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Monday, 4 December 2023

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE: Rajya Sabha to discuss economic situation of India

08:26 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Winter Session should be used to discuss key topics, say TMC leaders

TMC leaders emphasised at Monday's opposition gathering that the Winter Session should be used to discuss key topics. They urged that numerous concerns be addressed and that the session not be squandered by protesting on a single one.

08:25 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Bill aimed at regulating legal profession, curbing touts passed by Parliament

A Bill which aims at regulating the legal profession by a single Act and seeks to target "touts" was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday with Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal saying there should be no role of such persons in the country's courts.

08:24 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Discuss Moitra's expulsion report before taking any decision: Oppn members to LS Speaker Birla

Opposition members on Monday demanded a discussion in Lok Sabha on the Ethics Committee report recommending the expulsion of TMC member Mahua Moitra before any decision on the matter.

08:10 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

BJP unlikely to get Rajya Sabha majority by next year

The ruling party may not be able to strengthen its position in the Rajya Sabha and secure a majority by the following year, despite the BJP's triumph in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh.

Sixty-nine Rajya Sabha seats are up for grabs next year, with 56 of them falling vacant in April ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

There are 239 members of the Upper House of Parliament. With 94 seats, the BJP is now the single largest party, followed by the Congress (30 seats) and Trinamool Congress (13 seats).

While the BJP is likely to retain 30 seats, which will fall vacant in April next year, the Congress will retain its seats and get an additional two from Telangana, which it wrested from the BRS in assembly polls held along with that of the other three states.

07:59 (IST)

Parliament Winter Session 2023 LIVE

Rajya Sabha to discuss economic situation of India

The members of the Upper House are likely to hold discussions on the prevailing economic situation of the country as the Parliament reconvenes for Day 2 of the ongoing Winter Session on Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha MPs Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Ghanshyam Tiwari, Lakshmikant Bajpayee, Sushil Kumar Modi, Aditya Prasad and Shambhu Sharan Patel are to initiate a discussion on the 'economic situation in the country' in the Upper House on Tuesday, according to sources.

The members of the Upper House are likely to hold discussions on the prevailing economic situation of the country as the Parliament reconvenes for Day 2 of the ongoing Winter Session on Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha MPs Ayodhya Rami Reddy, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Ghanshyam Tiwari, Lakshmikant Bajpayee, Sushil Kumar Modi, Aditya Prasad and Shambhu Sharan Patel are to initiate a discussion on the ‘economic situation in the country’ in the Upper House on Tuesday, according to sources.

Earlier, on Monday, the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament saw two Bills being passed, with the Rajya Sabha also deciding to discontinue the suspension of AAP MP Raghav Chadha.

The Standing Committee reports on ‘The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023’, ‘The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023’, and ‘The Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023’ were tabled in the two Houses.

The reports were submitted to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on November 10 by Brij Lal, MP and Chairman of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs.

The three bills are on the agenda of the government for passage in the winter session of Parliament.

The report of the Ethics Committee, which looked into cash-for-query allegations against Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, was not tabled in the Lok Sabha, though it was on the listed agenda.

Rajya Sabha passed the Bill to repeal the Indian Post Office Act, 1898 and to consolidate and amend the law relating to the post offices in India.

The opposition members raised questions over some provisions of the bill and asked if the government wanted to create a “surveillance state.”

The government rejected the apprehensions of the members. Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said provisions have been made for reasons of national security and there were similar provisions in the previous version of the Post Office Bill too.

The winter session will continue until December 22.

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Cyclone Michaung: 5 killed, flights cancelled as heavy rain pounds Chennai

Because of its potential effect and destructive nature, the deep depression over the South Bay of Bengal—which has strengthened into cyclonic storm Michaung—is being closely watched.

Five people have died as a result of the storm in various events in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the police reported on Monday.

The state has seen several trees uprooted as a result of the severe winds. People’s life have been impacted as they struggle with problems like waterlogging and other problems in various parts of the southern state.

According to authorities, one individual has been hurt as a result of the tree collapsing.

Given the cyclonic storm, the Chennai airfield will remain closed until 9 a.m. on Tuesday.

“Airfield closed for arrival and departure operations till 0900 hrs IST tomorrow due to adverse weather conditions”, said the Chennai airport authority in a post on ‘X’.

Subways have been closed due to the severe waterlogging in Chennai. Also, traffic has been closed from Manjambakkam to Vadaperumbakkam Road due to the release of water from Puzhal Lake, said the police.

“DDRT Teams are available in all vulnerable areas and they are working in coordination with the GCC and Highways Department,” police added.

About 90 km east-northeast of Chennai, cyclonic storm “Michaung” strengthened into a severe cyclonic storm about 8:30 a.m. today.

