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Women's Quota Bill receives nod from President Droupadi Murmu, becomes law
The women's reservation Bill passed by the Parliament last week, became law after it received assent from President Droupadi Murmu. The 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhniyam', which provides 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha as well as the state legislative assemblies, was unanimously passed by the Rajya Sabha, becoming the first bill to be passed in the new Parliament building. On September 20, the Bill was passed following division with 454 members voting in favour of the legislation and two against it on the motion seeking its passage. The amendments moved by the Opposition members were negatived and separate clauses of the draft legislation were also voted on. On September 21, Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam was 'unanimously' passed in Rajya Sabha which marks the PM's birthday according to the Hindu calendar. Women members from both Houses of Parliament, including PT Usha, and Union Ministers Meenakashi Lekhi and Smriti Irani, were all smiles as they presented a bouquet to Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the historic passage of the Bill in Parliament. The Rajya Sabha had earlier passed the Women's Reservation Bill in 2010 during the Congress-led UPA government but it was not taken up in the Lok Sabha and subsequently lapsed in the lower House of Parliament. After the Bill cleared the legislative hurdles in both Houses last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament will usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for women in the country. "A defining moment in our nation's democratic journey! Congratulations to 140 crore Indians. I thank all the Rajya Sabha MPs who voted for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Such unanimous support is indeed gladdening. With the passage of the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam in Parliament, we usher in an era of stronger representation and empowerment for the women of India. This is not merely a legislation; it is a tribute to the countless women who have made our nation. India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions. As we celebrate today, we are reminded of the strength, courage, and indomitable spirit of all the women of our nation. This historic step is a commitment to ensuring their voices are heard even more effectively," PM Modi said on social media platform, X. Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi, too, lauded PM Modi for the passage of the Bill saying that it will go down in history for empowering women. While the Opposition leaders welcomed the bill, some flagged concerns over the non-inclusion of an OBC sub-quota in the draft legislation. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha, one of the key advocates for legislation providing a fairer representation of women in law-making bodies, called the passage of the quota Bill in Parliament a major step in ensuring stronger and more significant participation of women in the country's political process. However, she added, "There are a couple of ommissions that catch one's eye. Non-provision of a sub-quota for OBC women is painful. They should have added a sub-quota in the Bill as it would ensured a similar representation of women from backward classes in the country's legislative process." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 September,2023 07:36 PM IST | New Delhi | ANI
Blaze erupts at Azadpur Market in Delhi
On Friday, a massive fire broke out at Delhi's Azadpur vegetable market (Azadpur Mandi). According to the fire official the fire broke out at 5.15 pm. No casualties have been reported in the incident. The official informed, as many as 11 fire tenders were rushed to the spot after a distress call was received. "The fire was brought under control and the cooling process was underway," the official informed. According to officials, it is suspected that the fire broke out in a garbage pile behind a tomato vendor's at the Azadpur Mandi and spread in no time. More details are awaited. Earlier on Friday, a massive fire broke out at a chemical warehouse in Ghaziabad's Kotwali Ghantaghar area. However, no casualties were reported in the incident. Meanwhile, a fire broke out at a cloth shop at Choudhury Bazaar here on Friday morning. The fire, which was first spotted on the ground floor of the three-storey building, later spread to two other floors, a fire official said, adding there were no reports of any injury or casualty in the incident. At least seven fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. Dark smoke covered the area causing difficulties for fire personnel in carrying out the operation in the busy market area. "The smoke is preventing us from entering the building," a fire services officer said. "The reason for the blaze was yet to be ascertained," the official added. (with inputs from news agencies)
29 September,2023 07:11 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Maha: Gold worth Rs 2.10 cr hidden in coffee maker seized at Nagpur airport
