Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said his government has provided nearly 10 lakh permanent government jobs to youths in the last one or one and a half years which, he asserted, is a record. Addressing recruits at a Rozgar Mela through a virtual event, where over 71,000 people were given appointment letters, he said never before in the tenure of any previous government were jobs provided in such a “mission mode”. The young population is at the centre of his government’s policies and programmes, he said, adding honesty and transparency have driven the recruitment process. The prime minister said ‘Rozgar Melas’ (recruitment drives) are empowering the youth and unlocking their potential. “The youth of India today is full of new confidence, succeeding in every sector.” Noting that a large number of recruits are women, Modi said it is the endeavour of his government that they become self-dependent in every field. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 December,2024 08:30 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Delhi High Court on Monday extended till January 20, the interim bail of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar, who is serving a 10-year jail term in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor’s father. Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, while hearing Sengar’s plea to extend the interim bail on medical grounds, noted that a division bench of the high court has also extended his interim suspension of sentence for further one month in the main Unnao rape case. “In view of the December 20 order of the division bench the appellant’s sentence shall remain suspended till January 20, 2025, on which date he would surrender. “The order be communicated to the jail superintendent concerned,” Justice Ohri said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 December,2024 08:30 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesAhead of the assembly elections in Delhi, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday helped women register for the ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana’ in the Kidwai Nagar area. The former chief minister had on Sunday said that women didn’t have to go anywhere, “our volunteers will come to your homes and complete the registration process”. In its budget for the 2024-25 fiscal, the Delhi government had announced a scheme to provide Rs 1,000 per month to all adult women. However, Kejriwal recently announced that the amount would be raised to Rs 2,100 if his party returned to power for a third consecutive term after the assembly elections, due in February. The AAP supremo helped the women generate one-time passwords (OTP) required for the registration and then handed over their registration cards. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi accompanied Kejriwal during the exercise. BJP issues ‘charge sheet’ against Kejriwal Senior BJP leader Anurag Thakur issued a “chargesheet” against Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of turning Delhi into a corruption lab through a series of scams. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP over the allegations of the BJP leader. Ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls, the state unit of the BJP has formed a “chargesheet committee” that has so far issued detailed reports listing the alleged failures of the ruling AAP MLAs. “What kind of a party is this which came to power promising to give corruption-free government but was involved in eight to nine scams related to the liquor policy, Delhi Jal Board, DTC, Waqf Board,” Thakur charged. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 December,2024 08:29 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesBangladesh’s interim government said on Monday that it has sent a diplomatic note to India to send back deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to Dhaka. Hasina, 77, has been living in exile in India since Aug 5 when she fled the country amid the student-led protests that toppled her 16-year regime. Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”. “We have sent a note verbale (diplomatic message) to the Indian government saying that Bangladesh wants her back here for the judicial process,” Foreign Affairs Adviser or de facto foreign minister Touhid Hossain told reporters at his office. Earlier in the morning, Home Advisor Jahangir Alam said his office has sent a letter to the foreign ministry to facilitate the ousted premier’s extradition from India. “We have sent a letter to the foreign ministry regarding her extradition. The process is currently underway,” he told reporters in response to a query. Alam said an extradition treaty between Dhaka and New Delhi already exists and Hasina could be brought back to Bangladesh under the treaty. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
24 December,2024 08:29 AM IST | Dhaka | AgenciesThe Centre has scrapped the 'no-detention policy' for classes 5 and 8 in government schools, allowing educational institutes to fail students who do not clear the year-end exams, officials said. According to PTI, following the amendment to the Right to Education Act (RTE) five years ago, at least 18 states and Union Territories have already abolished away with the 'no-detention policy' for the two classes. According to a gazette notification, if a child fails to fulfil the promotion criteria in the exam they shall be given additional instruction and opportunity for re-examination within a period of two months from the date of declaration of results. "If the child appearing in the re-examination fails to fulfil the promotion criteria again, he shall be held back in fifth class or eighth class, as the case may be. During the holding back of the child, the class teacher shall guide the child as well as the parents of the child, if necessary, and provide specialised inputs after identifying the learning gaps at various stages of assessment," the notification said. However, the government has clarified that no child shall