Russia Fully Support Of India

Russia Fully Supportive Of India Becoming Permanent Member Of UN Security Council

Voicing his support, Russia’s Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov, has said that Russia is fully supportive of India’s right to become a permanent United Nations Security Council member.

He underlined that the matter was also discussed in depth among the foreign ministers of both countries in December.

“Russia is fully supportive of India’s right to become a permanent UN Security Council member. This topic was also discussed in depth between the Foreign Ministers in December,” the Russian Ambassador said, while speaking at the public talk-international turbulence: Challenges and opportunities, here in the National Capital.

“The India’s permanent membership in the UN Security Council, given its balanced and independent approach to the most topical issues, and the concurrent Indian Presidencies in the G20 and in the SCO in 2023 have given an opportunity to efficiently promote the agenda of these crucial associations for the sake of overcoming the current economic upheavals, promoting Sustainable Development Goals, digital and energy transitions to enhance benefits for all but not a few, [1.9s] we extensively collaborate within the BRICS format,” the envoy added.

The Russian envoy emphasised that there were exchanges between the heads of Security Councils, foreign Ministers met seven times last year.

He said, “Received the Speaker of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of Russia Valentina Matviyenko. As also there were exchanges between the heads of Security Councils, foreign Ministers met seven times last year. This dynamic is a reflection of the high relevance of our dialogue in the current turbulent geopolitical scenario and is destined to remain so…”

“We stand like-minded in preserving the unbiased character of multilateral institutions, focusing on genuine democracy in international affairs and global governance based on the central role of the United Nations and international law, as opposed to the never-formulated rules-based order,” Alipov added.

“We resumed last year the work of the Intergovernmental Commission after the pandemic,” he said, adding that “Russia and India maintained steadfast bilateral relations underpinned with intensive political dialogue in 2023.”

Quite recently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Moscow on a 5-day trip, where he not only met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov but also President Vladimir Putin.

Jaishankar held extensive discussions with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on a wide range of global issues Indo-Pacific, Ukraine conflict as well as Gaza.

The two leaders also discussed progress in economic cooperation, connectivity efforts, military-technical cooperation and people-to-people exchange.

Jaishankar appreciated the India-Russia trade, which is at an all-time high. He said that the negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Eurasian Economic Union will resume in January next year.

The Eurasian Economic Union is an economic union of five post-Soviet states located in Eurasia. The five member nations are; Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

The EAM, in Moscow also announced that New Delhi is looking to expand its investments in oil and gas in which the two countries enjoy a very substantial relationship. Jaishankar said that amendments have been signed to take the Kudankulam nuclear power project forward.

He added that the two leaders also spoke about connectivity from the North-South Transport Corridor.

He called Russia India’s “valued and time-tested” partner, and said that India and Russia have benefited enormously from the relationship that the two nations share and added that the developments in various sectors, including trade, investment and military technical cooperation showcase a good sense of importance that New Delhi attaches to its ties with Moscow. (ANI)

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COVID-19

India Records 774 New Covid Cases

India recorded 774 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours according to the Union Health Ministry.

As per official data, two deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours – one each in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.

With this, the total count of coronavirus cases in India since its outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,17,431 with an increase of 774 cases in the last 24 hours. The death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to, 5,33,387 reflecting an increase of two deaths in the last 24 hours.

The total number of COVID-19 cases that have recovered in India are 4,44,79,804, an increase of 919 since yesterday morning.

34,660 tests were done on 5 January 2024, as per the official report by the Indian Council of Medical Research.

A total of 220,67,81,345 vaccinations have been completed in India uptill now since the outbreak of the virus.

As per the official data by the Ministry of Health, the maximum number of cases have been reported from Southern India among which 1169 cases have been reported in Karnataka, 1160 in Kerala, 188 in Tamil Nadu and 931 in Maharashtra.

Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj earlier said that there is such a pattern that after the increase in Corona cases in South India, the cases also increased in North India.

He urged citizens not to panic but emphasized the importance of taking precautions.

“All the positive cases coming in RTPCR test, we are sending those samples for genome sequencing. Currently, there is not a single positive case of the new variant in Delhi,” stated Minister Bhardwaj, providing insight into the rigorous testing and monitoring procedures in place. (ANI)

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T20 World Cup India Pakistan

ICC Announces 2024 T20 WC Schedule, India VS Pak On June 9

A new chapter will unfold in one of the oldest rivalries in cricket history as India will square off against Pakistan on June 9 in New York as the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday announced the schedule for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

ICC announced the schedule for the competition on Friday.

