Month: July 2022

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $96.3 million loan to provide safe drinking water and improve water supply and sanitation services in Himachal Pradesh.

The money will be used to implement the projects under the Himachal Pradesh Rural Drinking Water Improvement and Livelihood Project.
More than 90 per cent of the state’s rural population has access to drinking water, but the water supply infrastructure is old and deteriorated, resulting in inefficient and poor service quality. The ADB project will connect 75,800 households to the service, providing an uninterrupted water supply to about 370,000 residents across 10 districts.

“The project meets the objectives of the Jal Jeevan Mission, a national flagship program of the Government of India, which aims to provide piped water to all rural households by 2024,” ADB Unit Head of Project Administration on Urban Development and Water for South Asia Jude Kohlhase said in a statement.

“The project will upgrade water supply infrastructure and strengthen institutional capacity to ensure safe, sustainable, and inclusive rural water supply and sanitation services,” Kohlhase added.

The project will improve water supply and sanitation services through, among others, the construction of 48 groundwater wells, 80 surface water intake facilities, 109 water treatment plants, 117 pumping stations, and 3,000 kilometres of water distribution pipelines. A pilot faecal sludge management and sanitation programme will also be implemented in Sirmaur District, benefitting 250,000 residents and to determine replicability and guide the design of future projects.

To ensure efficient delivery and sustainability of services, the project will strengthen the capacity of the Jal Shakti Vibhag of the Government of Himachal Pradesh and gram panchayat (local government) village water and sanitation committees. It will support the state government’s water tariff policy reforms and introduce an asset management system at the state-level and district asset management plans.

Key project stakeholders and community-based organizations will be trained on water management, including livelihood skills training for women self-help groups. The project will also raise public awareness on the health benefits from improved water supply, sanitation, and hygiene practices.

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members–49 from the region, a release said. (ANI)

Parineeti Chopra on Saturday treated fans by sharing unseen pictures from her sister Priyanka Chopra’s 40th birthday bash in Mexico.

Taking to Instagram, Parineeti shared the pictures, which also feature her brother-in-law, singer Nick Jonas as well as Priyanka and Nick’s friends.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgWwbXUjF6g/embed

For her beachside birthday party, Priyanka opted for a yellow beach outfit with a headscarf. Nick sported a black sleeveless t-shirt and shorts. Parineeti looked stunning in a white dress.

In one of the pictures, Priyanka, Nick and Parineeti are seen having fun in a pool with their friends. One of the pictures showed Parineeti sitting near a fireplace with Priyanka and others.

In another picture, all of them were seen jumping on the beach.

“It was a whirlwind 48 hours of pure celebration, jet lag, tacos, hugs, laughs and the ocean! Will take a week to recover from, and a lifetime to forget!Happy bday to the world’s desi girl, but my mimi didi. I love you,” Parineeti captioned the post.

She shared the pictures days after Priyanka Chopra turned 40 on July 18.

Priyanka’s daughter Malti Marie and mother Madhu Chopra were also a part of the celebrations.

Priyanka and Nick embraced parenthood in January this year as they welcomed daughter Malti Marie via surrogacy.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka will be seen in international projects such as ‘It’s All Coming Back To Me’, and the series ‘Citadel’. Produced by Russo Brothers, ‘Citadel’ will hit the OTT on Prime Video.

The upcoming sci-fi drama series is being directed by Patrick Morgan and stars Richard Madden alongside Priyanka.

In Bollywood, she will be starring with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif in Farhan Akhtar’s ‘Jee Le Zaraa’, which promises to be another tale of friendship following the lineage of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, both of which have become cult classics over the years.’Jee Le Zaraa’ is reportedly going on floors around September 2022 and will be ready for release in the summer of 2023. (ANI)

The Bankshall Court in Kolkata granted two days Enforcement Directorate custody to West Bengal cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee on Saturday. However, Chatterjee has developed heart pain and will be admitted to SSKM hospital.

ED has prayed before the magistrate to allow Chatterjee to be taken to Command Hospital instead of state-run SSKM. ED said that Chatterjee is a senior minister and his roots are deep in government hospitals, where he can be influential. However, the court ordered Chatterjee to be taken to SSKM Hospital. The hearing is underway and order is awaited.
Chatterjee, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday, developed heart pain and earlier today demanded “proper medical facilities” if ED’s custody is granted, Chatterjee’s lawyer Somnath Mukherjee had told the media persons in Kolkata.

