LIVE: Congress burns Yogi's effigy for stopping Rahul en route to Hathras

Hathras gang rape and murder case: Borders of Hathras are sealed. Section 144 of CrPC has been imposed in the district. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Noida: Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi with party leaders marches along the Yamuna Expressway to meet the family of the 19-year-old Dalit rape victim in Hathras, after their vehicles were stopped by the authorities, in Noida. (PTI Photo/Ravi C

7:21 PM

Govt to soon unveil new National Textile Policy: Secy

The government will soon announce the much-awaited new National Textile Policy entailing a "futuristic" strategy and action plan for India to unleash its full potential and become globally competitive in the sector, a top official has said.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), Textiles Secretary Ravi Capoor said, "Hopefully, in the next month or so, we should be able to announce the new textiles policy. It is a futuristic looking policy."

The secretary said the government is in the "last stages of finalising the textile policy", which got delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. It will be unveiled after the final round of consultation between the textiles ministry and the industry players, he added.

At the AGM that took place virtually earlier this week, Capoor also said the government is also working on a Focus Product Scheme, wherein it has analysed the export data of top-40 manmade fibre (MMF) products and found that India has a miniscule share of just 0.7 per cent in the total global market of USD 150 billion.

7:18 PM

Bajaj Auto shares jump 4% after Sept sales data

Shares of Bajaj Auto on Thursday jumped 4 per cent after the company reported a 10 per cent increase in its total vehicle sales for September. The stock gained 3.69 per cent to close at Rs 2,985.75 on the BSE. During the day, it jumped 8 per cent to Rs 3,111.75.

On the NSE, it rose by 4.09 per cent to settle at Rs 2,999. Bajaj Auto on Thursday reported a 10 per cent increase in its total vehicle sales at 4,41,306 units in September.

The automaker had sold a total of 4,02,035 vehicles in September 2019.

7:17 PM

Exporters facing shortage of shipping containers: EEPC

Engineering Export Promotion Council of India on Thursday said exporters are facing shortages of containers and alleged that shipping lines have raised freight charges, which are impacting their competitiveness in global markets.

The council has approached the commerce ministry, seeking its intervention to resolve the issues and set up a regulator to deal with the "monopolistic" practices being indulged in by the shipping companies.

EEPC India claimed shipping lines are demanding high freight charges as inward traffic from different countries, particularly from China, has declined for which the exporters are required to pay a higher amount for outbound consignments.

7:00 PM

Bhim Army chief says UP CM unable to handle govt, demands President's Rule

Azad Samaj Party chief and Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad on Thursday demanded President's Rule in Uttar Pradesh, alleging failure of constitutional machinery in the state over crimes against Dalits.

Azad said he has started a dharna at his home in Saharanpur where he is put under a house arrest, which was ordered by the local police on Wednesday.

The Dalit activist was accompanying the family of the 19-year-old woman, who died in a Delhi hospital on Tuesday, a fortnight after she was allegedly gang raped in UP's Hathras, to their home but was detained midway.

6:50 PM

Coal India production up 32% at 40.51 MT in Sept

State-owned CIL on Thursday said it produced 40.51 million tonnes (MT) of coal in September, registering a growth of 31.6 per cent over the same month last year.

Coal India (CIL), which accounts for over 80 per cent of domestic coal output, had produced 30.78 MT of the dry fuel in September 2019.

"Coal production at 40.51 MT in September'20, surged ahead by a robust 9.73 MT increase in absolute terms, compared to 30.78 MT in September'19, the growth being 31.6 per cent," CIL said in a statement.

For the first time in the current fiscal, growth was in double digits, with all CIL subsidiaries showing an increase.

6:43 PM

Railways to introduce 200 more trains during festive season: Board Chairman

The Railways is planning to introduce 200 special trains between October 15 and November 30 to cater to passengers travelling during the festive season, Railway Board Chairman and CEO V K Yadav said on Thursday.

The Railways has currently suspended all regular passenger trains indefinitely. Regular trains have remained suspended since March 22.

It started operations of 15 pairs of premium Rajdhani special trains connecting Delhi with different parts of the country on May 12, and 100 pairs of long-distance trains on June 1. It also started 80 trains additionally on September 12.

