Bhubaneswar, Dec 10 (PTI) As Odisha is gearing up to host the three-day Pravasi Bharatiya Divas from January 8 to be attended by around 7,000 NRIs, the state government is making homestay arrangements for the visitors apart from hotel accommodations. The homestay owners have been provided training in guest management and safety protocols. "It is a big opportunity for the people of Odisha to host the NRIs. We will also make homestay arrangements for them apart from hotel accommodation," Deputy ...Read More
Mumbai, Dec 10 (PTI) Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty closed on a flat note on Tuesday amid a lacklustre trade, as investors preferred to stay on the sidelines in the absence of any fresh trigger. Besides, a weak trend in European markets also impacted investors' sentiment, according to traders. The 30-share BSE Sensex rises 1.59 points to close flat at 81,510.05. During the day, it climbed 217.88 points or 0.27 per cent to hit an intraday high of 81,726.34. The NSE Nifty fell 8.95 p...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) Equity mutual funds witnessed an inflow of Rs 35,943 crore in November, marking a drop of 14 per cent on a month-on-month basis, amid heightened volatility in stock markets driven by various macroeconomic factors, geopolitical events and US election results. Despite this, it marked the 45th consecutive month of net inflows into equity-oriented funds, reflecting the growing popularity of mutual funds among investors, according to data from the Association of Mutual Funds ...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 Minist...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Tuesday said Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Yadav, who made controversial remarks at a VHP function, has violated his oath of office by making a "hate speech" and asserted that he along with other opposition MPs will submit a notice to bring a motion to impeach the judge. Sources said opposition MPs are likely to submit the notice in the next few days. The judge made the remarks on Sunday while addressing a provincial convention of the ...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 10 (PTI) Ahead of the second edition of the Bihar Business Connect 2024 summit, the Department of Industries of the Bihar government showcased the state's strategic initiatives, reforms and investment opportunities to select diplomats. The Bihar Business Connect 2024 - Ambassadors' Meet presented the policies and initiatives of the state government to the global audience as a precursor to the Summit scheduled for December 19-20, 2024, in Patna, according to an official statement....Read More
Kolkata, Dec 10 (PTI) ISKCON on Tuesday called upon the UNHCR to take note of atrocities on religious minorities in Bangladesh and said such violations of human rights are deeply saddening. The interim government in Bangladesh should take strong action against the fundamentalists fomenting trouble in that country and arrest them to build confidence among the minorities there, ISKCON spokesperson Radharamn Das said. His comment comes on the occasion of the Human Rights Day. "Wake up, @UNHumanR...Read More
Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Shane is the second person from the coastal state to receive the certificate, after Joseph Francis Pereira, another Pakistani c...Read More
Koraput, Dec 6 (PTI) Thirty-six-year-old Raimati Gheuria, a tribal woman from Odisha's Koraput district who has conserved 72 varieties of traditional rice and 30 types of millet has been conferred with an honorary doctorate by Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) for her remarkable contributions to agriculture. President Droupadi Murmu conferred the honorary doctorate to Raimati at the 40th Convocation of OUAT on Thursday. Raimati of Nuaguda village in Koraput district, affec...Read More
Kolkata, Dec 6 (PTI) Air India Express, the budget-carrier arm of Air India, is embarking on a significant expansion by increasing its fleet size and introducing new routes, as passenger growth remains robust. The airline, however, has deferred plans to launch direct flights between Kolkata and Dhaka, citing the ongoing political crisis in Bangladesh. "You would recall we had announced our operational plan for Dhaka, which is a new and significant market for us. But because of the situation th...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 6 (PTI) Two-time MLA from Timarpur constituency Surendra Pal Singh Bittu joined AAP on Friday ahead of Delhi Assembly elections. Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia welcomed Singh into the party and said his experience will help the party in its development work. "Inspired by the good developmental work of the AAP in the field of education, health, etc., Singh is joining our party today, and I am sure that his experience will help the party to continue doing good ...Read More
