Chandigarh (Punjab), Sept 23: Punjab police on Friday busted an ISI-backed terror module controlled by Canada-based Lakhbir Landa and Pak-based Harvinder Rinda and arrested two people in connection with it.
The police have recovered one AK-56 Rifle, two magazines and 90 live cartridges.
“On directions of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to make Punjab crime-free, Punjab Police
has busted an ISI-backed terror module controlled by Canada-based Lakhbir Landa and Pak-based Harvinder Rinda. Two module members were arrested with the recovery of one AK-56 Rifle, two Magazines and 90 live cartridges,” tweeted Punjab police. (Agencies)
Punjab police busts ISI-backed, Canada-based terror module; two held
Gold falls Rs 139; silver declines Rs 363
New Delhi, Sep 23: Gold price in the national capital fell by Rs 139 to Rs 50,326 per 10 grams on Friday amid a fall in international precious metal prices, according to HDFC Securities.
In the previous trade, the yellow metal had finished at Rs 50,465 per 10 grams.
Silver also fell sharply by Rs 363 to Rs 58,366 per kilogram from Rs 58,729 per kg in the previous trade.
In the international market, gold was quoting lower at USD 1,665 per ounce, while silver was flat at USD 19.50 per ounce.
Gold prices have capped downside despite of stronger dollar over recession worries as the US Federal Reserve committed to raise interest rates,” said Tapan Patel, Senior Analyst (Commodities) at HDFC Securities. (Agencies)
DIG Sujit Kumar, SSP Rakesh Balwal awarded DG CRPF’s commendation disc and certificate
JAMMU, Sept 23: Deputy Inspector General of Police, Central Kashmir Range, Sujit Kumar and Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, Rakesh Balwal have been awarded DG CRPF’s commendation disc and certificate for their outstanding performance in the successful conduct of Amarnath Yatra-2022.
Rakesh Balwal, a son of the soil, has been awarded DG CRPF’s commendation disc and certificate in recognition of his efforts in the smooth and successful conduct of Amarnath Yatra.
Balwal was appointed as SSP Srinagar in December last year and has been instrumental in building bridges between police and the public in J&K’s summer capital.
An IPS officer of 2012, Balwal has also been at the forefront of tackling social crimes in Srinagar.
Balwal, who earlier served in the National Investigation Agency, played a key role in the probe of the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
He was instrumental in preparing a watertight case against 19 accused involved in the Pulwama attack.
The other police officers awarded DG CRPF’s disc and commendation certificate are Sujit Kumar (DIG, CKR), Zubair Ahmad Khan(SSP, PCR), Muhammad Yosouf (SSP Awanitpur), Ashish Mishra(SSP Anantnag), Dr.G.V. Sundeep Chakravarthy(SSP Kulgam), Arif Amin Shah(SP HQR Srinagar),Mushtaq Ahmad(DSP), Farooq Hussain(DSP) and Shamim Ahmad(HC(M).
India to shift 50% of energy requirements to renewable energy by 2030: Dr Jitendra Singh
Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for the Ministry of Science and Technology has announced the launch of the “Innovation Roadmap of the Mission Integrated Biorefineries” developed by co-leads and active inputs from Brazil, Canada, EC and the UK.
The Minister is currently leading a high-level Joint Indian Ministerial Delegation of Ministry of Power, New & Renewable Energy and Ministry of Science & Technology at Global Clean Energy Action Forum at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the United States
“The Mission aims at greater international collaboration and the need for increased financing for Energy Research, Development, and Demonstration (RD&D) during the next five years to kickstart this objective and unleash a virtuous cycle of public and private investment,” said the Minister.
He was speaking at the 1st Roundtable on “Sustainable Bioenergy and Bio-refineries” at the Global Clean Energy Action Forum – the joint convening of 7th Mission Innovation and 13th Clean Energy Ministerial -2022.
Dr Singh said, “Innovation Roadmap of the Mission Integrated Biorefineries” aims to fill the void by identifying gaps and challenges in current biorefining value chains, prioritising Eight key actions to support the Mission, and guiding the Mission’s overall path in achieving its goal.”
He said, it also provides policymakers with a strategy framework to establish a rising RD&D portfolio over the next five years, specific financing proposals across the entire spectrum of vital Biorefinery technologies, and rapid action suggestions.
Addressing the Ministers and CEOs, Senior representatives of (US DoE, Mission Innovation Steering Committee (MISC) and Mission Innovation Secretariat, Senior representatives from MI Member countries and partner organisations, Dr Singh said, Clean Energy Meet offers India an opportunity to present Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s climate and clean energy vision before the world.
