Monday, December 29, 2025

PM Narendra Modi to launch healthcare projects worth Rs 12,850 cr

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi:  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch, inaugurate, and lay the foundation stone for multiple projects related to the health sector worth around Rs 12, 850 crore at All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) here on Tuesday on the occasion of Dhanvantari Jayanti and the 9th Ayurveda Day.

As a major addition to the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), Prime Minister Modi will launch the expansion of health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above. This will help provide health coverage to all senior citizens regardless of their income.

“It has been the constant endeavour of the Prime Minister to provide quality healthcare services all across the country. In a major boost to healthcare infrastructure, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple healthcare institutions, ” Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Monday.

Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate Phase II of India’s First AIIA. It includes a Panchakarma hospital, an Ayurvedic pharmacy for drug manufacturing, a sports medicine unit, a central library, an IT and start-ups incubation centre and a 500-seat auditorium among others.

He will also inaugurate three medical colleges at Mandsaur, Neemuch and Seoni in Madhya Pradesh.

Further, he will inaugurate facility and service extensions at AIIMS Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh), AIIMS Kalyani (West Bengal), AIIMS Patna (Bihar), AIIMS Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh), AIIMS Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), AIIMS Guwahati (Assam) and AIIMS New Delhi, which will also include a Jan Aushadhi Kendra.

Prime Minister Modi will also inaugurate a Super Speciality Block in Government Medical College at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and a Critical Care Block in Bargarh, Odisha.

He will also lay the foundation stone of five Nursing Colleges in Shivpuri, Ratlam, Khandwa, Rajgarh and Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh; 21 Critical Care Blocks in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan under Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM), and several facilities and service extensions at AIIMS in New Delhi and in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.

Prime Minister Modi is also slated to inaugurate an ESIC Hospital at Indore in Madhya Pradesh, and lay the foundation stone for ESIC hospitals at Faridabad in Haryana, Bommasandra and Narasapur in Karnataka, Indore in Madhya Pradesh, Meerut in Uttar Pradesh, and Atchutapuram in Andhra Pradesh. These projects will bring healthcare benefits to around 55 lakh ESI beneficiaries.

Further, the Prime Minister will launch drone services at 11 Tertiary Healthcare Institutions to enhance service delivery and make healthcare more accessible. These institutions include AIIMS Rishikesh, AIIMS Bibinagar (Telangana), AIIMS Guwahati, AIIMS Bhopal, AIIMS Jodhpur (Rajasthan), AIIMS Patna, AIIMS Bilaspur, AIIMS Raebareli (Uttar Pradesh), AIIMS Raipur (Chhattisgarh), AIIMS Mangalagiri (Andhra Pradesh) and RIMS Imphal (Manipur).

He will also launch Helicopter Emergency Medical Services from AIIMS Rishikesh, which will help deliver speedy medical care.

Prime Minister Modi will launch the U-WIN portal, which aims to benefit pregnant women and infants by fully digitalising the vaccination process. It will ensure timely administration of life-saving vaccines to pregnant women and children (from birth to 16 years) against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.

Further, the Prime Minister will also launch a portal for allied and healthcare professionals and institutes, which will act as a centralised database of existing healthcare professionals and institutes.

He is also slated to launch several initiatives to strengthen the R&D and testing infrastructure to improve the healthcare ecosystem in the country. Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate a Central Drugs Testing Laboratory in Gothapatna in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

He will lay the foundation stone of two Central Research Institutes in Yoga and Naturopathy at Khordha in Odisha and Raipur in Chhattisgarh. He will also lay the foundation stone of four Centres of Excellence at NIPER Ahmedabad in Gujarat for medical devices, NIPER Hyderabad in Telangana for bulk drugs, NIPER Guwahati in Assam for phytopharmaceuticals, and NIPER Mohali in Punjab for anti-bacterial anti-viral drug discovery and development.

Prime Minister Modi will launch four Ayush Centres of Excellence, namely Centre of Excellence for diabetes and metabolic disorders at Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Centre of Excellence in sustainable Ayush for advanced technological solutions, start-up support and net zero sustainable solutions for Rasaushadhies at IIT Delhi; Centre of Excellence for fundamental and translational research in Ayurveda at Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow; and Centre of Excellence on Ayurveda and Systems Medicine at JNU, New Delhi.

In a major boost to the Make in India initiative in the healthcare sector, the Prime Minister will inaugurate five projects under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for medical devices and bulk drugs at Vapi in Gujarat, Hyderabad in Telangana, Bengaluru in Karnataka, Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh and Nalagarh in Himachal Pradesh. These units will manufacture high-end medical devices, such as body implants and critical care equipment, along with important bulk drugs.

