Month: May 2022

The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) from the Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday reached Guwahati to examine the districts affected critically due to the flood in Assam and interacted with the State Revenue Department and the officials of Assam State Disaster Management Authority.

One group of the IMCT team, comprising the leader Ravinesh Kumar, FA, NDMA; Anjali Maurya, Assistant Director of Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance; Adelbert Sungi, Regional Officer of Ministry of Road Transport; P. Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, Joint Secretary and Joint CEO, ASDMA, have scheduled their visit to flood-hit Cachar on Friday and will be visiting Dima Hasao on Saturday (May 28).

Another group of IMCT, including Jintu Das, Joint Director of Ministry of Agriculture; Ajay Kumar Sinha, Superintendent Engineer of Ministry of Jal Shakti; Kailash Shankla, Under Secretary of Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India will visit Darrang, Nagaon, and Hojai on today and tomorrow (May 27 and May 28).

As per the ASDMA reports, nearly 5.61 lakh people in 12 districts of Assam– Nagaon, Cachar, Morigaon, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Kamrup, Kamrup (Metro), Karbi Anglong West, Sonitpur are still affected in the deluge.

Although the overall condition has significantly improved in the state, the ASDMA reports suggest nearly 3.68 lakh people in Nagaon, alone, continue to remain affected while as many as 1.50 lakh people in Cachar and 41,036 in Morigaon district are distressed.

The death toll due to flood and landslides raised to 30 after two persons in the Nagaon district were reported dead after drowning in the flood.

The report further stated that 47,139.12 hectares of cropland and 956 villages are still under the water and 66,839 people are currently lodged in 295 relief camps. (ANI)

In an effort to minimize the impact of the ongoing fuel crisis on the common man, Transport and Highways Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that public transport will be restructured soon.

“The most appropriate step that can be taken as a public transport service is to reorganize and improve public transport, taking into account the need to meet the daily requirements of the home and obstacles that have befallen the education of children as well as the overall standard of living,” Colombo Page quoted Minister Bandula Gunawardena as saying.
He also said the railway system played an integral part when Sri Lanka transitioned from a self-sustainable economy to an export centric plantations economy.

The decision to restructure the public transport of the country was decided at the meeting held at the Sri Lanka Railways Headquarters where discussions were focused on giving special attention to resolving how the acute fuel crisis that Sri Lanka is currently facing should not impact the daily lives of the people, reported Colombo Page.

The discussion focused special attention on how the acute fuel crisis that Sri Lanka is currently facing has had a negative impact on the daily lives of the people.

According to the Minister, reorganizing and improving the public transport is the most appropriate step which can be taken as a public transport service. He also pointed out the need to meet the daily necessities of home alongside the obstacles which had befallen the education of children, and the overall standard of living in Sri Lanka, reported Colombo Page.

In addition, to resolve the fuel scarcity in the country, he said that the number of trains currently running should be increased significantly reported Colombo Page.

He instructed the officials that they must take essential steps to implement this program with immediate efficacy.

The Minister also prioritized the need to prevent the inconvenience to passengers owing to the fuel crisis.

The General Manager of Sri Lanka Railways along with the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport also accompanied Gunawardena in the discussion, reported Colombo Page.

Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since independence with food and fuel shortages, soaring prices, and power cuts affecting a large number of the citizens, resulting in massive protests leading to the resignation of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. (ANI)

The Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday morning said that two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, involved in the killing of Kashmiri TV actress Amreen Bhat, have been neutralised in Kashmir’s Avantipora.

“Heinous murder case of TV artist Amreen Bhat solved in 24 hours…10 terrorists including three from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and seven from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfits killed in three days in Kashmir Valley,” said IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
“On Thursday night, two LeT terrorists were killed in Srinagar’s Soura. The police have recovered one AK-47 pistol, ” added police.

The two killed LeT terrorists in the Soura area of Srinagar encounter have been identified as Shakir Ahmed Waza and Afreen Aftab Malik. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered.

Kashmiri TV actress Amreen Bhat was killed by unidentified terrorists in Budgam’s Chadoora area in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, while her 10-year-old nephew was injured.

Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the 10-year-old nephew of the TV actress had a bullet injury on his arm. The nephew is receiving treatment at a hospital in the district, added the police. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tributes to the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his death anniversary.

In a tweet today, the Prime Minister wrote, “Tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Ji on his death anniversary.”
The official Twitter handle of the Congress party also paid tributes to India’s first Prime Minister, on his death anniversary.

“A brave freedom fighter, the architect of modern India, a statesman, a visionary, a patriot, Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was a true son of Bharat Mata. A billion salutes and billion tributes to our first Prime Minister, on his death anniversary,” tweeted the Congress party today.

Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal also took to Twitter and said, “A leader loved by young and old; A leader with an unmatched vision; A leader solely dedicated to building a free & prospering nation; Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was everything and beyond what India needed in her first Prime Minister. On his death anniversary, my humblest tributes to him.”

India is observing the death anniversary of the first Prime Minister of the country — Jawaharlal Nehru. The first Prime Minister had a prominent role in India’s freedom struggle. In order to free India from British rule, Nehru fought against the Britishers and was among the key leaders of the Indian National Congress (INC). On May 27, 1964, the first Prime Minister of India took his last breath. He was the PM from 1947 to 1964 till he died at the age of 74. He had a great fondness for kids, and children use to call him Chacha Nehru. (ANI)

India has provided all possible support to Sri Lanka and will continue to stand with the people of the neighbouring country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Chennai during his visit Thursday.

The Prime Minister said that India “will support democracy, stability and economic recovery,” in the crisis-hit island nation.
Addressing a public gathering after inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,500 crore in Chennai in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, PM Modi said, “Sri Lanka is going through difficult times. I am sure you all are concerned about it. As a close friend and neighbour of Sri Lanka, India is providing all possible support to the country including financial support, support of fuel, food, medicines and other essential items to the country.”

Underlining India’s efforts to stand by Sri Lanka during its hour of crisis, PM Modi said that India has spoken strongly in international fora for extending economic support to the neighbouring country.

“Many Indian organisations and individuals have sent assistance for their brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka including Tamils in the North and East. India has spoken strongly in the international fora for extending economic support to Sri Lanka. India will continue to stand will the people of Sri Lanka and support democracy, stability and economic recovery,” he said.

Recalling his visit to the Jaffna, PM Modi said, “I can never forget my visit to Jaffna. I was the first PM to visit Jaffna. Indian government is assisting numerous Tamils in Sri Lanka, these projects cover healthcare, housing, culture and transportation.”

India has sent assistance worth several billion US dollars to rescue the money-strapped Sri Lankan government accompanied by shiploads of humanitarian aid, cooking gas, large quantities of fuel, and medicinal supplies.

Since March this year, Sri Lanka has been in the grip of an economic crisis unparalleled since the country’s independence which sparked severe protests and political unrest leading to the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s brother Mahinda Rajapaksa from the prime minister’s post earlier this month and the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s prime minister. (ANI)

The Centre in Supreme Court has raised certain reservations in respect of the recommendations made by the panel that sex workers should not be arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised as voluntary sex work is “not illegal” and only running the brothel is unlawful.

An SC-appointed panel has recommended various guidelines including one that “Whenever there is a raid on any brothel since voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful, the sex workers concerned should not be arrested or penalised or harassed or victimised.”

“Needless to say, this basic protection of human decency and dignity extends to sex workers and their children, who, bearing the brunt of social stigma attached to their work, are removed to the fringes of the society, deprived of their right to live with dignity and opportunities to provide the same to their children, ” the Supreme Court said while dealing with Centre reservation on certain recommendations of SC panel.

The top court further observed, “It need not be gainsaid that notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this the country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.”

However, Additional Solicitor General Jayant Sud, submitted that the Government of India has certain reservations in respect of the recommendations that are made by the panel

voluntary sex work is not illegal and only running the brothel is unlawful and not taking action against sex workers.

A bench of justices L Nageswara Rao, BR Gavai and AS Bopanna Union of India is directed

to file its response to the recommendations made by the panel within a period of six weeks and listed the matter for July 27 2022.

