India

Mandya (Karnataka), April 8 (IANS) Responding to rumours suggesting that there is a difference of opinion between the BJP and his party, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy clarified on Tuesday that “the JD (S)-BJP alliance is strong, and there’s no need for doubt.”

Speaking to reporters in Mandya city, Kumaraswamy stated, “Former CM and senior BJP leader D.V. Sadananda Gowda himself has suggested the formation of a JD (S)-BJP coordination committee. Many senior leaders have also recommended it. There is no threat to the alliance,” he added.

When asked about the BJP’s Janakrosha protest, Kumaraswamy said, “They are fighting to strengthen their party. They didn’t invite us. It’s their party’s event, and they have said so themselves. They are protesting against the Congress-led government. There’s no rift in the alliance. All are firmly together. Each party is working on its own organisational goals,” Kumaraswamy stated.

Launching a scathing attack on Minister for Agriculture N. Cheluvarayaswamy, Kumaraswamy said, "His claim that he made me the Chief Minister is the biggest joke. He should not forget that it was the MLAs who made me the CM."

Responding strongly to journalists' questions about Cheluvarayaswamy’s statement, Kumaraswamy further said, "The MLAs were with me, and that person knows it too. Did the MLAs come looking at his face? They came because they believed in me. Isn’t he aware of all this?"

"He is 100 per cent a joker. The ‘joker culture’ originated in the Congress party, and he should not forget that. Everyone knows where he was and where he went later. There’s no need to respond to such a person," he said, indirectly referring to the minister without naming him.

Reacting to Minister Cheluvarayaswamy’s challenge to take an oath at the Hindu pilgrimage centre Dharmasthala in this regard, Kumaraswamy said, "I am ready to take the oath. When I became CM, did the MLAs come looking at his face? The struggle I went through to make him a minister was immense. He wouldn't let me sleep till 3 am. Did 50 MLAs come because of him? He should not forget the effort I made on his behalf."

“I don’t have the kind of habits he has. If you ask people in Mandya about his habits, they talk about them on the streets. It's inappropriate to discuss such things -- it's in bad taste. The people of Mandya know what kind of taste he has. I know how many households this person has ruined. I never craved for money. I worked around the clock among the people, doing Janata Darshans and village stays. Serving the people is my personal commitment. I don’t have any of his vices. God is watching everything," Kumaraswamy said emotionally.

He said, “Is discussing one's personal life important? When we stay close to such treacherous people, problems are bound to arise. No human is perfect. God gives us a chance to correct our mistakes. I’ve admitted in the Assembly that I made a mistake once in my life. I’ve never said I’m faultless. But I know what all that man has done. Let’s move beyond these things and discuss people’s welfare,” Kumaraswamy opined.

Minister Cheluvarayaswamy was once a close associate of Union Minister Kumaraswamy and close to former PM H.D. Deve Gowda's family. Quitting the JD (S) party, along with other leaders, he joined the Congress and went on to become Minister.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, April 8 (IANS) Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has raised concerns over the availability of unsafe packaged mineral water bottles in the state and urged people to be cautious while purchasing them.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Minister Rao said, “People should be aware. Packaged mineral water is available under various brands everywhere. However, when tested for safety, many of them fail to meet the standards. This has become a matter of concern for us.”

He further stated, “We are collecting legal samples from all packaged mineral water brands. This will allow us to take legal action against the companies. Once the samples are tested, we will begin initiating action.”

“Some samples have been found to be substandard due to the lack of certain minerals. While this may not be highly dangerous, water samples found to be unsafe contain harmful chemicals and bacteria, which pose serious health risks,” the Health Minister added.

He added that the Office of the Commissioner, Food Safety and Drug Administration, and the government of Karnataka’s Food Safety Division have undertaken measures in this regard.

He said as part of the special campaign in February 2025, 296 drinking water bottle samples were collected for analysis.

“Out of the 255 collected samples, 72 samples were found safe, 95 samples were unsafe, and 88 samples were of substandard quality. The analysis of remaining samples is in progress. To verify the use of artificial colours in Fried green peas, 115 samples were collected and sent for analysis. Out of these, 46 samples were found safe, while 69 samples were found unsafe,” he said.

