There was no long term vision in health sector: PM

Agency News: New Delhi

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday claimed that for several decades after Independence, there was a lack of an integrated approach and long term vision in the health sector. “For several decades after Independence, there was a lack of an integrated approach and a long-term vision in health. We have not kept healthcare restricted only to the health ministry, but have emphasised on the whole of the government approach,” he said while addressing a webinar on “Health and Medical Research”.

It has been the endeavour of the Centre, to make medical treatment affordable in India, the Prime Minister added. “That has been the thought behind providing free medical treatment of upto Rs 5 lakh under the Ayushman Bharat scheme. Under this, approximately Rs 80,000 crore, that would’ve been spent on medical treatments, were saved,” he said further.

Ponzi scam: ED raids 15 locations in Mumbai, Nagpur

The ED said that searches were held at the residences and offices of Mehadia, Lokesh Jain, and Karthik Jain -- the main accused in this scam

Agency News: New Delhi

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday said that they recently conducted search and survey operations at 15 places in Nagpur and Mumbai in a case related to a Ponzi Scheme fraud of around Rs 150 crore committed by one Pankaj Mehadia and others. The ED conducted searches on March 3 and seized gold and diamond jewellery worth Rs 5.51 crore, cash of Rs 1.21 crore, digital devices and various incriminating documents during the searches. The ED said that the searches were held at the residences and offices of Mehadia, Lokesh Jain and Karthik Jain, who are the main accused in this scam. The office and residential premises of the main beneficiaries were also raided. The ED initiated PMLA investigation based on an FIR registered at Sitabuldi Police Station, Nagpur, against five people.

For serious diseases, quality and modern health infrastructure in the country is important, the PM said. Government’s focus is also on ensuring that people get testing facilities near their homes and

K’taka CM questions Shivakumar after ISKP claims hand in Mangaluru blast

there are better facilities for first aid, he added. For this, he said, 1.5 lakh health and wellness centres are being prepared in the country, the prime minister informed. Referring to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Minister said that it showed that when such a crisis occurs, even developed systems of prosperous nations collapse.”World is now much more focussed on health. But India’s approach is not restricted to healthcare, we’re also working on ensuring wellness,” he added. “Corona also taught us that supply chain has become a very important matter. When the pandemic was at its peak, for some countries even life-saving things like medicines, vaccines, and medical devices had become weapons,” the Prime Minister noted.

Will bulldoze houses of offenders if voted to power: Telangana BJP chief

Agency News: Hyderabad

BJP’s Telangana unit president Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Monday that if voted to power in Telangana, the BJP would bulldoze the houses of those indulging in crimes against women. Exuding confidence that BJP will come to power in Telangana, he said it would follow the model of Uttar Pradesh which is using bulldozers to demolish the houses of offenders. He was addressing a day-long protest at the party office in Hyderabad to protest against increasing atrocities against women in the state. Sanjay spoke extensively about the death of Preethi, MD student of Kaktiya Medical College, who committed suicide due to alleged harassment by her senior. He reiterated that the government should order a probe by a sitting judge into the death of Preethi. He alleged that the BRS government was siding with Preethi’s senior Saif who was harassing her. Sanjay, who called on the family members of Preethi in Jangaon district on Sunday, alleged that Preethi’s murder was being portrayed as suicide. After the meeting, Sanjay had said that all evidences in the case were destroyed. He claimed that the government was acting in favour

BRS government ignoring crimes against women despite making tall promises, says BJP State president of the accused as it fears that the accused will cause communal riots. He also claimed that the government is threatening family members of Preethi to follow their command. The BJP leader said Preethi would have been alive if her complaint about harassment was taken up seriously and acted up immediately by authorities. He slammed state minister K.T. Rama Rao for terming the incident as a small issue. He also questioned if home minister Mehmood Ali is confined to the old city of Hyderabad. Sanjay said police did not reveal full facts of how Preethi died.

Agency News: Mangaluru

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday questioned Karnataka Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar after a global terror outfit ISKP took responsibility for the Mangaluru cooker blast. Speaking to reporters he said, “NIA is carrying out its duties. They have claimed responsibility. Now, what will Shivakumar say? He ridiculed that it was not a cooker bomb and it was just a cooker and nothing in it. Shivakumar also stated that BJP is misusing the issue. What he will tell now,” CM Bommai questioned. The global terror outfit IS has claimed responsibility for the Mangaluru cooker blast case. Islamic State - Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of the IS has claimed responsibility in its magazine ‘Voice of Khorasan’ which has published a report on carrying out blasts in Mangaluru of Karnataka and Coimbatore of Tamil Nadu.

