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Odisha train tragedy: PM Modi announces ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to kin of dead, ₹50,000 for injured

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the deceased in the train derailment in Odisha’s Balasore.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office, the ex-gratia amount will be allotted from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the next of kin of the dead.

The PMO also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each for the injured in the horrific accident.

PM & HM express grief over incident

Earlier, on Friday, PM Modi expressed grief over the incident in which several coaches of two passenger trains derailed after colliding with a goods train.

Taking stock of the situation in Balasore, Prime Minister Modi informed that rescue operations were underway at the site of the accident and all possible assistance was being provided to the injured.

After the horrific collision and the subsequent derailment of coaches in Odisha’s Balasore district, in which several passengers are feared dead and over 132 injured, an additional rescue team from Odisha Fire and Emergency Service, comprising 26 members with advance rescue equipment from Odisha Fire and Disaster Response Academy in Bhubaneswar rushed to the spot to mobilise emergency rescue measures, the Odisha government stated in a release.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed grief over the accident.

Odisha train tragedy

Multiple coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Bahanaga station in Odisha’s Balasore after colliding with a goods train.

“There are casualties but the toll is yet to be determined. The derailment involved three trains, two of which were passenger trains and another a goods train,” Odisha Chief Secretary Pradeep Jena said.

The injured were shifted to Soro CHC, Gopalpur CHC, and Khantapada PHC, the chief secretary informed further.

According to Railway spokesperson Amitabh Sharma, the accident took place around 7 pm on Friday.

“At around 7 pm, 10-12 coaches of the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express derailed near Baleswar and fell on the opposite track. After some time, another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah rammed into the derailed coaches, resulting in the derailment of 3-4 of its coaches,” Sharma told ANI.

Several teams deployed

A team of responders from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), numbering 22 members, reached the accident spot from Balasore Railway Station. Another team from Centralised Traffic Control (CTC), comprising 32 members, had set off for the spot half an hour before, said officials.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the state minister Pramila Mallik and the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) to reach the accident spot immediately. The minister and SRC left for the scene almost immediately.

The state chief secretary added that a large number of buses were dispatched to the accident spot in Balasore to help in the relief and rescue operations.

“Nearly 50 ambulances were also rushed to the spot but the number of injured appear to be far too many,” he said.

Business

India’s infrastructure market expected to hit Rs 25 lakh crore by 2030: Report

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New Delhi, Nov 25: India is entering a multi-year infra super-cycle, with the Nifty Infrastructure index delivering 2 times returns of the Nifty 50 over the past three years, a report said on Tuesday.

India’s infrastructure equities have evolved from defensive to high‑beta, high‑alpha and could nearly double in market size by 2030 to around Rs 25 lakh crore, the report from Smallcase said.

Analysts said that the growth is driven government spending and private capex revival — helped by PLI schemes, global supply-chain shifts, and manufacturing incentives.

Smallcase estimated that Rs 1 of infrastructure capex delivers roughly Rs 2.5 — Rs 3 of GDP impact.

Markets are likely to maintain a high beta to infrastructure execution; earnings visibility across engineering, construction, industrials, cement, power equipment and logistics remain robust, the report noted.

InvITs growth will be underpinned by predictable, contract-based revenue streams offering pre‑tax yields of about 10–12 per cent and post‑tax returns near 7–9 per cent generally higher than many conventional fixed-income instruments.

The Nifty Infrastructure Index returned 14.5 per cent, 82.8 per cent and 181.2 per cent over the past 1, 3 and 5 years, outperforming the Nifty 50’s 10.5 per cent, 41.5 per cent and 100.3 per cent, the report said.

“Though Infrastructure investment in India Although these assets can experience temporary fluctuations during periods of market uncertainty, their historical volatility of about 10.2 per cent is well below the equity market’s 15.4 per cent, resulting in comparatively steadier performance,” said Abhishek Banerjee, Investment manager on smallcase, and founder of LotusDew.

With a correlation of only 0.42 to equities, infrastructure platforms tend to behave similarly to utilities, producing consistent, inflation-linked income that is largely unaffected by economic swings, he added.

