Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das has been admitted to a corporate hospital in Chennai, according to a reliable source. As per PTI reports, the Governor is currently under medical observation. However, further details regarding his condition or the reason for his hospitalisation have not been disclosed at this time. A Reserve Bank of India spokesperson said, "Reserve Bank of India Governor Shri Shaktikanta Das experienced acidity and was admitted to Apollo Hospital, Chennai for observation." Das, who has been serving as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India since December 2018, is a senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer with an extensive career in public service. Under his leadership, the central bank has navigated significant economic challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation management, and the implementation of key monetary policies. The Governor’s hospitalisation comes at a time when the Reserve Bank is preparing for its next monetary policy meeting, scheduled for early December.
26 November,2024 10:18 AM IST | Chennai | mid-day online correspondentThe Finance Ministry's latest monthly economic review stated that the upcoming administration in US following Donald Trump's historic victory in the latest US elections is set to play a key role in trade dynamics worldwide, ANI reported. As per ANI, the report mentioned that the global economic factors, including shifts in interest rates, earnings growth, and geopolitical developments, will significantly impact trade and capital flows. It said "Apart from the emerging indications of domestic growth and stability, the dynamics of global interest rates, earning growth and valuation, geopolitical developments and policy decisions of the next administration in the United States will determine the course of trade and capital flows". It added that the geopolitical tensions, especially the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, have added uncertainty to financial market. There has been increasing demand for safe-haven assets like U.S. Treasuries and gold as investors seek stability, ANI reported. These sensitive conditions continue to weigh on global markets and could impact the trade environment in India. It said "Recent developments in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine have caused some concern in financial markets with safe-haven assets such as US Treasuries and gold finding a bid". The report also notes that the export growth in India may face hurdles in the upcoming months due to weakening demand in developed markets, ANI cited. While the global slowdown raises issues for merchandise exports, the ministry noted that the services trade continues to maintain its strong momentum. It said "On the external front, India's export recovery may encounter challenges due to softening demand in developed markets. However, trade in the services sector is sustaining momentum". Despite these external challenges, the report highlighted that the domestic economic outlook in India still remains cautiously optimistic. Notably, Agriculture is set to benefit from favourable monsoon conditions, higher minimum support prices, and sufficient input supplies, ANI cited. Strong agricultural production prospects are expected to curb inflation, despite existing price pressures in few food items. Early November trends have already shown a moderation in specific food prices. However, geopolitical risks could still impact domestic inflation and supply chains. The report highlighted that the high-frequency indicators of economic activity in India have shown signs of recovery following a temporary slowdown during the monsoon months. Measures of rural and urban demand, the Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), and E-way bill generation all showed a good recovery in October. With a growing manufacturing workforce and a notable inflow of young workers into organized sectors, the formal employment sector is also experiencing expansion. Despite India's difficult the global environment, these trends point to a growing domestic economy. (With inputs from ANI)
26 November,2024 10:06 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA police encounter in Uttar Pradesh's Kankerkhera area resulted in the arrest of a wanted criminal with a bounty of Rs 25,000 on his head and two of his accomplices, according to PTI reports. The operation, conducted late Monday night, also left the criminal and one of his aides injured. Assistant Superintendent of Police (City), Ayush Vikram Singh, stated that the police team was acting on a tip-off about the whereabouts of Monu, alias Mohan Giri. Giri, a wanted criminal from Ghaziabad, is a suspect in the abduction and murder of Lakhan Singh, a 27-year-old man, on 8 June this year. “The informer revealed that Monu was travelling with two accomplices on a motorcycle along the road to Lala Mohammadpur. Acting promptly, the police set up a checkpoint to intercept the suspects,” Singh said. Upon spotting the police, the trio attempted to flee. In a dramatic turn of events, the suspects opened fire at the police in a bid to escape. “The police team retaliated, and during the exchange of fire near Lala Mohammadpur, Monu and his accomplice, Sohail Qureshi of Meerut, sustained injuries to their legs,” Singh added. The third accomplice, identified as Harun Qureshi from Ghaziabad, took advantage of the dark to attempt an escape. However, a swift cordon operation by the police led to his arrest. Both injured suspects were immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment. Monu, described by the police as a hardened criminal, has a long record of offences, including murder, registered at various police stations in Meerut's Kankerkhera and Ghaziabad. The police also recovered two country-made pistols and a motorcycle from the arrested individuals. “All three are habitual offenders, and Monu is particularly notorious for his involvement in multiple heinous crimes,” Singh noted, adding that legal proceedings against the trio are underway. This successful operation highlights the UP Police's commitment to cracking down on organised crime. The police assured further action to ensure justice in the abduction and murder case of Lakhan Singh, for which Monu and his gang are prime suspects. The incident underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in apprehending high-risk criminals while ensuring public safety. Further investigations into the gang’s activities and affiliations are ongoing. (With inputs from PTI)