be expelled from any school till the completion of elementary education, PTI reported. "The examination and re-examination shall be competency-based examinations to achieve the holistic development of the child and not be based on memorisation and procedural skills. The head of the school shall maintain a list of children who are held back and personally monitor the provisions provided for specialised inputs to such children and their progress with respect to the identified learning gaps," the notification further read. According to senior officials from the Ministry of Education, the notification will be applicable to more than 3,000 schools run by the Central Government, including Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navaodyala Vidyalayas and Sainik Schools. "Since school education is a state subject, states can make their decision in this regard. Already 16 states and 2 UTs including Delhi have done away with the no-detention policy for these two classes. Haryana and Puducherry have not made any decision yet while remaining states and UTs have decided to continue with the policy," a senior official said. States and UTs that have scrapped the no-detention policy include Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Delhi, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Jammu and Kashmir. When questioned about the delay in the notification since the amendment was approved in 2019, the official explained that the new National Education Policy (NEP) was announced within six months of the amendment, reported PTI. "By the time amendment was made, NEP was announced within few months. The department (school education and literacy) decided to wait till the recommendations of the new National Curriculum Framework (NCF) were ready to be able to take a holistic view. NCF was ready in 2023 and subsequently the Ministry of Education took the decision and made some changes in rules of RTE implementation," the official added. (With PTI inputs)
23 December,2024 07:05 PM IST | Delhi | PTIThe Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project has reached a significant engineering breakthrough with the installation of 2,06,000 noise barriers along its 103 km viaduct corridor, NHSRCL said in an official statement on Monday. The project has strategically placed 2,000 noise barriers on each side of every kilometer of track, demonstrating remarkable precision in acoustic engineering, stated National High Speed Rail Corporation (NHSRCL). These sophisticated noise barriers are meticulously designed to mitigate sound generated during train operations. Measuring two metres in height and one metre in width, each barrier weighs approximately 830-840 kg and is engineered to reflect and distribute aerodynamic noise produced by train movement. Over 200,000 noise barriers installed along 100+ km of Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train viaduct, to mitigate noise during operations without obstructing scenic view from the train. pic.twitter.com/QRWQYUDBB4 — NHSRCL (@nhsrcl) December 23, 2024 "Over 200,000 noise barriers installed along 100+ km of Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train viaduct, to mitigate noise during operations without obstructing scenic view from the train," NHSRCL said in a post on X. In residential and urban areas, the project has implemented enhanced three-metre tall barriers featuring an additional 1-metre translucent polycarbonate panel, ensuring passengers maintain unobstructed scenic views while minimizing environmental noise. To support this massive production requirement, six dedicated manufacturing facilities have been established across Gujarat, with three located in Ahmedabad and one each in Surat, Vadodara, and Anand. This strategic infrastructure development has not only facilitated barrier production but also created significant local employment opportunities, NHSRCL said. The project's construction progress extends beyond noise barriers. NHSRCL stated that over 243 km of viaduct construction has been completed, accompanied by 352 km of pier work and 362 km of pier foundation work. The project has already constructed bridges across 13 rivers and successfully crossed multiple railway lines and highways using five steel bridges and two PSC bridges. Track construction in Gujarat is advancing rapidly, with Reinforced Concrete (RC) Track Bed construction underway in multiple districts including Anand, Vadodara, Surat, and Navsari. Seventy-one track kilometers of RC track bed have been completed, with rail welding already commenced on the viaduct. In Maharashtra, significant milestones have been achieved, including casting the first concrete base-slab for the Mumbai bullet train station at an impressive depth of 32 metres. The 21 km tunnel between Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata is progressing, with a 394-metre Intermediate Tunnel (ADIT) already completed to facilitate main tunnel construction. The project is simultaneously constructing seven mountain tunnels in Palghar district using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM), with the mountain tunnel in Gujarat already successfully completed. Twelve stations along the corridor are being developed with innovative thematic elements and energy-efficient features, promising a world-class passenger experience. “The Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train Project continues to set new benchmarks in high-speed rail infrastructure by combining cutting-edge technology with environmental considerations. The project is not only transforming connectivity but also creating significant social and economic benefits, including the generation of thousands of jobs, the development of local industries, and improvements in regional infrastructure. It will also help in reducing travel time, enhancing mobility, and fostering regional development. The project is set to drive economic growth and elevate the quality of life across Gujarat and Maharashtra,” said Vivek Kumar Gupta, Managing Director, NHSRCL.