On Friday, gold worth Rs 2.10 crore concealed in a coffee maker was seized by the Customs department at Nagpur international airport. According to the official, a passenger coming from Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates concealed the gold in a coffee maker. "Based on passenger profiling, a passenger who arrived on board Air Arabia flight G9-415 was intercepted by Nagpur Airport Customs and a check found 3,497 grams of gold worth Rs 2.10 crore hidden in a coffee maker," the Customs official said. "The gold has been seized and further probe is underway," the Customs official added. Meanwhile in Nagpur, the police have arrested a 35-year-old woman who was allegedly part of a racket dealing in adulterated narcotic substances, an official said on Friday. "Acting on a tip-off, the Jaripatka police conducted a raid in the Misal Layout area on Wednesday and nabbed Preeti Nilesh Gajbhiye," the police official said. "The police recovered 364.49 gm of white powder stored in two steel containers and analysis revealed that the substance was mephedrone," he said. Following tests, it was found that the powder contained only 33 gm of mephedrone, which was mixed with sulphate, the official said. "The discovery has raised concerns about adulteration in narcotic substances. The accused has revealed that a friend supplied the contraband to her, which she then packed and sold," he added. (with inputs from PTI)
29 September,2023 05:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Maharashtra: 35-year-old woman held with adulterated mephedrone in Nagpur
A 35-year-old woman has been arrested for adulterated narcotic substances in Maharashtra's Nagpur city. According to the police official, the woman was allegedly part of a racket dealing in Nagpur. "Acting on a tip-off, the Jaripatka police conducted a raid in the Misal Layout area on Wednesday and nabbed Preeti Nilesh Gajbhiye," the police official said. As per the details shared by police, the cop recovered 364.49 gm of white powder stored in two steel containers and analysis revealed that the substance was mephedrone. "Following tests, it was found that the powder contained only 33 gm of mephedrone, which was mixed with sulphate," the police official said. "The discovery has raised concerns about adulteration in narcotic substances. The accused has revealed that a friend supplied the contraband to her, which she then packed and sold," the police official added. Meanwhile, in Navi Mumbai, the police have claimed to have detected 14 cases of vehicle thefts with the arrest of three persons. After receiving many complaints about theft of tempos within the limits of Kalamboli police station, cops worked on CCTV footage and other inputs and arrested one Anwar Rasulkhan Pathan (39) from Panvel. Pathan's questioning led the police to Mannan Abdul Shiekh (36) from Jalna district and Firoz Mukkaram Sheikh (49), alias Mulla of Beed, said a release from the crime unit II of the Navi Mumbai police on Friday. With the arrest of the three, the police detected 14 vehicle thefts committed in Navi Mumbai, Thane, Ahmednagar, Parbhani, Beed, Aurangabad, and Jalna, it said.The police have also recovered 10 Ape tempos, one motorcycle and one tempo engine, the release said. (with inputs from PTI)
29 September,2023 04:51 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondent
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari inaugurates Rs 3,695 crore NH projects in Washim
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, marked a significant milestone by inaugurating three National Highway (NH) projects worth Rs 3,695 Crore in Washim, Maharashtra. These projects are set to bolster connectivity and economic growth in the region. Over the past nine years, Washim district has seen substantial development in its highway network, with a remarkable 227 km of highways constructed, linking the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. The inauguration of the 4-lane National Highway 161, spanning from Akola in Maharashtra to Sangareddy in Telangana, holds particular importance in strengthening trade relations between these two states, stated a release in PIB. The project is divided into three packages, each addressing different aspects of highway infrastructure. The first package covers the highway stretch from Akola to Medshi, spanning 48 km and costing Rs 1,259 crore. This section incorporates four air pools, 10 underpasses, and 85 culverts, enhancing safety and efficiency. Moving on to the second package, it encompasses the road from Medshi to Washim, spanning 45 km and costing Rs 1,394 crore. This segment includes 13 bus shelters, a 6-lane Railway Overbridge (ROB), and a bypass for Washim city. These additions are expected to streamline transportation in the area. The third package focuses on the stretch from Pangre to Warangafata, covering 42 km and costing Rs 1,042 crore. This section features significant infrastructure improvements, such as the construction of a main bridge over the Kayadhu River and bypasses for Kalamanuri and Akhara-Balapur city. These enhancements aim to alleviate congestion and improve traffic flow. According to the release, these highway projects hold the promise of connecting many vital locations across the Akola, Washim, Nanded, and Hingoli districts. Improved accessibility to religious and tourist destinations like the Shegavche Gajanan Maharaj Temple, Akola Shahnoor Fort, Antriksh Jain Temple, Eighth Jyotirling Aundha-Naganath, and the Sant Namdev Maharaj Sansthan in Nanded is anticipated. Furthermore, the highway network is expected to foster business opportunities between Telangana and Maharashtra, thereby contributing to employment growth in the region. It's noteworthy that the construction work for the Sadar National Highway 161, conducted under the 'Amrit Sarovar' scheme, involved the opening of ponds in several villages, including Savargaon Barde, Jhodga Khurd, Chivra, Amani, and Saikheda. The soil and sand obtained from these ponds were ingeniously repurposed for road construction.
