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Patna, Oct 28 (IANS) Union Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP leader Nityanand Rai on Tuesday sharply criticised the INDIA Bloc’s Grand Alliance’s manifesto, calling it a collection of “false promises” aimed at “misleading” the people of Bihar.He alleged that Tejashwi Yadav and his allies were trying to “sell dreams” and bring back “jungle raj” in the state.Rai said, “Tejashwi Yadav and the people of the Grand Alliance have released a bundle of false promises in the name of a manifesto. The people of Bihar know that these are the same people who want to re-establish lawlessness in the state.”He urged voters not to fall for what he called “misleading” claims, asserting that the NDA government will return to power on November 14.“Tejashwi Yadav is claiming to make Bihar crime-free,...

Patna, Oct 28 (IANS) The Grand Alliance on Tuesday released its common manifesto titled “Tejashwi’s Pledge” for the Bihar Assembly Election 2025, but a debate has emerged over the limited representation of Muslim leaders on its cover page.Despite the alliance’s repeated emphasis on minority welfare and the RJD’s traditional Muslim–Yadav (MY) vote base, only one Muslim leader—Abdul Bari Siddiqui—appears on the cover.This has sparked discontent within sections of the Muslim community and among several minority leaders.According to the 2022 caste-based survey conducted under the Grand Alliance government, Muslims constitute around 18 per cent of Bihar’s population.Many community representatives have questioned why their participation in leadership positions does not reflect their demographi...

Chamoli (Uttarakhand), Oct 28 (IANS) Women facing violence in Chamoli are finding support through the One-Stop Centre (OSC) scheme, a flagship initiative by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.Locally known as ‘Sakhi Centre’, the OSC provides comprehensive assistance to women affected by domestic violence, gender-based violence, and dowry harassment.Women often face discrimination and abuse at home, workplace, or in society due to their gender. From honour killings and dowry harassment to acid attacks and gender-based abortions, these incidents highlight the urgent need for dedicated support systems. The One-Stop Centre scheme, launched in April 2015, aims to protect women from such abuse and empower them to stand strong against violence.The scheme offers legal, medical, and psy...

Agartala, Oct 28 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Tuesday that, in line with the digital era, the state government is continuously intensifying its efforts to build a smart and digital state to ensure ease of living, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Inaugurating Wi-Fi facilities in 11 more government colleges under Phase-II and launching the ‘Mukhyamantri Yuba Yogayog Yojana’ for the academic year 2024-25, the Chief Minister said that everyone needs to move forward in various fields by using Artificial Intelligence and the internet, and that technology must be utilised for the welfare and positive development of the people. Wi-Fi services have already been introduced in 19 government colleges across the state so that students can make effective use of online...

New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that subsidies on phosphorus and potash will not only make fertilisers available to the annadatas at affordable rates but will also boost their earnings.Chaired by PM Modi, the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Department of Fertilisers for fixing the nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi Season 2025-26 (from October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026) on Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) fertilisers.The tentative budgetary requirement for Rabi season 2025-26 would be approximately Rs 37,952.29 crore -- Rs 736 crore more than the budgetary requirement for Kharif season 2025.“We are committed to the welfare of our farmer brothers and sisters across the country. In this direction, our government has taken a signific...

Shillong, Oct 28 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday underscored that strengthening administrative infrastructure remains a core priority of his government to ensure efficient delivery of services to citizens.He was speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed Block Integrated Development Complex (BIDC) at Pynursla C&RD Block in East Khasi Hills district. “Improving administrative facilities has been one of our top priorities since 2018. While the schemes may not change, our focus is on ensuring that they reach the people more efficiently and effectively,” Sangma said. He added that good governance can only be achieved when public service institutions are equipped with the right facilities and environment to serve citizens. The Chief Minister expressed g...

Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced that India will host the inaugural edition of Mumbai Climate Week (MCW) in February 2026.“Mumbai Climate Week aims to become a major platform for climate action across the Global South, with India taking a leadership role. The event will bring together the best minds from across the Global South to find practical solutions for our climate challenges,” said the Chief Minister. He added that this platform will help developing nations work together and make their voices heard on the global stage.The Chief Minister, joined by leading climate experts, shared details of the event, saying that representatives from more than 30 countries are expected to participate. “They will come to Mumbai to create a prac...

Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS) The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) on Tuesday said that it has organised a seminar on its consultation paper titled "Enhancing the National Pension System: Proposals for Flexible, Assured and Predictable Pension Schemes".The purpose of the event was to gather expert insights and stakeholder feedback on three proposed pension schemes under the National Pension System (NPS), designed to make retirement benefits more flexible, predictable, and assured.The seminar, which was organised at the Insurance Institute of India, here, brought together academicians, retirement income experts, and representatives from pension funds, annuity and life insurance service providers, along with senior PFRDA officials.The consultation paper proposes three new pe...

Jaipur, Oct 28 (IANS) Rajasthan Congress has accused the state government of deliberately delaying the municipal and Panchayati Raj elections under the pretext of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list.Addressing a press conference at the State Congress Headquarters in Jaipur, Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra said that the BJP government’s actions clearly show that it intends to postpone elections in the state. Dotasra said that the SIR process is meant only for states where Assembly, Panchayati Raj, and Municipal elections are not scheduled. However, despite pending local elections, the Election Commission has announced the conduct of SIR in Rajasthan.The Congress leader alleged that the government is using the “One State, One Election” slogan as an excuse to st...

Jaipur, Oct 28 (IANS) The Rajasthan government on Tuesday said that the ill-fated sleeper bus which caught fire after coming in contact with a high-tension electric wire near Jaipur had taken an unpaved road to reach a brick kiln. Officials said the off-road route brought the vehicle dangerously close to the overhead power lines, leading to a fatal blaze.According to officials from the Jaipur collectorate, the bus -- carrying around 65 labourers from Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh -- was on its way to a brick kiln in Todi village when the accident occurred, barely 300 metres before the destination. The bus had gas cylinders, motorcycles, and household goods loaded on its rooftop. When the luggage brushed against an overhead high-tension wire, it triggered a massive fire followed by a series of ...