Tag: odishanews

Should one of the world’s most recognised buildings, Britain’s houses of Parliament, be converted into a luxury hotel and tourist attraction?

That was the idea put forward Monday by MP Ed Vaizey, a former minister for digital and the creative industries, as the iconic Palace of Westminster will undergo a massive 5.22 billion US dollar facelift.

Britain’s second biggest city, Birmingham, 200 kilometers north of London, could be the home of the brand-new parliament building, Vaizey said in an interview with journal Building Design.

“This country should close this building. It should become a heritage site and luxury hotel owned by Historic Royal Palaces. Then we should build an entirely new Parliamentary complex that reflects modern Britain,” he said.

“I would be open to it being built somewhere like Birmingham. It would be quite exciting to move Parliament to Birmingham. It would help get HS2 (Britain’s new London to Birmingham high-speed link) built. All the opposition would fade away,” he added.

Legislators in the Houses of Parliament have voted for politicians from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, as well as parliamentary staff, to be moved to temporary homes while the work is carried out.

The journal said discussions remain ongoing but the most likely contender for a temporary House of Commons chamber would be Richmond House in Whitehall, while the House of Lords would move to the QEII Center on the far side of Parliament Square.

One U.S. architect came up with a novel solution to build a floating Houses of Parliament that would sit in the River Thames, a few meters away from the existing historic building.

The restoration work will be the biggest facelift the Houses of Parliament undergoes in its history. The oldest part of the palace, Westminster Hall, dates back 900 years, with the rest of the complex built in the 1830s after the old medieval parliament buildings were destroyed by a fire.

The Shiv Sena once again slammed the Modi government over the issue between the West Bengal government and the CBI, alleging that it was ‘orchestrated’ for political gains in the coming Lok Sabha elections.
In an editorial in party mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the party said what was happening in Kolkata, was a ‘threat to democracy’.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been on a sit-in protest since Sunday, against the CBI’s bid to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in chit fund scam cases, declaring that her agitation to save the ‘Constitution and the country’ will go on and she was ready to face the consequences.

The Centre could have acted against the Kolkata Police chief two months back and the CBI should have carried proper summons before visiting his house to question him, said the edit.
Narendra Modi should look into the crisis in West Bengal as a Prime Minister of the country and not as a leader of BJP, it added.
The Sena claimed that BJP was going to fall short of 100 Lok Sabha seats from north India to Maharashtra (in the west), in the Lok Sabha polls.

To fill the gap, BJP has laid its hopes on states like West Bengal to win 10 to 15 seats. All this (the all-out war between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee government) is being orchestrated with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls, said the Sena, which is an ally of BJP at the Centre and in Maharashtra.

”No doubt, we have our differences with Mamata Banerjee and her party, but she is, indeed, hitting back at the Centre with equal force,” the edit added.(UNI)

Renowned film director Govind Nihalani and film editor Abhijeet Deshpande, have been selected for this year’s ‘Kalamaharshi Baburao Painter’ and ‘Chitramaharshi Anandrao Painter’ awards respectively.

These awards will be given away during 7th Kolhapur International Film (KIF) festival, to be held from February 7 to 14 at INOX Multiplex Reliance Mall, which will be inaugurated by veteran actress Rohini Hattangadi.

Chandrakant Joshi, president of Kalamaharshi Baburao Painter Film society (KBPFS), organiser of the film festival said that the names were selected, considering their contribution in Hindi-Marathi film sector.

Mr Joshi said that about 60 foreign films from different countries including “I, Daniel Blake” (Belgium), Loveless (Russia), Redoubtable (France), Bad Poetry (Japan), Leaf of life (Iran), Mothering (Iran), Line (Afghan-India), Erica printe dead (Japan), Fury dance (Korea), Komolo Racket (Bangladesh), Tasfiya (Tajikistan),Trampoline (Croatia) and Russian Ark, Father and Son, Mother and son Faust (Russia) directed by Alexander Sokurov, will participate in this eight-day long film festival.