The blast occurred on November 19, 2022 in a moving auto in Mangaluru. The cooker bomb was allegedly designed to carry out a large-scale attack to fuel communal

Robots to replace human scavengers in Prayagraj

Agency News: Lucknow

There is some good news for human scavengers. In a first for the region, smart robots will soon begin cleaning clogged sewers and the project will begin from Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. The state government has made available three Bandicoot robotic scavengers to Prayagraj Nagar Nigam (PNN) and Jalkal department — the two main bodies entrusted with the task of upkeep of drains and sewers — for the task. They would be pressed into full-fledged service after Holi, officials said. Bandicoot is a robotic machine that is engineered for cleaning any type of sewer manholes.

Rahul taken contract to defame India in foreign land: Anurag Thakur

Agency News: New Delhi tension in the coastal region and in the state. The Islamic Resistance Council (IRC), an unknown Islamic outfit, claimed responsibility for the November 19, 2022, Mangaluru auto blast and warned of another attack in future. Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar had stirred a controversy by stating that the Mangaluru blast incident was done by the ruling BJP to divert attention of the people from the Voter ID scam. Shivakumar further had questioned that “without investigation how the suspect Mohammad Shariq arrested in connection with the blast could be declared as a terrorist? Was it an incident like the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack? Was it an incident like the Pulwama terror attack?

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of defaming the country in a foreign land. It appears that he has taken a contract to defame India abroad, he added. Speaking to the media this morning, minister Thakur said, “Be it among his foreign friends, agencies or foreign land - he’s leaving no stone unturned to defame India. To hide his failures, he has taken a contract to defame India from foreign land in a planned manner”. He further said, His language, thoughts & working style are suspicious.

The robot consists of two major units — a stand unit and a robotic drone unit. The drone unit is the one that dives into the manholes for the cleaning operations or unblocking operations. The diving depth of the robotic drone is customisable according to the maximum depth needed for the job, the officials said. General manager, Jalkal department, Kumar Gaurav said the government had provided three Bandicoot robots costing Rs 1.18 crore that will do the work of workers who were until now engaged to clean drains and sewers Fully automatic, the robots will directly enter the deep sewer line through the manhole and clean it, he said.

Another accused in Prayagraj murder killed in encounter

Agency News: Prayagraj

Another person accused in the Umesh Pal murder case was killed in an encounter with Prayagraj police on Monday. Vijay Kumar, a.k.a Usman Chaudhary, was seriously injured and taken to a hospital where he later died. Ramit Sharma, Commissioner of Police, said that the encounter took place between the police and the accused in the Kaundhiyara police station area. On February 27, three days after the daylight murder of Umesh Pal, the police gunned down an accused, identified as Arbaaz.

Maha is restless for political change:

Sharad Pawar

Agency News: Pune

Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar said here on Monday that the people of Maharashtra are longing for a ‘political change’ and want all the Opposition parties to come together for this. The 82- year-old leader recounted how, in the past few weeks, he has been touring different parts of the state and meeting a lot of people. “The masses conveyed to me that they are desirous of a change in the state... They want the Opposition parties to unite and achieve this,” Pawar told mediapersons in Pune. He also met the Congress-Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) winner Ravindra Dhangekar from the Kasba Peth seat Assembly bypoll last week — crumbling the ruling ally BJP’s 28-year-old bastion. In this context, Pawar reiterated that the MVA allies — Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT).

CBI heat on Lalu to pressurise Tejashwi: Sibal

Agency News: New Delhi

Independent MP Kapil Sibal on Monday slammed the CBI for interrogating former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi. Kapil Sibal said it is being done to pressurise Lalu. “CBI heat on Lalu We all know the fragile state of his health To pressurise Tejasvi, The more the government does this more the people will turn against this government,” Sibal said in his tweet. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) told that it was not any raid or search operation, but the team paid a visit to the house of former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi for further investigation in connection with the land for job scam involving former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and others.

