LIVE! Manik Saha to take oath as Tripura CM on Wednesday

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Tue, 07 March 2023

Manik Saha to take oath as Tripura CM on Wednesday

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21:15 Manik Saha to take oath as Tripura CM on Wednesday

The Manik Saha-led council of ministers in Tripura will take oath of office and secrecy here on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a senior BJP leader said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president JP Nadda have already arrived in Tripura to join the swearing in ceremony of the BJP-led government

"Manik Saha will take oath as the chief minister of the state for the second time at the Vivekananda ground. The PM will participate in the programme," BJP Tripura unit chief spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said.

Modi is scheduled to arrive here from Guwahati around 10.35 am.

"This is the first time that any anti-Left government has retained power in the northeastern state in the past three decades. We hope the BJP 2.0 government will meet the aspirations of the people, Chakraborty said.

In 1988, the Congress-TUJS defeated the Left in the border state and formed the government, but it lost to the Communists in 1993.

The BJP won 32 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly elections in Tripura, while its ally IPFT managed to secure one seat. -- PTI

India and five central Asian countries on Tuesday asserted that Afghanistan's soil must not be used for any terrorist activities and called for formation of a "truly inclusive" political structure in Kabul that respects rights of all Afghans including women and minorities.

At the first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint working group on Afghanistan, New Delhi also announced a fresh tranche of assistance of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan and the consignments will be sent through the Chabahar Port in Iran.

The situation in the war-ravaged country came up for extensive deliberations at the first meeting of the India-Central Asia joint working group on Afghanistan that took place in Delhi.

A joint statement said the meeting emphasized the importance of formation of a "truly inclusive and representative political structure" that respects the rights of all Afghans and ensures equal rights of women, girls and members of minority groups, including access to education.

In December, India joined several other leading countries in criticising the Taliban's decision to ban university education for women in Afghanistan.

The statement said the officials at the deliberations discussed regional threats of terrorism, extremism, radicalisation and drug trafficking and also deliberated on the possibilities to coordinate efforts to counter these threats.

It said they emphasised that the "territory of Afghanistan should not be used for sheltering, training, planning or financing any terrorist acts and reaffirmed that no terrorist organizations including those designated by the UNSC resolution 1267 should be provided sanctuary or allowed to use the territory of Afghanistan".

Besides host India, the meeting was attended by special envoys or senior officials of the Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Country representatives of the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes and UN World Food Programme also participated in the meeting.

The joint statement said the officials exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan, including the political, security and the humanitarian aspects.

"While emphasising the respect for sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity and non-interference in its internal affairs, the sides reiterated support for a peaceful, secure and stable Afghanistan," it said.

It said the country representative of the UNWFP in Afghanistan briefed the participants on the India-UNWFP partnership to deliver foodgrain assistance to Afghan people and made a presentation on the current humanitarian situation, including the aid requirements for the year ahead.

India announced the supply of 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat assistance to Afghanistan in partnership with UNWFP through Chabahar Port, the joint statement said.

Months after the Taliban captured power in Kabul in August 2021, India had announced an assistance of 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat to Afghan people as they were reeling under a severe food crisis. Subsequently, the consignments were sent to Afghanistan using the land route through Pakistan. Islamabad had granted the transit facility after nearly months of discussions.

"The sides took note of the current humanitarian situation and agreed to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people," the statement said.

It said the country representative of the UNODC in Afghanistan highlighted the partnership of India and UNODC in fighting the menace of narcotics in Afghanistan and thanked New Delhi for "providing humanitarian aid for the Afghan drug user population."

"Upon their request, India offered capacity building training courses for the relevant stakeholders/partner agencies of UNODC and the relevant officials/stakeholders of Central Asian Republics in the field of countering illegal drug trafficking," the statement said.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said Rahul Gandhi should attend Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh camps to understand the organisation and slammed the Congress leader for criticising the RSS during his UK visit.

In an interview with Doordarshan, the information and broadcasting minister also accused Gandhi of "defaming India" from foreign soil.

Speaking at a function in London, the former Congress chief had alleged that the structures of Indian democracy were under "brutal attack" and regretted that democratic parts of the world, including the US and Europe, have failed to notice it.

On the RSS, he had termed it as a "fundamentalist, fascist organisation" that has changed the nature of the democratic contest in India by capturing the country's institutions.

Asked about Gandhi's remarks on the RSS and the BJP, Thakur said, "The RSS is a volunteer organisation which works in every field for national unity and integrity. The RSS has made major contributions to the nation."

"I would say Rahul Gandhi should also attend RSS camps, he will learn a lot...," the BJP leader said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi also comes from the RSS. "Look at his dedication, since 2001 he has not taken a single day off," he said.

Asked about the Opposition's allegation of probe agencies being misused against them, the Union minister said that "people have voted for us so that we can give them corruption free governance".

"If they have not indulged in any corruption, why are they scared?" he asked.

On Gandhi's remarks, Thakur also said, "He says democracy is in danger, there were elections in three states, where is the Congress? The truth is that Congress is in danger."

The minister was referring to the poor performance of the Congress in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura.

"They have lost their base but they are not ready to accept it. Rahul Gandhi left Amethi and went to Wayannad, now perhaps he wants to fight an election abroad... He is attacking India from foreign soil... he may hate PM Modi but he should not defame India," Thakur said. -- PTI

At least 14 people were killed and over 100 others injured on Tuesday in an explosion at a seven-storey building in Bangladesh's Dhaka, police said.