A panel was constituted with Pradip Ghosh as the Chairman of the Panel, Jayant Bhushan, Senior counsel, Usha Multipurpose Co-operative Society through its President/Secretary, Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee through its President/Secretary, and Roshni through Saima Hasan by SC on July 19 2011.

After conducting a detailed discussion with all the concerned stakeholders, the Panel submitted a comprehensive report on the terms of reference.

The panel has recommended various guidelines including sex workers being entitled to equal protection of the law and when it is clear that the sex worker is an adult and is participating with consent, the police must refrain from interfering or taking any criminal action. Also when a sex worker makes a complaint of criminal/sexual/any other type of offence, the police must take it seriously and act in accordance with the law.

The panel has recommended that the Central government and the state governments must involve the sex workers and/or their representatives in all decision-making processes, including planning, designing and implementing any policy or programme for the sex workers or formulating any change/reform in the laws relating to sex work. However, the Centre has expressed certain reservations in respect of these recommendations.

But Centre has agreed with certain guidelines recommended by the panel which include any sex worker who is a victim of sexual assault should be provided with all facilities available to a survivor of sexual assault, including immediate medical assistance and the state governments may be directed to do a survey of all ITPA Protective Homes so that cases of adult women, who are detained against their will can be reviewed and processed for release in a time-bound manner.

The court has directed the State Governments and Union Territories to act in strict compliance with the recommendations made by the panel and agreed upon by the Centre.

It also directed the competent authorities under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 are directed to comply with the provisions of the Act.

“It need not be gainsaid that notwithstanding the profession, every individual in this country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The Constitutional

protection that is given to all individuals in this country shall be kept in mind by the authorities who have a duty under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act,1956. The other recommendations that are made by the panel shall be taken up after summer vacation,” the court said.

Meanwhile, UIDAI has examined the suggestions and accepted that the procedure as proposed to issue

The court also directed that Aadhar Cards shall be issued to sex workers on the basis of a proforma certificate which is issued by UIDAI and submitted by the Gazetted Officer at NACO or the Project Director of the State Aids Control Society, along with the Aadhar enrolment form/application.

It said that there shall be no breach of confidentiality in the process, including the assignment of any code in the Aadhar enrolment numbers that identify the cardholder as a sex worker. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,500 crore including the Bangalore-Chennai Expressway, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was also present on the occasion.
PM Modi inaugurated 1,152 houses constructed under the Light House Project – Chennai. The project has been built at a cost of Rs 116 crore under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban.

PM Modi had launched the Lighthouse projects on January 1, 2021, to use new technology to complete housing projects faster while making them more resilient. Since then, he has been regularly reviewing the status of the project, including through drone-based monitoring.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stones for the redevelopment of five Railway stations in Tamil Nadu – Chennai Egmore, Rameswaram, Madurai, Katpadi, and Kanyakumari.

Redevelopment of the Railway stations project will be completed at a cost of over Rs 1,800 crore. The project has been undertaken with a view to enhancing the convenience and comfort of the passengers through modern amenities.

PM also dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of 11 projects worth over Rs 31,500 crore in Chennai.

The 75 km long Madurai-Teni (Railway Gauge Conversion Project), built at a cost of over Rs 500 crore, will boost tourism in the region while the 30 km long third railway line between Tambaram – Chengalpattu, built at a cost of over Rs 590 crore, will boost suburban connection. (ANI)

By Naveen Kapoor

Having gained momentum with the first virtual meeting of its leaders in March last year, the Quad Summit held in Tokyo on Tuesday was the fourth interaction of the leaders and their second in-person meeting in over a year.

Quad is not a security grouping or alliance and its leaders maintain that it is not directed against any other country. However, many see it as a group to check growing Chinese activities which impinge on the freedom of navigation, sovereignty and territorial integrity in the region.

Several announcements were made during the summit meeting between the Quad leaders in Tokyo which are apparently aimed at the moves of Beijing.

Among various strategic announcements, the Indo-Pacific partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness, is seen as a big takeaway of the Quad meeting by strategic affairs watchers here in New Delhi. They said the move will keep a check on illegal fishing in the Indo-Pacific and may use real-time high technologies including satellites to track illegal movement. This may not suit Beijing, said an observer of geopolitics in the region.

