomed Modi calling him his brother who was coming to his “second home”.
“A new energy in the relationship. His Highness Crown Prince @MohamedBinZayed to PM @narendramodi: I am so grateful that my brother is coming to his second home,” External Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet after the meeting between two leaders.
Modi and Zayed Al Nahyan held talks to further cement “a close friendship”. They discussed ways to improve trade and cultural relations between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, Modi also launched the RuPay card at Abu Dhabi. He did so by making “special purchases” which he will offer at Shreenathji temple in Bahrain.
With this, UAE has become the first country in the Middle East where the Indian indigenous system of electronic payment has been launched.
“Bringing economies of India & UAE together. RuPay_npci card was officially launched in UAE in presence of PM Narendra Modi. UAE is the first country in the Gulf where Indian RuPay card has been launched. Many business groups from the UAE have pledged to accept RuPay payment,” Kumar said in a tweet.
India and the UAE relations were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Modi’s visit to the UAE in August 2015.
He had visited UAE in February 2018 as the Chief Guest at the World Government Summit while the Crown Prince came to India in February 2016 and again in January 2017 as the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations.
The Prime Minister reached Abu Dhabi on Friday after completing his first leg of a visit to France.
He will leave for Bahrain later in the day, where he will meet Prime Minister Prince Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. He will also call upon King of Bahrain Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and other leaders.
(ANI)
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Fin Min Announces Stimulus Package
The surcharge levied in the union budget on short-term and long-term capital gains of foreign portfolio investors (FPI) and the one on equity in the case of domestic investors have been abolished, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Friday restoring the pre-budget position.
The surcharge on foreign portfolio investors has been withdrawn to stimulate capital inflows and investment.
“In order to encourage investment in capital market, it is decided to withdraw enhance surcharge levied by the Finance No. 2 Act 2019. In simple words, the enhance surcharge on FPI goes, surcharge on domestic investors in equity goes. Pre-budget position is restored,” Sitharaman said at a press conference here.
She said the global GDP was projected at 3.2 per cent and India is placed in a better position than many developed countries like the US and Germany.
The weak demand globally points to lowering of consumption.
Her comments came as Moody’s Investors Service lowered India’s GDP growth forecast for the calendar year 2019 to 6.2 per cent from its previous estimate of 6.8 per cent.
Sitharaman said that the government was committed to the reform agenda and has several steps for ease of doing business including of labour reforms. (ANI)
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