He said that the department has also collected 49 ghee samples for analysis, out of which 6 samples were tested and found safe.

“The remaining samples are under analysis. Out of 43 Khova samples, nine were analysed. Three were found to be substandard quality, and six samples were found safe,” he said.

The minister added that out of 231 Paneer samples, 32 were analysed, of which two samples were found unsafe.

“In 198 sweet samples, two were found unsafe; 119 khara (namkeen) mixture samples 4 found to be unsafe. Out of 46 local brands of juice/beverage samples, 39 ice candy samples and 107 ice cream samples were collected and sent for analysis,” he added.

He said that the department states that 92 food production/sales units of juices, ice candy, and ice creams were issued notices after inspections revealed violations, and 6 units were fined Rs 38,000, Minister Rao stated.

“Notices are issued to 214 hotels/restaurants for non-compliance, and 11 establishments were fined Rs 1.15 lakh. The hotels were inspected to assess pest control measures for cockroaches, rodents and other insects,” he said.

The minister added that the Drug Administration division had drawn 1,891 samples by the enforcement officers in the interest of public health and analysed them in the Drugs Testing Laboratories at Bengaluru, Hubballi and Ballari.

“Among them, 1,298 samples are declared as standard quality and 41 are declared as not of standard quality in the month of March 2025. In the year 2024-25, a total of 10 cases have been filed, and in March 2025, a total of 18 cases were filed in various courts under the violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules thereunder,” he said.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) Amid rising fund requirement due to the constraints in revenue mobilisation internally, the Maharashtra Finance Department on Tuesday released the notification with regard to the guidelines for externally supported loans to finance various projects in the state.

The Finance Department has clearly said the concerned department will take adequate care to ensure that while raising the externally supported loans, the revenue and fiscal deficits will remain within the stipulated limits prescribed in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act,2003.

“External assistance loans are part of the Net Borrowing Ceiling approved by the Central government. Therefore, while raising external assistance loans, these loans should be within the limits of the second financial year as per the FRBM Act and should be within the Net Borrowing Ceiling approved by the Central Government. Be careful to stay within the ceiling limits,” said the government notification.

The state government is required to limit the fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of the GSDP as per the FRBM Act. The budget for year 2025-26 has managed to keep the fiscal deficit at 2.7 per cent, which had gone to 2.9 per cent in the previous fiscal. The guidelines have specified that these loans should not be treated as a source to fulfill financial needs.

As per the guidelines, “The said loan will have to be used only for execution of the works and procurement of goods and services required for the specific project as provided in the Project Agreement.”

“Since the state government is responsible for the implementation of the project as per the project specifications, such as the implementation charges and foreign exchange risk for the external assistance loans provided to the state governments, the concerned administrative department will take care of the efficiency of the project as per the project specifications,” said the notification.

External assistance is mainly provided through multilateral agencies, bilateral agencies, international financial institutions like IBRD, IDA, IFAD, ADB, NDB, KfW, JICA, and through the Central government.

The guidelines have also mandated the administrative department to seek a loan to create a Preliminary Project Report (PPR) with the help of Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA).

MITRA was established in November 2022 to achieve rapid and comprehensive development of the state on the lines of NITI Aayog’s policy through the participation of the private sector and non-government organisations, taking into account the needs of the state. The concerned department will have to seek the approval of the chief minister for going in for externally supported loans based on PPR.

With approval from the Chief Minister, it will be uploaded on the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA). After the 'approved' remark from the Planning Department, it will be presented to the concerned ministries in the Centre and Niti Aayog. Once approved by the screening committee of the DEA, a detailed project report (DPR) will be presented at the earliest.

“The Detailed Project should adequately reflect the Strategic elements of techno economic (economic viability, social cost benefit, value addition etc.) ecological (land use, ecological sustainability etc.), socio-cultural (target population and gender matters, participation, social impact, etc.), and institutional (institutional and organisational analysis, capacity building, training etc.) dimensions in the project design in measurable terms. An objective-oriented project design in a matrix format along with work plan, cost and time schedule indicating target/output, cash flow statement, etc. should also be a part of DPR,” said the guidelines.

(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at sanjay.j@ians.in)

--IANS

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New Delhi, April 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday declared that India is poised to soon become the world’s third-largest economy.

