Highlights of the day: Foreign Secretary Kwatra given extension of 6 months

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9:11 PM

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra given extension of six months

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved an extension in service of Vinay Mohan Kwatra (IFS:1988) as Foreign Secretary for six months beyond April 30, 2024 i.e. up to October 31, 2024 or until further orders.

 

8:57 PM

PM Modi launches Rs 1200 crore Sabarmati Ashram reconstruction project on Dandi Kooch Day

8:56 PM

Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra given extension of six months

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved an extension in service of Vinay Mohan Kwatra (IFS:1988) as Foreign Secretary for six months beyond 30.04.2024 i.e. up to 31.10.2024 or until further orders.

8:56 PM

MHA declares JKNF as an ‘unlawful association’ with immediate effect under UAPA

Ministry of Home Affairs declared Jammu Kashmir National Front (JKNF) as an ‘unlawful association’ with immediate effect under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for a period of five years.

7:11 PM

JJP decided that they will fight the Lok Sabha seats separately, confirms Manohar Lal Khattar

Former Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar says, "...The 10 seats in the state were won by the BJP. The JJP leaders must have talked to the central leadership...There is nothing official but they (JJP) have decided that they will fight the Lok Sabha seats separately and accordingly the decisions have been made..."

6:25 PM

SBI sends all electoral bonds data to the Election Commission of India by 5:30 pm: Report

SBI sends all electoral bonds data to the Election Commission of India by 5:30 pm, according to media reprots.

6:16 PM

Congress releases second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections

Congress releases second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal says "Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi to contest from Jorhat, Assam. Nakul Nath to contest from Madhya Pradesh's Chhindwara. Rahul Kaswa to contest from Rajasthan's Churu. Vaibhav Gehlot to contest from Jalore.

5:23 PM

BJP's Nayab Singh Saini takes oath as new Haryana Chief Minister after ML Khattar, entire cabinet step down

BJP's Nayab Singh Saini takes oath as new Haryana Chief Minister after ML Khattar, entire cabinet step down.

5:16 PM

Four JJP members present with Nayab Singh Saini's CM swearing-in ceremony

JJP state president Nishan Singh said on reports of some party MLAs skipping the meeting and being in touch with the BJP. "The meeting was chaired under the leadership of party's national president Dr Ajay Singh Chautala. All the issues were discussed and it has been decided that Dr Sahab's birthday tomorrow will be celebrated as Nav Sankalp rally in Hisar. Whatever the party has decided will be announced there tomorrow."

5:16 PM

Nayab Singh Saini to be sworn in as Haryana's new CM shortly

Nayab Singh Saini, 54, is considered a confidante of Manohar Lal Khattar and will be replacing the BJP strongman whose second term as chief minister was going to end in October.

4:49 PM

NPCI to give nod to Paytm request for third-party app license this week

NPCI will approve Paytm request for third-party application license this week, news agency Reuters reported today citing sources. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is unlikely to extend the deadline of March 15 set for Paytm's banking unit, Paytm Payments Bank, to shut down its operations, Reuters said citing sources. Customers will be able to continue using the Paytm app to make payments through the unified payment interface (UPI) after the banking arm winds down.

4:38 PM

Six Pakistanis with drugs worth Rs 480 crore nabbed by security agencies

Six Pakistanis were caught with a large quantity of narcotics in a joint operation of Gujarat ATS, Indian Coast Guard and NCB. Drugs worth Rs 480 crores were seized. They will be brought to Porbandar. The Coast Guard, ATS and NCB together have stopped the smuggling of drugs worth Rs 3,135 crores so far.

4:35 PM

BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini to take oath as Haryana chief minister at 5:00 pm

Saini, 54, a low profile OBC leader, rose through the ranks in the party and was elected as the leader of the state BJP's legislature group at a meeting held on Tuesday.

4:23 PM

Congress to ensure tribals get proportional stake in development: Rahul Gandhi

Congress will ensure that tribals who constitute 8 per cent of India's population, get proportionate stake in development, Rahul Gandhi stated today.

4:21 PM

BJP delivered its CAA promise, says Home Minister Amit Shah at party's Hyderabad meeting

 At a BJP social media volunteers meeting in Hyderbad, Home Minister Amit Shah said that in order to save their faith and honour lakhs and crores of people from Pakistan and Bangladesh came to India, but were not granted citizenship."They felt insulted in their own country when they were not granted citizenship," he said, adding that PM Modi honoured Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh refugees by granting them citizenship through the CAA.

