India

New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) The government has unveiled a draft steel policy targeting a close to 3-fold jump in India's crude steel capacity to 604 million tonnes by 2047 from the current level of around 220 million tonnes.

The new policy draws up a roadmap to cut carbon emissions in the steel sector and increase the availability of iron ore and coking coal to meet the anticipated demand. These raw materials account for over 65-70 per cent of the cost of making steel. While India is largely self-sufficient in iron ore, it imports nearly all of its coking coal requirement.

The policy aims to cut the average carbon-emission intensity in the steel sector to around 1.54 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of crude steel by 2047 from the current 2.54 tons, in ⁠line with India's net zero emission goal for 2070.

According to the draft National Steel Policy 2047, the demand for finished steel will rise to 505 MT by 2047 while per capita consumption is expected to go up to 302 kg. The increase in capacity is also expected to result in steel exports rising by 45 MT.

Iron ore demand is projected to rise to 772 MT by 2047 from 299 MT in 2025. The policy proposes securing high-grade iron ore reserves through overseas assets and joint ventures, alongside measures to improve domestic supply and transport infrastructure.

It also proposes to expand slurry pipelines, which transport iron ore in a water-based mixture, to reduce reliance on road and rail transport and improve logistics efficiency.

Coking coal demand is expected to triple to 236 MT. Because India imports 92 per cent of its coking coal, the draft outlines plans to reduce import dependence through domestic mining, expand domestic coal washeries, go for long-term supply arrangements, and leverage AI to optimise coal blends.

Other raw materials important for the steel sector, like manganese, limestone, etc., will also remain in policy focus to ensure long-term resource sustainability.

The proposed roadmap includes improving energy efficiency, increasing renewable electricity use, promoting scrap-based steelmaking and adopting hydrogen-based technologies and carbon capture. These measures will need to accompany capacity expansion to help the industry meet its emissions target.

The policy also focuses on value-added steel such as stainless steel and speciality steel to reduce dependence on imported raw materials and technology.

Steel quality will be strengthened through revised Indian Standards and conformity assessment mechanisms. Digital transformation is identified as an emerging priority.

This includes a focus on digital infrastructure, common data standards and Industry 4.0 adoption, driven by trusted AI and autonomous production systems.

International cooperation in the steel sector will become a priority area in the coming years, especially for raw material diversification, steel trade and technology collaboration.

India, the second-largest producer and consumer of steel, will collaborate with other countries to take the sector forward in the right direction, the draft stated.

--IANS

Chennai, Oct 11 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconsider the Madurai and Coimbatore Metro rail proposals and expedite funding for transport infrastructure, while stressing that cooperation between the Centre and the State must deliver tangible benefits to people.

Speaking at a function in Chennai where development projects worth Rs 13,000 crore were inaugurated and foundation stones laid, Vijay also sought priority for the proposed Cauvery–Godavari river-linking project. The Chief Minister welcomed PM Modi on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu and thanked him for inaugurating the Chennai Metro rail project.

He sought early Central funding for Chennai Metro Phase III, the Hosur–Bengaluru Metro link and the Coimbatore and Madurai Metro projects. Vijay also referred to Rs 5,110 crore in funds for Tamil Nadu and called for action on the State’s infrastructure requirements. He urged the Prime Minister to facilitate interstate Metro connectivity, highlighting its importance to future development.

Outlining his government’s economic ambitions, Vijay said Tamil Nadu was working towards becoming a $1.5 trillion economy by 2036. Agriculture and information technology initiatives, alongside investment, innovation and infrastructure development, would help create opportunities and take the State’s growth to the next level, he said.

The government’s approach, he added, was to ensure that development extended beyond Chennai and reached every district.

Describing young people as Tamil Nadu’s greatest strength, Vijay said the government wanted to combine their skills, technological knowledge and innovative thinking with a global outlook. Projects inaugurated and launched at the function should serve as investments for future generations, he said.

The Chief Minister described Tamil Nadu as a State distinguished by its ancient culture, rich history, literature, arts and architecture. Its people continued to preserve a civilisation spanning thousands of years, with Tamil among the world’s oldest languages, he said.

Vijay said his government’s commitment to inclusive development covered education, healthcare, agriculture, fishermen’s welfare and broader economic progress. Welfare programmes were being implemented with the needs of children, women, transgender people, farmers, weavers and other sections of society in mind, he added.

Recalling Tamil Nadu’s contributions to India’s advancement in industry, science, arts and literature, Vijay said cooperation between the Union and State governments should be measured by improvements in people’s lives, with economic growth translating into opportunities and welfare across the State.

