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Odisha Minister writes to Centre for sanction of PMAY-G houses

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Odisha’s Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Pratap Jena on Monday wrote a letter to Union Minister Giriraj Singh for sanction of houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).

Referring to the previous correspondences made on this issue, Jena urged Singh to sanction 1.84 lakh special PMAY-G houses as promised to Odisha in the aftermath of cyclonic storm ‘Fani’-hit Odisha.

Notably, the Prime Minister had reportedly assured the Odisha government to allot PMAY-G (special) houses to the Fani affected families during his visit in May 2019.

He also demanded opening of the Awaas+ window for some time to incorporate names of eligible left out families and synchronise the data of 6.65 lakh households in the State-run rural housing portal with the Awaas+.

While the genuine demand of Odisha has not been paid heed to by the Ministry of Rural Development so far, synchronisation of data from the Karnataka government MIS into Awaas+ was allowed on January 13, 2022, Jena pointed out.

“Ignoring the repeated requests from the state will not support the cause of Odisha and it will further deprive lakhs of tribal beneficiaries living in the scheduled areas of the state and deserving poor people belonging to KBK region and western parts of the State,” he said.

The Union Minister was requested to rectify this injustice being meted out to the State of Odisha and its people.

In December last year, the Chief Minister had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding sanction of the rural housing units under PMAY-G.

National News

Thane: Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik’s Convoy Caught Driving On Wrong Side Of Road Amid Traffic Jam

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Thane: A video of Maharashtra Forest Minister Ganesh Naik’s convoy travelling on the wrong side of the road to avoid a massive traffic jam on the Ghodbunder Road in Thane has surfaced on social media with commuters seeking to know if traffic rules were meant to be followed only by common citizens.

The incident occurred on Wednesday morning when Naik was heading to Palghar for a meeting of the District Planning Committee.

Naik is also the district guardian minister of Palghar.

While the BJP minister’s convoy with police escort was on the way to Palghar, it took a U-turn to avoid a traffic jam and started going on the wrong side of the road.

Eyewitnesses and commuters were quick to capture videos and photos of the minister’s convoy driving on the wrong side. The video that has surfaced on social media shows the minister sitting inside his car.

Angry citizens took to social media to express outrage, saying such instances expose the “two Indias on the same road – one for the powerful and one for the powerless”.

“Traffic rules apply only to the ‘aam aadmi’ (common people), not the VVIPs,” one commuter said.

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National News

Bihar polls: Measures announced to ensure accessible voting for persons with disabilities

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New Delhi, Oct 15: In a move to ensure inclusive and barrier-free participation in the upcoming high-stakes Bihar Assembly elections and bye-elections in eight Assembly Constituencies, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday issued comprehensive guidelines aimed at making the voting process accessible for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs).

According to the ECI, the polling in Bihar will feature a total of 90,712 polling stations, each equipped with facilities tailored to support PwD electors and senior citizens.

“Additionally, in another initiative, 292 Polling Stations will be exclusively managed by Persons with Disabilities,” the poll panel said in its press note.

According to the Commission, all polling stations will be set up on the ground floor or at road-level entry points to eliminate mobility challenges.

Ramps with appropriate gradients will be installed to make movement easier for wheelchair users.

Officials have been instructed to ensure that PwDs and senior citizens receive priority access while entering polling booths, reducing waiting time and ensuring dignity in the voting process.

“To facilitate the Persons with Visual Impairment, the Commission has directed to issue Accessible Voter Information Slips with Braille Features, along with the regular Voter Information Slips (VIS),” it said.

Under Rule 49N of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, visually impaired electors may be accompanied by a companion to help them cast their vote, but the Commission has gone a step further by mandating the availability of Braille-enabled Dummy Ballot Sheets at every polling station.

“Any visually impaired voter can use this sheet to cast his/her vote by themselves using the Braille facility on Ballot Units of EVMs without any help from a companion,” it added.

In addition, a dedicated transport facility will be arranged for PwDs on polling day. Voters can request wheelchair and transport assistance through the Divyang (Saksham) Module available on the ECINET platform.

This digital initiative aims to streamline support services and ensure timely assistance to registered PwD voters.

The Election Commission stated that these reforms underline its commitment to ensuring that every eligible citizen, irrespective of physical ability, can exercise their democratic right with ease, confidence, and respect.

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Crime

Mumbai Airport Customs Arrests Couple For Smuggling Hydroponic Weed Worth Over ₹5 Crore To Sri Lanka

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Mumbai: A couple from Navi Mumbai has been arrested by the Customs Department at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) for allegedly smuggling hydroponic weed worth Rs 5.45 crore from Colombo. The accused, identified as Mohammed Saud Siddiqui (29) and his wife Sana Siddiqui (27), were detained by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) after a tip-off about a suspicious trolley bag they were carrying.

Officials said that when the couple’s baggage was checked, three airtight packets were found hidden inside. On testing the contents, officers confirmed the packets contained five kilograms of banned hydroponic marijuana, a high-grade variant of cannabis.

However, the couple has claimed innocence, stating they were victims of a scam. While presenting their case in court, the Siddiquis said they had received an offer of a free trip to Colombo through social media.

Believing it to be genuine, they accepted the offer, completed visa formalities, and flew to Sri Lanka. On their return, the person who had arranged the trip gave them a parcel of chocolates to deliver in Mumbai. They alleged they were unaware that the parcel contained drugs.

Their lawyer, Advocate Sunil Tiwari, told the court that the couple had been trapped in a fabricated case and had no knowledge of the contents of the parcel. “An unknown person used social media to lure them with a free holiday and made them unwilling carriers,” he said.

The Customs Department has booked the couple under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. They were produced before a local court on Monday and have been remanded in judicial custody until October 28 while investigations continue.

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