All News

Srinagar, Sep 17 (IANS) Two days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first election rally in Srinagar city, security forces on Tuesday took over the venue of the rally.

PM Modi is arriving here on Thursday to address his first BJP election rally at the Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar city.

While the Special Protection Group (SPG) deployed on the Prime Minister’s security took over the venue, security forces including the CRPF and J&K Police are augmenting the protection of the VVIP at the venue.

The team of SPG arrived in Srinagar four days ahead of the PM visit to coordinate with the authorities for the protection of the VVIP protectee.

Located in the Ram Munshibagh area of Srinagar, Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium can accommodate a large number of people, who the BJP expects will come to listen to the party’s star campaigner PM Modi.

The PM has earlier addressed an election rally for the BJP in Jammu division. BJP sources said the PM will also address a rally at Katra town in Reasi district of Jammu division on Thursday.

The passage of participants at the venue in Srinagar will be regulated and police said some traffic diversions will also be made on Thursday to make sure that the PM’s election rally passes off smoothly.

“For the visit of the Prime Minister there is a detailed standard operating procedure (SoP) governing such a visit and we are following that to the minutest detail,” said police.

All high rise buildings around the venue will be taken over by sharp shooters of the security forces and electronic surveillance would be augmented by human security to ensure a foolproof security set up on September 19.

PM’s visit comes a day after voting ends in the first phase of the third-phased assembly elections in J&K.

At least 23.27 lakh electors in 24 constituencies spread over seven districts, three in Jammu division and four in the Valley, will decide the fate of 219 candidates in the fray for the first phase on September 18.

--IANS

sq/dan

Mumbai, Sep 17 (IANS) Aspiring for ‘Net-Zero Emissions’ in the next five years, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) has bagged the CII’s national award for Excellence in Energy Management, officials said here on Tuesday.

The CSMIA has been honoured with the prestigious Energy Efficient Unit Award for Excellence in Energy Management by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) at the 25th CII National Awards at a function held in Hyderabad.

The award was given in recognition of the airport’s outstanding contributions towards sustainable energy management and proactive efforts in reducing its environmental footprint.

The official said that the CSMIA has taken several steps to optimise energy consumption, resulting in the reduction of 8.26 per cent net energy use in the last six years.

Even with passenger traffic on a steady rise, the CSMIA saves substantial energy of around 8.7 million (kWh) due to the consistent and sustainable approach towards energy efficiency measures.

Among these are the introduction of the ‘Taxiway Z’, a unique project aimed at improving On-Time Performance (OTP) while contributing to more sustainable airport operations.

The ‘Taxiway Z’ has significantly reduced the time it takes for aircraft to enter and exit the runway, thereby reducing carbon emissions.

Additionally, the airport's Flexible-use Apron has further reduced taxi times, cutting down emissions and boosting overall sustainability.

CSMIA has continuously invested in several energy efficient projects by replacing major conventional equipment with energy efficient products with cutting-edge technology.

“Winning this accolade marks a significant milestone in CSMIA's journey toward a sustainable future. Our focus on transformative, long-term initiatives, coupled with the diligent efforts of our team, has made this achievement possible,” the official said.

With sustainability at the core of CSMIA’s vision, it aspires to become ‘net-zero’ by 2029, and the CII recognition strengthens its commitment to enhancing operational efficiency while fully embracing renewable energy, he added.

The airport remains focussed on integrating innovative, energy-efficient practices across every aspect of its operations, reinforcing its position as a leader in sustainable aviation.

--IANS

qn/rad

Kolkata, Sep 17 (IANS) Manoj Kumar Verma, a 1998-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has been named as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police.

He replaces Vineet Kumar Goyal, who has been transferred to the Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal Police as the Additional Director General (ADG).

On Monday night, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee promised the junior doctors, protesting over the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in the state capital last month, that she will replace Goyal.

Verma held the post of Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) and Jawed Shamim will now be occupying that chair.

As announced by the Chief Minister on Monday, Deputy Commissioner (North Division) of Kolkata Police Abhishek Gupta has also been replaced. Gupta has been transferred as the Commanding Officer of the second battalion of the Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR). He will be replaced by Dipak Sarkar, who is currently posted as the Deputy Commissioner at the Siliguri Police Commissionerate.

The state government, at the same time, has announced two other reshuffles in the state police. Gyanwant Singh, the Director of the Directorate of Economic Offense, has been transferred to the Intelligence Branch of the state police as the ADG. Singh will be replaced by Tripurari Athrav, the erstwhile ADG (STF).

As per the Chief Minister's promise, erstwhile Director of Medical Education Kaushik Nayak and Director of Health Services Debasish Halder have also been replaced.