Dr Jitendra Singh informed the delegates that India is continually working towards transforming the energy landscape of country with significant clean energy share and added that by 2030, India agreed to reach 500-Gigawatt non-fossil energy capacity, shift 50% of energy requirements to renewable energy, lower overall anticipated carbon emissions by one billion tons, reduce carbon intensity of the economy by 45% over 2005 levels, and achieve net zero emissions by 2070.
Besides, he shared that a pilot plant of 10 Tons/day capacity plant with integrated enzyme production is being set up at Panipat Haryana, which will be commissioned by December 2022.
This will be the 1st indigenous technology for on-site enzyme production. The Minister pointed out that Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has also planned to supply this indigenous enzyme to commercial 2G ethanol plant of 100 KL/day expected to be commissioned by Q2 of 2024.
Further, lignin valorization process is also being developed to produce value added products from waste lignin. He said, it’s successful demonstration will give an indigenous technology to the nation and will contribute to Self-Reliant India and reduce carbon foot print from transport sector.
Dr Jitendra Singh underlined that sustainable biofuels play key role to reduce Green House Gas (GHG) emissions from the transport sector. He said, India, through the Department of Biotechnology, has been supporting R&D innovations in Advanced Biofuels and Waste to Energy technologies.
“India has established 5 Bioenergy Centers, where interdisciplinary team is working on advance sustainable biofuels using modern biotechnology tools,” he said.
Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh on birth anniversary
New Delhi, September 23 :Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday paid tributes to Maharaja Hari Singh on his birth anniversary, who was the last ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“I bow to the symbol of nationalism Maharaja Hari Singh ji on his birth anniversary. PM Modi has paid a true tribute to him by declaring his birth anniversary as a state holiday to commemorate his efforts to make Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of India and to keep the country’s integrity intact,” Shah tweeted in Hindi.
Maharaja Hari Singh was born on September 23, 1895.
Earlier on September 15, the announcement was made by Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha following his meeting with a delegation comprising prominent political leaders, members of the Yuva Rajput Sabha, and civil society members, including the head of the Jammu and Kashmir transport union, at the Raj Bhavan.
“The government has taken a decision to declare Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s birthday as a public holiday. Maharaja Hari Singh was a great educationist, progressive thinker, social reformer and a towering man of ideas and ideals. The public holiday will be a fitting tribute to Maharaja Hari Singh Ji’s rich legacy,” the Lieutenant Governor had observed.
Pertinently, on the directions of Lt Governor, a four-member committee was constituted by the UT administration earlier this year to examine the public demand regarding the holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh.
Sinha had said that the decision to declare the birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh as a public holiday was taken respecting the sentiments of the local people. (Agencies)
Charak Biradari Mahasabha, Jammu organized a grand function to celebrate the Birth Anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji
Greater Kailash :- Charak Biradari Mahasabha, Jammu organized a grand function to celebrate the Birth Anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji in the Shiv Charak Bhawan Greater Kailash Jammu in which large number of Charak Biradari took part. A seminar was also held in the Greater Kailash of the Shiv Charak Bhawan to throw light on the life and works of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji. Rakesh Singh Charak, President Charak Biradari Mahasabha, Swarn Singh Charak, President Managing Committee, Jai Data Ranpat Dev Maharaj Bhawan expressed their views whereas Sushil Singh Charak conducted the proceedings.
Speaking on the occasion Sh. Rakesh Singh Charak appreciated the decision of the government, though taken after lapse of seven decades, to declare 23 September, the day of birth of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji as holiday. This is recognition of the thoughts and contributions of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji who integrated Jammu and Kashmir with rest of India by signing the instrument of accession and was a progressive and secular ruler to the core. He had declared Justice as his religion.
All the Charak Biradari Mahasabha Jagdev Singh Charak Advisor Balkar Singh Advisor , Pawan Singh Charak , Secretary, Kher Singh General Secretary Ajeet Singh, Gar Singh,Kulbushan Singh and Ranjeet Singh present in the gathering Cake Cut to the Maharaja Hari Singh Ji on the occasion.
Amit Shah to visit J&K on Oct 1, 2
Jammu, Sep 23: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is visiting Jammu and Kashmir for two days on October 1 and 2 during his visit he is likely to announce reservations for Pahari speaking community, BJP sources said on Friday.
As per the party sources, Shah will address a public rally in Rajouri on October 1 in the Jammu division and in Kupwara district of Kashmir division on October 2, spending one day each in the two divisions of the union territory.
“He will announce reservations for the Pahari speaking community whose large population lives in Poonch, Rajouri districts of the Jammu division and Baramulla district of the Valley.
“Shah will kickstart the BJP election campaign in J&K during his forthcoming visit,” BJP sources said.
