Shinde to Step Down as Maharashtra CM; Mahayuti Leaders Set to Convene in Delhi Tonight

Hours after the Supreme Court called for a review of the restrictions on physical classes due to air pollution, the Centre's air quality panel directed schools and colleges in Delhi-NCR on Monday to shift classes up to the 12th standard to a "hybrid" mode.

Poor air quality, driven by unfavourable weather conditions, usually persists for long periods during winter, from November to January.

During this time, Delhi often sees air quality levels requiring strict restrictions under the third and fourth stages of the air pollution control plan called GRAP, which significantly disrupt the education system and affect learning quality.

In a statement, the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) noted that most primary schools in Delhi and other National Capital Region (NCR) areas lack the resources to conduct classes entirely online.

It said the students of Classes 10 and 12, along with their school authorities, are the hardest hit by the stage-4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP). These students are required to attend physical classes for practical lessons, tests and extra tutorials needed for board and competitive examinations, it said.

As the CID, Crime Branch Monday started an investigation into the alleged attack on Independent MLA Himanshu Sahoo, the police have registered three more cases against an accused, Bhaba Prasad Das who is the brother of senior BJD leader Pranab Prakash Das.

The cases were registered by Jajpur Town police against Bhaba Prasads Das in local court on Monday. He was arrested two days ago and lodged in jail on charges of assaulting a vegetable vendor at Biraja Haat in Jajpur town in the district.

The fresh cases registered to his alleged involvement in violent protests, gheraoing the Jajpur Town Police Station and staging roadblocks near the Biraja Haat in the district on November 20, the day on which an attack was made on Dharmasala lawmaker who is backed by the BJP.

Additionally, a complaint concerning an assault on another vendor was filed against Bhaba Prasad Das in the local Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court.

The local authorities have also submitted a formal request to the SDJM court to incorporate these three charges into the ongoing legal proceedings against the accused.

Following the development, Bhaba Prasad Das was produced in the local SDJM court to take cognisance of the three fresh cases slapped against him.

 The government on Monday announced a national mission to promote natural farming among one crore farmers in 7.5 lakh hectare (ha) with an outlay of Rs 2,481 crore over the next two years.

The decision taken in the Cabinet meeting, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aims to initiate natural farming in 7.5 lakh hectare through 15,000 clusters to be set up in willing panchayats.

"There is a need to improve the quality of soil and maintain the health of the people with chemical-free food...National Mission on Natural Farming is a path-breaking decision," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said in a media briefing after the meeting.

The standalone central scheme with a budget outlay of Rs 2,481 crore will cover 1 crore farmers across the country till 2025-26, he added.

The minister said natural farming will be promoted on a mission mode after successful experiments in 2019-20 and 2022-23.

Currently, around 10 lakh hectare are under natural farming throughout the country, he noted.

On the implementation of the mission, the minister said the government will select willing panchayats for the development of 15,000 natural farming clusters and encourage setting up 10,000 need-based bio-input resources centres to supply natural farming inputs with Rs 1 lakh as seed capital assistance.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday claimed that the "arrogance" of many rival leaders was broken by people in the November 20 bypolls.

Mann was addressing a gathering at an event where he handed over appointment letters to 1,311 newly recruited employees of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited here.

"Arrogance of many leaders was broken by people two days back," said Mann, as he was referring to the November 20 bypolls outcome.

The AAP wrested Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak and Chabbewal assembly segments while the Congress won the Barnala seat in the bypolls, the results of which were declared on Saturday.

Among the key leaders, former finance minister and BJP leader Manpreet Singh Badal and the wives of Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa were defeated in the bypolls.

Attacking the rival political leaders, Mann said people of the state have ousted the political parties that used to play musical chairs of power to "loot" them after every five years.

 The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved three projects of the Ministry of Railways on Monday with a total cost of Rs 7,927 crore.

The projects are the Jalgaon-Manmad fourth line (160 km), Bhusawal-Khandwa third and fourth lines (131 km) and Prayagraj (Iradatganj)-Manikpur third line (84 km).

"The proposed multi-tracking projects will ease operations and reduce congestion, providing the much-required infrastructural development on the busiest sections between Mumbai and Prayagraj," according to a government statement.

"The projects are in line with Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji's vision of a New India, which will make people of the region 'Atmanirbhar' by way of comprehensive development in the area, which will enhance their employment/self-employment opportunities," the statement said.

The government said these projects are the result of the PM-Gati Shakti National Master Plan for multi-modal connectivity, which have been possible through integrated planning, and will provide seamless connectivity for the movement of people, goods and services.

The Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) staged a comeback in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections after seven years, clinching the president and joint secretary positions.The RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) had to remain content with the vice-president and secretary posts.