The tournament will kick off on June 1 and will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the US. India have been placed in Group A alongside Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and the US.

Ten of the 20 teams will play their first match of the 29-day tournament in the USA, with 16 contests to be held in Lauderhill, Dallas and New York and the blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan scheduled for the new Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Long Island on 9 June.

The US will play Canada in the opening game on June 1 while fellow hosts the West Indies will play Papua New Guinea in Guyana on the second day of group play.

The Men in Blue will open their campaign against Ireland on June 5. Their second game of the tournament will be against arch-rival Pakistan on June 9. The final two games will be against Canada and USA on June 12 and June 15 respectively.

This time 20 teams will take part in the T20 World Cup which is more than the 16 that took part in the 2022 tournament in Australia. The top two teams from each group will proceed to the Super 8 stage.

The 55 games of the competition will be played across six different venues in the West Indies (Kensington Oval, Barbados; Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad; Providence Stadium, Guyana; Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua; Darren Sammy Cricket Ground, St Lucia; Arnos Vale Stadium, St Vincent) and three venues in the USA (Eisenhower Park, New York; Lauderhill, Florida; and Grand Prairie, Texas).

The Group Stage will be played from June 1 to June 18. The Super 8 stage will be played from June 19 to June 24.

The final four stage – semi-finals will be played on June 26 and June 27. The tournament will conclude on June 29.

Group B consists of the last two winners of the Men’s T20 World Cup in England and Australia, with the pair to take on Namibia, Scotland and Oman.

The West Indies are placed into Group C alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, Uganda and Papua New Guinea, while Group D sees South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands and Nepal fixtured against each other.

T20 World Cup Groups:

Group A: India, Pakistan, Ireland, Canada, USA

Group B: England, Australia, Namibia, Scotland, Oman

Group C: New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, Uganda, Papua New Guinea

Group D: South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Nepa.l (ANI)

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India Nepal Power Deal

India, Nepal Ink Power Deal; Nepal To Sell 10k MW Electricity in 10 Yrs

Kathmandu and New Delhi on Thursday inked a long-term agreement on electricity trade, as part of which Nepal will export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India over the next ten years.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Nepal’s Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet.

Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Gopal Sigdel and India’s Energy Secretary Pankaj Agrawal signed the agreement on behalf of the two countries.

The bilateral understanding on electricity exports was reached during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s visit to India from May 31 to June 3, last year. During the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed India’s commitment to long-term

electricity purchase from Nepal and both nations reached a consensus in this regard.

The Council of Ministers in India has already endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached between the two neighbours in this regard. The agreement was signed during the ongoing two-day visit of External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar, starting Thursday.

Further, by virtue of this agreement, various government and private entities in India will engage in power trade with Nepal through short-term, medium-term, and long-term contracts. Private sectors in Nepal can also participate in the import and export of electricity after completing the necessary procedures.

In the joint statement issued during the visit of the Nepalese PM to India last year, the premiers of both nations said the power export deal was historic and significant.

Nepal has already devised an energy development strategy with an objective of producing 28,000 MW of electricity in the next 12 years.

Of the 28,000 MW of power, a target has been set to export 15,000 MW of electricity to different countries, including India. Earlier, a delegation led by the Indian Energy secretary paid a courtesy call to Nepalese Energy Minister Basnet.

Expressing happiness over the start of a meaningful cooperation between the two countries in the energy space, Basnet pointed to the need for taking it to a logical conclusion.

He stated that the deal to export 10,000 MW of electricity in the next 10 years would take the relations between the two countries to new heights. The Energy minister urged Indian officials to accelerate other projects and complete them within the stipulated time while voicing hope of further investment in large projects across sectors. (ANI)

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COVID-19

India Records Six Covid-19 Deaths, Total Active Caseload At 4,097

India recorded 692 fresh cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours. The total active caseload increased by four, reaching 4,097, according to Union Health Ministry data.

As per official data, six deaths have been reported in the country in the last 24 hours – two in Maharashtra, and one each in Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, and West Bengal.

With this, the total count of coronavirus cases in India since its outbreak in January 2020 has reached 4,50,10,944, with an increase of 702 cases in the last 24 hours. The total death toll due to COVID-19 cases in India has risen to 5,33,346, reflecting an increase of six deaths in the last 24 hours.