“Partha Chatterjee (West Bengal cabinet minister and former Education Minister of the state) is not feeling well. He has developed heartache. We demanded that proper medical facilities should be given to him if ED’s custody is granted,” said Chatterjee’s lawyer.

Enforcement Directorate, earlier today, arrested Chatterjee following the raids by the central probe agency which seized Rs 20 crore in cash from the premises of his close associate Arpita Mukherjee, in connection with an alleged teacher recruitment scam in the state.

Notably, the arrests were made at Chatterjee’s residence in Kolkata. The ED team was at the spot since yesterday.

Earlier on Friday, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials raided the residences of Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Paresh Adhikari and several others and recovered huge cash amounting to approximately Rs 20 crore from the residential premises of Arpita Mukherjee, who is a close associate of Partha Chatterjee.

The said amount is suspected to be the proceeds of crime of said SSC scam. The search team is taking the assistance of bank officials for the counting of cash through cash counting machines.

A total of more than 20 mobile phones have also been recovered from the premises of Arpita Mukherjee, the purpose and use of which are being ascertained, said the probe agency.

Besides cash, a number of other incriminating documents, records, details of dubious companies, electronic devices, foreign currency and gold has also been recovered from the various premises of the persons linked to the scam. (ANI)

Samajwadi Party issued letters to Pragatisheel Samajwadi party chief Shivpal Singh Yadav and SBSP chief OP Rajbhar on Saturday stating that they are “free to go anywhere” where they feel they are “getting more respect”.

Notably, Shivpal had contested the Assembly elections held earlier this year on the SP ticket while Rajbhar had forged an alliance with the Akhilesh Yadav-led party.
Earlier today, Samajwadi Party wrote to Rajbhar, “SP has been fighting against the BJP continuously. You have been in collusion with the BJP and are working to strengthen them. If you feel you will be respected somewhere else, you are free to leave.”

Responding to the letter, Rajbhar said that SP has given “divorce” and the next step is Bahujan Samaj Party.

“Today they (SP) have given divorce and we’ve accepted that. The next step is BSP. When I meet CM Yogi Adityanath, it’s bad for them but it’s good if Akhilesh Yadav meets CM. Everything will be clear by 2024,” the SBSP chief said.

Earlier this month, Rajbhar and Shivpal, who is Akhilesh’s uncle, had attended a dinner hosted by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

He further said that their fight is for the Dalits and backwards and they will continue it.

Rajbhar and Shivpal had extended support to NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu in the recently concluded polls.

Earlier, Shivpal, who had patched up with his nephew ahead of the Assembly polls said that the SP was weakening and several of its leaders were quitting due to the “political immaturity” of Akhilesh Yadav.

Akhilesh Yadav and his estranged uncle had resolved their differences ahead of the Assembly elections and Shivpal had contested and won on a Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket. Shivpal apparently is miffed with Akhilesh Yadav for not inviting him to party meetings and not seeking his advice.

“Due to a lack of political maturity in Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party is becoming weak and several leaders are quitting the party. I am not invited to party meetings. I was not even invited to the meeting with opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha,” he said. (ANI)

Looking at the expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries, the World Health Organization declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “I have decided that the global monkeypox outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.”
Speaking at the press conference on the report of the 2nd meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the monkeypox outbreak, Ghebreyesus said that he convened the emergency committee, a month ago, to assess whether the monkeypox outbreak represented a public health emergency of international concern.

He further said that during that meeting, the committee came to the conclusion that monkeypox was not represented as a public health emergency of international concern.

“At that meeting, while differing views were expressed, the committee resolved by a consensus that the monkeypox outbreak did not represent a public health emergency of international concern,” WHO chief said.

Ghebreyesus noted that at that time, as many as 3,040 monkeypox cases were reported from 47 countries and till now, over 16,000 cases were reported from 75 countries and territories. He further said that five people have died from that virus.

“In light of the evolving [monkeypox] outbreak, I reconvened the committee on Thursday of this week to review the latest data and advise me accordingly. I thank the committee for its careful consideration of the evidence, and issues,” the WHO chief said.

