Union Minister of State for Finance Dr Bhagwat Karad has said that more bank branches will be opened in rural areas of Himachal Pradesh and for this, a survey will be conducted. Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, he said various meetings have been held with banks and PSUs in the state to serve Himachal in a better manner.

“Four rural areas are not connected with the banking system. I have requested the bank correspondents to stay for four hours a day in these villages so as to connect them to the banking system,” the minister said.

As many as 3,500 street vendors are registered with the government to avail of various schemes under which they get Rs 10,000 to 50,000 to start their business. Efforts will be made to increase the registration soon, he informed.

“Himachal has 4,50,000 Kisan credit card holders, we will start training camps for the societies in the villages so as to increase the numbers of the account holders,” he said.

Karad said: “We are also focusing on financial literacy of our people and through NABARD, we will go from village to village to increase the literacy level. We will provide 12 mobile vans for 12 districts so as to help in increasing financial literacy at all block levels.”

The per capita income of Himachal Pradesh is very good and it can be enhanced further by working in Animal husbandry and fisheries sectors, he said, adding that the double engine government in the state and Centre is working for all round prosperity of the people of Himachal Pradesh and in times to come the state will see golden days.

He said that we have started Jan Samarth App by which people can get loans online under which banks will approach you. The public do not have to go to the banks for the same. Replying to a question, he said that no banks will be privatised and there is no such agenda for the same.

HARYANA, Aug 24: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 24 inaugurated a 2,600-bed private hospital in Faridabad that is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a centralised fully-automated laboratory, in what will be a major boost to healthcare infrastructure in the National Capital Region (NCR).
Haryna Governor Bandaru Dattatreya and Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar were also present on the occasion.
The state-of-the-art Amrita Hospital, built on a sprawling 130-acre campus with sustainability in mind, has a dedicated seven-storey research block and has been constructed over a period of six years under the Mata Amritanandmayi Math.
The new super-speciality hospital has opened initially with 500 beds and is expected to be fully operational in a phased manner over the next five years. Once fully operational, the hospital with 81 specialities is billed to be the largest private hospital in Delhi-NCR and the country, its officials had earlier said.
The hospital buildings will span 36 lakh sq. ft in built-up area, with a 14-floor tower housing key medical facilities. There is also a helipad on the rooftop.
The new mega hospital in Faridabad’s Sector 88, near the Delhi-Mathura road, has a built-up area of one crore sq. ft and the campus will also have a medical college. A dedicated seven-storey research block and eight centres of excellence, including on gastro-sciences, renal sciences, bone diseases and trauma, transplants, and mother and child care, are located on the campus.
The hospital has patient-centric wards and OPDs and a hi-tech, fully-automated centralised laboratory. (Agencies)

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered suspension of all cattle fairs in view of the increasing number of cases of lumpy skin disease (LSD) till the situation returns to normal.

A special vaccination drive will also be carried out to vaccinate cattle against the LSD.

Sources in the state government said that the chief minister would be closely monitoring such cases from now onwards and was likely to take a review of such cases in the near future.

Chief Minister Adityanath on Tuesday said since several cattle had died due to the virus in other states, Uttar Pradesh would have to work in mission mode to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Interstate transport of cattle should be stopped immediately till further notice. Those who rear cattle should be informed about the symptoms and treatment for this virus. Unnecessary entry of people in cow shelters should also be stopped immediately,” he said.

To ensure availability of the vaccine, the department of animal husbandry has been asked to coordinate with the Centre.

Since the virus is spread through flies and mosquitoes, the departments of rural and urban development, and animal husbandry should work together to ensure proper sanitation in urban and rural areas. If any infected cattle die, it should be cremated as per the medical protocol.

Additional chief secretary, animal husbandry and dairy development, Rajneesh Dubey said orders have been issued to set up dedicated vet centres in affected districts. A 24 X 7 control room has been set up at animal husbandry directorate which can be reached by dairy and livestock owners through dedicated phone lines.

“Around 15 districts have reported instances of the LSD,” he said, adding that instances are higher in western Uttar Pradesh region.

The Uttar Pradesh government is making efforts to restrict movement of cattle and cows from Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh into the state.

“The Centre Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting raids at 16 places in Delhi, Patna and district Gopalganj of Bihar in connection with the alleged land-for-job scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, RJD leader.

The raids are also being held at the residence of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLC Sunil Singh, who is considered to be close to Lalu. The CBI team is currently scanning various documents at his house.

The CBI had learnt during the probe that Lalu’s wife Rabri Devi and daughter Hema Yadav were gifted lands in connection with the scam by job seekers who were later appointed in the railways.

Haridayanand Chaudhary, a railway employee and Bhola Yadav, the then OSD to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad were earlier arrested by the CBI. Bhola was Lalu’s OSD between 2004 to 2009.

The CBI registered a case against Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, two daughters and 15 others, including unknown public servants and private persons.

“During the period 2004-2009 Yadav had obtained pecuniary advantages in the form of transfer of landed property in the name of his family members in lieu of appointment of Substitutes in Group ‘D’ Post in different zones of Railways,” the official said.

A number of residents of Patna or through their family members sold and gifted their lands in the state capital in favour of the family members of Lalu Prasad and a private company controlled by the former chief minister and his family and they were also involved in transfer of such immovable properties.

“No advertisement or any public notice was issued for such appointment of substitutes in Zonal Railways, yet the appointees who were residents of Patna were appointed as Substitutes in different Zonal Railways located at Mumbai, Jabalpur, Kolkata, Jaipur and Hajipur.

“In continuation of this modus operandi, about 1,05,292 Sq. feet land, immovable properties situated at Patna were acquired by Yadav and his family members through five sales deeds and two gift deeds, showing the payment made to the seller in cash in most of the land transfers,” the CBI official said.

Congress General Secretary in charge Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday said that the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi will be travelling abroad for her medical check-up along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

“Congress President Sonia Gandhi, along with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, will be travelling abroad for medical check-ups. Party MP Rahul Gandhi will address ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol’ rally in Delhi on September 4,” Ramesh said in a statement. Party MP Rahul Gandhi will address the ‘Mehangai Par Halla Bol’ rally in Delhi on September 4.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will also visit her ailing mother before she returns to Delhi, he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met the newly elected President of India Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
Sonia Gandhi paid a visit to President Murmu amidst the ongoing internal differences in the Congress party.

Recently, Congress senior leader Anand Sharma announced his resignation from the chairmanship of the party’s steering committee for the state, saying he was left with no choice after the continuing exclusion and insults.

Meanwhile, the AICC in charge of Himachal Pradesh, Rajeev Shukla was sent to pacify him. After his meeting with Anand Sharma, Shukla travelled to Delhi to meet Sonia Gandhi.

Reportedly, Sonia Gandhi recently tested positive for Covid-19.