Editorial

Sunvilla Samachar

India’s rapid digitisation has one major casualty—cybersecurity

K’taka CM Bommai says Siddaramaiah set ‘targets’ to ministers

Agency News: New Delhi

CVC acknowledges receipt of Suvendu Adhikari’s complaint against Bengal’s CS

Agency News: Kolkata

Agency News: New Delhi

India’s impressive progress in digitisation is certainly revolutionising how citizens and other State entities conduct their affairs. But the nation’s growing reliance on cyberspace has highlighted the promises and perils of an ancient strategic lore – increased dependency could also mean greater vulnerability. India’s vulnerability in the cyber domain has, for long, been recognised as a national security issue. In 2013, a National Cyber Security Policy was issued, which flagged the complexity and dynamic nature of cyberspace, and the need to unify actions guided by an integrated vision and a set of sustained and coordinated strategies. Consequently, the last decade has witnessed the implementation of a fair number of progressive measures to deal with cyber threats. But India’s ability to cope with cybersecurity is being outpaced by the sheer scale and speed of its digitisation, confounded by the complex character of accompanying threats. This challenges our ability to take unified actions, evolve strategies and implement them effectively.This weakness has created two areas of concern: politico-strategic guidance, and the outcomes that emanate due to India’s federal nature.A National Cyber Security Strategy should have quickly followed the 2013 National Cyber Security Policy to convert the ‘what’s to be done’ to ‘how to be done’. This could have been achieved by distilling policy-derived goals, identifying objectives and evolving a strategy informed by available resources. However, it took seven years to formulate a draft strategy document, which was then circulated among stakeholders for comments. Yet, more than two years later, a governmentapproved strategy is still awaited. Some insiders claim that important elements of the draft strategy are being followed.

- Kapilkumar M. Hirpara Editor

UP man held hostage, thrashed by couple & bouncers over old case

Agency News: Kolkata

A couple and their four bouncers allegedly held a Gomti Nagar resident hostage at their house where they thrashed him mercilessly and abused him. The brother of the victim got a call from a woman who told him that the victim was held hostage at her house and was being beaten by her husband, his friend and their bouncers. “When I called my brother, he told me that he had been held hostage at the house and they would kill him. He further told me that he had dialled the police control room,” the victim’s brother said. He said that when he reached the house, he found him wounded and bleeding even as the police had made him sit in their van. “My brother was tricked into visiting the house of the accused and then attacked with knives. The bouncers beat him with the butt of the pistols they were carrying,” the victim’s brothers said. The police have registered a case on the complaint of the victim’s brother. The accused couple, meanwhile, alleged that the so-called victim had visited their house and was forcing them to take back the case which was lodged against him at the Vibhuti Khand police station and later staged a drama.

Shia Board asks people to build replicas of Jannat-ul-Baqi

Agency News: Lucknow

The All India Shia Personal Law Board has appealed to the Shia community to build replicas of Jannat-ul-Baqi in every Shia populated area. The call was made in Lucknow, while holding a protest meeting against the Saudi monarchy for demolishing the Islamic cemetery Jannat-ul-Baqi, 100 years ago in Madina. The board members also asked Shia

Muslims to continue to protest in order to commemorate the 100th anniversary of demolition of the holy site. Maulana Yasoob Abbas, general secretary of the board, said: “The sacrilege of holy shrines is against the preaching of the Quran as well as against the tradition of the prophet. Saudi Arabia provides funds to terror outfits in Pakistan and Afghanistan for the genocide of Shias.”

Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani on Sunday said that the development of any country is not possible without the participation of women. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has clearly said that if the country has to progress then women will have to ensure their participation in the development of nation. Without women’s participation, development of any nation is not possible,” she said at a function to mark the International Women’s Day which is observed on March 8.Women who have done unprecedented work in various fields of the society were felicitated in a programme organised by Delhi BJP Mahila Morcha and presided over by the Morcha President Yogita Singh on the occasion. The women who were honoured for their service on Sunday include Preeti Seth, Aashmeen Munjal, Sophia Garg,

Padmavati Dwivedi, Pooja Sharma, Twinkle Kalia, Nilima Dutta Mehta, Amita, Shammi Talwar, Shailja Mohan, Kavita Gulati and Madhuraj Swadeshi. Irani also said that after 2014, the way in which the government is taking care of women in the country is a form of a revolution. The Union Minister said “we are honouring women in the name of Sushma Swaraj who set high standards”, citing whether it was getting separate toilets for girls in government schools, opening bank accounts for the first time for 22 crore women or the Ujjwala Yojana

