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President lauds Govt’s welfare schemes, vaccination drive

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4 years ago

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President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday lauded the government’s performance in the last three years, specially during the corona pandemic.

Addressing the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament at the start of the Budget session, the President said: “We are in the third year of the pandemic caused by coronavirus. In these years, the people have displayed profound faith in the democratic values, discipline and sense of responsibility.”

Hailing the government’s efforts during the pandemic, he said that the example of India’s capability in the fight against Covid-19 is evident in the ongoing Covid vaccination programme. India has surpassed the record of administering more than 150 crore vaccine doses in less than a year.

While more than 90 per cent adult citizens of the country have received the first dose of the vaccine, more than 70 per cent have been administered both the doses, President Kovind said. The government is also reaching out to the rest of the population through the “Har Ghar Dastak” campaign. Adolescents in the age group of 15 to 18 years have also been included in the vaccination programme from this month.

Highlighting the government’s efforts for the poor during the pandemic, President Kovind said that the government is providing free ration to every poor household every month under the “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.” This is the world’s largest food distribution programme with an outlay of Rs two lakh sixty thousand crore reaching out to 80 crore beneficiaries for 19 months and now this scheme has been extended till March 2022.

More than two crore pucca houses have been provided to the poor under the “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana” as a result of the efforts made in the last few years. Under the “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin,” 1 crore 17 lakh houses have been approved at a cost of about Rupees one and a half lakh crore in the last three years.

Launched with the aim of “Har Ghar Jal”, the Jal Jeevan Mission has brought about a huge difference in the lives of the people and nearly six crore rural households have been provided tap water connections despite the constraints imposed by the pandemic, he said on empowering the poor and enhancing their dignity.

To empower the farmers and the rural economy of the country, despite the pandemic, the government made record procurement to match the record production. The farmers produced more than 30 crore tonnes of foodgrains and 33 crore tonnes of horticulture produce in 2020-21.

It procured 433 lakh metric tonnes of wheat during the Rabi season benefitting about 50 lakh farmers. A record quantity of about 900 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was procured during the Kharif season, benefiting 1 crore 30 lakh farmers.

The government has endeavoured to open new avenues of prosperity for the farmers by launching “Kisan Rail Seva,” the President said. During the Corona period, Indian Railways operated over 1,900 Kisan Rails on more than 150 routes to transport perishable food items like vegetables, fruits and milk, thereby transporting about 6 lakh metric tonnes of agricultural produce. Under the “PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi,” Rupees 1 lakh 80 thousand crore have been provided to more than 11 crore farmer families.

Giving an impetus to the rural economy, the banks have extended financial help to the tune of Rs 65,000 crore to more than 28 lakh Self-Help Groups in 2021-22. This is four times the amount extended in 2014-15. The government has also provided training to thousands of members of the women self-help groups and made them partners as “Banking Sakhi”.

“A provision has also been made for the Gender Inclusion Fund in the National Education Policy to promote learning capability among our daughters. It is a matter of happiness that all the existing 33 Sainik Schools have started admitting girl students,” Kovind said, adding that the government has also approved the admission of women cadets in the National Defence Academy.

The first batch of women cadets will enter the NDA in June 2022. With the policy decisions and encouragement of my government, the number of women personnel in various police forces has more than doubled as compared to 2014.

On implementation of a new National Education Policy across the country, Kovind said it was part of the government’ endeavour to give shape to the resolve and potential of “Atmanirbhar Bharat.” Local languages are also being promoted through the National Education Policy.

Emphasis is being laid on conducting important entrance examinations for undergraduate courses in Indian languages as well. This year, 19 engineering colleges in 10 states will start teaching in six Indian languages, he added.

“We saw the capability of India’s youth power in the Tokyo Olympics. Giving its best-ever performance, India won seven medals. In Tokyo Paralympics too, India won 19 medals and set a record.”

With a firm belief in global brotherhood, India extended a helping hand when people in neighbouring Afghanistan were in distress due to political instability and launched ‘Operation Devi Shakti’ to airlift the Indian citizens in Afghanistan and minorities there in danger, including Afghan Hindus, Sikhs and others.

