Ahmedabad, Sep 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday called for concerted efforts to make India a global centre of research and innovation, and urged state governments to frame modern policies in the fields of science and technology.
Addressing via video link the inaugural session of the Centre-State Science Conclave organised here, Modi said India is going ahead with the mantra of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan and Jai Anusandhan’.
“We have to work together on various fronts to make India a global centre of research and innovation in this ‘amrit kaal’. We have to take our research in the fields of science and technology to the local level. It is the need of the hour for all the states to give emphasis on innovation to find local solutions to local problems,” he said.
Urging the state governments to frame modern policies related to science, innovation and technology to find solutions to local problems, he stressed the need for more cooperation and collaboration with scientists.“In order to encourage innovation, the state governments should give emphasis on creation of more and more scientific institutions and on simplification of processes. The number of innovation labs should also be increased in the institutions of higher education in the states,” he said.
The prime minister noted that India’s Global Innovation Index ranking improved from 81 in 2015 to 46 due to the efforts of the central government. (Agencies)
PM Modi calls for concerted efforts to make India global centre of research and innovation
Restrictions lifted, life returns to normal in J&K’s Rajouri town
JAMMU, Sep 10: Normal activities resumed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri town on Saturday as restrictions imposed under CrPC section 144 were lifted by the authorities, officials said.
The border town witnessed a curfew-like situation on Friday as District Magistrate Vikas Kundal issued prohibitory orders to maintain law and order in the wake of a land dispute between two communities.
As the day passed off peacefully with no untoward incident being reported from anywhere, the restrictions were withdrawn.
However, police and paramilitary forces remained deployed in strength in sensitive areas, the officials said.
The executive magistrate, first class, Rajouri, had ordered the attachment of the piece of land in Rampur village under section 145 of the CrPC till the case is decided by a court of law.
Section 144 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure prohibits the assembly of four or more people. (Agencies)
Road, military station in Kibithu named after India’s first CDS General Bipin Rawat
NEW DELHI, Sept 10: A military station on the banks of Lohit Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and a key road in this mountain hamlet were on Saturday named after India’s first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, around nine months after he died in a helicopter crash.
As a young Colonel, Rawat had commanded his Battalion 5/11 Gorkha Rifles at Kibithu from 1999-2000 and contributed immensely in strengthening the security structure of the area.
The Kibithu military camp and the 22 km-long road stretch from Walong to Kibithu were named after Gen Rawat at a ceremony attended by Arunachal Pradesh Governor Brigadier (retd) B D Mishra, Chief Minister Pema Khandu, Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Rana Pratap Kalita and Gen Rawat’s daughters Kritika and Tarini. Several senior military officials also attended the event.
The Kibithu military camp was renamed as Gen Bipin Rawat Military Garrison wherein a grand gate built in local traditional architectural style was inaugurated by the governor. The 22-km road stretch from Walong to Kibithu was dedicated as Gen Bipin Rawat Marg by Chief Minister Khandu.
A majestic life size mural of the Gen Rawat was also unveiled.
Gen Rawat was killed in a helicopter crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on December 8 last year along with his wife Madhulika and 12 armed forces personnel.
Kibithu is a small hamlet on the banks of the Lohit Valley in the eastern most part of India.
A circle under Anjaw district of Arunachal Pradesh, Kibithu is considered an important location from the military perspective.
The Army said Gen Rawat’s vision and foresight were instrumental in implementing the infrastructural development and ensuring societal progress in the area.
“Gen Bipin Rawat’s untimely demise in December 2021 left an irreplaceable void in the country,” it said.
The event was attended by citizens of Kibithu and Walong.
The Army said the ceremony has further synergised civil-military relations and is a befitting tribute to the first Chief of Defence Staff of India.
In March, the then Army Chief Gen M M Naravane had announced setting up of a ‘Chair of Excellence’ in memory of India’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat at the United Service Institution of India (USI), a leading military think tank, in Delhi. (Agencies)
Five Congress MPs write to Mistry, express concern over transparency, fairness of party chief polls
NEW DELHI, Sept 10: Five Congress MPs have written to AICC central election authority chief Madhusudan Mistry expressing concern about the “transparency and fairness” of the party chief’s election and sought that the list of PCC delegates that make up the electoral college be provided to all electors and potential candidates.
In a joint letter to Mr. Mistry dated September 6, Congress’s Lok Sabha members Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari, Karti Chidambaram, Pradyut Bordoloi and Abdul Khaleque said this list must be made available in order to verify who is entitled to nominate a candidate and who is entitled to vote.
“In case the CEA [Central Election Authority] has any concerns with respect to releasing the electoral rolls publicly, it must put in place a mechanism to securely share this information with all electors and potential candidates,” the letter said.
Electors and candidates cannot be expected to go to all 28 Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) and nine Union Territorial units across the country to verify the electoral rolls, the MPs said in their communication to Mr. Mistry.
They said that as Congress MPs, they are concerned about the transparency and fairness of the election process for the president of the party.
