Tag: thesamikhsya

Adopting the old Mayawati project of 2007, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has decided to construct the world’s longest Ganga expressway from Meerut to Prayagraj.

The government also approved the much publicised Bundelkhand expressway and the Gorakhpur Link expressway to connect with the Poorvanchal expressway.

The decisions were taken at the Cabinet meeting here on Tuesday in the Kumbh tent city. The cabinet meeting, being held for the first time out of the state capital, took place after the state ministers, around 30 in number, worshiped at the Sangam and paid obeisance to the century-old Akshay Vat and Saraswati kup.

Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath, who himself briefed the media about the cabinet decision, said that on principle the cabinet decided to approve the 600 kilometers long Ganga Expressway starting from Meerut-Amroha-Bulandshahr-Budaun-Shahjahanpur-Kannauj-Unnao-Raebareli-Pratapgarh and to end in Prayagraj would be a 4 lane assess control greenfield expressway which can be expanded to 6-lane.

He said that the proposed Ganga Expressway would be building on 6556 hectares of land and the total expenditure on it would be around Rs 36,000 crore.

Earlier in 2007, the then Mayawati government too had launched a 1047 km access controlled eight-lane Ganga expressway running along the Ganga (Ganges) river. This expressway was slated to connect Greater Noida to Ballia connecting major cities of Varanasi, Mirzapur, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Rae Bareli, Unnao, Kanpur, Kannauj, Hardoi, Farrukhabad, Shahjahanpur, Badaun and Bulandshahr.

The High court stayed the construction as there were no environmental clearance of the project.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the much awaited Bundelkhand expressway. The expressway to connect the backward Bundelkhand region would be of 296 kms, for which 3,641 hectares of land would be required at the total cost of the project would be around Rs 8,800 crore.

Bundelkhand expressway route will be start from where it will join Agra Lucknow Expressway near Etawah and, thereafter, it will pass through Auraiya – Jalaun – Orai – Rath – Banda districts and to end at Chitrakoot.

Similarly, the government also approved the Gorakhpur link expressway to connect with the Poorwanchal expressway to be constructed from Lucknow to Ghazipur. The new Gorakhpur link expressway will be of 90 kilometers and will pass through Azamgarh and Ambedkharnagar district. The total cost of the link expressway would be around Rs 555 crore.

With this decision, the foundation stone for the Bundelkhand expressway and Gorakhpur link expressway would be done soon with start of the land acquisition.

Saint-Gobain, inaugurated three world class facilities to meet the growing demand of the glass markets — both domestic and international– on Monday.

Each of these facilities was dedicated to the nation by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thiru Edappadi K Palaniswami.

Set up with an investment of over Rs 1,200 crore, this takes the cumulative investment in the World Glass Complex, Sriperumbudur to more than Rs 3,000 crore.

‘As one of the fastest growing economies in the world, India is an important market and investment destination for Saint-Gobain. As a global leader in the construction industry we see immense opportunities in India to utilise our expertise in sustainable building solutions to enhance human habitats and promote well-being in living spaces.

Over the past two decades we have consistently invested in developing new markets, in building new world-class manufacturing facilities, in technology and in human capital. We are an innovation driven company and our investment in Saint-Gobain Research India, our world-class Research Centre in Chennai, is aimed at developing innovative solutions not only for markets such as India, but also for the world,’ said Mr Pierre-André de Chalendar, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Compagnie de Saint-Gobain, France said.

‘We strongly believe in India’s future and have consistently invested ahead of time in Capacity, Capability, Technology and Innovation. The World Glass Complex at Sriperumbudur, Saint-Gobain’s largest investment in a single location worldwide is set to welcome the largest and most advanced glass manufacturing plant in India along with advanced magnetron coater and glass solutions line.

‘This new expansion will accelerate Saint-Gobain’s momentum in realizing the Vision of being the Clear Choice for Glass Solutions in India and the adjoining region,’ said Saint-Gobain India Private Limited Managing Director, B Santhanam(UNI).

