Narendra Modi to visit Dehradun on 4 December, lay foundation stone of projects worth Rs 18,000 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Dehradun to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple projects worth around Rs 18,000 crore on 4 December.

As per the official note released by the Prime Minister's Office, PM Modi will lay the foundation stone of eleven development projects, which includes the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor (from Eastern Peripheral Expressway Junction to Dehradun) which will be built at a cost of around Rs 8,300 crore. It will significantly reduce the travel time from Delhi to Dehradun from six hours to around two-and-a-half-hours. It will have seven major interchanges for connectivity to Haridwar, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Yamunanagar, Baghpat, Meerut and Baraut. It will also have Asia's largest wildlife elevated corridor (12 km) for unrestricted wildlife movement.

Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will reduce travel time to 2.5 hours; will have Asia’s largest wildlife elevated corridor for unrestricted wildlife movement @PMOIndia@MIB_India@PIB_India
Details: https://t.co/r2inQxI8d9

— PIB in Tripura (@PIBAgartala) December 1, 2021

Discussion held over election preparedness. On Dec 4, PM Modi will be visiting Dehradun, so action plan for the same was discussed too. We're aiming to get over 1 lakh people for PM's program: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar S Dhami on his meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda in Delhi (27.11) pic.twitter.com/ZddxK0PiWX

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2021

"The greenfield alignment project from Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor, connecting Halgoa, Saharanpur to Bhadrabad, Haridwar will be constructed at a cost of over Rs 2000 crore. It will provide seamless connectivity and reduce travel time from Delhi to Haridwar as well. The Haridwar Ring Road Project from Manoharpur to Kangri, to be built at a cost of over Rs 1,600 crore, will give a respite to residents from traffic congestion in Haridwar city, especially during peak tourist season, and also improve connectivity with Kumaon zone," reads the release.

The Dehradun-Paonta Sahib (Himachal Pradesh) road project, to be constructed at a cost of around Rs 1,700 crore, will reduce travel time and provide seamless connectivity between the two places. It will also boost inter-state tourism. The Nazimabad-Kotdwar road widening project will reduce travel time and also improve connectivity to Lansdowne, the PMO said.

It further added that a bridge across River Ganga next to the Laksham Jhula will also be constructed. The world-renowned Lakshman Jhula was constructed in 1929 but has now been closed due to decreased load-carrying capacity. The bridge to be constructed will have the provision of a glass deck for people walking, and will also allow lightweight vehicles to move across.

The prime minister will also lay the foundation stone for the Child-Friendly City Project, Dehradun, to make the city child-friendly by making the roads safer for their travel. Foundation stone for projects related to the development of water supply, road & drainage system in Dehradun at a cost of over Rs 700 crore will also be laid.

He will inaugurate seven projects, including those which focus on making travel safer by tackling the problem of chronic landslides in the region. He will also inaugurate Hydroelectric Project and Himalayan Culture Center at Dehradun.

With inputs from ANI

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57th BSF Raising Day: PM Modi, Amit Shah extend best wishes to mark the occasion

The Border Security Force (BSF) today (Wednesday, 1 December) observed its 57th Raising Day. The BSF was established as a unified Central agency on 1 December, 1965, after the wars with Pakistan and China in 1965 and 1962.

Termed as the country’s first line of defence, the aim behind the formation of BSF was to ensure the security of the country's borders.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes on the occasion of 57th BSF Raising Day. Taking to social media, Modi wrote that the country’s first line of defence is widely respected for its courage and professionalism.

He also hailed the force’s contribution towards securing country’s borders and several humanitarian efforts in times of crisis and calamities.

On their Raising Day, greetings to the @BSF_India family. BSF is widely respected for its courage and professionalism. The force makes a significant contribution towards securing India and is also at the forefront of many humanitarian efforts in times of crisis and calamities. pic.twitter.com/HybLzgsnDO

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 1, 2021

Home minister Amit Shah also extended his wishes to BSF jawans and their families on the 57th Raising Day. He also stated that the entire country was proud of the courage and sacrifice demonstrated by BSF troops in the line of duty.

