India

Patna Dec 11 (IANS) Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, criticised Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday, ahead of his Mahila Samvad Yatra, questioning the substantial allocation of Rs 225.78 crore for the initiative.

The Mahila Samvad Yatra is scheduled to begin on December 15 in Bagaha, West Champaran, and will span 15 days during which Nitish Kumar will interact with women and children across Bihar's districts.

Yadav's critique centred on the financial outlay, framing it as an extravagant use of taxpayer's money.

He remarked, "Money makes business deals, not dialogue. For communication, it requires love, not money."

He further questioned how such a massive expenditure for a 15-day event, accusing the government of using public funds for political endeavours.

The significant budget allocation has drawn sharp scrutiny from the Opposition, with claims that the initiative may prioritise optics over meaningful outcomes. However, the Bihar government has defended the yatra as a platform to strengthen dialogue with women and address their concerns at the grassroots level.

Tejashwi Yadav accused the Chief Minister of prioritising an "expensive election picnic" over addressing the state's pressing issues when it is grappling with chronic challenges.

“In the last 20 years, unemployment, migration, inflation, crime, and massive corruption have increased drastically. Bihar remains a backward state, yet the Chief Minister of such a state is going on an expensive election picnic,” he said.

Highlighting failures of governance during Nitish Kumar's tenure, Yadav pointed to incidents like the destruction of bridges and culverts due to poor planning, lives lost in recurring hooch tragedies, alleged corruption in smart metre projects, and the failure of the liquor prohibition law.

Yadav also criticised the lack of tangible outcomes for women and children on the ground, stating, “There is nothing concrete for women and children, yet he is ready to expend billions of rupees through bureaucrats.”

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) BJP MP and former Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday accused the Opposition of repeatedly "disrupting Parliament proceedings" and alleged links with foreign forces to "undermine India's democracy."

Thakur made these remarks while participating in the BJP's Mera Booth Sabse Majboot campaign in Delhi's Shahdara, where he placed stickers and flags to energise BJP workers. During the event, he raised the slogan 'Mera Booth Sabse Majboot' and reaffirmed the party's commitment to victory in the upcoming elections.

Taking a dig at the Opposition during the event, Thakur said, "The House does not function as soon as some individuals step in, repeatedly disrupting proceedings. These are the same people who once spoke of upholding democracy but are now allegedly taking foreign funding to weaken it."

"Why do they not want the House to function? Why are they obstructing the voice of 140 crore Indians? On whose direction is Congress doing this? With whom does Congress have such connections?" the BJP MP added, indirectly referencing the Gandhis and raising questions about alleged foreign links.

The former Union Minister also commented on the leadership tussle within the INDIA bloc, particularly after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her willingness to lead.

"This alliance is made up of groups with conflicting ideologies. They came together purely for power. Now that they cannot achieve it, their true faces are being exposed. The public has rejected this corrupt gang," he said.

Responding to reports of a late-night meeting at NCP supremo Sharad Pawar's residence discussing EVMs, Thakur remarked, "The public has rejected their leadership. Now, they sit together, drink tea, and blame EVMs. In America, states like California take 18 days to count votes, while in India, we count the votes of 90 crore people within hours. Our system is robust and transparent."

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Banks have sanctioned loans to the tune of Rs 1,751 crore to poor artisans such as blacksmiths, masons, potters, carpenters and tailors under the PM Vishwakarma scheme as of October 31, the Parliament was informed.

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that the government has taken various measures to overcome the challenges faced by borrowers, particularly in rural areas and to facilitate easy flow of credit to cater to their needs.

According to figures provided by the minister, over 2.02 lakh accounts have been opened under the PM Vishwakarma scheme with a total sanctioned loan amount of Rs 1,751.20 crore.

The government launched PM Vishwakarma on September 17, 2023, to provide end-to-end support to artisans and craftspeople who work with their hands and tools. These traditional artisans and craftspeople are referred to as 'Vishwakarmas'. The financial outlay for the scheme from FY 2023-2024 to FY 2027-28 is Rs 13,000 crore.

