THE HEADLINES:-
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit landslide affected Wayanad in Kerala today to review relief and rehabilitation efforts.
- Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0; One crore houses to be built for urban poor and middle-class families.
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gives nod to eight railway projects worth 24 thousand 657 crore rupees.
- President Droupadi Murmu to hold bilateral meetings with President and Prime Minister of Timor-Leste in capital Dili today.
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says, India’s partnership with Maldives is based on deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests.
- And, wrestler Aman Sehrawat becomes India’s youngest Olympic medallist after clinching Bronze at Paris Games.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit landslide affected Wayanad in Kerala today to review the relief and rehabilitation efforts. Mr Modi is expected to reach the Kannur airport around 11 this morning, and will proceed to Wayanad on an IAF helicopter.
“The Prime Minister will conduct an aerial survey of the affected areas, devastated by the massive landslide that took place on the 30th of last month. Mr Modi is expected to visit a Bailey bridge constructed by the Army in the disaster zone, besides a relief camp and a local hospital. He will interact with the victims and the survivors of the disaster. The Prime Minister will also chair a review meeting, where a detailed briefing will be made about the disaster, the ongoing search operations and the rescue efforts . The Prime Minister’s visit is crucial for rehabilitating the landslide affected people, who are staying in various relief camps. Both the CPI-M led LDF and the Opposition UDF have appealed to the union government to declare the landslide a national disaster. Raj Mohan, Akashvani News, Kochi.”
Meanwhile, an eight member interministerial team led by the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Rajiv Kumar, visited the landslide hit areas of Wayanad yesterday.
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The Union Cabinet has approved Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) 2.0 scheme. The Cabinet also gave its nod to the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G) during Financial Year 2024-25 to 2028-29. Briefing the media last night, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that three crore new houses will be constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Mr Vaishnaw said, of them two crore houses will be built in rural areas while one crore will be constructed in urban areas. He said the budgetary provision on the scheme will be of 3 lakh 60 thousand crore rupees.
Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0, financial assistance will be provided to one crore urban poor and middle-class families. Mr Vaishnaw said, government assistance of 2.30 lakh crore rupees will be provided under the Scheme.
Mr Vaishnaw said, the cabinet also approved the modified Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana for providing financial support to Advanced Biofuel Projects using lignocellulosic biomass and other renewable feedstock.
The Information and Broadcasting Minister said that a detailed discussion took place in the Union Cabinet yesterday with regard to the Supreme Court’s judgement on SC and ST reservation.
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The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved eight projects of Ministry of Railways with a total estimated cost of 24 thousand 657 crore rupees. The projects cover 14 districts in Seven States. The States are Odisha, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Telangana and West Bengal. Aspirational districts and tribal areas will get a major push of development through these projects. The projects include Gunupur-Therubali New Railway Line route and Junagarh-Nabarangpur line in Odisha, Malkangiri-Pandurangapuram line in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and Buramara-Chakulia rail route in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha.
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Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla yesterday inaugurated an orientation program organised for the newly elected MPs of the 18th Lok Sabha in the Parliament House Complex.
On the occasion, Mr Birla said that the Speaker does not function on the basis of ideology or party but in fact, the Speaker is the guardian of the rights of all the Members. He urged the new Members to share their suggestions regarding facilities and functioning of the House to ensure more effective arrangements.
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The Supreme Court has rejected a plea to delay the 2024 NEET-PG exam, scheduled for tomorrow. The court said it will be unjust to risk the future of two lakh students while rejecting a petition that argued the assigned exam cities were too inconvenient for some candidates. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated that, as a matter of principle, the court will not reschedule the exam and cannot put the careers of so many candidates in jeopardy.
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Special Cell of Delhi Police has arrested a terrorist Rizwan Abdul Haji Ali linked to banned outfit ISIS. According to the Special Cell, Rizwan had been absconding for over a year and carried a reward of three lakh rupees. The arrested terrorist was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in two cases registered in Mumbai and Delhi. The Special Cell has also recovered two mobile phones and a pistol with three live cartridges from the terrorist.
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President Droupadi Murmu arrived at Dili in Timor Leste today on a day-long state visit. She will hold bilateral meetings with the top leadership of Timor Leste and interact with the Indian diaspora over a community reception
“Heralding a new era in the bilateral relations between India and Timor Leste, President Droupadi Murmu becomes the first head of state from India to visit Timor Leste, signifying the importance India accords to the extended neighbourhood in southeast Asia. President Murmu will hold meetings with President José Ramos Horta and Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão on bilateral cooperation in IT, digitalization, healthcare, agriculture and capacity building. President Murmu and Prime Minister Gusmão will witness the exchange of MoUs between the two countries. This visit is expected to enhance diplomatic engagement with Timor Leste and re-affirm India’s commitment to the Act East policy. With Sri Sai’s report from Dili, Manik, Akashvani News, Delhi.
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External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said that India’s partnership with Maldives is based on its deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests. Addressing a press conference with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer after their talks in Male, Dr Jaishankar said, the archipelagic state is one of the cornerstones of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy.
In a social media post, Dr Jaishankar said, he held productive discussions with his Maldivian counterpart. He said, the agenda covered their engagement in development partnership, capacity building, bilateral and regional security, trade and digital cooperation.
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At the Paris Olympics, Indian wrestler Aman Sehrawat produced a dominating performance last evening to clinch a bronze medal in the Men’s 57kg freestyle event.
Wrestler Aman Sehrawat made it three medals in two days for India when he dominated Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz to clinch bronze by a score of 13-5 in the 57kg freestyle category. Aman, 21, became the youngest ever individual Olympic medalist from India in the process, surpassing PV Sindhu. Neeraj Chopra had unleashed the second best throw of his career to win javelin silver and the hockey team had managed consecutive bronze medals at the Olympics the day before with India’s medal count going up to six through the latest victories.
Meanwhile, the 4×400 men’s and women’s relay teams failed to find their feet, despite the men managing a season’s best time, and did not make it to the finals. Aman is the first wrestler from India to claim a medal at these Olympics and today Reetika Hooda will aim to win the second in a sport in which the country has got the most success at the quadrennial Games after hockey. She will be featuring in the 76 kg freestyle category. Golfers Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, down to the 40th and 42nd places, respectively after poor rounds yesterday, will also turn out in the fourth round. The Indian Olympic Association remains hopeful of a positive resolution to Vinesh Phogat’s application to the Court of Arbitration for Sports against her disqualification. The operative part of the order might be made available soon.SHAURYA, AKASHVANI NEWS, PARIS”.
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World Lion Day is being celebrated today with an emphasis to raise awareness about the conservation of the king of the jungle. The day aims to bring global attention to the declining number of lions and the urgent need to protect them from various threats.
In India, the conservation of lions holds significant cultural and ecological importance. The country is home to the Asiatic lion, found only in the Gir Forest. Environment Ministry said in a statement that conservation efforts in this region have seen the lion population grow from around 523 in 2015 to approximately 674 in 2020.
‘Project Lion’, announced on 15th August, 2020 is a pivotal initiative aimed at securing the future of Asiatic lions through comprehensive, long-term conservation efforts.
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TODAY’S NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES:-
- “Centre forms panel to monitor Bangladesh crisis, ensure safety of minority Hindus”, is a front-page headline in The Tribune.
- Under the headline, “SC/ST quota: No plan for creamy layer, says government, Hindustan Times writes that the Centre will not take up a suggestion by the Supreme Court to institute income-based exclusions in the quota.
- A headline in The Asian Age says, “Sisodia gets SC bail, leaves Tihar”, adding that the bail was given due to trial delay.
- “Political differences cast aside as thousands bid farewell to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee”, reports The Hindu.
- Under the headline, “Demographic, Economic Tailwinds Aiding Shift”, Financial Express writes that India has become the next big bet for packaged food giants looking to fill the growth vacuum left by an uneven recovery in China.
- “UK government mulls curbs on visas for techies to bring down migration”, notes The Times of India.
- And finally, under the headline, “Hindi, Chini see eye to eye – at least in electronics”, The Economic Times writes that Indian consumers are lapping up Chinese electronics brands as they offer value for money and don’t suffer from the perception of poor quality anymore.
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THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN:-
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit landslide affected Wayanad in Kerala today to review relief and rehabilitation efforts.
- Union Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0; One crore houses to be built for urban poor and middle-class families.
- Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gives nod to eight railway projects worth 24 thousand 657 crore rupees.
- President Droupadi Murmu to hold bilateral meetings with President and Prime Minister of Timor-Leste in capital Dili today.
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar says, India’s partnership with Maldives is based on deep desire to work together for each other’s welfare and interests.
- And, wrestler Aman Sehrawat becomes India’s youngest Olympic medallist after clinching Bronze at Paris Games.
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