.@BSF_India पराक्रम, साहस व समर्पण का उत्कृष्ट उदाहरण है। आज BSF के 57वें स्थापना दिवस पर मैं देश की प्रथम रक्षा पंक्ति के सभी बहादुर प्रहरियों व उनके परिजनों को शुभकामनाएं देता हूँ। विषम परिस्थितियों में भी मातृभूमि की रक्षा हेतु आपकी वीरता व बलिदान पर पूरे देश को अभिमान है। pic.twitter.com/q03zBDpIlc — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 1, 2021

Defence minister Rajnath Singh also hailed the courage of BSF soldiers. In his tweet, Singh highlighted the role of the BSF and also praised the "exemplary courage" demonstrated by them on several occasions.

The BSF also took to Twitter and wrote that their journey in the service of the motherland continues for eternity.

According to ANI, BSF patrols about 192 kilometers of the International Border with Pakistan and also deployed, along with the Indian Army, on the Line of Control.

In the year 2021, the BSF encountered many challenges like drone activities, smuggling and tunneling in the region of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the ANI report. But the security force has remained at the forefront in combating all challenges.

The BSF has also organised several Civic Action Camps that cater to the needs of the population in the border areas. These camps have also provided medical equipment, water coolers and so on to the border population.

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Nagaland Statehood Day 2021: President Kovind, PM Modi extend greetings to the people of the state

On the occasion of 59th Nagaland Statehood Day on Wednesday Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to the people of the state.

He tweeted:

On the special occasion of Nagaland’s Statehood Day, greetings to the wonderful people of the state. Naga culture personifies valour and humane values. The people of Nagaland are making rich contributions to India’s growth. I pray for Nagaland’s progress in the years to come. pic.twitter.com/wR2l9DppdO

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 1, 2021

President Ram Nath Kovind too took to Twitter to extend his wishes to the people of the state and posted a picture from his visit to Nagaland in 2017. He tweeted:

Greetings to the people of Nagaland on statehood day. The rich culture and traditions of Naga tribes enrich our ‘Unity in Diversity'. I fondly recall the warmth of the people during my visit in 2017. My best wishes for a bright future of the people and the State. pic.twitter.com/B1mRVfJJ2n

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 1, 2021

On the day, chief minister Neiphiu Rio addressed the Statehood Day celebration at the Nagaland Civil Secretariat Plaza. He also launched the NIPUN Bharat Mission in Nagaland that aims to ensure that every child is equipped with reading, writing and numeracy abilities by the end of Class 3.

Addressed the 59th Statehood Day celebration at Nagaland Civil Secretariat Plaza. Also, launched NIPUN Bharat Mission in Nagaland which aims that every child gets reading, writing and numeracy abilities by the end of grade 3.
Happy Statehood Day! pic.twitter.com/Glfez19l2i

— Neiphiu Rio (@Neiphiu_Rio) December 1, 2021

As Nagaland celebrates its 59th Statehood Day, we look at the history and significance of the day.

History

Nagaland Formation Day is marked annually on 1 December. In 1957 leaders of Nagaland and the Government of India came to an agreement to create a separate region of the Naga Hills, as per ANI.

In order to grant statehood to Nagaland, ' The State of Nagaland Act' was enacted by the Parliament in 1962 . On 1 December, 1963, the region was recognised as a separate state, with Kohima being declared as the capital of Nagaland.

Significance

This day is celebrated by remembering the struggle and sacrifice of Naga leaders who contributed in the formation of Nagaland as the 16th state of India. In previous years', parades, drills and air shows by the Indian Air Force have marked the occasion.

Due to COVID-19 protocols last year, the Nagaland Statehood Day was celebrated in a sombre manner at the Civil Secretariat Plaza in Kohima. Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio took the general salute from a parade contingent and paid tribute to leaders who, through their determination and foresight, had ensured the formation of the state.

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What is zero budget farming and why Prime Minister Narendra Modi is batting for it

A committee will look into the issues of zero budget farming, minimum support price, crop diversification and other issues, said Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, urging the farmers to return to their houses from the borders where they have been protesting for more than a year.

Tomar's announcement of the Centre forming a committee, which will comprise of representatives from the Centre, state governments, farmers, scientists and economists, came after the Narendra Modi-led government repealed the controversial farm laws in Parliament.

The repeal of the farm laws came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on 19 November.

So, what is zero budget farming and how does it affect farmers. Here’s all we know about it.

Zero budget farming

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations calls it Zero Budget Natural Farming. It is a set of farming methods that seeks to bring down the costs of farmers by relying on 'natural products' rather than spending money on pesticides and fertilisers.