"In just a few years, we've risen from the world's 11th largest economy to the 5th largest," said the Prime Minister, underlining the rapid economic progress.

As of 2025, India remains the fifth largest economy globally, trailing behind the US, China, Germany, and Japan in terms of total GDP.

Addressing a media house event, PM Modi highlighted the government’s achievements during the first 100 days of 2025, stressing the importance of youth aspirations in shaping the nation’s future.

"Youth aspiration has been the focus of the first 100-day decisions of the government. We have exempted tax on Rs 12 lakh income, which will benefit young professionals. We became the fourth largest nation to allow satellite docking and undocking, we are opening the nuclear energy sector like we did with the space sector, and we also announced the decision to set up the 8th Pay Commission. The gig economy will also receive social security coverage," he said, asserting that inclusivity is not just a promise but a policy.

He underlined “the mantra of performance" as the energy behind Rising Bharat.

Emphasising that delaying projects hampers the nation’s progress, while performance and swift action drive development, the PM said, “Delay is the enemy of development, and our government is committed to defeating this enemy”. He cited the example of Assam’s Bogibeel Bridge, whose foundation was laid by former Prime Minister Deve Gowda in 1997 and initiated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. However, the project stalled under subsequent governments, causing hardships for millions in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, he added. He highlighted that his government restarted the project in 2014 and completed it within four years, in 2018.

He also mentioned Kerala’s Kollam Bypass Road project, which had been pending since 1972. He noted that the previous governments worked on it for 50 years, while the project was completed within five years, under his government.

Discussing the upcoming WAVE Summit, an initiative by the government, PM Modi remarked, “We have a vibrant movie, podcast, and gaming industry, and we have decided to take it to the next level by the ‘Create in India’ move through the WAVE platform.”

--IANS

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Agartala, April 8 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working tirelessly for the overall welfare of the indigenous people of the state, and the BJP government is also working in line with the direction of PM Modi.

Addressing a party programme at Takarjala in Sepahijala district, the Chief Minister said that PM Modi is working vigorously for the overall welfare of the tribals in India, including Tripura.

“He always thinks about the development of the indigenous people, and the state government is also working in that direction,” Saha said, adding that if indigenous people join the BJP, the country and the state would be stronger.

He said that the conference was organised for the active members of the party and various important issues were discussed during the conference.

“Talks were also held with various people. In this conference, about 140 members from 50 families have joined the BJP. They have mainly joined our party from the opposition Congress and the CPI-M. I welcome them on behalf of the BJP,” said Saha.

The Chief Minister told the indigenous people, as the Prime Minister has been thinking about the tribal people and the government is also considerate about them, if the tribals join the BJP, both the indigenous people and the state would be beneficial.

Saha added that his government is no longer just the government of the BJP people alone, it is for all people as the party’s vision is ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas’.

The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) and Tipra Motha Party are the allies of the BJP, and the government always takes decisions and strategies about the tribals after discussions with all the parties.

The top leadership of the tribal wing of the BJP, Janjati Morcha, were present at the conference. One-third of Tripura’s four million population is tribals (indigenous people), and they play a crucial role in the state’s electoral politics.

--IANS

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Mumbai, April 8 (IANS) The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on Tuesday cleared the establishment of a State Institute of Disaster Management (SIDM) at Nagpur on the lines of the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM).

To effectively respond to natural and man-made disasters occurring in the state, the management and planning of disaster preparedness, mitigation, disaster risk, post-disaster relief and rehabilitation, reconstruction, as well as response, training will be done through the State Institute of Disaster Management (SIDM).

Ten acres of land have been made available for the organisation at Maharashtra Airport Development Authority (MIHAN) in Nagpur.

Approval has been given for the provision of funds of Rs 187.73 crore for the construction of the building of this organisation. Also, approval has been given for hiring cadre-wise regular and contractual/posts as well as technical consultants and the manpower required for the organisation according to the nature of work and the expenditure for the same.

The State Executive Committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will act as the regulatory committee for this organisation.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister today inaugurated the state-of-the-art State Emergency Operation Center at Mantralaya.