The delimitation commission has already made reservations for the ST and SC in the 90-member J&K assembly reserving nine seats for the ST and six for the SC candidates.
In addition to this, the delimitation commission has recommended two nominated seats for the Kashmiri Pandit community with voting rights in the legislative Assembly on the pattern of the Puducherry Assembly.
It has also been recommended that one of the two nominated Kashmir Pandit members should be a woman.
The delimitation commission has also recommended nominated members from West Pakistan refugees, who have already been given voting rights in the legislative Assembly, after abrogation of Article 370.
Before the abrogation, the West Pakistan refugees could vote for the country’s Lok Sabha, but not for the J&K Assembly.
It is expected that even after Shah kickstarts the BJP Assembly election campaign in J&K, these cannot be held this year because of several reasons.
The election commission has fixed November 25 for the publication of final voter lists. This leaves only 36 days before the end of the year.
Filing of nomination papers, their scrutiny and the period for poll campaign, etc., these clearly indicate that given the harsh winter in J&K that starts by the middle of December, the latest J&K elections can be held in April-May 2023.
During his visit, the Union home minister will also co-chair top level security meetings with the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha.
These meetings are likely to focus on tackling militancy in the Kashmir division where despite official claims of ‘residual militancy’, intelligence agencies believe radicalisation of local youth still continues.
“Radicalised local youth are the feeding grounds of militancy in Kashmir,” said a senior intelligence officer.
Supreme Court to hear plea challenging Article 370 abrogation after Dussehra break
NEW DELHI, Sept 23: The Supreme Court on Friday said that it will list the petitions challenging the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 after Dussehra vacations.
“We will certainly list that”, Chief Justice of India UU Lalit said, when an urgent mention was made by Senior Advocate Prashantho Sen for listing of the cases.
It may be noted that in 2019 the petitions were referred to a Constitution Bench comprising Justices N V Ramana, Sanjay Kishan Kaul, R Subhash Reddy, B R Gavai and Surya Kant. Justice Subhash Reddy, one of the members of the bench, retired in January this year. The CJI was probably referring to this fact while saying that he will have to reconstitute the bench.
The hearings on the Article 370 cases commenced before the 5-judge bench in December 2019, almost 4 months after the notifications issued by the Centre in August 2019. A preliminary issue arose in the case as to whether a reference to 7-judge bench was necessary in light of alleged diveregence in the opinions expressed by two coordinate benches of the Supreme Court in the cases of Prem Nath Kaul and Sampath Prakash. By a judgment dated 2ndMarch, 2020, the Constitution Bench held that there was no need to refer the matter regarding the challenging to the Presidential Orders issued under Article 370 to a larger Bench.
The petitions have not been listed after March 2, 2020. (Agencies)
AAP expels former MLA Mankotia for indulging in anti-party activities
Jammu, Sep 23: The Aam Admi Party on Saturday expelled former MLA Udhampur, Balwant Singh Mankotia on charges of hobnobbing with other political parties and defaming the party.
In a letter, the AAP has terminated the membership of Mankotia on charges of indulging in anti-party activities.
In the letter, Mankotia had been charged with “engaging with other national and regional parties of J&K” and “not engaging or participating in any of the AAP political activities and not performing any task given by the party in the last three months.”
He has also been accused of “influencing AAP volunteers to join other parties and offering them positions in other parties.”
The AAP has also charged him with “defaming party on media platforms by making false statements under the influence of another political party and confusing the AAP volunteers”.
Balwant Singh Mankotia had joined AAP in April this year but was feeling uncomfortable in the party after his cousin and former minister Harshdev Singh joined the party. (KNO)
HC gives J&K month to reply to plea on Vaishno Devi stampede
Jammu, September :
A Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh comprising Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Sindhu Sharma gave the J&K administration one month to file its reply on a PIL seeking to make public the inquiry report on the stampede at the Vaishno Devi shrine.
On the intervening night of December 31 and January 1, as many as 12 devotees died and over 20 injured during a stampede near the temple. A committee was constituted to hold an inquiry into the incident on January 1. It has been nine months but the government has so far not made the findings of the report public.
A PIL was filed by advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed through advocate HA Siddiqui wherein the former sought directions to the administration and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (Katra) to fix the accountability of officials concerned for the incident.
The Division Bench issued directions to Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Home Department, ADGP (Jammu zone) among others.
After hearing advocates AV Gupta and HA Siddiqui, the Bench observed that Additional Advocate General Raman Sharma appearing for the administration had sought time to seek instructions in the matter. The Bench gave a month’s time.
The Bench on the request of advocate Adarsh Sharma appearing for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Katra, also granted him time to file a response.