Author: TheStateLine

Johannesburg, Nov 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced the launch of a new trilateral initiative called the Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership. The announcement came after his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg."Had an excellent meeting with Anthony Albanese, PM of Australia and Mark Carney, PM of Canada on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. We are delighted to announce an Australia-Canada-India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership today," the Prime Minister said.PM Modi said the partnership will help deepen cooperation among the three democratic nations in key areas of technology and innovation."The...

Vadodara, Nov 22 (IANS) In a significant move to inspire the spirit of entrepreneurship and self-reliance, a three-day vocational training camp will be organised in the city, where the youths will be trained in gardening and cultivation skills and also enlightened on how their tiny efforts can add up in achieving a milestone for the individual and society. The training will be organised under the state's Horticulture Department, focusing on equipping the youths aged 18-45 with planting and gardening skills.Hans Dudha, Assistant Director of Horticulture, Vadodara, said, "Participants selected via the IKhedut portal receive Rs 250 per day as a stipend and a gardening kit worth around Rs 1,500. Training covers practical skills like media preparation and plant propagation."During the trainin...

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Haj Committee of India (HCoI) Chairperson Dr Chandra Shekhar Kumar on Saturday underscored the need for robust digital systems to assist pilgrims from the application stage to post-pilgrimage services and enhance their Haj 2026 experience, an official said.Addressing the Committee’s day-long national conference, Dr Kumar, who is Secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs (MoMA), initiated the discussions on measures to streamline and enhance the experience of pilgrims during Haj 2026.The conference opened with a two-minute silence observed in memory of the pilgrims who lost their lives in the tragic bus accident in Medina on November 17, said a statement.In his address, Dr Kumar directed the HCoI to ensure that all Haj-related operations become fully digital, po...

Hubballi, Nov 22 (IANS) Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi on Saturday claimed that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been spreading "blatant lies" about maize procurement and imports in the state. Speaking to the media in Hubballi, Union Minister Joshi said the Siddaramaiah government has "neglected" the interests of farmers in the state."Like someone helpless, the CM is now trying to shift the blame onto the Centre because his own administration has collapsed under failure," he said.The minister questioned why the state government had not directed distilleries to enter into agreements with the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) or the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) to...

Lucknow, Nov 22 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government has rolled out a comprehensive action plan to tackle worsening air pollution in the Uttar Pradesh region of the National Capital Region (NCR).The plan -- finalised under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary -- identifies road dust as the single biggest contributor to pollution and outlines targeted measures to mitigate it.The action strategy prioritises the redevelopment of road stretches, dust control, and improved cleanliness across urban areas.The state government has appointed the Principal Secretary of the Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Department as the nodal officer for the campaign.A Project Monitoring Unit (PMU), headed by the department’s Secretary, has also been set up to oversee implementation.Senior officials fr...

Hyderabad, Nov 22 (IANS) In yet another blow to the banned CPI (Maoist), 37 underground cadres, including three State Committee Members, surrendered before the Telangana Police on SaturdaySeven cadres also handed over eight firearms, including one AK-47 rifle, two SLRs, four .303 rifles and one G3 rifle, along with 343 live ammunition of various calibres.Three State Committee Members (SCM) Koyyada Sambaiah alias Azad, Appasi Narayana alias Ramesh of Telangana State Committee and Muchaki Somada alias Erra of Dandakarnya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) were among 37 Maoists who surrendered before Director General of Police B. Shivadhar Reddy.Three Divisional Committee Members (DVCM), nine Area Committee Members (ACMs) and 22 party members of the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation joined the ma...