Assam Govt Focussing on Judicial Infrastructure Improvement: Himanta

Responding on Uddhav Thackeray's remark, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday said, "Maharashtra will have Assembly polls in a few months now. Uddhav Thackeray is saying that elections are to save the constitution but our polls will be to remove UBT Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar's NCP and Rahul Gandhi's Congress. We have more than 240 MLAs with us. They can say whatever they want. We will come again for the next 5 years. We got less numbers this time. The reason for that is that INDI Alliance spread rumours like constitution will be changed."

Union Minister and Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan will arrive in Bhopal on Sunday, for the first time after becoming a Union Minister. Various social organizations and employee organizations including the Bharatiya Janata Party have made preparations for a grand welcome at more than 65 places in Bhopal.

Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF), Nitin Agrawal on Saturday called on the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah today and congratulated him on taking charge of the Ministry of Home Affairs. 

Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Piyush Anand, called on Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday and wished him all the best for his next tenure in the Union government. 

Gujarat's forest department personnel, in an attempt to save the near-extinct Wild Ass and other species, have created water points where water is supplied regularly in State's Little Rann of Kutch which faces severe heatwaves in summer. This is the only place where the Khur sub-species of wild ass exists. 

On new criminal laws being implemented in the country, NCP (SP) leader Jitendra Awhad said, "Custody for 90 days will ruin lives."

On post-poll violence in West Bengal, BJP MP from Darjeeling, Raju Bista said in Siliguri, "The corruption that is going on in Bengal is the model of Trinamool Congress. Terrorising people is TMC model. Because of imported votes, TMC won this time. On behalf of people of Bengal, I appeal central government to immediately intervene to save Bengal. The situation that is happening right now, central forces should be here. But till when they can do something. Therefore central govt and President must intervene."
 

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has given instructions to provide financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs each to the dependents of the deceased in the vehicle accident in Rudraprayag. The Chief Minister has also given instructions to provide financial assistance of Rs 40,000 each to the seriously injured and Rs 10,000 each to the general injured.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday suspended its sitting councillor from ward-132 of Trilokpuri, Vijay Kumar from the party for involving in anti-party activities during the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

On Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending G7 summit in Italy, Union Minister for the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said, "All the developed countries welcome PM Modi with great respect. The success PM Modi achieved in strengthening our country, PM Modi takes everyone forward. In the next 5 years, under the leadership of PM Modi, India will become the 3rd largest economy in the world."

Union Minister for the Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday visited BJP's office in Assam's Guwahati and said, " I am a BJP worker and it is my duty to come to the office. I got the strength to win the elections from here. Our party state president Bhabesh Kalita's leadership gave self-confidence to all our party workers. Everyone unitedly worked to make NDA win and its results were very good."

After the inauguration of a new cricket stadium named after Madhavrao Scindia in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav said, "I have given about two and a half crores for Sagar Lake and special congratulations for the entire Gwalior region. Today, a new cricket stadium has been inaugurated here, in the name of Madhavrao Scindia. He was a cricket lover too. He was dedicated to cricket as well. Gwalior will create new records of development in the coming times."

On by-polls in the 5 assembly constituencies, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "The By-election of five assembly constituencies in the state and panchayat elections would be held according to the Election Commission's schedule. The national highway, which has been incomplete for a while, will be finished within the current year."

On Rudraprayag Tempo Traveller accident, which claimed lives of at least 14 people, Union Minister Ajay Tamta responded by saying, "Some people have lost their lives and some have been injured. Our state government, under the guidance of our Chief Minister, has admitted them to Rishikesh AIIMS. The government is taking care of the injured people. Doctors and the entire administration are engaged and we want them to stay healthy and well."

Petrol and diesel prices are likely to go up in Karnataka as the state government revised sales tax by 29.84% and 18.44%. With the fresh revised sales tax the prices for petrol is likely to go up by Rs 3 and for diesel Rs 3.05 approx.

Responding over the increase in the sales tax, Union Minister BL Verma said, "I condemn this step of the Karnataka government. They are burdening the people of Karnataka with high prices."

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi keeps Home, Finance, General Administration and Public Grievance, Information and Public Relations and Water Resources. Deputy CM Kanak Vardhan Singh gets Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment,  Energy, while Deputy CM Pravati Parida gets Women and Child Development, Mission Shakti, Tourism. 

Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia along with Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah unveiled the foundation stone of Madhavrao Scindia International Stadium.

On being appointed as the Union Minister of State for Ministry of Power and New and Renewable Energy, North Goa Lok Sabha MP Shripad Naik, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, "Shripad Naik has come to Goa after taking charge. I welcome him on behalf of the people of the state and the government of the state. I also thank PM Modi for choosing him."
 

Responding on 8 Maoists killed in an encounter with security forces in Abujhmad, Chhattisgarh Assembly Speaker Dr Raman Singh said, "Big action is being taken in Chhattisgarh continuously. Based on the instructions of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chhattisgarh government is taking action fast. It is a big thing to go to Abujhmad and carry out such an encounter."