29 September,2023 04:22 PM IST | Washim | mid-day online correspondent
'Thrown out' by hospital staff, ailing girl dies at its doors
A 17-year-old girl died right outside a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri, allegedly after the staff removed her from there after treating her for two days. A disturbing video shows the seemingly lifeless girl collapsed over the seat of a motorcycle as a woman accompanying her cries "- apparently on realising that the girl is now dead. The authorities have suspended Radha Swami Hospital's licence and sealed the premises over the incident in Uttar Pradesh's Ghiror town on Thursday. Her family said she was given "wrong treatment" at the private hospital. The clip showed a man and a woman " possibly staff members " going back up the stairs of the hospital. They had apparently brought her outside up to her relatives' motorcycle. "Tumne bahar nikal ke dal diya patient," a man is heard saying, accusing them of removing the girl from the hospital even before a vehicle was arranged for her. The girl appears lifeless. Her back is arched backwards as she is seated on the motorcycle, supported by a man, possibly a relative. Moments later, a woman relative realises that the girl, now sprawled along both seats of the bike, is dead. No hospital staff is around. UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who handles the state's health department, ordered action against the private hospital on Thursday. District's Chief Medical Officer R C Gupta said according to the information with him, class 12 student Bharti was brought to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon when she complained of fever. According to her family members, the girl was then admitted there. He condition deteriorated on Thursday. "The family members have alleged that the girl was administered wrong treatment, after which her health deteriorated," CMO Gupta said. Instead of making arrangements to shift her to another hospital, the staff brought the patient out and then "fled", the family complained. "The girl died outside the hospital shortly after being removed from there," Gupta said. On social media, minister Pathak said when the matter came to his notice, he asked the CMO to immediately take "strict action". The nodal officer has submitted a preliminary investigation report. "The said Radha Swami Hospital, in front of SSD College, Karhal Road, Mainpuri has been sealed," he said on 'X'. The other patients at the hospital have been admitted to the community health centre in Ghiror. The CMO and the additional CMO have been asked to conduct a detailed investigation and submit their report within a week. "Action will also be taken to cancel the registration of the said hospital and lodge an FIR," the minister posted on the microblogging site. "Such incidents will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Strictest action will be taken against the culprits," he said. Earlier this month, the administration took similar action against Amethi's Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, run by a trust headed by Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, after the death of a patient due to alleged negligence. Congress and Samajwadi Party workers held protests demanding the reopening of the hospital, which also took the matter to court. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 September,2023 04:14 PM IST | Lucknow | PTI
Farmers block Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway in protest
After halting the trains in their protest, Farmers have now blocked the Delhi-Chandigarh National Highway too. Farmers have staged a protest on the highway going from Chandigarh to Ambala in Mohali. Rail Roko protest has been going on in Punjab since Thursday by nineteen farmer labour organizations. Farmers are sitting on railway lines across Punjab. After the railway track jam, all the routes from Delhi to Amritsar, Pathankot to Amritsar and Punjab to Chandigarh, Jalandhar, Ludhiana to Moga, Firozpur, Fazilka are completely stalled. Hundreds of passengers are stuck at the railway stations of Punjab due to jams in trains. More than 90 trains will be affected on Friday, out of which more than 80 trains have been cancelled. Farmers in Punjab continued their "rail roko" protest on the second day in Amritsar. The Farmers are demanding a committee for Minimum Support Price (MSP), a financial package for losses caused by recent floods, relief from agricultural debt and withdrawal of cases regarding agitation in Delhi in 2020-21. The three-day protest called by farmers in Punjab's Amritsar led by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee began on Thursday and will continue till Saturday (September 30). As many as 18 trains of the Firozpur division, have been affected as members of various farmers' bodies squatted on train tracks in Ferozepur. Sarwan Singh Pandher of Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, who was present at the protest said, "If anyone tries to be unfair with the farmers of Punjab, then farmers from Haryana will also join Punjab farmers. Farmers are united throughout the country." "The agitation has been called by 18 unions in North India. Home Minister Amit Shah came to Amritsar and he promised to bring MSP guarantee law but the committee has not been formed yet. The cases that had been registered during the Delhi agitation have not been withdrawn," Pandher claimed. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
29 September,2023 03:15 PM IST | Mohali | ANI
Maharashtra Amid heavy rainfall, devotees in Latur bid aideu to Lord Ganesha
In the city of Latur, Maharashtra, amidst relentless downpours, devotees came together to bid a heartfelt adieu to Lord Ganesh as the 10-day-long festival dedicated to the revered elephant-headed deity reached its conclusion, stated a PTI report. The festival, which commenced with 'Ganesh Chaturthi' celebrations on September 19, culminated on 'Anant Chaturdashi' on Thursday. The day marked the immersion of idols of Lord Ganesh, prominently installed by households and 'sarvajanik mandals' (public pandals) throughout the city. According to the report, early on Thursday morning, vibrant processions for the immersion of these idols began, with a significant turnout of enthusiastic participants. Amid the rhythmic beats of drums and the resonating chants of 'Ganpati Bappa Morya, Pudhchya Varshi Lavkar Ya' (come soon next year, Lord), the spirit of the festival filled the air. As the day unfolded, heavy rains began to pour over the city around 2 pm, continuing until approximately 6 pm. However, the unrelenting downpours did little to deter the determination of the devoted participants, and the processions persevered despite the adverse weather conditions. The streets were teeming with people eager to catch a glimpse of the beautifully adorned idols from popular Ganesh mandals, including Bappa Ganesh Mandal, Shri Ausa Hanuman Ganesh Mandal, Vishwacha Raja, and Laturcha Raja Ganpati, the report added. The idols found their final resting place in various water bodies, including a lake near the revered Shri Siddheshwar temple, dispersed across the city. To ensure the safety and security of the festivities, a significant contingent of police personnel was deployed, ensuring that the immersion proceeded without any untoward incidents. Exactly three decades ago, a day after Anant Chaturdashi, the city witnessed a devastating earthquake of 6.4 magnitude. The earthquake left a trail of destruction, decimating approximately 52 villages in the Latur-Osmanabad region, resulting in the loss of nearly 10,000 lives and injuries to thousands more. Despite the heartbreaking memory associated with this date, the spirit and resilience of the people of Latur shine through as they continue to celebrate their cultural heritage and devotion to Lord Ganesh, undeterred by the elements. The devotion and enthusiasm displayed during the festival highlight the enduring spirit of unity and reverence that characterises the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in Maharashtra.
