India is keen on strengthening its partnership with Russia on Arctic subjects as there is immense scope for cooperation in the field of energy between the two countries, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday virtually at the 7th Eastern Economic Forum being held in Vlady-Vostok.

“India is keen to strengthen its partnership with Russia on Arctic subjects. There is immense scope for cooperation in the field of energy. Along with energy, India has also made significant investments in the Russian Far East in the fields of pharma and diamonds,” PM Modi said in his virtual address.

Highlighting the thirty years of the establishment of the Consulate of India in Vladivostok and the fact that India was the first country to open a consulate in the city, PM Modi said that India has also made significant investments in the Russian Far East in the fields of pharma and diamonds along with energy.

In 2019, PM Modi participated in the economic forum in person and announced the “Act Far-East” policy of India as a result of which India’s cooperation with the Russian Far East has increased in various fields.

The Eastern Economic Forum was established in 2015 and has become a primary platform of international cooperation for the development of the Russian far-East.

On the ongoing war in Ukraine, the Prime Minister said that in today’s globalized world, events in one part of the world create an impact on the whole world. The Ukraine conflict and the COVID pandemic have had a major impact on global supply chains following which foodgrains, fertilizer, and fuel shortages became a major concern for developing countries.

“From the very beginning of the Ukraine conflict, we have emphasized the need to adopt the path of diplomacy and dialogue. We support all peaceful efforts to end this conflict,” PM Modi said while he thanked the Russian President for inviting him to the forum.

The year 2022 marks both 75 years of India’s Independence and the 75th Anniversary of the Russian-Indian diplomatic relations, which were established in April 1947.

The multidimensional cooperation between India-Russia is one of the world’s most elaborate ones with regular meetings of the two intergovernmental commissions, sector-wise ministerial, security advisors’ and senior officials dialogue, foreign office consultations and coordination in the global arena.

NEW DELHI, Sept 7: In a special council meeting on Wednesday, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) passed a resolution to rename Rajpath and Central Vista Lawns to Kartavya Path, said Union Minister, and NDMC member, Meenakshi Lekhi.
Ms. Lekhi added that the change came into effect “immediately” after the council’s meeting.
NDMC officials said that the stretch from Netaji Statue at India Gate to Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be known as “Kartavya Path”.
A senior official at Central Public Works Department (CPWD) said that vinyl films will be pasted on signages in 14 locations, highlighting the renaming.
“The work will be completed before the inauguration of the revamped Central Vista Avenue, which is scheduled for tomorrow,” said the senior CPWD official.
Referring to the renaming of the iconic stretch, Ms. Lekhi said that the name “Rajpath” reflected a “colonial mindset”, which had to be done away with since “India adopted a democratic system after independence”.

According to NDMC officials, a request for the renaming was received in a letter, dated September 1, from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. (Agencies)

New Delhi, September 7: Justice DY Chandrachud on Wednesday said that the Constitution bench headed by him will be a “green bench” and asked the lawyers not to submit any papers or physical documents.
“We will keep this a completely green bench so there would be no papers. Please don’t carry papers,” said Justice Chandrachud to the lawyers.
When an advocate expressed difficulty in using technology, Justice Chandrachud said that officials of the Supreme Court Registry and IT cell court officials are willing to train lawyers on Saturdays on how to use technology to present arguments.
Justice MR Shah also comprising the bench told the advocate, “We also got training, someday you have to start”.
“The Secretary-General and the IT Cell head are masters of technology, they said that they are willing to train the seniors on how to use technology on Saturdays,” Justice Chandrachud added.
The bench then directed the Registry to scan paper books and make them available to the bench and the parties.
The observation of the bench came while hearing a dispute between the Delhi government and the Centre over control of administrative services in the national capital.
The other three cases listed before the Constitution bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha are related to the Maharashtra political crisis dispute, the validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, and the validity of extending the benefit of reservation and nomination in Legislative Assembly under Article 334 beyond the original period of operation, which is 10 years. (Agencies)

The Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal launched the US Startup SETU – Supporting Entrepreneurs in Transformation and Upskilling programme in the Bay Area of San Francisco.

The initiative would connect start-ups in India to US-based investors and start-up ecosystem leaders with mentorship and assistance in various areas including funding, market access and commercialization.

“One of the key takeaways is that the Bay Area is very bullish on India, very excited about the potential that India, Indians and Indian startups and Indian businesses have to offer. Very excited about the talent available in India. They see huge potential in the large market that India is, 1.3 billion aspirational Indians,” said Goyal.

He added, “There were suggestions about mentorship. We’ve launched the SETU programme where we are looking at supporting entrepreneurs through transformation and upskilling intiatives. We’re also looking at a programme that the startup advisory council had initiated in India in which mentorship is being initiated particularly in tier-2, tier-3 and tier-4 towns and remote areas. Lot of good suggestions have been brought to the table.”

SETU is designed to break the geographical barriers between mentors based in US that are willing to invest in entrepreneurship and sunrise startups in India.

The interaction will be supported through the mentorship portal under the Startup India initiative MAARG, or the (Mentorship, Advisory, Assistance, Resilience, and Growth) program, which is a single-stop solution finder for startups in India.

Besides, the portal has been developed with the idea to be accessible from every corner of the country to connect with a mentor.

