Tag: odianews

Mumbai, Jan 15 (UNI) The Shiv Sena on Tuesday took a potshot at the two biggest moves–Demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax(GST)–of the Modi-led BJP government.
In the Tuesday edition of party’s mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the Shiv Sena asserted that the decisions of the ruling party has hampered the recovery of Rs 11,000 crore of loans disbursed under the Centre’s Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) scheme.
“Loans worth Rs 2.46 lakh crore have been disbursed so far to 4.81 crore small scale industrialists.The outstanding amount of these loans has piled up to Rs 11,000 crore, which is a serious issue,” read lines of the newspiece.
The newspiece construes that the small-scale businessmen have been affected by the tacky execution of the GST which resulted in bad loans.
“It can easily be deduced that some policies of the government are responsible for Rs 11,000 crore outstanding loans under the Mudra scheme,” it further said.

New Delhi, Jan 15 (UNI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on winning the Kotler presidential award.
In a post on social media, Rahul, in a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ tweet, said,’’I want to congratulate our PM, on winning the world famous “Kotler Presidential Award”! In fact it’s so famous it has no jury, has never been given out before and is backed by an unheard of Aligarh company.
Event partners: patanjali and Republic TV.’’
BJP Leader Smriti Irani, however, hit back at Rahul for his jibe.
In a tweet, Smriti Irani, who was among the first to congratulate the Prime Minister on receiving the award, said,’’Rich !!! Coming from a person whose illustrious family decided to confer the ‘Bharat Ratna’ on themselves.”

Panaji, Jan 15 (UNI) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday greeted soldiers, veterans and their family members on the occasion of Army Day.

In a tweet, the former Defence Minister said, ‘On #ArmyDay, I salute our brave soldiers for their determination, courage, sacrifices for our nation, and ‘Service before Self’ credo. My greetings to all our soldiers, veterans and their family members. Jai Hind!.’

Panaji, Jan 15 (UNI) Vidnyan Parishad, Goa, in association with Department of Science and Technology, Government of Goa, National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) will organise fourth edition of Science Film Festival of India 2019 from January 16 in the city.
According to the organisers, the film festival will begin with blockbuster science-based movies, three theme based film tracks and a whole lot of science-based treats for the mind.
The festival will offer hands on training, workshop, film screenings accompanying interactions with renowned scientists and eminent personalities.
Dr Nakul Parashar, Director, Vigyan Prasar, New Delhi, will be the chief guest for inaugural ceremony while Padma Vibhushan Dr Rajagopala Chidambaram, former Principal Scientific Advisor to Government of India, will be chief guest for the veledictory function.
The adudience predominantly students from across Goa will have a chance to watch the science-based movies and a great chance to interact with eminent scientists such as Dr Shekhar Mande, Director General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India, Dr Sharmishtha Banerjee, Dr Arvind Ranade, Scientist, Vigyan Prasar, New Delhi, and Dr Sumit K Mishra, Senior Scientist, Environmental Sciences and Biomedical Metrology Divison, National Physical Laboratory.
The students will have a chance to pull the stars closer with a hands-training with telescope workshop on January 18 and 19 where participants will grind, polish and fabricate their own devices.
Professor Banerjee will also conduct a Teachers’ Workshop on January 18 to transform science educators to proficient science communicators.
Apart from film screening, the main highlight of the festival will be the film-making workshop and trainings. This will enhance the audience to re-energise as they focus on knowing science as more fun and meaningful through not just viewing and listening, but also training in the art of the subject through live demonstrations and understanding its use in film industry.
During the four day festival, the films to be screened were Parmanu, Apollo, Ex Machina, Imitation Game, Secret of Nikola Tesla, Kon Tiki, Theory of Everything, Hidden Figures, Goodwill Hunting and Iceage 4. The screenings will be followed by interaction and explanation of science in the films by eminent scientists from the country.

