Guwahati: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked the Manipur government for a detailed report within 10 days about the tragic deaths of six people, including three women and three children, last month. The NCW received a complaint from the Republican Party of India (Athawale) about the violent incident that took place in Jiribam, Manipur. On November 11, 2024, these six individuals were kidnapped and murdered in a very shocking manner. The NCW expressed deep concern and stated that such violent acts are very disturbing and require immediate action. They said, “As the main body working to protect women’s rights in the country, we are here to help ensure justice for the victims’ families and prevent such violence from going unpunished.” The Commission urged the State Government to prioritize actions to handle this serious issue and protect the rights and safety of women and children. Recently, there has been unrest in Jiribam after the bodies of the six victims were found. In gun battles, around 10 armed militants were killed, and two CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel were injured. Kuki groups claimed that the deceased were village volunteers, not militants. Security advisor Kuldiep Singh mentioned that 258 people, including militants, have lost their lives since the violence began on May 3 last year. The conflict between non-tribal Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo groups started after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ opposed the Meitei community’s request for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Category: India
-
Kolkata Airport Plans 100 Daily Flights & New Terminal by 2025!
The Indian government wants to make Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport a busy hub for flights again. Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu announced that soon, 100 flights will take off from the airport every day!
At a special event celebrating the airport’s 100th birthday, the minister reminded everyone that the airport once had direct flights to big cities like London and Paris. Right now, there are only 15 international and 49 domestic flights. But the government wants to change that and make Kolkata one of the busiest airports in India.
Every day, more planes are flying in and out of the airport—up from 264 to 400! The goal is to boost the number of people using the airport from 2.6 million to over 4 million each year. To help with this, they plan to open a new terminal by November 2025.
During the celebration, the minister, along with MoS Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, released a special coin and a coffee table book. He also announced a new café called ‘Uran Café’ that will be affordable for everyone. This will be the first of its kind in the country!
TMC MP Sougata Roy, who helps advise on airport matters, asked the ministers to add more international flights from Kolkata and to improve other airports in West Bengal, like those in Andal, Coochbehar, and Bagdogra. The minister agreed, saying that better airports will help the economy and create more jobs, especially in Bagdogra, which is in a very important location.
-
Chaudhary Pushes for GST Changes and ₹1.50 Lakh Crore for Bihar’s Growth
In Patna, the group of ministers (GoM) working on the Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently met in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. They need to have another meeting soon to talk about lowering taxes on insurance premiums for people, especially seniors and groups. Samrat Chaudhary, Bihar’s deputy chief minister and finance minister, said that many ministers suggested more talks on this issue. They plan to meet again next month and will give their findings to the GST council led by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
During the Jaisalmer meeting, they also talked about changing tax rates on things like Kashmiri shawls, used cars, clothes costing more than ₹1,500, and bicycles. However, they postponed the discussion on insurance taxes.
On Friday, Chaudhary attended a meeting where he asked for financial help of over ₹1.50 lakh crore for Bihar’s overall development. Many chief ministers and finance ministers from different states joined him in this meeting. He wants the central government to upgrade the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and requested ₹25,000 crore without interest for that.
Chaudhary is also seeking ₹48,320 crore for building a new expressway from Deoghar in Jharkhand to Pashupatinath in Nepal, alongside money for high-speed corridors, flyovers, and bridges. He’s asking for another ₹1,000 crore for improving agricultural infrastructure, which includes modernizing local markets and setting up research centers for horticulture.
He is looking for ₹6,739 crore to help modernize the state power companies, plus enough funds to improve the transport system, including railways, roads, air travel, and waterways.
Some of Chaudhary’s major requests include doubling the Forbesganj-Darbhanga railway track and creating new railway lines connecting Bihar with Aurangabad. He also wants Darbhanga airport to become an international airport, an investment of ₹2,500 crore for Bhagalpur airport, and ₹10,000 crore for urban and industrial development in ten cities, including Patna.
Chaudhary proposed a ₹48,320 crore plan for a new expressway of 250 km from Deoghar to Pashupatinath, a 270 km fast corridor from Ladania to Nawada, and improving roads and bridges in the area.