“It is unfortunate that an erroneous interpretation is being given to our demand of releasing electoral rolls. We are not suggesting that any internal document of the party should be released in a manner that may give an opportunity to those who wish us ill to misuse the information contained therein,” the MPs said.
They said that they are of the firm opinion that before the commencement of the nomination process, the party’s CEA must provide a list of PCC delegates that make up the electoral college.
The MPs said that providing the list will remove any unwarranted arbitrariness from the election process. “As long as this demand is met, our concern about transparency — a sine qua non in any free and fair election — will be met,” the letter said.
The letter came a day after the party launched its ambitious ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Kanyakumari to Kashmir on Wednesday.
Speaking on the party’s polls, Rahul Gandhi on Friday said at a press conference in Kanyakumari that he has made his decision on whether he will take up the party presidency but did not divulge his plans. He said he will give his reasons if he does not contest the upcoming elections for the post
Asked if he would become the Congress president, he said, “Whether I become president or not, this will become very clear when the presidential elections of the Congress party take place.”
Wait till that time. When that time happens [comes], you will see. And if I don’t stand, you can ask me ‘why didn’t you stand’ and I will answer the question for you,” Mr. Gandhi told reporters.
Sources said Mr. Tharoor and Mr. Bordoloi had written separate letters to Mr. Mistry earlier as well seeking the publication of the electoral rolls.
Mr. Tharoor and Mr. Tewari were among the group of 23 leaders who had written to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in 2020 seeking an organisational overhaul. Mr. Tharoor is contemplating running for the post of party president.
Last month, Mr. Tewari and Mr. Chidambaram, along with Mr. Tharoor, had demanded that the electoral rolls be made public to ensure transparency.
Mr. Tewari had raised objections to Congress not making public the names of the electors for the polls to elect the next party president and said the list must be published on the All India Congress Committee (AICC) website for a “free and fair” process.
Mr. Mistry, however, has maintained that the election is being held transparently and the entire poll process is free and fair.
He had said that according to the party’s constitution, the electoral rolls cannot be made public but they can be provided to anyone contesting the election.
The notification for the Congress president’s election will be out on September 22 and the process for filing nominations will be held from September 24 to 30.
The last date for the withdrawal of nominations is October 8 and the election, if required, will be held on October 17. The results will be out on October 19. (Agencies)
Mughal Road Closed Due To Landslide
JAMMU, Sept 10: A major landslide on Saturday shut the Mughal road, connecting Shopian with Poonch and Rajouri districts.
DTI Mughal Road Mohammad Aijaz Mirza said that the landslide occured near Poshana, closing the thoroughfare.
Official sources said that men and machinery is being pressed to clear the thoroughfare as soon as possible.
Meanwhile Jammu-Srinagar highway and SSG road were through with traffic plying normally, they added. (Agencies)
Many Congress MPs write to Madhusudan Mistry for fair party polls
Congress leaders, who were airing concerns over the forthcoming party elections, have formally written to Central Election Authority Chairman Madhusudan Mistry seeking transparency in the polls and making public the electoral rolls, sources said.
Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari, Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, and three others, including two MPs from Assam, have written the letter, the source said.
In the letter, they said that the list of PCC delegates should be made public in a transparent manner.
Tewari and Karti Chidambaram had urged the Central Election Authority to make the electoral rolls public and available on the Congress website.
However, the CEA said that these rolls will be made available to candidates contesting elections, saying that it was confidential data and can’t be made public.
Another leader Anand Sharma too had raised the issue in the CWC meeting.
Tewari and Karti Chidambaram had raised concerns over the manner in which the presidential poll in the party is being held.
Underlining the need of a well-defined electoral college, Karti Chidambaram said any ad hoc electoral college is meaningless.
Tewari too had raised doubts over the electoral rolls ahead of the party’s presidential poll, saying these should be made public to ensure a free and fair election process.
He had questioned Mistry’s remark that party members wishing to contest can get access to the list in PCC offices as the list of electors has not been made public.
Jammu And Kashmir | Police Busts Lashkar’s Terror Module, Arrests 2
SRINAGAR, Sept 10: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday busted an over ground worker (OGW) module of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and arrested two persons from Sopore. According to Police, a joint naka (checkpoint) was established in coordination with Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Gousiabad Chowk Chinkipora in the jurisdiction of the Sopore police station.
During checking, a suspicious movement of two persons coming from Dangerpora towards Chinkipora was noted and was subsequently asked to stop, but they tried to flee from the spot. The duo were then apprehended by security forces.
Police recovered two grenades from their possession. The arrested persons were identified as Shakir Akber Gojree, a resident of Bandipora and Mohsin Wani, a resident of Baramulla. Police said preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested persons are over ground workers (OGWs) of proscribed organization LeT and were in constant search of an opportunity to carry out attacks on security forces and civilians.
Accordingly, a case has been registered at Sopore police station under relevant sections of law. During the course of the investigation, the arrested duo further revealed names of other OGW associates which led to the arrest and recovery of further arms and ammunition which includes one Chinese pistol, one pistol magazine, seven live pistol rounds, 25 AK 47 rounds and explosive material. (Agencies)
India records 5,554 new Covid cases, 18 deaths
New Delhi, Sep 10: India logged 5,554 new coronavirus infections, raising the tally to 4,44,90,283, while the active cases further declined to 48,850, the Union Health Ministry said on Saturday.