Mumbai, Jan 15 (UNI) Following is the indicative currency rates and travellers’ cheques buying and selling rates per unit.

CURRENCY NAME -BUY -SALE

UAE DIRHAM- 17.9444 -20.8366

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR- 47.675 -54.0475

BANGLADESH TAKA -0.776986 -1.197715

BAHRAIN DINAR -175.0941 -199.7946

CANADIAN DOLLAR -49.2881- 56.6093

SWISS FRANC -67.2502- 77.2808

CHINESE YUAN -7.45 -12.37

DANISH KRONE -9.9456 -11.8507

EURO -76.1159 -86.1949

STERLING POUND -85.4961 -96.7461

HONG KONG DOLLAR -8.1815 -10.0594

JAPANESE YEN -0.6082- 0.6973

KUWAITI DINAR- 194.1332 -241.2158

SRI LANKA RUPEE -0.311.- 0.4673

MALAYSIAN RINGITT -15.4597 -19.195

NORWEGIAN KRONE -7.5184 -9.0364

NEPALESE RUPEE -0.5749- 0.6251

NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR -44.1892 -52.0258

OMANI RIAL -171.334025 -196.057215

PAKISTAN RUPEE -0.4626 -0.7513

SAUDI RIAL -17.5318 -20.6467

SWEDISH KRONA -7.1419 -8.6281

SINGAPORE DOLLAR -47.9621 -56.7972

THAI BAHT -2.0472 -2.4236

US DOLLAR -66.2915 -75.1291

SOUTH AFRICAN RAND -4.4795 – 5.6609

Muzaffarpur, Jan 15 (UNI) All police officers and other personnel posted at Motipur police station in the district have been transferred following recovery of huge consignment of liquor from the official residence of officer-in-charge of the police station.
Senior Police Superintendent Manoj Kumar said here today that all police officers and other employees posted at Motipur police station had been transferred in view of the order by Inspector General of Police (Muzaffarpur zone) Sunil Kumar. The police personnel have been transferred following the recovery of huge consignment of liquor from official residence of officer-in-charge inside the police station premises late night on Sunday. He said the officer-in-charge Kumar Amitabh and assistant police sub inspector America Prasad have already been suspended in this connection even as both of officers are absconding.
Mr Kumar said those police personnel who have been transferred are sub inspectors Nukul Prasad Mandal, Naseem Ansari, Shailendra Kumar, Shyam Kishore Yadav and Shamsher Alam, assistant police sub inspectors Shankar Thakur, Nagendra Mandal, Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Anuj Kumar Mehta, Virendra Prasad and Motai Savaiya. Other suspended police personnel comprise six jawans of Bihar Military Police, one jawan of district police, seven jawans of Special Auxiliary Police, four women cops and nine Home Guards.
Police Inspector Anil Kumar has been posted as new officer-in-charge of Motipur police station.

Sagar Island ( West Bengal), Jan 15 (UNI) Braving chilled weather and cloudy sky, an estimated over 3 million pilgrims took holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga and Bay of Bengal to mark the auspicious Makar Sankranti on Tuesday.
The devotees, mostly the Hindu, who had assembled and gathered on the sandy beach since last night braving the chilly wind took holy dip in the wee hours and then straight walked nearly a kilometer to pay their ambiance at the Kapil Muni Temple.
West Bengal’s Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee, who has been overseeing the entire governmental arrangements for safe bathing at the confluence and happily return from this island of South 24 Parganas, told reporters that an estimated over 3 million pilgrim took bath since the Ganga Sagar mela began on January 7 last.
State youth and sports minister Arup Biswas, who also assisting his senior cabinet colleague under the directive of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, also took the holy dip to mark the end of the month of Pous.
The shahi snan first held by the Naga sadus before the breaking of dawn and then the pilgrims, who came from far flung of India and neighbouring Bangladesh, Bhutan , Nepal and Myanmar, took holy dip after wards. The bathing would go on despite the sun was paying hide and seek as grey cloud overcast the sky prompting the volunteers to be extra care to avoid any mishap in the turbulent waters.
Indian Coast Guard, policemen and local volunteers have been alert to ensure safe snan of the pilgrims of different states.
A thick blanket of security cover has been thrown in and around the holy island. 

