Next Budget to Focus on Infra, Connectivity: Rajasthan Deputy CM Diya Kumari | LIVE

The Rajasthan government will increase its budget for infrastructure outlay in the next Assembly session to boost tourism in the state, Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari said on Thursday.

The Deputy CM, while speaking to ANI said that the double-engine government of the BJP is going to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the country in Rajasthan. (With inputs from ANI) 

The CBI on Thursday organised a workshop with a focus on enhancing international cooperation in combating transnational crimes and better leveraging legal frameworks for mutual assistance and extradition.

The workshop on "Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition Matters" was conducted at the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) headquarters in New Delhi in collaboration with the US Department of Justice in a hybrid mode, with participation of officers from across all states and Union Territories and central law enforcement organisations, the central agency said.

The US delegation was headed by Jeffrey M Olson, an associate director in the Office of International Affairs in the US Department of Justice, and included special agents and attorneys from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Department of Justice.

During the workshop, features of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) online portal for mutual legal assistance in criminal matters were detailed.

"This portal has significantly improved the timelines involved in processing International Letters of Request (ILORs) and facilitated ease of drafting requests," the CBI said.

The workshop involved exchange of feedback between Indian and US practitioners on expediting assistance, better understanding relevant legal frameworks with a view to meet each others' requirements, it said.

The means of combating international crimes, criminals and proceeds of crimes via expeditious international cooperation were discussed, the agency said.

According to the CBI, the workshop was meant to enhance international cooperation in combating transnational crimes and better leveraging legal frameworks for mutual assistance and extradition.

"The rising primacy of digital evidence has increased reliance on foreign located evidence for preventing, investigating and prosecuting crimes," the agency said. 

Pauri-based journalist Ashutosh Negi has been granted bail over a week after his arrest on charges of using casteist remarks and issuing death threat to a man belonging to the Scheduled Caste community.

Negi's bail plea was heard in the District Court Kotdwar on Wednesday after which he was released on bail.

In cases with punishment of less than 7 years, the police should have first sent a notice under Section 141 of CrPC to the accused before arresting him which was not done. So, the court granted him bail taking cognizance of this, Negi’s lawyer Rajeev Gaur said.

The journalist's arrest on March 5 had prompted the Congress to link the action with his efforts to bring justice to slain receptionist Ankita Bhandari.

Negi had been vocal on the issue.

 Two children and a couple died due to suffocation after a massive fire ripped through a residential building in the Shastri Nagar area of Shahdara in the early hours on Thursday, police said.

The victims have been identified as Manoj (30), his wife Suman (25), and their two nieces aged 10 and seven years. Eleven others suffered burns.

"We got information from the hospital that four people -- two children and a couple -- died due to suffocation and burn injuries. As per preliminary on-spot observation by the FSL team, spark in the electric wire could be the reason for the fire. Further investigation is on," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Surendra Choudhary said.

The officer further said that they received a call around 5:20 am about the fire in the Shastri Nagar area of Shahdara. The Delhi Fire Services was informed immediately. A local police team, nine fire tenders, ambulances, and PCR vans were rushed to the spot.

President Droupadi Murmu will grace the world spiritual mahotsav in Hyderabad on Friday, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said.

The one-of-a-kind spiritual congregation is being held from March 14 to 17 at Kanha Shanti Vanam, the headquarters of Heartfulness, non-profit organisation, situated on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

The event will bring spiritual leaders from all faiths and beliefs to one place at the world's largest meditation centre, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said on Thursday.

The president will grace the world spiritual mahotsav at Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad on March 15, it said. 

BJP national president JP Nadda met Bhutan's Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, in Delhi.

Addressing a gathering at a recent event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt recognition to the unsung heroes of urban India – the legions of street vendors, footpath traders, and handcarts operators who toil tirelessly to support their families and realize their dreams.

In a stirring speech, Prime Minister Modi underscored the dignity and resilience of these individuals, emphasizing that despite the modest scale of their enterprises, their aspirations are anything but small. He lamented the neglect and indifference they had endured under previous administrations, recounting tales of humiliation and financial hardship that had plagued their daily lives.

Reflecting on his own journey from humble beginnings, Prime Minister Modi empathized with the struggles faced by street vendors, recognizing the systemic barriers that had hindered their progress for far too long. He highlighted the challenges of accessing formal financial services, recounting tales of exorbitant interest rates and bureaucratic red tape that had thwarted their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Drawing a sharp contrast with the past, Prime Minister Modi pledged unwavering support for the marginalized street vendors, vowing to champion their cause and alleviate their hardships. He reaffirmed his commitment to inclusive development, promising to empower street vendors with access to credit, financial literacy, and market opportunities, thereby enabling them to thrive and flourish in the urban landscape.

