Tuesday 28 February 2023

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE: India hosting G20 meet amid increasing rift between Russia and West on Ukraine conflict

10:36 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

S Jaishankar holds bilateral meet with UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly

10:22 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

10:17 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

Deputy Foreign Minister Kenji Yamada to represent Japan

Deputy Foreign Minister Kenji Yamada is scheduled to visit New Delhi, India, to attend the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting from March 1 to 3, read Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release.

"At this meeting, we will take our position and efforts as Japan, the G7 presidency, on important issues in the current international situation, such as multilateralism, food and energy security, and development cooperation, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues," said Kenji.

The development comes after Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi skipped G20 meeting due to a scheduling conflict with a Diet (Japan's parliament) session.

The news sparked criticism from lawmakers and members of the public on social media, who said it was a lost opportunity to show leadership as Japan prepares to host the Group of Seven summit in May.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Japan in September to attend the state funeral for former Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and also held talks with his successor Fumio Kishida. (ANI)

 

10:09 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

UN DESA Under Secretary General Li Junhua arrives in New Delhi

10:06 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

Jaishankar, Brazilian counterpart discuss issues coming up at G20 Foreign Ministers meet

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Brazilian counterpart Mauro Vieira on Tuesday and discussed issues coming up at the G20 Foreign Ministers meeting.

"Delighted to host FM Mauro Vieira of Brazil this evening. As G20 Troika members, discussed the issues coming up at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting. Took note of the momentum in our bilateral relations, especially in the economic and energy domains," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

"Agreed to strengthen our multilateral cooperation, including in the UN, BRICS and IBSA," he added.

Earlier today, Jaishankar met Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Appreciated his warm words for Operation Dost and all personnel involved.

"Discussed the G20 agenda, the Ukraine conflict and our bilateral cooperation," Jaishankar said in a tweet.

He also met his Mauritius counterpart Alan Ganoo and tweeted, "Started my meetings on #G20FMM sidelines with FM Alan Ganoo of Mauritius. Value Mauritius' participation in G20. Reiterated our commitment to Neighborhood First, SAGAR&Forward Africa policies. Discussed our robust development partnership & our strong multilateral cooperation." (ANI)

09:57 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

WATCH: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in India

09:54 (IST)

G20 Foreign Ministers Meet LIVE:

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrives in India

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday arrived in India for the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting (G20 FMM). Lavrov will also attend Raisina Dialogue 2023.

Besides Lavrov, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DSA) Under Secretary General Li Junhua also arrived in India for the G20 FMM. (PTI)

New Delhi: Foreign ministers of G20 major economies will meet in the national capital on March 1 and 2 to deliberate on pressing global challenges amid escalating confrontation between Russia and the West over the Ukraine conflict that entered the second year this week.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, France’s Catherine Colonna, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Germany’s Annalena Baerbock and British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly are among those attending the India-hosted meeting.

However, Japanese media reported that Japan’s foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi is unlikely to attend due to his “scheduling conflict” with the parliament session.

Hayashi’s visit was seen as important in the backdrop of a plan to have a foreign ministerial meeting of the Quad countries on the sidelines of the G20 meeting.

People familiar with the visits of the top G20 foreign ministers said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to hold a series of bilateral talks on Wednesday including with his counterparts from Russia and China.

The G20 foreign ministers meeting is taking place days after a gathering of finance ministers and the Central Bank Governors of the G20 member countries in Bengaluru failed to come out with a joint communique over sharp differences between the Western powers and Russia-China combine over the Ukraine conflict.

European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell Fontelles, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajan, Australia’s Penny Wong, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Indonesia’s Retno Marsudi and Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero are also among those attending the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting.

Ahead of Borrell’s visit, the EU said the High Representative will convey a strong message on Russia’s “blatant violation” of international law and the UN Charter, and its global consequences, in particular on energy and food insecurity.

The 27-nation EU has been playing a key role in pushing punitive sanctions against Russia as well as to extend all possible support to Ukraine including military assistance.

A number of foreign ministers of non-G20 countries including Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are also attending the meet following India’s invitation as guests.

While the visiting dignitaries will be welcomed at a gala reception on March 1, the crucial deliberations on various challenges will be held on March 2 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre (RBCC) at the Raisina Hills, people familiar with the agenda of the meeting said.

The G20 foreign ministers’ meeting is expected to deliberate on multilateralism, food and energy security and development cooperation, counter-terrorism, new and emerging threats, global skill mapping and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The foreign ministers are also likely to discuss ways to deal with falling economic growth, increasing inflation, lower demands for goods and services as well as increasing prices of food, fuel and fertilisers.

However, the major flashpoint between the West and the Russia-China combine is expected to be on the Ukraine conflict even as India is set to make all out efforts for a joint statement following the crucial meeting.

Russia on Sunday alleged that the G20 finance ministers’ meeting in Bengaluru ended without a joint communique because of the “confrontational” approach towards Moscow by the “collective West” over the situation in Ukraine.

The G20 meeting of finance ministers and Central Bank governors on Saturday was unable to come out with a joint communique following opposition by Russia and China on making any references to the war in Ukraine.

A chair’s summary was issued by India at the end of the meeting in its capacity as the holder of the G20 presidency.

The Russian foreign ministry, in a statement, referred to “the constructive role” of the Indian presidency and its efforts to have”fair consideration of interests and positions of all countries”.

“Our opponents, primarily the United States, the EU and the G7, continue their paranoid attempts to isolate Russia and shift the blame for the provoked problems in the area of international security and the global economy onto it,” it alleged.

India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion and has been pushing for a resolution of the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.

Besides participating in the G20 meeting, a number of foreign ministers are set to take part in the Raisina Dialogue, India’s annual conference on geo-politics and geo-economics.

The G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.

The members represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).

With inputs from PTI

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'I stole something valuable...': Ex-Google employee shares story after being laid off

The tech sector has witnessed a gloomy phase in the past few months, carrying out massive layoffs globally. As a part of this, Google also laid off thousands of employees as part of its projected plan including over 400 employees in India alone. Ever since the tech giant announced the layoffs, several former employees have been taking to social media handles to share their stories about their time at the company and also about their experiences. LinkedIn is full of such stories by impacted employees who are reflecting upon their professional journeys and also reaching out to any new opportunities in the market.

