India Archives - Page 219 of 225

20 Feb

Ganga water at Sangam unsafe for bathing due to high BOD levels: Govt data

Balwinder Singh0 CommentsIndiaMahakumbh, Sangam

New Delhi (National Times): The Ganga water at Triveni Sangam, where lakhs of people are taking a holy dip every day during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, is currently unsafe for bathing as it exceeds the prescribed limit for biological oxygen demand (BOD), a key parameter to determine water quality, according to government data.BOD refers to the amount of oxygen required by aerobic microorganisms to break down organic material in a water body. A higher BOD level indicates more organic content in the water. River water is considered fit for bathing if the BOD level is less than 3 milligrams per…

19 Feb

Parliamentary Panel Seeks Review of IT Laws After Supreme Court’s Stand on Online Vulgarity

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIT laws, MeitY, Ranveer Allahbadia, Supreme Court of India

New Delhi, February 19, 2025: A parliamentary panel has urged the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to assess the effectiveness of existing laws in tackling online vulgarity following the Supreme Court’s strong remarks in the Ranveer Allahbadia case.The Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, led by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has written to MeitY Secretary S. Krishnan, seeking a detailed note on whether current legal provisions, including the IT Act, 2000, require amendments to bring digital platforms under stricter scrutiny.The panel expressed concerns over the misuse of digital and social media, emphasizing the need to protect societal…

19 Feb

Government to Hold Meeting with Farmer Unions on February 22

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaFarmer protests, Government meeting, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, Punjab farmers, Samyukt Kisan Morcha

New Delhi, February 19, 2025 – The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has invited leaders of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha for a meeting on February 22, 2025, at 6 PM in Chandigarh. The meeting will take place at the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration, Punjab (MGSIPA), Sector 26.The invitation, issued by Joint Secretary Purna Chandra Kishan, follows a previous meeting held in Chandigarh on February 14, 2025. The agenda will focus on farmers’ demands and will include representatives from both the Indian government and the Punjab government.Leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal (Samyukt Kisan…

19 Feb

Delhi CM-elect Rekha Gupta, BJP leaders to meet LG Saxena to form government

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaDelhi, Rekha Gupta

New Delhi (National Times): Delhi's Chief Minister-elect, Rekha Gupta, along with senior BJP leaders, is set to meet Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena at 8:50 PM today to formally claim the mandate to form the next government in the national capital. Rekha Gupta, representing Shalimar Bagh, was appointed the Leader of the House during a BJP legislature party meeting. After a gap of 26 years, the BJP has secured power in Delhi once again, and Gupta will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister at Ramlila Ground this Thursday. Who is Rekha Gupta?Rekha Gupta is a prominent BJP leader who…

19 Feb

Supreme Court Directs States to File Jail Reform Reports, Sets March 4 Deadline

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCaste Discrimination, Jail Reforms, NCRB, Supreme Court

New Delhi, February 19, 2025: The Supreme Court has granted two more weeks to states and Union Territories (UTs) to submit compliance reports on the removal of discriminatory provisions in their jail manuals, ensuring equal treatment for all prisoners regardless of caste, gender, or disability. SC Pushes for Prison Reforms A bench led by Justice JB Pardiwala, while hearing a suo motu petition, emphasized the need to eradicate caste-based discrimination inside prisons. The petition stems from an October 2024 judgment, which directed the removal of discriminatory provisions from prison manuals across India.Senior advocate S. Muralidhar, acting as amicus curiae, informed…

18 Feb

Qatar Announces $10 Billion Investment in India, Explores Free Trade Agreement

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia$10 billion investment, Free Trade Agreement, India-Qatar trade, UPI in Qatar

New Delhi, February 18, 2025: Qatar has pledged an investment of $10 billion (approximately ₹85,000 crore) in India, marking a significant boost in economic ties between the two nations. The announcement came following a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, in New Delhi on Tuesday.The two sides also agreed to explore the possibility of an India-Qatar Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to strengthen economic cooperation. As part of its investment strategy, Qatar aims to expand its presence in India’s infrastructure, technology, manufacturing, food security, logistics, and hospitality sectors. To facilitate this, the…

18 Feb

Mamata Banerjee Slams BJP Over Maha Kumbh Stampede, Calls It ‘Mrityu Kumbh’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBJP Government, Maha Kumbh Stampede, Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata, February 18, 2025: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly criticized the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government, alleging that the Maha Kumbh had turned into a "Mrityu Kumbh" due to multiple stampede incidents. She accused authorities of suppressing the actual death toll and failing to ensure public safety. Allegations of Cover-Up At least 30 people were killed and 60 injured in a stampede in Prayagraj last month. Another 18 people died in a similar tragedy at an overcrowded railway station in New Delhi. However, Banerjee claimed that the actual numbers were much higher.“They have hidden hundreds of bodies to…

18 Feb

Dr. Vivek Joshi Appointed as India’s New Election Commissioner

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaDr. Vivek Joshi, Election Commission of India, Election Commissioner, IAS Officer

Chandigarh, February 18, 2025: Dr. Vivek Joshi, a senior IAS officer from the 1989 Haryana cadre, has been appointed as the new Election Commissioner of India. His selection was approved by a committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A Seasoned Administrator Joins the Election Commission Dr. Joshi will join Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Prakash and Election Commissioner Sukhbir Singh Sandhu in overseeing the country’s electoral process.Before this appointment, he served as Haryana’s Chief Secretary since November 2024, following the retirement of TVSN Prasad. His leadership in governance and administration spans decades, including significant roles at both state and…

18 Feb

Costa Rica agrees to accept Indian migrants deported from US, first batch arrives Wednesday

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCentral Asia, Costa Rica, India, Indian migrants

San Jose, Feb 18 (PTI): Costa Rica has agreed to serve as a "bridge" to repatriate illegal immigrants in the US, including from India and Central Asia, according to an official release on Tuesday.The first group of 200 migrants will arrive at the Juan Santamaria International Airport on a commercial flight on Wednesday, according to a statement by Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles' office."The Government of Costa Rica agreed to collaborate with the United States in the repatriation of 200 illegal immigrants to their country. These are people originating from countries in central Asia and India," said the statement.The…

18 Feb

1984 Anti-Sikh Riots Case: Death Penalty Sought for Sajjan Kumar

nishuthapar10 CommentsIndiaSajjan Kumar

New Delhi (National Times)– The prosecution has urged the court to hand down the death penalty to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar, convicted for his role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Rouse Avenue Court had found him guilty of orchestrating the murders of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh in Delhi’s Saraswati Vihar on November 1, 1984. Prosecution Calls for Maximum Punishment During the sentencing hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat pressed for capital punishment, stating that this was a "rarest of rare" case, in which innocent civilians were massacred solely due to their religious identity. Rawat argued that the…