Additionally, he requested ₹1,000 crore for developing agriculture and cooperative sector facilities, which includes modernizing 32 local markets and setting up agriculture and horticulture research centers in Bihar.
-
Uttar Pradesh’s Forest Cover Grows: A Step Toward Sustainability
Uttar Pradesh (UP) is making great strides in increasing its forest and tree cover. According to a statement from the state government, UP recorded an increase of 559 square kilometers, making it the second-highest in the country! This news was shared during the release of the latest India State of Forest Report (ISFR) in Dehradun.
Arun Kumar Saxena, the Minister of Forests and Environment, praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for guiding everyone to plant more trees. Thanks to teamwork, UP achieved this impressive result, coming in second place for growing its green cover. Only Chhattisgarh did better!
As a whole, India’s forest and tree cover has increased by 1,445 square kilometers since 2021, now covering 25.17% of the country. This means a lot more trees are helping clean our air! The report also stated that India has added a carbon sink of 2.29 billion tonnes since 2005.
The country aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes by 2030 to meet its goals under the Paris Agreement. Currently, India’s forest cover stands at 715,343 square kilometers, which is 21.76% of the land. The tree cover has also gone up by 1,289 square kilometers, now accounting for 3.41% of the geographical area.
In summary, the major states that saw the biggest rises in forest and tree cover were Chhattisgarh (+684 sq km), Uttar Pradesh (+559 sq km), Odisha (+559 sq km), and Rajasthan (+394 sq km). This shows how much progress is being made in protecting our environment!
-
Devotee Demands iPhone Back from Temple: A Clash of Beliefs”
The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has said no to a man who wanted his iPhone back after it accidentally fell into a donation box at the Sri Kandaswamy temple. The phone is now considered the temple’s property.
Dinesh, the man who lost his phone, was trying to make a donation when the phone slipped from his hand. After finding out the phone was in the donation box, he asked temple officials to give it back. However, they told him he could only retrieve the data from it, not the phone. Dinesh was not happy with this answer and wanted his phone back.
HR and CE Minister P K Sekar Babu responded to this situation by saying that anything that goes into the donation box belongs to God. He explained that all donations are considered offerings to the deity of the temple. Therefore, the rules say they cannot return any items dropped in the donation box.
He mentioned he would talk with department officials to see if they could help Dinesh in some other way.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened. In May 2023, a woman named S Sangeetha dropped her gold chain into a donation box at the Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple in Palani. After checking the security footage and seeing the chain fell by accident, the temple chairman bought her a new gold chain to help her out.
According to the temple rules set in 1975, anything put into the donation boxes belongs to the temple and cannot be returned to the owner.
-
How Sci-Fi Became Our Reality: The Fast-Paced World of Technology
Many years ago, when I was younger, I loved reading and watching science fiction. It showed me a world of amazing technology. I imagined computers that could solve problems in an instant, chatbots in our cars or on our wrists, sunglasses that could take pictures, and touchscreen gestures that seemed magical. Fast forward to now, and a lot of that imagination has become real. But technology is coming at us so fast these days, it feels almost too strange to believe, even though it’s true!
-
PM Modi’s Landmark Visit to Kuwait: Strengthening India-Kuwait Relations
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just arrived in Kuwait for a two-day visit. This is a big deal because it’s the first time in 43 years that an Indian Prime Minister has visited this Gulf country. Modi received an invitation from Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait.
During his trip, Modi plans to talk with the leaders of Kuwait to build a better partnership for the future. He also emphasizes the strong friendship between India and Kuwait that has lasted for many years. The two countries have a lot in common, including interests in peace and stability in the West Asia region.
Modi looks forward to meeting the Emir, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister of Kuwait. Plus, he will attend the start of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup event.
Indira Gandhi was the last Indian Prime Minister to visit Kuwait back in 1981. Today, India is one of Kuwait’s top trading partners, with a trade amounting to around USD 10.47 billion in the financial year 2023-24.
