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New Delhi: Soon after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a whopping 66 per cent hike in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) to Rs 79,590 crore in the Union Budget, the most interesting political signal came from Lucknow. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath publicly emphasised that the increased flow of funds would allow Uttar Pradesh to provide houses to all remaining beneficiaries of the scheme by 2024. Free housing for the poor under this scheme has been a fundamental driver of the BJP’s growth in the Hindi heartland, and Yogi’s comments about “saturation” housing coverage by 2024 were a revealing indicator of the BJP’s thinking on the political economy as India embarks on the road to 2024. “In the last six years, UP has received 45.5 lakh houses under the scheme,” Yogi said. “Recently, the state received 10 lakh new houses under the scheme and the budget has now provided for 4 lakh new beneficiaries who remained to get houses. In my estimate, UP will now be completely

New Delhi : Moo-ah! St. Valentine’s Day has come to the animal kingdom. And why not? Because love is all around, so why shouldn’t the cows get some too? The Animal Welfare Board, a statutory advisory body, has put out an appeal – which makes it addressed to all – that exhorts us to hug a cow on Valentine’s Day, February 14. The appeal makes short work of dissing the West and the ‘dazzle’ of its civilization in one terse paragraph before saying ‘all cow lovers may also celebrate the February 14 as Cow Hug day keeping in mind the importance of mother cow and make life happy and full of positive energy’. Now all that is fine, but does raise some tactical issues. First, how exactly does one hug a cow? The poor things can’t hug back so there’s no approaching them from the front. Even if they could, who’d want those hooves around his or her neck and a couple of hundred kilos of pressure on the shoulders? The rear is ruled out too; cows have an unfortunate tendency to kick those rear legs

New Delhi: India has ramped up its effort to provide relief to quake-hit Turkey, as the sixth plane carrying rescue personnel, essentials and medical equipment for earthquake relief efforts reached the country. EAM S Jaishankar posted pictures of a field hospital on twitter and said, “This field hospital in Hatay, Turkiye will treat those affected by the earthquake. Our team of medical and critical care specialists and equipment are preparing to treat emergencies.” Medical treatment being given at Indian Army’s field hospital set up in Hatay, Turkey Earlier on Wednesday, the Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said that the field hospital under ‘OperationDost’ has been set up at Iskenderun, Hatay province in Turkiye by the Indian Army. #OperationDost in full swing! The @adgpi Field Hospital being set up at Iskenderun, Hatay province in Türkiye. Once functional, it will be a 30-bedded fully-equipped medical facility with Operation Thea

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that India was emerging as a manufacturing hub as well as one of the fastest growing economies globally and that had led to the developed countries of the world acknowledging India’s prosperity and its “growth story”. “India is emerging as a manufacturing hub, the world sees its prosperity in India’s growth, but some people don’t want to accept that fact. Some people who are neck deep in frustration refuse to accept India’s growth story. They cannot see the achievements of 140 crore Indians,” PM Modi said in a reference to the Congress party and its leaders. The Prime Minister was replying to the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha. Beginning his speech by lauding President Droupadi Murmu’s address in Parliament, the PM said she was an inspiration for everyone and had “shown people the way”. In what seemed to be one of his sharpest attacks on the Congress-led Opposition, the Prime Minis

New Delhi: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has told the Indian Air Force (IAF) that it is ready to build a medium category transport aircraft with an internal cargo capacity of 20 tonnes. HAL was left out of the C-295M deal for the manufacturing of transport aircraft which for the first time went to the private sector. The Indian Air Force (IAF) already has started the procurement process for a Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) that would have a cargo-carrying capacity of between 18 and 30 tonnes and be used for a variety of transport aircraft duties. According to a report by Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW), although it has been called the An-32 Replacement program, it is expected that additional orders by the IAF for the C-295M will eventually happen that will be replacing the ageing An-32 fleet. IDRW quoted officials as saying that HAL will be propose the development of a Medium Category Transport Aircraft that is expected to bridge the size and capability gap between the

Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned up at Parliament today during the ongoing Budget session. However, it was not his appearance in the Rajya Sabha that made the news, but his choice of attire that caused heads to turn. But what was so special about the sky-blue ‘sadri’ jacket donned by the prime minister? Officials say that the garment was made out of recycled plastic bottles. The garment was presented to him by the IndianOil Corporation during India Energy Week in Bengaluru on 6 February. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri took to Twitter later to praise the prime minister for donning the jacket. My heartfelt gratitude to PM Sh @narendramodi Ji for wearing the jacket made from fabric using recycled PET bottles! Truly exemplifies his leadership for #LiFE Movement – India led global mass movement to nudge individual & community action to protect & preserve environment 🍀 pic.twitter.com/9Qb8V2GkPS — Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) February