(UNI) The Centre filed an application in the Top Court on Tuesday seeking permission for returning to original owners the 67-odd acres of land it had acquired around the 2.77 acre disputed Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid land.

Centre, in its application, said Ram Janambhoomi Nyas sought return of excess land acquired in 1991 to original owners.

It says SC in Ismail Faruqui judgment had said government could consider returning 67-odd acres of acquired land surrounding disputed land after Allahabad HC judgment on civil suits.

The Apex Court has not fixed any date for hearing the matter, but sources in the Supreme Court registry confirmed that the application would likely to come up within two weeks.

The Press Council of India (PCI) has taken suo-motu cognizance of the statement issued by the Jammu Kashmir Press Association(JKPA) regarding alleged threat by former MLA Chowdhary Lal Singh to media persons working in Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh resigned from the PDP-BJP coalition government as a minister after he allegedly supported the Kathua rape and murder of a 8-year-old girl in January last year.

The local newspaper highlighted Mr Singh’s participation in rallies and protest marches demanding release of those arrested by police in connection with rape and murder.

President of the JKPA Ghulam Hassan Kaloo said on Tuesday that the PCI has taken note of the association statement regarding the threat of  Singh to media persons working in the state.

He said the PCI has now summoned Fayaz Ahmad Wani, spokesman of JKPA, to appear before the Committee on February 14, 2919 at New Delhi.

The JKPA said   Singh had issued a statement threatening scribes of dire consequences like that of Shujat Bukhari, who had fallen prey to the icy hands of death on June 14 last year. Bukhari was shot dead by unidentified gunmen near his office at Partap Park. The Media Houses were under the spell of gloom and reeling under the shock waves when Mr Singh came out openly with a statement which was pregnant with venom and direct attack on Fourth Estate. No doubt, his statement evoked large scale condemnation and both National and Local Dailies came out openly demanding legal action against Mr Singh.

Kaloo said it is gratifying that the PCI has taken cognizance of the diatribe of the ex-MLA and it is hoped that it will initiate appropriate action to safeguard the Fourth Estate against the onslaughts and threatenings in future.(UNI)

China unveiled a raft of measures on Tuesday to secure stable domestic consumption growth in 2019.

The policy plan, jointly released by 10 ministry-level authorities including the National Development and Reform Commission, will inject new impetus into automobile sales, urban and rural consumption upgrades, spending on new products and services, and improvement in the consumption environment.

“The slowdown in auto sales was the main contributor to weaker consumption growth last year,” said Liu Yunan, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission. “Auto consumption, with its heft, is highlighted in our targeted measures.”

The country sold 28.08 million autos last year, down 2.76 percent year-on-year, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed.

The drop accounted for 66.7 percent of the total retail sales decline in 2018, Liu told a news conference Tuesday, adding that the country’s car market still had much untapped potential.

China will promote auto replacement, especially in rural areas, accelerate development of the second-hand car market, and adjust subsidies to galvanize sales of new energy vehicles (NEVs), according to the plan.

As for boosting urban consumption, authorities will promote the renewal of old departments, development of the real estate rent market as well as child and elderly care services.

Rural areas will see faster development of online shopping, e-commerce and tourism, and will launch product quality campaigns to improve market environment.

Policies will also increase the supply of high-quality products and services, such as 5G communication and 4K ultra high-definition video, and improve infrastructure such as parking lots and charging stations for NEVs.

Within five years of its commercial deployment in China, 5G will drive an economic output of 10 trillion yuan (about 1.5 trillion U.S. dollars) and create 3 million new jobs, according to some estimates, said Dong Dajian, an official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

To strengthen residents’ spending power, measures such as special individual income tax deductions will be fully implemented.

Consumption has played an increasing role in China’s economy, contributing 76.2 percent of GDP growth in 2018, up significantly by 18.6 percentage points from a year ago, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.

With one of the world’s largest markets, China should continue releasing its potential to expand its domestic market, improve its consumption environment and boost consumer spending, according to a statement released after the annual Central Economic Work Conference.

