NEW DELHI, Sept 15: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Uzbekistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, India on Thursday, September 15, 2022, said it expects discussions at the forum to cover topical issues, trade, connectivity and regional cooperation.
Mr. Modi is scheduled to depart for the Uzbek city of Samarkand this evening for a 24-hour visit.
At a media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said Modi will have bilateral meetings with the Uzbek president and some other leaders on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
To a volley of questions on whether there will be a bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Mr. Kwatra did not give a direct reply.
We will keep you apprised when schedule of Mr. Modi’s bilateral meetings unfolds, he said.
Asked about Pakistan continuing to back various terror groups, Mr. Kwatra said there is a deeply held understanding in SCO about ways to deal with terrorism in region.
The member States of the SCO are Russia, China, India, Pakistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. (Agencies)
Trade, regional cooperation likely to figure during discussions at SCO summit
Special status for all backward States if non-BJP alliance comes to power at Centre: Nitish
PATNA, Sept 15: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on September 15 said that special category status will be granted to “all the backward States” if the united opposition that he seeks to build comes to power at the Centre.
The JD(U) leader made the remark in reply to a query from journalists on the sidelines of a function here.
“If we get an opportunity to form the next government, all the backward States will be granted the special category status. There is no reason why it cannot be done,” said Mr. Kumar, who snapped ties with the BJP and joined the seven-party ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (Grand Alliance) comprising RJD, Congress and the Left. (Agencies)
LG Manoj Sinha anguished by loss of life in J&K’s Rajouri bus accident
JAMMU, Sept 15: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed anguish over the loss of life after a bus fell into a deep gorge near Bhimber Gali in Rajouri on Thursday.
“Anguished by the loss of lives due to a tragic accident in Rajouri. In this hour of grief, my thoughts are with the bereaved families. May the injured recover at the earliest. The district administration is providing all possible assistance,” the office of LG tweeted.
Indian community in Uzbekistan sends gift for PM Modi ahead of his arrival to attend SCO Summit
A group of the Indian community, the India Club in Tashkent on Thursday sent a gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a mark of respect to him, ahead of his arrival in Uzbekistan to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
An Uzbek wall carpet painted with a picture of PM Modi was handed over to the Indian Ambassador to Uzbekistan. “Today, on behalf of 1800 Indians living in Uzbekistan, India Club Tashkent has got your picture painted on the Uzbek wall carpet as a mark of respect. We request you to kindly accept this small gift,” said India Club in a letter to Prime Minister.
Ashok Kumar Tiwari, Chairman of the India Club, Tashkent said, “All Indians connected with this organisation are pleased with Prime Minister’s arrival in the country. This is his third visit to the country, which reflects the good ties between India-Uzbekistan. The Indian Community here has prepared this gift for him as a mark of respect.”
“The handicrafts of Uzbekistan are very famous in the entire world, and so with the help of the artisans here we have painted the picture of PM Modi on the Uzbek wall carpet, which we will gift him. We look forward to meeting him in person during this visit,” he added.
Tiwari in his letter to the Prime Minister said that India Club Tashkent was formed 10 years ago in Tashkent to connect the Indians living in Uzbekistan on one platform to celebrate all the festivals of India with the same joy and gaiety as people living in India.”
“India Club Tashkent with the help of the Indian Embassy transported a huge amount of relief material to the people of India during COVID. India Club Tashkent has done many such noble deeds for Uzbekistan and India, so that the friendship between India and Uzbekistan becomes stronger.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend the 22nd Summit of the Council of Heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States (SCO-CoHS) today in Samarkand in Uzbekistan after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He will attend the summit on Friday and is expected to have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Iranian President, Ebrahim Raisi and Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand.
PM Modi and the Russian President will discuss Russian-Indian cooperation within the UN and G20 during the SCO summit.
Modi has been leading the Indian delegation to the SCO Summit every year since India became its full member in 2017. During the last two summits in 2020 and 2021, Prime Minister participated in the virtual format.
The summit would be the first in-person SCO-CoHS Summit, after the last one held in June 2019 in Bishkek, before the Covid pandemic hit the world as the subsequent two summits under the chairmanship of Russia and Tajikistan were held in virtual format.
Leaders of SCO Member States, Observer States, Secretary General of the SCO, Executive Director of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), President of Turkmenistan and other invited guests would attend the meeting.
The SCO currently comprises eight Member States (China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan), four Observer States interested in acceding to full membership (Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran, and Mongolia) and six “Dialogue Partners” (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey).
LG Sinha participated in NHPC’s plantation Programme at Kishtwar
Kishtwar, September 15: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on the second day of his visit to Kishtwar, participated in a plantation programme organized by NHPC Dulhasti Power Project.
The Lt Governor, along with Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Chief Secretary and Sh Nitishwar Kumar, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor planted Apple seedlings at Chenab Bhawan, NHPC Dulhasti Power Station.
“Our progress is inherently linked to environmental resources. We must preserve our traditional life-sustaining system and maintain ecological integrity. Protection, restoration and regeneration of natural resources are prerequisite for economic development”, said the Lt Governor.
Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu; Sh Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Dr Devansh Yadav, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, besides Sh Deepak Sehgal, Executive Director, Region-Jammu and Sh M K Kashyap, Group General Manager (In-Charge), Dulhasti Power Station and other senior officials were present on the occasion.