Samastipur, Jan 15 (UNI) Police seized huge consignment of foreign liquor from a truck near Udaipur village under Rosera police station area in the district late last night.
Police said here today that 539 cartons of foreign liquor were seized from the truck on the basis of specific intelligence input. The seized liquor was manufactured in Haryana.
Police said that a peddler was arrested from the spot. Further investigation is on, sources added.

Kohima Jan 14 (UNI) Army personnel have recovered the body of one 23 year old man, a resident of Englan Village under Wokha district, who was drowned in the waters of Doyang Reservoir Dam of the Doyang- Hydro-electrical Project on Saturday last.
According to a release issued by the PRO (Defence) Col C Konwer, following the report of drowning on Saturday, the Wokha district administration swung into action and a detailed search was carried out by local authorities and the SDRF but the body could not be found due to difficult conditions in the dam.
However, a team of divers from Army Special Forces unit under Dimapur based 3 Corps commenced the search operations yesterday. The muddy waters and its depth made the search a slow and deliberate process. The team was eventually able to recover the body which was handed over to the family members of the victim. The family expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Army team, the release said.

Mumbai, Jan 14 (UNI) The benchmark index of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Monday tumbled down by 156.28 points to settle at 35,853.56 tracking weak global cues.
The Nifty of National Stock Exchange (NSE) too eased by 57.35 points at 10,737.60.
The Sensex registered the day’s high and low at 36,124.94 and 35,691.75 points respectively.
The Nifty registered day’s high and low at 10,808 and 10,692.35 points, respectively.

New Delhi, Jan 14 (UNI) Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, recently alleged of sexual assault by a woman who worked with him in his film ‘Sanju’, issued a statement terming the allegation a false, malicious and mischievous story, being spread with the sole intention of destroying his reputation.

In a statement issued to the media, Hirani said, ‘I was completely shocked when these allegations were brought to my notice about two months back. I had suggested immediately that it is essential to take this matter to any committee or any legal body. The complainant has chosen to go to the media instead.’

‘I want to very strongly state that this is a false malicious and mischievous story being spread with the sole intention of destroying my reputation,’ Hirani said.

‘The woman alleged that Hirani sexually abused for her over a six-month period between March and September 2018,’ sources said.

‘The woman has revealed the incident in an email dated November 3, 2018 to Hirani’s ‘Sanju’ co-producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra. She also marked the mail to Vidhu’s wife and film journalist Anupama Chopra as well as to Hirani’s co-writer Abhijat Joshi,’ the sources said.

‘The woman claimed that Hirani first made a sexually suggestive remark to her on April 9, 2018 and then sexually assaulted her at his home-cum-office,’ the sources added.

In the wake of the allegations, Hirani’s ‘Munna Bhai 3’ has been put on hold.

The ‘MeToo Movement’ had made the headlines in 2018 after the Nana Patekar-Tanushree Dutta controversy.

Panaji, Jan 14 (UNI) Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday alleged that Congress leaders had learnt art of doctoring things and were trying to create a miscommunication between him and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in the city, he said ”…For them (Congress) I am always a threat and I will continue to be a threat. Congress party cannot get even five people to stand with their flag in my constituency. That is the worry because victory depends on our five seats. That is why they are trying to create miscommunication between me and the chief minister.”
On the statement of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Spokesperson Advocate Rohit Bras D Sa that there were more audio clips of conversation of Mr Rane, the Health Minister said he did not bother about it till people had faith in him and the Chief Minister trusted him.
”Till people have faith in me and Chief Minister trusts me, I am really not bothered. Its role of the opposition party to defame the ruling party and they are doing it,” he said.
”Congress party has no job. They are only senssationlising issues. I have already written a letter to Chief Minister demanding investigation into the audio,” he said and claimed that Congress leaders were resorting to such tricks as election was approaching in the state.
The Congress in Goa on Sunday claimed that there were more audio clips of conversation of State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane which indicated that he was in a hurry to unseat Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Mumbai, Jan 14 (UNI) The Financial Benchmarks India Private Limited (FBIL) on Monday fixed the reference rate at 70.8244 against the US Dollar up by 35.07 paise over the previous rate of 70.4737 .
The Euro was fixed 81.2469 up by 03.86 paise over its previous rate of 81.2083 .