On Wednesday, Delhi reported its first case of the COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1.

“Delhi reports the first case of JN.1, a Sub-Variant of Omicron. Out of the three samples sent for Genome Sequencing, one is JN.1, and two are Omicron,” Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

Notably, the JN.1 sub-variant is a descendant of the Omicron subvariant known as BA.2.86 or Pirola. The first case of the JN.1 variant of COVID-19 was reported in Kerala.

A total of 109 cases of the JN.1 sub-variant have been detected in India until Wednesday, as per Health Ministry sources. However, the World Health Organisation emphasized that the overall risk posed by JN.1 remains low based on current evidence.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has issued guidelines for COVID-19 suspected or positive cases that will be reported at hospitals following the sudden surge in the cases of Coronavirus in the country.

AIIMS Delhi director held a meeting with all heads of departments of the hospital on COVID-19 contingency measures on Wednesday. In the meeting, policies on COVID-19 testing, the areas to be designated for positive patients, and their hospitalization were discussed. (ANI)

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Airbus A350-900 aircraft New York Newark

Air India’s First A350 Aircraft Arrives In Delhi

Air India officially took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 on Saturday, making history as the first Indian carrier to operate the aircraft type.

“Air India, India’s leading global airline, today welcomed the first of 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, registered VT-JRA, in the airline’s bold new livery, marking a turning point in its ongoing transformation story,” an official statement issued by the airline said.

The aircraft arrived in New Delhi at 13:46 Hrs (local time) on Saturday from the Airbus facility in Toulouse, France.

The delivery flight, operated using a special call sign AI350, was welcomed by Air India representatives.

Air India’s Senior Commander Captain Monika Batra Vaidya, who is among the first few Indian pilots to be trained on A350, was on board as an observer.

Air India leads the way in catalysing the renaissance of Indian aviation, inducting the first new wide-body fleet type in India in more than a decade, and thus, becoming the first Indian airline to fly the A350.

Air India was also the first Indian airline to have inducted the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet type in 2012.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said that the moment marked a red-letter day for all at Air India.

“The A350 is not just metal and engines; it’s the flying embodiment of the relentless efforts of all Air India employees towards our airline’s continuing transformation and of our commitment to setting new benchmarks. It is also, in many ways, a declaration of Indian aviation’s resurgence on the world stage,” he said.

He further said that as a symbol of the new age of flying, the A350 promises a world-class, long-haul travel experience on the airline’s non-stop routes, providing an unparalleled level of comfort.

“Its excellent flight economics and state-of-the-art technology underscore our dedication to commercially successful operations and to achieving our sustainability goals,” Wilson added.

Air India’s A350 will enter commercial service in January 2024, initially operating domestically for crew familiarisation, followed by longer-haul flying to destinations across continents. The schedule of commercial operations with the A350 will be announced in the coming weeks.

Air India’s A350-900 aircraft comes in a three-class cabin configuration with 316 seats designed by Collins Aerospace: 28 private Business Class suites with full-flat beds, 24 Premium Economy seats with extra legroom and multiple other differentiating features, and 264 spacious Economy Class seats.

The aircraft is the first of Air India’s 20 Airbus A350-900S on order, with five more scheduled for deliveries through March 2024. Air India’s firm orders for 250 new aircraft with Airbus include 20 A350-1000.

Earlier this week, the airline started the rollout of its new global brand identity across guest touchpoints, having launched a new consumer-facing website and mobile app. Last week, the airline unveiled its much-anticipated new collection of uniforms for cabin and cockpit crew designed by Indian celebrity couturier, Manish Malhotra.

Air India’s cabin crew and pilots will be seen in the new uniforms starting with the entry of service of the A350.

Recently, Tata-owned Air India has outlined ambitious expansion plans, with an order for 40 Airbus A350 aircraft set to be integrated gradually in the upcoming years.

Air India has solidified its order for 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing flights, collectively valued at USD 70 billion at list prices.

This strategic move comes as the airline aims for a turnaround under its new ownership, Tata. Air India secured purchase agreements for these aircraft with Airbus and Boeing during the Paris Air Show in June of this year. (ANI)

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AIIMS Covid-19

No Plans To Make RT-PCR Testing Mandatory For COVID At Airports

Amid an uptick in coronavirus infections in India, there is no plan so far to make RT-PCR testing for Covid 19 mandatory at Airports for travellers in the country, official sources in the Health Ministry said on Thursday.

