NEW DELHI, Sept 6: The Government on Tuesday announced the constitution of a 47-member committee, headed by former Union Cabinet Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, for drafting the National Cooperation Policy document.
The new National Cooperative Policy is being formulated to realise the government’s vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’, the Ministry of Cooperation said in a statement.
The constitution of the committee was announced by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
“The Committee comprises experts of the cooperative sector; representatives of national/state/district and primary cooperative societies; secretaries (cooperation) and registrars of cooperative societies of states/UTs; and officers from central ministries / departments,” it said.
Mr. Shah had recently announced that a new National Cooperation Policy will soon be prepared, and will have a holistic approach from primary agriculture credit societies (PACS) upwards.
The new National Cooperation Policy document is being formulated with a view to fulfil the mandate given to the new Ministry of Cooperation, which includes strengthening cooperative movement in the country and deepening its reach up to the grassroots, and promoting cooperative-based economic development model.
“The new policy will go a long way in strengthening the co-operative movement in the country,” the Ministry said.
The existing National Policy on Cooperatives was formulated in 2002.
India has about 8.5 lakh co-operative societies with a member base of around 29 crore. These co-operatives are engaged in varied activities like agro-processing, dairying, fisheries, housing, weaving, credit, and marketing, among others. (Agencies)
Government constitutes 47-member panel for drafting National Cooperation Policy document
Suresh Raina retires from all formats of cricket including Indian Premier League
New Delhi, Sep 6: Former India batter Suresh Raina on Tuesday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket, a move that makes him eligible for competing in overseas T20 leagues.
The 35-year-old had followed M S Dhoni into international retirement on August 15, 2020.
He continued playing the IPL in 2021 but was released by Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2022 season.
“It has been an absolute honour to represent my country & state UP. I would like to announce my retirement from all formats of cricket,” Raina tweeted while thanking the BCCI, Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association and CSK.
Since an active India or domestic player can’t take part in overseas leagues, Raina needed to take this step for him to explore T20 leagues around the world.
He could also be seen in Cricket South Africa’s new T20 league, to be held next year, with all six teams owned by IPL franchises, including CSK.
Raina played his last competitive game in October 2021 when he turned up for CSK against Rajasthan Royals in Abu Dhabi.
As an India player, Raina played 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20s. He was part of the World Cup winning squad in 2011. (Agencies)
Jammu And Kashmir | Shopian Operation Called Off After Terrorists Fled
SRINAGAR, Sept 6: Security forces have called off a Shopian operation following a brief gunfight after no fresh contact with the terrorists was established, official sources said.
A brief gunfight had broken out between terrorists and security forces in village Baskuchan of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday afternoon during a cordon and a search operation following an input about terrorist-presence.
As the joint team cordoned the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists opened fire, triggering the gunfight, a security official said. As no fresh contact was established with the terrorists this morning during the search operation of the area and it is believed the terrorists might have fled from the spot. The operation has been called, he added. (Agencies)
Pakistan violates ceasefire along International Border in J&K, fires at BSF
JAMMU, Sept 6: The Pakistani Rangers violated ceasefire Tuesday morning as it targeted Border Security Force (BSF) troops in unprovoked firing along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, an official said.
The BSF gave a ”befitting reply” to the firing in the Arnia sector of Jammu district, he said.
”This morning, the alert BSF Jammu troops gave a befitting reply to the unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers on a BSF patrolling party,” BSF Deputy Inspector General S P S Sandhu said.
The BSF Jammu public relations officer also said there was no casualty on the Indian side.
India and Pakistan agreed for a renewed ceasefire along the borders in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2020. Barring a few violations, the agreement is holding, much to the relief of border residents and farmers who have resumed farming activities along the Line of Control and the International Border. (Agencies)
Amid drug menace, J-K witnesses swooping 35 percent rise
Drug abuse cases in Jammu and Kashmir are on rise as 35 percent more cases under NDPS were filed last compared to 2020.
A report has stated that 1,222 cases under NDPS, 1985 act were registered in J-K in 2020, however, the number has increased to 1,681 in 2021.
In 2020, among 1,222 cases registered, 289 cases were those where a convict was found to be in possession of drugs for personal use or consumption while 933 cases were found to be in possession of drugs for trafficking.
In the year 2021, among 1,681 cases registered, 357 cases were those where a convict was found to be in possession of drugs for personal use or consumption while 1,324 cases were found to be in possession of drugs for trafficking.
In 2020, 1910 cases were registered under Liquor and Narcotic drugs related acts in J-K while as in year 2021, 2,399 cases were registered under liquor and narcotic drugs related cases.