Several firefighting units were rushed to the spot after the blast, which occurred around 4:50 pm (local time), the bdnews24 news portal reported, citing the fire service control room.

The cause of the explosion could not be known immediately.

At least 14 people were killed and more than 100 others injured in the explosion, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The death toll is likely to increase as several people are feared trapped in the basement of the building, the paper said.

The Rapid Action Battalion's bomb disposal unit is heading to the spot to inspect the buildings.

The injured were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said DMCH police outpost j+spector Bacchu Miah. He added that all of them were receiving treatment at the hospital's emergency unit.

The building has several stores for sanitary products on the bottom floor and a branch of BRAC Bank was located in the building adjacent to it.

The blast shattered the glass walls of the bank and also damaged a bus standing on the opposite side of the road, reports said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not talk about fighting corruption as a Bharatiya Janata Party MLA in Karnataka was not arrested despite a huge amount of cash was found at his home.

However, Manish Sisodia was arrested although nothing was found during raids at the AAP leader's residence, Kejriwal said.

Sisodia is behind bars in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case.

"Mr Prime Minister, there was nothing found in raids at Manish Sisodia's residence. He was arrested by applying all sections of the law by CBI, ED. A huge amount of cash was found with your party MLA. He was not arrested?

"You should henceforth not talk about fighting corruption. It doesn't suit you," the AAP national convener said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Karnataka high court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to Channagiri BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who is the main accused in the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents (KSDL) contract scam.

His son Prashanth Madal, who is the chief accounts officer of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was arrested by the Lokayutka police on March 2 while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on behalf of his father at the KSDL office.

The MLA's petition claimed that he had no role to play in the alleged bribery case and he has been falsely implicated in it.

The alleged scam relates to the supply of chemical to KSDL in which a bribe of Rs 81 lakh was allegedly demanded.

His son was allegedly caught while receiving Rs 40 lakh of this bribe on his behalf.

19:26 Swiggy takes down Holi ad after backlash

Swiggy's egg ad billboard for Holi has been taken down after a section of people expressed "outrage" on social media.

The advertisement said, "Omelette - Sunny side-up - Kisi ke sarr par. #BuraMatKhelo. Get Holi essentials on Instamart."

Though there is no official statement from Swiggy on the matter, a source told PTI, "The billboard ads were only in Delhi-NCR and have been taken down now."

Soon after the ad was put up, several people tweeted with the hashtag "HinduphobicSwiggy", urging people to boycott the food and grocery delivery service provider.

All India Sadhu Samaj member and former president of the Kutch Sant Samaj wrote, "Hey @swiggy, it's not okay to give selective gyan on Hindu festivals. Your Holi reel and Billboard is creating a wrong perception about Holi. You must apologize and take steps to promote cultural inclusivity."

Vishva Hindu Parishad leader Sadhvi Prachi also objected as she wrote, "Hey Swiggy, why don't you give similar gyan on Eid/Christmas? Afraid of Sar Tan Se Juda gang? Since you serve diverse communities, it's important for you to learn to respect all religions. Remove your Holi ads."

While former president of Gujarat's Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, Hardik Bhavsar said, "Immediately Uninstalled", former BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh Arun Kumar Yadav wrote, "By promoting controversial billboards and posting reel, #HinduPhobicSwiggy has hurt the sentiments of millions of people. Swiggy must apologize to Hindu community and remove them immediately, or face consequences. Why is their lack of similar Ads during non Hindu festivals?" -- PTI

Sidhu Moosewala's parents sat on protest outside the Punjab assembly complex in Chandigarh on Tuesday, demanding justice for the popular singer who was shot dead last year.

An emotional Balkaur Singh said the masterminds behind his son's murder were still at large, and claimed that nothing concrete has been done by the investigation agencies. When asked by reporters if he would demand a CBI probe, Singh replied, "Definitely, it should be done.

Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa and other Congress leaders joined Singh and his wife Charan Kaur, who carried his pictures and placards.

Moosewala's parents ended the protest after Punjab minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal assured them that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann would meet them after March 20 and hear out their concerns.

Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, was shot dead in Punjab's Mansa district on May 29 by shooters who intercepted his jeep.

The minister told reporters that 29 people have been arrested so far in the case and two accused killed in a police encounter.

He said five others are to be brought back from outside the country and the state government is already in touch with the Centre and the concerned agencies.

Balkaur Singh told the minister that assurances have been given in the past as well.

"I came here today as we have no other option. For the last 10 months, nothing concrete has been done. Enough time has been given to the police and the administration to act. But the reality is that the case is being suppressed, he told reporters.

Crucial witnesses are being eliminated and nothing is going in our favour, he said.

Embattled Adani Group on Tuesday said it has repaid share-based financing of Rs 7,374 crore (over USD 900 million) and will prepay all such remaining loans by the end of the month, as it looks to allay concerns over leverage and debt to win over investors.

The repayment will release pledge on shares of promoters in four group companies, it said in a statement, adding that together with repayments done earlier, the group has prepaid USD 2.016 billion of share-backed financing.

In September last year, CreditSights, a Fitch Group unit, said the group was "deeply overleveraged" as it used debt to expand an empire centred on ports and coal mining to include airports, data centres and cement as well as green energy.

In a January 24 report, US short seller Hindenburg Research flagged "substantial" debt levels at the group while alleging accounting fraud and use of offshore shell companies to inflate stock prices.

