UNA (HP), Oct 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused previous Governments of not providing people with facilities that were available to people elsewhere in the world even in the 20th century and in Gujarat a few years back.
He was addressing a public meeting at the Indira Gandhi stadium in poll-bound Himachal Pradesh’s Una district.
“We will provide you facilities of the 20th as well as the 21st centuries,” Modi added.
He said the people in Himachal Pradesh would now beak the trend of voting different parties to power in every elections.
“I am pleased to announce gifts worth several thousand crores for Himachal before Dhanteras and Diwali,” the Prime Minister said.
Earlier, the Prime Minister flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express. It is the fourth Vande Bharat train introduced in the country and is an advanced version compared to the earlier ones, being much lighter and capable of reaching higher speed in shorter duration. It accelerates to 100 Km per hour in just 52 seconds.
Modi also laid the foundation stone of the Bulk Drug Park at Haroli which will be built at a cost of more than Rs 1,900 crore.
The park will help reduce dependence on API imports. It is expected to attract investments of around Rs 10,000 crores and provide employment to more than 20,000 people.
He dedicated to the nation the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT)-Una, the foundation stone for which was laid by him in 2017.
The Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on his arrival at the Pekhubela helipad in Una.
He is later scheduled to address another public meeting at the Chogan maidan in Chamba district after inaugurating and laying foundation stones of various projects.
This is Prime Minister Modi’s ninth visit to Himachal Pradesh in the last five years. (Agencies)
Previous Govts in India did not provide facilities available elsewhere even in 20th century: Modi
Enforcement Directorate arrests IAS officer, two others in money-laundering case
Raipur, October 13: The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and two others after it conducted raids in a money- laundering case in Chhattisgarh, officials said.
Businessman Sunil Agrawal of Indramani group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of “absconding” businessman Suryakant Tiwari, have been taken into custody in the morning by the federal agency from state capital Raipur, they said.
The three people have been arrested under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and will be produced before a local court, where the ED will seek their further custody.
Vishnoi, CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society, was questioned by the agency in Raipur on Wednesday.
The arrests came after the agency launched multiple raids in Chhattisgarh on October 11 in a money-laundering case linked to alleged illegal levy extorted from transporters in the state by a purported nexus of government officials, businessmen and private entities. (Agencies)
Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey takes oath as Chief Justice of J&K and Ladakh High Court
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday administered the oath of office to Justice Ali Muhammad Magray as Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court at SKICC here.
Justice Ali Muhammad Magray was administered the oath of office by LG Manoj Sinha at 11:30 AM after registrar general of J&K High Court read out his warrant of appointment.
The oath ceremony was attended by senior politicians and top bureaucrats and police officers of J&K.
Those who were present included senior politician and chairman of Democratic Azad Party Ghulam Nabi Azad, NC MP justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Rajya Sabha member Ghulam Ali Khatana,former Chief Justice of J&K High Court Gita Mittal, vice-chairperson Waqf Board Darakshan Andrabi and Srinagar Junaid Azim Mattu. (KNO)
SpiceJet plane lands safely at Hyderabad airport after smoke detected in cabin
NEW DELHI, Oct 13: A Hyderabad-bound SpiceJet flight landed safely at its destination airport after smoke was detected in the cabin during the descent. The SpiceJet Q400 aircraft that took off from Goa on Thursday morning landed in Hyderabad with fire trucks around. The aircraft was towed to the remote gate and the passengers were safely disembarked.
“SpiceJet Q400 aircraft operating from Goa to Hyderabad landed safely at its destination on October 12 after smoke was observed in the cabin during descent. Passengers were safely disembarked,” a SpiceJet spokesperson said.
SpiceJet is facing scrutiny over a string of safety incidents in recent months, which prompted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to impose a cap of 50% on the budget airlines flights’ summer schedule. The aviation regulator imposed the restriction on SpiceJet flights on July 27 for a period of eight weeks after the airline reported frequent air safety incidents. (Agenies)
Jammu Administration Withdraws Order To Issue Residence Certificates To Non-Locals After Massive Outcry
JAMMU, Oct 13: The Deputy Commissioner of Jammu has withdrawn the notification which authorised all tehsildars to issue certificates of residence to people residing in Jammu “for more than one year”.