Myanmar national jailed for staying illegally in UP

Agency News: Shamli

A local court in Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli district has sentenced a Myanmar national to three years’ imprisonment for staying illegally. The verdict came four years after Abdul Majeed was arrested and charged under Foreigners Act and fraud for living in the country on fake documents. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 24,000 on him. SP Shamli Abhishek saidL

“Majeed was arrested on 28 July, 2019 from Khushnuma Colony located in Jalalabad town of Shamli district for staying in India illegally without a valid visa and using fake documents. During interrogation, it was revealed that he was a resident of Kyauktaw Rakhine district of Arakan province of Myanmar.”

An FIR was filed against the accused at Thana Bhawan police station. On the basis of the station officer’s complaint, a case was registered under IPC sections 420, 467, 468, 471 and section 14 of the Foreigners Act. A provision has also been made for 45 days additional imprisonment for failing to pay fine by the Court of Civil Judge Junior Division/Judicial Magistrate of Shamli.

Delhi court sends Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20

Agency News: New Delhi

A Delhi court on Monday sent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to judicial custody till March 20 in the alleged liquor policy scam being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The counsel appearing for the central agency said that at this stage, they are not seeking further CBI remand but in the next 15 days they might seek it. Special Judge M.K. Nagpal of the Rouse Avenue Courts ordered: “An application to send the accused to judicial custody has been filed. It is submitted that the police custody is no longer required

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said opposition leader Siddaramaiah during his tenure as the CM, had set ‘targets’ for his ministers in Karnataka. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, CM Bommai reacted to the questions on the bandh call given by the Congress in the backdrop of Lokayukta trap case in which BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa is the prime accused. He said, “Congress is mired in corruption”. “Siddaramaiah gave targets to all ministers. You can ask M.B. Patil, K.J. George, H.C. Mahadevappa (all former ministers in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government). Ask them what was the ‘target’ given to them?” Bommai charged. “There are scandals by the Congress government. The Congress party itself is vanishing. By giving a bandh call, they are planning to revive their political future. They will not get any response from the public,” he said. Bommai further stated, “If anyone gives a bandh call, they should be clean handed. Then they have a response. These people have not left anything. They have not even spared beds and pillows, biscuits and coffee. From small schemes to irrigation projects, they have practiced corruption. “The hands of Congress leaders are tainted with corruption. People have seen their games. People know that whether they are Satya Harishchandras The field is ready for elections by May this year. People will decide,” he said.

LS committee to hear oral evidence against Rahul in breach of privilege case

Agency News: New Delhi

The oral evidence on breach of privilege against Rahul Gandhi will be heard by the Lok Sabha Privilege Committee on Friday. The Committee of Privileges has called BJP MP Nishikant Dubey to hear his case. Dubey along with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Jodhi had given notices of breach of privilege against Rahul

Gandhi “for making a misleading, derogatory, unparliamentary and incriminatory statement during a discussion on the motion of thanks on President’s Address in the House on February 7 and a further request for expunction of the impugned statements. However, sources close to Rahul Gandhi have insisted that he has replied to the notice to the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

50% women miss leadership opportunities because of their own self-limiting biases: Survey

Agency News: New Delhi

A recent survey by India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) with women professionals in the social sector who have 8-15 years of experience, reveals that more than 50% of respondents feel, at times, slowed down by their own self-limiting biases. At a time when there are global conversations about increasing the representation of women in leadership roles, the report presents an insightful perspective on factors that are holding back progress. The survey endeavours to understand the complexity surrounding women’s leadership in the sector by examining the gaps and challenges, capturing best practices, exploring the scope of positive interventions, and identifying possible support structures to build leadership capacities. The report, a product of conversations with leaders across the social sector, captures an overarching image of these critical dynamics. Self-limiting biases often stem from social & cultural conditioning women experience, which can shape a sense of inferiority. These beliefs lead to

Delhi Police bust inter-state gang involved in stealing luxury cars; 2 held

Agency News: New Delhi

With the arrest of two men, the Crime Branch of Delhi Police on Monday claimed to have busted a Sambhal based inter-state auto lifter gang for stealing high end luxury cars and SUVs in the national Capital. The accused were identified as Mohd. Danish (33) and Danish alias Raja (30), both residents of Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh. Police have also recovered five high end luxury cars and SUVs from the possession of the accused. The official said that the gang after stealing the high end cars used to prepare fake documents and then they used to sell the vehicles in Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and other states of North