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National News

Sadiyo ke ghav bhar rahe hain: PM Modi at Ram Temple Dhwajarohan Utsav

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Ayodhya, Nov 25: After leading the ‘Dhwajarohan Utsav’ by hoisting the sacred flag atop the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the day marks the end of centuries of pain and struggle.

PM Modi and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat led the ‘Dhwajarohan Utsav’ at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple by hoisting the specially-designed sacred saffron flag atop the temple.

Addressing the large gathering from the Ram Janmabhoomi temple premises, PM Modi said, “Today, the city of Ayodhya is witnessing another turning point in India’s cultural consciousness. Today, the entire country, the entire world is filled with devotion for Lord Ram.”

The ceremony holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning for devotees across the country.

“Every Ram devotee’s heart is filled with immense satisfaction, gratitude and happiness. ‘Sadiyo ke ghav bhar rahe hain (centuries old wounds are healing today)’. The pain of centuries is coming to an end today, and the resolve of centuries is achieving success today. Today is the ‘poornahuti’ (final offering)’ of that ‘yagna’ whose fire burned for 500 years. The yagya that never wavered in faith, not even for a moment,” he added.

The flag, specially crafted for the Ram Temple, measures 22 feet in length and 11 feet in width. Designed by a parachute specialist from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the flag weighs between 2 and 3 kilograms and has been designed to withstand winds at high altitudes.

The flag carries the Sun symbol, representing Lord Rama’s Suryavanshi heritage and divine radiance. The flag is adorned with an image of the Kovidara tree, Sun and Om. It is saffron in colour — symbolising fire, the rising Sun, sacrifice and dedication.

Speaking about the sacred flag, PM Modi said, “This Dharma Dhwaj is not just a flag, it is the symbol of the renaissance of Indian civilisation. The flag’s saffron colour, the symbol of the Sun, the holy word ‘Om’ and the Kovidar tree represent the glory of Ramrajya. This ‘Dhwaj’ is a resolution, a success, a tale of creation from struggle, a representation of a dream come true, an evidence of saints’ devotion and social participation.”

“This Dharm Dhwaj will become an inspiration of ‘Pran jaaye par vachan na jaaye’ (We will give our life to keep a promise). This will give a message that ‘Karma’ and ‘Kartavya’ should be given priority in the world. This will also make us resolve to maintain peace and prosperity in society, where no one is poor and suffering,” he added.

The event marks the completion of the temple construction.

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National News

Six injured in fire at electronics shop in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad, Nov 25: Six people were injured in a massive fire in an electronics shop in the old city of Hyderabad.

On Monday night, the fire started in the electronics shop on Shahalibanda due to a short circuit, completely gutting it. A CNG cylinder explosion in a car parked in front of the shop further spread the blaze.

Eight fire engines, a skylift fire truck, and a firefighting robot were pressed into service to bring the blaze under control. It took more than two hours for the firefighting personnel to douse the flames.

The fire, which started in an electronics shop, spread to the adjoining warehouse and other shops, resulting in huge property loss.

A cloth shop was also completely gutted in the fire.

Window panes in the surrounding houses were also shattered under the impact of the explosion.

The fire was also suspected to have intensified due to the explosion of several refrigerator cylinders, geysers and electronic items stored in the shop.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Zone) Khare Kiran Prabhakar said, prima facie, the fire started in an electronics shop due to a short circuit.

The flames engulfed the CNG car parked in front of the shop, and the cylinder blast caused the fire to spread rapidly.

Few people were working in the shops, and a few were also sitting in the car. Because of fire and an explosion, six people were injured and admitted to the hospital.

The DCP told the media that firefighters brought the situation under control, preventing further damage.

He appealed to citizens not to believe fake news circulating on social media. He urged them to rely only on official information from the police and avoid sharing unverified news that may lead to unnecessary panic.

According to eyewitnesses, the loud explosion was heard in a radius of one kilometre, triggering panic among residents.

Locals also claimed that the clock on the nearby Rajarai Clock Tower also stopped at the time of the explosion.

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