29 September,2023 03:12 PM IST | Latur | mid-day online correspondent
All 4 Nipah patients including minor boy have recovered, says Kerala Health Min
Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Friday said that all four patients including a nine-year-old who were undergoing treatment for Nipah have recovered and have tested negative for the virus infection. A total of six cases of Nipah virus infection were reported in Kerala's Kozhikode district of which two persons died. The Health Minister today said that all four patients have tested double negative and left hospital."Informing the good news that four people, including a nine-year-old boy who were undergoing treatment for Nipah, have recovered from the infection and have tested double negative (two samples tested in intervals tested negative)," the Health Minister said in a post in Malayalam on Facebook.The nine-year-old boy is the son of Muhammad Ali (47), the index case, who died due to the deadly virus on August 30. The second victim died on September 11.As per the government data, no new Nipah cases were reported until Sunday and the five samples that were sent for lab tests have tested negative.The Kozhikode District Administration has relaxed restrictions in containment zones in the district as no new cases were reported.Earlier in a press briefing, Minister Veena George said that the state government has decided to strengthen the healthcare system. "We have started to strengthen the 'One Health' activities in the district. We have started training people for the same. 'One health' means all the departments will come together. We have also taken the decision to establish an institution where all the departments will be well-coordinated. So, community surveillance will be there throughout the year", she said. The health minister said that ICMR and WHO had conducted studies and found that Kerala and eight other states in India have the probability of Nipah occurrence. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the state will conduct a seroprevalence study on the Nipah virus being repeatedly found in Kozhikode district.& This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 September,2023 03:10 PM IST | Thiruvananthapuram | ANI
Boy ends life after receiving fake message in the name of NCRB
A 16-year-old boy ended his life by suicide in this north Kerala district allegedly after he received a fake message in the name of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) seeking payment for accessing an unauthorised movie website, police said on Friday. Adinath, a 11th standard student at a city school, was found hanging in his apartment in Chevayur here on Wednesday evening. A suicide note recovered from his room gave indications about the online fraud which is suspected to have claimed the life of the teenager, a police officer said. In the suicide note addressing his mother, the boy said he didn't log into any unauthorised website but watched a movie on a legitimate website on her laptop, the officer said. "In the laptop, there was a fake message in the name of the NCRB saying that as he accessed an unauthorised website, he had to pay an amount of over Rs 30,000, failing which it would invite a fine of a huge amount and imprisonment. This seemed to have scared the boy," he told PTI. Police checked the browser history of the laptop but there was no indication that the deceased student had accessed any illegal website, he further said. "We don't know whether it was deleted...but anyway a detailed scientific probe is needed to bring out the truth," he said. The police have already launched an investigation and would soon collect more details from the boy's parents who shifted to another house following his demise, the officer added.
29 September,2023 03:10 PM IST | Kozhikode | PTI
Maharashtra: 2 revenue officials caught taking Rs 18,000 bribe in Gondia
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Maharashtra's Gondia caught two officials from the revenue department while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 18,000 for processing a land transfer request, an official said on Friday. The ACB on Thursday caught talathi Madhukar Naktu Tembhurnikar (55) of Gidhadi village in Goregaon tehsil and kotwal Rakesh Sampat Walde (38) while accepting the bribe amount at the revenue office, inspector Atul Tawade said. The accused had demanded Rs 20,000 from the complainant to initiate the process of transferring land in her name and after negotiations, settled for Rs 18,000, he said. The official said a case has been registered against the duo under the Prevention of Corruption Act and further probe is underway. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
29 September,2023 02:44 PM IST | Gondia | PTI