Prime Minister Modi will also launch a nationwide campaign, “Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan”, that aims to raise health awareness among the citizens. He will also launch the state-specific Action Plan on Climate Change and Human Health for each state and Union Territory which will lay out adaptation strategies towards developing climate resilient healthcare services.

ED chargesheets  AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in Delhi Waqf case

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan over money-laundering charges in a case of alleged irregularities in the Delhi Waqf Board.

The 110-page supplementary chargesheet also named one Mariam Siddiqui, who was not arrested by the ED as an accused in the case. The court is likely to take it up for consideration on November 4.

Khan was arrested by the ED on September 2 from his Okhla residence and is currently in judicial custody.

Special judge Vishal Gogne on Tuesday posted his bail application for hearing on November 7.

Three terrorists killed in ongoing encounter in Jammu’s Akhnoor

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Three terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Akhnoor area of Jammu on Monday, following an early morning attack on an Army vehicle near the Line of Control in Jogwan. No injuries were reported from the initial assault, officials confirmed.

According to authorities, the terrorists opened fire on the Army vehicle around 7 a.m., prompting a large-scale search operation. Security forces soon established contact with the assailants, resulting in a fierce gunfight that led to the elimination of three militants. The operation remains ongoing.

In light of recent attacks in Ganderbal and Baramulla, security has been heightened across Jammu’s border districts, including Kathua, Samba, Poonch, and Rajouri. 

A high alert was issued after a security review meeting led by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu, Anand Jain, and attended by district SSPs.

More stubble burning incidents reported from Punjab, claims Bansuri Swaraj

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi : BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj has sharply criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for failing to take action to curb stubble burning in his state, which has exacerbated pollution levels in the national Capital.

“Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had claimed that if the Aam Aadmi Party came to power in Punjab, stubble burning would be stopped. However, the situation has become more dire. On October 26 alone, there were 360 crop-burning incidents, with 108 of these coming from Punjab, ” Bansuri Swaraj told to media.

Hitting out at the Punjab government for inaction, Swaraj said, “He declined to meet us. Neither did he meet us nor did the Resident Commissioner.”

“If he’s unwilling to engage in a dialogue, how can we address this pressing issue?” Swaraj questioned.

Swaraj went on to express her frustration with the Punjab government’s ineffective handling of the crop residue burning issue, “How much longer must the people of Delhi suffer due to Punjab government’s inefficiency? The AAP governs both Delhi and Punjab. Why can’t these two states coordinate to control the burning of crop remains?”

Delhi is one of the world’s most polluted cities throughout the year. But its air turns toxic especially in winter due to several factors, including burning of crop residue, low wind speed, and bursting of firecrackers during festivals and increased moisture in the air. The pollution causes severe health issues for its residents every year.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) hovered around 250 to 300 in the entire last week as most parts of Delhi-NCR recorded ‘very poor’ air quality.

Swaraj also trained guns at former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his unfulfilled promise to clean river Yamuna, stating, “Kejriwal ji promised to clean the Yamuna, yet under this administration, the river has only become more polluted. They consistently shift blame for this onto others.”

Yamuna is one of the most polluted rivers in the country. It is particularly polluted downstream of Delhi, with most pollution coming from Wazirabad, from where the Yamuna enters the national Capital.

Will ‘batenge toh katenge’ have ‘mandir wahin banayenge’ like impact on Hindu voters? 

By
Nitin Mahajan
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In “batenge toh katenge” the Bharatiya Janata Party may have found a political slogan to replace its decades old “mandir wahin banayenge” tagline. And the party feels that the new catchphrase would be effective in keeping the unity of Hindu voters and prevent any split in the community during important electoral battles.    

The BJP feels that “batenge toh katenge” has the same potential to unite the Hindu population as “mandir wahin banayenge” had on the masses to garner support for the construction of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The “mandir wahin banayenge” slogan united the community nationwide in an unprecedented way, successfully culminating in the construction of the Ayodhya Temple.

“Batenge toh katenge” aims to reignite the political thinking amongst the Hindu community voters to take note of the political parties aiming to divide their votes with the vested interest of securing power. Through the statement, the saffron unit’s top leadership is trying to awaken the majority community about the nefarious designs of opposition parties that aim to divide them on caste lines to ensure their defeat in electoral battles.

Hindutva icon and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was the first one to use the “batenge toh katenge” slogan at a public rally in August when he made a pitch for national unity citing the turmoil in Bangladesh to warn against the consequences of divisions in society. After which, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also gave support to the sentiment during his rally in Thane, Maharashtra on October 5.

Moreover, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has, on several occasions, pointed out that any division in Hindu votes could have adverse effects on the democratic norms of the nation. 