The Pound was registered at 90.9640 ( 89.9155 ) and Yen at 65.50 (65.03) an FBIL release said.

Lucknow, Jan 14(UNI) Rashtriya Janata Dal(RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav made a surprise visit to Uttar Pradesh capital and immediately dashed to the residence of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief to greet Ms Mayawati on her birthday and for sealing the Mahagathbandan in the state against BJP.

The meeting between the BSP chief and Mr Yadav lasted for a couple of hours on Sunday night.

After the meeting Mr Yadav, the BSP said, “Lalu Ji was targeted because he was against communal forces. The talks for alliance with RJD in Bihar will be held later.”

On the other hand, Mr Yadav said here on Monday , “I had extended warm Birthday greetings in advance to the person who deserves honor because of everything she has achieved in life.” He further said that elders teach us a lot when we grow up under their guidance.

“I wish many more years of happiness and success to Honourable Mayawati Ji. Happy Birthday,” he greeted Ms Mayawati who celebrates her 63rd birthday on Tuesday.

He expressed great admiration for Mayawati and said he could not have missed the opportunity to meet a leader like her. He further said that it had been Laluji’s dream to have an alliance consisting of Mayawati and Akhilesh.

“Mayawati ji is a senior leader and we would like her guidance in future. Who would leave the chance to speak to her. The kind of alliance in UP is a start of the BJP’s endgame. UP and Bihar will kick out BJP from both the states. This alliance will show the path to the entire nation,” he said.

“My father Lalu Prasad Yadav had always dreamt of an alliance comprising Mayawati Ji and Akhilesh Ji in Uttar Pradesh. Lalu ji is today in jail as he never bowed down in front of the BJP, even I was not spared since I was a boy and cases were lodged against me. My Nitish Chacha was also instrumental in it,” said Mr Yadav.

Predicting a whitewash for the BJP in both UP and Bihar after Mahagathbandan, Mr Yadav, the younger son of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, told reporters here on late Sunday night that he and his party were not against Modi, but that it was an ideological fight.

“We are not here to defeat Modi Ji, we don’t have any personal enmity with him. It is an ideological fight, we have always been opposing the BJP and the RSS. We want to work for our country and save the constitution of the country,” he said.

Coming down heavily on the Centre’s 10 per cent quota for the economically weak from the upper castes, he said that the BJP wants to implement “Nagpur laws” in the country, a reference to the BJP working at the behest of the RSS, which is headquartered in Nagpur.

“There’s an atmosphere today where they want to scrap Baba Saheb’s Constitution and implement ‘Nagpur laws’. People welcome the step taken by Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji,” said Mr Yadav.​

He is scheduled to meet Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday.

Srinagar, Jan 14 (UNI) Security forces on Monday arrested a top militant of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in north Kashmir district of Bandipora, official sources said.

They said a joint Mobile Vehicle Check Post (MVCP) was established at Champazpura Ajas in Bandipora this morning following a tip off about militant movement.

During the naka checking security forces arrested a militant and recovered a pistol and a satellite phone besides other arms and ammunition.

Later, the militant was identified as Sarfraz Ahmad Sheer, a resident of Koil Muqam, a category “A” militant who was active for the past four years.

Describing the arrest a big catch, they said he was being questioned.