The group has denied all Hindenburg allegations, calling them "malicious", "baseless" and a "calculated attack on India".

A month after the damning report by Hindenburg lopped off USD 135 billion in market value from Adani group's listed companies, the conglomerate is hoping to claw back the narrative by choosing slow and steady growth over the breakneck, mostly debt-fuelled, expansion spree of recent years.

It has already scrapped a Rs 7,000 crore coal plant purchase, decided not to bid for a stake in state-backed energy trading firm PTC, reined in expenses, repaid some debt and promised to repay more.

"In continuation of promoters' commitment to reduce the overall promoter leverage backed by Adani listed company shares, we would like to inform that we have prepaid share backed financing of Rs 7,374 crore ahead of its latest maturity in April 2025," the statement said.

As much as 31 million shares, or 4 per cent stake, of promoters in the group's flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd will be released from pledge while in Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), promoters will release pledges on 155 million shares or an 11.8 per cent stake.

In the case of Adani Transmission Ltd, pledges over 36 million shares, representing 4.5 per cent of promoters' holding, will be released. Similarly, in Adani Green Energy Ltd, pledges over 11 million shares or 1.2 per cent of promoters' holding, will be released.

"Along with the repayments done earlier in the month of February, Adani has prepaid USD 2.016 billion of share backed financing, which is consistent with promoters' commitment to prepay all share backed financing before March 31, 2023," it said. -- PTI

17:50 Prez accepts resignation of Sisodia, Jain

President Droupadi Murmu has accepted the resignations of Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and minister Satyendra Jain, both currently in Tihar jail in alleged corruption and money laundering cases respectively.

The president also appointed Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi Marlena as ministers in the Delhi government headed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"The President is pleased to accept, on the advice of the Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, the resignation of Shri Manish Sisodia, a Minister in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, with immediate effect," an official notification said.

A similar notification was issued with regards to Jain.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26 in connection with alleged corruption in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor or excise policy for 2021-22.

He is currently in judicial custody, till March 20.

Jain, who is also in judicial custody, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case of alleged money laundering on May 30, 2022.

Bharadwaj has been an MLA of the AAP since 2013 and is currently the vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board.

He was a minister of the short-lived first Kejriwal government in 2013.

Marlena is an MLA of the AAP since 2020 and has been associated with the party since its inception.

She was an advisor of Sisodia in his education portfolio. -- PTI

With an eye on the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to hold conferences in various parliamentary constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh starting from Muzffarnagar next month to woo Muslim communities having an influence in the region.

The conferences on the theme "Sneh Milan: Ek Desh, Ek DNA Sammelan" will try to drive home the point that everyone's DNA is the same and together they can take the country forward.

"Muslim Jat, Muslim Rajput, Muslim Gurjar and Muslim Tyagi communities have a sizeable number of voters in western Uttar Pradesh. In almost every Lok Sabha constituency of Western Uttar Pradesh, their population is on an average 2.5 lakh," Uttar Pradesh BJP Minority Morcha president Kunwar Basit Ali told PTI.

"The party will try to connect with these voters by organising 'Sneh Milan: Ek Desh, Ek DNA Sammelan' in various West Uttar Pradesh districts," he said, adding these conferences would start after Eid next month and the first convention will be held in Muzaffarnagar.

He said Hindu leaders of Jat, Rajput, Gurjar and Tyagi communities would be on stage in these conferences. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, State BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary, Muzaffarnagar MP Sanjeev Balyan and State Minister Somendra Tomar will be prominently involved, he said.

"Holding of these conferences is an attempt to establish a cordial relationship among Hindu, Muslim Jats, Rajputs, Gujjars and Tyagi fraternities. Trying to convince them that we are all one, born in the same place. Everyone's DNA is the same and together we have to take the country forward," he said.

Muslim Jat, Muslim Rajput, Muslim Gurjar and Muslim Tyagi fraternities in western Uttar Pradesh maintain cordial ties with people of these castes of Hindu society.

"There is no division of Hindus and Muslims among them. Meetings, panchayats and community feasts etc. are all decided on the basis of the fraternity. Keeping this in mind, the BJP has intended to organise these conferences," he said.

"It is true that whether Hindu or Muslim, everyone's DNA is the same. We are talking on the basis of this DNA only. Our ancestors were the same. When this happens, it will strengthen the social fabric and they will connect with their leaders. Since the leaders belong to the BJP, the party will benefit from it," he said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation has conducted tests simulating the clustered deployment of parachutes as part of preparations for the Gaganyaan human space flight mission.

ISRO carried out the 'Rail Track Rocket Sled' deployment tests of the Gaganyaan Pilot and Apex Cover Separation (ACS) parachutes in cluster configurations at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL), Chandigarh.

The first test simulated the clustered deployment of two pilot parachutes -- one parachute was subjected to a minimum angle with respect to flow conditions and the second to a maximum angle with respect to flow, the national space agency headquartered here said.

"These pilot parachutes are used in the Gaganyaan mission to extract and deploy the main parachutes independently," an ISRO statement said.

The second test simulated the clustered deployment of two ACS parachutes under maximum dynamic pressure conditions.

The test also simulated clustered deployment at a 90-degree angle of attack conditions for the crew module. The ACS parachutes are used in the Gaganyaan mission for the separation of the apex cover mounted on the Crew Module.

Both pilot and ACS parachutes were deployed using a pyrotechnic mortar device, ISRO said, adding that the tests were conducted on March 1 and 3.