Furthermore, in year 2021, nine cases of Women centric cybercrime were registered in Jammu and Kashmir and among them seven were registered for publishing or transmitting of sexually explicit material while as two cases were registered for blackmailing/defamation/morphing in J-K.
Three cases of human trafficking U/S 370 and 142 cases of abduction U/S, 365-369, 315 cases of rape U/S 376 IPC, and 14 cases of attempt to rape U/S 376/511 IPC were registered in J-K in year 2021.
Friendship can solve any problem, says Sheikh Hasina as she begins India visit
New Delhi, September 6: With friendship one can solve any problem, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said as she embarked on a four-day state visit to India.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Hasina at the Rashtrapati Bhawan forecourt here where she was accorded a tri-services guard of honour.
Interacting with reporters at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Hasina said her talks with Modi would focus on improving the condition of the people in their respective countries, poverty alleviation and economic development.
“Our main aim is to develop the economy and fulfil the basic needs of our people. With friendship you can solve any problem. So we always do that,” Hasina said.
She also offered floral tributes at Rajghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Hasina arrived in Delhi on Monday afternoon and is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Modi later on Tuesday.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar called on Hasina on Monday evening.
Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani also called on the Bangladeshi prime minister on Monday evening.
During her stay, Hasina will also call on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Hasina also visited the Nizamuddin Aulia dargah in the national capital on Monday and is scheduled to travel to Ajmer Sharif on Thursday.
Bangladesh is now India’s biggest trade partner in South Asia and the bilateral trade has grown from USD 9 billion to USD 18 billion in the last five years. It has also become the fourth largest export destination for India with the exports registering a growth of over 66 per cent from USD 9.69 billion in 2020-21 to USD 16.15 billion in 2021-22. (Agencies)
ED conducts searches in Delhi Excise Policy case
NEW DELHI, Sept 6: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches at more than two dozen locations in different States in connection with the alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the earlier Delhi Excise Policy.
The searches are being carried out in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Mumbai. The agency has initiated a money laundering probe based on the First Information Report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation on August 17 against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and others.
Among the accused public servants are the then Excise Commissioner Arva Gopi Krishna, Deputy Commissioner Anand Tiwari and Assistant Commissioner Pankaj Bhatnagar.
Other accused include Vijay Nair, former chief executive officer of Mumbai-based entertainment and event management company named Only Much Louder; Manoj Rai, former employee of Pernod Ricard; Amandeep Dhal, director of Brindco Sales; Sameer Mahendru, managing director of Indospirit Group; Buddy Retail and its director Amit Arora, Dinesh Arora, Mahadev Liquors, its authorised signatory Sunny Marwah, Arun Ramchandra Pillai and Arjun Pandey.
The CBI has alleged that there were irregularities while modifying the Excise Policy; undue favours were extended to licence holders; licence fee was waived or reduced; and L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval. The alleged illegal gains were diverted to the public servants concerned by private parties and false entries made in their books of accounts to conceal the money trail.
The Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about ₹30 crore to a successful tenderer against the existing rules. Although there was no enabling provision, waiver on tendered licence fee was allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022. It allegedly caused a loss of ₹144.36 crore to the exchequer, according to the FIR.
Identifying the Buddy Retail director, Mr. Dinesh Arora and Mr. Pandey as close associates of Mr. Sisodia, the CBI has also allegedly that the three were actively involved in managing and diverting the bribes collected from the beneficiary licence holders to the public servants.
As alleged, Mr. Mahendru had transferred about ₹1 crore to the account of one Radha Industries, managed by Mr. Dinesh Arora; Mr. Pillai received money from Mr. Mahendru for further transfer to an accused public servant via Mr. Nair; and that Mr. Pandey had once collected about ₹2-4 crore from Mr. Mahendru on behalf of Mr. Nair.
The authorised signatory of Mahadev Liquors, which had been given a licence, was also a director in the companies/firms managed by the family of late Uttar Pradesh-based liquor baron Ponty Chadha. He was in regular touch with the accused public servants and paid bribes, as alleged.
In July, Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the Excise Policy 2021-22, after which the matter was referred to the CBI by the Union Home Ministry. (Agencies)
‘Deepotsav’ to light up with 14 lakh diyas this year
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has set a target of lighting 14 lakh diyas at the grand Deepotsav event in Ayodhya during Diwali this year
The state government intends to once again break its own record of lighting the largest number of diyas at any place simultaneously.
In 2021, the government had broken its previous record by lighting over 9 lakh diyas at the ghats.
Another 3 lakh diyas were lit across the city.
The Department of Tourism is working out a plan for lighting over 14 lakh diyas in the city on Deepotsav, which is celebrated on eve of Diwali which is falling on October 23 this year.
