July 2023 - Page 24 of 49 - Lokmarg

Modi Meets Abu Dhabi Crown Prince In UAE

By LokMarg 15th July 2023

Kickstarting the final leg of his two-nation visit on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, PM Modi was welcomed by Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the airport.

Expressing his gratitude over warm welcome to the Gulf nation, PM Modi took to Twitter to post, “Grateful to Crown Prince HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for welcoming me at the airport today.”

On his arrival at the Abu Dhabi airport, PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome.

“Furthering – partnership! PM @narendramodi arrives in Abu Dhabi to a ceremonial welcome. Warmly received by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, HH Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the airport,” the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi, tweeted.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will meet with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on critical bilateral issues.

The PM emplaned for the UAE earlier on Saturday after concluding his two-day visit to France.

PM Modi called his France visit “memorable”, adding that it was more remarkable as he participated in the Bastille Day celebrations. He also expressed gratitude to French President Emmanuel Macron and the people of France for their warmth and hospitality.

PM Modi, who was on a two-day official visit to France, participated in the Bastille Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour, on Friday. He visited France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron.

“To mark the 25th anniversary of the India-France Strategic Partnership, a 241-member tri-service Indian armed forces contingent led by a military band also participated in the Parade,” the PMO said in a statement.

Just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said that its economic partnership with India “is a significant milestone in the history of both nations”.

The UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said in an interview that the UAE-India non-oil trade is expected to reach USD 100 billion a year by 2030.

Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi noted that UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) was designed to deliver a new era of growth and opportunity.

CEPA is an agreement signed between India and UAE on February 18, 2022, and came into force on May 1, 2022. The agreement was signed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Speaking about the success of the CEPA between India and the UAE, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi said, “There is little question that the UAE-India Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement will come to be regarded as a significant milestone in the history of both nations.”

“By removing or reducing tariffs on 80 per cent of goods, eliminating unnecessary barriers to trade, creating new platforms for investment, and opening government procurement to each other’s private sector, the UAE-India CEPA was designed to deliver a new era of growth and opportunity – and, ultimately, boost bilateral non-oil trade beyond USD 100 billion by 2030,” he added. (ANI)

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Ensure All Amenities In Relief Camps: PWD Min Atishi Writes To Chief Secy

By LokMarg 15th July 2023

Delhi PWD Minister Atishi on Saturday directed the chief secretary to ensure that all amenities are provided to people sheltered in relief camps.

Marooned locals residing on the banks of the Yamuna were evacuated and shifted to relief camps after the river breached the danger mark, resulting in water spilling over and flooding several parts of the national capital.
The PWD minister said since Friday, there have been complaints of inadequate facilities at the relief camps, adding that the people sheltered there claimed a shortage of water, inadequate toilets, electricity and poor quality of food.

The AAP leader, in a letter addressed to the chief secretary, directed him to act against officers found wanting in discharging their duties, which further compounded the woes of the displaced locals.

“I have been trying to get in touch with the divisional commissioner since morning but he is not answering my phone calls or responding to my messages,” read the notification issued by the office of the Atishi Minister to Chief Secretary

“The people of the city, who have been evacuated from their homes because of the flood, are our responsibility and need to be provided with every possible facility. Chief Secretary is hereby directed to ensure that all facilities are provided in relief camps and to take action against any officer whose laxity might cause difficulties to people in these camps,” the minister wrote further in her letter.

“Yamuna River water is receding and the people of Delhi will soon get respite in the next 12 hours,” the Delhi minister said earlier.

Several areas in the national capital went under water as the Yamuna flowed over the danger mark following heavy and incessant rainfall and the release of water from the Hathnikund Barrage in neighbouring Haryana.

Meanwhile, the water levels in the Yamuna River showed a steady decline as it was recorded at 207.98 metres at the Old Railway Bridge at 11 pm on Friday, the official data of Central Water Commission (CWC) stated.

Delhi government informed further that a total of 25,478 people were evacuated as the Yamuna crossed the danger mark. (ANI)

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58 NDRF Teams Deployed In Flood-Affected Punjab, Himachal, Haryana, U’khand, Delhi

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

A total of 58 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are deployed in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and Delhi, where torrential rainfall and the release of water from barrages have resulted in unprecedented floods.

