Friday, April 3, 2026

PM Modi addresses residents of newly electrified villages via video conferencing

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday alleged that The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government failed miserably in providing electricity across the country, when was in power at the centre from 2004 to 2014,

Prime Minister was interacting through video conferencing with the villagers from different parts of India, whose houses have been electrified after his government came to power.

“In 2005, the then Congress government promised to electrify every village by 2009. The then president of the ruling party went a step ahead and said that they will bring electricity to every home. Needless to say, none of that happened during their long tenure,” Prime Minister Modi said.

He was saddened that after years of independence, still there are villages across the country that continue to live without electricity

“It has been 70 years since we attained independence, but 18,000 villages did not have electricity connections. This was quite unfortunate,” he said.

Prime Minister Modi praised NDA government for fulfilling not only its 2015 promise of providing electricity in various villages and towns but also reforming the distribution systems across the country.

Assam Police arrest BJP MP’s daughter, 18 others in APSC cash-for-job scam

By
Sunny Sharma
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Assam Police on July 18 arrested Pallavi Sharma, daughter of BJP MP RP Sharma, and 18 other government officers in Guwahati in connection with the cash-for-job scam of Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).

“So far 63 officers have been arrested in the case. Today, we have arrested 19 officers, out of which eight are women,” Surajeet Singh Panesar, Additional Superintendent of Police of Dibrugarh Police confirmed.

The senior police official said, “It was found that these people committed fraud as the handwriting in the test and that in their answer sheets did not match.”

Police had earlier identified 25 officers of the 2015 batch who had bribed APSC officials to get jobs through doctored answer scripts. Among them, 13 officers belong to Assam Civil Service, three from Assam Police Service and rest are in allied services.

The Dibrugarh Police, had summoned the 19 officers after forensic tests of their answer sheets indicated anomalies.

After the probe reports Sharma alleged foul playing and said, “There is a political conspiracy against me. The probe has been selective.”

The mentioned 19 officers were selected in the examination conducted by the then APSC chairman   Rakesh Pal. Pal was arrested on November 4, 2017 after the arrest of two other members, Samedur Rahman and Basanta Kumar Doley, in connection with the case.

Jammu and Kashmir: Fresh batch of over 2600 pilgrims leave for Amarnath Yatra

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Representational image

A fresh batch of 2,617 pilgrims on Thursday left the base camp to undertake the annual yatra to the Amarnath shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas.

The pilgrims left in in the early hours in a group of 81 vehicles under tight security and would be reaching the twin base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal and Pahalgam in Anantnag districts later in the day, the officials said.

1,830 pilgrims from the latest batch of 2617 are performing the yatra from the traditional 36 km Pahalgam track, while 787 have chosen the shorter 12 km Baltal route. 

The 60-day yatra commenced from the twin routes in the valley on June 28 and is scheduled to conclude on August 26.

Members from Delhi’s Citizens4trees meet Environment Minister

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Initiator of Citizens4trees, Prerna Prasad along with its tree patrolling team met Delhi Environment Minister Imran Hussain on July 18 at Delhi Secretariat.

Minister Imran Hussain ordered an immediate inquiry into the illegal felling of trees on receiving their complaint regarding the violation of High court order. He also connected the vigilance team of Citizens4trees to DCF South who is incharge of giving permissions for tree cutting.

“The patrolling team has filed four police complaints over a period of two weeks and no action has been taken on them and neither a FIR has been filed,” said Prerna Prasad.

Delhi Environment Minister had given an order to file FIR against violation of High court and NGT order.

The team comprising of Prerna Prasad, Veer Mahendra Singh and Balram Chaudhary apprised the Minister about flouting of Delhi High Court and NGT directions by the construction agencies. Despite the NGT’s clear directions that even the debris should not be moved, the agencies are dumping debris on roots and trunks of the trees thus choking them and eventually using JCB machines to remove the debris and destroying the trees while doing that.

The High Court and NGT stay order is being openly violated by NBCC and all other agencies. Different ways are being adopted to kill the trees. They are not cutting it directly but murdering it in different ways either by putting acid or chopping their branches or putting debris on them, said a member of the night patrolling team, Citizens4trees.

“We will also be meeting Minister of Environment, Central Govt and Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Govt and demanding them to take strict action against these violations,” said Prerna.

Lok Sabha set to discuss No-confidence motion on Friday

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Lok Sabha on Friday will hold discussion on no-confidence motion against NDA government, brought by Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and supported by other opposition parties.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan announced in the House during the first day of the Monsoon session on Wednesday that the discussion will be followed by voting on the same day.

“The House will take up the debate (on the motion) on Friday, July 20th. The discussion will be held for the full day, followed by voting on it,” said Mahajan.

United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi said in a statement that her party has enough numbers for voting.

In reply to Sonia Gandhi’s statement, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale said, “I think such over confidence will serve no purpose. We will show clear majority on July 20. We will win comfortably and show our strength to the opposition”.

However, TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu on Sunday wrote letters to non-BJP, non-Congress parties’ presidents and Parliamentary party leaders looking for support on a no-confidence motion against Narendra Modi party over demand for special category status to Andhra Pradesh

In addition to this Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday announced that all opposition parties have come to a accord to move the Vote of No Confidence Motion in the Monsoon Session.

