Author: TheStateLine

Kolkata, Nov 4 (IANS) Tension broke out in Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on Tuesday after as many as 15 school children had to be hospitalised after they had fallen ill consuming an infected midday meal, officials said. The institution where the mishap took place was Khudadadpur Primary School in Mathurapur Block-I in the South 24 Parganas district.The 15 school children are currently under treatment at the Mathurapur Rural Hospital.However, all of them are currently out of danger, confirmed an official from the district administration.However, tension broke out in the area after the school children had to be hospitalised following consumption of an infected midday meal.The guardians of the students studying there started protesting in front of the school building...

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Every winter, Delhi sinks beneath a dense, choking haze. The clear October skies turn grey overnight, and once again, headlines scream: Delhi – the world’s pollution capital. Schools shut, life stalls, and the ritual blame game begins — with Diwali firecrackers predictably in the dock.But, as Akhilesh Mishra, CEO of BlueKraft Digital Foundation, points out, based on extensive data analysis, this is a convenient fiction. The true causes of Delhi’s pollution lie elsewhere — in deeper, structural and long-ignored issues. While fireworks make for easy political and media narratives, Delhi’s smog is shaped by five far more significant factors: road dust, vehicular emissions, biomass burning, diesel generators, and seasonal farm fires, his findings say.The dust beneath ...

Hyderabad, Nov 4 (IANS) The Telangana government on Tuesday constituted a committee for the mobilisation of finances for the fee-reimbursement scheme as the private professional colleges across Telangana remained closed for the second day to demand the release of pending dues.The committee, comprising officials and representatives from the Federation of Associations of Telangana Higher Institutions (FATHI), will study a sustainable free reimbursement scheme through the Trust Bank.According to the GO, the committee has been constituted as a follow-up to certain suggestions made during the talks between Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka with FATHI to improve the higher education system, mobilise finances for free re-imbursement schemes and set up a dedicated institutional mecha...

Gandhinagar, Nov 4 (IANS) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel toured several districts affected by the recent spell of unseasonal rainfall, meeting with farmers in the impacted villages to assess the ground reality and understand the extent of crop damage.Following his visit, the Chief Minister chaired a high-level review meeting in Gandhinagar to evaluate the overall situation and coordinate relief measures across the state. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi had earlier visited Surat district, while Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani inspected the affected areas in Bhavnagar to take stock of the damage to standing crops.During the meeting, CM Patel reviewed field reports submitted by various departments and directed officials to ensure that farmers receive timely assistance and that...

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Anil Chauhan, highlighted jointness as he showcased the pivotal role of the armed forces in safeguarding national interests amidst an evolving global environment, an official statement said on Tuesday.Delivering a talk on "Indian Armed Forces in the National Security Perspective and Vision for the Future" at the National Defence College, the CDS elucidated India’s comprehensive security outlook.He underscored the Indian armed forces’ pivotal role in safeguarding national interests amidst an evolving global and regional security environment, while highlighting the imperative of jointness, integration and technological adaptation to shape a future-ready military capable of responding to emerging multidomain challenges.The interaction also r...

Chamoli, Nov 4 (IANS) The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) has opened floodgates of employment opportunities for thousands of people across the country, the women associated with Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in particular. In Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district, hundreds of women engaged with SHGs are utilising the opportunities under the mission and using it to earn their livelihood.Thousands of women in Chamoli, a border district of Uttarakhand, have opened their business ventures with the assistance provided under NRLM, and today they are funding their own as well as their families’ expenses.They are increasingly becoming self-reliant by taking advantage of government aid available under the NRLM. They are earning a decent amount of money, running into thousands, by selling mountain produ...

Bengaluru, Nov 4 (IANS) Karnataka BJP has announced a one-week campaign regarding Bengaluru's garbage disposal problem and pothole issues.Speaking to reporters after a meeting with MLAs and MPs, the Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka said, in Bengaluru, "We have held a meeting of all representatives to discuss Bengaluru's problems. Due to the misgovernance of the Congress government, Bengaluru has turned into a garbage city."He said that potholes and piles of garbage are visible on all roads, adding that people need to fight against the government that has betrayed the city, and it has been decided to conduct inspections for one week.He stated that along with this, a signature collection campaign will be held in every assembly constituency from November 6 to 15.Ashoka said that opinions ...

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Bangladesh's strategy of borrowing in Japanese yen to avoid paying high dollar-based interest rates has started backfiring due to the currency volatility and rising interest rates in Japan.The South Asian country has, for instance, ended up losing $13 million to exchange rate differences on a recent $600 million budget support loan from the Asian Development Bank, taken entirely in yen, according to a report in Bangladesh’s Business Standard newspaper.Last year, too, the government took a $300 million loan for the Bangladesh Second Recovery & Resilience Development Policy in yen. Another $400 million Climate Resilient Inclusive Development Programme loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) was also denominated in yen. Similarly, a $100 million p...

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on Tuesday flagged off 14 participants of the International Election Visitors’ Programme 2025 to witness voting in the Phase-I of the Bihar Assembly Elections on November 6, an official said.The participants from 7 countries, namely France, South Africa, Belgium, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Colombia, attended the inaugural session of the programme organised by the Election Commission of India at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) here.The participants were provided a demonstration of the EVMs followed by a presentation by senior Officers of ECI on various aspects of elections, including preparation of Electoral Rolls and the conduct of elections in India, said the ...