The practice first began in the state of Karnataka, born out of collaboration between Subhash Palekar, who put together the ZBNF practices, and the state farmers association Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha.

The idea behind Zero-Budget Natural Farming is to provide an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides and return to a pre-green revolution style of farming.

Zero-Budget Natural Farming is based on the following four pillars:
• Jeevamrutha: It is a mixture of fresh cow dung and aged cow urine, jaggery, pulse flour, water and soil; to be applied on farmland.
• Bijamrita: It is a concoction of neem leaves & pulp, tobacco and green chilies prepared for insect and pest management, which can be used to treat seeds.
• Acchadana (Mulching): It protects topsoil during cultivation and does not destroy it by tilling.
• Whapasa: It is the condition where there are both air molecules and water molecules present in the soil. Thereby helping in reducing irrigation requirement.

Benefits of Zero Budget Natural Farming

Zero Budget Natural Farming aims to reduce costs as it removes the dependence on fertilisers and pesticides. This aspect is important as farmers in India continue to struggle with debt.

The ‘Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households and Land Holdings of Households in Rural India, 2019’, which was released on 10 September 2021 revealed that more than half of the country's agricultural households were in debt, with an average outstanding of Rs 74,121.

The survey found Andhra Pradesh to have the highest average outstanding loan, at Rs 2.45 lakh, among 28 states. The state also had the highest proportion (93.2 per cent) of agricultural households under debt, followed by Telangana (91.7 per cent) and Kerala (69.9 per cent).

Other than the financial aspect, Zero Budget Natural Farming also has a positive effect on the environment. It advocates to steer clear of chemical-intensive farming, which is resulting in soil and environmental degradation. Also, it suits all crops in all agro-climatic zones.

Issues concerning Zero Budget Natural Farming

But while it all sounds very nice, Zero Budget Natural Farming is not without its drawbacks.

Scientists from National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) say that it is an 'unproven' technology.

Speaking to Indian Express, Panjab Singh, president of the NAAS, said: "We reviewed the protocols and claims of ZBNF and concluded that there is no verifiable data or authenticated results from any experiment for it to be considered a feasible technological option."

Moreover, while Zero Budget Natural Farming aims to reduce costs, it seems that's not really the case, as farmers will have bear the cost of labour for field work and cattle rearing. They will also have to invest additional time in the collection of dung and urine, over and above the already labour-intensive farming process.

Also, Zero Budget Natural Farming advocates the need of an Indian breed cow, whose numbers are declining at a fast pace.

Farmers who have been adopting Zero Budget Natural Farming also has seen a decrease in yield, forcing farmers to rethink the proposition.

With inputs from agencies

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Man stabbed for refusing to buy ticket for Salman Khan’s Antim: The Final Truth

A 40-year-old man was arrested for attacking another person with a knife allegedly when the victim refused to buy him a ticket for Salman Khan-starrer Antim: The Final Truth, police said on Tuesday.

The accused, Syed Jiyauddin, is a resident of Chandni Mahal and previously involved in 27 cases. He used to rob people by threatening or attacking them with multi-purpose knife, they said.

Police said that being a fan of Hindi films, the accused wanted to watch a movie show at a cinema hall here. But having no money, he approached the victim with a knife to arrange a ticket for him.

According to police, the incident took place on November 28 with Ajay who had come to watch a movie. At about 7.15 pm, while he was standing outside the cinema hall, the accused came near him and asked him to get a ticket for the movie. When the victim resisted, the accused attacked him with a knife and robbed him of his wallet containing Rs 1,790 along with essential IDs.

The injured man was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment and on inquiry and based on his complaint, a case was registered in Central Delhi's Daryaganj, said Shweta Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central).

Also read: Aayush Sharma on playing a grey character in Antim, working with Salman Khan: 'It's a big responsibility'

The accused was arrested the same day by a patrolling team on duty near the cinema hall and spotted the injured man and another man raising an alarm, she said.

The weapon of offence was recovered along with the victim's wallet, she added.

"During interrogation, Jiyauddin disclosed that he had recently been released from Tihar Jail after serving five years' imprisonment in a 2016 robbery case.

"He is addicted to smack and had no money to fund his addiction, so he arranged a multi-utility knife to rob people," the DCP said.