Apex Court seeks guidelines on blacklisting corrupt realtors

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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The Supreme Court (SC) on July 18 directed the Union of India to come up with proper guidelines within the time frame of two weeks to blacklist those builders, contractors and architects who are found to have constructed buildings against the sanctioned plan.

The SC said that the sealing and demolition of unauthorised constructions in the national capital will continue.

The court has passed the verdict after the Centre said that it had not asked the authorities in Delhi to stop the sealing drive against illegal constructions.

A SC division bench, headed by Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur told the Centre that hereafter, owners of illegal or encroached constructions would only be given 48 hours show cause notice as to why the building should not be sealed or demolished.

The apex court was informed today that Municipal Councillor, Mukesh Suryan, Chairman of Najafgarh wards committee, had allegedly prevented officers from carrying out sealing drives in the area, to which the top court sought his personal presence.

The bench also asked the Najafgarh authority to file an affidavit on the allegation that Deputy Commissioner Vishwendra Singh was transferred at the behest of Municipal Councillor Suryan.

The concerned authority, however, submitted in court that it was a routine transfer matter.

The sealing of commercial establishments under Delhi Master Plan 2021 started on January 7 from Khan Market on the orders of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee. 

ED files supplementary charge sheet in 3,600-crore AgustaWestland chopper scam

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 18 has filed a supplementary charge sheet in the 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper bribery scam against former Air Force Chief S P Tyagi, his two cousins, lawyer Gautam Khaitan, two Italian middlemen and Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland.

The charge sheet will be taken up for consideration on July 20.

The charge sheet is filed through special public prosecutor N K Matta, and accuses Tyagi brothers, including S P Tyagi, Khaitan, Italian middlemen Carlo Gerosa and Guido Haschke and Finmeccanica of money laundering of around 28 million Euro.

The ED, in its charge sheet, states that money has been laundered through multiple foreign companies which were used as fronts to route the kickbacks.

These firms have drawn the money in the name of consultancy contracts to Interstellar Technologies Ltd and others and these funds were further transferred to Dubai-based UHY Saxena and Matrix Holdings Ltd in Dubai.

Currently Shivani Saxena, an active director of UHY Saxena is under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and is in judicial custody.

On January 1, 2014, India had scrapped the contract with AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks of Rs 423 crore paid by it to secure the deal.

Swami Agnivesh stage attack on himself to gain popularity: BJP Jharkhand Minister

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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Chandreshwar Prasad Singh, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Jharkhand on Wednesday alleged that Swami Agnivesh Staged the attack on himself to come into the limelight.

” As far as I know, Swami Agnivesh is a person who survives on foreign donations. The saffron dress that he wears is to deceive the simple Indians. He is a fraud and not a Swami. He had himself planned this attack to gain popularity,” Singh told the media.

The 80-year-old activist was attacked by a mob on the day the Supreme Court said “mobocracy cannot be the new normal.” He was punched, kicked, and verbally abused by a mob outside a hotel in Jharkhand’s Pakur district.

Chief Minister Raghubar Das has instructed the police to enquire the incident and security has been provided to Swami Agnivesh by Jharkhand state government.

MIG-21 Fighter Jet crashes in Kangra District of Himachal Pradesh

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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A MIG-21 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Wednesday crashed near Mehra Palli village in Jawali area of Kangra district.

According to initial reports, the aircraft was coming from Pathankot air base in Punjab and crashed in Kangra district. 

SP Kangra has confirmed about the crash and said it occurred around 1:30pm.

The pilot of the plane was reported to be missing.

According to the sources, rescue teams are on their way.

More details are awaited.

Monsoon session begins, Key Bills lined up

By
Tehelka Web Desk
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The Monsoon session of Parliament began on July 18 and both the government and the opposition have planned their strategies for both houses of the Parliament.

The current session will have 18 sittings which come to 108 hours, excluding the Question Hour and the Zero Hour, 62 hours will be available for government agenda.

Over the next 18 sessions, it is expected to take up a total of 68 pending bills. During the session of among these 68, 25 bills are listed for consideration and passage and three for withdrawal.

At least, 18 new bills are listed for introduction, consideration and passage.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu have appealed to all political parties and MPs to stop the blame game and ensure that Parliament functions without unnecessary disruptions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reaches Parliament ahead of the session and said that “I hope every MP; every party will make this a fruitful session. I always express this hope and make that effort. I am hoping this time too.”

At the onset of the session, in presence of the PM Modi, the opposition lawmakers staged a protest and started shouting slogans of “We want justice” – a reference to the special status demanded by Andhra Pradesh, as well as for a sudden rise in the number of mob killings across the country.

The Congress says it will support the Telugu Desam Party’s demand for special status to Andhra Pradesh but would also flag other issues that impact people elsewhere in the notices it files.

Key Bills & Ordinances Lined up for Monsoon Session

Fugitive Economic Offenders bill, 2018.

The National Sports University Ordinance, 2018. 

The Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. 

The Commercial Courts, Commercial  Division and Appellate Division of High Courts (Amendment) Ordinance 2018.

The Homoeopathy Central Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017.

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