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Declare ERCP National project, hike aids for centrally sponsored schemes: Gehlot to PM

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Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has demanded that the Centre declare Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) a national project and increase financial assistance for various centrally sponsored schemes.

He was speaking at the seventh meeting of the Governing Council of the NITI Aayog at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday.

Gehlot has been indirectly attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “forgetting” the promises made to the state leading to verbal duals with Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on several occasions. This time, he pitched for his demand right in front of Modi.

In the meeting chaired by Modi, Gehlot strongly presented the issues related to his state and said that ERCP is an ambitious project of Rs 37,000 crore which will help augment irrigation facilities in an area of around 2 lakh hectares in 13 districts of Rajasthan.

He said that eastern Rajasthan is a leading area in the production of oilseeds. Besides, declaring it a national project will also solve the potable water problems in these districts.

Reminding the Prime Minister of his earlier promises of adopting a positive stance with regard to this project, the chief minister said that it will also help in successful implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission.

There is an additional financial burden on the states due to the changes made in financial participation pattern in various centrally sponsored schemes, he said. He demanded that the Centre extend the period of GST compensation by five years to June 2027 and release the GST compensation of approximately Rs 3,780 crore in a lump sum outstanding from 2017-18.

Gehlot said that Rajasthan has emgered as a model state in the field of providing free medical facilities to the general public. The entire treatment is being provided free of cost and all the tests are also being conducted free of cost in all the government hospitals under ‘Nirogi Rajasthan Yojana’.

‘Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana’ is the next step in this direction, in which 88 per cent of families in the state have been provided with insurance cover. Rajasthan tops the list in this sector in the entire country. Under the scheme, 1.34 crore families are getting free treatment in government and private hospitals.

Till now, more than Rs 2,202 crore has been spent on treating 18 lakh patients. The facility for liver, heart and kidney transplants is being provided under this scheme. He demanded that the Centre increase the ambit of ‘Ayushman Bharat Swasthya Bima Yojana’ on the lines of this scheme.

Gehlot also urged increase in assistance to farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana

He said that the Rajasthan government is giving a benefit of Rs 1,000 per month as electricity subsidy to each farmer’s family and has implemented a separate agriculture budget. He said that the central government should increase its share to 75 percent on all the schemes related to agriculture.

The Chief Minister demanded a special grant for the colleges that have been opened in scheduled areas in the state like those given in North Eastern states and to open a Global University in Rajasthan. The Chief Minister in the meeting demanded to implement the recommendation of giving central assistance of Rs 400 crore to Digital University in Rajasthan by the 15th Finance Commission. He said that the State Government is ready to spend Rs 200 crore to build this Digital Fintech University in Jodhpur.

Crime

Assam road rage accused arrested, not linked to BJP: Himanta Sarma

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Guwahati, July 7: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said that the accused in the recent road rage incident in Guwahati has been arrested and clarified that the individual has no association with the BJP.

The Chief Minister’s statement came amid social media posts claiming that the accused was a BJP youth leader after a video of the alleged assault surfaced online and triggered widespread outrage.

“The accused has been arrested and is not associated with the BJP,” Sarma said in a post on social media platform X.

Reiterating the state government’s zero-tolerance policy towards such incidents, the Chief Minister asserted that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in acts of violence on public roads.

“Road rage has no place in Assam. Anyone who indulges in such acts will face the full force of the law,” Sarma added.

The clarification came after several social media users, including public commentators, shared a dashcam video purportedly showing a confrontation between two motorists in Guwahati.

The video allegedly captured a car owner being assaulted following an altercation on the road, prompting calls for immediate action against the accused.

The incident sparked a political debate after claims circulated online that the accused was linked to the ruling BJP.

However, the Chief Minister dismissed those allegations, stating that the accused was not affiliated with the party. Police have already arrested the accused in connection with the incident. However, officials are yet to release detailed information regarding the charges invoked or the circumstances that led to the confrontation.

The viral video has generated widespread public concern over incidents of aggressive driving and road rage in urban areas. Netizens and civil society members have urged authorities to ensure swift prosecution of those responsible and to strengthen enforcement against violent behaviour on the roads.

