New Delhi: Ahead of polls in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a campaign to showcase B.R. Ambedkar’s life and to mark the 125th birth anniversary of the Dalit icon. As part of the celebration the prime minister will also address village communities across the nation. On Thursday, President Pranab Mukherjee signed the ordinance to authorize expenditure in Uttarakhand which is currently under President’s rule.

With eye on Uttar Pradesh polls, Narendra Modi turns to Ambedkar

Ahead of next year’s crucial assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a campaign to showcase the life of B.R. Ambedkar, chief architect of the Constitution, with an eye on capturing the Dalit vote in the country’s most populous state. The initiative, Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan, will include a major outreach to India’s villages on three basic themes—promotion of social harmony, rural development and farmers’ progress. The programme is being organised to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar, a Dalit icon, will conclude on 24 April with Modi addressing all village communities. Read More

President signs ordinance on Uttarakhand expenditure

President Pranab Mukherjee has promulgated the Uttarakhand Appropriation (Vote on Account) Ordinance, 2016 which authorizes expenditure in the hill state that has come under direct federal rule because of a political crisis.The ordinance allows for the withdrawal of about ₹ 13,642.43 crore to meet the state’s expenditure during the ongoing fiscal year. The centre imposed President’s rule in Uttarakhand this month on grounds of “breakdown of governance" after a political crisis was triggered by a rebellion in the state’s ruling Congress party. Read More

India has started linking Jan Dhan scheme, Aadhaar and mobile numbers: Arun Jaitley

To roll out its ambitious JAM (Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile) trinity plan to directly transfer subsidies to intended beneficiaries and eliminate intermediaries and leakages, the government has started linking the Jan Dhan scheme, Aadhaar numbers and mobile numbers of individuals, finance minister Arun Jaitley said on Friday. Read More

Kolkata flyover collapse: 3 IVRCL officials held on murder charges; toll rises to 24

A day after an under-construction flyover collapsed in Kolkata leaving at least 24 dead, the police on Friday arrested three top officials of a Hyderabad based company which was building the flyover and slapped murder charges on them. The toll rose to 24 with the recovery of three more bodies from the debris on Friday. Read More

Govt clears diversion of forest land to set up missile testing facility

The environment ministry has cleared the diversion of over 150 hectares of forest in the Krishna wildlife sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh for setting up a missile testing facility, overriding concerns that it could threaten endangered Olive Ridley turtles and several bird species. It is the third time in two years that a defence project has claimed space meant for wildlife. Read More:

Rs1 trillion of power utility debt moves to state balance sheets

Eight states issued bonds to the tune of ₹ 1 trillion till 31 March, bringing down the accumulated debt of power distribution companies to ₹ 3.3 trillion, power minister Piyush Goyal said in a tweet on Friday. According to a government official, who asked not to be identified, the eight states raised Rs.99,541 crore in 2015-16 under the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana (UDAY), approved by the Union cabinet on 5 November 2015. Read More

Cities battling severe water shortage: poll

More than half the respondents to an instaVaani-Mint survey said their neighbourhoods are battling water shortages, as the country braces for a warmer-than-normal summer. This comes as the IMD (India Meteorological Department) on Thursday in their first summer forecast said that India is likely to see a warmer than normal summer this year. Read More

What do the opinion polls say?

As four states and one union territory head to poll between 4 April and 5 May, opinion polls have predicted a win for the ruling parties in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and opposition parties in Assam and Kerala. Read More

Growth and happiness

Adding another index, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday, he announced a “happiness ministry" to track growth. He said, “The state will be made responsible for happiness and tolerance of its citizens and will rope in psychologists to counsel people how to be always happy." Read More

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.

Share Via