Mr Joshi said that in “Mai-Marathi” section, seven unreleased new Marathi films including ‘Dithi’, Imago, Mhorkya (Leader),” Ashlil Udhyog Mitra Mandal”, Ili Ili Lama…’, Maharaja’ will also screen for the first time in the festival, while six language films as “Andarkahini: Self-exile (Bengali), Walking with the wind (Ladakhi), Too late (Tamil), Ayvkto (Bengali), Pattai (Tulu), Hebatt Ramakka (Kannada) will show in ‘Vividh Bharati’ section.(UNI)

With two more patients succumbing to the deadly H1N1 influenza in Himachal Pradesh, the toll in the state mounted to 16.
Two swine flu patients died at IGMC on Monday night and 113 cases have surfaced.
The two deceased include a nonagenarian who was suffering from cardiac ailments while other was a diabetic.
After Question hour in the Assembly, Health Minister Vipin Parmar on Tuesday said Kangra and Shimla districts recorded 36 and 33 cases respectively.

Twenty H1N1 patients are hospitalised at IGMC and eight at Dr Rajnder Prasad Medical College, Tanda.
The state had recorded only two deaths due to swine flu in 2018, 15 in 2017, five in 2016 and seven in 2015.

Out of that out of total 113 H1N1 cases, 36 were detected in Kangra and 33 in Shimla, 11 in Bilaspur, eight in Mandi, six in Solan five each in Chamba and Hamirpur, two in Una and one in Kullu.
He said that government is providing free of cost treatment to swine flue patients at IGMC, Tanda Medical college and Central Research Kendra in Kasouli.

At least 28 Afghan security forces personnel were killed as a result of a Taliban attack in northern province of Kunduz, Afghanistan, media reported on Tuesday. No further details have been provided so far.

“Fresh clashes erupted in Talawla, an area on northern outskirts of provincial capital Kunduz city at midnight after Taliban militants stormed security checkpoints. The clashes also caused five soldiers and several militants injured.”

Rescuers were ready to rescue villagers near Mount Karangetan volcano in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province through sea if the volcano spewed more hot lava, a senior official said on Tuesday.

Head of Search and Rescue Office for Manado, the provincial capital, Amirruddin said that over 110 villagers from five villages have been evacuated so far as hot lava and volcanic rocks slid downward to the villages and a road.

“Now about 30 of our personnel are at the scene, helping evacuate the people. We have deployed two rubber boats and two other boats,” he told Xinhua.

Amiruddin said his office was monitoring the situation, including the spread of hot lava.

“When the level of danger is declared emergency, we immediately move with the ships, and with all of our strength rescue the people through sea,” he said referring to the coastal villages.

Five villages in Siau Barat sub-district of Sitaro district are vulnerable to the flows of hot lava and rains of volcanic ash, according to him.

The National Disaster Management Agency said hot lava and volcanic rocks have slid down from Mount Karangetan volcano, only 300 meters away from villages, and 200 meters from a road, spokesman of the agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.

On Dec. 21, volcanologists raised the alert status of Mount Karangetan to the second highest after the volcano erupted.

Mount Karangetan is one of the 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation home to over 17,500 islands.(UNI)

West Bengal chief Minister Mamat Banerjee on Tuesday said, ” Nobody is the big boss of this country, democracy is the big boss of this country. ” “I think it’s our moral victory. We have respect for the judiciary and This order was passed earlier also that they can call mutually. Rajeev Kumar never said I will not be available. If you need any clarification, you can come,”   Banerjee said welcoming Supreme Court’s order on Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar.

“They came to arrest. The court said no arrest. We are grateful for the order. We welcome the verdict,” she said.

“Just calling them and arresting them. People cannot go to court. CBI has its own court. How will people get justice. I am fighting for millions of people not just Rajeev Kumar,” Banerjee pointed out.

The chief minister said, ” Today is the victory for the people,victory of democracy, victory of Save India. ”

“Our case is strong. We never said we will never cooperate. We have sent five letters.” said Banerjee after the SC order on Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar,” she stated. “I am not pleading for Rajeev Kumar, I am pleading for millions of people,” the chief minister said.

Banerjee said , “Chandrababu Naidu is coming today (at the dharna stage). I am not alone. I shall discuss with Naveen Patnaikji also. He also gave me support. I will consult them and let you know (our next step).” “We respect the central forces,” she said.

“Our movement is a people’s movement. Modi will not return to power. They are putting in trouble everybody — common people, farmers, artists. They alleged tampering of evidence — it was turned down,” Ms Banerjee iterated.

The chief minister said, ” Rajeev Kumar cannot be arrested, the court has said. They are arresting people from Bengal and putting them in jails of Odisha. They are taking some to Delhi, while some to Odisha. ”

They arrested Lalu Prasad Yadav and took him to Jharkhand. It’s (the SC order) a victory of democracy, she alleged.

