Kochi lagging in cleanliness, Kerala govt should take responsibility: Goyal

 The port city of Kochi is lagging in cleanliness and the local bodies as well as the Kerala government has to take responsibility for it, Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal said

The port city of Kochi is lagging in cleanliness and the local bodies as well as the Kerala government has to take responsibility for it, Union Commerce and Industries Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday. Goyal, while picking up garbage from the roadside in the Marine Drive area of the city, told reporters that he loves Kochi, but not in the way he sees it over here.

He also said that the city has plummeted several hundred positions in the cleanliness index in a short span of time. “I also love Kochi. But I do not love it in the way I see it over here. I do not love Kochi when in a short span of time it falls from fifth rank to 324 in the swachhta index. I think it is extremely sad,” the Union Minister said. He further said “the local bodies and the government will also have to take responsibility” for the lack of cleanliness in the city….Read More

4,844 foreigners granted Indian citizenship in past 5 years: Centre

1,773 foreigners were granted Indian citizenship in 2021, 639 in 2020, 987 in 2019, 628 in 2018 and 817 in 2017

As many as 4,844 foreigners were granted Indian citizenship in the past five years under the Citizenship Act 1955, Union Minister Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha in a written reply on Tuesday. The minister informed that 1,773 foreigners were granted Indian citizenship in 2021, 639 in 2020, 987 in 2019, 628 in 2018 and 817 in 2017. MoS Rai was asked about the total number of foreigners granted Indian Citizenship by the Central government during the last five years with the clarification of reasons for taking it. “The citizenship to eligible foreigners is granted by registration under section 5, by neutralization under section 6 or by incorporation of territory under section 7 of the Citizenship Act, 1955,” he said in a written reply.

Vaccination pace in children shows youth's sense of responsibility: PM Modi

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the “sense of responsibility” of the country’s youth and said it manifested in the pace of Covid-19 vaccination in the 15-18 years age group

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded the “sense of responsibility” of the country’s youth and said it manifested in the pace of Covid-19 vaccination in the 15-18 years age group that has covered over two crore children since its rollout this month. Virtually inaugurating the 25th edition of the National Youth Festival here, Modi also said his government’s recent decision to increase the legal marriage age of women to 21 years was for the betterment of “our daughters” and ensure that they had a career and also the time.

Hailing the pace of vaccination of the 15-18 years age group, he said this showed the “sense of responsibility” of the youngsters, especially witnessed during the pandemic period. “The role of the youth in the success of our covid vaccination programme is being witnessed altogether at a different level. We are seeing that the youth in the 15-18 years age group are getting themselves vaccinated at a quick pace. In such a short time, over two crore children have been vaccinated. This exemplifies the sense of responsibility in today’s youth and my confidence in a bright future of the country is further strengthened,” he said.

India, Russia finalise deal to manufacture AK-47 203 rifles: Report

The Indian Army has a requirement for around 770,000 AK-47 203 rifles, of which 100,000 will be imported and the rest will be manufactured in India

India and Russia have finalised a major deal for manufacturing AK-47 203 rifles in India during Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s ongoing visit to Moscow, the official Russian media reported on Thursday. The AK-47 203 is the latest and most advanced version of the AK-47 rifle, which will replace the Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) 5.56×45 mm assault rifle.

The Indian Army has a requirement for around 770,000 AK-47 203 rifles, of which 100,000 will be imported and the rest will be manufactured in India, Russia’s state-run Sputnik news agency said. The rifles will be manufactured in India as part of the joint venture Indo-Russia Rifles Private Limited (IRRPL), established between the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), the Kalashnikov Concern and Rosoboronexport — the Russian state agency for military exports, it said.