Muzaffarnagar (UP), Dec 6 (PTI) A teacher who asked other students to slap a Muslim boy in a school here surrendered at a POCSO court and was released on bail, an official said on Friday. Tripta Tyagi was caught last year in a video asking children to slap a boy in a school where she taught. Additional District Judge (POCSO) Alka Bharti on Thursday granted her bail and ordered her to furnish two sureties of Rs 25,000 each. She posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. Kapil Ahlawat, T...Read More
Mumbai, Dec 6 (PTI) Senior BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar on Friday took oath as pro-tem speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly, a day ahead of the special session of the newly-elected house. The nine-time MLA was administered the oath of office by Governor CP Radhakrishnan at the Raj Bhavan in south Mumbai. Kolambkar is the senior-most legislator in the new house and won from Mumbai's Wadala seat in last month's assembly elections. As the pro-tem speaker, a temporary position, he will ad...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 6 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday sought an apology from the Congress for its "total failure" in bringing development in the Northeast. He also said that the Northeast has now become a place of peace and prosperity under 10-year rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a press conference here, Sonowal said during the long rule of Congress governments -- both at the Centre and in the eight state governments of the Northeast -- the region remained backwar...Read More
Mumbai: NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal on Thursday said ministers from the Mahayuti allies in Maharashtra will take oath in a week's time. Talking to reporters here, Bhujbal also said that NCP head Ajit Pawar, who will take oath as deputy chief minister for the sixth time on Thursday evening, has a good grasp over the finance department. Notably, Pawar served as the deputy CM and also held the finance portfolio in the outgoing government. BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis will be swo...Read More
Ayodhya, Dec 5 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday accused the Opposition parties of trying to divide society, saying what Mughal ruler Babur's army did in Ayodhya and Sambhal is what is happening in Bangladesh. The chief minister, who was in the temple town for the inauguration of the 43rd Ramayan Mela, said Lord Ram united the whole society. "Had we given importance to unity and not let the strategy of nation's enemies succeed in creating social animosity, this cou...Read More
Itanagar, Dec 5 (PTI) The Arunachal Pradesh government has inked a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with the Indian Army for the maintenance and upkeep of the Major Ralengnao Bob Khathing Museum of Valour in Tawang district. The memorandum was signed by Tawang Deputy Commissioner Kangki Darang and Brigadier VS Rajput of the 190 Mountain Brigade on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Pema Khandu. With this agreement, the museum will be effectively managed solely by the Indian Army, an offi...Read More
Bengaluru, Dec 5 (PTI) Karnataka High Court on Thursday issued notice to the state government and other respondents on an appeal filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah challenging the single judge bench's order upholding the Governor's decision granting approval for an investigation against him in the MUDA site allotment scam. The division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind posted the matter for further hearing on January 25, 2025. On October 24, the CM filed an appeal be...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) The BJP on Thursday claimed a link between Rahul Gandhi and international forces, including an investigative media platform, trying to destabilise India and that the Congress leader was a "traitor of the highest order". BJP MPs K Laxman and Sambit Patra cited a report in the French media outlet 'Mediapart' to target Gandhi after the ruling party raised the issue in the Lok Sabha, which was adjourned amid noisy interventions by both sides. Patra claimed that billionaire i...Read More
Mumbai: Shiv Sena leader Uday Samant on Thursday said no MLA from the party will accept any responsibility in the new Maharashtra government if Eknath Shinde does not take oath as deputy chief minister. Talking to reporters hours ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Samant also said no MLA from the Shiv Sena has the intention to become deputy CM and the post should be occupied only by Shinde. Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde, who served as chief minister in the outgoing government, has indicated tha...Read More