Even in such situations, “our government respected the religious emotions of our Sikh community” and successfully brought back the two copies of holy Guru Granth Sahib. Now India has been supplying corona vaccines, life saving drugs and grains to Afghanistan on a humanitarian basis, the President stated.

Noting that India has again emerged as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, he said that the GST collection has consistently remained above Rupees one lakh crore during the last several months. Inflow of 48 billion dollars in the first seven months of the current financial year is a testimony to the belief the global investor community has in India’s growth story. India’s foreign exchange reserves today exceed 630 billion dollars. During April to December 2021, goods exports stood at 300 billion dollars or more than Rupees 22 lakh crore, which is one-and-a-half times more than the corresponding period of 2020.

In order to protect MSMEs from crisis and ensure adequate availability of credit during the Corona period, the government started a scheme for guaranteed Collateral Free Loans of Rupees 3 lakh crore. It is evident from the recent studies that this scheme has given a fresh lease of life to 13 lakh 50 thousand MSME units and also secured 1 crore 50 lakh jobs.

In June 2021, the government enhanced credit guarantee from Rs 3 lakh crore to Rs 4.5 lakh crore, Kovind stated.

As against 90,000 kilometres of national highways in March 2014, today India have more than 1 lakh 40 thousand kilometres of national highways. Under the Bharatmala Project, construction of more than 20,000 kilometres of highways is in progress with an outlay of about Rs 6 lakh crore, including 23 green expressways and green-field corridors.

The government is committed to sustainable development of all the states of the North East – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. In these states, basic amenities and economic opportunities are being developed at every level. Rail and air connectivity are no longer a dream for the people of the North East, they are now able to experience them in reality.

A new airport is being set up at Hollongi, Itanagar. A modern new terminal has recently been opened at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in Tripura. This development of North East will prove to be a golden chapter in India’s growth story. Efforts of the government to establish peace in the North East have attained historic success. Just a few months ago, a settlement was reached between the Central Government, the state government of Assam and the Karbi groups to end the decades-old conflict in Karbi Anglong.

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National News

PM Modi inaugurates Rs 480-crore Jodhpur Airport terminal, boosting air connectivity in western Rajasthan

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17 hours ago

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July 4, 2026

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Jodhpur, July 4: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new terminal building at Jodhpur Airport, marking a significant milestone in Rajasthan’s aviation infrastructure.

The Rs 480-crore project is expected to strengthen regional air connectivity, enhance passenger convenience, and provide a major boost to tourism, trade, and economic activity in western Rajasthan.

The newly constructed terminal spans more than 23,000 square metres and has the capacity to handle 20 lakh (2 million) passengers annually, substantially increasing the airport’s ability to cater to the region’s growing air traffic.

Inspired by Rajasthan’s rich architectural heritage, the terminal seamlessly blends traditional design elements with modern infrastructure.

The building features motifs and architectural styles reflective of the state’s cultural legacy while offering contemporary passenger amenities aimed at improving the overall travel experience.

The terminal has also been designed with sustainability at its core.

It incorporates energy-efficient systems, water conservation measures, and green building practices, making it an environmentally responsible addition to the country’s expanding aviation network.

The inauguration of the new terminal is expected to improve domestic and regional connectivity for Jodhpur and neighbouring districts, making the city more accessible to tourists and business travellers alike.

Officials believe the upgraded infrastructure will further strengthen Jodhpur’s position as a key tourism destination while creating new opportunities for commerce, investment, and employment across the Marwar region.

During the programme, Prime Minister Modi also launched the revised UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, aimed at expanding affordable regional air connectivity across India.

The revamped scheme seeks to operationalise more airports, improve access to underserved regions, and strengthen the country’s aviation ecosystem over the coming decade.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Governor Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde, Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, senior government officials, and public representatives.

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Crime

Delhi Police busts drug supply chain, arrests three traffickers including two foreign nationals

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20 hours ago

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July 4, 2026

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New Delhi, July 4: The East District Anti-Narcotics Squad of Delhi Police has busted an alleged drug supply chain operating in the national Capital and arrested three accused, including two foreign nationals, recovering 21.09 grams of MDMA, 30 grams of ganja, three scooters and two mobile phones, officials said on Saturday.

According to Delhi Police, the operation was carried out as part of its ongoing ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy against drugs and the campaign to build a drug-free society.