In a poignant gesture of solidarity, Prime Minister Modi invoked his own personal journey, emphasizing his deep-rooted empathy for those who had been marginalized and overlooked by society. He affirmed his steadfast resolve to uplift the downtrodden and marginalized, declaring his unwavering dedication to building a more equitable and inclusive India.

At an event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "Today, the foundation stone for the expansion of the Delhi Metro from Lajpat Nagar to Saket G- block and Indraprastha to Indralok Metro Project was laid here. This is a date of double gift for the people of Delhi. For this, I congratulate all of you very much."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi Scheme stated that the “BJP government at the Centre is working day and night to improve the lives of poor, middle class in Delhi.” 

 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said the opposition INDIA alliance, if voted to power, will be the “voice of farmers” and frame policies to protect them, promising to exclude cultivators from GST and restructure crop insurance scheme.

He was addressing a farmers' rally at Chandwad in Maharashtra's Nashik district along with NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, as part of the Congress' ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'.

Later in the day, Gandhi held a roadshow and a street-corner meeting in Nashik where he repeated his demand for a caste census in the country.

“The INDIA alliance government will be the voice of farmers and work to protect their interests. Mine and our (INDIA bloc) government’s doors would always be open for farmers,” he said at Chandwad.

The Congress leader promised loan waiver for farmers, restructuring of crop insurance scheme to benefit cultivators, to protect crop prices in formulation of export import policies and to make efforts to exclude agriculture from GST and work on only one tax.

The Enforcement Directorate has seized an unexplained cash amount of approximately Rs 35 lakh, digital devices, fake stamps of circle offices, banks and various incriminating documents in the form of handwritten receipts and diaries during a search operation launched on March 12 at 20 locations in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi and Hazaribagh related to Yogendra Sao, Amba Prasad, MLA and their other family members as well as associates under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with a case related to criminal activities such as extortion, collection of levy, illegal sand mining, and land grabbing: ED

All 11 candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council election including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar declared elected unopposed to the state Legislative Council. 

A 31-year-old constable allegedly shot himself dead with his service rifle inside a police station in Madhya Pradesh's Datia district on Thursday, an official said.

A relative of the deceased claimed he was under depression after being harassed by a senior officer.

Vivek Sharma pumped a bullet in his head at Indergarh police station at around 8 am. His colleagues rushed him to a nearby health facility where doctors declared him dead, Datia Superintendent of Police Virendra Mishra told PTI.

"I am overseeing the probe into the case. This incident is very saddening for our department. What prompted the constable to take the extreme step would be known soon," he added.

Sharma's father-in-law alleged the deceased was harassed by a senior officer at the police station.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that youth, women, workers and farmers are essential for a happy society, and stressed the need for their uplift.

He was speaking after inaugurating a Multi-Modal Logistics Park at Sindi dry port in Maharashtra’s Wardha district and flagging off the trial of rail terminal services there.

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways said thousands of trucks will arrive at the Sindri dry port and goods will be sent on rakes to Bangladesh via Haldia in West Bengal.

“They will not go to JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust), Mumbai,” he said.

The minister said the dry port, located in the state’s Vidarbha region, will generate nearly 1 lakh jobs and several employment and business opportunities.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday inaugurated a key stretch of 6-lane Guwahati Bypass under the Bharat Mala Pariyojana.

Pakistani Hindu refugees of Majnu-Ka-Tila have been asked to visit the Delhi High Court on or after March 19 for the registration process of citizenship, Pakistani Hindu refugee Dharamveer Solanki said on Thursday. Solanki said the process to register them as Indian citizens will be informed after they visit the court next week. "We have been asked to visit the high court on or after March 19 for the registration process. One of the lawyers we know met us last night and informed this. Rest of the process to register ourselves will be informed after we visit court," Solanki told PTI.

Suspended TMC leader Shajahan Sheikh was produced at a local court in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district on Thursday.

The implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand will take some more time as a state government-appointed panel, headed by former chief secretary Shatrughna Singh, is working on framing its rules. The Uniform Civil Code bill was passed by the state assembly and also received the presidential assent recently after which it has become a law. A gazette notification has been issued on the presidential assent to the bill and its becoming an act but another notification will have to be issued before its actual implementation after the panel frames the rules related to putting it into effect, said Shailesh Bagauli, Secretary to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Three persons were killed and six others were injured in separate road accidents in Jharkhand's Palamu district, police said on Thursday. In the first accident, a motorcycle collided head-on with a car on National Highway 98 in Chhatarpur police station area on Wednesday night, a police officer said. Chhatarpur Police Station in-charge Rajesh Kumar said four people were on the motorcycle.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday announced a 4-per cent increase in dearness allowance and dearness relief for state government employees and pensioners.