“A mentor will offer human intelligence in guiding the startups. It may be noted that till date, more than 200 mentors have been successfully onboarded on MAARG across the globe,” said Ministry of Commerce & Industry in a press statement.

The core functions of MAARG are to improve ease of access, use Artificial Intelligence for Matchmaking, schedule meetings virtually, host masterclasses, provide a custom dashboard for relevant information, analytics, features, etc., host cohort-based programs that will allow startup ecosystem enablers to be become a part of the program and enable outcome driven activities.

It is estimated that about 90% of the start-ups and more than half of the well-funded startups fail in their early days. Lack of experience in handling the business is a key issue, and founders require the right guidance for taking a decision and moral support.

MAARG is inviting applications from Mentors across the world. Till date, more than 200 mentors have been on-boared on MAARG across the globe.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who embarks on ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari today, will be staying in a container for the next 150 days.

In what is being seen as a Congress’ “masterstroke” to take on the Narendra Modi government in the upcoming 2024 elections, Congress is launching the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ on Wednesday in which Rahul Gandhi will start the 3,570 km journey lasting about 150 days from Kanyakumari to Kashmir.

As the party begins the nationwide yatra, some pertinent questions arise about the lodging and flooding of Rahul Gandhi. However, the party has made it clear that he will not stay in any hotel but rather will complete the entire journey in a simple manner.

Rahul Gandhi is going to stay in the container for the next 150 days. Sleeping beds, toilets and air-conditioners are also installed in some of the containers. During the journey, the temperature and environment will differ in many areas.

The arrangements have been made keeping in view the intense heat and humidity with the change of places.

“About 60 such containers have been prepared and sent to Kanyakumari where a village has been set up in which all these containers have been placed. The container will be parked in a new place every day in the shape of a village for night rest. Full-time Yatris who stay with Rahul Gandhi will eat together and stay close,” said the sources.
The sources further said that Rahul Gandhi considers the Bharat Jodo Yatra journey as a way to connect with the common people.
“So he wants to complete this entire journey in a simple way away from the glitz and glamour. Rahul Gandhi calls it a journey but political analysts consider it a preparation for 2024,” the sources added.

Earlier today, Rahul Gandhi attended a prayer meeting at the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial in Sriperumbudur on Wednesday. Sriperumbudur is where his father Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a bomb blast on May 21, 1991, while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.

Rahul Gandhi paid floral tribute at his father’s memorial. “I lost my father to the politics of hate and division. I will not lose my beloved country to it too. Love will conquer hate. Hope will defeat fear. Together, we will overcome,” he tweeted.
Local Congress leaders including Karnataka state party chief DK Shivakumar were present at the prayer meeting.
After the prayer meet, Rahul Gandhi left for Kanyakumari where Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin will present him the Tricolour. The Congress leader will address a rally while officially kickstarting the Bharat Jodo Yatra.
Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the Congress party’s general secretary, on Tuesday asserted that through the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ people will be united on issues like inflation, and unemployment among other matters of public importance.
“We are starting a positive politics. We want to hear from you, we want to solve your problems. We want to unite our beloved country. Let us unite India together,” Priyanka said in a Facebook video.
Politics today has turned a blind eye towards people and their issues, she added.
“Political discussion today isn’t focusing on the people of the country, it has taken a different turn altogether. Politics today has turned a blind eye towards people and their issues. Through this ‘yatra’ we want to bring out the problems and concerns of the common man,” Priyanka said.
The senior Congress party leader urged people to join the ‘yatra,’ adding that people should unite to make the country prosperous.
The yatra will proceed mainly through 12 states, including Himachal Pradesh, where Assembly polls are due later this year.

NEW DELHI, Sept 7: Job creation and equitable income distribution are our top red-letter priorities, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said at the U.S.-India Business Council’s India Ideas Summit, on Wednesday.
Inflation is also a priority but not a red-letter one as we have been able to bring it down over the last couple of months, she said.
India doesn’t have the luxury of sequencing priorities and efforts to tackle them must take place simultaneously, the Finance Minister added.
Speaking at the summit, she further said the government will review the functioning of the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) to make it more robust.
“We will be taking over the G-20 chair at a very challenging time, but it is equally heartwarming that Indonesia, India and South Africa are all emerging markets. This is important because emerging markets are showing potential to lead the global economy in the next 50-60 years.
These are the economies that will give you both demand and supply-side solutions. They are going to be the central focus. We will soon be releasing our focus (areas at G20) soon,” she said.
A new Data Privacy Bill which will be a product of consultations and which will address stakeholders’ concerns, will be out soon. The (IT) Minister has been working very diligently and has assured us the new bill will be ready soon, she added. (Agencies)

NEW DELHI, Sept 7: The income tax department on Wednesday launched raids in multiple states as part of a tax evasion probe against registered unrecognised political parties (RUPP) and their alleged dubious funding, official sources said.
The searches are being conducted in Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Haryana and some other states, they said.
A coordinated action has been launched by the tax department against the RUPPs, their linked entities, operators and others, the sources said.
The surprise action is understood to have been taken by the department on the recommendation of the Election Commission (EC) which recently struck off 87 entities from its list of RUPP after they were found non-existent during physical verification.
The poll panel had announced that it was taking action against more than 2,100 registered unrecognised political parties for flouting rules and election laws, including those related to filing of monetary contributions, failing to update their address and names of office bearers.
It had said some of these parties were indulging in serious financial impropriety. (Agencies)