“We expect consumption to remain the largest driver of the economy in the next decade,” said Ding Shuang, an economist of the Standard Chartered Bank, citing consumption to continue to grow faster than investment amid the ongoing trends of urbanization, aging and a rising middle-income group demanding quality goods and services.(UNI)

Uruguayan President Tabare Vazquez has said that his country is ready to become a venue for possible talks on the Venezuelan crisis settlement, local media reported.
The VTV broadcaster also reported that Vazquez discussed the Venezuelan crisis in phone talks with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on Monday.
The statements come after another Latin American leader, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, said on January 25 that his country was willing to act as a mediator in talks between the Venezuelan authorities and opposition provided that the sides agreed to the offer.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly said that he is open to talks with the opposition at any time, however, speaker of the opposition-led Venezuelan National Assembly Juan Guaido has questioned sincerity of the government’s offer and maintained that he is unwilling to join a “fake” dialogue.
On January 15, the National Assembly declared Maduro, whose last year’s re-election it considers illegitimate, a usurper. Last Wednesday, Guaido proclaimed himself the country’s interim president.
The United States and a number of other countries have recognized the opposition leader and demanded that a new election be held in the Latin American country. Maduro slammed Guaido as a US “puppet” and accused Washington of organizing a coup in Venezuela.
Russia, Uruguay, Mexico, and Turkey voiced their support for Maduro as the country’s only legitimate president, with Moscow also expressing readiness to act as a mediator in the conflict between the government and the opposition. (UNI)

The Health ministry of Singapore on Monday said that confidential information of 14,200 people with HIV has been stolen and leaked online. The ministry has named American fraudster as the culprit.
The Ministry said “The records that have been leaked include those of 5,400 Singaporeans diagnosed with HIV up to January 2013, and 8,800 foreigners diagnosed up to December 2011.
This included each person’s name, identification number, phone number and address, HIV test results and related medical information, reports The Straits Times.
The name, identification number, phone number and address of 2,400 people identified through contact tracing up to May 2007 were also leaked.
“We are sorry for the anxiety and distress caused by this incident.
“Our priority is the well being of the affected individuals,” it added, saying that it has been contacting affected individuals to inform and help them since last Saturday (Jan 26), and that it has worked with relevant parties to disable access to the information.(UNI)

NiYO, the new-age digital banking solutions provider for salaried employees, has launched NiYO Global Travel Card, which is the first-ever forex card with ‘zero forex mark-up’.
Travellers, using this card, will not pay any currency exchange premium and international transaction fees – unlike a regular forex card.
With the NiYO Global Travel Card in her pocket, the overseas traveller will effectively have no need for the usual multi-currency forex cards or travellers’ cheques – all the while making international transactions cost-effective across 150-plus countries and 35 million merchants worldwide.
Besides the cost-effective feature, NiYO Global Card also offers instant digital onboarding, convenient loading from the user’s bank account via NEFT/IMPS, according to a statement on Monday.
The card is supported by a cutting-edge mobile app, which gives users the ability to lock and unlock either the full card or a payment channel anytime, anywhere in the world. The app also provides real-time notifications on usage, exchange rates and refunds, while helping users find convenient ATM locations, avail nearby offers – thus making it one of the most modern cards in the world today.
Business travellers can submit claims on-the-go by adding bills for each transaction right in the app.
These claims can be instantaneously approved by their employer organisations via the NiYO Corporate Portal.(UNI)

Isabelle Moussard Carlsen, the director of operations for Action Against Hunger humanitarian organization, on Monday called on the members of the UN Security Council (UNSC) to step up its efforts aimed at reaching a political solution to the conflict in Yemen, rather than shift all the responsibility onto humanitarian agencies.
“Humanitarian aid in Yemen is not going to be the only solution … We need a political solution to this conflict and we need to make sure that the process is not relying only on the humanitarian actors and the UN but it is also the responsibility of the UN Security Council,” Carlsen told a briefing on Yemen.
The civil conflict in Yemen between the internationally recognized government and Houthi rebels, who eventually managed to occupy vast lands in the country’s northwest, began in 2015. The Saudi-led coalition joined the hostilities that same year to help out the government forces.
According to the United Nations’ data, over 6,500 civilians have been killed in the conflict between March 2015 and August 2018. Yemenis have been also suffering from severe famine provoked by a blockade, launched by the coalition and scarce humanitarian aid.(UNI) 