According to the government spokesman, around 4.5 lakh diyas will be lit in the 21 temples in the city, taking the total number to over 18 lakhs.
The Department has directed all district magistrates to get 10 diyas made in each gram sabha under them which will be donated to the government.
These will be lit at Ram ki Paidi at the Saryu Ghat.
A team from the Guinness Book of World Records will also be present at the site.
Principal Secretary (Tourism) Mukesh Meshram said the diyas collected from the gram sabhas will be handed over to the Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya University in Faizabad, whose volunteers lead the process of placing them at the ghats and lighting them each year.
At 4,417, India records lowest single-day rise in Covid cases in 3 months
NEW DELHI, Sept 6: India saw a single-day rise of 4,417 new coronavirus infections, the lowest in the last three months, taking the tally of COVID-19 cases to 4,44,66,862, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.
Active Covid cases have further declined to 52,336, while the death toll has climbed to 5,28,030 with 23 fatalities, including one death reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 a.m. showed.
India had reported 3,714 new cases in a span of 24 hours on June 6.
The active cases comprise 0.12% of the total infections while the national COVID-19 recovery rate has increased to 98.69%, the health ministry said.
A decline of 1,638 cases has been recorded in the active COVID-19 caseload in a span of 24 hours.
The daily positivity rate was recorded at 1.20% while the weekly positivity rate was recorded at 2.06%, according to the health ministry.
The number of people who have recuperated from the disease surged to 4,38,86,496, while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19%.
According to the ministry, 213.72 crore doses of Covid vaccines have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive.
India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7, 2020, 30 lakh on August 23, 40 lakh on September 5 and 50 lakh on September 16.
It went past 60 lakh on September 28, 70 lakh on October 11, crossed 80 lakh on October 29, 90 lakh on November 20 and surpassed the one-crore mark on December 19.
India crossed the grim milestone of two crore on May 4, three crore on June 23 last year and four crore on January 25 this year. (Agencies)
Two couples among 7 dead in two road accidents in Doda
By King RJ
Bhadarwah, Sept 05:- Two couples among 7 killed and two injured in two different road accidents across District Doda.
Two couples among 4 killed while one got seriously injured when a vehicle they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into deep gorge near Doda on Monday early morning.
According to reports, An Alto car JK02AA-6168 was on it's way from Shiva to Bhadarwah, when reached at Galgandar area of Doda, on Doda-Bhadarwah highway, the driver of the vehicle lost control over the steering wheel while negotiating a curve, resulting vehicle skidded off the road and after rolling down fell into Neeru River.
Police and locals shifted all to Associate Hospital GMC Doda, where doctors declared three of them as brought dead, while one succumbed to his injuries at Doda Hospital and Later One seriously injured who was shifted to GMC Jammu also succumbed to his injuries, taking death toll to 5.The deceased have been identified as Vikram Singh 22, his Father Naseeb Singh 62, Mother Satya Devi 58, Retd Pharmacist Lekh Raj 63 and his wife Satisha Devi 60 all residents of Shiva Doda.
In another tragic accident, A swift car bearing registration No JK 14E-0630 met with an accident late last night at Mughal Market near Pranoo area of Doda, in which one died on the spot, one got injured while one was missing.
SSP Doda Abdul Qayoom leading the rescue operation launched by Police and locals at Pranoo area, where after 3 hours of hectic efforts, the body of missing person was fished out from Neeru River.
While confirming the incident, SSP Doda Abdul Qayoom said that total six persons got killed and two injured in two separate accidents on Doda-Bhadarwah highway. One seriously injured person has been shifted to GMC Jammu for further treatment while another is under going treatment at GMC Doda.
"The reason of fatal accidents is not known yet as the road stretch is smooth and black-topped. We have started investigation he cause of mishap," SSP added, appealing that people traveling on the hilly roads should strictly adhere traffic rules, avoid rash and drunken driving.The deceased have been identified as Sajjad Ahmed S/O Fateh Mohd R/O Tangorna Bhadarwah and Ravinder Kmr S/o Bansi Lal R/O Himote Bhadarwah, while the injured has been identified as Piyush Kumar S/O Rishi Kumar R/O Chinta.
Vice-Chairperson DDC Doda Sangeeta Bhagat expressed grief and sarrow over the loss of precious lives in two mishaps and express her condolences with bereaved family and prayed for early recovery of injured persons.
Naresh Gupta Ex MLC Bhadarwah said that unfortunate accident which consumed precious lives of five persons and two serious injuried on Doda Bhadarwah Road in two different accidents.Our demand immediate ex-gratia to all the bereaved family members and to the injured with sophisticated treatment to them. Our solidarity with the bereaved family members and prayer for early recovery of the injured.