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JNVST 2022: NVS extends deadline for class 6 registration till 15 Dec

The Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS) has extended the deadline to register for the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Selection Test (JNVST) 2022 Class 6 admission till 15 December. Candidates who want to apply for JNVST 2022 Class 6 admissions can apply till 15 December on the official website of NVS  https://navodaya.gov.in/nvs/en/Home1

How to register

• Visit the official website
  
• Click on the link that reads, JNVST 2022 Class 6 admission
  
• Click on register for Class 6 admission JNVST
  
• Fill the complete application form and check before submission
  
• Submit the form and download the document
  

Direct link to apply is here - https://cbseitms.nic.in/

According to the official notice released by Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti the extension of last date for submission of the application form has been done due to administrative reasons. Earlier, the last date to apply for admission was 30 November. Candidates may apply free of cost on the official website.

JNVST 2022 is scheduled to be held on 30 April 2022 and the exam will begin at 11.30 am. Results will be announced tentatively by June 2022.

Eligibility

Candidates who apply and appear for JNVST Class 6 admission should be currently studying in Class 5 in the academic session of 2021-22. Candidates must be studying in a government/government aided or other recognised school or ‘B’ certificate competency course of National Institute of Open Schooling in the same district where they are seeking admission.

Candidates must note that those who have passed Class 5 in the previous academic session are not eligible to apply and cannot appear in the JNVST admission test.

Age

Candidates who are born before 1 May, 2009 and after 30 April, 2013 are eligible to apply for the class 6 admission test.

For more details on the JNVST 2022 test, candidates are advised to keep visiting the official website.

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Winter Session of Parliament: Allow people to express their views, says Shashi Tharoor as Opposition MPs protest against suspension

It seems that the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha members will continue to affect Parliament proceedings.

The third day of the Winter Session of Parliament began with protests and chants.

On Wednesday, the suspended MPs sat near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament to register their protest.

Delhi | Suspended Opposition members of Rajya Sabha sit on protest against their suspension from the House for the remaining part of the Winter session of Parliament pic.twitter.com/Fo5DKcgkgX

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2021

Earlier, on Tuesday too, the members of the Opposition had sat on dharna to protest the suspension of the 12 Rajya Sabha members after M Venkaiah Naidu had refused to revoke their suspension.

Leader of Opposition Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge speaking to news agency ANI, said, "We are demanding the revocation of suspension of 12 Opposition members of the Rajya Sabha. We will hold a meeting and decide the future course of action."

Expressing solidarity with the protesting members, Congress' Shashi Tharoor also said, "Centre has to realise that in this country other voices deserve to be heard. Parliament is for debate and discussion, you've to allow people to express their views, only then can you truly run a democratic Parliament."

Centre has to realize that in this country other voices deserve to be heard. Parliament is for debate & discussion, you've to allow people to express their views, only then can you truly run a democratic Parliament: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on suspension of 12 Rajya Sabha MPs pic.twitter.com/6vEMCW9OZy

— ANI (@ANI) December 1, 2021

Earlier in the day, Union minister Pralhad Joshi, it was reported, had invited Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for debate over bills tabled in Parliament. He said that discussion should be held in Parliament. He said if suspended Rajya Sabha MPs want to participate, they should apologise. "I urge them to express remorse... We also want a debate," he said.

Meanwhile, inside the Parliament, scenes of ruckus and chaos ensued, forcing Rajya Sabha to be adjourned till afternoon.

Lok Sabha was no better, where Opposition MPs raised slogans of 'We want justice' during the Question Hour in the House. Later, Congress and DMK MPs stormed out of the Lower House, forcing an adjournment till 12 pm.

The Opposition has also been taking on the Centre over the issues of farmers’ welfare and compensation in the lower house.

On Tuesday, the Centre said that it had no data pertaining to either cases against or the number of farmers who died during the year-long agitation demanding repeal of the three contentious farm laws and hence there was no question of providing financial assistance to anyone.

This came as Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar was asked about 'Agitation of Farm Laws' raised by a bunch of MPs in the Lok Sabha.

For those wondering what's all the hullabaloo all about, 12 Opposition MPs of the Rajya Sabha, including Congress MP Chhaya Verma, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi and TMC's Dola Sen, were suspended on Monday for the remaining part of the winter session for their misconduct and unruly behaviour during the last session.

Among the suspended members, six are from the Congress, two each from the TMC and Shiv Sena and one each from the CPM and the CPI.

The Upper House had witnessed ugly scenes when the opposition members were protesting against the three farm bills during the Monsoon session.

With inputs from agencies

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