23 December,2024 06:18 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentCongress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday criticised the BJP over levying GST on examination forms, saying the government had turned the dreams of parents who saved every penny to prepare their children for exams into a source of income, reported news agency PTI. The Congress general secretary shared an examination form of the Kalyan Singh Super Speciality Cancer Institute, Sultanpur Road, Lucknow, that showed 18 per cent GST was being charged, reported PTI. भाजपा युवाओं को नौकरी तो दे नहीं सकती, लेकिन परीक्षा फॉर्म पर 18% जीएसटी वसूल कर युवाओं के जख्मों पर नमक जरूर छिड़क रही है। अग्निवीर समेत हर सरकारी नौकरी के फॉर्म पर जीएसटी वसूली जा रही है। फॉर्म भरने के बाद सरकार की विफलता से पेपर लीक हुआ, भ्रष्टाचार हुआ तो युवाओं के ये पैसे डूब… pic.twitter.com/FGnCydZDgb — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 23, 2024 "The BJP cannot provide jobs to youngsters but it is definitely rubbing salt on the wounds by charging 18 per cent GST on examination forms. GST is being charged on every government job form, including Agniveer," Priyanka Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X (formerly Twitter). "After filling the form, if the paper is leaked due to the failure of the government or if there is corruption, then this money of the youngsters is wasted," she said. Parents sacrifice their lives and save every penny to educate their children and prepare them for the exams but the BJP government has turned their dreams into a source of income, she added. BJP lawmaker gifts '1984' bag to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Parliament corridors Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Aparajita Sarangi on Friday gifted a bag with "1984" written on it in red to Congress lawmaker Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, news agency PTI reported. This comes days after Vadra carried bags with messages on Palestine and Bangladesh written on it to the Parliament. Sarangi, the BJP MP from Bhubaneswar, gave the bag to Vadra in the corridor of Parliament. She handed the bag to the Congress MP while Vadra was walking in the Parliament corridor. Vadra took the bag from Sarangi and walked on, reported PTI. The BJP leader said that this is also an issue that the Wayanad MP should raise through her tote bags. The bag had “1984 riots” written on it, as per PTI. In a show of support for the people of Palestine, the Congress leader had carried a bag to Parliament on Monday that had "Palestine" emblazoned on it. The Congress MP was later on Tuesday seen carrying a cream-coloured handbag to Parliament on which it was written "Bangladesh Ke Hindu Aur Isaiyon Ke Saath Khade Ho" (stand with the Hindus and Christians of Bangladesh), reported PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
23 December,2024 05:59 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAn IndiGo flight operating between Bhubaneswar (BBI) and Guwahati (GUW) experienced a bird strike shortly after takeoff. The flight safely returned to BBI airport. All passengers and crew are reported to be safe. IndiGo flight operating between Bhubaneswar (BBI) and Guwahati (GUW) experienced a bird strike shortly after takeoff. The flight safely returned to BBI airport. All passengers and crew are reported safe. #birdstrike #Bhubaneshwar #Indigo pic.twitter.com/Jz859wil3V — Mid Day (@mid_day) December 23, 2024 The aircraft will be positioned back to terminal after necessary maintenance, the airline stated in a press release, adding "All the passengers of the flight were accommodated with alternative travel options, including other flights, and provided with refreshments in the interim. We regret the inconvenience caused to customers due to factors beyond the airline's control."
23 December,2024 05:48 PM IST | Mumbai | Prasun ChoudhariLok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Monday met the family of Somnath Suryavanshi, who died in judicial custody following violence in Maharashtra's Parbhani city earlier this month, reported news agency PTI. A glass-encased replica of Constitution near Dr B R Ambedkar’s statue outside the railway station in Parbhani, located in Marathwada region, was vandalised on the evening of December 10, which led to violent incidents in the region. Suryawanshi, a resident of Shankar Nagar in Parbhani, was among more than 50 persons arrested in connection with the violence, reported PTI. He was rushed to state-run hospital after he complained of chest pain and uneasiness while he was in judicial custody and lodged at the Parbhani district central prison. He died on December 15 at the hospital, police said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a judicial probe into the Parbhani violence. Recently, Fadnavis stated in the Maharashtra assembly that Suryavanshi had told a magistrate that he was not tortured and the CCTV footage also doesn't show any evidence of brutality, stated PTI. State BJP chief and revenue minister Chandrashekar Bawankule has termed Gandhi's visit as a "drama". Sharad Pawar calls Fadnavis to discuss Parbhani violence and Beed sarpanch's murder Sharad Pawar, the president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Supremo), engaged in a telephonic discussion with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, addressing concerns regarding the murder of a sarpanch in Beed and the death of a man following violent protests in Parbhani. Pawar, who visited the families of both victims on Saturday, sought accountability and swift action. According to PTI, he met the relatives of Santosh Deshmukh, the sarpanch of Massajog village in Beed district, who was abducted and brutally murdered on December 9. He also visited the family of Somnath Suryavanshi, who allegedly died while in judicial custody after being arrested in connection with the Parbhani unrest. Speaking to reporters in Pune on Sunday, Pawar revealed that he had raised the matter during a telephonic conversation with the chief minister. "I discussed the gravity of the situation in Beed and Parbhani with the chief minister and urged him to take appropriate action," he stated, as per PTI. (With inputs from PTI)