Former Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan High Courts Justice Jagdish Bhalla, who died of cardiac arrest, was cremated at Lodhi Road crematorium in New Delhi on Monday.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan High Court, as well as all subordinate courts in the state remained closed for a day on account of his demise.

Justice Bhalla, who passed away on Sunday evening at AIIMS, took charge as the Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court in February 2008, and that of Rajasthan in August 2009. He later served as the Chairman of the Uttarakhand State Humans Right Commission in 2016.

In the run-up to hold Tong IL Moo Do Federation Cup in Kashmir valley in the month of April, a two-day orientation camp for referees was held in the summer capital, Srinagar by a nationally acclaimed master.

Around 40 referees, who will be officiating in the upcoming state and Federation Cup in the valley, participated in the orientation cum training camp of Tong IL Moo Do.

The two-day event, which was concluded on Monday, was held at Jammu And Kashmir Academy of Unified Martial Arts (JKAUMA) Natipora Training centre.

The J&K Tong IL Moo Do Association has also been entrusted to host National Federation Cup of this martial arts in the month of April in Srinagar. “I am glad to inform you that the state body been entrusted to host the national championship in April in Srinagar,” General Secretary, Tong IL Moo Do Federation of India, Mohammad Arshid told UNI.

He said the orientation camp was success and most of the referees have cleared both the written and practical examination. “Only trained referees will be able to official in district, state and national events,” he added.

Mr Arshid said so far four Tong IL Moo Do nationals have been held in J&K since it was introduced in 2012.

The organisers of the event said that the orientation camp was held to train the referees so that championships are organised in fair manner. “The Federation cup is being organised to give a platform to local players to learn from national and international players,” Omar Gassi, who is the President of J&K Tong IL Moo Do Association told UNI.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday suggested that a stint with voluntary services like NSS, NCC should be made mandatory for children from school days.

‘Such training would help students to develop the feeling of oneness, develop empathy and compassion and become sensitive to the needs of the less fortunate,’ he said interacting with volunteers of National Service Scheme (NSS) who took part in the Republic Day Parade here.

Appreciating the youngsters’ passion and commitment for taking up community service at a young age, he said ‘by doing this you are realising the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi who had said ‘the best way to find oneself is to lose oneself in the service of others’,’ he said.

More than 200 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers from various parts of the country called on the Vice

President at his residence.(UNI)

China believes that the United States exerts undue pressure on Chinese enterprises, including telecommunications company Huawei, and calls on Washington to stop this treatment, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Monday.
Huawei has been facing allegations that it spied on behalf of Beijing, something that the company has vehemently denied. Last year, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States banned the company from participating in government contracts. On January 11, Polish media reported that one of directors of Huawei’s Polish office and a former high-ranking employee of Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ISA) were arrested in Poland on suspicion of spying for China.
“We have paid attention to the relevant media reports and insist that the United States stop exerting undue pressure on Chinese companies, including Huawei, and provide a fair and favorable environment for normal cooperation between enterprises of the two countries,” Geng Shuang said at a briefing.(UNI)

The Common Services Centre (CSC) on Monday launched its first Cash and Carry store in Kanth tehsil of Moradabad district in Uttar Pradesh.

Efforts are also on to set up one Cash and Carry store in every block. The store currently houses products of Godrej, Patanjali, JIVA, Crompton, i-Ball, a statement here said.

The store also offers free membership benefits to other CSC VLEs and government employees.

Each Cash and Carry store will provide employment to minimum four people directly and indirectly.