Among these 58 NDRF teams, 16 are deployed in Delhi, 11 each in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, and 10 teams in Punjab and Haryana each, said the NDRF.
In view of the prevailing situation, these 58 NDRF teams have been deployed in flood-affected areas of these states for rescue and relief work in coordination with the state administration.

Till now, the NDRF said, its teams have rescued 1,423 people from difficult areas and evacuated 4,404 people to safer places in Delhi.

Besides, the NDRF teams are conducting regular rescue and evacuation operations in flood-prone areas in other states also.

Overall, during the current monsoon season, the NDRF has rescued more than 2,039 precious lives and evacuated 13,965 people and several live stocks, said the NDRF.

The force is also providing medical assistance to needy people and distributing relief material in coordination with the State administration and Police.

NDRF’s control room in its Headquarters in Delhi is closely monitoring the situation and is in close coordination with concerned authorities and stakeholders. (ANI)

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Superstar Vijay To Launch ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ On July 15

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

South superstar Vijay is about to start the ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ through his Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, a fan-club-turned-welfare-organisation from July 15, officials said on Friday.

According to officials, the actor is ready to start the ‘Thalapathy Vijay Institute’ across 234 constituencies in Tamil Nadu from July 15, which is also the birth anniversary of former Tamil Nadu chief minister Kumaraswami Kamaraj, popularly known as Kamarajar.
According to sources, Vijay’s initiative is aimed at helping provide education to poor students.

Officials added that the actor’s social schemes were gaining currency by the day.

Earlier, in June, packed theatres, giant cake-cutting ceremonies and feeding of the poor in Madurai marked the 49th birthday celebrations of one of the most popular actors in the Tamil cinema industry.

Speculations around Vijay’s foray into politics intensified days after he felicitated toppers of class 10 and 12 board exams from all the districts of Tamil Nadu.

His fans, who gathered in numbers at a private theatre in the Kalavasal area of Madurai, cut a 50 kg cake along with the theatre staff.

The cake was inscribed with a message saying, “Vijay will rule Tamil Nadu in 2026”.

The actor’s fan club also arranged distribution of food to the poor and needy across Madurai. The fans gifted free notebooks, pens and pencils to the students.

Also, as part of the event, a special screening of actor’s blockbuster ‘Master’ was also arranged in theatres across the district, drawing his fans in huge numbers at Madurai cinemas.

Earlier this month, Vijay attended an event at Chennai’s RK Convention Centre where students, who ranked in the top-3 in the class 10 and 12 boards, gathered. He distributed cash prizes, and certificates to them.

In a brief address at the event, the actor emphasised the importance of engaging in friendly discussions and urged caution in using social media platforms. He also emphasised the need to be vigilant as voters.

“In this age of information, a lot of the news that are in the public domain are dake. Do be fake news peddlers on social media,” the actor said, urging students to also read books and be informed about luminaries such as Dr BR Ambedkar, Periyar, and Kamarajar.

Earlier, the actor distributed free food to the poor and needy on May 28, World Hunger Day, across Tamil Nadu through his Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, officials said.

Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, better known as Vijay or Thalapathy, is one of India’s highest-paid actors in India and has appeared on Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list seven times. (ANI)

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Shakti, Padmini Get Into A Fun Dance For A Dance Reality Show

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

Veteran actor Shakti Kapoor recalled working with Padmini Kolhapuri in Dev Anand’s directorial ‘Swami Dada’ and how she used to tease him on the sets by calling him ‘Jeejs’. He also performed with his sister-in-law Padmini Kolhapuri on the dance reality show.

He shared, “Even before marriage, while I was shooting for the film Swami Dada, Padmini started calling me Jeejs on set. She understood my love for her sister, Shivangi Kolhapure, and Padmini knew I wished to marry her sister. Soon, every woman, not just Padmini, started referring to me as Jeej. I became an ‘International Jeejs’!”
Kapoor is married to Shivangi Kapoor, who is the elder sister of Padmini Kolhapure and Tejaswini Kolhapure.

During the show, they both performed on the stage with the contestants of ‘India’s Best Dancer 3’.

