Month: February 2022

A voter turnout of 20.3 per cent was recorded till 11 am on Thursday in the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, according to the Election Commission (EC).

The Shamli district witnessed the highest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 22.84 till the said time, while the Ghaziabad district witnessed the lowest voter turnout of 17.26 per cent.

Among all the 11 districts of the state, Agra recorded a voter turnout of 20.42 per cent, Gautam Budh Nagar 18.43 per cent, Meerut recorded 18.92 per cent, Muzaffarnagar recorded 22.56 per cent, Mathura recorded 20.39 per cent, Aligarh recorded 17.91 per cent, Baghpat recorded 22.24 per cent, Bulandshahr recorded 21.63 per cent and Hapur recorded 22.78 per cent till 11 am.

Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began on Thursday at 7:00 am.

Covering the Jat-dominant belt of western Uttar Pradesh, the first phase of polls cover 58 assembly constituencies across 11 districts of the state.

The voting, which will conclude at 6:00 pm today, is taking place at 25,849 polling stations and 10,766 polling centres.

As many as 623 candidates are in the fray on 58 assembly seats where polls are being held today.

As per the set norms, the campaigning for the first phase of the UP polls ended on Tuesday (February 8) at 6 pm, marking the start of a 48-hour-long silence period.

The police have sealed the borders of the state and strict vigilance is underway to maintain peace in 58 constituencies where elections are underway.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the voters in Uttar Pradesh to participate in the elections while following the necessary COVID-19 guidelines.

“Today is the first phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to participate enthusiastically in this holy festival of democracy by following the rules of COVID. Remember – Vote first, then refreshments,” read PM Modi’s tweet roughly translated from Hindi.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief Jayant Chaudhary will not go to cast his vote today because of his election rally, informed Jayant Chaudhary’s office to ANI on Thursday.

He is a voter of the Mathura region. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Jayant Choudhary are scheduled to hold a joint election campaign at Numaish Maidan in the Bijnore district of Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier in the day, Chaudhary appealed to people to come out in large numbers to cast their votes to elect a government to fulfil their aspirations.

“I request each and every one of you to step out of your houses and utilize your right to vote. Elect a government that cares about you. Please also inspire the people around you to do the same,” he said.

He urged people to elect a responsible government that works for the betterment of everyone in society.

Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began on Thursday at 7:00 am.

Covering the Jat-dominant belt of western Uttar Pradesh, the first phase of polls covers 58 assembly constituencies across 11 districts of the state.

These districts include Shamli, Meerut, Hapur, Muzaffarnagar, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Aligarh, Agra, Gautam Buddha Nagar, and Mathura.

The voting, which will conclude at 6:00 pm today, is taking place at 25,849 polling stations and 10,766 polling centres.

As many as 623 candidates are in the fray on 58 assembly seats where polls are being held today.

As per the set norms, the campaigning for the first phase of the UP polls ended on Tuesday (February 8) at 6 pm, marking the start of a 48-hour-long silence period.

The police have sealed the borders of the state and strict vigilance is underway to maintain peace in 58 constituencies where elections are underway.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the voters in Uttar Pradesh to participate in the elections while following the necessary COVID-19 guidelines.

“Today is the first phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to participate enthusiastically in this holy festival of democracy by following the rules of COVID. Remember – Vote first, then refreshments,” read PM Modi’s tweet roughly translated from Hindi.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

Green India Challenge (GIC) has undertaken plantation drive at Narain Industrial Area in Karol Bagh Zone in North Delhi Municipal Corporation jurisdiction.

An initiative by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Rajya Sabha MP Joginpally Santosh Kumar, aims to plant trees to save Delhi from pollution.

As per the GIC statement, the organisation took up the task of one Lakh saplings plantation in the national capital to ease out the pollution of Delhi in the future.

GIC took up this initiative in collaboration with Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Several MPs from different political parties, including YSRCP Parliamentary Party chief Vijayasai Reddy, CPI MP Binoy Visvam, Jairam Ramesh of Congress, Sanjay Singh of AAP and Anil Desai of Shiv Sena, and others took part in the programme.

