Author: Agencies
NEW DELHI: The National Democratic Alliance on Thursday authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda to pick the ruling bloc’s vice presidential candidate, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said. It was a unanimous decision, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said. A meeting of key BJP leaders and their allies was held at the Parliament complex where the decision was taken. Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah besides Nadda, JD(U)’s Lalan Singh, Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde, TDP’s Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, and Chirag Paswan of LJP (Ram Vilas) were among those who attended the meeting. Rajnath Singh chaired…
NEW DELHI : Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also Minister Incharge DoPT (Department of Personnel & Training), today placed before the Rajya Sabha a comprehensive account of a unique initiative aimed at providing attractive job opportunities for IAS / Civil Services aspirants who succeed in making it upto the “Interview” stage but narrowly miss becoming IAS officers or civil servants because of not being able to clear the Interview for some reason. In response to a question regarding employment opportunities for candidates who were unsuccessful in UPSC recruitment examinations, Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the House that the Government had launched…
LUCKNOW: A 12-year-old boy was held for allegedly killing his grandfather over his refusal to purchase him a smartphone, the police said on Wednesday. The incident occurred on August 4 in the Purani Basti Police Station area, where Rampati Pandey, a retired Indian Army personnel, was allegedly murdered by his grandson. The minor, who lived with Pandey, frequently argued with his grandfather over money, and on the day of the incident, he demanded money for a new mobile phone. When Pandey refused and allegedly verbally abused him, the grandson attacked him with an iron rod, the police stated. The boy’s…
SRINAGAR: A number of delegations and public representatives called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Raabita office here today to discuss a wide range of issues concerning public infrastructure, traders’ issues, higher education, and opportunities for technocrats. The day’s engagements began with a meeting of Members of the Legislative Assembly—Farooq Ahmad Shah (Gulmarg), Sajjad Shafi (Uri), Irshad Rasool Kar (Sopore), Shafi Ahmad Wani (Beerwah), and Pawan Gupta (Udhampur West)—who apprised the Chief Minister of various constituency-specific issues requiring immediate attention. Subsequently, a delegation from the Traders Federation of Shopian raised concerns of the local business community. They sought the government’s…
SRINAGAR / GUREZ: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today inaugurated the National Tribal Festival at Gurez. The Two-Day Tribal Festival celebrates the culture and tradition of Dard-Shina tribal community. Addressing the gathering through virtual mode, the Lieutenant Governor lauded the immense contribution of Tribal community to cultural diversity of the country. He also paid tributes to Bhagwan Birsa Munda. “I consider the Dard-Shina tribal community to be the most precious treasure of India, which is inspiring the people to preserve their traditions and rituals. Its rich traditions are a guiding light for us. The Dard-Shina community’s deep connection to nature has…
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, being held on August 31 to September 1. This will be Modi’s first visit to Beijing since 2019 and the Galwan clashes in 2020. He most recently met Xi Jinping, in October 2024 at the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. PM Modi’s visit also comes at a time when Donald Trump has targeted the Brics nations for buying oil from Russia and for what the US President claims is a grouping that challenges the hegemony of the dollar. Before attending…
MUMBAI: Vantara, the animal rescue centre in Gujarat, said on Wednesday it fully supports efforts to bring back Madhuri, a 36-year-old elephant, to her original home in Kolhapur. This comes after the Maharashtra government announced plans to request the Supreme Court to review its earlier order and allow the tusker’s return. Madhuri the elephant, also known as Mahadevi, was shifted from Kolhapur’s Nandani Math to Vantara’s facility in Jamnagar last month, following a Bombay High Court order based on a petition from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). On Tuesday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Maharashtra government…
JAMMU: A very young six-member delegation from Jodhamal Public School brought laurels to the institution with their remarkable performance at the prestigious WELMUN 2025 conference, hosted by Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun. The high-profile event witnessed participation from 24 premier schools across India, engaging in three days of intense debate, negotiation, and global diplomacy. The Jodhamal delegation, comprising Pavitt Singh, Aarav Handoo, Aarit Gupta, Aarit Malhotra, and Aaradhya Bhandari, stood out for their exceptional research, articulate diplomacy, and persuasive public speaking. Their success was a result of meticulous preparation under the guidance of Anjali, Raghunandan, and CCA Coordinator Pooja Sharma, with…
NEW DELHI: North India’s first Nuclear Power Plant, located in Gorakhpur, Haryana, is expected to become operational by 2031-32. Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology; Earth Sciences and Minister of State for PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha today. “Once completed, the Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojana (GHAVP) will significantly bolster the region’s clean energy capacity, marking a strategic shift in the nuclear energy footprint which has historically been concentrated in southern and western parts of the country”, said the Minister.…
MUMBAI: JioBlackRock Asset Management Private Limited, a 50:50 joint venture between Jio Financial Services Limited (JFSL) and global investment giant BlackRock, has launched its first set of five Index Funds through a New Fund Offering (NFO). The offering opens on Tuesday (August 5) and will close on August 12. The move is aimed at offering Indian investors low-cost, transparent, and easy-to-access investment options through a fully digital experience. Sid Swaminathan, managing director and CEO of JioBlackRock Asset Management, said, “JioBlackRock aims to cater to the full range of investors at all stages of their investment journey. The NFO is an…