Ranchi, Dec 5 (PTI) Eleven MLAs, including six from JMM, were sworn in as ministers in the Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand on Thursday. Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar administered the oath to the ministers at Ashok Udyan of the Raj Bhavan here. The six JMM legislators, who took oath as ministers, are Sudivya Kumar, Deepak Birua, Ramdas Soren, Chamra Linda, Yogendra Prasad and Hafijul Hasan. Congress MLAs Deepika Pandey Singh, Shilpi Neha Tirkey, Irfan Ansari and Radhakrishna Kishore were...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Realty firm Suraj Estate Developers Ltd has bought 1,464 square metre of land in Mumbai for Rs 101 crore to build a commercial project with an estimated revenue potential of Rs 525 crore. The company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Iconic Property Developers Pvt Ltd, has acquired through conveyance a vacant parcel of land admeasuring around 1,464 square metres (15,758 square feet) situated at Senapati Bapat Marg, Mahim (West), Mumbai for a consideration of Rs 101 cro...Read More
Mumbai, Dec 5 (PTI) BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis will be sworn-in as the new chief minister of Maharashtra on Thursday evening at a grand ceremony here to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several other dignitaries. Fadnavis, who would be occupying the CM's post for the third time, along with two deputy chief ministers will take the oath of office, BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar told reporters, adding that other members of the cabinet will take oath later. Nation...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Star Agriwarehousing and Collateral Management Ltd, a tech-driven agricultural services firm, has filed preliminary papers with capital markets regulator Sebi to raise funds through an initial public offering (IPO). The proposed IPO comprises a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating up to Rs 450 crore and an Offer-For-Sale (OFS) component of 2.69 crore equity shares by promoters and an investor, according to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) filed on Wednesday. A...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 5 (PTI) Delhi Police on Thursday produced AAP MLA Naresh Balyan in an organised crime case in a sessions court, seeking his transfer to an MP and MLAs court, a request the judge refused to yield to. "The issue before the court is that the accused person is a sitting MLA and he needs to be produced in a special MP/MLA court," Additional Sessions Judge Vandana Jain told the public prosecutor. "I do not have the power to transfer the case. Show me the precedent," she said. "What w...Read More
Mumbai, Dec 4 (PTI) Electric two-wheeler maker PURE EV on Wednesday announced plans to open 250 dealerships pan-India over the next 30 months as part of a roadmap to strengthen its presence nationwide and expand globally. The expansion will be driven by the growing demand for long-range scooters, electric motorcycles, large B2B contracts, and the company's entry into the household brand space, the Hyderabad-based firm said. Besides, the company said expanding beyond India, it plans to commence...Read More
Chandigarh, Dec 4 (PTI) Prompt action by an alert Punjab Police ASI on Wednesday helped thwart a murderous bid on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal outside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jasbir Singh, who was standing close to Sukhbir Badal at the entrance of the Golden Temple in plainclothes, swung into action the moment he sensed a threat to the senior Akali leader. Television footage showed Narain Singh Chaura, a former terrorist, slowly moving tow...Read More
New Delhi: The elevation of Devendra Fadnavis as Chief Minister of Maharashtra has created a tricky situation for the Central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party, as he is set to join the company of his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath as a future contender for the top political job at the Centre. Interestingly, both Yogi Adityanath and Devendra Fadnavis are considered to be close to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP. And the two have received open...Read More
New Delhi, Dec 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court Wednesday transferred to the CBI two FIRs lodged against West Bengal BJP leader Kabir Shankar Bose pertaining to the 2020 scuffle between his security staff and TMC workers observing there was a politically charged atmosphere in the state. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Pankaj Mithal said the political scenario in West Bengal was apparently opposed to the party in power at the Centre. It noted that Bose was previously married to the daughter of ...Read More
Ghaziabad (UP), Dec 4 (PTI) A delegation of Congress leaders led by Rahul Gandhi on its way to violence-hit Sambhal was stopped by Uttar Pradesh Police at Ghazipur border here on Wednesday and had to return, with the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha terming the action as "anti-constitutional". The opposition party's leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, returned to Delhi after staying at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border for about two hours, failing to proceed onwards. A massive traffic jam ...Read More