Category: NATIONAL NEWS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today exhorted scientists to extend their research from “the labs to the land” for the greater benefit of the people and said time was ripe to redefine R&D’ as research for development of the nation. Addressing the inaugural session of the 105th Indian Science Congress here, he said India has a rich tradition and a long history of both discovery and use of science and technology. “It is time to reclaim our rightful place among the front-line nations in this field,” he said, calling upon the…

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The Lok Sabha today could not take up notices for no-confidence motion against the NDA government moved by Andhra Pradesh parties, with Speaker Sumitra Mahajan saying there was no order in the House and adjourned the proceedings for the day amid vociferous protests over various issues. In the nearly four-year rule of the BJP-led NDA alliance, this is the first time that no-confidence motion notices have been moved against the government. The notices were moved by YSR Congress and TDP, who have been demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh, an…

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Samajwadi Party candidates were leading in Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh after initial rounds of counting for the parliamentary by-elections, officials said In the prestigious Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, the home turf of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP’s Upendra Dutt Shukla was trailing behind Praveen Nishad of the SP by over 1,500 votes at the end of third round of counting Gorakhpur district magistrate Rajeev Rautela, who is also the returning officer, announced that after the third round of counting, Nishad polled 44,979 votes against 43,457…

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Assam Government has proposed an insurance scheme for journalists and their families in the budget for 2018-19. Presenting the budget in the assembly yesterday, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “I have earmarked a budgetary allocation of Rs 63 crore in 2018-19 for the (Information and Public Relations) Department (that would implement schemes for journalists). The New Journalist Insurance Scheme would ensure security and protection of the journalists and their families, he said. The minister said he has made necessary provision for media fellowship for pursuing higher studies in…

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Nine CRPF personnel were today killed after Maoists blasted their mine protected vehicle using over 50 kgs of explosives in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, about a year after a dozen jawans were killed in a similar ambush in the district. Officials said the incident took place around 12:30 pm along the 5-km under-construction Kistaram-Palodi road when the troops of the 212th battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were out for an operation. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the incident was “deeply distressing” and asked CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar…

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Polling is underway in the Charilam (ST) Assembly constituency in Tripura, which was postponed due to the death of the CPI(M) candidate a week before the February 18 election. Newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister and state BJP vice-president Jishnu Deb Burman is contesting from the seat. He is pitted against Arjun Debbarma of the Congress, Uma Shankar Debbarma of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and Independent contestant Jyotilal Debbarma. Additional Chief electoral Officer Tapas Ray said, 35.45 per cent of votes were cast till 11 am and no untoward…

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said his government was “sensitive and positive” towards the demands of farmers and tribals, who have marched from Nashik to Mumbai to draw the administration’s attention towards their problems. Fadnavis was responding to a discussion in the Assembly, initiated by Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, who lauded the farmers participating in the ‘Kisan Long March’ for their peaceful protest while demanding a complete loan waiver and compensation for hailstorm and pink bollworm pest attack on crops. The Azad Maidan in South Mumbai turned…

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Farmers’ issues, the welfare and development programmes of the TRS government and the ruling party’s election promises are expected to figure prominently in the budget session of Telangana legislature beginning here tomorrow. The session would start with the address of Governor E S L Narasimhan. The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Assembly is likely to meet after that to decide the duration of the session and its agenda, official sources said. The ruling TRS would finalise its strategy for the session at a meeting of its MLAs and MLCs…

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Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency witnessed a polling percentage of around 40 per cent while Phulpur saw a turnout of around 29 per cent till 4 pm today, Election Commission sources said. The voting for the bye-elections to the two Lok Sabha seats began on a dull note but picked up momentum in the day amid tight security, they said. The bypolls were necessitated after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya vacated the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha seats, respectively following their election to…

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In a boost to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the government today sanctioned a special monetary allowance for it, akin to what is granted to the investigators and employees of the premier probe agency – the CBI. The Union finance ministry issued an order granting a ‘special incentive allowance’ at the rate of 20 per cent of the basic pay, on par with the CBI, to the officers and staffers of the ED. The order, accessed by PTI, was issued today. ED Director Karnal Singh had last year written to the…

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