6:42 PMKochi Metro to increase frequency of trains
The Kochi Metro is set to increase the frequency of trains from September 14 onwards, to help the office goers avoid the rush amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to an official release, from morning 8:30 am to 11:30 am the frequency of trains will be every seven minutes. The seven minutes headway will be maintained during the evening from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm also.
6:31 PMIndian, Chinese Army hold Brigade Commander level talks in Chushul
Indian Army and Chinese Army held Brigade Commander level talks in Chushul, Ladakh on Friday, a day after the meeting between Foreign Ministers of the two countries. Indian Army sources said the meeting started at 11am and ended around 3pm.
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held a detailed discussion with the State Councillor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi in Moscow on Thursday on the current tensions in the India-China border areas. The meeting lasted two-and-a-half hours.
According to government sources, Jaishankar said that as the recent incidents in eastern Ladakh have inevitably impacted the development of the bilateral relationship, an urgent resolution of the current situation was in the interest of both the nations.
6:13 PMPuri launches framework for cities to inculcate climate-sensitive approach to urban planning
Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday launched a framework which provides a roadmap for cities to inculcate a climate-sensitive approach to urban planning and development.
The Union housing and urban affairs minister also launched'Streets for People Challenge', which aims to inspire cities to create walking-friendly and vibrant streets through quick, innovative, and low-cost measures in response to Covid-19.
At a virtual event, after launching 'Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework 2.0', Puri said, "It is estimated that climate change will impact the Indian GDP by 2-6 per cent on an annual basis. "This means that our future development goals and investments will also be severely affected if we do not address climate risks now."
Elaborating about the 'Streets for People Challenge', he said itaims to inspire Indian cities to create walking-friendly streets through quick, innovative and low-cost measures in response to Covid-19 in collaboration with their citizens and assistance from experts.
6:04 PMMoody's projects Indian economy to contract 11.5% this fiscal
Moody's Investors Service on Friday slashed India's growth projection for the current fiscal to (-) 11.5 per cent, from (-) 4 per cent estimated earlier. It said India's credit profile is increasingly constrained by low growth, high debt burden and weak financial system. These risks have been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Mutually reinforcing risks from deeper stresses in the economy and financial system could lead to a more severe and prolonged erosion in fiscal strength, exerting further pressure on the credit profile," Moody's said while projecting an 11.5 per cent contraction in Indian economy this fiscal.
For 2021-22, it projected the economy to clock a growth of 10.6 per cent.
5:54 PM1,308 domestic flight arrivals on Sept 10: Hardeep Puri
The airports in India handled 2,64,450 footfalls due to domestic air operations on Thursday in 2,616 flight movements including departures and arrivals.
Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in a tweet that there have been 1,308 departures and 1,308 arrivals.
"Soaring Higher! Domestic Operations on 10th September 2020, Day 110 till 2359 hrs. Departures 1308 1,32,293 passengers handled. Arrivals 1308 1,32,157 passengers handled. Total movements 2,616 Footfalls at airports 2,64,450 Total number of flyers 1,32,293," he said.
5:44 PMIrdai allows insurers to issue e-policies; calls it 'the new norm'
The insurance sector regulator has allowed general and health insurers to issue policies in electronic form and this e-policy will become a norm in the future, a senior Irdai official said on Friday.
Speaking at an industry event, T L Alamelu, Member (Non-Life) Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (Irdai), however, said a lot more needs to be done in the insurance sector for both policyholders and other stakeholders.
"As far as regulator is concerned, there is still lot more to be done. We are continually tracking what needs to be done, not only for the policyholders but for all the stakeholders. Some of the things which we have done are relevant to the health insurance industry," she said.
5:23 PMED fines Standard Chartered Rs 100 cr for FEMA breach, penalizes two others
The Special Director of Enforcement, Chennai has imposed penalties of Rs 100 crore on Standard Chartered Bank, of Rs 17 crore on Tamilnad Mercantile Bank Limited (TMBL) and Rs 35 crore on M G M Maran, then Chairman and Director of TMBL.