The Gaganyaan parachute system development has been a joint effort by Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, and Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE), Agra, the statement said.

Gaganyaan project envisages demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of three members to an orbit of 400 km for a three-day mission and bring them back safely to earth, by landing in Indian waters, according to ISRO.

The defence ministry on Tuesday sealed a deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to procure 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft at a cost of over Rs 6,800 crore for the Indian Air Force.

The ministry also finalised a contract with the Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) for acquisition of three cadet training ships worth over Rs 3,100 crore.

Both the procurement proposals were cleared by the prime minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on March 1.

"The ministry of defence on March 7 signed contracts with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for procurement of 70 HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft and three cadet training ships respectively in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh," the ministry said.

While the HAL will provide 70 HTT-40 aircraft over a period of six years, the delivery of ships is scheduled to commence from 2026.

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, along with other senior civil and military officials of the ministry, and representatives of the HAL and L&T were present at the contract signing ceremony.

The HTT-40 is a turbo prop aircraft possessing good low speed handling qualities and provides better training effectiveness, according to the ministry.

The HTT-40 contains approximately 56 per cent indigenous content which will progressively increase to over 60 per cent through indigenisation of major components and subsystems, officials said.

"The aircraft will meet the shortage of basic trainer aircraft of Indian Air Force for training of newly-inducted pilots. The procurement will include associated equipment and training aids including simulators," the ministry said in a statement.

"Being an indigenous solution, the aircraft is configurable for upgrades to incorporate the futuristic requirements of the Indian Armed Forces. The aircraft will be supplied over a period of six years," it said.

It said the HAL would engage the domestic private industry, including MSMEs, in its supply chain.

"The procurement has the potential to provide direct and indirect employment to thousands of people spread over more than 100 MSMEs," the ministry said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya, who had donated her kidney to her father, on Tuesday charged the ruling dispensation at the Centre with "harassment" of the ailing septuagenarian.

Singapore-based Acharya took to Twitter to express her anguish over Prasad's interrogation by the CBI in connection with the land for jobs case in Delhi, pertaining to his tenure as the railway minister.

"These people are harassing papa. If the harassment leads to any problem, we will rock the seat of power in Delhi. Patience is running out", tweeted Acharya, upon learning that the agency, which had on Monday questioned her mother Rabri Devi at the latter's Patna residence, was now at elder sister Misa Bharti's Delhi house.

Prasad underwent a kidney transplant in Singapore last year and returned to India a month ago. In view of the high risk of infections, the mass leader has chosen to stay away from his home state and convalesce at the residence of Bharti, who is a Rajya Sabha member.

Acharya, who despite not being in politics did not shy away from taking up cudgel on behalf of her family on social media, added in another emotional tweet "I will not spare anybody if something untoward happens to my father. It should be remembered that time is powerful".

Notably, family and supporters of Prasad allege that the legal wrangles are a result of the political vendetta of the BJP to which the RJD president has remained opposed all through his life.

The BJP, however, rubbishes the charge pointing out that the former chief minister of Bihar has been convicted in a number of fodder scam cases which were lodged when the Centre was ruled by a coalition of which RJD was a part.

A 39-year-old Indian-origin man has died in the United States after a passenger train struck him when he was walking on tracks in New Jersey, according to a media report.

The pedestrian was hit by an Amtrak train en route to Boston from Washington on February 28, when he was walking on the tracks east of Princeton Junction, news portal nj.com reported. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A GoFundme initiative launched by the friends and family of the bereaved identified him as Sreekanth Digala from Annamayya, Andhra Pradesh, a resident of Plainsboro, New Jersey.

Multiple train passengers took to Twitter to report that they were stopped for more than five hours after the incident, the report said.

According to the fundraiser, Digala, the only breadwinner of his family, leaves behind his wife and a 10-year-old son. His 70+-year-old parents and in-laws in India were also his sole responsibility.

Digala was described by the fundraiser as a hardworking and free-spirited individual who was "always willing to help".

"Local Indian communities & TANA, Friends and Family members of Sreekanth are working diligently with the Indian Embassy authorities to figure out a way to complete the rituals and perform the last rites," the GoFundMe page said.

The funds raised would go directly to Digala's family for their future needs like housing, education, and childcare.

Of the USD 250,000 goal, USD 97,520 has already been raised three days after the campaign was started. -- PTI

Surveys indicate that Congress is projected to win over 140 out of a total 224 seats in the upcoming Karnataka assembly polls, party state unit president D K Shivakumar claimed on Tuesday, as he also suggested that several sitting legislators of the ruling Bharatiya janata Party will be joining the party in the coming days.

He was speaking to reporters after inducting two former BJP MLAs and its former Mysuru mayor into the party.

The three leaders who quit BJP and joined Congress are former Kollegala MLA G N Nanjundaswamy and Manohar Ainapur, a former MLA from Bijapur, along with former Mysuru mayor Purushottam.

Shivakumar also claimed that the BJP wanted to call for elections in Karnataka soon after the 2022 Gujarat poll results were out but backtracked on the move.

"Former legislators are joining the Congress quitting the BJP. In the coming days, we will also announce the list of sitting legislators who will be joining; discussions are on in this regard. I will not reveal any names for now," Shivakumar said.

He said leaders are joining the Congress without any conditions, and accepting the party's ideology and leadership.

"Like floods, several leaders are joining the party at the district level, some prominent leaders are being inducted here. It is very clear that the public opinion is in favour of the Congress.