One such Google India employee who was also laid off by the company was Priyang Davey who worked as a Creative Lead in Mumbai. Taking to LinkedIn, he shared his story in a very optimistic manner stating that he “stole something valuable that he can’t be sued for and i.e., learnings.”

Davey was working at the company for around 8 months and his role was recently terminated by the tech giant.

Former Google employee shares what he ‘stole’ before being laid off

In a lengthy post shared on LinkedIn, Priyang Davey began by how his last couple of weeks went quite eventful due to various reasons including his termination from Google. Stating that the loss of a job brings a sense of grief, he mentioned that it is like a breakup adding that “it kinda sucks, but you’ll choose your next partner who’s wise enough to not break up with you over a text (or an email).”

Furthermore, Davey shared about stealing something ‘valuable’ from Google for which he can’t be sued and that is ‘learnings’ from the company. Thanking some of his colleagues and seniors for their help and support, he concluded the post on a positive note and wrote, “And now I am back on the market, ready to do cool stuff with cool people. I am #OpenToWork – ing anywhere across the world, from my home, your home, or that weird alley where kids skate at night… I promise you I’ll not ghost you as my ex did.”

Check the entire post:

Ever since the post was shared on Monday, his post has received a lot of attention from users who took to the comment section and supported the former employee. Some also lauded him for his optimistic approach.

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Indian telecom sector has emerged as a sunrise sector: Ashwini Vaishnaw

New Delhi: The GSM Association (GSMA) has conferred Government Leadership Award 2023 to India for implementing best practices in telecom policy and regulation.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Communications, Electronics & IT Ashwini Vaishnaw said “GSMA awards represent global recognition of the telecom reforms carried out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We all have seen the effect of the measures taken by him.

Talking about ease of working here in India, he said that ‘Right of Way’ (RoW) permissions which used to take more than 230 days, now get approval within 8 days.

More than 85 per cent of mobile tower clearances are now instantaneous. With nearly 1 Lakh sites in 387 districts, India’s 5G roll-out is one of the fastest in the world. Indian telecom sector has emerged as a sunrise sector and the whole world has taken note of this rise, he said.

GSMA, which represents more than 750 mobile operators and 400 companies in the telecom ecosystem, recognizes one country every year. India was declared the winner in the ceremony held at Mobile World Congress Barcelona on 27 Feb 2023.

A series of reforms were introduced by the government to bring in structural and procedural reform in September 2021. Thereafter, several initiatives were carried out such as licensing reforms, the creation of PM Gati Shakti Sanchar portal, streamlining RoW, spectrum reforms, satellite reforms etc.

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Watch video: IFS officer shares scary video of standing king cobra

Most of us will scream to the top of our lungs if we ever spot a king cobra near us. Now, imagine how scary it would be if you see this creature standing and giving you a death stare. One such video has been shared by Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Susanta Nanda, on Twitter where a king cobra can be seen literally standing straight. Nanda informed in the caption, “The king cobra can literally stand up and look at a full-grown person in the eye. When confronted, they can lift up to a third of its body off the ground.”

Have a look at this video here:

The shocking video clip received a wide range of reactions in the comment section. Many viewers got scared by the footage. A user wrote, “Oh. Absolutely scary.”

An account said, “And by doing so, they can make the standing man faint and fall down.”

Some users admired the posture of cobra and called it “the king”.

People were also quite amazed by the shocking clip.

One person wrote that he and his father had seen a standing king cobra in the village. He added that both of them were shivering and ran back to home.

A viewer said that the standing cobra is scary and majestic at the same time.

Another person echoed a similar remark by calling the cobra “dangerous beauty”.

A user said that he would die because of the fear if he encounters such a thing.

Some individuals thanked Susanta Nanda for sharing the new information.

A viewer wrote that his friend saw a king cobra which stood up to his eye level.

Susanta Nanda had shared another video related to snakes in March last year where a man was seen performing a stunt with three king cobras. The stunt didn’t end well for him.

Have a look at this clip here:

The man was moving his hands in front of the cobras and one of the snakes bit him on his knee towards the end of the video. Nanda had mentioned in the caption that it was a horrific way of handling cobras.

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Does Pakistan’s ISI have a role in Khalistan propagator Amritpal Singh’s rise in Punjab?

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has reportedly provided a social media push to Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan leader and the chief of Waris Punjab De.

Singh, whose hundreds of supporters armed with sharp weapons stormed the Ajnala police station near Amritsar last week, has been on the radar of India’s security agencies since he landed in India from Dubai in August 2022, as per The Times of India (TOI) report.

CNN-News18 has reported citing top intelligence sources that Pakistan’s intelligence agency has been endorsing Singh through “indirect funding routes”.

Let’s take a closer look at who Amritpal Singh is and if ISI has a role in his sudden rise in Punjab.

Who is Amritpal Singh?

Amritpal Singh, 30, was born in Jallupur Khera village in Punjab’s Amritsar district.

As per ThePrint, he studied till Class 10 and went on to enroll at a polytechnic in Kapurthala.

He dropped out from there and later left for Dubai for joining his family’s transport business in 2012.

He has been vocal about issues related to Sikhs on social media for at least the last five years, as per The Quint.

Before he returned to India last August, Singh spent one-and-a-half months in Georgia, Indian Express reported citing a senior officer with the Union government’s security establishment.

In September 2022, Singh was made the head of a faction of Waris Punjab De, a social organisation founded by late Punjabi actor and activist Deep Sidhu, reported ThePrint.

Amritpal Singh
Amritpal Singh has called Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale an “inspiration”. PTI File Photo

Sidhu had actively participated in the 2020 farmers’ protest against the Centre’s three farm laws. He died in a road accident last February.

The dastarbandi (turban-tying ceremony) of Singh was held at Rode village of Moga district — the ancestral village of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a militant Khalistan propagator, who was killed in Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Singh, who often dons a navy blue turban and white chola along with carrying a sword-sized kirpan, has called Bhindranwale an “inspiration”, reported ThePrint.

Dubbed ‘Bhindranwale 2.0’ by local media, Singh, however, has denied copying the slain Khalistan militant.

“I respect Bhindranwale so much that I cannot match him. I don’t care if the state calls me Bhindranwale 2.0 or 3.0. If they do then it is disrespectful to Bhindranwale, and I do not want that”, he told ThePrint last October.

Singh, who is surrounded by armed men for protection, has called on the Sikh youth to fight for “full freedom”.