East India. According to police, an information was received about auto lifters of Sambhal area, who are active in Delhi and they are stealing only high end cars, would come to Okhla. “Acting on the inputs, a trap was laid and Mohd. Danish and Raja were apprehended with a stolen bike while they were conducting a recce to steal a Fortuner car,” said Ravindra Singh Yadav, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime). On interrogation, both the accused also disclosed that they have stolen more than 50 high end vehicles and sold the same in North East states.”Both belong to the Sambhal auto lifter gang of Uttar Pradesh and the other gang members are Gulam and Idrish.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu

Adhikari has informed that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) has acknowledged the receipt and documentation of his complaint against Chief Secretary H.K. Dwivedi regarding the “debatable” receipt of house rent allowance (HRA) by the latter. He also shared the CVC’s acknowledgement email on his Twitter handle. “Sir/ Madam, your complaint 7916/2023 has been duly examined by the Commission in terms of Complaints Handling Policy and having regards to the nature of the issues therein, the same has been filed. Central Vigilance Commission,” the acknowledgement letter reads. According to a retired Indian Administrative Officer (IAS) officer, who did not wish to be named, said that it is a normal procedure for the CVC to acknowledge the sender a communication regarding the receipt and documentation of a formal complaint.

“Acknowledgment of the receipt and documentation of the complaint to the sender does not mean that CVC has agreed on the merits of the complaint, which is subject to investigation. As I can see right here, there are now two options for CVC. Either it can recommend the state government to start a departmental probe in the matter or the commission can directly start its own investigation in the matter,” the retired bureaucrat added.

TN taking active steps to ensure safety of migrant workers: State labour minister

Agency News: Chennai

Tamil Nadu minister for Labour welfare and Skill development C.V. Ganesan said on Monday that the government was ensuring the safety of migrant workers in the state. He was speaking to reporters at Tiruchi. The minister said that members of Bihar Assembly committee had visited Tiruppur and inspected the situation of the migrant labourers there. They had also held meeting with the district administration and expressed confidence that the migrants were safe in the district. He said that the state government has given directions to the district administrations of Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Erode and Nilgiris to ensure the safety of the migrant workers. It is to be noted that there are a large number of migrant workers from North India in these districts. The Tamil Nadu government has formed a special team comprising the district collectors, police superintendents and labour officers at the district level to closely engage with the migrant workers. India in the state of Tamil Nadu and the government has been taking steps to ensure their safety.

“self-limiting” behaviour that often leads to women having stereotypes about their own abilities, talents, opportunities, and goals that could end up holding back one’s career. The survey highlights the prevalence of socialized beliefs, such as imposter syndrome, which limit one’s leadership vision, with 50 per cent of women leaders experiencing this. The cumulative effect this can have on individuals & the wider workforce, is significant. This phenomenon undoubtedly contributes to the ‘leaky pipeline’ we see, where there is a disproportionate lack of women leaders at levels of senior management, relative to the number of women in entry-to-mid level roles. The study also suggests that there is a predominance of women in ‘Program specific’ roles, as opposed to strategic, organization building roles.

Delhi CM inaugurates Ashram flyover

Vehicular movement on the flyover will start by 5 p.m.In a traffic advisory ”Heavy vehicles such as buses, trucks, etc.

Agency News: New Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday inaugurated the AshramDND Flyover, which was closed for about two months for renovation. “Congratulations Delhi. New part of Ashram flyover is ready and it’s open from today,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. Vehicular movement on the flyover will start by 5 p.m.In a traffic advisory, the Delhi Police said that only light vehicles coming from the DND and going towards Gurugram, Chirag Delhi, Kalkaji, Khanpur, Greater Kailash, Saket, AIIMS, INA and Safdarjung are advised to take the Ashram Flyover instead of the Barapulla Flyover. “Heavy vehicles such as buses, trucks, etc. still not allowed on both carriageway of Ashram Flyover till further information.

Whereas, the undersigned being the Authorized Officer of Muthoot Homefin (India) Ltd. (MHIL) under the Securitisation and Reconstruction