"Our earlier survey had projected our seat tally at 136, now our survey is projecting above 140 seats. The change has begun. We are seeing it as we travel across the state," Shivakumar added.

Further stating that only about 50 days are left for polls, Shivakumar claimed that the BJP wanted to urgently call for elections after 2022 Gujarat polls. They had held discussions with officials and had also decided on dates, but it is getting delayed, he further claimed.

"The reason is BJP feels that the more the number of days they get, it will be beneficial for them, so they are making such attempts. Every day short term tenders are happening, mobilisation of advance is happening, tenders are happening and money is being released in haste without looking at anything," he said, adding that the Congress will discuss it and come out with a stand on this to be communicated to the government.

Stating that the Congress is prepared for elections, even if it is held immediately, Shivakumar said the Election Commission, "without giving a chance for all these things to happen", should announce the poll dates immediately, and "stop this large-scale corruption that is happening".

Reaching out to the migrant workers community in Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Tuesday interacted with a group of labourers at a latex unit in Tirunelveli.

The Chief Minister's move comes in the wake of apprehensions among the migrant workforce over alleged fake videos of attacks on some of them in the state, which had even prompted the Bihar government to depute an official delegation to take stock of the situation.

Stalin visited Kanam Latex, involved in making hand gloves, in the district and interacted with the migrant workers, enquiring about their well-being, an official release said.

He discussed with them about matters like how long they were staying in Tamil Nadu, if the local people treated them well and whether they had to face any issues.

The workers told him they had a good work atmosphere, some were staying for more than five years in TN, many with their families and that the local people were treating them with brotherhood, the release added.

The workers told him they did not have any fears and that they felt safe like staying in their native places, while acknowledging the help extended by the state government, it said.

"The CM asked them not to fall for rumours and that the state government was providing workers from all states safe work environment," the release said.

Tamil Nadu has a sizeable number of migrant worker population, with many from states like Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal among others being employed in various sectors including construction.

Meanwhile, the four-member Bihar government delegation met officials and workers in Chennai and expressed satisfaction over the state government's actions after the alleged fake videos emerged. It had earlier travelled to Tirupur, and Coimbatore, both of which employ a large number of migrant labourers.

D Balamurugan, Bihar Rural Development Secretary, told reporters in Tirunelveli the TN government acted after the videos started circulating.

"There were some apprehensions after the videos emerged but now things have been clarified," he added. -- PTI

Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party leader Neiphiu Rio took oath as the chief minister of Nagaland for the fifth term.

The 72-year-old politician was administered the oath of secrecy by Governor La Ganesan.

T R Zeliang and Y Patton were sworn-in as the deputy chief ministers of the state, while other members of the Rio cabinet also took oath.

State BJP chief Temjen Imna Along, widely popular on social media across the country for his sense of humour, and Salhoutuonuo Kruse, one of the two women elected to Nagaland assembly for the first time, were among those who were sworn-in as members of the council of ministers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma were among those present on the occasion.

Rio will lead an all-party oppositionless government, even as the NDPP-BJP alliance secured 37 seats in the 60-member House in the recent assembly polls in the northeastern state.

All other parties in the state have extended their letters of support to the Rio-led alliance. -- PTI

A State Bank of India research report on Tuesday dismissed arguments that India is dangerously close to Hindu rate of growth saying such statements are "ill-conceived, biased and premature" in the wake of the recent GDP numbers and the available data on savings and investments.

"Interpretations of GDP growth based on noisy quarterly numbers is a game of smoke and mirror," said the SBI report 'Ecowrap'.

The report comes within days of former Reserve Bank Governor Raghuram Rajan saying that India is "dangerously close" to the Hindu rate of growth in view of subdued private sector investment, high interest rates and slowing global growth.

Rajan said that sequential slowdown in the quarterly growth, as revealed by the latest estimate of national income released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) last month, was worrying.

Hindu rate of growth is a term describing low Indian economic growth rates from the 1950s to the 1980s, which averaged 3.5 per cent. The term was coined by Raj Krishna, an Indian economist, in 1978 to describe the slow growth

"India's quarterly Y-o-Y GDP growth has been in a declining trend in FY23 sequentially, prompting arguments that India's growth is reminiscent of a pre - 1980 Raj Krishna coined growth rate," the report said.

Apart from the fact that, quarterly growth numbers are "noisy and should be best avoided for any serious interpretation (on an average, India's GDP growth has witnessed Rs 2 lakh crores upward revision for the 3 year ended FY23), "we find such argument ill-conceived, biased and premature at its best when weighing the recent GDP numbers against the available data on savings and investments."

The investment and savings data for the past decade reveals interesting points, said the report authored by Soumya Kanti Ghosh, Group Chief Economic Adviser, State Bank of India.

Gross capital formation (GCF) by the government touched a high of 11.8 per cent in 2021-22, up from 10.7 per cent in 2020-21.

"This also had a domino effect on private sector investment that jumped from 10 per cent to 10.8 per cent over the same period," it said.

In fact, Ecowrap added that the trends in GCF to gross output ratio or the plough back of funds for creation of fresh capacity shows that for public administration the ratio attained fresh peak in 2021-22 owing to the emphasis on capital expenditure in recent budgets.

At the aggregate level, gross capital formation is supposed to have crossed 32 per cent in 2022-23, the highest level since 2018-19.

According to the report, in 2021-22, gross savings have risen to 30 per cent from 29 per cent in 2020-21.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged India Inc to increase investment in tandem with the government's decision to raise capital expenditure (capex) and take advantage of the opportunities unveiled in the Budget 2023-24.