“We all are still slaves… We have to fight for freedom… Our waters are being looted, and our Guru is being disrespected… The youth of Punjab should be ready to give up their lives for panth,” the Khalistan sympathiser was quoted as saying by Indian Express.

While he is criticised by many who accuse him of trying to destabilise Punjab, he is popular among his supporters for his efforts to revive Sikhi and his campaign against drugs, The Quint noted.

Does ISI have a role in Amritpal Singh’s rise?

As per the TOI newspaper report, the Central security agencies believe the rise of Amritpal Singh is an attempt by ISI to plant a “real, flesh and blood cult leader” in Punjab and flare secessionist sentiments, especially among the social media-savvy youth.

He was also pointed out as a potential threat by these agencies from “day one” when he returned to India last year, senior officers told the newspaper.

Singh’s followers have grown and he has developed a “private army” of gun-wielding supporters, whose number has increased from four-five to almost 20-25 now, the report added.

As per the Central security agencies, Singh first showed “signs of radicalisation” during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was out of business, reported TOI. 

It is then that he started following stories on Bhindranwale and social media posts by Sikh radical leaders. He also got in touch with Sidhu, particularly during the year-long farmers’ protests.

Amritpal Singh
Punjab Police has ‘red-flagged’ the rise of Amritpal Singh. PTI File Photo

A source told TOI that at this time Singh was “spotted” by ISI agents and was eventually “groomed” to talk in such a way that would “touch a chord with the radically-inclined Sikhs, both in India and abroad”.

The report further said citing an officer that Singh has been backed by Avtar Singh Khanda, a UK-based radical leader linked with Khalistan TV.

Khanda has reportedly used his purported connections with radical Sikh outfits that have leaders based abroad, who are in touch with ISI, to support Singh as a “pro-Khalistan icon”.

According to CNN-News18, under the ISI’s social media push, young Sikhs in the 18-25 age group are being targeted through Facebook and Instagram with pictures of alleged “suppression” and “atrocities” on Sikhs in India.

These are being promoted through advertisements which are also visible in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, sources told CNN-News18.

These ads are also highlighting the similarity in the way of dressing and style of Amritpal Singh with that of Bhindranwale, the report added.

The intelligence sources further said that the comments on such posts are not from India’s Punjab but from Pakistan’s Punjab province, while they are visible in India through VPN with the location set as the UK, Canada, or Germany.

As per Indian Express, in a presentation on 22 January to prime minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah, Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav had ‘red-flagged’ the rise of Amritpal Singh.

The home ministry is keeping a close watch on the situation in Punjab and a probe is underway to find out who is funding Singh, as per media reports.

“Often a meteoric rise is met by an equally rapid fall. Amritpal will make his mistakes, and hopefully, the state government will act against him at least then. At the same time, since larger national security could be at stake, the Centre will do its bit to keep nudging the Punjab government and intervene where necessary and as per the Constitutional scheme of things,” a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) functionary told TOI.

With inputs from agencies

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Monday 27 February 2023

WATCH: Khalistanis paint anti-India graffiti on govt office, will 'target' Delhi Airport during G20 FM meet

New Delhi: Banned pro-Khalistan group, Sikhs for Justice, or SFJ, has threatened to “storm and target” New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport with Khalistan flags during the upcoming G20 Foreign Ministers Summit in India’s capital.

The announcement was made by SFJ founder Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in a video message on Monday.

The clip that has now gone viral on social media shows ‘Punjab is Not India’ and ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans written by the banned pro-Khalistan group at Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Office Complex of Bagha Purana and Rode village of Moga district in northern Indian state of Punjab.

Rode is the native village of slain Khalistan separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.

Graffiti aimed to communicate to G20 foreign ministers

Pannun in the video further said the graffiti is aimed to communicate to the foreign ministers of G20 countries that “Punjab is not a part of India”.

“This message is for the G20 foreign ministers. Punjab is not India. SFJ will storm and target the New Delhi Airport with Khalistan flags,” he said.

“Now is the time that you (G20 foreign ministers) support the Khalistan referendum. You support the Sikh’s rights to self-determination and you do not recognise India’s territorial integrity because India is not a country but a union of states with a condition. If people do not want to stay with that union they have the right to vote,” said Pannun.

The incident comes barely within a week after a police station at Ajnala near Amritsar was attacked on 23 February. The "action" was led by Amritpal Singh, who is a Khalistan sympathiser.

Dubai-returned Singh was recently anointed the head of 'Waris Punjab De', the organisation founded by actor and activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident last year.

Claimed to be a follower of Bhinderwale, Singh made some controversial speeches during the past few weeks.

G20 summit in New Delhi

G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting (FMM) is scheduled to be held in physical format on 1 and 2 March, 2023 in New Delhi under India’s presidency.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address the G20 foreign ministers and will talk about India’s growing influence globally.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign ministers of the member nations as well as the special invitees along with other international bodies will be present at the meet in the national capital.

As part of the group's activities, India is expected to hold more than 200 meetings in 55 different locations across the country to showcase its cultural heritage, culminating in the annual G20 summit scheduled for 9-10 September in New Delhi.

What is G20?

G20 or Group of 20 is an intergovernmental forum of the world's major developed and developing economies.

Collectively, the G20 accounts for 85 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade, and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation.

Who are G20 members?

The members of G20 are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the European Union (EU).

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Man carries Oxford Dictionary to Shashi Tharoor's event in Nagaland; video goes viral

Author-politician Shashi Tharoor is known for objectively presenting his personal and political opinions on a range of topics. Whether that be on social media platforms or at public events, Tharoor often catches people’s attention, thanks to his intriguing use of ‘complex’ and ‘lesser-known’ words. No doubt, the Congress MP has time and again left people in a state of puzzle, taking many of them to reach out for the dictionary or to Google as well. With that said, a man while attending Tharoor’s Nagaland event was seen carrying an Oxford Dictionary to decode the terms used by him during the address.

In a video shared on Twitter by R Lungleng, it shows a clip from his show, The Lungleng Show where Tharoor came to interact with the youth of the state. It also shows a man who attended the event with a dictionary in his hand, hinting that he carried it along to decode the Congress leader’s complex vocabulary.