“Disaster management has gained technological strength due to the use of modern technology, a fast communication system and artificial intelligence (AI) in the State Emergency Operation Center. This newly developed State Emergency Operation Center will help give a fast, accurate and coordinated response during disasters. The use of new technology in the State Emergency Operation Center will not only help in handling the situation during disasters but also from pre-disaster awareness to rehabilitation and disaster management more efficiently,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that due to climate change, the nature, intensity and frequency of disasters are changing.

“Therefore, it is necessary to emphasise 'mitigation' and immediate response after incidents. It is important to have a strong 'command and communication system' for disaster management, and this center will be useful for making decisions quickly and providing a quick response. The work is underway to set up such a modern system in every district of the state,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that Maharashtra is a leader in institutional strengthening for disaster management.

He added that a mobile application called 'Disaster Assistant' has been made available to the general public, through which citizens can provide information through SOS alerts in times of disaster.

“This app will be an important medium of two-way communication. All information, guidelines and activities related to disaster management have been made easily available on the new website of the State Disaster Management Authority. This website will play a valuable role in creating greater coherence between citizens, local administration and the system,” he said.

--IANS

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Bhopal, April 8 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged three additional individuals in connection with the supply of weapons and ammunition to the banned CPI (Maoist) group in Chhattisgarh, as announced on Tuesday.

In a supplementary charge-sheet filed with the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur, the agency identified Sudhir Tripathi, Suraj Nishad (aka Karan), and Hungo Madkami (aka Hunga), an armed member of the CPI (Maoist).

These individuals face charges under various provisions of the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

With this latest development, the total number of people charged in this case has risen to eight. Five others had already been charged earlier after their arrest in Bhairamgarh Tehsil, Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh. Their trial is currently ongoing.

According to the NIA’s investigation, Sudhir and Suraj played a key role in assisting the previously arrested accused in acquiring a revolver and ammunition from Uttar Pradesh, which were meant for delivery to Maoist members in Bhairamgarh. The two were taken into custody in October last year.

In an earlier breakthrough, the NIA apprehended Sudhir Tripathi and Suraj Nishad, both residents of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, for their involvement in supplying arms to the Maoists.

Four others - Santosh Kumar Gupta, Prince Sharma, Vijay Sahu, and Hunga Madakami - were detained in January 2023 when local police in Chhattisgarh confiscated the weapons and registered the case under sections of the Arms Act, UAPA, and IPC.

During a search, police recovered a revolver marked ‘USA’ and two foreign-origin mobile phones - one found with Sharma and the other with Sahu.

The NIA took over the case in January last year and uncovered that Sudhir and Suraj were actively transporting arms from Uttar Pradesh to Maoist cadres in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

The investigation further revealed a conspiracy among them to provide logistical support to the outlawed group.

The chain of events began on January 11, 2023, when Bhairamgarh police received a tip-off about Santosh Gupta from Sanjaydhara, suspected of supplying arms to Maoist leader Hunga Madakami.

Investigations are ongoing, according to the NIA.

--IANS

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Chennai, April 8 (IANS) Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and Tamil superstar Vijay has strongly criticised the central government’s decision to increase the price of LPG cylinders, calling it an unfair burden on the public already grappling with economic hardships.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Vijay said, “The BJP government’s decision to hike LPG cylinder prices is a direct attack on the common people. At a time when daily life is already a struggle, this move will only worsen their plight.” He also dismissed the Centre’s claim that subsidies would be directly transferred to consumers’ bank accounts, calling it a deceptive tactic.

“This is clearly a move to mislead the people,” he asserted. Vijay accused the BJP of deliberately increasing gas prices when essential commodity prices are already at an all-time high. “Now, with global crude oil prices at record lows, why isn’t the government using this opportunity to support the public instead of favouring a select few?” he questioned.

The TVK leader didn’t spare the ruling DMK government either. He criticised it for failing to fulfil its election promises. “The DMK had promised a Rs 100 subsidy per cylinder but has done nothing in the last four years. They make tall claims to win elections and then forget the people. When will this cycle of betrayal end?” he asked.

Vijay further warned that the public would hold both governments accountable for their failures. He reaffirmed that his party, TVK, will stand firmly with the people.