Padmini, accompanied by ‘India’s Best Dancer 3’’s boys, and Shakti Kapoor, with the girl contestants, performed on popular tracks like ‘Tunna Tunna’ from ‘Adharm’, ‘Tumse Milkar Na Jaane Kyu’ from ‘Pyar Jhukta Nahi’, ‘Puchho Na Yaar Kya Hua’ from ‘Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai’, ‘Gadbad Ho Gayee’ from ‘Chaal Baaz’, and ‘Aa Dekhen Zara’.

Judges Sonali Bendre, Geeta Kapur, and Terence Lewis are left spellbound by their dance moves.

On the work front, Shakti has essayed a number of quirky characters in his career like Nandu from ‘Raja Babu’, Crime Master Gogo from ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, Vikram in ‘Qurbani’, Chuttitya in ‘Gunda’ and others.

Talking about Padmini Kolhapure, she made her acting debut at seven in 1972. She is known for her films like ‘Prem Rog’, ‘Woh Saat Din’, ‘Zindagi’, ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ and others.

‘India’s Best Dancer 3’ airs on Sony Entertainment Television. (ANI)

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Mira Dives Into Freezing Lake

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

Mira Kapoor, wife of actor Shahid Kapoor, loves exploring nature, especially water bodies. She is literally a water baby.

As she is currently vacationing in Europe, she did not miss any chance to flaunt her love for water.
On Friday, she took to Instagram and shared a picture of herself as she ‘jumped into a freezing lake’ in Switzerland.

In the image, Mira can be seen in a black bikini as she jumped off a deck with her friend.

Sharing the scenic snap, Mira wrote, “Take the plunge!I cannot resist jumping into water – the sea, off a raft, into a river, a waterfall and finally I ticked off a lake.”

Mira also opened up about she inherited love for water bodies from her mother.

“On our summer holidays to the hills, my mom would have us all stop at every waterfall so she can take a dip.. the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree..So after lunch at the beautiful @aiolaalporto (the linguini was so good we went twice in a row) and a quick change later, fellow water baby @lamourage_ and I took one too many jumps into the freezing lake,” she added.

Mira’s adventurous picture has garnered loads of likes and comments.

“Jab we met scene vibes,” a social media user commented.

Mira’s brother-in-law Ishaan Khatter dropped a red heart emoji in the comment section.

Recently, Mira and Shahid marked their eighth wedding anniversary.

Mira shared a romantic picture with Shahid and captioned it, “Lights will guide you home. And you are home. Happy 8 baby.”

Shahid had also shared an adorable picture with Mira from their vacation and wrote, “In a sky full of stars …. I gave you my heart … go on and tear me apart … you will only find you in my heart (pl don’t kill me cause I made up my version of your fav song) happy anniversary my wife for life.”

Shahid and Mira are doting parents to daughter Misha and son Zain. (ANI)

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Kharge and rahul meet north eastern leaders

Kharge, Rahul To Meet Leaders Of North Eastern States Tomorrow

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi will meet the leaders of North Eastern States Congress units except Assam on Saturday to discuss the election strategy for the upcoming general elections scheduled next year.

The meeting will be held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 10 am.
On Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with leaders of the Uttarakhand Unit at the party headquarters in Delhi to review party preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024.

During the meeting, former Chief Minister of Uttrakhand Harish Rawat and PCC Chief Karan Mahara also remained present.

A similar meeting was held with leaders of Maharashtra Congress and discussed strategies to strengthen the party’s roots in the state.

During the meeting, they held discussions with the leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and took stock of the prevailing political situation, chalking out a three-point strategy to strengthen its base in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Loksabha elections and assembly polls in the state.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal, said that three major decisions were taken in the meeting. “All the senior leaders of the party will take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies. Secondly, from the month of September a ‘padayatra’ (foot march) will be carried out in every district of the state under a senior leader, which will be followed by a “bus yatra” in the month of December when all the leaders will jointly visit all the constituencies together,” Venugopal said.

“The meeting was quite fruitful and lasted for four hours and all the leaders have a unanimous belief that the Congress will sweep the parliamentary elections in Maharashtra. During the meeting Rahul Gandhi specially referred to the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra where he got a phenomenal response, which was among the best in the country,” he said further. (ANI)

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Alia, Ranveer Indulge In Fun Race To Recreate ‘What Jhumka’ Hook Step

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

Actors Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh are leaving no stone unturned to promote their upcoming film ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’.