“Currently there is no plan so far to make RT-PCR testing for Covid mandatory at airports,” official sources told ANI.

India had issued revised guidelines dropping the requirement for RT-PCR-based testing of a random 2 per cent of travellers entering India in the month of July.

According to official sources, India reported 21 total cases of COVID-19 JN.1 sub-variant and there is no increase in hospitalisation rates.

There is also no increase in hospitalisation cases and COVID-19 is an incidental finding in people hospitalised due to other medical conditions.

“The hospitalised cases are due to other medical conditions and COVID-19 is an incidental finding,” said official sources.

In the last two weeks, a total number of 23 deaths have been reported so far sources said further.

On Thursday India recorded 594 fresh Covid19 infections while the number of active cases increased to 2,669 from 2,311 reported on Wednesday. (ANI)

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Oman Rupee Trade

Possibility Of Rupee Trade With Oman: FS Kwatra

Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra on Saturday said that discussions are underway between India and Oman about utilising the UPI stack, adding that talks on the possibility of Rupee trade which is an “important element of cooperation,’ is still at the “exploratory stage”.

Kwatra’s remarks came while addressing a special briefing at the Ministry of External Affairs on the State Visit of the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik, to India.

“Another element of discussion where we would try to move forward is the possibility of Rupee trade which can work between the two countries but this is still at an exploratory stage but can be an important element of cooperation going forward,” Kwatra said while responding to ANI question.

On talks of digital payment cooperation between Oman and India, the Foreign Secretary said both sides discussed utilising the UPI stack with the potential corresponding digital stack in the Omanis ecosystem.

“There are also other elements of the Indian stack in terms of the digital infrastructure that can be suitable to Omanis priorities with regard to using now financial inclusion and financial technology payment systems; those are only one element of it but the interface of the UPI with a corresponding Oman platform is something we can talk about,” he added.

Kwatra also talked about the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and mentioned that the negotiations have started recently, which have made substantial progress in the last few rounds of discussion and both leaders gave strong impetus to conclude it as early as possible.

“An area that featured very prominently in the discussions between the two leaders was ongoing discussions between the two countries for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Although the negotiations on CEPA have started only recently, they have made substantial progress in the last few rounds of discussion and both leaders gave strong impetus and push to conclude the CEPA Agreement as early as possible,” Kwatra said.

Briefing further on the Sultan of Oman’s maiden visit to India, Kwatra said, “This is the first visit of Sultan of Oman to India. This is also the first state visit from Oman to India in the last 26 years. Some of you would recall that the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said visited India in 1997 and he was also awarded the Gandhi Peace Prize for 2019 posthumously.”

The visit gained added importance due to the recent exchanges between the two nations, including Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Sultanate of Oman in February 2018.

Kwatra underscored the significance of Oman’s successful participation as a special guest country in the G20 during India’s presidency, particularly at the G20 summit in September.

“Most recently in our exchanges over the last few years. PM Modi visited the Sultanate of Oman in February 2018. The visit by His Majesty is also important as it follows Oman’s very successful participation as a special guest country in the G20 during the India Presidency and their participation, particularly at the summit of the G20 in September this year,” said the Foreign Secretary.

Kwatra also highlighted the strategic partnership between India and Oman, which is rooted in a long history of cultural ties and has evolved into a comprehensive collaboration spanning political, security, defence, trade, economic, cultural, and people-to-people relations. “India shares a special relationship with Oman anchored in an old history of contacts between our people today,” he said.

Notably, India and Oman are key partners in maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean, reflecting the depth of their cooperation.

“Our relationship has turned into a strategic partnership characterised by strong cooperation across a range of areas in diverse fields. India and Oman are partners for maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. Both sides enjoy robust and multi-dimensional defence engagement,” the Foreign Secretary added.

Kwatra acknowledged the strong bond shared by the two nations and the special role played by the Indian diaspora in Oman, numbering around seven million individuals who have significantly contributed to the development of Oman’s economy.