Take a look:

Lungleng while sharing the video also added a caption that reads, “Someone in Nagaland literally brought Oxford Dictionary to my show to listen to Dr Shashi Tharoor. Bringing Dictionary along was just a joke statement until I saw this.”

As soon as the video was shared, social media users took to the comment section and shared their reactions. Many also added laughing emojis in the comments. The video has also amassed over 1,000 views along with several likes.

Notably, a star campaigner for the upcoming Nagaland Assembly elections, Tharoor took part in the event organised in Kohima on 22 February 2023. Speaking on a range of topics including the audiences’ concerns about unemployment, corruption, lack of development, and the state government’s failure to complete promised projects, Tharoor also interacted with the youth and assured them of a better course of plans from his party.



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Vinayagar Lake in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur is alive once again benefitting over 3,000 farmers

While the drastic climate changes around the world have brought drastic consequences to the environment, especially in water bodies causing sea levels to rise, flooding, and also drought and water shortages in several places. With this said, the southern state of Tamil Nadu is also among the ones to battle the water crisis besides an acute water shortage due to drying lakes and depleted groundwater. While several environmental conservatives and NGOs are working towards reviving such dried-up water bodies and water sources, an organisation called Mega Foundations through its 136th Waterbody Restoration Project has successfully revived the Vinayagar Lake in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur.

Taking to his Twitter handle, Nimal Raghavan, founder of the organisation shared pictures of the lake comparing it until 2022 and now in 2023. Dead for a few decades, Vinayagar lake is fully alive now and this lake benefits 3000+ farmers and 100s of cattle,” he wrote further adding that the water body which spans over 6 acres will have a capacity of holding 10 crore litres of water.

Take a look:

Impressed by the organisation's initiative, Dr Erik Solheim, a former Norwegian diplomat and former executive director of the UN Environment Programme also shared the pictures of the lake and lauded the founder for his initiative.

As evident in the post, while the first picture shows a completely dried-up lake in 2022, the second one shows it completely filled with water and all green and alive again.

Social media users also took to the comment section and shared their reactions to the post. "That's great news! The revival of Vinayagar lake will have a positive impact on the farmers and cattle in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. It's inspiring to see efforts towards restoring natural resources for the benefit of the community and the environment," a user wrote.

It is pertinent to note Nimal Raghavan who is known for dedicating his life to the restoration of water bodies has also received recognition from the Indian government.

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Explained: Why CBI officials arrested Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case

India’s national capital, Delhi, is on tenterhooks. The reason: the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, is readying itself to carry out a nationwide protest against the arrest of Manish Sisodia, the capital’s deputy chief minister, in connection with the alleged liquor excise policy case.

On Sunday, Sisodia, who is also Kejriwal’s second in-command, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after eight hours of questioning. In a statement, the central agency said that the Delhi deputy CM had given evasive responses and had not cooperated with the investigation.

Manish Sisodia will be presented before Avenue court today and the CBI is expected to get the custody of the minister.

We review the matter at hand — from why the CBI has arrested Sisodia to what exactly is the liquor excise policy case.

What led to Sisodia’s arrest?

On Sunday, Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was called in for questioning by CBI officials at 11 am. Before he headed for questioning, the AAP leader spent about 15 minutes at Rajghat along with MPs Sanjay Singh and Raghav Chadha and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj.

In an emotional message to party workers and others gathered outside his house, Sisodia said, “I might have to go to jail for about seven-eight months. I don’t fear going to jail, my only worry is for my wife, who is not doing well these days. You all have to take care of her.”

Sisodia had been called into questioning to determine his role in the alleged corruption in the implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22.

However, after eight hours of rigorous questioning, the officials arrested Sisodia, saying he was not cooperating with the investigation.

The agency explaining the arrest of the AAP leader said, “The deputy chief minister was issued a notice u/s 41A CrPC for attending the investigation on 19.02.2023. However, he sought time of one week citing his pre-occupation. Accepting his request, he was issued a notice u/s 41A Cr.P.C for attending the investigation today (on 26.02.2023) for answering various questions evaded by him during his examination on 17.10.2022 and further questions relating to his incriminating role based on evidence collected during investigation of the case.”

“However, he gave evasive replies and did not co-operate the investigation despite being confronted with evidence to the contrary. Therefore, he has been arrested,” it added.

According to sources within the CBI, the minister failed to provide proper explanations about a few contentious provisions that had been added to the Delhi Liquor Policy which wasn’t part of the first draft.

When asked about it, Sisodia mostly claimed “I don’t know”.

But, CBI officials revealed to media outlets that an excise official had told the authorities that Sisodia had played a role in tweaking the liquor policy draft. Additionally, there was no record on the excise policy department’s server on how these modifications were made.

An NDTV report further stated that several files from Sisodia’s computer pertaining to the liquor policy had been deleted. However, officials managed to retrieve the records with the help of the CBI’s forensic team.

But what is this liquor excise case all about?

Manish Sisodia’s arrest pertains to the now-scrapped liquor policy for 2021-22. On 17 November 2021, the AAP government in the nation’s capital had implemented the new excise policy under which 849 liquor vends were awarded to private companies through open bidding. Also, the city was divided into 32 zones, each with a maximum of 27 vends. Instead of individual licences, bidding was done zone-by-zone.

According to AAP, the purpose of the new policy was to end the liquor mafia and black marketing, increase revenue and improve the consumer experience, and ensure equitable distribution of liquor vends.

In May of 2022, the Delhi government introduced further changes to the policy, including home delivery of liquor, the opening of shops till 3 am, and allowing licensees to offer unlimited discounts.

However, before these changes could be implemented, it had to be examined by Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar. Kumar flagged “procedural lapses” and irregularities in the policy. He sent a report to Sisodia, who heads the excise department, in July 2022, asking for answers. He also sent the report to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Lieutenant Governor VK Saexna. Kumar additionally informed the Economic Offences Wing about the alleged illegalities and asked them to probe the matter.

Also read: From Excise Policy to freebies: The many clashes between AAP and Centre

In his report, Kumar alleged that Sisodia provided undue benefits to liquor vend licensees in lieu of “kickbacks” and “commissions” that were allegedly used by party in the Punjab Assembly elections in February in 2022.

The Delhi chief secretary’s report further alleged that “Minister In-charge of the Excise Department, Manish Sisodia, took and got executed, major decisions/actions”, which were “in violation of the statutory provisions and the notified Excise Policy that had huge financial implications.”