The OFB would own a majority stake of 50.5 per cent in IRRPL while the Kalashnikov Group would have a 42 per cent share. Russia’s state-owned export agency, Rosoboronexport, would own the remaining 7.5 per cent, the report said. The 7.6239 mm Russian weapon will be produced at the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Uttar Pradesh, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, the report said…

RBI had no objection to issuance of electoral bonds through SBI, says FM

She said the Committee of the Central Board (CCB) of RBI in its meeting held on October 11, 2017 indirectly agreed for electoral bonds to be issued if it is done by the SBI.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said in Rajya Sabha that the RBI had no objection to issuance of electoral bonds through the State Bank of India (SBI). Replying to a supplementary during the Question Hour on electoral bonds through the SBI, the Finance Minister said the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) being a stakeholder was involved in extensive consultations with the government at the stage of conceptualisation. “During the consultation process they had questions about the particular platform for its issuance as to who is going to issue. And also the proforma with which it is going to be issued.

“These consultations were recorded but at the end of it as long as the bonds were going to be issued by the SBI, they did not have any objection,” Nirmala Sitharaman said. She said the Committee of the Central Board (CCB) of RBI in its meeting held on October 11, 2017 indirectly agreed for electoral bonds to be issued if it is done by the SBI. The Bank in the CCB meeting and other internal fora would have discussed the multiple facets of the Electoral Bonds schemes.

She said the proceedings of CCB mention that “the CCB supported the Bank’s stand on not issuing the EBs in scrip form and observed that if the Government decides to issue EB in scrip form through SBI, the Bank should let it be.” The main reasons for issuing EBs in bearer form are to bring in transparency to funding in the political system, she said…

WhatsApp spying row: We’ve sent notice to Israel’s Pegasus, says Prasad

Govt has asked for an audit of WhatsApp security and systems, according to IT minister

The government has issued notice to the Israeli firm accused of misusing WhatsApp for snooping on Indian citizens, Ravi Shankar Prasad, minister of electronics and information technology, told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Also, the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-In) has asked for an audit of WhatsApp security and systems, Prasad said.

Responding to the Opposition’s questions on whether the government bought spying software called Pegasus from Israel-based NSO Group, which claims to sell only to governments, the minister did not give a straight answer and said “we have sent a notice to NSO also”.

He was replying to a special mention by Congress Member of Parliament Digvijaya Singh on the use of the spyware against some Indians. WhatsApp said on October 29 it was filing a federal complaint in the US against NSO Group for a cyberattack that exploited a vulnerability in the app’s video calling feature. That could compromise the target person’s device. Of the 1,400 people affected globally, 121 were Indians.

The CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security cases as and when they occur, and is the one that has to be informed in the case of a cyber breach. CERT-In sought information, including a need to conduct an audit and inspection of the WhatsApp security system and processes, from the messaging app on November 9. WhatsApp responded on November 18, and additional details were sought on November 26, the minister added…

Goyal lauds PM for ‘path breaking improvements’ in India’s biz environment

India has remarkably improved in ease of doing business, reported World Bank in its ease of doing business 2020 survey

After India jumped 14 positions to be ranked 63rd in the World Bank’s ease of doing business, Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the “path breaking improvements” in the country’s business environment.

“India has jumped from 77th to 63rd rank in the Ease of Doing Business Rankings released just now by the World Bank. Congratulations to PM @NarendraModi ji for the path breaking improvements in India’s business environment for nation’s prosperity and job creation,” he tweeted. India has remarkably improved in ease of doing business, reported World Bank in its ease of doing business 2020 survey. The country is placed in 63rd position among 190 countries.

According to the report issued by World Bank on Thursday, India appeared among the top 10 improvers for the third time in a row. The Bank lauded New Delhi for a “remarkable reform effort”. “In economies on the list of 10 top improvers, leaders of India and China adopted the Doing Business indicators as a core component of their reform strategies,” said the World Bank.

It also praised Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign which focused on attracting foreign investment, boosting the private sector, manufacturing in particular, and enhancing the country’s overall competitiveness…

India to take bilateral approach on issues faced by China with others: MEA

Jaishankar refused to join the Trump administration which describes 5G as a national security issue, by saying that for India it is a telecom issue and not political one.

