LIVE updates: India sends more relief material to quake-hit Turkey, Syria

One Indian missing in Turkey since earthquake confirmed dead. Stay tuned for all the latest updates

11:55 PM

Over 25,000 people killed so far due to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

Over 25,000 people killed so far due to earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. Death toll continues to rise amid widespread devastation

11:52 PM

AAP to contest municipal elections in UP on all 763 seats

Leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party held a meeting here on Saturday and decided that the party will contest all 763 seats in the upcoming local municipal elections in the state with full strength.

The meeting was presided over by the AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and General Secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak. All office bearers and local leaders were present in this meeting.

Singh said that the Aam Aadmi Party will contest elections in all the 763 municipal bodies with full strength.

11:00 PM

India sends more relief material to Turkiye, Syria

India on Saturday sent additional consignments of life-saving medicines and relief material for earthquake victims of Turkiye and Syria onboard a C-17 military transport aircraft.

 

It is the seventh flight carrying relief material under India's 'Operation Dost' which was launched to provide assistance to the two countries after they were hit by a devastating quake on Monday that has killed over 20,000 people.

 

"The 7th #OperationDost flight departs for Syria and Trkiye. Flight is carrying relief material, medical aid, emergency & critical care medicines, medical equipment & consumables," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted.

10:21 PM

Govt working to level number of medical UG and PG seats in four years: Health Minister

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday said the government was working to equal the number of undergraduate and postgraduate medical seats within four years so that all MBBS graduates can pursue PG courses.

Speaking at the 11th annual conference of the Global Association of Physicians of Indian origin (GAPIO) here, he also invited healthcare professionals from the Indian diaspora to invest in research and open hospital chains in the country with "assured business."

10:02 PM

#OperationDost flight departs from Hindon Airbase for earthquake-hit Syria and Turkey

10:01 PM

Millets to increase income of small and marginal farmers: Govt

The government on Saturday said popularisation of millets in the country will lead to increase in the income of small and marginal farmers and urged international organisations, academia and hotel industry to revive the forgotten glory of "miracle millets".

The year 2023 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year of the Millet, following a proposal by India, which wants to position itself as a global hub for millets. Several initiatives are being undertaken in this regard.

Addressing 9th International Chefs Conference organised by the Indian Federation of Culinary Associations here, Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary said millets are considered traditional food for more than half a billion people across Asia and Africa. In India, millets are primarily a kharif crop, requiring less water and agricultural inputs than other similar staples.

9:45 PM

Jaipur railway station will be modernised at cost of Rs 717 crore: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday that the Jaipur railway station will be modernised at a cost of Rs 717 crore.

Vaishnaw was delivering a lecture on "Contribution of Railways in India's Infrastructural Development", organised by Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Smriti Samaroh Samiti at Dhankya near Jaipur.

Referring to various station redevelopment projects in the country, he said the railways is carrying out the exercise taking into account both heritage and development.

9:18 PM

India's toy exports touch Rs 1,017 crore during Apr-Dec this fiscal

The country's toy exports have touched Rs 1,017 crore during April-December period this fiscal, according to the government data. In 2021-22, the exports stood at Rs 2,601 crore.

 

"Made in India toys continue to tap global markets! India's toy exports rose to more than 6 times in April-December 2022 as compared to the same period in 2013," commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet.

 

During April-December 2013-14, the shipments were at Rs 167 crore.

9:10 PM

Former Haryana minister Dharambir Gaba passes away

Former Haryana minister Dharambir Gaba died on Saturday at the age of 91. He had been suffering from illness for some time. As news of his demise spread, a large number of people visited his residence in Sector 15 to pay their last respects.

Congress MP Deepender Hooda and former minister Sukhbir Kataria paid tributes to Gaba, a four-time MLA who served as a minister in the Bhajan Lal-led government in Haryana.

8:43 PM

PM Modi sets hectic pace: 10 public meetings, 10,800 km travel, multiple development initiatives in 90 hours

In a hectic schedule spread across four days, PM Modi has addressed or is scheduled to address ten public programmes. From Agartala to Mumbai and from Lucknow to Bengaluru, these visits cover various parts of the country.

 

In a span of less than 90 hours, PM Modi will have travelled over 10,800 km to address ten public meetings and launch multiple development initiatives for the benefit of the citizens.

 

On February 10, PM Modi travelled from Delhi to Lucknow and inaugurated Uttar Pradesh Global Investors Summit 2023. He then went to Mumbai and flagged off two Vande Bharat Trains and dedicated road projects in Mumbai. Later, he inaugurated the new campus of Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah in the city, after which he came back to Delhi. He covered a total distance of over 2700 Km during the day.

8:37 PM

UP best destination for investment, has potential to realise PM's dream of self-reliant India: Gadkari

Union Minister for Road, Transport and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Saturday termed Uttar Pradesh as the best destination for investment and having the most potential in realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of self-reliant India.

Speaking at the session on e-mobility vehicles & future mobility on the second day of the three-day long 'Global Investors Summit', Gadkari said Uttar Pradesh has all four major requirements of water, power, transport and communication.

It also has the land and skilled manpower at reasonable rates and is well connected with good highways. I feel that logistic cost will also be less, Gadkari said.

8:32 PM

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav returns to India from Singapore after kidney operation

8:23 PM

Adani Group firms pledge additional shares for key lender

Three Adani group companies have pledged additional shares for State Bank of India (SBI), a key lender to the Indian conglomerate whose listed entities have lost more than $100 billion in market value after a scathing report by a U.S. short seller.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, Adani Transmission Ltd and Adani Green Energy Ltd pledged shares to SBICAP Trustee Co, the firm said in filings to the Bombay Stock Exchange on Friday.

The trustee, a unit of India's biggest state lender SBI, said it had pledges for shares worth 1% of Adani Ports, up from 0.65%, for 0.55% of Adani Transmission, up from 0.44%, and for 1.06% of Adani Green, up from 0.68%.

7:55 PM

DCGI sends notice to e-pharmacies for selling drugs without licence

The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a showcause notice to online pharmacies, seeking an explanation on why action should not be taken against them for selling and distributing drugs in contravention of provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940.

The notice was issued to online pharmacies including -- Tata 1mg, Amazon, and Flipkart on Friday.

"The office has received various representations from time to time raising concerns regarding the sale of drugs through online, the internet or other electronic platforms, including various mobile applications, in contravention to the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 & Rules there under," the DCGI notice to the e-pharmacies read.

7:31 PM

Indian man missing in Turkey earthquake found dead

An Indian national missing in Turkiye since the massive earthquake on February 6 was found dead on Saturday in the rubble of a hotel where he was staying.

Vijay Kumar Gaud, who hailed from Uttarakhand's Pauri district and was working for a Bengaluru-based company, had gone to Turkiye on an official assignment.

With his face crushed beyond recognition, Gaud was identified with a tattoo of the word "Om" on one of his hands, his family said here quoting Indian embassy officials.