23 December,2024 05:28 PM IST | Parbhani (Maharashtra) | mid-day online correspondentThe Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer, in the criminal case filed against her for allegedly engaging in cheating and fraudulently availing benefits under the OBC and disability quotas in the 2022 Civil Services Examination. Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, while passing the order, stated that Khedkar’s plea for anticipatory bail had no merit. He remarked that a "strong prima facie case" had been established against the former probationer and that further investigation was necessary to uncover the full extent of the alleged conspiracy. The judge emphasised that this was a "classic case of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as society." As per PTI, the former probationer had applied for the UPSC Civil Services Examination by allegedly providing false information in her application, specifically regarding her eligibility for reservation benefits. Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting her status to avail benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quotas. The allegations against her involve not only misleading the examination authorities but also manipulating her attempts at the civil services exam by falsifying her identity. The counsel representing Delhi Police, along with the complainant — the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) — opposed the anticipatory bail plea, asserting that Khedkar's actions warranted a thorough investigation. The UPSC’s legal team, led by senior advocates Naresh Kaushik and Vardhman Kaushik, also strongly contended that the case involved serious allegations of fraudulent misrepresentation and identity theft. Khedkar has firmly denied all allegations against her, maintaining her innocence throughout the proceedings. The former IAS probationer claims that there has been a misunderstanding and that she has been unfairly targeted. In July, the UPSC initiated several actions against Khedkar, which included filing a criminal case and notifying the relevant authorities. According to PTI reports, the Delhi Police subsequently registered an FIR against Khedkar under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. These legal actions followed the UPSC’s investigation, which found evidence suggesting that Khedkar had falsely claimed to be eligible for certain reservations.
23 December,2024 02:54 PM IST | New DelhiTwo BJP MPs who suffered head injuries in a face-off between opposition and NDA members on the Parliament premises were discharged from Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital on Monday, authorities said, reported news agency PTI. On Thursday, two BJP leaders, Pratap Sarangi (69) from Odisha and Mukesh Rajput from Uttar Pradesh were brought to the hospital from Parliament with head injuries, stated PTI. "The condition of both the MPs is much better now and they have been discharged," a senior doctor said. The MPs were kept under observation in the ICU and on Saturday they were shifted to a ward. Doctors stated that Sarangi has an old heart problem and a stent in his heart. Nothing significant regarding the injury came up in MRI and CT scans, Dr Shukla MS of RML Hospital had said earlier, reported PTI. According to Dr Shukla, Sarangi was bleeding profusely when he was brought in. "He had a deep cut on his forehead and it had to be stitched," he had said, PTI stated . "Rajput also had a head injury immediately after which he lost consciousness. However, the MP was in his senses when he was brought to the hospital. His blood pressure levels had shot up," Dr Shukla had said. Ambedkar remark row: Opposition, BJP MPs scuffle in Parliament A face-off between the opposition and NDA MPs in Parliament premises over the alleged insult to B R Ambedkar left former minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi injured. The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of pushing the senior member, a charge rejected by the Congress leader. Trouble began when the INDIA bloc members insisted on entering Parliament through the BJP MPs holding a protest instead of using the space left empty on one side of the staircase of the Makar Dwar, used by members to enter and exit the building. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said BJP MP Mukesh Rajput was also injured in the melee. Sarangi, a BJP member from Balasore in Odisha, suffered injuries on the left temple of his forehead. BJP member Nishikant Dubey accused Gandhi of pushing the senior leader. Rejecting the BJP members’ charge, Gandhi told reporters, “I was trying to enter Parliament and the BJP MPs were stopping me, pushing me and threatening me.” Meanwhile, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge claimed he was pushed by BJP MPs, lost his balance and was forced to sit on the ground, injuring his knees that have already undergone surgery. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned following noisy protests by the opposition seeking an apology from Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks on B R Ambedkar. (With agency inputs)
23 December,2024 02:42 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