In the meantime, the AAP government scrapped the new policy and reverted to old one in July.

In August, the CBI then lodged an FIR in the case on 17 August and raided 31 locations across seven states and Union territories on 19 August, including the residence of Sisodia in Delhi.

The AAP has dismissed all the claims of any wrongdoing, saying it was an attempt by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the ruling party at the Centre, to settle political scores.

What lies ahead for the AAP?

The arrest of Sisodia does not bode well for the Delhi ruling party, the AAP, and the Kejriwal government. Sisodia held 18 of the 33 departments in the Capital’s government, including crucial ones such as education, finance and home.

The arrest of Sisodia comes after that of Satyendar Jain, Delhi’s the then health minister, in June last year. Both have played important roles in transforming Delhi’s education and health services, contributing to the party’s popularity and continued electoral success.

The immediate concern is Kejriwal presenting the Delhi government budget and finding a replacement for Sisodia. Sources in the Aam Aadmi Party told news agency PTI that Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot may present the Delhi government budget for the next financial year. As there was a possibility that the deputy chief minister may be arrested by the CBI, Gahlot was attending budget-related meetings for the last few days. “Gahlot is likely to present the 2023-24 budget. It is scheduled to be presented next month,” an AAP functionary told PTI.

With inputs from agencies

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Union Budget focused on providing last mile facilities to tribals, rural areas: PM Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday spoke highly of the 2023-24 Union Budget, also called the ‘Amrit Kaal’ Budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. He emphasized on how the budget will help India reach the “last mile”.

PM Modi also emphasized on the growth of the tribal community, digital learning in schools and workshops for more knowledge on start-ups. “If we start workshops for start-ups and digital marketing in schools, it will provide great benefit to our tribal community. When children pass out of Eklavya Model Residential Schools, they’ll know how to promote tribal product of their region and how to do their online branding,” he said.

PM Modi’s remarks came during a webinar on “Reaching the Last Mile” that he addressed on Monday. “There is a need to take the mantra of Reaching The Last Mile to the last mile in the tribal areas and rural areas in India,” he noted.

Highlighting the importance of good governance, the Prime Minister said, “The most essential condition for the success of any government work or project is good governance. When work is measurable and constantly monitored, it is natural that you can meet goals set within a timeframe and get desired results.”

Earlier, it took decades for vaccines to reach far-off places in the country, he noted. “Crores of children especially in rural and tribal belts had to wait for years for vaccines,” he said.

The prime minister lauded the Centre for resorting to modern ways and not having an old approach. “Had we worked with the old approach, India would have taken several more decades for full vaccination coverage,” he said.

“When the coronavirus pandemic arrived in India, the new system benefitted us in taking vaccines to far-off places. I believe good governance played a big role that made the last mile delivery possible,” he concluded.

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Sunday 26 February 2023

Kashmiri Pandit shot dead by terrorists in J&K's Pulwama

New Delhi: In yet another targeted killing in Jammu and Kashmir, a Kashmiri Pandit working as a security guard at a bank was shot dead by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Pulwama on Sunday morning.

The victim, identified as Sanjay Sharma, a resident of Achan village in Pulwama, was attacked by terrorists when he was on his way to a local market. He was critically injured in the attack following which he was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

“Terrorists fired upon one civilian from minority namely Sanjay Sharma S/O Kashinath Sharma R/O Achan Pulwama while on way to local market. He was shifted to hospital however, he succumbed to injuries. There was Armed guard in his village. Area cordoned off. Details shall follow,” the Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted.

This is the first fatal attack on a Kashmiri Pandit in the Valley since October.

In October last year, a Kashmiri Pandit farmer Puran Krishan Bhat was gunned down by suspected militants outside his house in Chowdhary Gund village of Shopian. The killing had triggered a fresh wave of migration from the Valley as ten families from the village left for Jammu soon after.

After the abolition of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, there have been a number of assaults against Kashmiri Pandits and other members of the minority community in the Valley. From October 2021, the attacks have increased.

Reacting to the development, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said he was”deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Sanjay Pandith” and unequivocally condemned the attack.

“Deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Sanjay Pandith of Achan in Pulwama district of South Kashmir. Sanjay was working as a bank security guard & was killed in a militant attack earlier today. I unequivocally condemn this attack & send my condolences to his loved ones,” tweeted National Conference leader Omar Abdullah.

With inputs from agencies

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Friday 24 February 2023

Age-old kebab recipe penned by Warren Hastings goes viral; check how internet reacted

Kebabs are one of the most popular and favourite choices among food lovers across the world. Thanks to their aroma, juicy flavour and mouth-watering taste, kebabs are loved by everyone and are enjoyed as a snack and also as a full meal. While there are several kebab recipes around us to prepare the tasty dish, one age-old recipe penned down by none other than Warren Hastings is going viral on the internet. Hastings was the former Governor General of Bengal appointed by East India Company. The recipe which was noted down by the British administrator during his stay at Lucknow in 1784 has been shared by writer Ira Mukhoty.

Taking to Twitter, Mukhoty mentioned that the note is from July 1784 when Hastings was in Lucknow with Nawab Asaf. The recipe was obtained from Hastings’ private diary.

As the handwritten note reads, it shows a detailed list of ingredients along with the proper measurements including keema or minced meat, salt, chilly, garlic, egg yolks, cream, onions, whole species, and butter among others. Furthermore, the note also shows a detailed recipe describing the procedure to prepare the dish.

Take a look:

“>

As soon as the photo was shared, the recipe went viral in a short span of time, grabbing the attention of several social media users. A user wrote, “Yum. Thank you for sharing. What are nos. 5 and 7? Not ”parched boot” and “dhip” surely? would love to try this!” while another user wrote, “After his return to England Hastings missed curry, & needed the spices. He set about growing his own from seed sent from England. My 4 x gt uncle Edward Baber had been WH Secretary in India, & also retired to England. They swapped seeds & progress reports on their greenhouses.”

Another user wrote, “Some of the tastiest kebabs in the world are still to be found in Lucknow.”

The post has so far grabbed over 70,000 views with hundreds of likes and several comments.

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Medicinal plant from Assam found to have cardioprotective potential

Guwahati: Garcinia pedunculata, a medicinal plant commonly called ‘Borthekera’ in the Assamese language, traditionally forbidden for raw consumption, has been found to protect from heart diseases.