Addressing the 10th webinar on Budget, Modi said the government has increased outlay on capex to a historic high of Rs 10 lakh crore.

He further said that India is being described as a bright spot of the global economy and the country has attracted the highest FDI in the country in the year 2021-22 with major part going into manufacturing sector.

"I would also call upon the private sector of the country to increase their investment just like the government so that the country gets maximum benefit from it," he said while talking about the key proposals of the Budget.

He stressed that applications are continuously pouring in to avail of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme which makes India an important part of the global supply chain.

Dwelling on the tax-related post-Budget narratives, the prime minister said as opposed to the past, the tax burden has come down significantly in India due to GST, reduction in income tax and corporate tax.

This, he said, has resulted in better tax collection as the gross tax revenue was about Rs 11 lakh crore in FY14, which can rise to Rs 33 lakh crore in 2023-24, an increase of 200 per cent.

The number of individual tax returns filed increased from 3.5 crore to 6.5 crore from 2013-14 to 2020-21, he said.

"Paying tax is such a duty, which is directly related to nation building. The increase in the tax base is proof that people have faith in the government, and they believe that the tax paid is being spent for public good," he said.

He said Amrit Kaal Budget laid the roadmap of an all-inclusive financial sector for India's growth and India is moving with new capabilities, the responsibility of those in the financial world of India has increased.

Modi asked the banking sector that they have a robust financial system of the world and a banking system that is in profit after being on the verge of collapse 8-10 years ago.

Also, he said, there is a government that is taking policy decisions with courage, clarity and confidence.

"Today, the need of the hour is that the benefits of the strength in India's banking system should reach the maximum number of people," he said.

Giving an example of the government's support to the MSME sector, the prime minister asked the banking system to reach out to the maximum number of sectors.

"1 crore 20 lakh MSMEs have received huge help from the government during the pandemic. In this year's budget, the MSME sector has also got additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of 2 lakh crores. Now it is very important that our banks reach out to them and provide them adequate finance," he said.

Manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) in India will increase its dependence on China for raw materials, mineral processing, and battery production, according to a report of by economic think tank GTRI.

The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) also said that there is a need for life cycle impact evaluation for the EVs sector

EVs result in the release of pollutants during battery making, disposal, and charging and about 70 per cent of materials used to manufacture EVs in India are imported from China and a few other countries, it said.

"EVs will increase India's dependence on China for raw materials, mineral processing, and battery production," it said.

China has bought the largest lithium mines in Australia and South America. It processes more than 60 per cent of the lithium produced globally. It also processes 65 per cent of cobalt and 93 per cent of manganese.

China makes three out of four batteries produced globally, it said, adding over 100 Chinese battery units make 60 per cent of the cathodes and 80 per cent of the anodes used in lithium-ion cells.

The report pointed out that EVs have implications on jobs and pollution and it identified 13 issues related to interests of consumers, industry, and the government for an evaluation.

The issues include high prices of these vehicles, fitness of EVs for a long journey, performance under extreme weather, increase in power demand, less fit for public transport, increased dependence on China, no reduction in pollution, disruption of the auto component sector, and inadequate availability of lithium.

"EVs with lithium-ion batteries are at best a work-in-progress innovation. We must understand the long term impact of EVs on jobs, pollution levels, imports, and economic growth," GTRI co-founder Ajay Srivastava said.

On the pollution issue, it explained that a typical 500 kilogram lithium car battery uses 12 kg of lithium, 15 kg of cobalt, 30 kg of nickel, 44 kg of copper, and 50 kg of graphite.

It also uses about 200 kg of steel, aluminium, and plastics. Mining extraction, transport, and processing of these materials release pollutants and CO2, leading to air and water pollution, it added.

"The battery's life is 6-7 years; after which it needs to be recycled. Recycling is complex as the battery contains many toxic materials that are challenging to dispose of. Firms promoting EVs talk about zero tail-pipe emissions but are silent on mining and disposal costs," the report said.

Further, it said that EVs will only increase pollution as the batteries are charged from coal-generated electricity.

India generates 60 per cent of electricity from fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, and of this, coal accounts for 50 per cent.

"Electric cars only make sense when most power comes from renewable energy," it said, adding that EVs will disrupt India's auto-component industry with 700 organised and 10,000 unorganised manufacturers.

13:38 Navy successfully test-fires MRSAM

The Indian Navy on Tuesday carried out a successful test-firing of a Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (MRSAM) from frontline warship INS Visakhapatnam, officials said.

The test firing validated the capability to engage the weapon as an anti-ship missile, they said.

The MRSAM has been produced at state-run Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday lashed out at Rahul Gandhi for his criticism of the state of democracy in India and the RSS from Britain, claiming it is its clear conviction that he is completely in the grip of "Maoist thought process through his minions" and also "anarchist elements".

Addressing a press conference, former Union minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also expressed his party's disapproval of Gandhi "misusing the forum of British parliament" to spread shameful lies and unfounded claims, and said there needed to be a "proper rebuttal".

He accused the Congress leader of shaming India's democracy, polity, Parliament, judicial system and strategic security from a foreign land.

Gandhi told British parliamentarians in London on Monday that functioning microphones in the Lok Sabha are often silenced against the Opposition.

During an event organised by veteran Indian-origin Opposition Labour Party MP Virendra Sharma within the House of Commons complex, he said opposition parties in India are often not allowed to debate issues in Parliament.