With the latest hike, the DA and DR rose to 50 per cent from 46 per cent.

The enhanced amount will be paid from January 1, 2024, retrospectively, a release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said.

A meeting is underway at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to appoint New Election Commissioner. In this meeting, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Choudhary and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal are also present.
 

The Supreme Court on Thursday questioned NCP's Ajit Pawar faction why it is using Sharad Pawar's photo for campaigning. Supreme Court told Ajit Pawar faction, “You are a different political party now. You have chosen not to be with him. So why to use his (Sharad Pawar) picture… Go with your own identity now…”. The SC has asked Ajit Pawar faction to file its response by Saturday on an application of Sharad Pawar group alleging misuse of his name, pictures to appeal voters.

Three workers hailing from West Bengal were killed after their motorcycle hit the railing of a bridge and they fell into a dry canal in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district, police said on Thursday. The accident took place on Wednesday evening under Sihawa police station limits when the three men were heading on the two-wheeler from Bhothli Bodra village towards Sankra village, a police official said. They were engaged in the work of laying high tension electricity lines in the area and resided in Bhothli Bodra village, he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has challenged the summons issued by Rouse Avenue Court in the Sessions Court. The sessions court will hear Arvind Kejriwal's application at 2 pm. The court asked Kejriwal's lawyer to give a copy of his application to ED. Kejriwal was to appear on March 16. Rouse Avenue Court had issued summons to Kejriwal on ED's complaint.  

AAP will release the list of Lok Sabha candidates from Punjab today.

Farmers in large numbers were gathered at Delhi's Ramlila Maidan to hold 'Kisan Mazdoor Mahapanchayat' today. Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader also called the Bharatiya Janata Party an "anti-farmer". Samyukt Kisan Morcha has called for a one-day Delhi Chalo, in which all the organizations related to the front are gathering at Ramlila Ground in Delhi. Thousands of farmers have arrived.

CBI has submitted its report to the Lokpal in the cash-for-query case pertaining to expelled TMC MP Mahua Moitra. The report has been submitted after recording statements of lawyer Jai Anant Dehadari, Darshan Hiranandni and others.

CBI has also examined ethics committee report which led to expulsion of Moitra. 

ED is carrying out searches in Tamil Nadu in connection with a foreign exchange violation case. Searches are being carried out in multiple locations. 

On opposition leaders saying they will repeal CAA if INDIA alliance comes to power in 2024, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "They also know that INDI alliance will not come to power. CAA has been brought by BJP govt led by PM Modi. It is impossible to repeal CAA…It is a fully constitutionally valid law… Supreme Court has not stayed this law…I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray to make it clear whether CAA should be implemented or not. He wants minority votes and is doing appeasement politics."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has dismissed former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his party's criticism of the Citizenship Amendment Act, rules of which were notified this week. In the interview with ANI, the Union Minister challenged the Congress leader to appear on a public platform and put forth the case of his party on the issue.

On the CAA notification and its provisions, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, "Even Muslims have the right to apply for citizenship...The doors have not been closed for anyone. This special act has been made as people have come without any documents...We will find a way for those who do not have documents but those who have the documents constitute more than 85%...There is no time limit. One can take time to apply, Government of India will call you for an interview as per the time available to you. The government will call you for the audit of the document and a face-to-face interview will be done...All those people who have entered India between 15th August 1947 and 31st December 2014 are welcome here..."

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has questioned some Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states who have been opposing the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and claiming that they would not allow its implementation in their state. The Home Minister asserted that the CAA does not violate any provision of the constitution and only the central government is empowered to enact laws concerning citizenship and implement them.

In an interview with ANI, Amit Shah said that CAA has been brought by the Modi government and "it is impossible to repeal it". He accused the opposition leaders of practicing "politics of appeasement".

"CAA law will never be taken back. It is our sovereign right to ensure Indian citizenship in our country, we will never compromise on it," says Union Home Minister Amit Shah in an interview to ANI.

A massive fire broke out in a house in the Shahdara area. Fire brigade and police are present at the spot. Efforts to douse the fire are underway.

ED is conducting raids at multiple locations in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali since early morning in connection with a land-grabbing case against arrested expelled TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan