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ITANAGAR, 12 Jul: The Standing Committee of the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) has approved a proposal to divert 310 hectares of core forest land from the Namdapha Tiger Reserve in Arunachal Pradesh for the construction of the strategic Arunachal Frontier Highway (NH-913), despite concerns about its potential environmental and wildlife impacts. The land, located in Changlang district, is part of a proposed stretch that will connect NH-215 near Kharsang to the Miao-Gandhigram-Vijaynagar road, close to the India-Myanmar border. The Arunachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) had requested 248.79 hectares for road widening and 61.21 hectares for muck disposal. During a committee meeting on June 26, members H.S. Singh and R. Sukumar, along with the state's Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), expressed concerns over the felling of approximately 1.55 lakh trees and the lack of a scientifically grounded wildlife mitigation plan, particularly regarding the design of underpasses and overpasses for animal movement. Sukumar acknowledged the road's strategic importance but pointed out that the current plan uses standard PWD culvert designs, which are insufficient for wildlife crossings. He also questioned the need for such a wide expansion. Singh suggested that the animal passage plan be revised before final approval, though the project was ultimately cleared. In defense, the CWW clarified that the road upgrade involves intermediate laning from a 3.5-meter width, and that the tree count includes undergrowth and poles, not just full-grown trees. To address wildlife concerns, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has committed to preparing a detailed, site-specific animal passage plan within three months, ensuring that future construction includes mitigation measures based on actual animal movement data. The NBWL also approved the diversion of 133 hectares of land, including from Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) and a tiger corridor in Andhra Pradesh, for a four-lane national highway between Kadapa and Renigunta. This includes land from the ESZs of Sri Venkateswara and Sri Penusila Lakshmi Narasimha Wildlife Sanctuaries, as well as a stretch from the tiger corridor connecting Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve to Sri Venkateswara National Park. (PTI)
BJP member Manas Dutta blamed the previous BJD government and held it responsible for not extending their service agreement which ended in April, 2024. As hundreds of women working as support staff under the Mission Shakti department staged a demonstration outside the Assembly over different issues, the opposition BJD on Monday demanded immediate release of their salaries. While the agitating women were shouting slogans at the Mahatma Gandhi Road leading to the Assembly, the issue was raised in ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) The Odisha Vigilance Department on Friday arrested an official of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of Mayurbhanj district after detecting disproportionate assets in his possession. The arrested official was a project administrator at the ITDA in the district's Bonai area. Also Read | 'Touched Private Parts Pricked With Pen': Tuition Teacher in Nagaur, Rajasthan Sexually Abused Class 2 Girl for 6 Months, Arrested. A case has been registered at the Rourkela vigilance police station against the official and his wife under various sections of Prevention ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) Odisha MLAs across party lines on Tuesday demanded an increase in their salaries and enhanced pensions for former lawmakers. The issue was raised during Zero Hour by Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, supported by members from both Congress and BJP. Mallik emphasised the need to increase the pension of former MLAs, saying they were struggling to manage due to rising market prices and medical expenses. She pointed out that a committee formed by the previous government had already submitted a report recommending an increase in the salary of MLAs to Rs 2.5 lakh per ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) Axis Securities on Wednesday settled a case involving front-running trades by Vikrant Bhimrao Kadam, who worked as its dealer, and his friend, after paying Rs 14.62 lakh towards settlement amount to Sebi. It was alleged that as a stock broker, Axis Securities failed to exercise appropriate due diligence in the matter in its dealer and branch manager compliance policy. Also Read | Latest Government Jobs Notifications: Apply for 98 Court Officer, Assistant and Other Posts of NCLT Recruitment 2024; Know Salary and Other Details Here. The order came after Axis Securities ...Read More >