Speaking at the occasion, TRS MP said that tree plantation is the only solution for Delhi pollution.

“The Green India Challenge Programme, which was launched four years ago, is giving good results as many people across all walks of life are voluntarily coming forward to take up the challenge,” said Kumar.

He further said that the programme is being organised in both the Telugu states and the efforts are being made with an aim to extend it throughout the country.

YSRCP Parliamentary Party Chief Vijaysai Reddy stated that Santosh Kumar has taken up an ideal programme and he should be congratulated for the same.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh congratulated the GIC for working towards increasing the green cover and reducing the challenges thrown by the pollution.

Sanjay Singh said this kind of initiative is very much needed in areas like Delhi and wished the initiative must go long way.

Anil Desai, Shiv Sena MP said the initiative is the need of the hour across the country and congratulated the entire team of GIC.

Ramky Organisation came forward to join the Green India Challenge programme in Delhi.

Ramky organisation Chairman, MP Ayodhyarami Reddy came forward to adopt a park on behalf of his organisation as a social responsibility. (ANI)

India has reported 67,084 new cases of COVID-19 and 1,241 fresh deaths in the last 24 hours, informed the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

With this, the country’s active caseload currently stands at 7,90,789, which accounts for 1.86 per cent of total cases.
The daily positivity rate in India has been recorded at 4.44 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 6.58 per cent.

With 1,67,882 recoveries in the last 24 hours, the total number of people who have recuperated from COVID so far in India was pushed to 4,11,80,751. The current recovery rate in the country is 96.95 per cent, the ministry said.

The country’s cumulative death toll has mounted to 5,06,520.

Meanwhile, a total of 74.61 crore tests have been conducted so far in India, with 15,11,321 tests held in the last 24 hours, as per ministry data.

The government also said that a total of 1,71,28,19,947 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far under a nationwide vaccination drive. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday exuded confidence about winning assembly elections in all five poll-bound states- Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Uttarakhand, Manipur- saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will emerge victorious and form governments with an absolute majority.

In an exclusive interview to ANI, the Prime Minister said, “I have seen in all states that there is the inclination towards the BJP and we will win the elections with a full majority. The people of all these five states will give BJP the opportunity to serve them.”

Reiterating his party’s vision of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, the Prime Minister said that whether it is election time or not, the BJP, despite the fact that it is in power or in coalition, strives for the welfare of the people.

“When we are in power, then with great energy and on a large scale we work with the mantra ‘Sabka Saath, Saabka Vikas’ (with everyone’s participation, we ensure the development of all),” the Prime Minister told ANI.

With political spheres in all five poll-bound states heating up, the Prime Minister denied any atmosphere of anti-incumbency in states where BJP received the opportunity to work, adding that there is an atmosphere of “pro-incumbency.”

“Wherever BJP got the opportunity to work with stability, there the environment is of ‘pro-incumbency’ instead of ‘anti-incumbency’. The BJP always emerges victoriously with ‘pro-incumbency’ in elections,” the Prime Minister said.

Citing an example of Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP emerged victorious consecutively in 2014, 2017, 2019 elections- both in assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections, defying the trend of political parties not coming to power again in the state, the Prime Minister said, “The people of Uttar Pradesh have already thrown away the old theory of ‘ek bar aao, ek bar jao’ (come to power once and then go). The BJP has itself experienced that it was accepted in 2014, then the people saw our government’s work and we again got elected in 2017, and similarly in 2019 as well. Now in 2022, they will again see our work and again accept us.”

Noting that the BJP believes in collective leadership, the Prime Minister said that his photos on BJP’s hoardings depict the party’s workers.

“BJP believes in collective leadership. We are used to working collectively. It is not the picture of the Prime Minister, but it is the picture of the workers of the BJP who are called ‘Narendra Modi’,” the Prime Minister said.

Considering him at par with party workers, PM Modi said, “To stand with the other party workers fills me with pride. If I feature in a picture with BJP workers, I feel that I also look like them. I believe that I am the same as them. I am not ahead of anybody or above anyone.”

The Prime Minister also said that the party has seen victory and defeat both.