According to data compiled by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the PM Vishwakarma Scheme has made considerable headway with 2.58 crore applications submitted so far, of which 23.75 lakh applicants have been successfully registered for receiving benefits under the scheme after the three-stage verification process.

Close to 10 lakh people have received toolkit incentives of up to Rs 15,000 through e-vouchers under the scheme to buy modern tools suitable for their occupation.

The loans extended to the artisans carry a 5 per cent interest rate, subsidised by the government. Interest Subvention: The Government of India provides 8 per cent interest subvention, effectively reducing the overall loan cost. The loan can be repaid over 18 months for the first tranche and 30 months for the second tranche.

The PM Vishwakarma Scheme covers artisans and craftspeople of 18 trades who work with their hands and tools. The objective of the scheme is to help traditional artisans and craftspeople to become entrepreneurs and self-reliant.

Formal training in the form of Basic Skill Training has been initiated for the upgradation and modernisation of traditional skills of artisans and craftspeople under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme across 26 States/UTs of the country.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed a plea filed by senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia seeking relaxation of the bail condition requiring him to report to the Investigating Officer semi-weekly.

A bench headed by Justice B.R. Gavai decided to delete the bail condition requiring Sisodia to report to the Investigating Officer every Monday and Thursday between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

“We do not find the said condition is necessary and the same is therefore deleted. However, it is directed that the applicant (Sisodia) shall regularly attend the trial court,” ordered Justice Gavai-led Bench.

Earlier on Monday, the Bench, also comprising Justice K.V. Viswanathan, agreed to list on December 11 the plea moved by Sisodia after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned it.

In August this year, the Supreme Court granted bail to the senior AAP leader, saying that he cannot be kept behind bars for an unlimited period of time in the hope of a speedy completion of trial in the alleged excise policy case.

Pronouncing the verdict on Sisodia’s bail pleas, a Bench presided over by Justice Gavai had said: "In the present case, in ED as well as CBI matter, 493 witnesses have been named and the case involves thousands of pages of documents and over lakh pages of digitised documents."

"It is thus clear that there is not even a remotest possibility of the trial being concluded in the near future. In our view, keeping the appellant behind bars for an unlimited period of time in the hope of speedy completion of the trial would deprive him of the Fundamental Right of Liberty given under Article 21 of the Constitution."

The Bench, also comprising Justice Viswanathan, held that on account of a long period of incarceration running for around 17 months and the trial not having commenced, Sisodia had been deprived of his right to a speedy trial.

Rejecting the contention that Sisodia, if granted bail, may tamper with the evidence, the Supreme Court had said that the prosecution case majorly stems from documentary evidence, which has already been seized by the CBI and the ED.

The SC refused to accept central agencies’ submission that Sisodia should not be allowed to visit the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office or Delhi Secretariat.

"The appellant (Sisodia) shall surrender his passport with the Special Court. The appellant shall report to the Investigating Officer every Monday and Thursday between 10-11 a.m. and the appellant shall not make any attempt either to influence the witnesses or to tamper with the evidence," it said.

In an earlier judgment delivered on October 30 last year, the top court had denied bail to the former Deputy Chief Minister but said that if the trial proceeds slowly in the next three months, he may apply for bail afresh.

Recently, the Delhi High Court issued notice on Sisodia’s plea against the trial court’s decision to take cognisance of the prosecution complaint filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged liquor policy scam case.

In his petition filed before the Delhi HC, Sisodia contended that the trial court took cognisance of the alleged offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) without any prior sanction having been obtained by the ED for prosecution.

The plea added that the trial court should have not taken cognisance of the ED's prosecution complaint without sanction since he held a public office at the time of the commission of the alleged money laundering offence.