Mumbai: The death toll in Monday's BEST bus crash rose to seven and the number of injured to 42 even as the driver, Sanjay More, booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, claimed he had noticed a spark and mistakenly accelerated the bus instead of applying brakes. Seeking More's custody, police said they want to investigate if he intentionally used the vehicle as a weapon. The bus on Route 332 had accelerated on a congested 200m stretch near Kurla station hitting vehicles and pedestr ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 15 (ANI): Godrej Agrovet informed stock exchanges that the Gujarat government has allotted area to it in three districts for the expansion of oil palm cultivation under the palm oil mission. Those three districts are Vadodara, Surat, and Tapi, the company informed stock exchanges in a filing late on Saturday. The filing didn't elaborate further details about the allotment of land. India is the world's second-largest consumer and number one vegetable oil importer, and it meets 60 per cent of its need through imports. A large part of it is palm oil and its derivativ ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Wheat sowing increased by 1.38 per cent year-on-year to 320 lakh hectare so far in the ongoing 2024-25 rabi season, according to the agriculture ministry data released on Tuesday. Wheat, the main rabi (winter) crop, was sown in 315.63 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Sowing of most rabi crops is nearing end. Harvesting will begin from April. According to the data, pulses' acreage remained flat at 139.81 lakh hectare as on January 14, compared to 139.11 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Gram was covered in 96.65 lakh hectare and lentil in 17.43 lakh hectare. ...Read More >
Raipur: Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday, January 14, announced an aid of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of journalist Mukesh Chandrakar, who was murdered in Bijapur district earlier this month. Talking to reporters at the helipad in police lines, Sai said a building will be constructed for scribes and named after the slain journalist. Sai said, "The deceased journalist's family will be given Rs 10 lakh assistance. A building will be constructed for journalists, and it will be named after him." 33-year-old freelance journalist Mukesh Chandrakar went missing on January 1. His body ...Read More >
Srinagar, Jan 31 (PTI) Indian Institute of Carpet Technology (IICT) and NIFT, Srinagar has developed 36 box prototypes for unique packaging of Kashmiri handicrafts with the aim of boosting sales. Director IICT Zubair Ahmad said the packaging is an inseparable part of the famed Kashmir handicrafts, which facilitates its foray into international markets in a big way. "Time has come for artistic packaging to create a unique unboxing experience of the famed arts of Kashmir and boost its market value," Ahmad said. He called upon business stakeholders associated with Kashmir Arts to carry out fir ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Jan 31 (PTI) The Odisha Vigilance Department on Friday arrested an official of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of Mayurbhanj district after detecting disproportionate assets in his possession. The arrested official was a project administrator at the ITDA in the district's Bonai area. A case has been registered at the Rourkela vigilance police station against the official and his wife under various sections of Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, a statement issued by the vigilance department said. Sleuths of the vigil ...Read More >
India's housing market is booming, with 2024 projected to be the best year yet. Over 300,000 homes worth ₹510,000 crore are expected to be sold across the top seven cities, driven by economic growth and infrastructure improvements. Sales in the first nine months already reached nearly 230,000 homes, indicating continued robust demand and rising capital values.India's housing property market continues to remain on a strong footing, with the year 2024 expected to end as the best year ever in term ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, Dec 11 (PTI) The 6th Edition of 'Abhivyakti - The City Arts Project', Gujarat's longest art and culture showcase and an endeavour of UNM Foundation of Mehta Family's Torrent Group, concluded with an assemble of art admirers from different walks of life enjoying the art performances across genres. The 16-day Project, which had begun on November 21, received an unprecedented footfall of over 3.24 lakh art lovers of different age groups and from varied walks of life, a press statement issued by the organisers said. Apart from the lakhs of art lovers of the city, the project was also ...Read More >
During a discussion on road accidents in Lok Sabha, Mr Gadkari said, "I have no hesitation to admit that it (road accidents) has increased." Road accidents claim 1.78 lakh lives in the country, annually, said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. "When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face," Nitin Gadkari said on Thursday, underlining he had set a target to reduce accidents by 50 per cent when he first took charge as the Road Trans ...Read More >