Prasad said Gandhi has forgotten all parliamentary norms, political propriety and "democratic shame" by criticising Indian from abroad.

The BJP leader also accused Gandhi of seeking the intervention of Europe and the United States in India and said he has gone against the consensus in India against any interference in its internal affairs by foreign powers.

Prasad sought reactions from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi on Rahul Gandhi's "utterly irresponsible" statements and whether the opposition party disowns them or not.

The BJP leader also slammed Rahul Gandhi for his condemnation of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), claiming that the Hindutva organisation has been serving the society and the nation. -- PTI

Nearly everyone across the world is exposed to unhealthy levels of small air pollution particles called PM2.5, according to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health journal.

Researchers at Monash University in Australia found that only 0.18 per cent of the global land area and 0.001 per cent of the global population are exposed to levels of PM2.5 -- the world's leading environmental health risk factor -- below the safety levels recommended by World Health Organization.

While the daily PM2.5 levels have reduced in Europe and North America in the two decades to 2019, levels have increased in South Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America and the Caribbean, with more than 70 per cent of days globally seeing levels above what is safe.

The team utilised traditional air quality monitoring observations, satellite-based meteorological and air pollution detectors, statistical and machine learning methods to more accurately assess PM2.5 concentrations globally.

"We used an innovative machine learning approach to integrate multiple meteorological and geological information to estimate the global surface-level daily PM2.5 concentrations at a high spatial resolution of approximately 10km 10km for global grid cells in 2000-2019, focusing on areas above 15 micrograms per cubic metre (g/m3), which is considered the safe limit by WHO," said Professor Yuming Guo, from the Monash University.

"The unsafe PM2.5 concentrations also show different seasonal patterns that included Northeast China and North India during their winter months (December, January, and February), whereas eastern areas in northern America had high PM2.5 in its summer months (June, July, and August)," he said.

The study found that despite a slight decrease in high PM2.5 exposed days globally, by 2019 more than 70 per cent of days still had PM2.5 concentrations higher than 15 g/m3.

In southern Asia and eastern Asia, more than 90 per cent of days had daily PM2.5 concentrations higher than 15 g/m3, the researchers said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said he will pray for the country on Holi as he claimed those doing good work are being arrested while those looting the country are getting away.

Addressing a digital press conference, he said he was worried about the state of affairs in the country.

"Everyone knows that government schools and hospitals are in a bad shape... But two people -- Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain -- who improved these government schools and hospitals are in jail," he said.

The chief minister said it is worrisome that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has imprisoned those doing good work for the country, while those looting it are being embraced.

"On Holi, I will meditate and pray for improving the sorry state of affairs in the country. If you also feel the prime minister is not doing the right thing, you should also pray for the country after celebrating the festival," he said.

"I am not worried about Sisodia and Jain being in jail. They are brave people who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the country. But the state of affairs in the country worries me," Kejriwal added.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy case on February 26 and was sent to judicial custody on Monday. Jain was arrested in May last year by the ED in connection with a money laundering case.

Both of them recently tendered their resignations from the Cabinet. -- PTI

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who got injured on the Hyderabad set of his upcoming movie Project K while filming an action sequence, on Tuesday thanked his well wishers for their concerns and prayers.

In his blog post on Sunday, the 80-year-old cinema icon had shared that his "rib cartilage popped broke" and there is a "muscle tear to the right rib cage".

"Gratitude and love ever... for your concern and wishes... your prayers are the cure... I rest and improve with your prayers (sic)," Bachchan wrote on Twitter.

Before flying back to Mumbai, Bachchan had said the doctor at a Hyderabad-based hospital, where he underwent a CT scan, advised him to rest.

In the same post, the actor, whose last theatrical release was the 2022 blockbuster "Brahmastra: Part One - Shiva", said he is in pain but "mobile a bit for all the essential activities".

".. yes painful .. on movement and breathing .. will take some weeks they say before some normalisation will occur .. some medication is also for pain .. (sic)"

The shooting on Nag Ashwin's Project K and other commitments Bachchan is involved with are on hold, he added. Also starring Prabhas and Deepika Padukone, the film will hit the screens on January 12, 2024.

Due to the injury Bachchan also had to call off his Sunday meet-and-greet with fans stationed outside his Juhu bungalow Jalsa. -- PTI

NPP president Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday took oath as the chief minister of Meghalaya for the second consecutive term.

Seven other MLAs from the National People's Party (NPP), two from the UDP and one each from BJP and HSPDP were also administered the oath of secrecy as ministers in Sangma's cabinet by Governor Phagu Chauhan at Raj Bhavan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma were among those present on the occasion.

Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar, both from the NPP, took oath as deputy chief ministers.

Marcuise N Marak, Rakkam A Sangma, Ampareen Lyngdoh, Comingone Ymbon and A T Mondal were among those from the NPP who were sworn-in as cabinet ministers.

BJP's A L Hek, UDP's Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla, and Shakliar Warjri of the HSPDP also took oath as ministers.

11:20 CBI questions Lalu in land-for-jobs scam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday started questioning former railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land for jobs scam case where people were allegedly given jobs in the railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold at cheap rates to the Yadav family and associates, officials said.

The examination of the Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo comes a day after his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi was quizzed at her Patna residence by the agency for nearly five hours, they said.

According to officials, a team of five CBI officials arrived in two cars at 10.40 am at the residence of Misha Bharti in Pandara Park on Tuesday where Lalu Yadav is currently residing and the questioning will continue during the day.