“It’s a six year-old case (Saradha chit fund case). It happened in the era of the CPI(M).

We arrested Sudipta Sen. We set up the judicial commission which returned Rs 300 crore. And they allege that we are responsible,” said  Banerjee.

Continuing its strong run at the box office, the kangana ranaut-starrer ‘Mannikarnika-The Queen of Jhansi’ collected Rs. 115 crores gross worldwide at the end of second weekend, officials at Zee studios said.

The film collected Rs 76.65 crores NBOC in 10 days, Rs 94 crores gross in India at the end of second weekend and crossed 2.85 million US Dollars in overseas markets.

The film was released in over 3000 screens in India and over 700 screens in overseas markets.

Speaking on the response to the film, Shariq Patel, CEO, Zee Studios said, “We at Zee Studios are proud to bring Rani Lakshmi Bai’s extraordinary story and are humbled with the overwhelming response from audiences worldwide”.

Vibha Chopra, Head, Zee Studios International (Distribution, Marketing and Acquisitions) added on the film’s overseas performance, “Manikarnika’s epic story of valour and bravery has resonated with audiences across age groups around the world. The film has done really well especially in UAE, Australia and USA markets and continues to hold strong in other important overseas markets”.

Produced by Zee Studios and Kamal Jain, ‘Manikarnika -The Queen of Jhansi’ is running successfully in theatres worldwide. The film also stars Jisshu Sengupta, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni among others.(UNI)

Amid the political storm of ‘CBI-Kolkata police’ row and Mamata Banerjee taking a rather unusual but aggressive stance, BJP leader and Union Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said by doing so, Trinamool Congress chief has only tried to project herself as the ‘nucleus’ of India’s opposition.

“It would be a gross error to assume that she did this (Dharna) because of a routine investigation involving a Police Officer. She did it to defocus from other opposition aspirants for the highest office and to project herself as the nucleus of India’s opposition,” Mr Jaitley wrote in a blog posted on Facebook.

Lambasting the Congress President Rahul Gandhi for taking a u-turn on the issue of chit fund scam in West Bengal, he further said: “Curiously, the AICC President somersaulted his position from Saradha being a scam to “shoulder-to-shoulder”support to scamster”.

Mr Jaitley, who is undergoing treatment abroad, also pointed out that – “Interestingly, the first family of Congress where most members are on bail”.

“A non-ideological short-lived coalition of opposition is disaster for India,” he said referring to the efforts being made for unity among various regional parties.

“When Mamata Banerjee decided to sit on a Dharna she received support of many opposition parties who aspire to be in power. Most of them, or their affiliates are today being investigated, prosecuted and in some cases have also been convicted for crimes of corruption,” he wrote.

“Mamata Banerjee’s disproportionate over-reaction to the CBI wanting to interrogate the Kolkata Police Chief has flagged several issues for a public discourse. The most important being that a Kleptocrat’s Club now aspires to capture the reigns of India,” he said.

Mr Jaitley said: “Today the CBI is being brutally prevented by physical force and detention of its officer from investigating a crime legally within its jurisdiction, in the State of West Bengal. It is a textbook illustration of a State Government assaulting Federalism”.

The Union Minister also lashed out at all other opposition leaders trying to back Mamata Banerjee: “More importantly those who have lent support to the West Bengal Dharna are those who are battling serious allegations of economic improprieties, criminal misconduct and even corruption. Can “New India” be ever run by this Kleptocrat’s Club?”

The ensuing elections “will be either Modi Vs. Chaos or Modi Vs. Anarchy” – he said, “Mamata Banerjee’s latest acrobatics are the best evidence of the kind of governance India’s opposition can provide”.(UNI)

A former trusted police officer of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee- Bharati Ghosh has joined BJP and is now likely to contest the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Ghosh, who is said to have been close also to BJP leader Mukul Roy, joined the saffron party on Monday in presence of BJP leaders Kailash Vijaywargiya and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Taking to Twitter, BJP’s in charge for West Bengal Mr Vijaywargiya said, “The BJP family continues to grow in West Bengal. I welcome former IPS officer Bharati Ghosh to the party.”

Posted as West Midnapore Superintendent of Police,  Ghosh was once credited for her battle against Maoists but she later fell from Chief Minister’s grace and is at present under state CID scanner in an alleged ‘extortion case’.