This comes a day after the Jammu administration on Tuesday issued an order authorising all tehsildars (revenue officials) to issue a certificate of residence to people residing in the district for more than one year. The purpose of the certificate of residence was to ensure that no eligible voter is left for registration in the ongoing special summary revision of electoral rolls.
The new order read under the subject The Special Summary Revision 2022, acceptance of document for registration of electors, dated October 11 issued is withdrawn and be treated as void.
The political parties including PDP, National Conference, and Congress had opposed this order.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that the value of the vote of a Jammu and Kashmir voter will be finished.
She further said that this law is not applied anywhere in the country except in Jammu and Kashmir and the “BJP wants to eradicate the original citizens of Jammu and Kashmir and settle the outsiders.”
“With the help of delimitation, they strategically planned to divide the constituency in such a way that it favours the vote of BJP, but people of J-K discovered that BJP is using it to gain their vote,” she added.
Speaking to mediapersons in Kulgam, the PDP chief said, “This means that the value of the vote of a J&K voter will be finished. This law is not applied anywhere in the country except Jammu and Kashmir.”
“I have been telling for 23 years that the desire of BJP to abrogate article 370 is illegitimate. They want to eradicate the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir,” the former Chief Minister said.
Mufti said that if people in the Union Territory come from outside and settle over there then the culture, society and employment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir will be lost.
“There is already high crime rate in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. BJP want to create a clash among communities of UT. People of J-K need to understand that our destiny is unique,” she said.
Earlier, taking to Twitter, Mufti had said that the Centre’s “colonial settler project” has been initiated in the region.
“BJPs attempts to create religious and regional divisions between Jammu and Kashmir must be thwarted because whether it’s a Kashmiri or a Dogra, safeguarding our identity and rights will be possible only if we put up a collective fight.
She further said, “The ECI’s latest order for the registration of new voters makes it clear that GOI’s colonial settler project has been initiated in Jammu. They will bear the first blow to Dogra culture, identity, employment and business.”
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said that those who are outsiders should not be allowed to cast their vote in the Union Territory.
“People outside shouldn’t cast their vote in the UT. Only local voters should be allowed. They can vote in their states in a sealed envelope, as per the system. The importance of voting in Jammu and Kashmir has been that only locals vote – be it Jammu or Kashmir,” said the chief of the newly announced Democratic Azad Party.
Notably, in August, Election Commission announced the schedule of the Special Summary Revision in Jammu and Kashmir, and announced that the people who were not voters in the Assembly after the abrogation of Article 370 from the region can now be named on the voter’s list.
According to an official, a person need not be a “permanent resident” of the Union Territory for the same.
The final electoral rolls after due disposal of all claims and objections filed within the stipulated time period would be published on November 25, 2022. (AGENCIES)
Uttarakhand: Woman, 28, killed in clash between villagers, Uttar Pradesh police during raid
A 28-year-old woman died on Wednesday as the Uttar Pradesh police raided a house in Uttarakhand’s Bharatpur village in Udham Singh Nagar. The police team had gone to arrest a criminal when they were allegedly taken hostage and fired upon. Police said the team’s weapons were also seized. The Uttarkhand police confirmed that the woman died during the raid.
The deceased has been identified as 28-year-old Gurjeet Kaur. Amid the firing between police and villagers, six police personnel also got injured. Two policemen have sustained bullet injuries and are serious.
The Kunda police have registered a murder case against 10-12 police personnel.
On September 13, the police team received a tip-off that an alleged mining mafia was staying at the house of Kaur’s husband. On Wednesday evening, police gheraoed their farmhouse. Her family members accosted the team in plain clothes.
The villagers allegedly held them captive. They allege that UP police’s bullet hit Gurjeet Kaur, who had been returning from work. She was taken to a private hospital where she was declared brought dead.
Mainly dry weather likely in J&K during next 24 hrs: MeT
JAMMU, Oct 13: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Thursday forecast mainly dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
“Mainly dry weather is likely in J&K during the next 24 hours”, an official of the MeT department said.
Meanwhile, Jammu registered 16.3 degrees, Katra 14.8, Batote 8.5, Banihal 6.8 and Bhaderwah 6.6 as the minimum temperature.
Srinagar recorded 7.8 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 2.7 and Gulmarg 2.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature this morning.