26 November,2024 09:38 AM IST | Uttar PradeshThe national capital woke up to a thick blanket of smog on Tuesday morning as air quality continued to languish in the 'very poor' category, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). However, this marks a slight improvement from the past week's 'severe' levels. At 7 am, the Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 382, still categorised as 'very poor', reports ANI. This comes after several days of 'severe plus' AQI levels, offering some relief but underscoring the persisting air pollution crisis in the city. A thick haze enveloped Delhi, reducing visibility in several areas, including the vicinity of New Delhi Railway Station, as trains continued to operate amidst the smog. Despite the marginal improvement, residents and commuters experienced difficulties due to poor air quality and the lingering pollution. As per ANI, an AQI between 0 and 50 is considered good, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor, 301-400 very poor, and 401-500 severe. In response to the ongoing air pollution, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has issued directives prioritising education while addressing health concerns. Following the Supreme Court's recent order dated 25 November in the MC Mehta vs. Union of India case, the Delhi Government's Directorate of Education has instructed schools to operate in a 'hybrid' mode. The Supreme Court had raised significant concerns over the impact of pollution-related restrictions on education, ANI reports. The court highlighted that many students are being deprived of mid-day meals due to the closure of schools and anganwadis. Furthermore, it observed that a considerable number of students lack access to online education facilities, with some educational institutions also unable to provide such services. Additionally, the court noted that many students' homes are not equipped with air purifiers, which could diminish the perceived safety of staying indoors during high pollution levels. In compliance with the CAQM's directive, all government, government-aided, and private schools under the jurisdiction of the Delhi Government, along with institutions managed by the NDMC, MCD, and Delhi Cantonment Board, have been instructed to implement hybrid learning modes immediately. This approach aims to strike a balance between ensuring access to education and protecting children from the hazards of severe air pollution. As the city grapples with ongoing pollution challenges, these measures aim to alleviate some of the immediate repercussions on students while authorities continue their efforts to improve the capital's air quality, ANI reports. (With inputs from ANI)
26 November,2024 08:51 AM IST | New DelhiAs the parliament session commenced on Monday, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh reaffirmed that opposition parties would not compromise over the demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into allegations related to Adani executives in the United States in an alleged bribery case. Speaking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh noted that the opposition parties will also demand a discussion on Manipur and Nagaland. "We are not going to compromise. The need for a JPC has been further reinforced by the indictment that has been handed down by the US agencies and the US courts. We will continue to demand JPC," he said. "We will continue a demand for a discussion on Manipur and Nagaland. Now, we have engineered communal violence in Uttar Pradesh. That's also become a very important issue for all opposition parties. Many opposition parties want a discussion on free and fair elections, so there are several issues that we have discussed," he added. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh further alleged that Organiser, an RSS mouthpiece, had attacked the 'constitution' just four days after it was adopted. "I also drew attention to the fact that just four days after the Constitution was adopted, meaning the 30th of November 1949, the Organiser, which is an RSS mouthpiece, attacked the Constitution. The same people who are trying to celebrate it tomorrow and claim credit attacked the constitution, saying it was not inspired by Manusmriti; it was not based on 'Manuwadi ideas," he alleged. "Tomorrow, the 26th of November, marks the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution in the Constituent Assembly. But today, November 25th marks the 75th anniversary of Baba Saheb Ambedkar's famous historic speech that he gave in the Constituent Assembly on the 25th of November 1949, where he said that the entire credit for the Constitution must go to the Congress Party, the discipline the Congress Party ensured in the constituent assembly," the Congress MP said. Earlier, Jairam Ramesh, who also serves as the party's General Secretary in charge of Communications, said on Monday that the "Modani" issue rocked both houses of Parliament today. "The Modani issue rocked both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha today. INDIA parties called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation into the Modani scam--the case for which has been reinforced by the recent indictments of Adani's bribery and suppression of information from Indian and American regulators," said Jairam Ramesh in a post on X. Notably, leaders of the INDIA bloc held a meeting before the commencement of the parliament session. The leaders demanded to hold discussions on the Adani indictment. "We do not need monopolies and cartels to run this country. We need healthy, market-driven competition in the private sector, which facilitates equal opportunities, employment, and equitable distribution of wealth, catering to the inherent entrepreneurial spirit of India," Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X. Both houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day, but are scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday, November 27. 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
