LIVE: PM Modi gives 'Wed in India' call to retain wealth within country

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LIVE news updates: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged the issue of couples opting for destination weddings abroad and said people should be encouraged to "Wed in India" so that wealth remains within the country.

Addressing the gathering of members of the Leuva Patidar community which manages the Shri Khodaldham Trust-Kagavad, Modi said, "Is it appropriate to hold marriage abroad? Can't the marriage be held in our country? How much of India's wealth goes out."

"You should create an environment that this disease of getting married abroad does not enter your community. Why shouldn't the marriage take place at the feet of Ma Khodal (Goddess revered by the community). I would say 'Wed In India', like Made in India, Marry in India," he said.

Switzerland and India have reached a consensus on a free-trade agreement after 16 years of negotiations, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin was quoted as saying as per a Bloomberg report. Parmelin visited India directly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to meet with counterpart Piyush Goyal, according to a post by the Swiss minister on the platform X late on Saturday. The outline of a deal was agreed, and officials are working to finalize the details, the minister has said.  'This FTA agreement will create jobs for the young population of India, and secure employment in Switzerland,” Parmelin said as per the report.

The unfortunate plane crash that occurred in Afghanistan is neither an Indian Scheduled Aircraft nor a Non-Scheduled (NSOP)/Charter aircraft, confirms the Ministry of Civil Aviation. The DGCA has informed that it is a Moroccan-registered small aircraft.
While sharing his remarks at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Khodaldham Trust Cancer Hospital in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the govt is making efforts to ensure hassle-free treatment for cancer patients. 'In the last nine years, almost 30 new cancer hospitals have been developed in the country. Work is underway at 10 new cancer hospitals,' the prime minister said.

Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' resumed its second leg of the Assam journey today, after a night halt in Arunachal Pradesh. The Yatra re-entered Assam through Rajgarh in Biswanath district and is currently proceeding towards Nagaon district in the central part of the state. The march, being carried out on foot and bus, conducted its first round of Assam Yatra from Thursday to Saturday afternoon. The Yatra has again started its second round and is scheduled to travel through the state till March 25, covering a total of 833 km.

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9:40 PM

Naxalism will be eliminated from country within next three years, says Home minister Amit Shah

Naxalism will be eliminated from the country within the next three years, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday and directed to expedite development activities in remote areas affected by the ultras. Reviewing the Naxal situation in Chhattisgarh, Shah also directed the security forces to financially choke the ultras. According to sources, the home minister said coordinated action by the security forces will eliminate the Naxals from the country within the next three years.

8:55 PM

Manipur: Kuki body 'dismayed' over Centre's decision to end free movement agreement with Myanmar

An apex body of the Kuki tribes in Manipur have expressed concern over the Union government's abrupt decision about ending the free movement of people at the India-Myanmar border and fencing it completely. The Kuki Inpi Manipur, in a statement, said fencing will not address some of the complex challenges. It, however, did not elaborate about such challenges. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had on Saturday said the government has decided that the India-Myanmar border, which is open, will be protected by barbed fencing.

8:07 PM

CM Siddaramaiah announces Rs 1,500 per quintal to coconut growers in addition to Rs 12,000 MSP by Centre

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday announced giving Rs 1,500 from the state government to the coconut growers in addition to the minimum support price of Rs 12,000 per quintal given by the Central government. He said although there was a demand to give an additional Rs 3,000 per quintal, the government is giving Rs 1,500 to the coconut growers keeping in view its financial capacity.

7:11 PM

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Cong PM would've controlled Manipur violence by fourth day, says Rahul Gandhi in Assam

If there was a prime minister of the Congress, the violence in Manipur would have been controlled by the fourth day, party leader Rahul Gandhi claimed on Sunday. Addressing a rally as part of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam's Nagaon district, he claimed that even PM Narendra Modi can control the violence in the Northeastern state within three days with the help of the Army, but the BJP doesn't want to do it. "Manipur has been burning for several months, but our prime minister hasn't gone there till date. Had it been a Congress PM, he would have gone there in three days and the fire there would have been doused on the fourth day," Gandhi said.

6:32 PM

"The opposition party needs to raise negatives about govt, help bringing schemes to people', says Amit Shah

5:26 PM

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Assam govt threatening people not to join yatra, public not afraid of BJP, says Rahul

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Assam's BJP-led government has been threatening people against joining the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, and refusing permissions for programmes along its route. People, however, are not afraid of the BJP, Gandhi asserted at a public gathering in Biswanath Chariali, the headquarters of Biswanath district. He also said the Congress will win by a huge margin against the BJP in the upcoming elections.

4:54 PM

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Rahul moved inside bus as he advance towards crowd that included people with BJP flags

4:19 PM

ED searches Gujarat, Delhi locations in case against agents aiding illegal immigration racket

The Enforcement Directorate on Sunday said it undertook searches in Gujarat and Delhi against some "key" conspirators who used to run an illegal racket of sending Indian citizens abroad using "bogus" visas and passports. The searches were carried out on January 19-20 at 22 locations in Ahmedabad, Surat and Mehsana in Gujarat and in Delhi. These were linked to "key conspirators" Bobby alias Bharatbhai Patel, Charanajit Singh and others in a case of aiding illegal foreign immigration, the agency said in a statement.

3:46 PM

Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project progress satisfactory, says JICA India chief

Expressing satisfaction with the ongoing Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, the Chief Representative of JICA India, Saito Mitsunori, said that the PM Gati Shakti plan has accelerated public works in the country. In an interview with PTI, Mitsunori also expressed Japan's interest in enhancing India's border road networks and participating in the transnational power transmission project with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh

3:06 PM

TN govt has banned watching live telecast of Ayodha Ram Mandir programmes of 22 Jan, says Sitharaman

'In Tamil Nadu there are over 200 temples for Shri Ram. Police are stopping privately held temples also from organising events. They are threatening organisers that they will rip off pandals,' Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a post on social media platform X. 

2:47 PM

Switzerland, India reach deal on FTA, says Swiss economy minister Guy Parmelin

Switzerland and India have reached a consensus on a free-trade agreement after 16 years of negotiations, Swiss Economy Minister Guy Parmelin was quoted as saying as per a Bloomberg report. Parmelin visited India directly after the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to meet with counterpart Piyush Goyal, according to a post by the Swiss minister on the platform X late on Saturday. The outline of a deal was agreed, and officials are working to finalize the details, the minister has said.  'This FTA agreement will create jobs for the young population of India, and secure employment in Switzerland,” Parmelin said as per the report.

2:12 PM

Russian-registered plane with six people onboard likely crashed in Afghanistan, authorities say

A Russian private jet carrying six people allegedly crashed in a remote area of rural Afghanistan, Russian authorities said today. As per reports, the plane had been operating as a charter ambulance flight on a route from Gaya, India, to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, onward to Zhukovsky International Airport in Moscow. The plane was a French-made Dassault Falcon 10 jet. The aircraft was a charter flight travelling from India via Uzbekistan to Moscow, reports say.

1:19 PM

Aircraft crashed in Afghanistan is not an Indian plane: DGCA

1:04 PM

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel lays the foundation stone of Cancer Hospital in Rajkot

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel today laid the foundation stone of Cancer Hospital in Rajkot. Sending his remarks on the occasion, PM Modi in a video message said that Gujarat has made remarkable progress in the health sector. 'Today Gujarat is turning out to be a big medical hub in India. Till 2002, Gujarat had only 11 medical colleges however today, the number has risen to 40. In 20 years, the MBBS seats have gone up by five times,' the stated.

12:40 PM

Govt ensuring hassle-free treatment for cancer patients: PM Modi