The north coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are expected to see heavy to extremely heavy rainfall on December 4 and 5, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). On December 4 and 5, it is predicted to rain light to moderately in most areas and heavy to very heavy in a few, with really heavy falls at isolated places over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Yanam.

Chennai’s public life is significantly impacted by the heavy rains that are hammering many areas of the city. The continuous severe rainfall left several locations flooded, including Wallajah Road, Mount Road, Anna Salai, Chepauk, outside Omandurar government multispecialty hospital, and other low-lying regions.

Heavy rainfall caused Chennai’s well-known Marina Beach to flood, and severe waterlogging shut the roads leading from Mount Road to Marina Beach.

In light of the storm, the Tamil Nadu government has announced Tuesday to be a public holiday in the districts of Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur.

Due to the severe weather in the state, all schools, colleges, educational institutions, and government offices—including those of public undertakings and corporations, boards, banks, and financial institutions—will be closed in the four districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu.

Nonetheless, all necessary services including law enforcement, fire protection, municipal organisations, milk and water supply, medical facilities, electricity supply, transportation, petrol stations, lodging and dining establishments, etc., as well as the offices handling disaster response and relief and rescue activities, shall function as usual.

The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for the state of Tamil Nadu, and the government of that state has encouraged residents to take precautions. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Chennai and the surrounding areas, according to the IMD.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the cyclone is expected to strengthen more in the meantime and make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh by tomorrow morning.

In the midst of the dire circumstances, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called with the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry earlier today on Cyclone “Michaung” and promised them all-out help from the central government.

During distinct phone calls with Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, MK Stalin, and N. Rangasamy, the Home Minister assessed the state of affairs in these regions regarding rescue and relief efforts, along with other measures to guarantee that casualties are kept to a minimum and damage is reduced.

Amit Shah also discussed the intense rains in Chennai with the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, where the Indian Army is rescuing individuals from Mugalivakkam and Manapakkam, which are affected by the rainfall and massive waterlogging.

Due to the impact of the heavy rains on Tuesday, December 5, the Tamil Nadu government had earlier asked private businesses and enterprises in the four districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu to permit their employees to work from home as much as possible.

During Sunday’s National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) meeting, the Cabinet Secretary underlined that, given the most recent IMD forecast, the concerned states need to take all required precautions.

Eight more teams were held in reserve, according to the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), which said that its 21 teams were currently stationed in Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. The Coast Guard, Army, and Navy rescue and relief teams, as well as ships and planes, are also kept on standby.

In the meantime, Indian Railways has significantly increased the capacity of all of its equipment to guarantee and oversee safe and orderly railway operations in the regions that are anticipated to be impacted by Cyclone ‘Michaung’.

The committee was also informed about the precautionary steps being taken by the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Puducherry, as well as the special chief secretary of revenue and disaster management, Andhra Pradesh.

The Indian Railways has established an emergency control cell at the Divisional/HQ level with officers from Operating, Commercial, Engineering, Electrical, Signal/Telecommunications, Security, and other branches in each shift as part of their preparation for cyclone-related disaster management. Their role is to monitor train operations around-the-clock and take appropriate action when needed.

Prior to Cyclone Michaung’s impact, the East Coast Railway (ECoR) cancelled up to 60 trains within its authority.
To keep an eye on Cyclone Michaung, ECoR has established a Crisis Management Cell.

According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy earlier and assessed the state of preparations for battling Cyclone Michaung. The former assured the latter of his full support in handling the cyclone’s aftermath.

(With agency inputs)

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Delhi: Hindu Rao hospital’s medical superintendent suspended after mayor intervenes

Delhi Mayor Shelly Oberoi on Monday ordered the suspension of the medical superintendent of MCD’s Hindu Rao Hospital over alleged infrastructural lapses, officials said.

There was no immediate response from the medical superintendent over the allegations.

According to an MCD official, the suspension order came after the mayor paid a surprise visit to the hospital on Monday and found several infrastructural gaps such as dark corners and corridors, lack of basic hygiene, piles of garbage, and dark and dirty toilets.

The mayor has instructed senior officers of the health department to ensure that the infrastructural lapses are resolved at the earliest possible, the official said.

She will soon visit the hospital again to check the status of the actions taken on her instructions, he added.

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Sunday, 3 December 2023

BJP election win cheers Indian stock market; Sensex, Nifty 50 rally to record high

Sensex and Nifty opened Monday, 4 December, at fresh all-time highs with analysts saying the victory of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assembly elections 2023 in three states – Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, has given fillip to the ongoing rally.

At open, the Nifty 50 rose 1.65 per cent to 20,602.50 points, notching a record high for second session in a row.

The Sensex was up 1.64 per cent at an all-time high of 68,587.82.

At 9:53 am IST, Sensex was up 948.31 points or 1.41 per cent to trade at 68,429.50. Nifty 50 was at 20,556.25 points up 288.35 points or 1.42 per cent.

Refresh for more updates.

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