The CBI has already filed a charge sheet in the case against Lalu Yadav, Rabri Devi and 14 others under charges of criminal conspiracy and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, in which all the accused have been summoned on March 15, they said.

They said a fresh round of questioning is taking place as part of 'further investigation' where the investigation agency is trying to ascertain the money trail and larger conspiracy.

The fresh questioning of ailing Lalu Yadav, who was convicted in a fodder scam, and his wife had evoked sharp criticism from opposition parties on Monday.

Lalu Yadav's son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav termed the CBI action a result of his family's 'relentless opposition' to the Bharatiya Janata Party. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday began his two-day visit to the Northeast, where he will attend the swearing-in ceremonies in Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland, and also hold a closed-door meeting with the Assam cabinet.

The PM arrived at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati, where he was received by Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and senior cabinet ministers and officials.

From there, he left for Shillong aboard a helicopter.

In Meghalaya, he would be received by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janata Party president J P Nadda, who had arrived in the hill state on Monday, along with Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Modi will attend the oath-taking ceremonies of Conrad Sangma-led government in Meghalaya and Neiphu Rio-led council of ministers in Nagaland.

He will return to Guwahati in the evening and hold a closed-door meeting with the Assam cabinet before retiring for the night at Koinadhara state guest house in Guwahati.

The prime minister will leave for Agartala on Wednesday to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the Manik Saha-led BJP government.

In view of the PM's visit, the Kamrup Metropolitan administration has declared the entire district area as 'no-drone fly zone' on March 7 and 8. -- PTI

10:05 Excise case: ED to question Sisodia in Tihar

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday is expected to question and record the statement of former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia as part of its money laundering probe into alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, official sources said.

The federal probe agency also made a fresh arrest in this case as it took into custody Hyderabad-based liquor businessman Arun Ramchandra Pillai, they said.

Officials of the ED will reach the Tihar Jail around noon to record the statement of Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Sisodia was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in this case last month and he is currently in judicial custody.

Pillai was taken into custody under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Monday evening following a long session of questioning.

The businessman, alleged to to have represented the 'South Group' of liquor traders in this case, is the 11th person to be arrested in the case by the ED.

He will be produced before a local court where the ED will seek his further custody for interrogation, they said. -- PTI

09:48 'Behead me, but...': Mamata in Bengal assembly

Amid the protest by the state government employees demanding an increase in dearness allowance (DA), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that Trinamool Congress (TMC) government will not be able to provide it on par with that of the central government.

Speaking at the extended budget session in the assembly, the chief minister further said the protesting Opposition that they can behead her but she can't do anything to increase the dearness allowance.

She explained the difference in the salary structures of the central and state governments and claimed that the TMC government is already giving its employees DA of 105 per cent.

"I am giving 105 per cent DA. How much more do you want? State government employees have different pay scales from central employees. We don't have so much capacity as they (the Centre) are not giving 100 days' work money and others. Accept what we are giving (DA issue). If you don't like me, behead me. But beyond this, I cannot do anything," said Banerjee in the state assembly on protests over Dearness Allowance and other demands.

Notably, in the 2023-24 budget, West Bengal Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya announced a 3 per cent hike in the dearness allowance for state government employees and pensioners.

Several organisations of state government employees are protesting for increasing the dearness allowance on par with the central government employees. -- ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in an interaction at the Chatham House in London said that the basic idea behind the Chinese troops on the Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh borders is similar to what is happening in Ukraine, adding that he mentioned this to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar but he disagreed terming it a 'ludicrous idea'.

He said, "In my view, the basic idea behind the troops in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh is similar to what is happening in Ukraine. I mentioned this to the foreign minister (S Jaishankar) but he completely disagrees with me and thinks it is a ludicrous idea."

Comparing the Indian borders to that of Ukraine, the Congress leader said, "The basic principle that has been applied in Ukraine is that Russia has told Ukraine that we do not accept your relationship with Europe and America and if you do not change this relationship, we will challenge your territorial integrity."

"I think this is what is happening on the borders of my country. China doesn't want us to have a relationship with the US. It is threatening us by saying if you continue to have a relationship then we'll take action. That is why they have got troops in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh," Gandhi said. -- ANI

Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Monday claimed that former prime minister Imran Khan scaled the wall of his residence in Lahore and fled to his neighbour's house to evade arrest in the Toshakhana case a day earlier.

Sanaullah made these comments after Islamabad Police on Sunday reached Lahore to arrest Khan, but returned after assurance from his legal team that he will appear before the court on March 7.

Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profit.

"Yesterday, the police team that went to arrest Khan faced a lot of drama. There are rumours that he [Khan] jumped into his neighbours' house [to hide]. After a while, he surfaced from somewhere and delivered a huge speech," Geo TV quoted Sanaullah as saying.

The minister said if the police wanted to arrest the former prime minister, this wasn't an appropriate strategy.

"The police went there to inform him about the court's orders. But he is a shameless person," he said.

Sanaullah accused Khan of misusing his authority when it came to Toshakhana gifts, the report said.

"If the court acquits Imran Khan, we will accept it," Sanaullah said, adding that the federal government has no desire in arresting him, but he should ensure his appearance before the courts, the Geo TV report added.

An Islamabad-based district court issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against Khan last week for his repeated failure to appear before the court.

The court on Monday refused to withdraw the non-bailable arrest warrant after the PTI party chief had filed an application. -- PTI

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