The Ministry of Railways, on Friday, made it to the 'Limca Book of Records' for 'most people at a public-service event - multiple venues.' The ministry had organised an event on February 26 earlier this year, which was attended by 40,19,516 people at 2,140 venues.

The event was organized for the inauguration of road over/road under railway bridges and for laying the foundation stones of railway stations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, after the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting, told ANI, "In Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting, we are discussing over further plans and how to make Maha Vikas Aghadi more strong..."

Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu told ANI, "We have discussed what we will be doing in the next 100 days and we have decided to work on the 24 pillars. In these 24 pillars, we are covering all the sections, education is always the priority. We have made a target in mind for the next 100 days keeping in mind youths, farmers and women...in the manifesto, we have already mentioned what we will be doing in the next 5 years. We will move forward based on that manifesto"

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said, "We are taking necessary steps to draw global attention to the higher education sector in the state. Our universities will be elevated to a standard that attracts foreign students. We aim to raise Kerala's education sector to new heights, transforming the state into an education hub that everyone desires."  (Source: CMO)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will take the stock of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday in the aftermath of the recent series of terror attacks. Shah is expected to give broad guidelines to intensify counter-terror operations, sources said.
The home minister will also review the preparation for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to start on June 29. (with PTI inputs)
 

A box containing crackers and suspected explosives was recovered by CRPF in J&K's Gursai area of Poonch on Saturday. A probe is on. More details are awaited. 

Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang, on Saturday, took stock of the flood-affected areas of Yangang and Melli, Namchi. 

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, on Saturday, said the victory of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra is the beginning and not the end and expressed confidence that the opposition alliance will win the upcoming assembly elections in the state. Thackeray said, “Lok Sabha poll victory for Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is not the end, it is the beginning.” Thackeray said the same as he addressed a joint press conference of the MVA members in south Mumbai along with NCP (SP) Chief Sharad Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan. (with PTI inputs)

Over a hundred packets of drugs have washed up on the shores of Kutch and Devbhumi Dwarka districts in Gujarat in the last few days, police said on Saturday.
While some packets of charas were recovered in Devbhumi Dwarka on Saturday, others were found in Kutch in the last few days, they said. (with PTI inputs) 

The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) on Saturday said it has mobilised huge manpower and machinery to restore road connectivity to North Sikkim. At least six people have been killed as landslides and heavy rain impacted the Himalayan state severely, damaging properties and disrupting road connectivity, power and food supplies and mobile networks in several areas. Multiple landslides at various stretches, including Dikchu-Sanklang-Toong, Mangan-Sanklang, Singtham-Rangrang and Rangrang-Toong, besides collapse of the vital Sanklang suspension bridge, resulted in the severing of connectivity to North Sikkim, leaving around 1,200-1,500 tourists stranded.
 

Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein has been allocated the portfolios of Finance, Planning and Investment, Tax & Excise, State Lotteries, Economics & Statistics, Power, and Non-Conventional Energy Resources.

In view of the water shortage in the national capital, the Delhi government has appealed to Haryana to discharge additional water into the Yamuna on humanitarian grounds, senior AAP leader and minister Atishi said on Saturday. Delhi's water minister also told a press conference here that the capital is facing a shortage of 70 million gallons per day (MGD) in production due to lack of raw water in the Munak canal and Wazirabad reservoir.

BJP president J P Nadda on Saturday formed a four-member committee to look into the alleged political violence in West Bengal, as the party accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of remaining a mute spectator. The committee includes Biplab Kumar Deb, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Brij Lal and Kavita Patidar, all BJP MPs, with Deb as its convener.

JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai, who have been elected as MPs in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, on Saturday resigned as members of the state Legislative Assembly. Kumaraswamy and Bommai submitted their resignations to Assembly Speaker U T Khader at his office here, an official statement said. While Kumaraswamy represented Channapatna Assembly segment Bommai was an MLA from Shiggaon seat.

Amidst the water crisis in Delhi, Chief Whip of Delhi Assembly, Dilip Pandey wrote to Union Minister for Jal Shakti C.R. Paatil, seeking intervention and coordination with north Indian states to provide more water to Delhi. He also requests a meeting on behalf of Delhi MLAs.
 

Delhi Water Minister Atishi said, "... Water shortage in Delhi persists. Water supply to Delhi is falling short... Water in Wazirabad pond is almost finished. Munak canal, which is fed by two other canals, is also short of water... Water production in Delhi has fallen by 70 MGD... All 7 water treatment plants fed by the Munak Canal, are producing less water... Emergency tube-wells have been made in many areas of Delhi and linked with the water supply. Especially in Bawana, Dwarka, and Nangloi... Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tankers are making 10000 trips in a day. DJB is supplying nearly 10 MGD of water via tankers... We have asked the DJB to provide extra tankers wherever necessary and conduct an assessment wherever tankers are unable to reach... Fixed points of water tankers are also being increased. New areas of water crisis are coming up."