While Nayak has been transferred as the Director of the Institute of Health and Family Welfare, Halder’s new position is Officer-on-Special Duty (Public Health) with the Health Department.

Swapan Soren will take over as Director of Health Service (in charge) while Suprana Dutta will be the Officer-on-Special Duty (Medical Education).

--IANS

src/sha

Bhopal, Sep 17 (IANS) On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on Tuesday, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav made several announcements at different events organised in the state.

He announced to establishment of 'Jan Aushadhi' centres at 50 district hospitals. The announcement was made during an event at Kushabhau Thakre Auditorium in Bhopal.

On this occasion, Governor Mangubhai Patel and the Chief Minister formally inaugurated 'Jan Aushadhi' centres by lighting the lamps.

The 'Jan Aushadhi' - a campaign promoted by the Department of Pharmaceuticals of the Union government, provides generic drugs that are priced 50 to 60 per cent lower than the popular brands.

The scheme has witnessed rapid expansion in a very short period of time across the country. In Madhya Pradesh, the 'Jan Aushadhi' centres will be operated by the Red Cross, as the state government officially has said.

Meanwhile, the state government also kicked started the ‘Swachhta Hi Sewa’ campaign to celebrate the occasion of PM Modi's 74th birthday. The campaign will continue to run till October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti) and the Madhya Pradesh BJP unit will take the initiative at every corner of the state.

The Chief Minister also announced the 'Griha-Pravesh' of 51,000 beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and also announced incentives for Safai Mitras based on Garbage Free City Star Certification.

--IANS

pd/dan

Mumbai, Sep 17 (IANS) Actress Anushka Sen gives another peak from her South Korea trip as she gets a taste of wonderful Korean delicacies.

Taking to her Instagram, Anushka who has 39.4 million followers on the photo-sharing platform shared a set of pictures for her fans and gave a glimpse of her best days from Seoul, Korea.

The 22-year-old actress also wrote a caption, “Best days here, my fav Seoul”. She added the pictures with Canadian rapper-singer AP Dhillon’s song ‘Losing Myself’ featuring Gunna.

In the first picture, Anushka was seen in her glamorous avatar. She opted for a white, black and white striped corset and paired it with matching trousers. The look was onto the top with blue sneakers, a black handbag and oval-shaped sunglasses.

In the next picture, the ‘Baalveer’ actress was seen posing candidly while having the perfect set of delicacies from one of the finest restaurants in Korea.

The actress was seen having oysters with delicious spaghetti kept on a white plate. She also had a healthy Poke bowl that consisted of quinoa, boiled egg, salmon, corn, cucumber, avocado, onion and tomato.

Apart from this, Anushka posted many pictures of herself while exploring and enjoying her amazing time on the streets of Seoul.

Soon after Anushka's post surfaced online, many of her admirers showered their excitement in her comments section.

A fan wrote, “I think you can slay in any kind of outfit it doesn't matter if it's Indian or a Western. You know how to flaunt your swag with your killing style sense and with your gorgeous aesthetics".

Another one wrote, “'In the realm of stars, you stand apart, With a glow that warms the coldest heart. Your beauty, pure as morning dew, A heavenly sight, forever true'.

Earlier, Anushka posted a collaborative dance reel with the South Korean dancer Aiki in which the duo were seen tapping feet together on the beats of Blackpink Lisa’s groovy number ‘New Woman’ feat Rosalia.

The ‘I Am Next’ star was last seen in the web series 'Dil Dosti Dilemma' helmed by Debbie Rao and bankrolled by Jahanara Bhargava and Seema Mohapatra in a joint venture. The show also featured Revathi Pillai, Tanvi Azmi, Shishir Sharma, Mahesh Thakur, Shruti Seth and Priyanshu Chatterjee.

The comedy-drama series is currently streaming on Prime Video.

--IANS

ays/

Chennai, Sep 17 (IANS ) Pilgrims from Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu who were stranded in Uttarakhand following landslides after heavy rains returned to the state on Tuesday.

Around 30 pilgrims from Cuddalore embarked on a spiritual journey to Uttarakhand on September 1.

While travelling to Uttarakhand Adi Kailash temple, they were stranded due to heavy rains and landslides.

An official said that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin intervened immediately and coordinated with the Uttarakhand state Chief Minister and the Indian army to rescue the stranded pilgrims.

The Chief Minister spoke to one of the pilgrims, Parasakhti, and assured him of all possible support.

He said that the army swung into action and rescued the stranded passengers by helicopter, then taken to Delhi by road and 20 passengers were sent to Chennai by Sampark Kranti Express while the remaining 10 were flown to Chennai by Indigo.

Pilgrims said that they had faced acute problems and were struck for four days in Uttarakhand for four days without food and water.

They said that the rescue personnel helped them and airlifted them to safety.

The pilgrims thanked Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for their rescue and safe return.

The rescued people also thanked the officials who provided them with food and shelter.

--IANS

aal/dan

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) Haryana’s share of India’s gross domestic product (GDP) now exceeds that of Punjab, and its relative per capita income has reached 176.8 per cent, compared to Punjab's 106.7 per cent, in 2023-24, a paper by the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) to the Prime Minister revealed on Tuesday.

Punjab and Haryana, which were once part of the same state, have experienced diverging economic trajectories.

"Punjab’s GDP share grew during the 1960s, mainly due to the Green Revolution, but then plateaued at around 4.3 per cent until 1990-91. It began to decline thereafter, finally reaching 2.4 per cent in 2023-24,” the paper noted.

In contrast, Haryana’s share continued to rise, although it has remained relatively stable since 2010-11. Haryana’s share in India’s GDP was 3.6 per cent in 2023-24.

"It is likely that the success of Gurugram accounts for some part of Haryana’s increasing share," the paper added.

Similar trends were seen in terms of relative per capita income. Punjab’s per capita income peaked at 169 per cent of the national average in 1970-71 and has since declined to 106.7 per cent of the national average in 2023-24, even lower than the 119.6 per cent in 1960-61.

Haryana, which initially lagged Punjab on both GDP share and per capita income accounts, has continued to show robust performance.

"This raises an interesting question: Did Punjab's focus on agriculture contribute to a form of 'Dutch disease', hindering its transition to industrialisation?" asked the paper.

In economics, ‘Dutch disease’ is the apparent causal relationship between the increase in the economic development of a specific sector and a decline in other sectors. According to the EAC-PM paper, in 1960-61, Punjab's share of India's GDP was 3.2 per cent, while Haryana's was 1.9 per cent.

Following the Green Revolution, both states experienced a boom in agriculture, leading to increases in their shares. Punjab’s share rose to 4.4 per cent and Haryana’s to 2.7 per cent by 1970-71. Himachal Pradesh, which was also separated from the original state, had a GDP share of 0.7 per cent in 1970-71. Its share has generally remained at this level since then, said the paper.

According to the EAC-PM paper, the divergent performance of Haryana and Punjab warrants further investigation to understand the underlying policy implications. Punjab’s relative per capita income has declined after the 2000s, while Haryana, which was once behind, has surpassed Punjab on both economic indicators.

--IANS

na/vd

Mumbai, Sep 17 (IANS) Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar on Tuesday delighted her fans by sharing a glimpse of her preparation of Ukadiche Modak, a traditional sweet, as part of the Ganesh Utsav celebrations.

In the spirit of the auspicious week, Bhumi showcased her culinary skills and personal touch in making these cherished treats.

Taking to Instagram, Bhumi, who has 9.4 million followers, shared a delightful Reel video capturing her preparation of Ukadiche Modak at home. In the clip, Bhumi is dressed in a beautiful white and lavender kurta, adding a touch of festive charm as she diligently makes the traditional sweets.

The video also features a heartwarming moment where she turns to her mother for guidance, with her mom’s voice giving helpful instructions.

In the caption, Bhumi wrote: "I am not a cook, but today I took on the challenge and decided to make some Ukadiche Modak! I can eat Modak for breakfast, lunch & dinner.Bahut mehnat lagi but they tasted #UkadicheModak #IAmNotACook Batao is it giving a vibe?!"

The 35-year-old actress further shared the recipe of Ukadiche Modak.

She said: "Recipe... Ukadiche Modak... Dough prep: Simmer 1/2 cup milk + 1/2 cup water with 1/2 tsp ghee and a pinch of salt. Let it simmer, Stir in 1 cup rice flour to make a soft, shaggy dough. Knead it well and let it rest for 10 minutes. For the filling: Grate 1 coconut, sauté in 2 tsp ghee, then add 1.5 tsp poppy seeds, 1 cup grated jaggery, and 1/2 tsp cardamom powder. Mix until everything melts into sweet, fragrant bliss...Shape the modaks: Grease your hands, take a portion of dough, fill generously, and seal them perfectly! Steam with haldi leaves and a few strands of kesar for 10-12 mins.Finally, drizzle with ghee and enjoy them hot!"

Ayushmann Khurrana's wife and director Tahira Kashyap commented: "Same man! I had 9 in 2 days".

Meanwhile, on the professional front, Bhumi was last seen in the crime thriller film 'Bhakshak' which is based on the Muzaffarpur shelter case.

Directed by Pulkit and produced by Gauri Khan and Gaurav Verma under the banner Red Chillies Entertainment, the film also stars Sanjay Mishra, Aditya Srivastava and Sai Tamhankar. It is streaming on Netflix.