The RSS, the ruling BJP’s ideological parent, strongly backed the saffron party’s  “batenge toh katenge”statement, at its national meet in Mathura held last week. The endorsement by the RSS also indicates that the BJP leadership is now likely to move ahead and use it widely across the nation in forthcoming elections.

The feeling is that the caste division should be avoided at all costs as it would adversely affect the unity of Hindu votes and defeat of favorable candidates. Many in the BJP feel that several parties including Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and others have been using caste to divide the Hindu population in their respective spheres of dominance to remain in power. 

The BJP feels that it was due to successful strategy of caste division that was implemented by opposition political parties, led by INDIA bloc that its tally fell to 240 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, overshadowing the saffron unit’s stellar performance in the 2014 and 2019 general elections. 

Priyanka Gandhi to address 7 election meets in 2 days in Wayanad

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Wayanad:  Congress General Secretary and candidate for Wayanad Lok Sabha bypolls, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will commence her debut election campaign on Monday.

Wayanad goes to the polls on November 13.

Taking to social media, she posted on her X handle that she would be interacting with the people during the day. “The people of Wayanad have stood with truth, justice and democracy in the past and have worked to strengthen the spirit of the Constitution. The people of Wayanad will continue to strengthen the Constitution and democracy and write a new chapter of development and progress. The zeal and enthusiasm of the people are worth seeing…” she said.

Priyanka Gandhi will land by helicopter at Meenangadi where she is slated to address three election rallies. On Tuesday, also she has four election meetings, following which she will return, ending the first two days of her election campaign.

The state Congress party is aiming to give Priyanka Gandhi a victory with the biggest-ever margin from Kerala. The party’s target is five lakh votes.

Incidentally, the state leadership kept their word when the biggest ever crowd witnessed for any event in the hilly district turned up at the roadshow and a meeting on Wednesday following which she submitted her nomination.

She was accompanied by her mother Sonia Gandhi, who came to the district after a decade. A galaxy of national leaders accompanied Priyanka Gandhi in filing of nomination and the roadshow.

On Saturday. Priyanka wrote a passionate letter in both English and Malayalam to the people of Wayanad stating that it would be an honour to learn from them and to become part of this courageous community that knows how to respect each other and stand tall even in the most trying times.

She ended her letter by stating she would be deeply grateful to them if they chose to make her their MP.

The by-election became a necessity after her brother Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat after retaining the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 general elections.

The CPI has fielded veteran former legislator Sathyan Mokeri who finished a close third during the 2014 general elections in Wayanad while the BJP has brought in young Kozhikode Corporation party Councilor Navya Haridas, a former software engineer who quit her job and plunged into full-time politics.

Rahul Gandhi won the 2019 general elections with a margin of 4.60 lakh from Wayanad which came down to 3.64 lakh in the 2024 general elections.

Congress leader ‘Rashid Alvi’ urges for transparency on agreements with China

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi:  Yesterday, Congress leader Rashid Alvi called for the disclosure of the specific issues on which agreements have been reached between India and China.

Responding to the statement made by External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar regarding the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Congress leader said, “Jaishankar should disclose the specific issues on which agreements have been reached with China, as well as those still pending.”

He added that a copy of any agreement made should be made public so that people understand the details, as the country does not trust China. “While the Prime Minister and EAM Jaishankar may trust China, the Chief of Army Staff has contradicted their stance, stating that China’s forces cannot be trusted until they fully withdraw like it was back in October 2020, ” said Rashid Alvi.

The EAM credited the recent breakthrough agreement with China regarding patrols along the LAC to the military, which operated under “very, very unimaginable” conditions, and to skilled diplomacy.

During an interaction with students in Pune, EAM Jaishankar earlier on Saturday, noted that it is still somewhat early for the normalisation of relations, as rebuilding trust and a willingness to collaborate will naturally take time.

He explained that India and China reached an understanding in certain areas after 2020 regarding how troops would return to their bases. However, a significant aspect of the negotiations centred on patrolling.

“There had been a blockage of patrolling, which we had been trying to negotiate for the last two years. On October 21, we reached an understanding that patrolling would resume in the specific areas of Depsang and Demchok as it used to be, ” EAM Jaishankar added.

He further asserted that the most pressing issue with China is disengagement and the second one is de-escalation.

“There are different aspects to the solution, but the most pressing issue is disengagement, as the troops are very close to each other, and the possibility of an incident is significant. So that is the first set of issues.”

“Then there is de-escalation. Then there is a larger issue of how you manage the border and how you negotiate the boundaries. Right now, whatever is happening in China is happening due to the first part which is disengagement. We were trying to negotiate patrolling issues at the India-China border, ” he added.