Administration of the dried pulp of the ripe fruit of the medicinal plant reduced cardiac hypertrophy indicators and oxidative stress and heart inflammation brought on by ISO.

The sun-dried slices of the ripe fruit are used for culinary and medicinal purposes and are known to have therapeutic properties like anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, nephroprotective, and even neuroprotective activity. With scientific interventions seeking proof of these claims, multiple studies have been reported that G. pedunculata is a rich source of antioxidants. However, the cardioprotective potential has yet to be explored earlier.

Scientists of Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), explored this medicinal plant’s potential to prevent heart diseases. A double dosage of bioactive chloroform fraction (GC) of the herb was fed to Wistar rats at 24-hour intervals (85mg/kg body weight (BW) for 28 days.

To assess the therapeutic effect, this was followed by injection of isoproterenol following the isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction model. All the animals were analyzed, revealing that the disease group had significant ST wave (ST is the segment representing the interval between depolarization and repolarization of the heart’s ventricles) elevation, indicating myocardial infarction, which was normalized with Atenolol and GC treatment. Cardiac hypertrophy, cardiac troponin I, tissue lipid peroxidation, and serum inflammatory markers were all significantly elevated in the disease group, which were maintained at near-normal levels in the GC pretreated groups. The endogenous antioxidants were also revamped in the GC-treated groups.

Swarnali Bhattacharjee, SRF, under the supervision of Dr. Rajlakshmi Devi, have attributed these improvements to the excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of GC that helped protect the heart against isoproterenol-induced injury.

Moreover, the chemical characterization of the chloroform fraction revealed the presence of active phytocompounds like hydroxycitric acid, hydroxycitric acid lactone, and parvifoliquinone along with compounds like GB-1a, Garcinone A, 9-Hydroxycalabaxanthone, Chlorogenic acid, and Garcinol as well. The therapeutic effects reported in this study are likely due to the presence of all these compounds. All these results strongly infer the good cardioprotective potential of G. pedunculata fruit abundantly available in Northeast India.

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Antony Blinken to visit India on 1 March for G20 foreign ministers’ meet

New Delhi: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will attend the G20 foreign ministers’ meet in Delhi on 1 March, the US State Department said in press release on Thursday.

The meet, which is taking place one year after the beginning of the war in Ukraine, will also be attended by Blinken’s Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

Earlier the US officials had only said that Blinken may attend the meet, but after the Russians confirmed Lavrov will attend the meet, the US followed with confirming Blinken’s, according to a CNN-NEWS18 report.

Blinken’s India visit will focus on focus on “strengthening multilateralism and deepening cooperation on food and energy security, sustainable development, counter-narcotics, global health, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and gender equality and women’s empowerment”, the press release read.

He will travel to the central Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan as a part of the wider regional visit from 28 February to 3 March.

Blinken will also participate in a C5+1 Ministerial with representatives of each of the five Central Asian states; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Tougher sanctions on Russia

Yesterday, US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, during a G20 meeting in Bengaluru called for tougher sanctions on Russia.

Yellen was speaking on the eve of anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“We are seeking to strengthen sanctions and make sure that we address violations of sanctions,” she said.

She said that Russia was looking for alternative routes to restock its equipment to replace and repair weapons damaged in the war.

“We have deprived them of many channels they can obtain material that is critical for their defence efforts,” she said, adding, ““that is a particular focus we have in mind in respect to enforcement of existing sanctions and perhaps with respect to further sanctions.”

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Thursday 23 February 2023

'Trust in international financial institutions has eroded', says PM Modi at G20 finance ministers’ meet

New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday called for the Group of 20, or G20, to focus on the world’s most vulnerable citizens. He also said the financial viability of many countries is being threatened by unsustainable debt.

In his video address to G20 meeting of finance ministers and governors of central banks at G20 Summit that is being held under India’s presidency, PM Modi spoke about the digital economy built by the country, as well as the global economic turmoil, war and finances.

The first ministerial meeting of the world’s largest economies took place in Bengaluru, capital of southern Indian state, Karnataka.

The two-day meet at a hill resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru is the first major event of India’s G20 presidency and it coincides with the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

G20 should focus on vulnerable citizens

Calling for focus on the global economic situation, Modi said trust in international financial institutions has eroded. He emphasised that G20 discussions should focus on the world’s most vulnerable citizens.

“I would urge that your discussions should focus on the most vulnerable citizens of the world. Only by creating an inclusive agenda will the global economic leadership win back the confidence of the world. The theme of our G20 presidency also promotes this inclusive vision – ‘one earth, one family, one future’,” the Indian Prime Minister said.

At the beginning of his address, Modi said: “I am aware of the challenges you face. You represent the leadership of global finance and economy at a time when the world is facing serious economic difficulties.”

Trust in international financial institutions has eroded

PM Modi listed out recent challenges to the global economy – the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, rising geopolitical tensions in different parts of the world, disruptions in global supply chains, and food and energy security – and noted that the “financial viability of many countries is threatened by unsustainable debt levels”.

He went on to say that trust in international financial institutions has eroded because they were slow to reform themselves.

“It is now up to you – the custodians of the leading economies and monetary systems of the world to bring back stability, confidence and growth to the global economy. It is not an easy task,” PM Modi said.

India’s digital payment ecosystem radically transformed governance

The Prime Minister said over the past few years, the Indian government has created a highly secure, trusted and efficient public digital infrastructure.

“Our Digital payments ecosystem has radically transformed governance, financial inclusion, and ease of living,” Modi said.

A new system has been created by India that allows G20 delegates to use the country’s digital payments platform, UPI.

“Examples like UPI can be templates for many other countries too. We would be happy to share our experience with the world. And the G20 can be a vehicle for this,” the Prime Minister said.

Draw inspiration from ‘vibrancy of the Indian economy’

The Indian Prime Minister urged world’s leading finance officials of G20 countries to draw inspiration from the “vibrancy of the Indian economy”.

“Indian consumers and producers are optimistic and confident about the future. We hope that you will be able to transmit the same positive spirit to the global economy,” the Prime Minister added.

Modi also said that there has been rising geo-political tensions in different parts of the world. “There are disruptions in global supply chains. Many societies are suffering due to rising prices,” he told the delegates.

G20 presidency of India comes as neighboring South Asian countries Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have been seeking bailouts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) due to an economic slowdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine conflict.