She next has 'Daldal' and 'The Royals' in the kitty.

--IANS

sp/

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) India on Tuesday dispatched a consignment of 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to Namibia as humanitarian aid to address the food security needs of the drought-stricken African nation.

This initiative aligns with India's commitment to supporting the Global South.

"As a credible HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) provider and a reliable friend, India is extending food grain assistance to the people of Namibia to strengthen their food security in the wake of recent droughts," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in a post on X.

The consignment departed from Nhava Sheva Port on Tuesday.

Earlier on Saturday, India also announced the extension of humanitarian assistance to another African country, Chad, in the wake of a "deadly" fire in the capital city.

India sent a medical aid consignment weighing approximately 2300 kgs, consisting of essential life-saving antibiotics and general medicines, to the landlocked country in north-central Africa.

The move comes after the tragedy in the Chadian capital, N'Djamena on June 19 in which several people were killed and injured in a fire and explosion at a weapons and ammunition depot.

In a parallel effort earlier this week, India launched 'Operation Sadbhav' to provide humanitarian aid to Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam, helping them cope with the devastating aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar shared on Sunday that 10 tonnes of aid, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines, were dispatched to Myanmar aboard the Indian naval ship INS Satpura.

Additionally, a C-130J military transport aircraft from the Indian Air Force carried 35 tonnes of aid to Vietnam and 10 tonnes to Laos.

"India launches Operation Sadbhav, demonstrating our solidarity with the people affected by Typhoon Yagi," Jaishankar said on X. "Ten tonnes of aid, including dry rations, clothing, and medicines, left for Myanmar aboard INS Satpura today," he added.

Jaishankar further noted that the Indian Air Force was transporting 35 tonnes of aid to Vietnam, which included water purification systems, blankets, kitchen utensils, and solar lanterns. Similarly, 10 tonnes of aid, including a genset, hygiene supplies, mosquito nets, blankets, and sleeping bags, were sent to Laos.

The Indian Navy confirmed it had rapidly mobilised for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations following the devastating flash floods in Myanmar caused by Typhoon Yagi. The Eastern Naval Command, in collaboration with the Eastern Fleet and other units, successfully loaded HADR supplies, including drinking water, rations, and medicines, onto a naval warship set to depart from Visakhapatnam for operations in Yangon.

"This rapid mobilisation, despite short notice, demonstrates the Navy's swift response capabilities in addressing humanitarian crises in the region," said Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal.

Parts of Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam have been severely impacted by Typhoon Yagi, considered Asia's most powerful storm this year. The storm, originating from the South China Sea, made landfall over a week ago, reportedly causing the deaths of more than 170 people in Vietnam and around 40 in Myanmar.

--IANS

sd/

Kozhikode, Sep 17 (IANS) To commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 74th birthday, being celebrated on Tuesday, the Kerala unit of the BJP has decided to celebrate it by engaging in a string of social activities extending till October 2nd.

Kerala BJP chief K. Surendran said their party workers will hold medical camps in SC/ST colonies and also for senior citizens besides donating blood.

“Along with these social activities, the party will reach out to more people and make them members of the BJP as presently the membership campaign is currently on,” said Surendran.

He also pointed out that on the occasion of the third Modi government completing 100 days in office, numerous programmes and projects have been announced and launched by the Union government.

“The objective of the Modi government is to create job opportunities for the youth as in the now completed 100 days in office a staggering Rs 15 lakh crores has been invested in infrastructural development in the country. The Kerala government should make an effort to study and learn how the Modi government is working,” added Surendran.

Surendran also slammed the present fiasco related to a memorandum submitted by Kerala to the Centre seeking financial assistance for the rehabilitation of the four villages affected by the July 30th landslide at Wayanad.

“As soon as the disaster struck, all BJP-led state government extended help but strangely Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has not even said a ‘thank you’. We also do not know if any state government in the INDIA bloc has extended help for the people suffering in the disaster,” said Surendran.

“It’s shocking to see in the memorandum that crores have been spend and given to volunteers who engaged in the rescue and rehabilitation works during the disaster and after. At least Rs 75,000 is being accounted for interning a dead. A sum of Rs one crore is given for setting up the bailey bridge and we want to find out what has the state government got to do with the bailey bridge as it was built by the Army,” asked Surendran.

He also pointed out that there has been a case in the Lok Ayukta against the misuse of funds from the CMDRF and that’s why Chief Minister Vijayan curtailed the powers of the quasi judicial body through a new Bill.

“Chief Minister Vijayan has to explain about the funds which the state received from the Centre for disaster relief work in the past two years and how much funds have been utilised before the Wayanad disaster took place. It has now come out the much hyped rehabilitation plan for Wayanad has fallen flat,” added Surendran.

--IANS

sg/dan