National
Dr Farooq Abdullah appeals to PM Modi to get private Hajj quota restored

Srinagar, April 14: Former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister and President of the ruling National Conference (NC), Dr Farooq Abdullah on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to use his friendship with the rulers of Saudi Arabia to get the private Hajj quota restored.
The government of Saudi Arabia has slashed India’s private Hajj quota by 80 per cent.
Each year, many Muslims belonging to well-to-do families undertake the Hajj pilgrimage using the services of private tour and travel operators.
These tour and travel operators get a quota of pilgrims every year that they can send to Saudi Arabia over and above the Hajj quota allotted to India officially by the Saudi government.
Each year, hundreds of pilgrims use the services of private tour and travel operators to perform the annual Hajj pilgrimage, which is the holiest journey a Muslim can ever undertake in life.
Dr Farooq Abdullah said on Monday, “I appeal to the Prime Minister to use his personal influence on the Saudi rulers to restore the private Hajj quota. We (India) have very good relations with Saudi Arabia.
“The Prime Minister is a friend of the Saudi rulers. If they cannot increase the private Hajj quota, let them restore what we already had. It has implications on jobs of many people.
“And over and above everything else, Hajj is the lifelong desire of a Muslim. A Muslim saves all his life to afford the Hajj pilgrimage. It is one of the basic duties of a devout Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
“I will also tell Omar (Chief Minister) to write a letter to the Prime Minister to use his influence to get the private Hajj quota restored.”
On Sunday, former Chief Minister and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti also expressed concern at the development.
“Disturbing news emerging from Saudi Arabia. Reports indicate that 80 per cent of India’s private Haj quota has been cut abruptly. This sudden decision is causing immense distress for pilgrims and tour operators across the country.
“Urge the Ministry of External Affairs to immediately intervene by taking up this matter with the Saudi government to seek a resolution”, she said on social media platform X.
National
Ahmedabad plane crash: Gujarat govt intensifies relief, insurance, identification efforts

Ahmedabad, June 16: In the wake of the tragic Air India AI-171 crash, which claimed 270 lives near Ahmedabad, the Gujarat government has swiftly ramped up rescue, relief, and administrative support measures to assist grieving families and ensure a streamlined response to the crisis.
District Collectors have personally reached out to the families of victims, while nodal officers have been appointed across districts to oversee the disbursement of insurance and compensation to legal heirs. These officers, drawn from district-level accounting departments and relevant government bodies, are tasked with ensuring that claims are processed efficiently and empathetically.
To facilitate insurance processes, a joint coordination cell has been set up at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, in line with IRDAI guidelines. New India Assurance has taken the lead for general insurance claims on behalf of the General Insurance Council, and HDFC Life has been designated to handle life insurance claims. Alongside LIC, both companies have established help desks at the hospital to assist families with documentation, claims guidance, and other support.
Meanwhile, district authorities are actively aiding insurance teams by providing key documents, including the passenger manifest, to accelerate claim verifications. Twelve dedicated teams are working in rotational shifts to conduct DNA sample collection and matching. As of now, 250 blood samples have been collected from relatives and local residents.
So far, 62 DNA matches have been confirmed, and 35 mortal remains have been handed over to the respective families — 27 after DNA verification and eight through other forms of identification. Only three passenger identifications remain pending, with relatives currently en route from the United Kingdom to submit samples.
To ensure the dignified and smooth transfer of mortal remains, more than 250 nodal and assistant nodal officers have been deployed. These officers remain in touch with families throughout the process — from initial contact and DNA collection to the final rites — ensuring transportation of remains under police escort, handing over personal belongings, and staying present until funerals are complete.
More than 850 medical personnel, including 100 staff members at the trauma centre, have been deployed as part of the emergency medical response. This includes both permanent hospital staff and additional manpower mobilised specifically for this crisis. Counselling services are also being offered to families coping with trauma.
For families arriving from other states, the Gujarat government is coordinating with State Emergency Operation Centres across the country. Regular contact has been established with nodal officers in other regions to provide logistical and emotional support to affected relatives. A team from Air India remains stationed at the Civil Hospital round-the-clock to assist families. Free air travel arrangements are being provided to relatives based on individual needs.
The Roads and Buildings Department has arranged for accommodation and ground transportation to ensure that visiting families face minimal inconvenience. To manage inquiries and streamline support, state-run helplines and control rooms have been receiving and acting on calls from across the country. Over 1,700 calls have been registered as of Sunday evening, with authorities maintaining active coordination across all departments involved.
General
New Tatkal Ticket Booking Rules 2025: Indian Railways Announces Compulsory Aadhaar Authentication From July 1; What It Means For Passengers

New tatkal ticket booking rules from July 1: In a big move, Indian Railways has announced that from July 1, 2025 onwards, only Aadhaar authenticated users will be able to book tatkal train tickets. The Railway Ministry has issued a directive on June 10, 2025, to all railway zones, stating that this requirement aims “to ensure that the benefits of the Tatkal Scheme are received by the common end users.”
The official communication specified that “With effect from 01-07-2025, tickets under Tatkal scheme can be booked through the website of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)/ its app only by Aadhaar authenticated users.”
Furthermore, the ministry has stipulated that from July 15, 2025, passengers will need to complete an additional Aadhaar-based OTP authentication step for Tatkal bookings.
New Tatkal Ticket Rules 2025 Explained:
- From July 1, 2025, train tickets under the Indian Railways’ Tatkal scheme will be exclusively available for booking through the IRCTC website or its mobile application only for passengers or users who have completed their Aadhaar authentication process.
- Additionally, starting July 15, 2025, the ministry has mandated that travellers must undergo a supplementary Aadhaar-linked OTP verification process whilst making Tatkal reservations.
- The directive additionally outlined restrictions for Indian Railways’ authorised ticketing agents regarding Tatkal bookings.
- These agents will face a prohibition on securing first-day Tatkal tickets during the initial 30-minute period of the booking window. The restriction applies from 10.00 am to 10.30 am for air-conditioned classes and from 11.00 am to 11.30 am for non-air-conditioned classes.
The Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and IRCTC have received instructions from the ministry to implement required system alterations and relay these updates to every zonal railway division.
National
PM Modi flags off Vande Bharat train service to Kashmir

Jammu, June 6: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday flagged off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra town to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir as hundreds of enthusiastic people greeted him.
The PM flagged off the Vande Bharat train and interacted with the children on board the train at the Katra railway station.
PM Modi keenly heard the views of the children about the Vande Bharat train service before waving a green flag to inaugurate the service.
As the train chugged from Katra railway station, the air was filled with slogans of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’.
Vande Bharat train has state-of-the-art facilities to suit the extremes of weather in the union territory.
Earlier in the day, PM Modi inaugurated the Chenab Railway Bridge, after which he visited the photo exhibition highlighting technical hardships faced during the construction of the Bridge.
PM Modi interacted with the engineers and the skilled workers who braved all odds of weather and topography to complete the World’s tallest Bridge at 359 metres, 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower of Paris.
The PM congratulated the engineers and workers for braving all odds to complete the construction of the Bridge in a record time, which is a marvel of engineering excellence.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, MoS (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah accompanied the Prime Minister when he visited the photo exhibition.
PM Modi showed keen interest in understanding the technical problems faced during the construction of the Bridge.
The CEO Railway Board, Satish Kumar, briefed the PM during the photo exhibition. Satish Kumar accompanied the PM when he inaugurated the Chenab Bridge while he went round the inaugural track.
PM Modi was informed that the maintenance of the Katra-Srinagar railway track is totally mechanised, making it the first such railway track in the country. This makes the track the safest in the country.
The Prime Minister also inaugurated the Anji Khad cable-stayed Railway Bridge, which is the first of its kind railway bridge in the country.
The PM walked across the bridge holding the national flag, and also went across the bridge in a railway coach. L-G Manoj Sinha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and CM Omar Abdullah were with PM Modi.
While the PM physically flagged off the Katra-Srinagar train, he will flag off the Srinagar-Katra train through virtual mode.
The PM will also lay the foundation stone and inaugurate projects worth Rs 46,000 crore.
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