Hours after Atul Subash's wife Nikita Singhania, her mother Nisha and brother Anurag were arrested for allegedly abetting the suicide, the Bengaluru techie's father, Pawan Kumar Modi has questioned where Atul's four-year-old son is and said the family was worried about him. Modi thanked the police for arresting the woman and her family members. However, he said, "We don't know where she has kept our grandson. Has he been killed or is he alive? We don't know anything about him. I want my grandson ...Read More >
Bihar's infrastructure has seen a 15-fold increase in data consumption over the past five years. Road density is now the third highest in India, electricity generation has increased tenfold, and IT parks and data centers are being developed. Numerous bridges and expanded rail lines are improving connectivity and boosting trade.Bihar has seen a 15-fold jump in data consumption in the last five years as the state goes big on developing infrastructure, investing in connectivity and building rail and ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Net direct tax collection grew 16.45 per cent year-on-year to over Rs 15.82 lakh crore till December 17 this fiscal, buoyed by higher advance tax mop-up, government data showed. Advance tax collection during the period rose 21 per cent to Rs 7.56 lakh crore. The collection includes corporate tax of over Rs 7.42 lakh crore and non-corporate tax mop-up of Rs 7.97 lakh crore. Securities Transaction Tax (STT) of Rs 40,114 crore was collected between April 1-December 17 of current fiscal year. Refunds worth Rs 3.39 lakh crore were issued during the period, registering a ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Stakeholders from the electric vehicle (EV) sector will hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here on January 3 on issues, including infrastructure related to charging and battery swapping, sources said. They said that officials from the Department of Heavy Industries are expected to attend the meeting. Also Read | SOF NSO Results 2024-25 Out at sofworld.org: National Science Olympiad Exam Result Released, Get Direct Link and Know Steps To Download. Representatives from Tata, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz India, Hero MotoCorp, and other companies h ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) A delegation of the Opposition BJD on Tuesday met Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and apprised him of the potential submergence of large areas in Odisha's Malkangiri district, due to construction of a multi-purpose project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The delegation, led by senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra, also submitted a memorandum with the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The regional party in its memorandum mentioned that the Polavaram project is likely to impact the lives and livelihoods of thousands of tribal people, especially those from vulnerable and prim ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 (PTI) 'I'm Still Here' (Portugal), a 2024 political biographical drama film directed by Walter Salles will be the opening film of the 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) beginning here on December 13. The movie, a Brazil-France co-production, deals with the story of a mother and activist searching for her missing husband, a dissident politician during the military dictatorship in Brazil. The festival will be officially inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a function to be held at the Nisagandhi auditorium on December 13 evening, St ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR : Unable to regulate retail price of the potato even after normal flow of the tuber from West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, the state government has decided to provide the kitchen essential to consumers at a subsidised rate through the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED). In the first phase of its market intervention initiative, the state government has procured 60 tonnes of potato from Uttar Pradesh through NAFED and the same will be available ...Read More >
New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) Coworking firm Incuspaze, which provides managed flexible office spaces to corporates, is looking to raise USD 25 million (over ₹210 crore) to expand its business across major cities before planning to launch its Initial Public Offer (IPO). Established in 2016, Incuspaze has a presence in 44 locations across 18 cities with a total portfolio of 40 lakh square feet. "We plan to add another 2 million (20 lakh) square feet in our portfolio by the end of December 2025," Incuspaze founder and CEO Sanjay Choudhary told PTI. In view of the growing demand for flexible workspa ...Read More >
Srinagar, Dec 4 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday attached properties worth more than Rs 3 crore belonging to two alleged drug peddlers in Srinagar, officials said. "Reinforcing the ongoing efforts against drug peddlers/smugglers, police in Srinagar has attached properties worth more than Rs 3 crore belonging to two drug peddlers under Section 68 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act," a police spokesman said. Giving details, he said the police attached a three-storey residential building belonging to Abdul Ahad Bhat at Banpora Batamaloo worth Rs 65 lakh. Bh ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) Subscribers of the retirement fund body EPFO may soon be able to withdraw money from their accounts through ATMs, a top official said. Union Labour Secretary Sumita Dawra has reportedly stated in a media report that the labour ministry is upgrading information technology infrastructure to provide enhanced services to the Indian workforce. She further said that claimants, beneficiaries or insured individuals will be able to access their claims through an ATM. According to the media report, the withdrawal will be capped at 50 per cent of the Employees' Provident Fund ( ...Read More >
Bhopal, Dec 18 (PTI) Congress MLAs demonstrated on Wednesday in the Madhya Pradesh assembly premises by holding kettles and tea cups alleging rising unemployment in the state. The MLAs held placards accusing the state government of forcing youngsters to sell tea by depriving them of jobs. Also Read | 'Mukadma, Mulzim, Ilzam, Ittila, Chashmdeed': BJP Government in Rajasthan To Replace Urdu Terms in Policing With Hindi Words. "Unemployment is growing in MP. Youths will have no option but to sell tea in such a situation," the leader of the opposition Umang Singhar, who led the protest on the t ...Read More >
Gurugram, Dec 3 (PTI) Gurugram Police nabbed two inter-state criminals after a brief encounter, they said. Police chased the accused when they were allegedly fleeing after stealing jewelleries from a house in the Palam Vihar area in their car on Monday night. During cross firing, both the accused were injured by bullet shots in their legs, and have been admitted to the hospital for treatment, they added. Also Read | Congress Delegation Flags 2 'Grave Inconsistencies' in Maharashtra Assembly Elections, Seeks Raw Data From EC. More than four dozen cases related to theft, robbery and illegal w ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) A delegation of the Opposition BJD on Tuesday met Union Minister for Jal Shakti C R Patil and apprised him of the potential submergence of large areas in Odisha's Malkangiri district, due to construction of a multi-purpose project in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. The delegation, led by senior leader Debi Prasad Mishra, also submitted a memorandum with the Ministry of Jal Shakti. Also Read | Pune Shocker: Bike Rider Dragged for 2 Kilometres on Bonnet of Car in Pimpri Chinchwad; 3 Booked. The regional party in its memorandum mentioned that the Polavaram project is like ...Read More >
A 55-year-old man, who was among the several persons injured in the BEST bus accident in Kurla area here, died on Monday morning, taking the death toll to eight, a civic official said. The electric bus, hired by the civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on wet-lease basis, ploughed into a crowd and fatally knocked down seven persons and injured 42 others on a crowded road in Kurla area on December 9. Several vehicles were also damaged in the incident. One of t ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) The initial public offer of Indo Farm Equipment garnered a whopping 227.57 times subscription on the closing day of bidding on Thursday. The Rs 260-crore initial share sale received bids for 1,92,75,49,293 shares against 84,70,000 shares on offer, according to NSE data. The portion for non-institutional investors fetched a mammoth 501.65 times subscription. The quota for Qualified Institutional Buyers (QIBs) received 242.40 times subscription while the category for Retail Individual Investors (RIIs) got subscribed 101.64 times. The IPO of Indo Farm Equipment got subsc ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Stakeholders from the electric vehicle (EV) sector will hold a meeting with Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal here on January 3 on issues, including infrastructure related to charging and battery swapping, sources said. They said that officials from the Department of Heavy Industries are expected to attend the meeting. Representatives from Tata, Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz India, Hero MotoCorp, and other companies have been invited to the deliberations, they added. Earlier in March last year, the government rolled out an electric-vehicle policy, under which duty ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) The National Turmeric Board will help develop new markets internationally to promote exports and double production to about 20 lakh tonnes in the next five years, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Inaugurating the Board, he also said that it would promote research and development into new products and develop on the country's traditional knowledge for value-added turmeric products. "Turmeric is also called as golden spice. India accounts for 70 per cent of global turmeric production... We are looking to double the production to 20 lakh tonne ...Read More >