Drass in Ladakh region had minus 1.6 degrees, Kargil 4 and Leh minus 0.8. (AGENCIES)
J&K | Suspected IED Recovered In Ramban
Jammu, Oct 13 : Police on Thursday said that a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was found in a bag in Ramban district.
A police official said that the suspected device was found in a bag in Sangaldan area of Gool sub-division of the district.
Immediately, he said, a bomb disposal squad was summoned to the spot for disposal to avoid any loss to life or property. (Agencies)
India sees 30% rise in Covid tally with 2,786 fresh cases in last 24 hours
New Delhi, Oct 13: India registered a single-day rise of 2,786 new COVID-19 cases, taking the country’s tally of infections to 4,46,21,319, while the count of active cases has increased to 26,509, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday.
The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 5,28,847 with 12 fatalities being recorded, including six deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am showed.
Active cases now comprise 0.06 per cent of the total infections, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.76 per cent, the ministry said.
An increase of 217 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours, the data showed.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.08 per cent, and the weekly positivity rate at 1.05 per cent, according to the health ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease has surged to 4,40,65,963, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent, it said.
According to the ministry, 219.15 crore doses of vaccines have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.
India’s COVID-19 infection tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5, 50 lakh on September 16, 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and the one-crore mark on December 19.
The country crossed the grim milestones of two crore COVID-19 cases on May 4, three crore on June 23 last year and four crore on January 25 this year.
The six new fatalities reported include four from Maharashtra and one each from Kerala and West Bengal. (AGENCIES)
191 drones entered into Indian territory from Pakistan in last 9 months, 7 shot down
New Delhi, October 12: In the past nine months, security forces have observed the illegal entry of 191 drones into Indian territory from neighbouring Pakistan, raising major concerns in terms of internal security in the country.
The central government recently shared the input from the security forces deployed at the India-Pakistan border to maintain such illegal attempts from the Pakistan side.
Of the 191 drones observed, 171 entered into Indian territory through the India-Pakistan border along the Punjab sector while 20 were seen in the Jammu sector.
As per the document, the “UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) observation in Indo-Pak border was seen in Punjab and Jammu frontier with effect from January 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022”.
The documents further reveal that most of these drones or UAVs managed to flee while a total of seven have been shot down by the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel, who are deployed along the India-Pakistan border to keep a tab on such illegal activities being orchestrated by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.
Among seven drones shot down this year between January 1 to September 15 were observed in Punjab’s Amritsar, Ferozpur and Abohar regions.
As per inputs, the first drone was shot down by the BSF on January 18 in Punjab’s Amritsar near Havelian Border Out Post (BoP). The BSF personnel on February 13 again shot down another drone soon after it entered Indian territory and was observed near CB Chand BoP in Amritsar. The BSF personnel also shot down two drones on March 7 and March 9 in Ferozpur’s TJ Singh and Amritsar’s Havelian BoPs respectively.
On April 29, the BSF personnel shot down a drone near Pulmoran BoP in Amritsar. The BSF personnel also shot down another drone on May 8 when it was observed near Bharopal BoP in Amritsar. The last drone shot down by the BSF personnel was observed on June 26 near Jhanger BoP in the Abohar region of Punjab.
Officials in the BSF said that drones are being used by Pakistan’s side to transport weapons, explosives and narcotics across the international border in Jammu and Punjab from Pakistan.
The increased drone activity across the border was brought to the notice of Home Minister Amit Shah in the security review meeting in Srinagar recently with top security and intelligence chiefs in attendance. While BSF, which means the international border with Pakistan in the Jammu sector, believes that it has been able to repel drones carrying arms, ammunition and explosives from Pakistan, the state police and the intelligence agencies differ with this assessment.
The security forces have seized various AK series assault rifles, pistols, MP4 carbines, carbine magazines, high explosive grenades as well as narcotics which were transported into Indian territory from Pakistan from the drones shot down so far.
As per security agencies, BSF intelligence inputs and Jammu and Kashmir Police officials, the drones are also used to drop packets of Afghan heroin for financing terror operations in the Valley and Punjab.
It is learnt that the group behind the transportation of weapons, explosives and drugs is Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and other terror outfits which has camps across the International Boundary and is backed by ISI.
The Home Ministry is learnt to have directed the concerned agencies to find out a solution to stop drone activities and meanwhile security agencies and law enforcement forces are asked to keep a special watch on such movements. (Agencies)