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India, China abstain from UN General Assembly vote for peace in Ukraine

New York: India, China were among the 32 members of the United Nations General Assembly that abstained from UN vote demanding Russia to “immediately and unconditionally” withdraw troops from Ukraine.

On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) approved a nonbinding resolution that calls for Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine and withdraw its forces.

Drafted by Ukraine in consultation with its allies, the resolution was passed 141-7.

Of the 193-member UNGA, 141 member nations voted in favour of the resolution, seven opposed the resolution and 32 members abstained.

India has largely abstained from voting against Russia in the resolutions introduced at the UNGA, while advocating for peace through diplomatic channels.

Countries that voted against were Belarus, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.

Also Read: UN votes to demand Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw troops from Ukraine

The resolution underscored the need to reach as soon as possible “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”. It also called upon member states and international organisations to redouble support for diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, consistent with the UN Charter.

'No solution at cost of human lives'

Abstaining from voting, India reiterated its position in the Russia-Ukraine war and said dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable way out.

India's permanent representative to the UN Ruchira Kamboj quoted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocating that “no solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives”.

"India remains steadfastly committed to multilateralism and upholds the principles of the UN Charter. We will always call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable way out. While we take note of the stated objective of today's Resolution, given its inherent limitations in reaching our desired goal of securing a lasting peace, we are constrained to abstain," she said.

Quoting the Indian Prime Minister, Kamboj said: “We have consistently advocated that no solution can ever arrive at the cost of human lives. In this context, our Prime Minister's statement that this cannot be an era of war bears reiteration. Escalation of hostilities and violence is in no one's interest, instead, an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the way forward.”

She further said that international principles and jurisprudence vest responsibility on parties to the conflict to ensure that civilians and civilian infrastructure are not targeted in situations of armed conflicts.

Kamboj went on to say that India's approach to the Ukraine conflict would continue to be people-centric. India is providing both humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and economic support to some of the neighbours in the Global South under economic distress, even as they stare at the escalating costs of food, fuel, and fertilizers.

Foreign ministers and diplomats from more than 75 countries addressed the UN General Assembly during two days of debate, during which many urged support for the resolution that upholds Ukraine’s territorial integrity, a basic principle of the UN Charter that all countries must subscribe to when they join the world organisation.

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Nagaland’s culture, language, attire and history will be protected: Amit Shah

Kohima: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that government peace talks on the contentious Naga issue has been going on under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and assured that it would be successful.

Addressing an election rally in Tuensang Sadar in Nagaland, he said the Modi government has ensured the peace and development of Nagaland.

“Naga peace talks are going on. What Modi has started, it will be successful. Naga culture, language, attire, tradition and history would be protected and the region will be developed,” he said.

“Due to the model code of conduct, an agreement could not be signed. After the February 27 assembly polls, an agreement will be signed by the Union Home Ministry ensuring the Naga people’s rights and development,” Shah said.

Shah said the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation’s (ENPO) withdrawal of its poll boycott was a welcome move. All issues raised by the ENPO have been discussed and an agreement would be signed after the assembly elections. ENPO had, on February 4, withdrawn its call to boycott the February 27 assembly polls as its demand for a separate Frontier Nagaland state has not been met.

Shah said the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act (AFSPA) was withdrawn from 15 police station areas of seven Nagaland districts and within 3-4 years, the AFSPA would be withdrawn from entire Nagaland.

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Morbi in 1979 to Turkey in 2023: Narendra Modi, the humanitarian, has always been there for people in India & the world

New Delhi: “India has emerged as the first responder to the countries hit by natural disasters in any part of the world,” said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 20. He was underscoring India’s efforts during ‘Operation Dost’ in Turkey in the aftermath of two devastating earthquakes, the worst natural calamities ever since the country was founded.

He said this while meeting with the NDRF team that returned from Turkey after the relief work.

Prime Minister Modi aptly underlined the age-old Indian aphorism of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.

But, relief operations in earthquake-hit Turkey are only the latest example. For decades Narendra Modi has always stood tall and as a pillar of strength to help everyone in need. There are several instances where Modi led relief operations during natural disasters in India and outside, providing succour to several nations in times of distress.

Modi has always been a ‘pradhan sevak’

There have been many occasions when PM Modi’s shoulder of support and his leadership have proved to be of great help to people in need.

On August 11, 1979, Gujarat faced an extremely painful tragedy when the dam on Machchhu river gave way and the floods wreaked havoc in Morbi and nearby areas.

The sweeping waves of destruction had risen as high as 30 feet, which claimed thousands of lives after an entire district got submerged in less than 20 minutes.

Narendra Modi, still in his twenties, quickly swung into action for relief work in Morbi. He led from the front in this mission and micro-managed the relief operations.

Modi and his team rushed to the spot to support the survivors. He was at the forefront of all the planning of the relief work.

Modi deployed separate teams to clean roads, clear muck from the houses after the floods. He has deployed teams to pull out the dead bodies from the muck and grime and cremate them.

Modi arranged huge amounts of food material for survivors and managed their distribution.

Modi also managed to bring a team of doctors to prevent the spread of diseases in the aftermath of the floods.

He gathered at Morbi volunteers from across different districts of Gujarat to participate in relief operations.

The trail of destruction the receding waters left behind was not for the faint-hearted. But, Modi did not let his resolve weaken in helping those trying to rebuild whatever was left of their lives.

Modi has always operated from a place of deep empathy and has been proactively involved in the problems of people. No wonder, when the tragedy of 2006 Surat floods wrought down destruction, he resolved that he wouldn’t drink water until people of Surat got access to clean potable water.

The Kutch earthquake struck on January 26, 1991. It was one of the greatest calamities to have affected Gujarat in recent times. Narendra Modi spearheaded the efforts to bring the region back on to its feet.

In 2013, a heart-wrenching tragedy struck Uttarakhand. A terrible cloud burst resulted in a deluge that submerged even the holy Kedarnath shrine.

Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, played a major role in providing relief material to people there.

Narendra Modi was the only CM who visited Dehradun at that time. Modi requested the Congress-led state government that the responsibility to restore the Kedarnath Valley should be given to him. He came with his officers and had all the data about people from Gujarat stuck in Uttarakhand. He also handed over a cheque of Rs 5 crore to the state government.