--IANS

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Lucknow, Oct 11 (IANS) The Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday asserted that a change of power was certain in 2027 Assembly elections and criticized the Election Commission (EC) over alleged police action on the protesters in the national capital.

Speaking to the press, after paying respects to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan at the Jayaprakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) in Lucknow on latter's birth anniversary, the SP supremo said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be shown the door by people in 2027 Uttar Pradesh polls and the 'partisan' Election Commission won't be able to save its 'sinking' fortunes.

Swearing by the Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan (JP)'s 'Total Revolution' (Sampoorna Kranti) slogans, Akhilesh Yadav said that the movement remains relevant even today for challenging the regime and his party will bring out the 'desired' result by walking down that path.

"The process of change has begun. The anguish among the public will accelerate the process of change," he added, after garlanding the statue of Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan at the memorial.

The SP supremo also took a swipe over Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Ayodhya seat, days after he challenged the latter to contest the elections from the holy city.

Responding to the Chief Minister's questions regarding Ayodhya, Akhilesh Yadav said that "arrogant individuals" would not be able to withstand the strength of his 'PDA' (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak—Backward, Dalit, and Minority) alliance.

The SP Chief said that the public is now familiar with the BJP's politics and the party will have to give befitting reply to its actions.

He claimed that a change would occur in 2027 and that the process has already begun.

He said that the BJP is rattled by political strength of the PDA and questioned the role of Election Commission.

He said that EC's duty is to encourage maximum voter participation and ensure a smooth voting process.

Raising the issue of the alleged assault on residents of Uttar Pradesh in Delhi, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the Election Commission's accountability and demanded its resignation.

--IANS

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Shimla, Oct 11 (IANS) Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda will lay the foundation stone of the ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health Research (ICMR-CHAMP) in Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, officials said on Sunday.

The Centre is being established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) under the Department of Health Research of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to strengthen multidisciplinary research, innovation and capacity building focused on India's high-altitude and climate-sensitive regions.

The Himalayan ecosystem presents distinctive public health challenges arising from high altitude, extreme climatic conditions, difficult terrain, geographical isolation and increasing climate variability.

These factors influence disease patterns, healthcare access, occupational health and emergency response.

The centre will strengthen scientific evidence generation and the development of context-specific, scalable healthcare solutions for people living and working in these challenging environments.

The centre's research mandate will encompass high-altitude physiology and acclimatisation, mountain medicine, climate-sensitive and emerging diseases, infectious and non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, mental health, environmental and occupational health, and disaster medicine.

It will also explore the integration of digital health platforms, telemedicine, drone-enabled healthcare logistics and real-time public health surveillance to improve healthcare delivery in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

The centre will provide an important institutional platform for sustained field research involving high-altitude and tribal populations in a strategically significant border region.

Its location will facilitate longitudinal studies and investigations into the relationship between environmental conditions, climate variability and health outcomes.

The centre is expected to contribute to national priorities in tribal health, disaster preparedness, digital health innovation and the development of climate-resilient health systems, while strengthening India's contribution to global research in high-altitude medicine.

The ceremony will be attended, among other, by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Kangana Ranaut.

--IANS

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Amaravati, Oct 11 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Sunday called for adequate representation for his Jana Sena Party in the upcoming local body elections in recognition of what he called sacrifices of the party cadres for the formation and success of the ruling coalition.

He said that the Jana Sena Party and Janasainiks (party cadres) have made many sacrifices for the formation and success of the alliance, and in recognition of their sacrifices, they should be given adequate representation in the local bodies in accordance with the alliance's dharma.

He stated that they had fought for the future of the state in the 2024 general elections and expressed the hope that the upcoming local body elections would ensure a secure future for the 'Janasainiks'.

The Jana Sena leader was speaking at the launch of the 'Adavitalli Bata 2.0' programme on Sunday at Kakavada in the Rampachodavaram constituency of Polavaram district.

He appealed to people to back the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the upcoming local body elections, promising to undertake more development works.

He emphasised that leaders and cadres of Jana Sena and activists from other parties within the coalition must move forward with mutual coordination and actively participate in village development.

He urged every leader within the alliance to stand by and support every activist who worked hard for the party and the alliance, ensuring they receive due recognition and respect.

"When we stood in support of the alliance in 2024, not a single Janasainik aspired for a political post. They worked selflessly, prioritising the state's interests above all else. They made numerous sacrifices for the party and the alliance, setting aside their personal interests,” he said.

The actor-politician said that even during the arrest of N. Chandrababu Naidu, Janasainiks and 'Veera Mahilas' (women cadres) took to the streets to express their solidarity.

“We must never forget the sacrifices of those who stood by us during difficult times. In the upcoming local body elections, we must respect the alliance dharma and ensure appropriate representation for Janasainiks and Veera Mahilas. Their sacrifices deserve due recognition. We must honour the trust of those who stood by us without seeking any positions of power.”

Pawan Kalyan said that the coalition government is implementing the 'Adavitalli Bata' programme with the aim of providing road connectivity to tribal villages and bringing them onto the path of development. We are taking measures to improve education, healthcare, employment, transportation, and market facilities in tribal areas through road construction.

He stated that, with the cooperation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and under the leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, the ‘Adavitalli Bata' programme is being implemented by coordinating schemes such as PM-JANMAN, PMGSY-IV and the Employment Guarantee Scheme.

"We launched this initiative in the Polavaram, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Nandyal and Eluru districts. Under this programme, we undertook works worth Rs 1,406 crore to construct 1,662 kilometres of roads connecting 858 tribal habitations. Carrying forward this same spirit, we sanctioned a total of 2,569 works worth Rs 2,052 crore under 'Adivi Thalli Bata 2.0' to build 1,976 kilometres of roads and 45 bridges for another 1,341 habitations,” he added.

--IANS

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Ahmedabad/Valsad, Oct 11 (IANS) The Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Valsad Special Operations Group (SOG) have arrested three men wanted in connection with the murder of social media influencer and makeup artist Madhu Sudan Singh alias Mad Sandhu, who was shot dead in Punjab's Amritsar earlier this month.

The three accused, identified as Harsimranjit Singh alias Simu Singga, Fateh Singh and Arman Singh, were detained in Vapi in Valsad district following a joint operation by the state police units.

According to the Gujarat ATS, Mad Sandhu was shot dead by two unidentified persons near a car washing centre on Lorahka Road in Amritsar on October 3.

"A case was subsequently registered at Cantonment Police Station in Amritsar City," officials said.

The ATS received information about the suspects from senior officials of the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) in Punjab, who shared details of the case with their counterparts in Gujarat.

Following instructions from senior officers, an investigation was initiated under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (SP) K. Siddharth, with Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Harsh Upadhyay and Police Inspector Krupesh Patel leading the investigation.

The inquiry revealed that the three men allegedly involved in the murder were in Vapi.

Harsimranjit Singh, Fateh Singh, and Arman Singh, are all originally from Sange village under Sadar Police Station in Tarn Taran district of Punjab.

Given the possibility that the suspects could leave the area, the ATS shared their profiles, location details and other relevant information with the Valsad SOG.

Police Inspector D.D. Parmar and his team subsequently detained all three men in Vapi.

A Gujarat ATS team comprising Police Inspector J.N. Chavda, Police Sub-Inspector M.L. Solanki, Police Sub-Inspector K.R. Patel, Police Sub-Inspector V.B. Khant and other personnel then brought them to the ATS office for questioning.

"During interrogation, investigators gathered details about the alleged roles of the three accused in the murder, the reconnaissance conducted before the shooting and other aspects of the case," the ATS said.

The Punjab Police was subsequently informed of their detention.

On October 10, a Punjab Police team arrived at the Gujarat ATS office, took custody of the three accused and transported them to Punjab for further legal proceedings.

The investigation into the murder is being pursued by the Punjab Police.

Earlier, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested Parminder Prasad alias Parminder Kaka, the alleged main shooter in the murder, in the Vadaj area of Ahmedabad on October 8, following an input from the Amritsar Police.

According to Crime Branch officials, Parminder allegedly opened fire on Mad Sandhu and arranged the motorcycle used in the attack.

Punjab Police subsequently took him to Amritsar for further investigation, while investigators were also probing the suspected links of the killing with the network of foreign-based gangster Goldy Dhillon.

--IANS

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Lucknow, Oct 11 (IANS) An internal rift within the Congress came to the fore at the party's Uttar Pradesh Committee headquarters on Sunday, when a clash broke out between supporters of former State party President Ajay Rai and newly appointed State party President Aradhana Misra Mona during the swearing-in ceremony of the new leadership.

The altercation reportedly led to heated exchanges, pushing and shoving, and physical clashes among party workers, creating chaos at the state Congress headquarters.

The commotion continued for around half an hour, while a video purportedly showing the incident has been circulating widely on social media.

Ajay Rai arrived at the State Congress headquarters along with his supporters to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Aradhana Misra Mona as the new State party President and Imran Masood as the state unit Working President. During the proceedings, a disagreement reportedly arose between Rai and a woman party leader while they were engaged in a conversation.

Following the exchange, Rai allegedly left the office in anger. His supporters subsequently demanded that the woman leader be removed from her position and issue an apology.

They reportedly said that Rai would return to the state Congress office only after their demands were fulfilled.

Some people also alleged that women were treated indecently during the altercation. However, these allegations have not been independently verified.

Following the incident, former State Congress President Ajay Rai also alleged that he had been mistreated.

As the situation worsened, senior party leaders intervened to prevent the confrontation from escalating further.

Rajya Sabha members Pramod Tiwari and Imran Masood stepped in to bring the Congress workers under control and restore order at the party headquarters.

Aradhana Misra Mona also reportedly made efforts to pacify Ajay Rai and ease the tensions between the two sides.

Rai eventually returned to the state Congress office after Pramod Tiwari assured him that the matter would be addressed.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Months after Pakistani security forces launched a brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), families of victims continue to seek answers amid allegations of human rights violations, wrongful detentions, and extrajudicial killings, according to a recent report.

The unrest in PoK initially erupted over rising electricity prices and the increasing cost of living but gradually developed into a wider challenge to the region's constitutional and political structure. The Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), a coalition of grassroots activists, called for a boycott of elections held in phases from July 27 to August 10, arguing that the existing system failed to adequately represent the interests and aspirations of local residents.

According to a recent report published by The Independent, the move was followed by a ban on the group and a violent crackdown on protesters by Pakistani security forces.

Subsequently, the Pakistani government proscribed the JAAC under stringent anti-terrorism laws, arrested several of its leaders, and launched a security operation to suppress the movement. The operation was accompanied by allegations of human rights abuses, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings, the report stated.

The report also highlighted the case of 26-year-old Fahad Barkat, whose sister spent more than two months believing that he had been detained by the police and hoping that he would eventually be released. Barkat had gone to a military hospital in Rawalakot to donate blood but never returned home. His last message to his sister was sent at 11.31 p.m. on June 7, and the family learnt what had happened to him only much later.

According to Barkat's sister, he was shot in the neck while entering the hospital's gate shortly before 1 a.m. The account was documented by the UK-registered organisation Jammu Kashmir Human Rights Observatory (JKHRO) in a 47-page report shared with The Independent, which summarised the family's account of the incident.

The JKHRO has since called on the authorities to provide answers regarding the circumstances surrounding the disappearance, detention, and death of civilians in PoK.

In its detailed report, the organisation demanded that the authorities "provide written responses, casualty and detention records, operational orders" to help establish the facts behind the alleged abuses.

According to The Independent, Barkat's family told the JKHRO that their repeated attempts to contact him through phone calls and messages went unanswered, leaving them uncertain about his whereabouts. At the same time, Pakistani newspaper Dawn identified Barkat among the civilians killed during the clashes in Rawalakot in June.

Further allegations emerged that the authorities had withheld Barkat's body until his family agreed to sign a statement describing him as a terrorist.

It has since emerged that the "authorities were withholding (Barkat's) body unless the family signed a statement characterising him as a terrorist killed in an encounter", the JKHRO claimed in a separate report.

The human rights organisation has also raised questions about the sequence of events leading to Barkat's death and the circumstances surrounding his burial. It has sought greater transparency from the authorities, including the release of CCTV footage, hospital blood donor records, post-mortem documentation, and burial records, to establish what happened and determine accountability.

The JKHRO has also stated that it has invited the authorities to respond to the allegations contained in its report, allowing them an opportunity to address the questions raised about the case.

Barkat's case is not an isolated one, as several other families in PoK continue to search for missing relatives or seek clarity over the circumstances of their deaths.

While the JAAC has publicly reported more than 100 deaths since June 5, local residents maintain that the actual death toll is significantly higher, according to the report.

The report also highlighted the case of Shoukat Nawaz Mir, whose family has continued to await information about his whereabouts more than three months after his arrest on June 30 from Dhirkot. Despite the passage of time, his relatives have reportedly not received clarity about his fate.

Another case cited in the report concerns Jabir Mumtaz, who was allegedly killed by security personnel on September 5 after spending a fortnight in detention. His family also claimed that the authorities made the release of his body conditional on their signing a statement identifying him as a terrorist.

According to the report, the family refused to sign the statement, following which the authorities allegedly carried out the burial themselves.

The cases have intensified calls for transparency, credible investigations and accountability over the treatment of civilians during the crackdown in PoK.

--IANS

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Chennai, Oct 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for stronger states to build a stronger nation, stressing cooperative federalism as he inaugurated development projects worth Rs 13,000 crore and laid the foundation stones for national highway projects in Tamil Nadu.

Addressing a gathering attended by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, PM Modi said the Centre and the state government were working with a shared commitment to Tamil Nadu's development.

He described the occasion as historic and said the projects would create more employment opportunities for young people.

The programme began with the national anthem, followed by Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the state anthem.

The projects covered sectors including highways, railways and ports.

Prime Minister Modi also laid the foundation stones for national highway projects worth around Rs 3,700 crore.

Extending Navratri greetings to the nation, the Prime Minister referred to his visit to the Jalakandeswarar temple and said he had received the deity's blessings in Tamil Nadu, which he described as a sacred land associated with Lord Shiva.

Reflecting on 25 years in public leadership, PM Modi recalled working with former Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa during his tenure as the Gujarat Chief Minister.

After becoming the country's Prime Minister, the Prime Minister said that he had worked with J. Jayalalithaa, Edappadi K. Palaniswami and M.K. Stalin.

He added that the same determination now guided his engagement with Chief Minister Vijay and reiterated his commitment to serving Tamil Nadu's people.

Prime Minister Modi described urbanisation as an opportunity and highlighted the expansion of India's Metro network.

He said that Metro services, available in five cities in 2014, now operated in 25 cities, while the network had grown from 250 km to 1,100 km.

The expansion, the Prime Minister added, was making travel easier and improving access to public transport.

Calling for greater support for locally manufactured products, PM Modi said the Union government was taking measures to encourage Tamil Nadu's manufacturing sector.

Drawing on his experience as a former Chief Minister, PM Modi said he understood states' expectations and sought to address them.

Citizens, he added, had gained greater confidence in cooperative federalism.

PM Modi emphasised that development required broader infrastructure investment alongside better roads.

Improved transport systems would ease daily life, he said, expressing confidence that the new projects would further accelerate Tamil Nadu's progress.

A developed Tamil Nadu, the Prime Minister added, would contribute to the larger goal of building a developed India.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Sunday claimed that troops from "Naxal (Maoist)-affected and border areas" have been brought in to enforce curbs in the national capital to restrain protests, as it reiterated its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Addressing a press conference hours after being released by a Delhi court following preventive arrest, CJP co-convener Saurav Das said: "The entire city of Delhi has been turned into a cantonment for the last few days."

"Between 30,000 and 40,000 security personnel have been called in. Troops from Naxal-affected areas, Bengal and Kashmir, including BSF personnel from border areas, have been airlifted to Delhi. More than 40,000 personnel have reportedly been deployed, and the city has been placed under heavy restrictions," he claimed.

"This is creating a major problem. If you want to create a negative atmosphere around protesters and a certain movement, you do not just make things difficult for the protesters; you also create problems for ordinary citizens who may not even be participating in the protest. This creates a negative image of the movement, and that is exactly what is happening in Delhi," he stated.

Das added that the closing of metro stations, suspending trains coming to Delhi from other states, and shutting shops are affecting ordinary people.

Mentioning that Sunday might have witnessed more footfall at shops, he said: "What purpose does shutting shops serve? The government believes this will create a negative atmosphere against the youth and this movement. But they are mistaken because the entire country is watching the brutality being meted out to the youth and the agitators."

Further, he alleged that Delhi Police did not give them formal detention notice and said: "Our phones were seized and might have been hacked to plant evidence."

Claiming that an atmosphere of fear has been created in the country to save one person, he asked the government: "Why are you saving Gyanesh Kumar? Does he know something about the 2024 elections, or how polls have been conducted in BJP-ruled states?”

Asserting that the CJP won't back down, Das appealed to all citizens to join the protests against the CEC.

Meanwhile, CJP's legal affairs head Ratna Singh welcomed the Supreme Court's order that directed the authorities to ensure normal functioning of Metro and railway services, uninterrupted internet connectivity and free movement of people in the national capital.

"Whatever the court has said today is a positive step, but we will have to see whether the orders are implemented...Today, those being detained are being assaulted, and their phones are being taken away. Delhi Police does not seem to be willing to change its approach and continues with the same actions. No matter how many orders the Supreme Court passes, we will not see any change here until they are implemented."

--IANS

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