 Schools in the national capital are stepping up efforts to protect students' health if physical classes are resumed but parents remain in a dilemma: sending kids to school risks exposure to pollution, keeping them home risks missing out on essential in-person activities.

President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament in the historic Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan on Tuesday, kick-starting year-long celebrations to mark 75 years of the adoption of India's Constitution. The government on Monday announced that a new website -- https: //constitution75.com -- has been created to enable citizens to engage with the legacy of the Constitution through interactive activities and resources. Mass readings of its Preamble will take place in schools, cities and villages around the country, it also said.

Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, "We will contest the upcoming Mahanagar Palika, district panchayat and Nagar Palika elections as per the mandate received in the assembly elections. Maha Vikas Aghadi's mayor will not be elected anywhere."

Vijayapura BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal's supporters on Monday kick-started the much touted march against Waqf Board after eviction notices were served to farmers and allegedly some religious places in the state.

On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s direction, all such notices have been withdrawn and cancelled. The CM also warned that anyone issuing fresh notices acting on the cancelled notices would face action. However, Yatnal's supporters decided to go ahead with its decision.

The month-long event started on Monday from Bidar in North Karnataka and would go up to Chamarajanagar in southern most Karnataka.

The concluding ceremony would take place in Bengaluru on December 25, according to Yatnal.

Yatnal-led camp has 12 senior BJP leaders, including MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, MP G M Siddeshwara, former minister Arvind Limbavali and former MLA Madhu Bangarappa.

Senior JD(S) leader Bandeppa Kashempur too joined the march, sporting a saffron scarf.

Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said the "Ladli Bahan' scheme launched during his tenure as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister is aimed at empowering women and not at getting votes, as he launched the third edition of a national campaign against gender-based violence.

Speaking at an event here to launch the third edition of "Nayi Chetna -- Pahal Badlaav Ki", a national campaign against gender-based violence, Chouhan talked about the women-centric schemes launched during his tenure as the Madhya Pradesh chief minister, including the direct-benefit-transfer scheme "Ladli Bahan", which was a game-changer that helped the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win another term in power in the state.

Similar schemes launched in Maharashtra and Jharkhand recently were also a major factor behind the incumbent regimes retaining power in those states.

Chouhan, however, said the scheme is not intended at getting votes.

BJP election committee meeting was held in BJP state office. The meeting was held under the leadership of State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule. 

In the meeting, there was talk of strengthening the party within the state.

Will make 1.5 crore primary members.

Will make 50 thousand members in every assembly constituency.

Mahavikas Aghadi will have no existence in local unit elections.

Whenever Uddhav Thackeray challenges Devendra ji, Devendra ji emerges like the sun.

Leaders of the Mahayuti alliance, including Ajit Pawar, Eknath Shinde, and Devendra Fadnavis, will be arriving in Delhi on Monday night for the crucial meeting with top BJP leaders Amit Shah and JP Nadda. The meeting will held to discuss political strategies and alignments in the state ahead of the oath-taking ceremony.

Sources confirmed that the discussions were aimed at strengthening ties within the alliance and addressing key issues that would shape their future political moves. The meeting is expected to focus on various matters related to governance, coalition dynamics, and potential collaboration in future political scenarios.

Parliament officials on Monday said it was a convention to adjourn the proceedings of the House for a short duration immediately after making an obituary reference to a sitting member.

The clarification from the officials came as Congress member Karti Chidambaram questioned the adjournment of the Lok Sabha on Monday soon after the reading of obituary references of five members, including two sitting members who died during the inter-session period.

Congress leader Vasant Chavan from Nanded in Maharashtra and Trinamool Congress leader S K Nurul Islam from Basirhat in West Bengal – both members of the current Lok Sabha – died between two sessions of Parliament.

Former members M M Lawrence, M Parvathi, and Harishchandra Chavan also died during the inter-session period.

The Speaker expressed grief at the deaths of the five leaders soon after the Lok Sabha met for the day and adjourned the proceedings for one hour.

"It is a convention to adjourn the House after obituary reference to a sitting Member. So today's adjournment was within rules," Parliamentary officials said.

Earlier, the convention was to adjourn the House for the entire day in the event of the death of a sitting member. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emphasised the need to link cooperative movement to circular economy and promote international collaboration in the sector.

Addressing the ICA Global Cooperative Conference 2024 at the Bharat Mandapam here, Modi said that for India, cooperatives are the basis of culture and a way of life.

He further said India sees a huge role for cooperatives in its future growth and in the last 10 years the country has worked to transform the entire ecosystem related to cooperatives.