“Oman is also home to a large Indian diaspora. About seven Indians called Oman their home and, in the process, made significant and meaningful contributions to the development of the Omanis economy,” he also said.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held delegation-level talks with the Sultan of Oman, Haitham bin Tarik, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

“Transforming India-Oman ties! PM @narendramodi held productive discussions with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman. The leaders reviewed bilateral relationship covering the areas of political, security, defence, trade, economic, cultural and people to people ties. They also exchanged perspectives on regional and international issues,” posted MEA spokersperson Arindam Bagchi on X, following their meeting.

The two leaders adopted a new ‘India-Oman joint vision, a partnership for the future’ under which both countries will work in ten different areas.

The Sultan of Oman was also accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday, the second day of his state visit to India.

The Sultan was received by Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, as he arrived at the Delhi airport on Friday for a three-day state visit. (ANI)

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Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik

Oman Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik Lands In Delhi For Maiden India Visit

Oman Sultan Haitham bin Tarik has landed at the national capital airport for his maiden visit to India.

He was welcomed by V Muraleedharan, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs of India.

Notably, MoS MEA Muraleedharan paid an official visit to the Sultanate of Oman from October 18 to 19 earlier this year.

“His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik of Oman arrives to a warm welcome in New Delhi on his first State Visit to India. Received by @MOS_MEA at the airport. The visit will further reinforce the longstanding friendship and cooperation between India & Oman and strengthen bilateral ties,” posted MEA spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi on X.

The Sultan of Oman has begun his three-day state visit to India today.

He is visiting the country with a high-level delegation of senior ministers and officials, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in an official release.

India and Oman share a long-standing friendship rooted in historical, cultural, and economic ties. Moreover, people-to-people contact between India and Oman can be traced back 5,000 years.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1955, and the relationship was upgraded to a strategic partnership in 2008.

According to MEA, this will be the first state visit of Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to India and marks a significant milestone in the diplomatic relations between India and Oman.

Upon arrival here in the national capital, Oman’s Sultan will also be called on by the External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar today (Friday), the MEA said in a release.

The Sultan of Oman is visiting India at the invitation of President Droupadi Murmu and will be received by PM Modi and President Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for a ceremonial welcome on December 16.

He will also visit the National Gallery of Modern Art here and hold a meeting with PM Modi at Hyderabad House on day two of his visit.

During his visit, PM Modi will also host a luncheon in his honour.

The visit will be an opportunity to explore avenues for future collaboration between India and Oman for regional stability, progress and prosperity, the MEA release said.

Oman is India’s closest defence partner in the Gulf region as well, and defence cooperation has emerged as a key pillar of the strategic partnership between India and Oman, according to MEA.

Oman is the only country in West Asia with which all three services of the Indian Armed Forces conduct regular bilateral exercises and service-level staff talks.

Given the strong relationship with Oman, India also extended a special invitation to the Sultanate of Oman to participate in the G20 Summit and meetings as a guest country under India’s G20 Presidency.

Oman actively participated in over 150 working group meetings, and nine ministers from Oman participated in various G20 ministerial meetings. (ANI)

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Madhya Pradesh elections

Assembly Elections: MP Records 60.52% Polling Till 3 PM

A voter turnout of 60.52 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in 230 assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh elections which are underway on Friday, the Elections Commission of India said.

Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 45.40 per cent till 1 pm.

However, as per the poll commission, Agar Malwa of MP recorded 69.96 per cent of voter turnout, while Alirajpur recorded 50.66 per cent till 3 pm.

62.47 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Anuppur, 63.66 in Betul, 45.34 per cent in the capital city- Bhopal, and 67.09 per cent in former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Kamla Nath’s constituency- Chhindwara.

In Damoh it was recorded at 64.83 per cent, Datia at 58.34 per cent, Guna at 63.10 per cent while in Indore, it was 54.89 per cent till 3 pm.

Voting for 230 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh began at 7 am on Friday.

Madhya Pradesh is proving to be a tough fight for the BJP, with the fatigue factor associated with sitting Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has been in power for close to two decades.

Webcasting has also been made available at about 42,000 polling stations.

Nearly 700 companies of the central forces and two lakh police personnel of the state have been deployed for security during the poll.

The election will decide the electoral fates of over 2,500 candidates.

Nearly 5.59 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. It includes 2.87 crore male and 2.71 crore women voters. There are over 5,000 booths run by women and 183 polling stations run by the disabled, officials said.

The polls, coming nearly six months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, are crucial for both the BJP and Congress for various reasons.

The counting of votes for the five states including Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram will be done on December 3. (ANI)

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