“Whether we win or lose, for us, elections are an open university in which we get the opportunity for new recruitment and the chance to introspect. We consider it as a field of the election,” the Prime Minister said.

The seven-phase election in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7. Elections in Goa and Uttarakhand will be held on February 14. Punjab will also go into the polls in a single phase on February 20. Election to Manipur’s 60 Assembly constituencies will be held in two phases — February 27 and March 3. (ANI)

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Maharashtra and Telangana from February 10 to 14, the Rashtrapati Bhavan informed on Wednesday.

On February 11, President Kovind will inaugurate the new Darbar Hall at Raj Bhavan, Mumbai.
On February 12 President will visit Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Memorial at Ambadawe village in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.

On February 13, 2022, the President will grace the Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Samaroham and unveil the gold Deity of Sri Ramanujacharyaji in Hyderabad. (ANI)

India has rejected reference to Jammu and Kashmir in a joint statement of Pakistan and China released last week and stated that New Delhi expects the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India. The Ministry of External Affairs also said that it has consistently conveyed its concerns to Beijing and Islamabad on the projects in the so-called CPEC.

“We have noted references to Jammu and Kashmir and the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor in the joint statement between China and Pakistan issued on 06 February 2022. We have always rejected such references and our position is well known to China and Pakistan. In this instance too, we reject reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement,” said the spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi in response to media queries on the joint statement that China and Pakistan issued on February 6.

“The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. We expect the parties concerned not to interfere in matters that are internal affairs of India,” said Bagchi.

With regard to the CPEC, Bagchi said, “As regards the reference to the so-called China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), we have consistently conveyed our concerns to China and Pakistan on the projects in the so-called CPEC, which are in India’s territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.”

“We resolutely oppose any attempts to change the status quo by other countries, as also by Pakistan, in the areas under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. We call upon the parties concerned to cease such activities,” said Bagchi. (ANI)

Amid the ongoing Hijab row in Karnataka, Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Wednesday said that there should not be a place for any other dress other than the school uniform at the schools.

Speaking to the reporters here, Thackeray said, “Wherever there is a uniform at schools, there should not be a place for any other dress other than that. Schools and colleges are the Centres of education, only education should be imparted there.”
The minister further stressed that there should not be a representation of any political, religious thing at the educational institutions.

“No political, religious or any such thing should be brought at schools and colleges. Shiv Sena has only one role and that is to provide top class education facilities at schools,” he said.

Meanwhile, Karnataka High Court’s single bench of Justice Krishna Dixit referred petitions challenging the ban on hijab in colleges to a larger bench.

Following the hijab row in the state, the Karnataka government on Tuesday declared a three-day holiday in all the universities under the Department of Higher Education and colleges under the department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE).

The 3-day holiday starting from February 9 up to February 11 is applicable for government, aided, unaided degree colleges, diploma, and engineering colleges, Minister of Higher Education Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana stated.

Actor Kajal Aggarwal, who is expecting her first child with husband Gautam Kitchlu, has an important message for the trollers who body shame women, especially during pregnancy.

Taking to Instagram, Kajal wrote, “I’ve been dealing with the most amazing new developments in my life, my body, my home and most importantly my work place. Additionally, certain comments/ body-shaming messages/ memes don’t really help. Let’s learn to be kind and if that’s too hard, maybe, just live and let live!”

Kajal further said that during pregnancy, the body of a woman goes through multiple changes.

“During pregnancy, our bodies go through several changes, including weight gain!! Hormonal changes cause our stomach and breasts to get larger as the baby grows and our body prepares for nursing. Some might develop stretch marks where our body gets larger. Sometimes our skin will break out with acne. We may also be much more tired than usual and have mood swings more often. A negative mood may make us more likely to have unhealthy or negative thoughts about our bodies,” she added.

Kajal’s post comes days after she was body-shamed by a section of social media users.

Urging women not to take the pressure of “fitting in a box”, she said, “don’t need to feel abnormal, don’t need to fit in a box or a stereotype and don’t need to be made uncomfortable or pressurised during the most beautiful, miraculous, and precious phase of life.”