New Delhi: India’s military vehicles may soon get an extra layer of protection. Researchers at the Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh have reportedly created a material that can transform any military vehicle into a stealth vehicle. According to a report by Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW), this material has the ability to absorb over 90% of radar waves across a wide range of frequencies. The team of researchers at IIT, Mandi has claimed that this ability may prove useful during covert military operations. The researchers have also claimed that the material has the ability to absorb a wide range of radar frequencies, irrespective of the direction from where signals hit the target vehicle. The material can also be used to cover windows or glass panels of stealth vehicles to make them invisible to enemy radars. This material can also be applied to a several varieties of military equipment, such as aircraft, ships and other vehicles to reduce or elimin

There is no doubt that Sonu Nigam is still considered among the most versatile singers in the Indian music industry, thanks to his melodious voice that will keep his songs alive for generations to come. Besides proving his potential as a playback singer, Nigam also knew how to rule the stage, whether that be on award shows or live concerts. With the lights dancing in the air and the crowd swinging to his music, the singer could effortlessly transition from one genre to another and make the audience enthralled by his energy. He is none other than Sonu Nigam who knew the pulse of the youth and thereafter made his quite easily to the playlists of Generation Z. While fans used to rush in large numbers to attend his concerts back in time, a video of one such concert is now making rounds on the internet where the singer can be seen performing for the people of Pakistan. Seemingly from the 2000s, Nigam shared the stage with late Pakistani Qawwal and prominent Sufi singer Amjad Sabri, and the

New Delhi: The Indian Navy’s single engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and the Russian MiG-29K carried out their maiden landings on the sprawling deck of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, making the moment special as well as historic. The maiden landing took place as part of the aviation trials by Indian Naval Test Pilots and videos of the event have been going viral on social media. The first landing of the naval version of the domestically manufactured LCA on the 45,000-tonne INS Vikrant, commissioned in September last year, has been termed as a “historic milestone” by the Indian Navy. The Navy further said that it “demonstrates India’s capability to design, develop, construct and operate indigenous aircraft carriers with indigenous fighter aircraft.” From 240 Kmph to 0 Kmph in just 2.5 Seconds. The magnificent Tejas landed on INS Vikrant for the first time as a part of sea trials. pic.twitter.com/vo3r3gLv17 — Sambit Patra (@sambitswaraj) February 7, 2023

New Delhi: In a major boost to its firepower, the Indian Army will soon get the first batch of AK-203 rifles. According to a report by Janes Intel, the production of 5,000 first batch of AK-203 rifles has been completed at the Korwa Ordnance Factory in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh. Alexander Mikheev, director general of Russian defence export agency Rosoboronexport, was quoted as saying by Indian Defence Research Wing (IDRW) that the delivery of the AK-203 rifles will start soon. Among the AK-203 rifles being produced in India, the first 70,000 will have an indigenous content of up to 70% while for the later ones it will be 100%. The AK-203 rifles with 70% indigenous content will have a cost of Rs 91,000 while those with 100% indigenous content will cost around Rs 8,000 to Rs 10,000 less. The Indian government plans to procure around 6,00,000 AK-203 assault rifles for the Indian Army with more orders expected for the paramilitary forces and commando units of the state police forces. Re

Amid the many trends and posts going viral on social media, one that is being talked about the most and is also being hailed as a sign of India’s progress towards gender inclusivity is that of a transgender couple from Kozhikode announcing their pregnancy. The pregnancy photoshoot of Ziya Paval (21) and her partner Zahad (23) has become a massive talking point with media outlets in India and even abroad carrying the report of their pregnancy.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Ziya Paval (@paval19) The couple hailing from Kerala’s Kozhikode is expected to deliver their baby in early March, making them arguably the first transgender parents in the country. Here’s their story and also we explain how it’s possible for transgender people to get pregnant. Mother for nine months, father for life Twenty-one year old Ziya was assigned male at birth and now identifies as female. Her partner Zahad was assigned female at birth and now i

Amid the many trends and posts going viral on social media, one that is being talked about the most and is also being hailed as a sign of India’s progress towards gender inclusivity is that of a transgender couple from Kozhikode announcing their pregnancy. The pregnancy photoshoot of Ziya Paval (21) and her partner Zahad (23) has become a massive talking point with media outlets in India and even abroad carrying the report of their pregnancy.   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Ziya Paval (@paval19) The couple hailing from Kerala’s Kozhikode is expected to deliver their baby in early March, making them arguably the first transgender parents in the country. Here’s their story and also we explain how it’s possible for transgender people to get pregnant. Mother for nine months, father for life Twenty-one year old Ziya was assigned male at birth and now identifies as female. Her partner Zahad was assigned female at birth and now i

India’s fight for freedom involved the role of some prominent personalities including equal contributions from both men and women. While the struggle began with the Revolt of 1857, the Bengal Partition of 1905 and the Swadeshi movement, Indian women started making a mark a little after that and solidified their role in the movement more than ever before. With several names etched on the pages of history, there are also a few women who are still remembered as the icons of the Indian freedom struggle. One such name is Sarojini Naidu, popularly called ‘the Nightingale of India’. One of the most revered women freedom fighters in India, Sarojini Naidu played a big role in leading the freedom movement and was also later elected as the Governor of an Indian state. With her uncountable contributions to the country, a video of the freedom fighter is now going viral on the internet showing a part of her speech to the United States from 1928. It was during her visit to the country that she addr