Modi government also arranged for the transportation of people from other states. He had also sent train-loads of relief material from Gujarat.

These are only a few examples of the incidents when Narendra Modi stood firmly behind the people of India as a rock.

Modi’s helping hand always extends to the world

The devastating earthquake in Turkey this year was massive and claimed thousands of lives. India under PM Modi was one of the first nations who came forward for providing help. Several videos of Turkish people greeting Indian rescuers also went viral on the social media.

Similarly, in 2015, when Nepal trembled under a massive earthquake that claimed almost 9000 lives, the Indian Airforce (IAF) flew our National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team there.

The Indian Navy was the first to arrive in the Maldives to provide fresh drinking water to over 1,50,000 of its citizens who were facing an acute shortage of potable water in December 2015.

Likewise, India was the first to respond to the devastating floods in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

India has been the first to evacuate its people and also foreigners from war zones, for instance, operation ‘Rahat’ conducted in Yemen in 2015. Of the total 5,600 people, who were evacuated, 960 were foreign nationals.

While it is natural for a prime minister to be benevolently inclined to the cause of its citizens, extending the same amount of empathy and benevolence to those outside of India and promoting their well-being is an extraordinary feat.

It comes innately to Modi.

As part of its humanitarian efforts during COVID-19 pandemic, India initiated ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme in order to provide poorer countries equitable access to life-saving vaccines.

When thousands of Indians found themselves caught in the middle of a war-torn Yemen in 2015, the Modi government initiated ‘Operation Rahat’ and rescued around 4,640 Indians and also over 900 foreign nationals.

Operation ‘Devi Shakti’ again demonstrated Modi government’s prowess in rescuing Indians from tense situations be it any corner of the globe. After the Taliban had laid siege to the Afghan capital of Kabul post the withdrawal of US troops, the Modi government sent several flights to Kabul and evacuated around 500 Indians and over 200 Afghan nationals, including those from minority communities such as Sikh and Hindu.

A much bigger rescue operation was the ‘Vande Bharat’ campaign. The Modi government repatriated close to 1.8 crore Indians stuck in different countries due to Covid-19. Over 2 lakh flights were undertaken in, arguably, the biggest rescue mission carried out by any country.

If ‘Vande Bharat’ was spectacular, ‘Operation Ganga’ was simply incredible. There was a war raging in Ukraine and thousands of Indians were stranded. ‘Operation Ganga’ was launched to rescue more than 20,000 Indian nationals by ensuring a safe passage from Ukraine and into neighbouring countries such as Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland.

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Explained: Should India’s salaried class opt for EPFO’s higher pension option?

Listen up… Indian salaried workers may now be entitled to a higher pension. On Monday, the government retirement fund body Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) introduced a new process that helps employers and subscribers to jointly apply for higher pensions under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS).

The new guidelines come just two weeks before the end of the four-month deadline set up by the Supreme Court to enable eligible subscribers to opt for higher pensions under EPS.

We try to simplify what’s new and if you should actually opt for this?

What’s the new rule?

The EPFO will now allow subscribers to go beyond the pensionable salary capped at Rs 15,000 a month on which employers deduct a sum equal to 8.33 per cent of the ‘actual basic salary’ towards pension under EPS.

The pensionable salary cap had been increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 15,000 per month by the EPS amendment of August 2014. The same amendment also allowed members and their employers to jointly contribute 8.33 per cent of their actual salaries towards EPS, if exceeding the cap.

However, several subscribers and pensioners missed this opportunity and hence as mandated by the Supreme Court, a new window has been provided.

Also read: Supreme Court’s EPF decision and what it means for you

Who is eligible for the new window?

As per the EPFO circular, all existing employees, or those who retired after 1 September 2014 can claim higher pension based on actual salary beyond the prescribed ceiling in the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS) of 1995.

The EPS is administered by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation. File image/PTI

How to apply for higher pension now?

If you wish to apply for this new option, there are a few steps to follow.

1) As per news agency PTI, the EPFO stated that “a facility will be provided for which URL (unique resource location) will be informed”.
2) The application will be registered digitally and the receipt number will be provided to the applicant. Each case will be examined by the office in-charge of the concerned regional provident fund (PF) office.
3) An email/post will be sent to the applicant informing him/her of the decision on the application. Later, an SMS may also be sent.
4) To avail enhanced benefit in the application form, the eligible subscribers will have to jointly apply with their employers and the deadline to apply for higher pension is 3 March.

What does all this mean for the common salaried man?

It is important to note here that all salaried employees get provident fund and pension benefits under two schemes — the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Employee Pension Scheme. These are both governed by the EPFO.

Currently, the EPS provides employees with pension after the age of 58, if they have rendered at least 10 years of service and retired at age 58. This pension is decided by a formula that is — monthly pension = pensionable salary x pensionable service/70. By this formula, the pensionable salary is capped at Rs 15,000 per month.

Also read: What’s the Old Pension Scheme?

If one opts for the new window now, one will receive a higher government-guaranteed pension after retirement. However, there is nothing like a free meal, as the saying goes, and opting for a higher pension would mean part of your pension and the interest that has accrued so far will be transferred to the Centre’s EPS fund. This means a lower lump sum payout at retirement.

So, should you opt for it?

In a Moneycontrol report, Saraswathi Kasturirangan, partner, Deloitte India, explained there’s no clear answer. “Look at your monthly salary. If you are in your 30s, 40s or early 50s, try and estimate as to how much your salary is likely to be in your 50s and the quantum of increments you are likely to get,” she said to the news portal.

Kasturirangan says that EPS provides a regular income in retirement years. “Being a defined-benefit scheme helps the retired, as the pension is not market-linked. Even in bad market conditions, you get your regular and fixed pension as has been fixed by the formula,” she further said to Moneycontrol.

R Krupakaran, General Secretary, All India EPF Staff Federation, was quoted as telling the Financial Times that those who retired after 2015-16, should consider opting for the higher pension as it would be advantageous to them. “Subscribers who retired five to 10 years ago will stand to gain as the lump sum that they transfer to the EPS will be given to them as pension,” he noted.

Kiran Telang, a Mumbai-based financial planner, when asked about the same was cautious about the new window. Speaking to Moneycontrol, she said the pension would certainly increase and the formula for paying this regular pension makes EPS “very attractive”. However, her worry is if the EPFO would be able to maintain the higher payout?

With inputs from agencies

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