The Indian community in Kuwait is very vibrant and large, making up 21% of Kuwait’s total population, which is about 1 million people. Indians also form 30% of the workforce in Kuwait, both in the private and domestic sectors. Indian exports to Kuwait recently reached USD 2 billion for the first time!
Kuwait is also important for India’s energy needs since it is the sixth-largest supplier of oil to India, meeting 3% of its energy supply. India and Kuwait’s friendship goes back to a time when trade by sea was crucial for Kuwait’s economy.
-
Kejriwal Faces ED’s Legal Action Over Excise Policy Corruption!
Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, has allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to take legal action against Arvind Kejriwal, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Chief Minister. This decision comes just before the Delhi assembly elections.
On December 5, the ED asked for permission to prosecute Kejriwal after finding evidence of serious corruption related to the excise policy, which is about how liquor is sold in Delhi. They detailed their findings in a complaint submitted to a court earlier this year.
The ED claims that Kejriwal worked with a group called the South Group to receive Rs 100 crore (about $13 million) and gave unfair advantages to certain private businesses by creating a liquor policy just for them. They allege that this group was favored in several liquor shops and even allowed to manage multiple sales areas, breaking the rules designed for the Excise Policy 2021-22.
The agency also accuses Kejriwal of using around Rs 45 crore earned from criminal activities to fund AAP’s campaign in the Goa elections, showing he knew about this money. The ED states that AAP was the main recipient of these illegal funds and that Kejriwal, as a leader in the party, was responsible for handling them.
According to the ED, Kejriwal tried to hide this money by using illegal cash transfers, which is linked to money laundering defined by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
In July 2022, Saxena recommended that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) look into issues with how the Delhi Excise Policy was made and applied. Kejriwal was arrested in March this year on money laundering charges but was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September.
-
PM Modi’s Significant Two-Day Visit to Strengthen India-Kuwait Relations”
On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi started a two-day trip to Kuwait, invited by Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait. This is the first time in 43 years that an Indian Prime Minister has visited Kuwait!
During his visit, PM Modi will attend the opening of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup as a special guest and meet with the Indian community at the ‘Hala Modi’ event in Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Sports Complex. He shared on social media that he is excited to meet the Crown Prince of Kuwait and strengthen India’s long history with Kuwait.
Arun Kumar Chatterjee, from India’s Ministry of External Affairs, explained that this visit is very important because it shows the strong friendship between India and Kuwait. PM Modi will be honored with a guard of honor at the Bayan Palace (Kuwait’s main palace) and will have meetings with Kuwaiti leaders to discuss various topics like trade and culture.
This visit is expected to create new opportunities for cooperation between India and Kuwait and will also improve relationships with other countries in the Gulf. Chatterjee mentioned that PM Modi will visit a labor camp to show that India cares about its one million workers in Kuwait
-
Cold Wave Hits North India: Stay Warm and Safe!”
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that a cold wave will affect parts of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan until December 24. From December 20 to 24, cold conditions can be especially strong in Himachal Pradesh. After that, on December 25 and 26, some colder areas will still feel a chill.
The IMD also reported that cold wave conditions are expected in Punjab and Rajasthan on December 21 and 22. People in these areas should be ready for very cold weather!
Fog has been a big problem too, with thick fog likely in some parts of Himachal Pradesh and East Rajasthan until December 22. Recent days have seen biting cold in Punjab and Haryana. Faridkot, for example, reached a chilly 2 degrees Celsius on December 19.
In Pathankot, Punjab, the minimum temperature dropped to 4 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the towns of Bathinda and Gurdaspur both felt the cold with temperatures around 4.6 and 4 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Haryana is not warming up either. The coldest place there was Sirsa, which saw a low of 4.2 degrees Celsius. Hisar was chilly at 5.6 degrees, and Karnal felt it too at 6.8 degrees. Bhiwani reported a low of 6.9 degrees Celsius.
In Kashmir, the weather was even colder. Srinagar recorded its coldest night this season, dropping to -6.2 degrees Celsius, just a bit lower than -6 degrees the night before. The weather team has said that dry weather will continue until December 26 but light snowfall is possible in higher areas overnight on December 21-22.