China is accused as the biggest offender of illegal fishing in the zone and its huge fishing boats often violate economic zones and do irreparable damage to the environment. Illegal activities by Chinese trawlers have been hurting livelihoods and food security in the region. Small nations are the biggest victims of this illegal fishing.

Quad’s new Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness Initiative will help countries bolster their capacities to respond to HADR incidents and combat illegal fishing.

The joint statement released by Quad said: “We will endeavour to share space-based civil earth observation data, along with providing a ‘Quad Satellite Data Portal.'”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, new Australian Prime Minister Albanese, US President Joe Biden and Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida exchanged views about developments in the Indo-Pacific region and contemporary global issues of mutual interest at the summit held on May 24 in Tokyo.

The leaders agreed to provide countries in the region resources on earth observation data through a Quad satellite data portal to help track climate events, disaster preparedness and sustainable use of marine resources. This can prove a game-changer in the region.

India is expected to play a proactive role in this effort given its longstanding capabilities in using space-based data and technologies for inclusive development.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to build trusted global supply chains also resonated at the Quad meeting in Tokyo. Quad has mapped its capacity and vulnerabilities in global semiconductor supply chains and has decided to better leverage its complementary strengths to realize a diverse and competitive market for semiconductors.

“The Common Statement of Principles on Critical Technology Supply Chains, launched on the occasion of this Summit, advances our cooperation on semiconductors and other critical technologies, providing a cooperative foundation for enhancing our resilience against various risks to the region,” the Quad joint statement said.

Prime Minister Modi has time and again asked global vaccine makers to Make in India. The grouping has welcomed the expansion of J&J vaccine production at the Biological E facility in India under the Quad Vaccine Partnership.

Quad’s announcement of USD 50 billion for building infrastructure is also seen as a significant tangible move by the grouping. At the meet, leaders also expressed commitment for use of 5G and beyond 5G technologies.

Ahead of the Quad meet, the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) initiative was launched in Tokyo.

Apart from US, India, Australia, Japan, nine other countries are “initial partners” that signed up for IPEF and emphasised commitment to a free, open, fair, inclusive, interconnected, resilient, secure, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region that has the potential to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The IPEF is structured around four pillars including trade and supply chains. (ANI)

Hours after a news report regarding the misuse of facilities at the city’s Thyagraj Stadium by Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife Rinku Dugga, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred both the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IAS officers out of Delhi as punishment to their act.

Khirwar, who stirred up controversy for walking his dog at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium after athletes were forced to finish practice earlier than usual, has been transferred to Ladakh while his wife has been transferred to Arunachal Pradesh.

The MHA took the action soon after Delhi Chief Secretary submitted a report to it in the evening on the factual position of the news report.

“The MHA had sought a report from Chief Secretary, Delhi on the news report regarding the misuse of facilities at Thyagraj Stadium by Sanjeev Khirwar and his wife Rinku Dugga. Chief Secretary, Delhi submitted a report later in the evening on the factual position to MHA. In the meanwhile, Khirwar has been transferred by MHA to Ladakh and Dhugga to Arunachal Pradesh. Necessary action will be initiated based on the report,” said MHA sources.

A 1994-batch IAS officer Khirwar was posted in Delhi as the Principal Secretary (Revenue) and the Divisional Commissioner. District Magistrates and Sub-Divisional Magistrates report to the Divisional Commissioner. He also held additional charge of the Environment Secretary in the Delhi government.

Khirwar served as the Private Secretary to the Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath between 2009 and 2014. He was then posted in the Commerce ministry and was transferred to Delhi in 2018 as the Secretary, of Health and Family Welfare. Over the past few years, he has been posted in the environment, general administration and revenue departments.

Khirwar came into controversy after a news report in which athletes and coaches training at Thyagraj Stadium in Delhi alleged that they were asked to wrap up training earlier than usual, by 7 pm as the IAS officer had to walk his dog there.

As a photo and a video about the IAS officer and his wife walking with a dog went viral, the MHA took action against them following a report from Delhi’s Chief Secretary. (ANI)