LIVE: Yogi Adityanath says may move SC after HC setback on ULB polls in UP

Live news updates: The delay in getting Central govt's clearance for the semi high-speed rail project SilverLine may also be discussed in the meeting

5:58 PM

Govt mulls offloading 15-20 lakh tons of wheat from FCI to contain prices in 2023

The government is considering releasing 15-20 lakh tonnes of wheat next year from the FCI stock for bulk consumers like flour millers, under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) to contain rising retail prices, official sources tell PTI.

According to the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry, the average retail price of wheat was at Rs 32.25 per kg on December 27, higher than Rs 28.53 per kg in the year-ago period. Wheat flour (atta) price too remained higher at Rs 37.25 per kg than Rs 31.74 per kg a year ago.

 

5:49 PM

Akhilesh Yadav, Jayant Chaudhary unlikely to attend Bharat Jodo Yatra in UP

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav is unlikely to take part in the Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra in Uttar Pradesh, an SP leader said on Tuesday, while other non-BJP leaders who have also been invited are yet to take a call.

Congress has said it has invited several leaders of non-BJP parties, including Akhilesh Yadav, BSP supremo Mayawati and RLD's Jayant Chaudhary, to take part in the Uttar Pradesh leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra from January 3.

"The schedule of SP president Akhilesh Yadav related to party programmes has already been decided and he is unlikely to attend the yatra," SP spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI.

RLD chief spokesman Anil Dubey said, "I do not think that Jayantji will be going for the yatra."

5:32 PM

EC initiates delimitation of assembly, parliamentary constituencies in Assam

The Election Commission on Tuesday said it has initiated the delimitation of assembly and parliamentary constituencies in Assam and will use the 2001 census figures for the readjustment of seats.

The commission said a ban has been put in place effective January 1, 2023, on the creation of new administrative units in the state till the exercise is completed.

 

Under the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 1972, the last delimitation of constituencies in Assam was effected on the basis of 1971 census figures by the then Delimitation Commission in 1976, the poll panel said.

 

5:22 PM

Khurshid likens Rahul to Lord Ram; BJP slams Cong leaders for 'sycophancy'

Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid has likened Rahul Gandhi to Lord Ram and described him as "superhuman" and a "yogi doing tapasya" as he lauded the former party chief for his Bharat Jodo Yatra, evoking sharp criticism from the BJP.

Slamming the opposition party leaders for their show of "sycophancy", the BJP said comparing a person out on bail in a corruption case, a reference to the National Herald probe, to a God worshipped by so many people not only hurts the feelings of Hindus but also the entire society.

The Congress leader, however, remained unfazed and defended his remarks. "No one can replace God but everyone can try to walk the path shown by him. Why should anyone object if I say someone is following that path," he said.

 

4:43 PM

PM Modi's brother, family injured in accident near Mysuru, injuries minor: Police

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brother Prahlad Modi and family members suffered injuries when the car they were travelling in reportedly hit the road driver near Mysuru, police said.

 

Sources told PTI that other than the driver, Prahlad, his son, daughter-in-law and a child were in the car.

 

They are said to have suffered injuries and have been shifted to JSS Hospital for treatment.

 

Polise said the injuries appear to be "minor" in nature.

4:09 PM

UP govt to set up commission, provide reservation to OBCs, says Adityanath after HC verdict

3:56 PM

Hailstorm hits Assam's Dibrugarh district; hundreds of houses damaged

A severe hailstorm hit several places of Dibrugarh district of Assam damaging over 200 houses across villages, officials said on Tuesday.

No report of any casualty has been received.

A senior official of the Dibrugarh district administration told PTI that the hailstorm lashed Moran, Tingkhong, Naharkatia and other areas on Monday late night and Tuesday early morning.

"It has led to widespread damage in the district. As per preliminary assessment in Moran sub-division, 210 houses have been damaged in 37 villages," he said.

 

3:35 PM

Power ministry, DRDO ink pct for early warning system for hydro projects

The power ministry on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Defence Research and Development Organisation to implement an early-warning system for vulnerable hydro projects or power stations.

 

The ministry and the DRDO will jointly work towards developing suitable mitigation measures against avalanches, landslides, glaciers, glacial lakes and other geo-hazards, according to an official release.

 

The ministry has taken the initiative of implementing Early Warning System (EWS) in the hydro power projects especially those located in upper reaches of hilly regions.

 

3:24 PM

President Droupadi Murmu urges students to read more to widen understanding

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday urged students to read more in order to improve their understanding and widen their perspective.

Addressing the students and faculty members of the Keshav Memorial Educational Society in Hyderabad, she emphasised on the importance of reading.

President Murmu said the habit of reading is one of the most effective means for self-development. It is a skill that would serve students well throughout their life. She said this is an age of internet and social media when attention span is getting shorter and communication is limited in characters.

 

3:01 PM

Hasmukh Adhia appointed Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel's chief advisor

Former Union finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia has been appointed chief advisor to Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel, reports ANI.

In another development, former secretary of the roads and buildings department, Gujarat govt, SS Rathore has been appointed advisor to the chief minister.

2:27 PM

Maha assembly passes resolution to 'legally pursue' inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking K'taka villages

The Maharashtra assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to "legally pursue" inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka into the western state, amid a raging boundary dispute between the two states.

The resolution moved by CM Eknath Shinde said the Karnataka state legislature had passed a resolution on the issue to purposely fuel the boundary row. The Karnataka assembly had resolved to protect the southern state's interests and not cede land to its neighbour.

"The state government stands resolutely with the Marathi-speaking people in 865 villages. The state government will legally pursue in the Supreme Court the case to include inch and inch of land of the 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka," said the resolution passed in the Maharashtra assembly.

 

2:22 PM

Cheating in exams plague-like pandemic, must be dealt with heavy hand: Delhi HC

Copying and cheating in examinations is like a plague which can ruin society and the education system, and those using unfair means have to be dealt with a heavy hand, the Delhi high court has said.

Observing that the integrity of the education system has to be infallible for the country's progress, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma said students who resort to unfair means and get away with it cannot build the nation.

The court made the remarks while hearing an appeal against an order of the single judge refusing to interfere with the cancellation of the examinations undertaken by the appellant, an engineering student, who was found using unfair means in the end-term second semester examination.

1:04 PM

BJP decides to challenge AAP for Delhi mayor election, fields Rekha Gupta

BJP has decided to field its Shalimar Bagh councillor Rekha Gupta as its Delhi mayor candidate to challenge AAP's Shelly Oberoi in the January 6 election.

It has named Kamal Bagri as deputy mayor candidate and Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Gajendra Daral and Pankaj Luthra for standing committee member posts, said Delhi BJP media cell head Harish Khurana.

All the party candidates are expected to file their nominations later in the day.

AAP has a clear majority in the 250-member Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House.

 

12:58 PM

Bharat Biotech’s nasal vaccine priced at Rs 800 per dose for private hospitals, Rs 325 per dose for govt

The Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech said it has priced its iNCOVACC intranasal vaccine at Rs 800 per dose for private markets and at Rs 325 per dose for large procurement by the government.

The company said the vaccine, now available on CoWIN, will be available in the market by the fourth week of January.

Health Ministry sources indicated that no decision has been taken yet on whether to procure the nasal vaccine for the national Covid-19 vaccination drive.
 

iNCOVACC (BBV154) received approval from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for the use of heterologous booster doses earlier this month. It is a recombinant adenovirus (flu virus) vectored vaccine that has been formulated to allow an intranasal delivery through nasal drops.

12:32 PM

Health minister Mandaviya visits Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi to review Covid mock drill