India wants to see its relation with China become “better and substantive” and would take a bilateral approach on issues like 5G which Beijing faces with other countries, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.

In fact, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar refused to join the Trump administration which describes 5G as a national security issue, by saying that for India it is a telecom issue and not political one. “Our intention obviously is to progress our relations with China. We are very clear on that and we get the sense that they too would like to see the relations become better and substantive,” Jaishankar told The Heritage Foundation think-tank on Wednesday in response to a question.

“On lot of the issues which different countries face with China, frankly, we would weigh the issues on their merit and largely take a bilateral approach,” he said responding to a question. “We actually, essentially handle China relationship very, very bilaterally. We believe that’s frankly the best way of moving forward,” he added. “Our position on 5G for example is we don’t see 5G as a political problem. 5G for us is a telecom issue. And we will make whatever decisions we have to at the right time on the merits of that particular decision,” Jaishankar said…

Smriti Irani’s aide shot dead in Amethi; FIR lodged against 5 persons

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed the DGP to take effective action and report back to him

In the main episode of post-survey viciousness in Uttar Pradesh, a nearby associate of recently chose Amethi MP Smriti Irani was shot dead by two unidentified men, with police holding up a FIR against five people and not discounting its likelihood being a “political homicide”. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Smriti Irani asked party laborers to practice limitation, even as she focused on Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his “deal with Amethi-with-adoration” comment, saying she had got the message “uproarious and clear”.

Surendra Singh (50), a previous head of Baraulia town, around 25 km from the Amethi region central station, was shot at around 11.30 pm on Saturday. Singh was alluded to a Lucknow emergency clinic, however capitulated amid treatment, Additional Superintendent of Police Daya Ram said.

Chief General of Police (DGP) Om Prakash Singh said seven individuals were arrested, including that they were being grilled. “We have come to think about an old ill will. We are likewise endeavoring to see whether there was any political hatred. The underlying examination has hurled some crucial intimations,” he told correspondents in Lucknow.

“UP police groups are leading an extremely serious examination. We have additionally got significant proof through electronic reconnaissance,” the DGP stated, including that he was confident that the case would be fathomed “in the following 12 hours”. Boss Minister Yogi Adityanath had coordinated the DGP to make viable move and report back to him, a senior authority stated, including that the overseer general in Lucknow was sent to screen the circumstance.

“A FIR has been enrolled against five people under areas 302 (discipline for homicide) and 120B (discipline of criminal connivance) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on the grievance of Narendra Singh, sibling of Surendra Singh,” Daya Ram said. In the FIR held up at the Jamo police headquarters in Amethi, the complainant stated, “On the interceding night of May 25-26, my more youthful sibling Surendra Singh was resting in the verandah of the house, alongside nephews Abhay and Anurag, when we heard the sound of shots…

US-based journalist says MJ Akbar raped her while she was at Asian Age

The journalist, Pallavi Gogoi, narrated her alleged ordeal in a detailed column for the Washington Post, published on November 1

A former Asian Age employee has accused MJ Akbar of raping her at a hotel in Jaipur over two decades ago. The journalist, who is presently based in United States, has also claimed that she faced harassment at the hands of the former minister while working as the editor of the publication’s op-ed page at the age of 23.

The journalist, Pallavi Gogoi, narrated her alleged ordeal in a detailed column for the Washington Post, published on November 1.

Recounting the details of the alleged incident, Gogoi claims that she was once in Jaipur after covering an assignment in a remote village, when MJ Akbar called her to his hotel for discussing a story. Upon reaching there, she was raped by the former editor of Asian Age, the woman alleged.

“In his hotel room, even though I fought him, he was physically more powerful. He ripped off my clothes and raped me. Instead of reporting him to the police, I was filled with shame. I didn’t tell anyone about this then. Would anyone have believed me? I blamed myself. Why did I go to the hotel room?” she wrote.

She further claimed that the incident left her broken and destroyed and she couldn’t muster courage at the time to share it with her immediate colleagues.

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