Underlining the five elements that are used over deciding whether the outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern, Ghebreyesus said that firstly, the information provided by countries shows the rapid growth of the virus.

“Second, the three criteria for declaring a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations, which have been met.” He further added that the third one was the advice of the Emergency Committee, which has not reached a consensus.

The fourth one was the scientific principles, evidence and other relevant information, which are insufficient and the last one was the risk to human health, international spread and the potential for interference with international traffic.

“So in short, we have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly, through new modes of transmission, about which we understand too little and which meets the criteria in the International Health Regulations,” he added.

The WHO chief noted that the risk of monkeypox is moderate globally and in all regions except in the European region where we assess the risk as high.

“There is also a clear risk of further international spread, although the risk of interference with international traffic remains low for the moment,” he added.

“Although I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern, for the moment this is an outbreak that is concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.”

Meanwhile, in India, three cases of monkeypox have been reported so far. Earlier, on July 14, India reported the first monkeypox case of a UAE traveller from Kerala. And even the other two cases were also reported in Kerala.

“The country’s third monkeypox case confirmed in a 35-year-old man who returned to Mallapuram from UAE on July 6. He was admitted with fever at Manjerry Medical College Hospital on the 13th (July) and from 15th he began showing symptoms. His family and close contacts are under observation,” Kerala Health Minister Veena George said.

The southern state on July 19 started monkeypox testing at NIV Alapuzha. (ANI)

Former Indian captain Anjum Chopra said on Saturday that she is sure that star batter Virat Kohli is doing all he can to get back among runs and it is a matter of time before he is back to his best.

“Virat Kohli himself knows what he needs. When you do not score as per your standards, you practice more. I am sure that he is practicing, is doing, and will keep doing everything to back in form. The way international cricket goes, practice is the only way out. A player can only try and make the effort. And a player like him must be trying and trying to get out of the slump. But sometimes, things do not go your way. The kind of adulation and focus he has had on him over the years, this dip was bound to happen sometime,” said Chopra in an exclusive interview with ANI.
“I have seen players scoring 30s and 40s and surviving in the Indian team for years. But from his bat, the 30s and 40s look less because of the standard he has set for himself. I am sure that it will be a matter of time that he will be back among runs for the Indian team,” she added.

Virat Kohli’s recent run of form has been a subject of concern and debate among cricketers and fans alike.

Kohli could manage scores of only 11 and 20 in the fifth and final Test against Edgbaston and continued his bad performances in T20Is, where he could score only 12 runs in two innings.

This was followed by 17 and 16 runs in the three-match ODI series against England.

Also, Kohli had a sub-par IPL 2022, in which he could score only 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73 and a sub-par strike rate of 115.98. He could score only two half-centuries in the tournament.

The start batter has not been at his best in the Blue jersey either, scoring 175 runs in eight innings at an average of 21.88 in ODIs and 81 runs in four innings at an average of 20.25.

On Mithali Raj’s retirement, Chopra expressed happiness at the fact that she had a great and long career.

“We have had many memories and partnerships. I wish her all the best for the coming years,” she added.

Mithali retired as the leading run-scorer in the women’s ODIs. She represented India in 232 matches, scoring 7805 runs at an average of 50.68. In Tests, Mithali smashed 699 runs in 12 matches with a brilliant average of 43.68. She also scored 2,364 runs in 89 T20Is.

Mithali, who made her debut in 2002, is regarded as the greatest Indian women’s batter. She captained the side to two 50-over World Cups.

At 16, Raj scored an unbeaten 114 on her ODI debut and soon established herself as a vital clog in India’s batting order. In October 2019, Raj, at 36, became the first woman to complete two decades in ODI cricket

On how well Harmanpreet Kaur will do as captain of Team India in absence of Raj, Chopra said that she has grown a lot as a player with the captaincy.

“I think she should have got the captaincy earlier. She has grown a lot as a player. She has huge stature in international cricket and experience as well. Responsibility changes the temperament of players. In Sri Lanka, she bailed her team out of trouble a few times, and was the player of the series. It is a good start.”

Indian men’s team is scheduled to play T20 World Cup in 2022 and the Women’s team in 2023. Regarding her expectations from Team India in these two tournaments, she said that she does hope that both teams win but it will not be easy.