The matter is slated to be heard next on December 20, along with a similar petition filed by AAP supremo and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal seeking a stay of trial proceedings on the grounds of lack of sanction.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) India has the potential to create more than 30 million new women-owned enterprises, according to a report.

The report -- on democratisation of entrepreneurship in India -- by consulting firm KPMG stated that this can translate to 150 to 170 million more jobs in the country.

Investing in women-led ventures can have a multiplier effect, as they are more likely to reinvest in their communities, the report said.

Further, boosting venture capital (VC) funding in women-led startups in India can enhance gender equity. It will also enable women founders to scale their businesses, create jobs, and contribute to the economy on a larger scale.

“More than 20 per cent of India’s MSME startups were by women-led ventures and 45 per cent of these came from tier II and III cities,” said Akhilesh Tuteja, Client’s and Market Partner, KPMG, at the TiE Global Summit 2024 in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, as per the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, nearly half of the 1,52,139 startups supported by the government now has at least one woman Director (nearly 73,151 startups). This shows the importance of women in driving innovation and economic growth in the country.

It said the government has also implemented several flagship schemes to promote women-led startups. These include about Rs 3,107 crore invested in 149 women-led startups through Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).

The Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS) has since its inception in April 2021, approved Rs 227.12 crore in funding for 1,278 women-led startups.

The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS), operational since April 2023, has guaranteed Rs 24.6 crore in loans for women-led ventures, said the ministry.

Notably, the Startup India Initiative, launched in 2016, has also been a game-changer in fostering entrepreneurship in the country.

The startups led by women are thriving across more than 600 districts in India's tech ecosystem. More than half of the startups in these districts are being led by women.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 10 (IANS) S.M. Krishna, former Karnataka chief minister and a veteran politician, passed away on Tuesday in Bengaluru after a prolonged illness. He was 93.

Krishna was suffering from age-related ailments. He was admitted to the Vaidehi Hospital and later shifted to the Manipal Hospital following a lung infection. He was treated at the ICU recently. He breathed his last at his residence in Sadashivanagar.

He is survived by his wife Prema and two daughters. The late V.G. Siddhartha, founder of Cafe Coffee Day, was his son-in-law. Krishna’s grandson is married to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s daughter. Krishna is considered to be Shivakumar's godfather in politics.

President Droupadi Murmu condoled Krishna's death. "Sad to learn about the demise of Shri S. M. Krishna who served people in various capacities during his long career in public life – from a member of the state assembly and of parliament to a union minister and governor. As chief minister of Karnataka, he earned people’s affection for his commitment to development of the state. My heartfelt condolences to his family and admirers."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences on Krishna's death. The PM said he had many opportunities to interact with S.M. Krishna over the years, and will always cherish those interactions.

"I am deeply saddened by his passing. My condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti.”

PM Modi further wrote on X handle, "Shri SM Krishna Ji was a remarkable leader, admired by people from all walks of life. He always worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. He is fondly remembered for his tenure as Karnataka’s Chief Minister, particularly for his focus on infrastructural development. Shri SM Krishna Ji was also a prolific reader and thinker."

Dy CM Shivakumar said the mortal remains of Krishna will be kept for public viewing at his residence in Sadashivanagar throughout the day on Tuesday.

His final rites will be conducted Wednesday morning at Somanahalli in Maddur, Mandya district, his birthplace, Shivakumar stated.

Krishna was the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President in 1999 and led the Congress party to a thumping victory. He was the chief minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004 and the Governor of Maharashtra from 2004 to 2008. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha and became the External Affairs Minister in the then-PM Manmohan Singh cabinet.

Krishna cut ties with the Congress and joined the BJP in 2017 but kept a low political profile.

He announced his retirement from politics on January 7, 2023.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “I am shocked by the demise of former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna. His service to the state and the nation, both as a Union Minister and as the Chief Minister, is unparalleled. Karnataka will forever remain indebted to him, particularly for his contributions to the growth of the IT-BT sectors during his tenure as Chief Minister.”