Concessions, incentives extended for Central Govt employees working in Kashmir valley
NEW DELHI, Sept 15:
The Centre has extended by three years the package of concession and incentives for its employees working in the Kashmir valley, according to a Personnel Ministry order.
The valley comprises Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Srinagar, Kulgam, Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora districts.
The order issued on Monday said the concessions have been extended with effect from August 1, 2021.
The package of incentives is uniformly applicable to all ministries, departments and public sector undertakings under the Government of India and they should ensure strict adherence to the rates prescribed in the package, it said.
Employees posted in Kashmir valley have an option to move their families to a selected place of their choice in India at government expense and transport allowance for the families is allowed as admissible in permanent transfer inclusive of the composite transfer grant at the rate of 80 per cent of last month’s basic pay, the order said.
Those employees who do not wish to move their families to a selected place of residence are paid per diem allowance of Rs 113 per day for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expense in transportation from to and from office etc., it said.
The package of concessions or incentives shall be admissible to temporary status casual labourers working in Kashmir valley, the order said.
The benefit of additional house rent allowance admissible under the Kashmir valley package shall be admissible to all Central government employees posted in Kashmir valley irrespective of whether they are natives of the valley, if they choose to move their families anywhere in India subject to the conditions governing the grant of these allowances, it said.
The facilities of messing allowance and per diem allowances shall also be allowed to natives of Kashmir valley in terms of the package, the order said. (Agencies)
NTA To Announce CUET UG Result 2022 Today By 10 PM: UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar
NEW DELHI, Sept 15: The National Testing Agency will announce the result for the Common Universities Entrance Test Undergraduate (CUET UG) today, September 15. UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar said that the CUET UG 2022 result will be announced by 10 PM.
Hybrid terrorist arrested in J&K’s Reasi
Jammu, Sep 15: Police on Thursday arrested one hybrid terrorist along with arms and ammunition in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police Amit Gupta said that acting on tip off one person, Zaffer Iqbal of Bal was arrested. He was in touch with terrorists handlers in Pakistan.
His brother Mohd Ishaq was LeT terrorist and was killed in an encounter with security forces in Rajouri and reportedly one of his relatives Abdul Rashid of Ladh is in Pakistan and is also working with terror groups.
Police team raided and arrested Zaffar Iqbal from Plaasu Nallah and put him under sustained interrogation.
The SSP said that during interrogation, he confessed about his links with terror organizations and about commission of offense.
Upon his disclosure, a joint operation was launched by team of Police, Rashtriya Rifles and CRPF in Angrala forest and arms, ammunitions and explosives were recovered from a hideout in the area.
The recovery included two pistol glocks (one damaged), four magazine pistol glock (two damaged), 22 rounds of 9mm live, one grenade besides Rs 1,81,000 in cash, which was to be used for terror related activities in future.
A case under various sections of Explosive Act and UAPA has also been further registered against him.
“The arrest and recovery is a big success. The hybrid terrorist was in touch with terror groups and with his arrest a major terror strike is averted,” the SSP added.
He said Pakistani handlers are constantly trying to revive of militancy in upper reaches of the district.
The top cop said peace loving citizens of Reasi have disowned militancy and such attempt will fail. (Agencies)
‘Civil servants must learn to work with anonymity and dedication’, Vice President to IAS officers
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, called upon IAS Officers to work with dedication for improvement in the delivery of services and grievance redressal to citizens while maintaining the principle of anonymity.
175 IAS officers of the 2020 batch posted as Assistant Secretaries in various ministries called on the Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar at Upa-Rashtrapati Nivas, along with Mrs S. Radha Chauhan, Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) and other senior officials from DoPT.
Addressing the officers, Dhankhar said that as civil servants, “you owe your highest allegiance to the Constitution and must always strive to preserve and uphold the rights guaranteed under it. Attracting attention to oneself or taking political positions must be avoided at all costs”.
The Vice President advised the officers to remember that “today’s citizen aspires to have a voice in the processes of policy formulation and implementation”.
He suggested that a civil servant’s empathetic attitude towards the common citizen determines their satisfaction with Government services. He called upon the officers to become “role models in this ‘Attitude-changing Mission’ of the government.”
Interacting with the officers, the Vice President observed that the batch has diverse educational backgrounds such in engineering, medicine, management, law and arts, and suggested that they utilise their educational background to innovate and deliver high-quality outputs in governance.
The Vice President also noted with pleasure that the batch comprised a significant number of women IAS officers and noted that “it is an encouraging development that women are now leading in all fields, including administration and governance”.
He conveyed his best wishes to the batch of 2020 in their endeavours.
Two teenagers among seven injured in J&K’s Rajouri road accident
An official said the injured were rushed to civil hospital by the locals
Rajouri, Sep 15: Seven persons, including two teenagers, were injured in a road accident on Rajouri-Kotranka-Budhal road today morning, officials said.
They said that a vehicle heading towards Rajouri from Kotranka veered off the road at Mandir Gala and crashed in a field.
Seven persons were injured in the accident, including two teenagers and four women, said an official.
He said the injured were rushed to civil hospital by the locals.
After administering the first aid, four injured were referred to GMC Associated Hospital Rajouri, he added.