After the interesting trailer and romantic song ‘Tum Kya Mile’, the makers unveiled a quirky dance number titled ‘What Jhumka’. Several fans shared reels on Instagram, grooving to the track and sharing their version of it.

Ranbir and Alia also created a fun reel. And guess who made the special appearance? None other than director Karan Johar.

On Friday, Ranveer took to Instagram and dropped the video.

In the clip, Ranveer and Alia are seen racing inside Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions office as they reach a point and start doing the hook step of the song.

“POV: When you simply have to make it in time for the Beat Drop,” he captioned the post.

Ranveer and Alia’s fun bond brought smile to the fans’ face.

“Hahaha cuties,” a social media user commented.

“How adorable,” another one wrote.

‘What Jhumka’ is sung by Arijit Singh and Jonita Gandhi. It is penned by Amitabh Bhattacharya.

The song also has a few lines from the iconic track ‘Jhoomka Gira Re Bareilly Ke Bazaar Mein’.

‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ is helmed by Karan Johar. Veteran stars Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan and Shabana Azmi are also a part of the film, which will hit the theatres on July 28.

‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ promises to be a wholesome, big-screen entertainer, blending Johar’s storytelling finesse with an impressive ensemble cast, grandeur and music. (ANI)

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Modi Meets Thought Leaders, Prominent Business People In Paris

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met thought leaders and some prominent business people during the second day of his visit to France.

The Prime Minister met prominent aerospace engineer and pilot Thomas Pesquet and Chanel CEO Leena Nair. He also met Charlotte Chopin, a yoga practitioner who will turn 100 soon.
PM Modi said Charlotte Chopin’s passion towards Yoga and fitness has only increased over the years.

“In Paris, I had the opportunity to meet the remarkable Charlotte Chopin. She began practising Yoga at the age of 50. She’s going to turn hundred soon but her passion towards Yoga and fitness has only increased over the years,” PM Modi said in a tweet.

PM Modi said he and Pesquet exchanged views on a wide range of subjects.

“When it comes to motivating youngsters towards science and space, Thomas Pesquet’s name figures prominently. It was a delight to meet him and exchange views on a wide range of subjects. His energy and insights are very valuable,” he said in a tweet.

Referring to his meeting with Leena Nair, PM Modi said they talked about ways to further boost skill development and make Khadi more popular.

“It’s always a delight to meet a person of Indian origin who has made a mark at the world stage. We had a great conversation about ways to further boost skill development among artisans and to make Khadi more popular,” he said.

PM Modi attended the lunch hosted by President of France’s National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet in Paris.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi attended the Bastille Day Parade on France’s National Day as the guest of honour at the invitation of President Emmanuel Macron.

The majestic parade, which had participation from contingents from Indian armed forces, took place under bright and sunny skies at Champs-Élysées in Paris.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between the two countries. (ANI)

Ajit Pawar Gets Finance, Planning Ministries

By LokMarg 14th July 2023

In a major Cabinet reshuffle led by the Eknath Shinde-led government in Maharashtra, the newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar has been entrusted with the finance and planning ministries

Another minister, Chhagan Bhujbal has been allotted the food and civil supplies ministry.
Cabinet Minister Anil Patil gets Relief and Rehabilitation, Disaster Management Department, Aditi Sunil Tatkare has been assigned the Women and Child Development.

While Dhananjay Munde gets Agriculture and Dilip Walse Patil gets Co-operative Department.

Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil gets Revenue, Animal Husbandry.

Earlier on Thursday, Maharashtra Industries Minister and Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant said that the coordination committee that will be coordinating the allocation of the ministries has been formed.

“The committee will coordinate among the three parties. There will be 12 leaders from all three parties in this coordination committee. Four leaders from each party have been named for the committee,” Sawant said.

He further said that the members from the BJP include, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Ashish Shelar, Prasad Lad and Chandrashekhar Bawankule while from Shiv Sena, Uday Samant, Shambhuraj Desai, Dada Bhuse and Rahul Shewale will be part of the team.

“From NCP, Dhananjay Munde, Dilip Walse Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare will be there,” he added.

Earlier on July 2, Ajit Pawar split the NCP down the middle as he joined the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in Maharashtra along with 8 senior MLAs and took oath as the state’s deputy chief minister for the fifth time. (ANI)

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