“Just because you perform great right now does not mean you will also perform well in ICC events. Australia struggled for months before clinching the T20I World Cup last year. You can have that confidence as you progress, but if you do not have it, it is not like you go to an ICC event without confidence. ICC events have a different atmosphere, you go there confident as a player and captain,” she added.

Chopra heaped praises on India’s bench strength in the men’s team.

“There is a problem of picking the best 11,12 or even 18 players. We have such an amazing, talented bench. The women’s team is looking for a similar sort of strength.

Chopra said that the CWG tournament 2022 and other upcoming cricket series will be important for the Indian women’s team for its building.

“There are good players, but not all are match winners. So you want more than one or two match winners. It will only happen by playing and getting exposure,” she added. (ANI)

Kareena Kapoor’s dreamy Europe vacation has come to an end. The actor is all set to come back to India after being away for more than a month.

Kareena took to her Instagram to announce her return to Mumbai. She posted a photo of herself comfortably lounging, wearing her favourite piece of clothing – a kaftan. She wrote, “I am coming home…Summer has officially ended…Get up Stand up…Get to work …Mumbai I am ready for you…”
Arjun Kapoor was quick to comment. He wrote, “Kaftaan!!!!”

Kareena jetted off to the UK in early June with husband Saif and kids Jeh and Taimur. She later went to Italy to soak in some sun after spending a great time in London with family and friends.

Recently, a few photos of the actress went viral on social media and people started speculating whether she is pregnant again. Refuting such rumours, Kareena took to Instagram and uploaded a hilarious note.

“It’s the pasta and wine guys…calm down…I am not pregnant.. uff..Saif says he has already contributed way too much to the population of our country…enjoy…KKK,” she quipped.

Kareena will soon be out and about in Mumbai promoting her upcoming film ‘Laal Singh Chadha’ with Aamir Khan. The film will be out on August 11.

Apart from ‘Laal Singh Chadha’, She also recently wrapped up shooting her OTT debut project helmed by Sujoy Ghosh. The film is based on the Japanese novel ‘The Devotion of Suspect X’, which also stars Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma in the lead roles. (ANI)

Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took to Twitter and slammed the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, calling it “No Data Available (NDA) government.

He went on to say that the government at the Centre wants citizens to believe that there is no data available regarding “Oxygen Shortage” during the Coronavirus second wave, “No farmer died protesting”, during the nationwide agitation against the three farm laws, “No migrant died walking”, during the times of nationwide first lockdown and some other claims that he wrote in his social media post.
Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “No Data Available (NDA) govt wants you to believe:

• No one died of oxygen shortage
• No farmer died protesting
• No migrant died walking
• No one was mob lynched
• No journalist has been arrested No Data. No Answers. No Accountability”. The Congress leader also claimed at the end of the post that the Central government has “No data, No Answers, and No Accountability”. His tweet comes amidst the agitation going on by the Congress leaders and supporters against the Central government over the questioning of party president Sonia Gandhi by ED in the National Herald case. A major sloganeering and protests were also held on Thursday, by some Congress MPs in the Parliament. The Congress MPs marched from Gate No 2 to Gandhi Statue. The protest was organised soon after the Upper House was adjourned till 12 amid Opposition ruckus. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh gives zero-hour notice over “misuse of central investigation agencies by the ruling government”. Additionally, in a joint statement Opposition parties criticized the Central government for unleashing a “relentless vendetta against political opponents” through misuse of investigative agencies by targeting prominent leaders of various parties. “The Modi Sarkar has unleashed a relentless campaign of vendetta against its political opponents and critics through the mischievous misuse of investigative agencies. Prominent leaders of a number of political parties have been deliberately targeted and subjected to harassment in an unprecedented manner,” the statement reads. “We condemn this and resolve to continue and intensify our collective fight against the anti-people, anti-farmer, anti-Constitution policies of the Modi Sarkar that is destroying the social fabric of our society,” it added. The statement was released after the meeting of floor leaders of all Opposition parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha met at the office of Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge in Parliament. (ANI)

With the tussle between the Centre and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal intensifying, the AAP convenor asked party legislators to be prepared to be jailed as Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur alleged that the AAP government in Delhi has set new records of corruption.

