Month: March 2022

Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has added 15.29 lakh net subscribers during January 2022, as per the provisional payroll data released on Sunday.

According to the press release issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, a month-on-month comparison of payroll data also indicates an increase of 2.69 lakh net subscribers addition in January 2022 as compared to the net additions during the previous month of December 2021.

Of the total 15.29 lakh, net subscribers added during the month, around 8.64 lakh new members have been registered under the social security ambit of EPF & MP Act, 1952 for the first time.

Approximately 6.65 lakh net subscribers exited but re-joined EPFO by continuing their membership with EPFO instead of opting for final withdrawal. The payroll data also reflects a declining trend in the number of members exited since July 2021.

Age-wise comparison of payroll data shows that the age group of 18-25 years has registered the highest number of net enrolments with 6.90 lakh additions during January 2022, which is around 45.11 per cent of total net subscribers added during the month.

This is followed by the age group of 29-35 years with a healthy addition of around 3.23 lakh net enrolments. This indicates that many first-time job seekers are joining the organized sector workforce in large numbers and signifies a crucial stage for an individual’s potential in terms of earning capacity.

State-wise comparison of payroll figures highlights that the establishments covered in the states of Maharashtra, Haryana, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are in lead by adding approximately 9.33 lakh subscribers during the month, which is around 61 per cent of total net payroll addition across all age groups.

Gender-wise analysis indicates that net female payroll addition during the month is approximately 3.20 lakh during the month, the ministry said.

The share of female enrolment is approximately 21 per cent of the total net subscribers addition during the month of January 2022 with an increase of 57,722 net enrolments over the previous month of December 2021.

As per the Ministry statement, Industry-wise payroll data indicates that the ‘expert services’ category (consisting of manpower agencies, private security agencies and small contractors etc.) constitutes 39.95 per cent of total subscriber addition during the month.

In addition, a growing trend in net payroll additions has been noted in industries like expert Services, Engineering Contractors, Trading (Commercial Establishments), and Building and Construction industry etc.

The payroll data is provisional since the data generation is a continuous exercise, as the updation of employee records is a continuous process. The previous data hence gets updated every month. From the month of April-2018, EPFO has been releasing payroll data covering the period September, 2017 onwards.

EPFO is committed to extending social security benefits in the form of Provident, Pension and Insurance Funds to the organized workforce of the country covered under the aegis of Employees’ Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952.

With extensive use of social media nowadays, EPFO is also available on Twitter, WhatsApp and Facebook to help the subscribers and address their issues. (ANI)

Nearly 13 million children in Afghanistan are in dire need of international assistance, said communications chief for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Afghanistan, Sam Mort, according to a media report.

“Afghanistan is a tough place to be a child, there are huge challenges right now in being a child. There are 13 million in need of humanitarian aid, there are 4 million out of school. We know that 8 out of 10 people in Afghanistan are drinking water that is infected with bacteria. We need to do better for the children of Afghanistan,” Tolo News quoted Mort as saying.

The UNICEF communications chief called on donors to provide USD 2 billion in aid as soon as possible for providing educational and health services for Afghan children. However, she added that it is only 15 per cent funded.

Meanwhile, Afghan brother-sister duo– Ahmad and Zainab– have expressed worries that they might have to leave school to be the breadwinners of their family.

“I do not have the money to buy pen and a notebook to go to school, I work to find bread for my family. My father has a disability and cannot work,” the media outlet quoted Ahmad, a child labourer as saying.

“Some nights we sleep hungry, we do not have anything to eat,” said Zainab, who is also a child labourer.

Notably, children’s rights institutions have expressed concern regarding the challenges faced by Afghan children, which, according to UNICEF, have risen to unprecedented levels due to the recent developments in the country and the economic crisis in Afghanistan, according to Tolo News.

Mass poverty in Afghanistan that is triggered by people’s displacement, unemployment, conflicts, and now political transformation have led millions of people to starve.

Children are the most affected among them as they are now suffering from the spread of measles in the country, Khaama Press reported.

The international aid agencies have been calling on the World Community to support the Afghan people at a time when they are experiencing the worst humanitarian situation in decades, the media outlet added. (ANI)

Days after the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, the state police have formed a new special investigation team (SIT) to probe the charges in the drugs case against former cabinet minister and Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia.

A new SIT team consisting of four members has been formed to be headed by Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) S Rahul, for the investigation of the drug case.

Speaking to reporters today, Punjab state police chief Viresh Kumar Bhawra said, “A new SIT team consisting of four members has been formed to be headed by AIG S Rahul, for the investigation of a drug case involving SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia.”

“Senior officers of the Bureau of Investigation will supervise the probe,” he said.