“A seasoned statesman, Krishna was a leader without enemies. During the early days of my association with the Congress party, he was my mentor and always a well-wisher,” the CM stated.

“Krishna’s vision, disciplined life, noble conduct, and scholarly nature are exemplary for aspiring politicians. I share in the grief of his family and supporters who are mourning his loss. I pray to God that his soul may rest in peace,” CM Siddaramaiah stated.

BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra expressed deep condolences, stating that with the demise of senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna, the party has lost a guiding force.

S.M. Krishna was active in politics for several decades and played a pivotal role in transforming Bengaluru into an IT-BT hub. He also served as the Union Minister of External Affairs and as the Governor of Maharashtra. He was honoured with the Padma Vibhushan award, Vijayendra stated.

Vijayendra prayed to God to grant the strength to bear this loss to the family members, relatives, well-wishers, and supporters of the veteran leader. He also wished for the departed soul to rest in eternal peace.

Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna was born in the village of Somanahalli in Maddur Taluk, Mandya district, Karnataka, to a Vokkaliga family.

After completing his primary education in his hometown, he pursued his secondary education at Sri Ramakrishna Vidyashala in Mysuru. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Maharaja's College, Mysuru, and obtained his law degree from University Law College. Additionally, he earned degrees from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C., USA.

He is remembered for his contributions to the IT and BT sector and the growth of Bengaluru as the IT capital of the country. He is also known for putting the Brand Bengaluru on the global map.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, former External Affairs Minister and Chief Minister of Karnataka passed away at his Bengaluru residence in the early hours of Tuesday at the age of 92 and had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments.

Known for his intellectual prowess and administrative acumen, S M Krishna had an illustrious political career spanning over five decades.

Born on May 1, 1932, in Maddur, Karnataka, Krishna pursued his education at Maharaja’s College in Mysuru and the Government Law College in Bengaluru before earning advanced degrees from Southern Methodist University in Texas and George Washington University in Washington, DC. A recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, Krishna was one of the most academically accomplished leaders of his time.

He served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 1999 to 2004, during which he was instrumental in transforming Bengaluru into a global IT hub. His tenure as External Affairs Minister from 2009 to 2012 under the UPA government further cemented his reputation as a distinguished statesman. He also held the positions of Governor of Maharashtra (2004–2008) and Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (1989–1993).

Initially a long-time Congress stalwart, Krishna joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2017, citing ideological differences and continued to remain a guiding figure in Karnataka politics until his retirement. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2023.

Krishna’s commitment to public service and his vision for Karnataka left an indelible mark on the state’s governance and development. Even after stepping back from active politics, his connection with Karnataka’s cultural heritage remained strong, as evidenced by his inauguration of the Mysuru Dasara festivities in 2021.

--IANS

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Gurugram, Dec 9 (IANS) A cybercrime team of the Gurugram Police have arrested an accused for allegedly duping a man of Rs 5 lakh for posing as a representative of a matrimonial site, police said.

The accused was identified as Jafir Ansari a native of Jharkhand. The accused was arrested on Saturday from Chennai.

According to the police, they received a complaint in which the victim stated that on December 2, Rs 1,988 was automatically debited from his bank account.

The next day, the complainant closed his auto pay option on Shadi.com and searched for the customer care number of the matrimonial site on Google.

The victim then contacted the number found on Google; soon after, he got a call from a person who offered him help; the accused later contacted the victim on WhatsApp call, saying that there was a network issue and asking for other information from him.

"The complainant got suspicious of that person, but by the time he called the customer care of his bank and closed his account, he had been duped of Rs 5 lakh which was debited from his account," Inspector Naveen Kumar, station house officer (SHO) of Cyber Crime (South) police station said.

During police interrogation, it was found that the accused and his companions had given their number in the name of customer care at shaadi.com. Whenever someone searches for the customer care number of shaadi.com, their number appears in the search engine.