Mumbai : Security has been beefed up at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport here after a threat call was received on Monday, police said. Mumbai police & other agencies at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were put on alert after receiving threat call on Monday. Caller introduced himself as Irfan Ahmed Sheikh & as member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. Case filed & probe on: Mumbai police — ANI (@ANI) February 7, 2023 The caller identified himself as Irfan Ahmed Sheikh, a member of banned terror outfit Indian Mujahideen. “Mumbai Police and other agencies at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were put on alert after receiving threat call on Monday. Caller introduced himself as Irfan Ahmed Sheikh and as member of terror outfit Indian Mujahideen,” read a statement from police. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway. (With inputs from ANI) Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricke

New Delhi: News18 Punjab/ Haryana organised Agenda Punjab on 31 January that saw key ministers of the ruling Bhagwant Mann government showcasing reports of the work done in the state over last few months. They also shared a roadmap of their vision in the years to come. Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh spoke extensively about Mohalla clinic and the facilities available there. He also deliberated on the way forward stressing that conditions of other dispensaries and hospitals will also improve. Singh also talked about the government initiative that mandates ‘Whoever takes the injured to the hospital will get Rs 2000’. During Agenda Punjab, Education Minister of the state, Harjot Bains said, mentioned that a good school is not just to educate but also to make good citizens. Bains also spoke about promoting technical education as it can end unemployment by giving a chance to students to choose alternate career routes after high school itself. Finance Minister in Punjab government, Har

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) helicopter plant in Karnataka’s Tumakuru. This factory is Asia’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce the Light Utility Helicopters (LUH). As part of the programme, the Prime Minister unveiled a Light Utility Helicopter at the facility in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Karnataka | PM Modi inaugurates the Helicopter Factory of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and unveils Light Utility Helicopter in Tumakuru. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and CM Basavaraj Bommai present on the occasion pic.twitter.com/Hrw4M2VANj — ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2023 Speaking on the occasion, Rajnath Singh said that the inauguration of the HAL helicopter plant was a milestone in the journey towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector. PM Modi had laid the foundation stone of the Tumakuru helicopt

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered condolences to bereaved families in Turkey. PM Modi said, “Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy.” Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the Earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy. https://t.co/vYYJWiEjDQ — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 6, 2023 Meanwhile, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has also offered condolences saying, "Deeply distressed by the loss of lives and damage in the earthquake in Turkey. Have conveyed to FM Mevlut Cavusoglu our condolences and support at this difficult ti

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that India is one of the world’s leading voices in energy transition and developing new resources of energy as he urged global investors to explore investment opportunities in the country’s energy sector. Today, India is one of the world’s leading voices in energy transition & developing new resources of energy IMF, in their growth projections for 2023 also stated that India will remain the fastest-growing major economy: PM @narendramodi #IndiaEnergyWeek pic.twitter.com/qyRKl4meWW — PIB India (@PIB_India) February 6, 2023 In his inaugural address at the India Energy Week 2023 in Bengaluru, which is being attended by several ministers, corporate leaders and experts from different nations, PM Modi said that the Budget (for 2023-34) has provided ₹10 lakh crore for capital expenditure, which will give a boost to green hydrogen, solar power and road sectors. “I ask you to explore all opportunities connected with India’s

An avid Twitter user, Mahindra Group chairperson Anand Mahindra is known for sharing all kinds of innovative, informative, and interesting content on social media. In a bid to make his followers more aware and inspire them, he always manages to drop content that leaves his followers awed. This time too, the industrialist went on to share a unique kind of device that can help people jump out of high-rise buildings in case of emergencies. Taking to Twitter, Mahindra posted a video that shows the inflatable safety device and the entire procedure of using it. He also stated that companies need to manufacture such devices for real. The 40-second clip begins with a demonstration of the safety device. In the footage, a man can be seen wearing a transformable backpack. Before jumping off the building, he straps on the device which goes on to turn into a huge flower-like structure, securing the man entirely and helping him land on the ground like a parachute. Watch: I hope this is for real

New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered condolences to bereaved families in Turkey. PM Modi said, “Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy.” Anguished by the loss of lives and damage of property due to the Earthquake in Turkey. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. India stands in solidarity with the people of Turkey and is ready to offer all possible assistance to cope with this tragedy. https://t.co/vYYJWiEjDQ — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 6, 2023 Meanwhile, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has also offered condolences saying, "Deeply distressed by the loss of lives and damage in the earthquake in Turkey. Have conveyed to FM Mevlut Cavusoglu our condolences and support at this difficult ti