4:14 PM

Congress party opposed CAA due to appeasement and vote-bank politics, says HM Amit Shah in Hyderabad

Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated on Tuesday.that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has honoured Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jain refugees by giving them citizenship through CAA. Shah claimed that the Congress opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) due to appeasement and vote-bank politics.

"We had said we will bring CAA. The Congress party opposed CAA. Since Independence it was a promise of the Congress and makers of our Constitution that citizenship will be granted to those persecuted on religious grounds in Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, who come (to India). But, due to appeasement and vote-bank politics, Congress party opposed the CAA," Shah said. He was addressing a BJP social media volunteers meeting here.

3:20 PM

From arms and ammunition, cyber to space, we can experience flight of Made in India, says PM Modi

3:17 PM

CAA implemented to create another 'partition': PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday stated that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was following the Hindu Mahasabha's concept of two nation theory by implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The ex-chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir  stated that after implementing the CAA, even when the matter is pending before the Supreme Court, was an attempt to divert attention from the government's failures. In a post on X, she said, "77 years after partition, BJP is still wedded to the concept of two nation theory of Hindu Mahasabha. To further their agenda they have thus implemented CAA to create another partition among our people".

 

3:08 PM

BJP's Nayab Saini meets Governor, stakes claim to be next Haryana CM

2:58 PM

Tejas fighter jet crashes in Jaisalmer, 2 pilots eject

An Indian Air Force aircraft crashed near a student hostel in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan today. Two pilots ejected from the aircraft safely, officials said.

2:44 PM

LIVE update: IAF aircraft meets with accident in Jaisalmer

An Indian Air Force aircraft has met with an accident in the desert sector in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, news agency ANI reported today. More details are awaited.

2:29 PM

Country which doesn't cherish heritage loses its future also: PM after launch of Gandhi memorial masterplan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that previous governments did not have the "political will" to save the country's heritage and a country which does not cherish its heritage loses its future also. PM Modi unveiled the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial masterplan at Sabarmati in Gujarat's Ahmedabad city and also inaugurated the redeveloped Kochrab ashram at a function on the anniversary of the famous Dandi Yatra taken out by Mahatma Gandhi on March 12, 1930.

 

2:24 PM

Political chaos in Haryana result of pressure from farmers, youth and wrestlers: Congress'Jairam Ramesh

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today stated that the chaos in Haryana is a result of pressure from farmers, youth and wrestlers and that it was time for a change across the country.

2:10 PM

Who is Nayab Singh Saini, the next in line for Haryana's CM post?

Nayab Singh Saini, the top contender for the Haryana CM post, is the president of BJP's Haryana unit and is an MP from Kurukshetra.

2:06 PM

LIVE news update: BJP's Nayab Singh Saini set to be next Haryana CM after ML Khattar resigns

Speculation was rife that the BJP leadership is likely to go for some major changes in the Haryana government amid the possibility of a break in its ties with the Jannayak Janata Party.  Union minister Arjun Munda and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, are in the state to monitor the overhaul.

1:55 PM

Centre launches new portal for CAA; mobile app soon

A day after notifying the rules for Citizenship (Amendment) Act  (CAA), a portal for six minority communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan to apply for Indian citizenship was launched by the central government. The home ministry said a mobile app ‘CAA-2019’ will also be launched soon to process applications through mobile phones. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the home ministry said, “The Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2024 under the CAA-2019 have been notified. A new portal has been launched; persons eligible under CAA-2019 can apply for citizenship on this portal.”

1:44 PM

L-G Saxena, Kejriwal inaugurate engineered landfill site in southeast Delhi's Tehkhand

On Tuesday, Delhi L-G V K Saxena and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated an engineered landfill site in southeast Delhi's Tehkhand for scientific disposal of solid waste.

 

Chief Minister Kejriwal described the launch of the engineered landfill site as a significant step towards sustainable waste management and environment conservation.

1:21 PM

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde slams Opposition, says PM Modi ensures justice for all

"PM Modi is as per the Constitution of India to ensure justice for all. Congress and INDIA alliance levels false allegations and tries to mislead people in the country during elections", says Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

12:53 PM

HP Assembly update: Why haven't you moved HP HC against disqualification, SC asks disqualified Congress MLAs

The top court today asked six rebel Congress legislators, who had cross-voted in the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh, as to why they have not moved the high court challenging their disqualification.On February 29, Himachal Pradesh Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania had disqualified the six MLAs "defying" the party whip that required them to be present in the House and vote for the budget.

12:35 PM

JJP lawmakers stay away from Delhi meeting; likely to join BJP

At least four JJP MLAs are also likely to walk out of the party, The Indian Express reported today.