The death toll climbed to 5,28,139 with 18 fresh fatalities, which included two deaths reconciled by Kerala, data updated by the ministry at 8 am stated.
The active cases comprises 0.11 per cent of the total infections.
The national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.70 per cent, the health ministry said.
A decline of 786 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 case count in a span of 24 hours, it said.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.47 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 1.80 per cent, the ministry said.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,39,13,294, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent, it said.
According to the ministry, 214.77 crore vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 inoculation drive. (Agencies)
Right to free and compulsory education: HC asks Govt if rules notified in J&K
Srinagar, Sep 9: The High Court of J&K and Ladakh Friday asked the government to inform if rules under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, had been notified in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Specify reasons in case the rules have not been notified,” a division bench of Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice Puneet Gupta ordered while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
The court also sought to know the timeframe within which the government intends to notify the rules.
“One of the issues raised in this PIL is regarding framing and notifying of the rules under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009,” the division bench said. “Office of the Advocate General appearing is directed to seek instructions from Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary School Education Department and to file a response if any rules under the act have been framed and notified and if not, the reasons thereof and the time frame within which the respondents propose to take necessary action.”
The PIL seeks to implement the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 in general and Sections 12 (1) (b), 12 (1) (c), and Section 13 in particular.
These sections provide free and compulsory elementary education for children.
The PIL also seeks directions from the government to expeditiously notify the rules under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
In the PIL, the petitioner has also sought direction from the government to file a status report disclosing a list of aided and unaided private schools in J&K, the form and amount of aid provided to the aided private schools, year-wise details of the proportion of children provided free education in the schools since the enforcement of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.
Govt providing easy access to credit, modern machinery, benefits of agriculture extension services to J&K farmers: LG
Srinagar, Sep 9: Inaugurating a farmers’ awareness conference on the use of ‘nano urea’ at SKICC, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Friday said sustainable farming was the only way forward to ensure food security and growth.
An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that the conference was organised by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) to generate awareness about the benefits of ‘Nano Urea’.
The LG highlighted the efforts of the farmers in fulfilling the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and transition to sustainable alternatives to protect soil health, plants, and the environment.
He congratulated the entire team of IFFCO for developing the world’s first liquid nano urea.
“Sustainable farming is the only way forward to ensure food security and growth. Farmers are ultimate entrepreneurs and our effort is to provide them with better infrastructure, easy access to credit, access to modern machinery, and benefits of agriculture extension services,” the LG said. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has become the fifth largest economy in the world overtaking England. It has also sent a strong message that a sustainable and innovative agricultural system is significant for the holistic growth of any region or nation.”
Highlighting the reforms introduced in the agriculture sector in J&K, he said that being an agriculture-based economy and having more than 70 percent of the population dependent on agriculture, a special impetus had been given to make J&K’s agriculture system sustainable and profitable.
“Introduction of progressive land reforms and efforts towards diversification, allied activities, and high-density plantation have enabled farmers with small land holdings to earn more,” the LG said. “Integrated approach of farming has already been initiated and the government is promoting agro-based employment generating activities. Revival of traditional crops with market linkage support, GI tagging of local produce, high-density plantation, and allied activities had successfully brought prosperity for the farmers.”
He said that various strategies were being adopted for the promotion of allied enterprises such as dairy farming, apiculture, sericulture, and food processing in augmenting farmers’ income to reduce losses and open greater opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.
Underlining the need to make necessary interventions to ensure food security for the growing population, the LG called on stakeholders to work on a mission mode for effective implementation of the Millet Mission, Exotic Vegetables Farming, promoting micro-irrigation, and reducing crop waste.
Chairman IFFCO Dileep Sanghani said that IFFCO was continuously engaged in finding solutions to the problems confronting the agriculture and allied sectors.
He said that trials of the world’s first nano urea were conducted at more than 11,000 places in every nook and corner of the country on around 94 crops.
Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said that J&K’s agriculture sector would emerge as a role model not only for the country but the entire world.
“A new J&K is recording unprecedented growth and development in every sector and figuring as a top performer in several categories,” he said.
Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department Atal Dulloo informed about the Apex Committee constituted under Mangala Rai to find ways to double the growth rate of the agriculture sector.
He said that various technical working groups had been formulated to suggest a policy framework to the government.
Managing Director and CEO of IFFCO U S Awasthi highlighted the features and benefits of the nano urea.
“It will immensely benefit the production in horticulture and agriculture sector,” he said.
To mark the occasion, the LG also handed over sanction letters for Sprayers to Farmers, FPOs, Cooperative Societies, and SHGs as part of the intervention of the Agriculture Department for changing the public perception in the field of agriculture.
Vice Chairman IFFCO Balvir Singh, Director Marketing and Board of Directors IFFCO Yogindra Kumar, and Director Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare, Kashmir, Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal were present on the occasion.