On March 8, Mohali District Court extended Majithia’s judicial custody till March 22, in a drugs case. On February 24, Majithia was sent to judicial custody till March 8 by the court.

The SAD leader had surrendered in the court and applied for regular bail in a drug case registered against him in December last year.

Majithia has been booked under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, on the allegations of his alleged involvement in a drug racket in the state.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on January 24 had dismissed Majithia’s anticipatory bail plea. Earlier, Supreme Court had also granted protection from arrest to Majithia till February 23 in view of the Punjab Assembly elections.

Majithia was apprehending arrest after a case under the provisions of the NDPS Act was registered at Mohali on December 20, last year. (ANI)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi will be visiting Dehradun tomorrow for the BJP Legislature Party meeting where the Chief Minister’s name will be declared, said the party’s State media in-charge Manveer Chauhan.

Earlier today, Uttarakhand BJP chief Madan Kaushik on Sunday informed that all newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly will take oath in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday.
Kaushik had also informed that the name for Uttarakhand Chief Minister will be decided after today’s Legislative Party meeting.

“All newly elected members of the Legislative Assembly will take oath at 11 am in Vidhan Sabha, tomorrow,” he had said.

“The meeting of Legislative Party will be held in the evening. Thereafter, the Chief Minister’s name will be announced,” Kaushik had said.

Earlier today, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Kaushik, and former Union Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his residence in the national capital to discuss government formation.

BJP President JP Nadda and party leaders BL Santhosh and Uttarakhand minister Satpal Maharaj were also present at Shah’s residence.

Meanwhile, Dhami had said that the procedure for government formation is underway and the BJP central leadership will take a decision on the next leader of the legislature party in the state.

“The procedure for government formation is underway…the BJP central leadership will take a decision (on CM face),” had said Dhami, at Uttarakhand Bhawan in Delhi.

Notably, BJP MLA and former minister Rekha Arya have supported Dhami as the next Chief Minister.

Several MLAs, including Ganesh Joshi and Arvind Pandey, have given their consent for the name of Dhami as the leader of the legislature party.

Till now six MLAs of the Bharatiya Janata Party have announced their willingness to vacate their Assembly seats to help Dhami get elected to the House. Dhami had lost to Congress candidate Bhuwan Chandra Kapri by a margin of 6,579 votes. Dhami got a total of 41,598 votes with a vote share of 44.8 per cent as against Kapri who got 48,177 with a huge vote share of 51.89 per cent.

The BJP won the popular mandate for the second consecutive term in Uttarakhand, bagging 47 seats in the 70-member Assembly. (ANI)

The India Meteorological Department on Sunday said that cyclone Asani is likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 24 hours.
In a tweet today by the weather agency, it read, “At 1130 hours IST of today, Depression over southeast of Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea lay centred near 10.4°N/92.8°E, about 140 km north of Car Nicobar, 140 km south of Port Blair. To move nearly northwards along and off A & N Islands, intensify into a Deep Depression during next 24 hours.”
Indian Coast Guard ships have been shepherding the fishermen out at sea and issuing weather warnings on Sunday afternoon ahead of the upcoming Cyclone Asani.
India Meteorological Department today informed that the low-pressure area in South East of the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a Cyclonic Storm by March 21.
Ministry of Home Affairs, in its official statement about two days ago had informed that one National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has been deployed in Port Blair and that additional teams are ready and will be airlifted if required.
Andaman and Nicobar Administration is ready with sufficient stocks of emergency supplies and measures to protect population and restoration of infrastructure, the Ministry informed.
Further, fishing, tourism and shipping activities have been stopped. Fishermen have been advised to return from sea. Indian Army, Navy, Air Force and Indian Coast Guard on stand by. Central Ministries ready with assistance if required, Ministry of Home Affairs stated.
Union Home Secretary has directed Central Ministries and Agencies to keep regular watch and be in touch with Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the official said.
This year’s first cyclone is set to develop in the Bay of Bengal around March 21, the IMD notified. (ANI)

Tension prevailed in Bodhan Town in Nizamabad district over the installation of a Shivaji statue on Saturday night and section 144 has been imposed in the area.

The Commissioner of Police, Nizamabad, K R Nagaraju stated, “There is a process that has to be followed and permission from the Collector has to be taken.”

Nagaraju added, “The Shivaji statue was brought in the night due to which a commotion was created. Various groups came out on roads saying that their sentiments have been hurt and started pelting stones.”

“In retaliation, we had to take refuge of lathi-charge and section 144 has been imposed,” he added.

Police constables have been hurt in the incident and cases will be registered against the accused in the matter. (ANI)

Delhi Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai inaugurated a new party office in Raipur on Sunday.