Following this, they would come to know that someone has searched their number. After this, a person would call them, or the accused would call that person and get the person to click on a link in the name of help and by sharing the screen, they would get the information of the bank account and commit fraud.

The police have recovered 14 mobile phones, 08 Aadhar cards, 06 ATM/credit cards and 01 PAN card used in the fraud from the possession of the accused.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) Former Madhya Pradesh Minister and BJP legislator Usha Thakur on Monday described the “Hindutva is a disease” remark of Iltija Mufti, daughter of former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, as baseless and meaningless.

Speaking to IANS, Thakur said, “The statement of Iltiza is very baseless and meaningless. Neither does she know about Hindutva nor does she know about Shri Ram. India is a country of Vedas; of Sanatanis... such comments of her on the world's best way of life (Hindutva) only show her lack of intelligence.”

Reacting to Iltija Mufti’s comment on Lord Ram, the BJP leader said, “Ram is the nation, he is synonymous with the nation. The dignified life of Ram ji is an inspiration for every Indian. To have such thoughts for Lord Shri Ram shows her anti-nation mindset.”

When asked whether there should be ‘Ram Ki Pathshala’ in schools of J&K, she said, “Why shouldn't it happen? Why only in Jammu and Kashmir and only in India? These schools should be all over the world. We are going to become the Vishwaguru. We are going to be Swarnim Bharat by 2047 and if the entire humanity wants happiness, peace and satisfaction, then they should lead the best life of Lord Shri Ram.”

The controversy over Iltija’s remarks erupted on Saturday after she posted on X, stating, "Hindutva is a disease."

"Even Lord Ram will have to hang his head in shame after seeing all this. Minor Muslim children are being beaten with chappals just because of their refusal to take the name of Ram. Hindutva is a disease that has affected millions of Indians and tarnished the name of God," she wrote.

Following the backlash, Iltija clarified her stance, stating that she invoked Lord Ram in her post to spotlight the hypocrisy of those who claim to uphold Ram Rajya while indulging in acts of brutality.

--IANS

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Amaravati, Dec 9 (IANS) The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has announced Beedha Masthan Rao and Sana Satish as its candidates for bye-elections to Rajya Sabha from Andhra Pradesh.

TDP president and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu cleared the names of Masthan Rao and Satish, a day before the nominations are to end for December 20 bye-elections to three seats.

The TDP has left one seat to its ally BJP, which has decided to field R. Krishnaiah, a backward-class leader who hails from Telangana.

The vacancies were caused by the recent resignations of Mopidevi Venkataramana Rao, Masthan Rao Yadav and Krishnaiah, all of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).

While Mopidevi and Matshan Rao joined the TDP after resigning from the YSRCP in August, Krishnaiah announced that he would work to strengthen the backward class movement.

Mopidevi had his term up to June 21, 2026, while the term of the other two was to end on June 21, 2028.

Masthan Rao, an industrialist and Krishnaiah will return to Rajya Sabha while Satish, a businessman-turned-politician, will be making his debut as the MP.

Mastan Rao quit TDP to join YSRCP in 2019, a few months after YSRCP stormed to power. In 2022, Jagan Mohan Reddy rewarded Mastan Rao with the Rajya Sabha seat

Mastan Rao was elected MLA on the TDP ticket from Kavali in 2009 but lost the election in 2014. He contested unsuccessfully from Nellore Lok Sabha constituency on a TDP ticket in 2019.

The election of all three candidates of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) headed by TDP is likely to be unanimous going by its strength in the 175-member Assembly. The TDP has 135 members while its allies Jana Sena and BJP have 21 and 8 seats respectively.

The YSRCP, which lost power to the NDA in the elections held in May, has only 11 MLAs.

With the election of Masthan Rao and Satish, the TDP will re-enter the upper house of the Parliament.

The TDP had stayed away from Rajya Sabha elections held in February this year due to a lack of sufficient numbers in the Assembly. For the first time in its four-decade history, the TDP had no representation in Rajya Sabha.

--IANS

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