Page 14 - Tamil Nadu

Kuwait fire: MK Stalin announces Rs 5L each for families of 7 victims

Fourty-five Indians have lost their lives in the deadly fire that broke out in the 'labour accommodation' in the Mangaf area of Kuwait in the early hours of Wednesday

Tamil Nadu govt waives Rs 6,000 crore cooperative bank gold loans

A total of 13.12 lakh people benefitted through Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's gesture of waiving Rs 6,000 crore cooperative bank loans on gold upto five sovereigns or less, the government said on Thursday. After Stalin became the Chief Minister he announced that gold loans taken from cooperative banks till March 31, 2021, would be waived and accordingly a government order was issued. The move fulfilled a promise he had made in the DMK poll manifesto, the release said. "About, Rs 4,818.88 crore has been waived to benefit 13,12,717 people who had availed the jewel loans," it said. Loans extended to the women self-help groups through cooperative banks upto March 31, 2021, amounting to Rs 2,755.99 crore was waived to benefit 1,17,617 SHGs. About Rs 35.85 lakh crore interest-free crop loans were extended through co-operative societies to 46,72,849 farmers in three years from May 2021 to December 2023. Among the numerous achievements, the statement recalled the state governmen

IAF played vital role in LS polls, flew over 1,000 hours in 1,750 sorties

From extending the reach of the Election Commission into remote corners of the country to airlifting EVMs, the IAF played a vital role in the recently-held general elections, with its aircraft flying more than 1,000 hours in over 1,750 sorties. The Indian Air Force on Wednesday shared details about the helping hand it lent to the electoral machinery in the conduct of the Lok Sabha polls. "During the general elections 2024, the substantial flying effort has taken place over the last few months by medium-lift helicopters (Mi-17 variants), light utility helicopters (Chetak) and the indigenously manufactured advanced light helicopters (ALH Dhruv)," the IAF said in a statement. The force has been actively involved with the task of airlifting electronic voting machines (EVMs) and deploying Election Commission of India (ECI) personnel on election duties, as has been carried out during previous general or assembly elections, officials said. During the general elections 2024, the IAF played

Bypolls for 13 Assembly seats in 7 states on July 10; results on 13th: EC

The Election Commission on Monday announced bypolls to 13 assembly constituencies across seven states, including four in West Bengal, on July 10. The bypolls are to be held against vacancies created either due to deaths or resignation of incumbent members. The assembly seats going for bypolls are Rupauli (Bihar), Raiganj, Ranaghat Dakshin, Bagda and Maniktala (all West Bengal), Vikravandi (Tamil Nadu), Amarwara (Madhya Pradesh), Badrinath and Manglaur (Uttarakhand), Jalandhar West (Punjab) and Dehra, Hamirpur and Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh). The notification for the elections will be issued on June 14, the last date for filing of nomination papers is June 21, the poll papers will be scrutinised on June 24 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is June 26. The bypolls will be held on July 10 and the counting of votes will be on July 13. The Election Commission said the bypolls have to be completed before July 15.

Domestic open access solar capacity addition doubles in Jan-Mar: Mercom

Open access solar installations rose two-fold in India to 1.8 gigawatts during January-March this year supported by several factors, including reduced module cost, US-based Mercom Capital has said. Solar power through open access is an arrangement where a power producer establishes a solar power plant to supply green energy to consumers. India added over 1.8 gigawatts (GW) of solar open access capacity in the first quarter of the calendar year of 2024, posting a two-fold increase from 909.3 megawatts (MW) in Q4 2023, the report titled 'Mercom India Solar Open Access Market' said. As of March 2024, the cumulative installed solar open access capacity stood at 14.3 GW. Solar open access developers benefited from lower Chinese module prices and the suspension of the Approved List of Models and Manufacturers (ALMM) order for projects commissioned through March 2024. Additionally, lower power purchase agreement (PPA) prices, due to reduced project costs, further incentivized consumers t

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin and TDP chief Naidu cross paths at Delhi airport

The two leaders met as they were leaving for their home states after attending the meetings of their respective alliances held here on Wednesday

'INDIA' alliance leaders to meet on June 6, CM Stalin confirms attendance

The DMK chief missed the last meeting of the INDIA bloc, which was held on June 1 after the final phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections concluded

Which states are opting for NDA, and which ones are choosing INDIA bloc?

Lok Sabha election results 2024: Trends indicate the BJP-led NDA forming its third consecutive government, while the INDIA bloc trails closely, prompting the BJP to reconsider its future poll strategy

Tamil Nadu likely to be hub for Tata Motors-JLR's electric vehicle exports

Tata Motors is working on multiple options at the plant, where it plans to invest Rs 9,000 crore over five years

PM Modi to meditate at Vivekananda Memorial Rock: What makes it special?