The Assam government has repeatedly maintained that law and order violations will be dealt with firmly irrespective of the background or affiliation of those involved.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, and police are expected to record statements of witnesses and examine the video footage as part of the probe.

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Business

Kutch Copper Ltd’s ‘Adani Copper’ becomes London Metal Exchange-registered brand

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Ahmedabad, July 7: Kutch Copper Limited (KCL), a subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Ltd, has earned London Metal Exchange (LME) certification for ‘Adani Copper,’ according to a statement issued by the company on Tuesday.

“Approval by the world centre for the trading of industrial metals validates KCL’s manufacturing excellence and responsible sourcing practices against strict global benchmarks, enabling Adani Copper cathodes to be delivered with warrants eligible for issuance against LME Copper futures contracts from July 10, 2026,” the statement said.

For the Adani Group, LME’s listing of Adani Copper as a Good Delivery brand for ‘Copper Grade A’ contracts places the brand alongside the world’s leading copper brands, conferring international recognition and market credibility on the Group’s entry into the metals sector and its emergence as a globally competitive producer of refined copper.

“Copper is the backbone of the global energy transition. Achieving LME brand status places Adani among the world’s leading copper producers and strengthens India’s role in building a resilient, responsible supply chain for this vital metal. Kutch Copper’s world-class infrastructure and ESG standards make this recognition both timely and well-deserved. It will enhance the global acceptance of Adani Copper. Apart from reinforcing India’s growing stature in the international metals industry, the registration is a landmark step towards self-reliance in refined copper,” Adani Enterprises’ CEO, Natural Resources, and Kutch Copper Ltd Managing Director Dr Vinay Prakash said.

An LME-brand certification is a rigorous process involving superior quality assurances — covering chemical composition, shape and weight — alongside strict responsible sourcing protocols. The LME listing enables Adani Copper cathodes to be placed on warrant in LME-approved warehouses, strengthening financing flexibility as LME-listed metal is recognised as a highly liquid asset that can be used as collateral. For the LME, the addition of Adani Copper broadens the exchange’s deliverable base with high-quality cathode from a major new production hub, deepening the liquidity and geographic diversity of the global copper market.

The $1.2 billion Kutch Copper facility with production capacity of 0.5 million tonnes — one of the world’s largest single-location custom copper smelting complexes, designed with state-of-the-art technology, advanced process automation, and sustainability-led design principles embedded across operations — strengthens domestic supply, reduces the nation’s dependence on imported copper, and advances India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ ambitions in a metal central to electrification, renewable energy and the energy transition, the Adani Group statement added.

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National News

Driver arrested after fatal hit-and-run that killed scooty rider in Northwest Delhi

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New Delhi, July 7: Delhi Police arrested the driver of a Mercedes car in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that claimed the life of a 29-year-old scooty rider near the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the Outer Ring Road in northwest Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.

The accident took place on July 5 near the Foot Over Bridge at the Jahangirpuri Bus Stand on the GTK Bypass stretch towards ISBT. Police said they received information about a road accident in which a scooty rider had sustained serious injuries. The victim was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial (BJRM) Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

The deceased was identified as Deepak, a resident of Mangolpuri in Delhi.

According to Delhi Police, the investigation gained momentum after a PCR caller informed officers that a Mercedes car bearing registration number HR-51BT-6304 had hit the scooty before fleeing the spot.

“The vehicle was traced, and after serving notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act to the registered owner, it was revealed that Ansh Pratap Singh was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident,” Delhi Police said.

Based on the findings of the investigation, police registered FIR No. 436/2026 at Jahangir Puri Police Station under Sections 281 and 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), dealing with rash or negligent driving and causing death by negligence.

“The accused driver was identified and arrested. Further investigation is in progress,” Delhi Police said.

Police are also examining the circumstances leading to the accident and collecting additional evidence, including CCTV footage and witness statements, to establish the sequence of events.

The arrest comes after investigators tracked down the luxury vehicle using its registration details provided by the eyewitness who alerted the police through the PCR helpline. Officials said further legal proceedings will be carried out as the investigation continues.

Delhi Police have not yet disclosed whether the accused was under the influence of alcohol or whether any additional charges may be invoked, stating that the investigation is still underway.

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