The mortal remains of two persons from Odisha who died in the Kuwait fire incident arrived in Bhubaneswar on Saturday morning. Deputy Chief Ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida received the bodies of Muhammad Jahur and Santosh Kumar Gouda at Biju Patnaik International Airport here and paid floral tributes.

Actors Darshan and Pavithra Gowda will be produced before court today in connection with Renukaswamy murder case.

The Congress on Saturday said it is the government's responsibility to ensure that competition among corporates is not stifled, oligopolies or monopolies do not emerge and corporate takeovers are free and fair. It is also the government's responsibility to ensure that undue advantage arising out of access to political power is not exercised, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.

Four people, including two women, were injured in a fire triggered by an LPG cylinder explosion in an apartment in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, police said. The incident occurred in the Maheshtala area this morning when the cylinder kept on the balcony of the flat on the top floor of the building exploded, a senior officer said.

Delhi's Tis Hazari Court on Saturday extended Bibhav Kumar's judicial custody till June 22 in connection with Swati Maliwal assault case.
 

A pall of gloom descended on the Hindpiri area in Jharkhand's capital Ranchi as the mortal remains of Md Ali Hussain, who was among those killed in a massive fire in Kuwait earlier this week, were brought to his residence on Saturday morning, an official said. His body was brought to Ranchi on a regular flight from Delhi and was taken to his residence around 10.15 am, he said.

The Noida Police nabbed eight criminal suspects within 48 hours after a series of encounters in which seven of them suffered gunshot injuries, according to officials. Among those held is a Delhi-based robber who has over two dozen criminal cases registered against him at various police stations in the National Capital Region and two members of the 'Thak-Thak' gang, the officials said.

Delhi high court on Saturday directed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife and five other individual respondents to take down video recording of court hearing in excise policy case from social media platforms. It also directed the social media companies to take down any other posts or reposts of any video recorded on the day.

A mild earthquake of 3.0 magnitude on Richter Scale struck parts of Thrissur and Palakkad districts on Saturday, official sources said. The National Center for Seismology (NCS) reported that an earthquake of 3.0 magnitude was recorded in the region at 8.15 AM today. Thrissur District authorities told PTI that the tremors were felt for four seconds. However, there are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

Congress workers held 'Matka phod' protest in Krishna Nagar against water crisis in the national capital, on Saturday. A Congress worker said, "The public is being cheated in the name of water...Poor people are suffering the most...The governments are playing the blame game...Why was water not arranged in advance ?... They were busy doing politics...The Congress party will hold a 'matka phod' protest in Delhi to wake up the deaf and dumb government...They have connived with tanker mafia..."

A leopard that strayed into a school here in Tamil Nadu and then a parking lot was caught in an overnight operation after forest department teams trapped it in a car shed using rope nets, officials said on Saturday. Early Saturday, a team of veterinarians tranquillised the big cat, finally capturing it, they said. The leopard was spotted by a parent who had come to the school to pick his child, according to the officials. He saw the leopard on the school's campus, located near the collectorate, around 4 pm on Friday and immediately informed authorities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who went to attend the G7 Summit in Italy on Friday has returned to India. He arrived at Delhi airport on Saturday morning. 

West Bengal Minister Sujit Bose and BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul paid last respects to Dwarikesh Patnaik, a resident of Paschim Medinipur district who lost his life in Kuwait fire tragedy, at Kolkata airport.

Parts of Delhi continue to reel under water crisis. Water is being supplied through tankers to locals in Geeta Colony area, amid water shortage in the national capital this summer.

Gurugram Police are wearing cooling jackets to beat the heat as the heat wave continues across the nation. ACP Traffic Sukhbir Singh said, "Cooling jackets have been given as samples in view of the ongoing heat..." Traffic Police Zonal Officer Manfool Singh says, "The weight of the jacket is too much and cooling pads also melt very quickly..." 

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday morning visited Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple for Suprabhata Seva and offered prayers. Kumaraswamy said, "... In this Parliament, PM Narendra Modi has given me a big responsibility. I went to seek Lord Venkateswara's blessings to succeed in my work as a Minister in the Union Government..."

The Delhi Metro train services on Phase 3 sections will be available from 6am on June 16 instead of its normal timing at 8am on account of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination scheduled to be held tomorrow.  

Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Uttar Pradesh introduced 11 minutes and 50 seconds-long virtual reality darshan for devotees. Chandan Upani, a resident of Varanasi said, " It is a divine and wonderful experience...within small time you get to know the history of Kashi Viswanath..."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday left for home after concluding his day-long visit to Italy during which he attended the G7 summit and held bilaterals with several world leaders including British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, French President Emmanuel Macron and Pope Francis. In an address at an Outreach session of the G7 summit in Italy's Apulia region, Modi called for ending the monopoly in technology and said it must be made creative to lay the foundation of an inclusive society.