As the Centre has levelled a series of allegations, Kejriwal has been defending his government while claiming his government to be taint-free but the conflict flared up after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the AAP government’s Excise Policy 2021-22 over alleged violations of rules and procedural lapses.
Speaking to ANI, AAP leader Atishi Marlena said that the Central agencies have not been able to prove a single charge of corruption against any leader of the party over the years.

“The registration of cases by the Centre on the leaders and Ministers of our party is not new. Despite using all the central agencies against us, they could not prove a single charge of corruption against us. The CBI can probe this matter (excise policy). The world is seeing how Arvind Kejriwal is being stopped, and false cases are being imposed against the leaders of his party,” she said.

In May, Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Power Minister Satyendar Jain in a 4.8 crore money-laundering case.

Kejriwal defended the Minister lauding Jain’s contribution of providing the model of mohalla clinics to the world, ensuring uninterrupted and free power supply in Delhi, and questioned the intent behind the arrest.

The BJP has also gone all-out against the Delhi CM asking if Manish Sisodia, who is named to have provided undue benefits to liquor licensees, would “lose his memory too?”

Notable, the Delhi government’s excise department is headed by deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia.

However, the Delhi CM has come out in open support for his deputy calling the latter “honest” and alleged that the BJP cannot see the AAP “rise to the national level”, and therefore the party is resorting to such measures.

Delhi BJP leaders and workers protested against the new Liquor Policy of the AAP Government, outside the residence of Manish Sisodia on Saturday. Following the incident, the protesters were detained by the Police.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur attacked Kejriwal and accused him of shielding the “corrupt” after Delhi’s lieutenant governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the Delhi Excise Policy over alleged violations of procedural lapses.

Union Minister further said that “AAP government has set new records of corruption.”

“You’ve sheltered the corrupt and the way in which you lied on TV yesterday and couldn’t respond to any of BJP’s allegations shows that LG’s recommendation to MHA holds ground. Corrupt ministers should resign. A corrupt man like you has no right to be in power,” Union Minister Anurag Thakur told ANI.

Highlighting Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, who’s in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case, Thakur said,” You’re (Arvind Kejriwal) silent on LG’s letter to MHA for CBI probe into corruption allegations. It shows corruption by your people under your nose. There were allegations against Satyendar Jain who lost his memory in jail. Will Manish Sisodia too lose memory?”

Atishi further said that the court would slam the government after the case is over for “filing a case without any proof”. She also claimed that if there is one person PM Modi is “scared of”, it is Arvind Kejriwal.

“When the case would be over in a few months, the court would slam them for filing a case without any proof. The entire country can see that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scared of Arvind Kejriwal and therefore he is after him. PM Modi has proved that if he is scared of one person in the country, it is Kejriwal,” she said.

“Kejriwal ji should give full details of this scam on the basis of facts,” Union Minister Lekhi said at a press briefing.

“Before you give yourself a certificate of integrity you have to be honest. Not answering the questions will not work, because in a democracy questions are asked and it is necessary to answer them,” Lekhi said on CM Kejriwal.

There are other issues that have become matters of major friction: the delay in holding MCD elections and Delhi LG rejecting Kejriwal’s permission to visit Singapore for a summit on cities.

Recently, the Delhi LG returned the proposal regarding the Singapore visit of Kejriwal to attend the ‘Eighth World Cities Summit and WCS Mayors Forum’, and advised him not to attend a conference that is prima facie a conference of mayors not befitting attendance by a Chief Minister.

However, ignoring the LG’s suggestion, the AAP convener said he differs with the former’s advice and would go ahead with the visit.

After this, Kejriwal skipped the weekly meeting called by LG Saxena on Friday.

In return, the AAP sources alleged that the LG had “skipped” a similar meeting on July 8.

Responding to the claims by the party, the LG office sources said that Saxena had not “skipped” the meeting on the said date, rather he was in Jaipur to attend the Northern Zonal Council Meeting.

“Delhi LG convenes such meetings. He doesn’t need to ‘skip’ them. If at all, LG will cancel such meetings. Besides, LG had not ‘skipped’ the meeting. He was in Jaipur that day to attend the Northern Zonal Council Meeting. Dy CM Manish Sisodia was also there,” said the LG office sources. (ANI)