The historical significance of the Vivekananda Rock Memorial adds depth to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit

PM Modi arrives in TN, to embark on 'dhyan' at Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Thursday to embark on a 45-hour long meditation session at the famed Vivekananda Rock Memorial here. The PM arrived from nearby Thiruvananthapuram and he is scheduled to offer worship at the Bhagavathi Amman temple and later reach Vivekananda Rock Memorial and perform meditation for nearly two days. Ahead of his departure on June 1, Modi is likely to visit the Thiruvalluvar statue, next to the memorial. Both the memorial and statue were built on tiny islets, that are separate and mound-like rocky formations in the sea. All arrangements, including heavy security, are in place for Modi's 45-hour stay at the famed, mid-sea memorial, named after the revered Hindu saint. Modi will meditate at Rock Memorial, a monument built in tribute to Swami Vivekananda, here following the culmination of the Lok Sabha polls campaign later today, BJP leaders had said. The PM had undertaken a similar exercise in a Kedarnath cave after the 2019 poll ...

PM Modi performs 'Surya Arghya' at Kanyakumari's Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as part of his meditation exercise, on Friday performed 'Surya Arghya' during sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here. Modi carried out 'Surya Arghya,' a ritual associated with spiritual practice involving salutations to the Almighty, manifested in the form of sun and offered prayers with folded hands. A short video clip, 'Sunrise, Surya Arghya, Spirituality,' posted by the BJP on its 'X' handle showed the PM pouring little water from a traditional, beaker-like small vessel into the sea as an offering (Arghya) and prayed using his prayer beads (Japa mala). The BJP also posted photographs of the Prime Minister, clad in saffron shirt, shawl and dhoti, engrossed in meditation at the Dhyan Mandapam, where incense sticks, in front of him, could be spotted burning slowly. Modi also walked around the mandapam with his japa mala in his hands. Photographs of Modi in meditating posture have been apparently clicked during different times and similar is the

Tamil Nadu gets Rs 7 trillion in investments in first five months of 2024

Electronics steal the show with Google entry, Apple supplier expansions

After campaigning ends, PM Modi to take a meditation break in Kanyakumari

The meditation break will start just after the election campaigning for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024 ends on the evening of May 30

Hyundai inaugurates EV charging station in Chennai, plans 100 facilities

Automaker Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) on Monday announced the inauguration of its fast electric-powered vehicles (EV) charging station here, and said this was first of the company's target of installing 100 such facilities across Tamil Nadu. The 180 kW DC fast charging station, comprising of 150 kW and 30 kW connectors, has been set at Spencer Plaza here, and would cater to compatible four-wheelers irrespective of brand and model, a company release said. "As we celebrate 28 years of HMIL in India, we are delighted to inaugurate our first ever 180 kW fast public charging station in Chennai. In line with Hyundai's vision of 'Progress for Humanity', we aim to enhance convenience of all EV users, and hence our charging stations can be utilised by any four-wheeler EV user. HMIL envisages to install 100 charging stations across Tamil Nadu, to enhance the EV ecosystem and motivate more customers towards EV adoption across the state," Jae Wan Ryu, Executive Director - Corporate ...

Google logs into Tamil Nadu for drone unit; may rope in Foxconn for Pixel

The US tech giant will manufacture drones in the state through its subsidiary Wing LLC, giving a leg up to India's plan to become a drone making hub of the world

Google, Foxconn join forces to produce pixel smartphones in Tamil Nadu

Google is planning to expand its Pixel smartphone business in India, aiming to seize the growing demand for premium smartphones in the country

Google picks Tamil Nadu for production of smartphones, drones: Report

The Alphabet Inc. unit plans to assemble Pixel phones in the state, setting up new production lines with Taiwanese contract manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group

TN govt assures no need for panic amid new Covid wave in Singapore

The new Covid wave in Singapore is a "milder infection" and there was no need for panic and Tamil Nadu has the required infrastructure to face any situation, a top official said on Wednesday. Dr T S Selvavinayagam, Director, Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine (DPHPM), said "there has been no significant (hospital) admissions" in Singapore following the outbreak. "In the last few weeks, it is being reported that there are Covid cases in South Asian countries like Singapore. As far as we (TN) are concerned, there is no need for any apprehension...the Singapore variant, KP.2 is a sub variant of Omicron and has been reported in some parts of India," he said. As many as 290 cases of KP.2 and 34 cases of KP.1, both sub-lineages of Covid-19 that are responsible for surge in cases in Singapore, have been found in India, according to official data. In a video released by the DPHPM, Selvavinayagam said the variant has been "so far giving only milder infection, no severe ...

LS polls: Modi's allegation of insult to UP 'cheap tactic' says Stalin

DMK President and Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of picking up a "cheap strategy" of stoking confrontation between states as his "propaganda of communal hatred" did not help. Stalin slammed what he called Modi's "imaginary tales and bags of lies" by alleging that leaders of southern states including Tamil Nadu (INDIA bloc constituents) were speaking in a derogatory manner, against the people of Uttar Pradesh. Days ago, PM Modi had alleged in a poll rally that Samajwadi Party and the Congress's southern allies insulted Uttar Pradesh and Sanatana Dharma but the two parties remained quiet. The DMK president alleged that it was the BJP that supported and encouraged fake news items, such as the false claims made by "YouTubers like Manish Kashyap" of assault on guest workers in Tamil Nadu. Such fake claims were hate propaganda aimed at creating divisions in society. Kashyap was arrested last year by Tamil Nadu police for alleged circulation of