According to the ED, an investigation under FEMA was taken up based on a reference received from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to check on advance remittances received by certain entities for purchase of TMBL shares through escrow mechanism maintained with Standard Chartered Bank, Mumbai (SCB).
Read more 5:14 PMHeavy rains, flood caused Rs 9,500 crore loss in MP: Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said extremely heavy rains and floods in the last week of August resulted in Rs 9,500 crore loss to the state. He told this to a central team, which is in the state to assess the damage caused by the rains.
"Extremely heavy rainfall and flooding caused Rs 9,500 crore loss as crops, houses, livestock and roads suffered damages," Chouhan told reporters at his residence after meeting the team.
5:05 PMGovt lists 23 new bills for Monsoon session
The government has listed 23 new bills, including 11 which seek to replace ordinances, for introduction in Parliament's Monsoon session beginning Monday.
One of the ordinances the government plans to pass as a bill during the 18-day-long session relates to providing preventive measures against violence on heathcare personnel.
Another ordinance to be replaced by a bill relates to reduction in the salary of MPs by 30 per cent for a period of one year beginning April 1, 2020. The amount will be utilised in the fight against coronavirus.
Other bills include:
Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020
Factoring Regulation (Amendment) Bill, 2020
Jammu and Kashmir Official Language Bill, 2020
Multi State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2020
Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020
4:56 PMFire on IOC charter vessel doused, major environmental disaster averted
In a massive effort, Indian and Sri Lankan agencies have put out a fire on an oil tanker off Sri Lanka's coast without spilling any of the two million barrels of cargo it was carrying, averting a major environmental disaster.
"This is a story of great coordination and superb multi-disciplinary efforts. Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy alongside Sri Lankan Navy have successfully put out the fire on New Diamond vessel," said Shrikant Madhav Vaidya, Chairman of Indian Oil Corp (IOC).
The very large crude carrier (VLCC), which was chartered by IOC to ferry oil from Kuwait to its Paradip refinery in Odisha, caught fire on September 3, about 65 kilometers off the east coast of Sri Lanka.
Vaidya said the fire was extinguished two days back, without any impact on the oil that the ship was carrying.
4:48 PMGovt plans to construct over 50,000 km 4 and 6 lanes highways
Terming InvIT as an attractive vehicle for mobilising funds for road infrastructure, the government on Friday said it is planning to construct over 50,000 km of highways.
"Addressing a meeting of leading and large investor groups in New Delhi last evening, Secretary - Road Transport and Highways Giridhar Aramane said the ministry has plans for construction of over 50,000 kilometres of highways, a majority of those will be 4 and 6 lanes wide," the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in a statement.
4:37 PMBengaluru airport opens 10,000 sq ft warehouse
As part of its vision to make Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru (KIAB/ BLR Airport) a cargo hub, Bangalore International Airport Ltd (BIAL) has opened a 10,000 square feet warehouse.
Operated by Cargo Service Center (CSC), the on-airport public bonded warehouse would be under the jurisdiction of theCity Commissionerate, Bengaluru Customs. "The facility will reduce supply chain costs and facilitate trade at India's IT hub and surrounding regions", BIAL, which operates the airport, said a statement on Friday.
The warehouse will help re-export of goods, long-term storage of bonded cargo, assist in partial clearances and allow value-added services such as labelling, packing and repacking services.
4:30 PMPM to launch, inaugurate projects worth Rs 16,000 cr in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch and inaugurate development works worth over Rs 16,000 crore in the next 10 days in poll-bound Bihar, sources said on Friday. These multiple projects will improve infrastructure and ease of living for the people of Bihar, they said.
The sources said that the projects pertain to a number of sectors, including LPG pipeline, LPG bottling plant, sewage treatment plant under Namami Gange, water supply schemes, riverfront development project, new railway line, railway bridge, electrification of various sections, and construction of highways and bridges.
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