Addressing reporters here today after inaugurating the party office, Rai said, “AAP has formed the government in Delhi again on the basis of its work and also formed the government in Punjab with a thumping majority, as people of the state showed their trust in AAP’s work.”

He added, “We have been receiving various calls from the people of the state (Chhatisgarh) to join the party.”

AAP now eyes Chhattisgarh and hence the senior AAP leader is in the state and will participate in a “Vijay Yatra” (victory march), to be taken out by the party in Raipur on Monday to mark the party’s victory in Punjab.

A decision to hold the “Badalbo Chhattisgarh” (Change Chhattisgarh) rally has also been taken. (ANI)

Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav on Sunday merged his Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by fo Lalu Prasad Yadav.

After announcing the merger of the two parties, Sharad Yadav said that the move is the “first step towards (the formation of) a united Opposition”.

“Merger of our party with the RJD is the first step towards forging the Opposition unity. It’s imperative that the whole Opposition gets united across India to defeat the BJP. As of now, unification is our priority. It’ll be only after that we would think about who will lead the united Opposition,” he added.

Sharad Yadav had formed the LJD in 2018 after parting his ways from Janata Dal (United) over the party’s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

The LJD never fought elections since its inception while its chief Sharad Yadav lost the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Madhepura on the RJD ticket.

Sharad Yadav was the Cabinet Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA government at the Centre.

The two leaders, incidentally, have come together after a gap of 25 years. They had parted ways in 1997 when Lalu Prasad Yadav had founded the RJD and Sharad Yadav along with Nitish Kumar launched the JD(U).

Lalu Prasad Yadav was later convicted in the fodder scam.

He rode the “Mandal” politics bandwagon in the 1990s to dominate Bihar politics, besides playing a key role in national politics.

After the LJD-RJD merger, the RJD is likely to nominate Sharad Yadav to the Rajya Sabha during biennial polls for the Upper House slated for June. (ANI)

Stating that political parties, including Congress, create division among people on various grounds, former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, member of G23 of the Opposition party, on Sunday, while referring to the 1990 exodus and killings of the Kashmiri Pandits, said that Pakistan and terrorism were responsible for all that took place in the valley.

His remarks came in the backdrop of the ongoing controversy over the film ‘The Kashmir Files’, which is based on the 1990 exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits.

“Political parties create division (among people) 24×7 on the basis of religion, caste and other things. I’m not forgiving any party, including mine (Congress). Civil society should stay together. Justice must be given to everyone irrespective of caste, religion,” Azad said.

He stressed that “Mahatma Gandhi was the biggest Hindu and secularist”. “Pakistan and militancy are responsible for what has happened in Jammu and Kashmir. It has affected all in Jammu and Kashmir, including Hindus, Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims, Dogras,” added Azad in Jammu.

The film, which focuses on the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in the 1990s, has been mired in controversy since its release on March 11 with the BJP and Opposition parties sparring over the portrayal of the incidents.

At a BJP Parliamentary Party meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his support for the film. saying that attempts were being made to discredit it. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison will hold the second India-Australia Virtual Summit on Monday to lay the way forward on new initiatives and enhance cooperation in a diverse range of sectors between the two countries.

The Summit follows the historic first Virtual Summit in June 2020 when the relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. During the upcoming virtual summit, the Leaders will take stock of progress made on various initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

The Leaders are expected to commit to closer cooperation in trade, critical minerals, migration and mobility, and education, among others, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a press statement.

According to the MEA release, views on regional and international issues of mutual interest will also be discussed by the Leaders. It also said the Summit highlights the importance attached by both countries to their bilateral relations as also their close cooperation on regional and global issues.

The India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has maintained the momentum of an upward trajectory with both countries continuing to collaborate closely, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, in wide-ranging areas including science and technology, defence, cyber, critical and strategic materials, water resource management, as well as public administration and governance.

PM Modi and Morrison met in Washington DC for the first in-person meeting after the COVID-19 pandemic in September 2021 on the margins of the Quad Leaders’ Summit and jointly launched the Infrastructure for Resilient Island States (IRIS) in Glasgow on the margins of the COP26 in November 2021.

On Friday, Morrison had underlined that the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries is based on a shared vision of an open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific.

In an official statement, he said, “Australia and India’s strong bilateral relationship is based on mutual understanding and trust, a commitment to democracy, and a shared vision of an open, inclusive, resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”

“Prime Minister Modi and I will discuss deepening our trade and investment relationship and harnessing new economic opportunities to support our mutual economic recovery and growth. Central to these endeavours are strengthened cooperation in defence and security, science and technology, and critical minerals and clean energy,” he added.

Furthermore, the Australian PM said both sides will also discuss a range of regional and multilateral issues, including the situation in Ukraine and its implications for the Indo-Pacific, and Myanmar. (ANI)