The statement said clubbed with economic census initiative, stage has been set to create 25 lakh job opportunities in the near future in under–exposed parts of India.

Common Services Centres (CSCs), under Digital India mission, are providing Citizen Centric Services. They are also selling IFFCO fertilizers and seeds through its vast network in the country.

Tata Motors on Monday launched its much-awaited SUV, the Harrier, in Uttar Pradesh.

Harrier will be on sale across Tata Motors authorised sales outlets in India at a starting price of Rs 12.69 Lakhs, ex showroom, Lucknow.

The Harrier is truly a global SUV, offering a perfect combination of design and excellence. This thoroughbred SUV, engineered on Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced (OMEGA) Architecture promises to offer exemplary driving dynamics on varied terrains.

The Harrier is the first vehicle to sport the IMPACT Design 2.0 design language of Tata Motors, which will appeal to customers with its stunning exteriors and luxurious interiors.

Tata Motors,Vice President, Product Line, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit Mohan Savarkar said here on Monday that Tata Harrier is the most premium offering yet by the company and will sure attract customers with its stunning design and exemplary performance.

” Built on a robust architecture, the vehicle delivers class leading drivability across terrains and comes equipped with various segment first features. With legendary pedigree running through its veins, the Tata Harrier promises to pave entirely new standards for SUVs in India,” he said.

He further said that Tata Motors promises to offer its customers a very premium ownership experience with the Harrier.

“Ever since the bookings opened in October, the Company has witnessed many customers booking the vehicle with a desire to own this SUV immediately after the launch. Acknowledging the trust and confidence that customers have shown in the product, all customers who have booked the vehicle prior to launch will get a limited edition collector’s item- a scale model of the Harrier, at the time of the vehicle delivery,” Mr Savarkar further said.

Want to whip up a storm in the kitchen just like the Swiss did 400 years ago?

According to a Swissinfo report, the oldest surviving German-language cookbook in Switzerland has been republished, and what once fed the clergy of the diocese can now be served up in your own home.

It’s a weighty book, not just in terms of its many pages, but also in terms of the dense recipes found inside. “Ein schön Kochbuch” (“A beautiful cookbook”) dates from 1559 and contains 515 recipes.

The handwritten original was found a few years ago in the attic of a house near Zurich. The owner donated it to Swiss historian Walter Letsch, and today the original is stored in the Cantonal Archives of Graubünden.

However, cookbooks don’t really belong in archives, but in kitchens: and so, Letsch edited the book and translated it into modern German. The newly-published book, available in Swiss bookstores, not only contains the recipes but also additional explanations on the dishes and ingredients as well as the language used.

With modern taste buds in mind, the recipes may take a little getting used to: deliciously prepared dishes such as beaver’s tail or pike liver might not count as culinary highlights for the contemporary palate.

However, the read is an exciting one for history nerds and food lovers alike. There are also instructions for storing wine and making “medicinal” cures for headaches, gout and constipation.

The writing in the historical cookbook shows that at least five people worked on the original. It was aimed at the cooks of the diocese of Chur, who fed the clergy. The dishes are proof of the fine dining they enjoyed. Take the large use of sugar for example – a luxury only the rich could afford – at a time when poorer people sweetened their food with honey.(UNI)

(UNI) The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday suspended Ambati Rayudu from bowling in international cricket, after the player failed to test his suspect action within the stipulated period of 14 days.
”The player elected not to submit a test of his bowling action within the stipulated period of 14 days of being reported for a suspect action, and therefore, he has been suspended with immediate effect, in accordance with clause 4.2 of ICC regulations,” the Council said in a statement.

”The suspension will remain in place until he is tested, and can demonstrate he is able to bowl with a legal action,” it added.
The 33-year-old Indian player was reported on January 13 for a suspect action, during the first one-day international of their series against Australia in Sydney.
However, according to Article 11.5 of the Regulations and with the consent of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Rayudu may be allowed to bowl in domestic cricket events, played under the auspices of the BCCI.