The three arrested persons have been identified as John, a 35-year-old Senegalese national allegedly working as a drug supplier; Diwakar, 27, a resident of Baba Colony in Burari, Delhi, who was allegedly acting as a local drug peddler; and Solomon, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, who police described as the source of the narcotics.

Police said a dedicated team of the Anti-Narcotics Squad (ANS) of East District was formed under the supervision of Inspector Arun Kumar and the overall guidance of ACP (Operations) Pawan Kumar to crack down on drug suppliers and peddlers. Acting on a tip-off received on June 30, the team laid a trap near Star City Mall on the Delhi-Noida Link Road after receiving information that John would arrive there to deliver MDMA.

According to police, John attempted to flee after noticing the police team by making a U-turn on the wrong side of the road. During the chase, he allegedly rammed his scooter into a road divider before being overpowered by the police. A search led to the recovery of 12.86 grams of MDMA from his possession. Subsequently, an FIR was registered at Mayur Vihar Police Station under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

During interrogation, John allegedly disclosed that he used to supply MDMA to a local peddler, Diwakar, at different locations between the Chilla-Noida border and Akshardham Road. Based on this information, police traced and arrested Diwakar from Akshardham Road. Officers recovered around 3 grams of MDMA and 30 grams of ganja from his possession.

Further questioning of the two accused led investigators to another alleged supplier identified as Solomon, an African national residing in New Ashok Nagar. Police laid another trap near Crown Plaza Hotel Road and Chilla Border Road and arrested Solomon. A search resulted in the recovery of 5.23 grams of MDMA from his possession.

Police said the total seizure included 21.09 grams of MDMA, classified as a commercial quantity, and 30 grams of ganja, with an estimated value of around Rs 4 lakh in the international illicit market. Three scooters allegedly used for transporting narcotics and two mobile phones were also seized.

During the investigation, police found that Diwakar had initially started purchasing MDMA from John for personal consumption before allegedly turning to drug peddling for financial gain. Police further said that both foreign nationals failed to produce valid passports or visas during verification.

Officials said the arrests have helped dismantle an active narcotics supply chain operating in the area. Further investigation is underway to identify both backward and forward linkages of the network and ascertain whether the recovered vehicles were used in other criminal activities.

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Crime

Delhi HC asks GAC to decide plea against Dhruv Rathee’s YouTube video in 15 days

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2 days ago

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July 3, 2026

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New Delhi, July 3: The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Union government’s Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to decide, within 15 days, an appeal seeking removal of a YouTube video uploaded by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, which has been alleged to contain defamatory content and hurt religious sentiments.

A single-judge Bench of Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma passed the direction while disposing of a plea filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who had sought a direction to the GAC to decide her appeal against the video titled “Can Hindus eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED”, uploaded on March 21.

“The appellate authority shall decide the petitioner’s appeal expeditiously, within a period of 15 days from the date of receipt of this order. In case of any further grievance, the petitioner can file a fresh petition,” the Delhi High Court ordered.

It further clarified that any disregard of its directions would be viewed seriously. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the Union government, submitted that the intermediary ought to have exercised due diligence by taking down the content.

ASG Sharma argued that the video contained disparaging material against Hindu deities and was harmful and divisive. Referring to a previous Delhi High Court judgment, he submitted that intermediaries were required to assess whether content was harmful to society and remove such material by exercising due diligence.

The Centre’s law officer further submitted that either Google should voluntarily remove the video or an order could be passed in terms of the law laid down earlier by the Delhi High Court.

Counsel appearing for Google LLC informed Justice Sharma that a response had already been furnished to the petitioner and that an appeal was pending before the GAC. The counsel also submitted that the intermediary would comply with any judicial order passed in the matter.

Recording the submission, the Delhi High Court disposed of the petition and directed the GAC to decide the appeal within 15 days.

According to the plea, the impugned video falsely claimed that revered Hindu figures, including Lord Ram, Sita and Lord Krishna, consumed meat and alcohol, thereby hurting the religious sentiments of devotees.

The petition alleged that the video was “highly derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive” and sought its removal.

Petitioner Sachdeva has also initiated criminal proceedings in relation to the video before a metropolitan magistrate, where an action taken report has reportedly been sought from the police.

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