"Our effort is to make cooperative societies multipurpose," he said, adding that with the objective in mind, the government of India created a separate cooperative ministry.

Modi said cooperatives are also playing a key role in the housing sector as well as in the banking segment.

There are about 2 lakh housing cooperative societies in the country.

He said the government has strengthened the cooperative banking sector and reformed it.

 The SC asked the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in the national capital region and adjoining areas to consider restarting physical classes in schools and colleges noting many students lacked mid-day meals and infrastructure to attend online classes.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said a large number of students did not have air purifiers at home and therefore there may not be a difference between children at home and those attending schools.

The top court, however, refused to relax the anti-pollution GRAP-4 restrictions in Delhi-NCR and said unless it was satisfied that there was consistent decrease in AQI levels, it cannot order curbs below GRAP-3 or GRAP-2.

Noting that several sections of society, especially labourers and daily wagers, were adversely affected due to GRAP-4, the bench directed the state governments, where construction has been banned, to use funds collected as labour cess for subsistence to them.

GRAP-4 restrictions specifically relate to restricting entry of trucks carrying non-essential goods into the national capital.

First implemented in 2017, the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) was a set of anti-air pollution measures followed in the capital and its vicinity according to the severity of the situation. 

Air pollution matter: Supreme Court refuses to relax Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)-IV measures to curb air pollution in Delhi

SC directs the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to consider relaxing norms observing a large number of students cannot avail mid-day meals, online classes and can't access air purifiers.

The Telangana government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, announced the rejection of a ₹100 crore donation from the Adani Group. The decision was made public on Monday amid growing scrutiny of the conglomerate following allegations of financial misconduct.

President Droupadi Murmu will lead the celebrations at the Central Hall of the old Parliament complex on November 26 to mark 75 years of India's Constitution, the government announced on Monday.

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lok Sabha Speaker On Birla will also take part in the celebrations.

A special website has also been created to mark the year-long celebrations, Union Culture Secretary Arunish Chawla told reporters during a briefing at the National Media Centre here.

Two groups clashed in Mehkar town in Maharashtra's Buldhana district, prompting authorities to clamp prohibitory orders, an official said on Monday.

The incident occurred on Sunday night, as per the office of the Mehkar Sub-Divisional Officer.

It stated that prohibited orders were issued to control the tense situation.

Details regarding the circumstances surrounding the clash and the immediate provocation are unavailable.

The BJP in Tripura has achieved a milestone by enrolling nearly 12 lakh members during the two-month-long drive, a senior party leader said on Monday.Before 2018, the party had no MLA in the 60-member assembly with less than two per cent vote share, he said."The party has already enrolled 11.71 lakh members in both online and offline mode. The figure will go up as the data updation of enrollment through offline mode is still going on," BJP's membership in-charge Bhagaban Das told PTI.

A march by shopkeepers and labourers against a proposed ropeway project along the trek route leading to the Vaishno Devi shrine took an ugly turn on Monday as some protesters clashed with police at the Katra base camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district.Police said the law and order situation had escalated and talks were being held to defuse the situation.

 AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said an additional 80,000 people are now eligible for old-age pension in Delhi, raising the total number of such beneficiaries to 5.3 lakh. Kejriwal said at a press conference that the Delhi government is committed to social welfare and highlighted that the decision to pay old-age pension to more people is being implemented following Cabinet approval on Sunday.

Four persons allegedly posed as journalists and attempted to extort Rs 2 lakh from a tempo driver and his family in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Monday.The police have apprehended one of the suspects, and a search is on for three others, including a woman, in connection with the incident that took place in Ulhasnagar town on November 22, an official said.

The NSUI was leading in three posts of the Delhi University Students' Union elections, as the counting of votes is underway. NSUI's presidential candidate Rounak Khatri was leading after five rounds of counting with a total of 5,531 votes. Joint Secretary candidate Lokesh Choudhary was leading by 6,065 votes and secretary candidate Namrata Jeph Meena by 4,425 votes.

Police have lodged seven FIRs in connection with the violence over a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque here, naming Samajwadi Party MP Zia-ur-Rehman Barq and local SP MLA Iqbal Mehmood's son Sohail Iqbal as accused, officials said on Monday.The district administration has already imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders into Sambhal till November 30.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Monday. The house is set to meet on Wednesday, November 27.

Earlier, the Lok Sabha was also adjourned till 12 noon, for nearly an hour right after the commencement of the winter session at 11 AM.
On the first day of the session, the parliament also took up obituary references.

The Opposition parties immediately demanded discussions on various issues before Speaker Om Birla adjourned the house till 12 noon.
Before the separate session of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, a joint session of the Parliament was also held, with the Speaker of the house presiding over the session.