26 November,2024 08:41 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIThe US State Department refused to comment on the disruptions in Indian Parliament over the indictment of billionaire Gautam Adani in a US court on charges of bribery. "That is a law enforcement matter," State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday. He was responding to a question about Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi demanding the immediate arrest of Adani. "Is this something you support, such as the arrest and investigations, charges against Adani" he was asked. "I would defer to my colleagues at the Department of Justice to speak to it," Miller said. The US authorities have indicted Gautam Adani and seven others including his nephew Sagar Adani, for being part of an alleged USD 265 million bribery scheme. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the day on Monday as opposition parties led by Gandhi's Congress tried to raise the issue of Adani's indictment. Last week, a five-count criminal indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, executives of an Indian renewable-energy company with conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud and substantive securities fraud for their roles in a multi-billion-dollar scheme. This was done to obtain funds from US investors and global financial institutions on the basis of false and misleading statements. The indictment also charges Ranjit Gupta and Rupesh Agarwal, former executives of a renewable-energy company with securities that had traded on the New York Stock Exchange. It charges Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal and Deepak Malhotra, former employees of a Canadian institutional investor, with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in connection with a bribery scheme also perpetrated by Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Jaain involving one of the world's largest solar energy projects. The indictment further alleged that Cabanes, Saurabh, Malhotra and Rupesh conspired to obstruct the grand jury, FBI and US SEC investigations into the Bribery Scheme. The Adani group has denied all charges in the US indictment, calling them baseless. 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
26 November,2024 08:41 AM IST | Washington | PTIIPS officer Rashmi Shukla has been reappointed as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Maharashtra on Monday. Earlier, she was transferred by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections on November 4. The development came days after the Election Commission ordered the immediate transfer of Rashmi Shukla from her position as DGP Maharashtra. The poll body directed the Chief Secretary to hand over her charge to the next senior-most IPS officer in the cadre. The election in Maharashtra concluded with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance registering a resounding victory. The alliance won 230 out of the 288 seats in the state assembly. The results that were announced by the ECI on Saturday stated that the BJP won 132 seats, while its allies--the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, secured 57 seats, and the NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, won 41 seats. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) faced a major setback. The Shiv Sena (UBT), led by Uddhav Thackeray, won 20 seats; Congress managed 16, and the NCP(SP), led by Sharad Pawar, secured just 10 seats. Meanwhile, amid a tussle over the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister, Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, and NCP chief Ajit Pawar are expected to meet BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah later tonight. The trio will be attending a private event in the national capital before meeting the BJP's top leadership to discuss government formation in Maharashtra, according to sources. Amid the ongoing discussions, two-time Chief Minister and current Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is seen as a strong contender to occupy the top post for the third time. However, Shiv Sena leaders insist that Eknath Shinde should continue as Chief Minister. 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
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | Mumbai | ANIUnion Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday praised Cabinet's decision to approve Rs 2750 crore for the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) 2.0, stating that the scheme will 'turbocharge' the innovative power of the youth. In a post on X, the Union Home Minister expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the decision. "The Union Cabinet's decision to approve the Rs 2750 crore Atal Innovation Mission 2.0 initiative will turbocharge the innovative power of our youth by extending the culture of thinking out of the box to new regions and fields," his post on X reads. "Thanks to PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji for the visionary initiative," the Union Home Minister added. Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the continuation of its flagship initiative, the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the aegis of NITI Aayog. The initiative has an enhanced scope of work and an allocated budget of Rs 2750 crore for the period until March 31, 2028. According to an official release, AIM 2.0 is a step towards a "Viksit Bharat" (Developed India) that aims to expand, strengthen, and deepen India's already vibrant innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. The approval underscores the government's commitment to fostering a robust innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in India. With India at rank 39th on the Global Innovation Index and being home to the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem, the next phase of the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM 2.0) is expected to further elevate India's global competitiveness. The continuation of AIM will directly contribute to creating better jobs, innovative products, and high-impact services across sectors. While building on the accomplishments of AIM 1.0, such as Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) and Atal Incubation Centres (AIC), AIM 2.0 marks a qualitative shift in the mission's approach. Whereas AIM 1.0 involved implementing programs that built innovation infrastructure to strengthen India's then-nascent ecosystem, AIM 2.0 will pilot new initiatives designed to fill gaps in the ecosystem and scale successes through central and state governments, industry, academia, and community. AIM 2.0 is designed to strengthen India's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem in three ways, including increasing input, improving the success rate, and enhancing the quality of 'output,' the release said. Additionally, the Union Cabinet has also approved "One Nation, One Subscription," a new central sector scheme for providing countrywide access to scholarly research articles and journal publications. Information and Broadcasting Minister, who briefed the media on the cabinet decisions, explained that the scheme will be administered through a simple, user-friendly, and fully digital process. This will be a "One Nation, One Subscription" facility for the government higher education institutions and R&D laboratories of the central government. 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
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | New Delhi | ANICongress leader KC Venugopal on Monday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over the violence in Sambhal and alleged that there is a "conspiracy to polarise society and escalate tensions". He demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the violence. "The violence and riots in Sambhal, UP point to a clear conspiracy on the part of the Modi-Yogi 'double-engine government' to polarise society. The haste with which the so-called survey was...carried out shows a deeper conspiracy to create instability and fear among the people of the region," Venugopal said in a post on X. "Multiple ground reports suggest the killings at the hands of the police who deliberately escalated matters to this level. This shows clear complicity of the State in this riot and a neutral, Supreme-Court monitored probe is the need of the hour to restore peace and bring justice to the victims of this mob violence," he added. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MPs including party president Akhilesh Yadav met the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday regarding the Sambhal incident. Opposition members were keen to raise the issue in the House and have targeted Yogi Adityanath government over the violence. Akhilesh Yadav alleged earlier that party MP Zia-ur-Rahman Barq has been booked even though he was not present in Sambhal. "Our MP was not even in Sambhal during the incident and despite that, an FIR was lodged against him. It is very unfortunate to know about the young people who have lost their lives in this incident. From all the videos we have, we know it was a riot by the government. The government was looting votes, playing with the EVM machines.. they did riot in Sambhal," he alleged. Akhilesh Yadav said that the order was passed by the Court without even listening to the other party and questioned the state government. Yadav demanded action against concerned police officials. A stone pelting incident occurred in Sambhal on Sunday when an ASI team arrived at the Shahi Jama Masjid to conduct a fresh survey of the mosque, as per officials. The survey was part of a legal process following a petition filed by senior advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who claimed the mosque was originally a temple. 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
26 November,2024 08:40 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | ANIOpposition members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Waqf Amendment Bill on Monday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla with a complaint against panel chairman Jagadambika Pal, accusing him of bulldozing the proceedings on the crucial matter. In a memorandum to the Speaker, the opposition members also sought an extension of the tenure of the Joint Committee of Parliament by a "reasonable time" to allow substantive deliberations on the expansive legislation. "We submitted to the Speaker that the due processes are not followed by the chairman. He is hurrying up, bulldozing the proceedings," DMK member A Raja told reporters after meeting the Speaker. Raja said Pal was not following the due process of the Joint Committee of Parliament and had announced suo-motu that the report has to be presented to Parliament on November 29. 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
26 November,2024 07:53 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesThe Supreme Court on Monday refused to relax the anti-pollution Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV restrictions in Delhi-NCR and said unless it was satisfied that there was consistent decrease in AQI levels, it cannot order curbs below GRAP-III or GRAP-II. Noting that several sections of society, especially labourers and daily wagers, were adversely affected due to GRAP-IV, the bench directed the state governments, where construction has been banned, to use funds collected as labour cess for subsistence to them. The top court, however, asked the Commission for Air Quality Management to consider restarting physical classes. Air quality improved under NCAP: Env min Ninety-seven of the 130 cities targeted under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) have shown improvement in air quality as compared to 2017-18, with 55 recording more than 20 per cent reduction, the Environment Ministry said on Monday. Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav said the NCAP aims to reduce particulate matter (PM10) pollution by up to 40 per cent or achieving national air quality standards by 2025-26. 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
26 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