It may be recalled that Vijay officially launched the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam on February 2, 2024, positioning the party as a platform against corruption and divisive politics. Although he chose not to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Vijay has confirmed that TVK will actively participate in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Vijay’s political influence has been steadily growing. In the 2021 local body elections, his fan club, the All India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (AITVMI), won 115 out of the 169 seats it contested. This performance outshone other star-led parties like Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), both of which failed to secure a single seat. Vijay has made it clear that TVK will align only with parties willing to accept his leadership, signalling his clear ambition to emerge as a strong contender for the Chief Minister’s post in 2026.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, April 8 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s son, who was injured in a fire accident at a summer camp in Singapore, is undergoing a bronchoscopy and may have a long-term impact of smoke inhalation.

Pawan Kalyan, who will be leaving for Singapore on Tuesday, told media persons that Mark Shankar suffered burns on his hands and legs.

“I have been told that he is reasonably well, but right now they are doing a bronchoscopy. The final report will come on Wednesday morning. Hopefully, everything will be alright,” he said.

The actor-politician said the fire broke out during summer camp, where 30 children were present. One child died and 15 others were injured. He conveyed his condolences to the parents of Mark Shankar’s classmate who died in the fire.

The Jana Sena leader said workers at a construction site next to the summer camp rescued the children before the arrival of the fire engine. He thanked the people who rescued the children

The Deputy Chief Minister said he received a phone call around 7.30 a.m. about the incident when he was on a visit to Araku.

“I thought it was a minor incident. I did not know its intensity. He has been admitted to a hospital where he is undergoing a bronchoscopy under general anaesthesia,” he said.

He was on a four-day visit to Alluri Sitharama Raju and Visakhapatnam districts, but he had to cut his visit short.

He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for enquiring about his son’s condition and for also informing the Indian high commissioner in Singapore.

The Jana Sena leader said he also spoke to the Indian High Commissioner in Singapore to know the details

Pawan Kalyan also thanked Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Minister Nara Lokesh, former chief minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and others for conveying their concern over the incident.

The actor-politician said his youngest son met with the accident on the day when his elder son Akhira was celebrating his birthday.

“This is an unfortunate coincidence,” he said.

Earlier, the Prime Minister spoke to Pawan Kalyan and enquired about his son’s condition. He wished for the early recovery of the child.

Pawan Kalyan’s elder brother and megastar K. Chiranjeevi and his wife will also be leaving for Singapore.

Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer has expressed concern over the injuries sustained by Mark Shankar.

The Governor wished a speedy recovery of Shankar, who is presently undergoing treatment in a hospital in Singapore.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed concern over Mark Shankar sustaining injuries in the fire accident and wished him a speedy recovery.

--IANS

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Patna, April 8 (IANS) In a significant rescue operation, the emergency response team DAIL 112 of Saharsa Police in Bihar successfully freed a 16-year-old minor girl who had been forced into the flesh trade for five years at a red light area in Saharsa.

The rescue took place on Monday night, following a distress call made by the victim herself to the emergency helpline.

According to DSP (Headquarters) Kamleshwari Prasad Singh of Saharsa police, the girl had been living and working in the red light area operated by Viraj Nat, who allegedly took custody of the child through a human trafficker and exploited her for years.

The girl recounted that she had traveled to Patna with his parents when she was around 10 years old, but got separated from them at a railway station.

She was then lured by a stranger and later handed over to Viraj Nat, who initially made him do domestic chores and subsequently forced him into prostitution at the brothel.

“The victim was held in the brothel for the last five years under coercion. She does not remember her village name but only that her home is near the Nepal border,” said DSP Singh.

The police have sealed the brothel of Viraj Nat and lodged a case of human trafficking, prostitution and unlawful confinement against the accused.

Authorities are working in coordination with Nepal Police to help trace the girl’s family.

According to an official, human traffickers target poor families to buy their minor children, especially girls. Once they come into the trap, they buy the girls with the promise to provide jobs mainly as domestic helpers and later force them into the flesh trade in metro cities.

Many such victims are separated from their families and exploited for years before being rescued.

Law enforcement officials have reiterated their commitment to identifying and dismantling such networks and ensuring rehabilitation and justice for rescued minors.

--IANS

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