Seven FIRs lodged, 25 people arrested in connection with violence in UP's Sambhal.

Opposition members of Parliament on Monday slammed the government and the ruling BJP over the violence in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal, saying it was planned to polarise people on communal lines.Three people were killed and scores of others, including around 20 security personnel and four administration officials, were injured as protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque in Sambhal clashed with police on Sunday.

Punjab police busted an organised criminal module with the arrest of three persons, police said on Monday.

The accused were the operatives of the module handled by Manjeet Mahal, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Two pistols and 18 cartridges have been recovered from their possession, said the DGP.

 The Jajpur district administration has imposed prohibitory orders in Jajpur town following an alleged attack on Dharmasala MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo, an official said on Monday.The prohibitory order was imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in Jajpur police station area and Biraja Haat area in the municipal town after tension gripped the district following the attack on Sahoo on November 20 evening, the official said.

 Rajya Sabha proceedings were briefly adjourned on Monday as the opposition parties led by the Congress tried to raise the indictment of Adani group founder chairman Gautam Adani and others in a US court on charges of allegedly paying bribes to secure solar power supply contracts.

Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar disallowed 13 notices served under rule 267, including seven that sought a discussion on the US indictment on the alleged payment of USD 265 million in bribes. But the Congress and Left parties insisted on a discussion, forcing a 15-minute adjournment of proceedings.

Soon after listed papers were laid on the table of the House and obituary references read out on the death of former MPs, Dhankhar said he had received 13 notices under rule 267 but was not convinced to accept them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the opposition, saying those who were rejected by people 80-90 times were trying to control Parliament by resorting to hooliganism for their own political gains.Addressing reporters ahead of the start of the Winter Session of Parliament, Modi said such handful of people did not succeed in their intentions but people of the country observed their actions and punished them at an appropriate time.

After a nearly two-month delay, the counting of votes for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections began on Monday at the North Campus.
The results, originally scheduled for September 28, were postponed following a Delhi High Court directive that required the university to clean up defacement caused during the campaign before declaring the winners.

This year's elections have attracted fierce competition, with 21 candidates vying for the four key central panel posts.

 Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 pm after tributes paid to departed members of House.

PM Modi hopes Winter Session of Parliament will be very productive, give boost to India's global standing.

Tomorrow in the Constitution Hall, everyone will gather to commence the 75th anniversary of the Constitution.

PM's address shortly ahead of winter session of Parliament

Congress to hold strategy meeting at 10:30am ahead of parliament winter session 

PM Modi to address Parliament ahead of Winter Session 

Lok Sabha members attending the Winter Session of Parliament beginning Monday will have the option of marking their attendance using a digital pen on an electronic tab.Electronic tabs will be kept at four counters in the lobby of the Lok Sabha chamber as part of Speaker Om Birla's initiative to make Parliament paperless.

Congress MP Ranjeet Ranjan has written a letter to the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha and demanded a short-duration discussion on rising 'air pollution' in Delhi.
The letter dated November 22, reads, "Under Rule 176 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha, I hereby give notice of my intention to raise a discussion for Short duration on the following matter of urgent public importance."

In an explanation, Ranjan emphasized that the city's pollution is not a recent issue but has been a concern for over three decades, with environmentalists and lawyers appealing to the courts to act since 1995.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance has already planned for the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha elections and is providing "great leadership" to all the parties.

"He has already planned for 2029 (elections), that is how he is working, just like a mission," CM Naidu said.

Hemant Soren accompanied by INDIA bloc members and a few MLAs, submitted his resignation to governor Santosh Gangwar at Raj Bhavan in Ranchi. He submitted a letter of support from 56 MLAs to the governor, JMM said. “The governor accepted his resignation and urged him to continue as caretaker CM until the new govt takes oath,” a Raj Bhavan communique said.

“The new govt will take oath of office on Nov 28. We have begun preparations for the formalities,” Hemant said. Earlier in the day, he met INDIA bloc members at his Kanke Road house in Ranchi.

 Jan Suraaj leader Prashant Kishor has said Bihar is "literally a failed state" which is in "deep shit" and tremendous efforts are required for its all-round development.In a virtual interaction with the Bihari diaspora community after the launch of the US chapter of the Jan Suraaj, the former poll strategist exuded confidence that his party would win the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls and said that he would lift the ban on alcohol and use the revenue to improve school education.

During the raid, many people were detained, although official data has not come as to how many people have been detained late night, but the police have arrested the remaining people by raiding their locations based on the information provided by the 15 people who were detained earlier. At present, everyone is being questioned.
 

INDIA Bloc Parties to Meet at Parliament House to Finalize Opposition Strategy Before Session Begins