6:41 PM

Fiscal deficit of 18 states at 40.7% in Q1, revenue deficit soars to 285%: Ind-Ra

Steeply falling revenues and central grants amidst rising expenditure to fight the coronavirus pandemic led to 18 of the largest states reporting a collective revenue deficit of 285 per cent of Budget Estimates in April-June as against 12.9 per cent a year ago, as per a report by India Ratings (Ind-Ra).

The collective fiscal deficit of the 18 states stood at 40.7 per cent of Budget Estimates (BE) in Q1 as against 13.4 per cent a year ago, the report said.

The pandemic-induced lockdowns, resultant loss of business and fall in tax collections have forced states to borrow at almost 10 per cent. While their revenues have plunged, expenses have only gone up. The Centre's refusal to pay GST dues on time further aggravated the pain of the states.

The collective revenue expenditure of the 18 states grew 11.7 per cent in Q1, the report said.

6:30 PM

Govt hikes air navigation charges by 4%, airlines demand roll back

Air Navigation Service (ANS) charges or fees for radar and air traffic control services have been hiked by 3.5-4 per cent bringing relief to Airport Authority of India (AAI). Airlines will have to absorb the higher cost as there is no room for increasing fares at present.

On Wednesday, Director General of Civil Aviation Arun Kumar notified the decision after the government approved AAI's long pending demand for an increase in the levy. The navigation charges collected at present were approved in early 2000. A hike in charges in 2017 was rolled back because of opposition from airlines. Read more

6:21 PM

Replace UP Chief Minister or impose president's rule, demands Mayawati

Raising questions over the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday demanded that either the state's chief minister be replaced or the president's rule imposed.

Referring to deaths of two women in Hathras and Balrampur regions of the state, she said the incidents are reminiscent of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder in Delhi.

"In the wake of the law and order situation in the state and a flood of crimes against women, the Union government should replace Yogi Adityanath with some 'kaabil' (capable) person and if this is not possible, the president's rule should be imposed in the state," Mayawati said. Read more

6:03 PM

Environment ministry makes action plan for tackling winter pollution

The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Moefcc) has devised an action plan with five states to tackle the air pollution that engulfs the Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) during winters.

During discussions, the ministry asked Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan to focus on hotspots, construction activity, and waste management, apart from curbing stubble burning. During the meeting, Punjab said it would create awareness in the regions where stubble burning is rampant.The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (Moefcc) has devised an action plan with five states to tackle the air pollution that engulfs the Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) during winters.

5:49 PM

TVS Motor reports 4% increase in sales in September at 327,692 units

TVS Motor Company on Thursday reported a 3.76 per cent increase in total sales in September at 3,27,692 units.

The company, which primarily makes two-wheelers and three-wheelers, had sold 3,15,796 units in September 2019, TVS Motor Company said in a statement.

Total two-wheeler sales during the month stood at 3,13,332 units as against 3,00,793 units in September 2019, up 4.16 per cent.

5:39 PM

Congress has space for people to express concerns, BJP has none: Kapil Sibal

Taking a dig at the BJP over its oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal breaking ties with it on the farm bills issue, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Thursday said the saffron party's alliance politics was "falling apart" over legislations and the ruling NDA has turned into a "non-democratic alliance".

Sibal, who was among the 23 leaders who wrote to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi calling for organisational reforms, also slammed Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman for recently alluding to the letter writers and their alleged undermining of the party, saying, "The Congress still has space for people to express concerns, while the BJP has no such space".

Sibal alleged that the BJP got the farm bills passed while riding "roughshod over the Opposition and (its own) allies".

5:36 PM

Multiplex operators zoom up to 7% as cinemas to reopen from Oct 15

Stocks of multiplex operators PVR and INOX Leisure on Thursday closed with up to 7.3 per cent gains after the Union Home Ministry issued new guidelines for opening of cinemas, theatres and multiplexes with up to 50 per cent of their seating capacity from October 15.

Shares of PVR zoomed 7.30 per cent to close at Rs 1,301.55 on the BSE. During the day, it jumped 14.99 per cent to Rs 1,395.

INOX Leisure shares rose by 6.12 per cent to settle at Rs 287.05 on the BSE. During the day, it gained 17.63 per cent to Rs 318.20.

5:19 PM