For her part,   Ghosh, has, however, denied the charge.

The BJP on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court order directing Kolkata top cop Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI in chit fund case probe and said the court directives reflect the moral defeat of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

‘Mamata Banerjee ki naitik haar (It is moral defeat of Mamata Banerjee),’ tweeted BJP incharge of West Bengal Kailash Vijayvargiya.

He also said the court order marks ‘victory of democracy’.

Party leader Nalin Kohli also welcomed the verdict of the three-judge bench of the court and said,

‘It has been made clear by the Supreme Court in its order that personal appearance, after filing of replies, of officers concerned may be required.’

Mr Kohli also said that it will be communicated by Secretary General of Supreme Court on February 19, if such appearance is required on February 20.

The bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi ordered that the controversial police officer Kumar will have to make himself available before the CBI.

On Sunday, a big fracas surfaced in Kolkata after a CBI team landed at Kumar’s house to question him but was disallowed by the Kolkata Police and the Chief minister sat on a Dharna registering her protest against ‘central government’s move to subvert the authorities of the state government’.(UNI)

The ongoing trade war between United States and China is expected to boost the Indian economy with a rise of 3.5 per cent in exports, according to a UN study.

Apart from India, other countries that are expected to benefit the most from this trade war are European Union members, it said.

The trade tensions which erupted in early 2018, when China and the US imposed tariffs worth around $50 billion on each other’s goods will create a $70 billion growth in the new bloc with Australia gains 4.6 per cent, Brazil 3.8 per cent, Philippines 3.2 per cent, and Viet Nam 5 per cent.

The trade dispute between China and the United States could have “massive” implications on the global economy unless it is resolved, United Nations experts said.

Meanwhile, Japan and Canada will see exports increase by more than $20 billion each.

Although these figures do not represent a large slice of global trade, which was worth $17 trillion in 2017 for some countries, like Mexico, the increase in exports will amount to a six per cent rise in exports overall.

But the UNCTAD study also warns that the spat could hit East Asian producers the hardest, with a projected $160 billion contraction in the region’s exports unless discussions between China and the US are resolved before the March deadline.

The study also underlines the “common concern” that trade disputes have an unavoidable impact on the “still fragile” global economy, particularly on developing, commodity-rich countries that are dependent on exports.

“One major concern is the risk that trade tensions could spiral into currency wars, making dollar-denominated debt more difficult to service,” the report adds.

This is the second slap from the Supreme court of India on the face of the CBI directing the latter not to arrest the Kolkota Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. Earlier the apex court had cautioned the CBI to produce evidence before the court to corroborate that the Kolkata police had obstructed the probe agency from doing its investigation.

All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) and Delhi Mahila Congress on Monday submitted a complaint here at Parliament Street Police station against the ‘misogynistic’ social media campaign against Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi.

Taking serious cognizance of the recent spate of offensive comments on social media against Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra under the subject of ’56’, All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev along with the Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress President Sharmistha Mukherjee and others on Monday strongly condemned the dastardly act and filed a complaint at the police station against ‘Unknown Persons’ for ‘spreading distasteful and offensive tweets/pictures of the AICC General Secretary’.

‘In particular one, Yogi Sanjay Nath’s tweet is disgraceful. This is exactly the kind of misogyny that act as a deterrent for women to enter politics. To objectify women and humiliate them is shameful. AIMC cannot be silent bystanders given that the INC has a rich history of empowering women in Politics and in all other spheres of life,’ All India Mahila Congress said in a statement.

Terming this latest episode a part of a greater co-ordinated effort to smear the name and reputation of Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who has recently joined active politics, Ms Dev called out the opposing forces and fringe groups “who have been attempting to discredit Priyanka Gandhi Vadra by using distasteful, offensive and repulsive tweets/pictures of Ms Priyanka Gandhi Vadra”.

‘Considering that tweets/pictures are being tweeted, shared and re-tweeted through various accounts though content remains the same with the mala fide intent to insult her modesty, the tweets/pictures even amount to sexual harassment, which is a penal offence under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860,’Ms Dev said in her complaint.

In this age of cyber policing and much advertised curbs on offensive material online, she said it is surprising that the perpetrators are publishing the same without any fear or concern of the law of the land and without considering the far-reaching consequences of such acts on society.

A delegation of Mahila Congress led by AIMC President Ms Sushmita Dev and Delhi Pradesh Mahila Congress submitted the complaint at the Sansad Marg Police Station.

