LIVE: BJP has no right to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai, says Maharashtra CM

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5:46 PM

PM photo on COVID vaccine certificates violates poll code, TMC tells EC

A delegation of TMC leaders on Wednesday met Election Commission officials here and alleged that the use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo on advertisements of various central schemes and the COVID vaccination certificates, distributed by the Union health ministry, violated the model code of conduct, PTI reported.

 

The ruling party in West Bengal termed it as a "blatant misuse of official machinery" and sought the intervention of the poll panel to remove hoardings advertising central government schemes with images of Modi at petrol pumps, state minister Firhad Hakim said after meeting the EC officials.

 

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi happens to be the star campaigner of the BJP in this assembly elections. As a politician, he is seeking support for his party during rallies. In this situation, using his photo in vaccination certificates is akin to influencing voters and violates the model code of conduct.

5:13 PM

Three TMC councillors from West Bengal join BJP

Bidhannagar Mayor-in-Council Debasish Jana and three Trinamool Congress (TMC) councillors from Asansol joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday in Kolkata ahead of the forthcoming Assembly polls in West Bengal. The four TMC leaders were inducted into BJP in presence of the party's state president Dilip Ghosh.

 

The developments come a day after TMC leader and former Asansol Mayor Jitendra Tiwari on Tuesday joined the BJP at a public meeting in Hooghly. The TMC and BJP have been at loggerheads ahead of the Assembly polls in Bengal. There has been an exodus of leaders from TMC to BJP in recent months. Elections for the 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal will begin on March 27. The state is set to witness eight-phase Assembly polls this year.

5:07 PM

After flash floods, alternative Bailey bridge opened over Rishiganga in Uttarakhand

An alternative Bailey bridge has been built over Rishiganga to restore connectivity to 13 villages of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district which had been cut off after a bridge was washed out in the devastating flash floods in the river on February 7, PTI reported on Wednesday.

 

The construction of the bridge began on February 25 and it was scheduled to be completed by March 20 but the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) worked overtime to complete it well before schedule, Chief Engineer of BRO's Shivalik project A S Rathore told PTI on Wednesday.

 

The newly built Bailey bridge will be opened for the public after trials on March 5, he said. The recent avalanche in Rishiganga wreaked havoc on surrounding areas washing out several bridges and cutting off 13 villages downstream of the river.

4:44 PM

Govt okays 12 new SSB battalions to fortify Nepal, Bhutan borders, tri-junction area

The government has sanctioned a dozen fresh SSB battalions, comprising over 13,000 personnel for the Nepal and Bhutan borders guarding force, to "fortify" defences along these fronts including the tri-junction area in Sikkim that adjoins Bhutan and Tibet, officials said. Though the Union Home Ministry has denied creation of a new field frontier for the border force, it has allowed the SSB to create one out of three new sector -- responsible for the operations of about 5-6 battalions -- and it is expected to come up in the Delhi-NCR region.

 

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), with an estimated strength of about 90,000 personnel, is the designated force to guard the open Indian fronts with Nepal (1,751 km) and Bhutan (699 km). SSB Director General (DG) Kumar Rajesh Chandra told PTI that the 12 new battalions will be raised in phases, three units each over the next four years.

4:34 PM

Strong earthquake of magnitude 6.2 shakes central Greece, felt in Balkans

Athens, Mar 3 (AP) An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 has struck central Greece. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The earthquake on Wednesday had an epicenter 22 kilometers (13.67 miles) west-northwest of the town of Larissa and struck just after 12:15 p.m. local time (1015 GMT), according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center.

 

The quake was felt as far away as in the capitals of neighboring North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro. Numerous aftershocks were reported.

4:33 PM

AAP's victory in Delhi municipal bypolls shows people have faith in party-run govt in city: Arvind Kejriwal

The AAP's victory in Delhi municipal bypolls shows people have faith in the work done by the party-run government in the city, which includes improvements in schools, hospitals, power and water supply, and roads, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

 

Of the five civic wards where bypolls were held on February 28, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won four and the Congress one.

 

"The results are indication of what kind of outcome is expected next year in the civic body polls. We are waiting for it and will make the city neat and clean," Kejriwal said in an address at the AAP office on DDU Marg, where he reached to celebrate the victory with party workers.

4:14 PM

LIVE: Karnataka minister quits over allegations of sexual harassment

A day after a case was registered against him for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman, Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Wednesday tendered resignation from his post. Jarkiholi's resignation has been accepted by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and it has been sent to Governor Vajubhai Vala for approval.

 

A purported sex tape showed Karnataka's Major and Medium Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi in a compromising position with a woman.

 

Jarkiholi in a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, said, "The allegation made on me is far from the truth. An investigation must be done on this issue. As fair investigation should take place, I am resigning on moral grounds. I request you to accept my resignation."

3:59 PM

PM Modi free to visit poll-bound Bengal 20 times or more: TMC

The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is free to visit the state for BJP's election campaign "20 times or more" to see for himself the spree of development under the TMC dispensation and compare it to that of states ruled by the saffron party.

 

West Bengal minister and party spokesman Bratya Basu told reporters that Modi is welcome to attend as many meetings, say 20 or more, he wishes to and come to the state as many times he wants to see for himself how Bengal has left behind states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh on development parameters.

3:47 PM

Three TMC Councillors from Asansol and Bidhannagar Mayor-in-council Debasish Jana joined BJP today

3:18 PM

Union Cabinet nod for India-Fiji MoU in farm, allied sectors

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for a five-year pact between India and Fiji for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors.

 

As per the approval given by the Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will take place between India's Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture of Fiji.

 

The pact provides for cooperation in areas like exchange of research personnel, scientific experts, specialists, and technical trainees; enhancement and transfer of technology; development of infrastructure for agriculture development; development of human resources through training of officers and farmers by conducting seminars and workshops; and promotion of joint ventures between private sectors of both countries.

2:45 PM

Union Cabinet approves MoU with France on renewable energy cooperation

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave ex post facto approval to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and France on renewable energy cooperation.

 

"The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was apprised of the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and French Republic in the field of renewable energy cooperation.The MoU was signed in January 2021," a statement said.

 

The objective of the MoU is to establish the basis for promotion of bilateral cooperation in the field of new and renewable energy on the basis of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity. It covers technologies relating to solar, wind, hydrogen and biomass energy.

2:33 PM

Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi tenders resignation after allegations of sexual harassment

2:17 PM

Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi quits following allegations of sexual harassment

1:58 PM

Services PMI rises to 55.3 in February on boom in domestic demand

India's services activity expanded at the fastest rate in a year during February, while employment fell further and companies noted the sharpest rise in overall expenses, a monthly survey said on Wednesday.

The seasonally adjusted India Services Business Activity Index rose from 52.8 in January to 55.3 in February, pointing to the sharpest rate of expansion in output in a year amid improved demand and more favourable market conditions.

 

The index was above the critical 50 mark that separates growth from contraction for the fifth month in a row during February as the roll-out of Covid-19 vaccines led to an improvement in business confidence towards growth prospects. READ ON...

1:43 PM

IT dept raids premises linked to Taapsee Pannu, Anurag Kashyap's Phantom Films, others

The Income Tax Department on Wednesday searched premises linked to Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu, Phantom Films, co-promoted by director Anurag Kashyap, and a talent hunt company as well as some others, officials said.

They said the searches are part of a tax evasion probe and conducted at about 20 locations in Mumbai and Pune. The premises of businesses linked to Pannu and other promoters of Phantom Films, including Vikas Bahl, are also being covered, they said.