The new slogan has already been tested ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls. And after being successfully deployed, the slogan is now expected to be widely used by senior leaders of the party in Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly polls. 

All 288 constituencies in Maharashtra Assembly are scheduled to go for polls in a single phase on November 20, and the counting of votes will be done on November 23. While in Jharkhand, a state affected by Naxalite violence, the Assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 13 and 20 and the counting will take place on November 23.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar honoured with Fiji’s highest civilian award

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Fiji has conferred its highest civilian honour upon Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the global spiritual master and humanitarian leader, for his tireless contribution to the upliftment of the human spirit and connecting diverse communities in peace and harmony.

Gurudev was given the title of ‘Honourary Officer Of The Order of Fiji’ by the President of the Republic of Fiji, Ratu Wiliame M. Katonivere.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, who received a traditional and grand welcome on arrival in Fiji on Saturday, also took to social media to share his happiness on being felicitated with the country’s highest civilian award.

“Honoured to receive Fiji’s highest civilian award – the Honourary Officer of the Order of Fiji. I thank the President and the people of Fiji, ” he wrote on X.

Fiji has become the sixth country to confer the highest civilian award upon Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, recognising the vast scope of his humanitarian work globally through his ‘The Art of Living Foundation’.

‘The Art of Living Foundation’ was set up by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in 1981 with the purpose of spreading happiness and harmony through its multifarious service initiatives in areas of mental health, education, environment, women and youth empowerment, and stress relief and meditation programmes.

Yesterday, the volunteer-based humanitarian and non-governmental organisation (NGO) has its centres operating in more than 180 countries.

During his visit to Fiji, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar also had interactions with state dignitaries including Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, Viliame Gavoka and Dirk Wagener, UN Resident Coordinator in Fiji.

The leaders discussed how ‘The Art of Living’ can contribute to the holistic progress of the island nation by empowering the youth, improving the mental health of the local communities and introducing them to the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda.

Later, the Art of Living founder also attended a reception at the India House, organised by the High Commissioner of India to Fiji, P.S. Karthigeyan, and held interactive sessions with several dignitaries.

Attack on Arvind Kejriwal was orchestrated by BJP workers: Gopal Rai

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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New Delhi: Amid the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s claims of attack on former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal during his ‘Padyatra’, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Saturday claimed that it was “orchestrated” by BJP leaders.Talking to media Gopal Rai said, “All those who attacked Kejriwal are BJP leaders. The videos and photos that are surfacing show that those people were leaders and workers of BJP. They should refrain from making false claims that people of Delhi are frustrated.”

“First, they filed a fake case against Kejriwal, arrested him and conspired to kill him by stopping his insulin. When the court released him, the BJP got its goons to attack him, “he added.

He further claimed that the attacks would not stop him from contesting election.

“BJP is trying to stop him from contesting election. But, I want to tell you that Kejriwal neither stopped nor he is going to stop in the future. I feel that if the BJP have confidence and faith in their work and policies, then they should go among the public. They will decide whether they want AAP or BJP in the national capital. Such condemnable acts will not help anyone. It will only deteriorate the level of politics, ” Gopal Rai further stated.

Delhi CM Atishi on Friday accused BJP of attacking the former CM during his ‘Padyatra’ in Vikaspuri and said that they sent its goons to attack Kejriwal. Former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia also accused the BJP of planning the attack and said that “if anything happens to Kejriwal, the responsibility will be on the part of BJP”.

As there were reports of Delhi BJP State President Virendra Sachdeva being hospitalised after taking a dip in the river at Chathh ghat near ITO on Thursday, Gopal Rai said, “I want to wish him a speedy recovery but as far as Yamuna and Delhi pollution is concerned. I want to request the BJP leaders that the pollution will not be reduced by doing such drama.”

“For this, we have to come together. We feel that if the government and people will make efforts together, then only we will definitely succeed in reducing the level of pollution , ” he concluded.

One Army jawan killed, 8 injured in road accident in South Kashmir’s Kulgam

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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A road accident occurred on Saturday morning in the Damhal Hanjipora area of Kulgam district of South Kashmir, resulting in the death of one army jawan and injuries to eight others.

 According to officials, the army vehicle carrying the personnel skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge, leading to severe injuries. The injured soldiers were promptly evacuated by police and army personnel and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

Police have initiated an investigation into the accident. The incident follows a series of recent attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. On Thursday, militants ambushed an army vehicle in the Botapathri area of Baramulla, killing three soldiers and two porters. The attackers, believed to be militants from Pakistan, used armour-piercing bullets, according to an Army spokesperson.

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