The complaint outlines charges amounting to serious offences under Sections 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 499 (Defamation), 501 (Printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 354-A (Sexual Harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), and 294 (Obscene acts and songs) of IPC, 67 (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) and 67-A (Punishment for publishing and transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act, etc., in electronic form) of the IT Act, and other relevant provisions.

Screenshots of such tweets/pictures are attached with the complaint.

The FIR will be lodged across the country in every State with Pradesh Mahila Congress cadre registering complaint in their respective District HQ.(UNI)

Amid heightened politico-legal battle with the Trinamool Congress, the ruling BJP on Monday sought to take the battle into the broad opposition camp and said the manner in which Congress and other parties have backed embattled Mamata Banerjee only show that the proposed Gathbandhan, is nothing but an “opportunistic alliance”.

“The fundamental question today is that the Gathbandhan, we see, we can call it an opportunistic alliance,” BJP leader and Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

“It is also the coalition of the corrupt….saving each other,” he said.

“And in doing so all ‘maryada (decorum and propriety)’ have been abandoned,” the Minister charged.

Taking a dig at Mamata Banerjee sitting on a Dharna since Sunday evening despite being the Chief Minister in office, he said, “Sometime back Arvind Kejriwal had done so….and now Mamata Banerjee is following the same”.

Mr Prasad also wondered why Ms Banerjee had maintained silence when several big leaders and sitting lawmakers were arrested. “What is special about this Police Commissioner (Rajeev Kumar) that she has to jump to his defence,”  Prasad said.

Standardisation is a movement and it should not be stuck in islands of quality, said BIS Director General Surina Rajan, while addressing the inaugural session of 12th Regional Standards Conclave in Odisha.
”Standardisation is a movement, it should not be stuck in islands of quality. For standards, sustainability and smart services are the next dimension which BIS is trying to map out for future standardization and conformity assessment,” she said at the event last week.
”The BIS Act 2016 lays down the framework for Standards development and delivery in India. The products, process, the service, delivered in the country, should be of high quality and meet the expectation of both consumers and producers,” he said.
The conclave was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Department of Commerce, Government of India, the MSME Department of the Government of Odisha, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), National Accreditation Board of Certification Bodies (NABCB), the Export Inspection Council (EIC), and Centre for Research in International Trade (CRIT).
Ms Rajan said that as the national standards body, BIS was committed to delivering quality assurance and standards’ solutions not just for exports but also the consumers within the country.
What is imported into the country should also be safe for Indian consumers, she said.
Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, Sudhanshu Pandey said the global trade in goods is valued at USD18 trillion and Services trade is worth USD5 trillion, according to a statement issued here on Monday.
”At present India is a USD 2.6 trillion economy. To increase its share, India must vigorously follow standards. The new Consumer Act allows for product recall. It is a welcome move. Product liability law which puts greater responsibility on manufacturers now needs to be enforced. Each stakeholder has different interests, standards allow these interests to communicate and combine,” he said.
Santosh Sarangi, EIC Chairperson and Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Government of India, observed that in the changing scenario of world trade, quality infrastructure should be a thrust area. Consumers have been demanding more and more information at their disposal. Today, no one can ignore the issues of human health and safety and hence, following standards is very important.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced to continue her dharna till February 8.
” I’ll continue my dharna till February 8 because Madhyamik examination will start after that, ” she added.
Earlier, she charged the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre with trying to destroy every institution of the Bengal Government.
” They want to usurp power. This is a destructive mindset, ” she said.

Addressing the Krishak Samabesh at Netaji Indoor Stadium via Facebook live from her dharna site, the chief minister said, “I was supposed to attend the Krishak Samabesh organised by Krishak O Khet mazdoor Samiti at Netaji Indoor Stadium. But an unprecedented, emergency-like situation has been created.”
She has been on dharna at Metro Channel what she said is to save the Constitution since last evening.

Banerjee said, ” They are practising politics of vendetta. Even civil services officers have not been spared. This has been the case for the last five years in India. ”

” People are afraid to speak out. The democratic rights of people are under threat, ” she commented.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi on Monday dispatched his report on yesterday’s development in the state to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh through mail.

Private airline SpiceJet on Monday introduced a daily non-stop flight between Hyderabad and Jeddah effective March 25, 2019.

The airline has announced a special fare of Rs 13,499 for Hyderabad – Jeddah and Rs 10,799 for Jeddah – Hyderabad.