“We must remember that the whole process of birthing a little infant, is a celebration that we are privileged to experience. Below are some points that I regularly practice that help me cope with my undefined feelings. Hope this post helps those in this wonderful phase, along with me. Sending you all my love,” Kajal concluded.

Kajol got married to businessman Gautam Kitchlu in October 2021. In January, the couple announced that they are expecting their first child. (ANI)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is likely to keep key policy rates, including repo and reverse repo rates, unchanged in its monetary policy review to be announced on Thursday in the backdrop of Union Budget 2022-23 and growing inflationary concerns.

The six-member Monetary Policy Committee headed by Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das started deliberations on the bi-monthly policy review on Tuesday and scheduled to make the announcements on February 10.
The meeting was originally scheduled to take place 7-9 February 2022. However, it was rescheduled to 8-10 February after Maharashtra Government declared February 7 a public holiday to mourn the death of legendary singer Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar.

This policy review is particularly important as it comes just nine days after the 2022 budget announcements. This is the last policy review of the financial year 2021-22.

Analysts and industry leaders feel that the RBI is unlikely to change key policy rates this time and may increase the rates in April.

“The Union Budget 2022 has stressed on growth rather than fiscal consolidation clearly indicating its priority. In order to support this, the RBI should maintain the low interest rate regime and keep the policy repo rate unchanged in its monetary policy,” said Mahesh Desai, Chairman, Engineering Export Promotion Council (EEPC) of India.

“We are yet to see economic recovery taking roots and the spurt in high-frequency numbers may be the result of pent-up demand due to restrictions imposed to contain virus spread. The contact-intensive sectors are struggling and trying to come out of the long pandemic shadow,” Desai said.

The RBI has not changed key policy rates for over one-and-a-half years. The last time the RBI changed policy rate was in May 2020 when it had slashed the key interest rates to a historic low to support the economy ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The repo rate, the interest rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to banks, was slashed to 4 per cent. The reverse repo rate, the interest rate at which the RBI borrows from banks, was reduced to 3.35 per cent in May 2020. These policy rates have remained unchanged since May 2020.

In the last policy review announced on December 8, 2021, the Monetary Policy Committee took a unanimous decision to maintain the status quo on policy rates. The committee had also decided to maintain an “accommodative policy stance.”

According to some analysts, the RBI may change the policy stance from “accommodative” to “neutral” and marginally increase reverse repo rate.

The RBI has to do a delicate balancing act between growth and inflation. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the central bank had cut the policy rates to support growth. While the economy is still struggling to get back to the pre-pandemic level, inflation has emerged as a major worry. The CPI-based retail inflation has inched closer to the RBI’s upper tolerance limit of 6 per cent.

However, the bigger worry is wholesale price inflation. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) based inflation has remained in the double-digit for the past several months. In December 2021 it stood at 13.56 per cent.

A State Bank of India (SBI) research report recently pitched for a 20 basis points increase in reverse repo rate citing a massive spike in credit growth.

HSBC Securities and Capital Markets (India) also pitched for a 20 basis points increase in reverse repo rate saying it would send the right signal to the markets. “But the risk now is that the RBI will postpone that to April,” it said.

However, the industry bodies continue to pitch for a low-interest rate regime citing fragile economic recovery.

“Any move to tighten the monetary policy at this point of time could hurt the recovery process which the economy is hardly in a position to afford given the scale of disruptions in the last two years,” said EEPC of India Chairman Mahesh Desai.

One of the key deciding factors of the Monetary Policy Committee’s policy rates action would be the announcements made in the Union Budget 2022-23 by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the first day of this month.

The focus of the budget is on increasing capital expenditure. All the big announcements made in the budget are related to long-term investments. The Finance Minister has not made any significant announcement to put money in the wallets of Indians to boost consumption. So the budget has not given any worry to the RBI from the inflation perspective.

“The RBI will likely view the budget in a positive light and as growth supportive, owing to increased public capex (quality of spending) and directional fiscal consolidation,” analysts at Japan’s brokerage and investment bank Nomura said in a research note. (ANI)