SpiceJet’s flight SG 33 will depart from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 7.10 am (all local times) and will arrive in Jeddah at 11.05 am on the same day. The return flight SG 34 will depart at 12.05 pm and reach Hyderabad at 8:25 pm.

The first Indian budget airline to offer direct connectivity to Jeddah, SpiceJet will deploy its state-of-the-art Boeing 737 MAX aircraft on the sector. Jeddah will be SpiceJet’s ninth international destination and third destination in the Middle East.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray called on anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare at Ralegan-Siddhi and extended support to his indefinite strike which entered the sixth day on Monday.

He lauded the causes for which Hazare has been agitating without being concerned about his own life and said, ‘I have told him not to put his life at risk for the undeserving hypocrites.

He further said that because of Hazare, Modi government came to power.
Hazare is seeking implementation of Lokpal, setting up Lokayuktas in all states besides fighting for the farmers’ cause. Hazare has lost over five kg though his vital parameters were reported to be normal.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today appealed to him to call off his agitation.
Talking to media, Mr Hazare said, ‘Though I have lost weight, I still have the capacity to continue this fast for another four-five days.’

Annapurna Finance has raised Rs 137 crore as primary equity investment from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which will allow the MFI to expand its micro-finance portfolio by extending micro-credits to women members of Joint Liability Groups (JLGs).
Along with this primary, another Rs 75 crore of secondary round also happened where existing investors of the company OIJIF, Oikocredit and Bamboo Finance bought shares from early stage investors Incofin Investment and SIDBI Venture capital’s Samriddhi fund.
“Women, particularly in the rural areas in India, still have difficulty in accessing capital, which limits their potential and prevents them from contributing significantly to inclusive and sustainable growth,” said Paul Flegler, ADB’s Principal Investment Specialist for Private Sector Operations.
The ADB’s support to Annapurna will expand its lending portfolio, helping ensure that rural women and micro and small enterprises needing capital can have better access to finance, he added.
Annapurna based in Bhubaneswar has a wide area of micro-finance operations in 277 districts across 14 states serving 1.4 million of clients, most of which are women. With a network of closely 500 branches, Annapurna has 85 per cent of its borrowers from rural India. The company’s existing investors include SIDBI, INCOFIN, OIJIF, Belgian Investment Organization, SIDBI Venture Capital, DCB Bank, Oiko Credit, Women’s World banking (WWB) and Bamboo Capital Partners.(UNI)

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party National President N Chandrababu Naidu condemned the attempt of CBI officials to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar and vowed to fight against the BJP-led NDA government.

Addressing party leaders through teleconference here on Monday, he said that the Centre’s act of using the CBI against State governments is against the federal spirit.

He vowed to fight against the BJP-led NDA Government Centre by uniting all non-BJP parties.

Mr Naidu extended solidarity to West Bengal Chief Minister. The BJP is acting vindictively against Mamata Banerjee since her ‘United India Rally’ held recently was a grand success, he claimed.

The Centre wants to keep all the State governments in its control. He said “The law and order is a state subject and Centre cannot interfere in it. The BJP’s concept of Team India and Federal India limited to slogans only”, Mr Naidu charged.

“Mr.Narendra Modi headed NDA government is ruining the cooperative federal system. The Centre is registering cases against those who oppose the Centre’s illegitimate acts. The Centre, had earlier, harassed former Uttar Pradesh Chief Ministers– Mr Akhilesh Yadav, Ms Mayawati, he alleged, adding that it is now harassing Ms Mamata Banerjee”.

Mr.Naidu said “The non-BJP leaders are evolving an action plan at the National level to check the BJP. Discussions are going on among the National leaders in this regard. I will discuss the matter with other leaders during my next visit to New Delhi, he said. He warned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah would have to face the wrath of people for the misdeeds.

Referring to Mr Shah’s visit to Srikakulam district today, the Chief Minister said that when the Srikakulam district was battered by Titli Cyclone, he did not visited the affected areas. However after four months of cyclone devastation, he is visiting the areas, he said.

He asked the TDP cadre to express their protest to Mr Amit Shah by wearing black badges.

Meanwhile, TDP sources said that Mr Chandrababu Naidu is thinking of going to Kolkata to extend solidarity to Mamata Banerjee.

However, the Chief Minister has to take a final decision in this regard, the sources added.