93.83 pc of total broad gauge route electrified: Railways
Out of the total 65,556 km of the broad gauge route, 61,508 km or 93.83 percent has been electrified, the Ministry of Railway said on Monday. During the calendar year 2023, the Indian Railways has achieved 6,577 route km electrification, it said in a statement. With a vision of providing an eco-friendly, faster, and energy-efficient mode of transport, the railways are marching ahead towards 100 percent electrification of broad gauge tracks, the statement said. "Until 2014, 21,801 km of the broad gauge network was electrified," it said. Highlighting the benefits of electrification of tracks, the ministry said it reduces operative costs and makes the railway an environment-friendly mode of transport. Electrification also improves the movement of heavier freight and longer passenger trains because of the better working capacity of electric locomotives, it added. The ministry is of the view that electrification reduces "dependence on imported crude oil, thereby saving precious foreign currency", the statement said.
Heavy rain hits normal life in Puducherry, holiday declared for schools
Normal life was affected in Puducherry on Monday with incessant rain pounding the region in the last 24 hours and a holiday was declared for schools and colleges. Chief Minister N Rangasamy announced that all schools and colleges would remain closed in the union territory on Monday. Meanwhile, fishermen did not put out to the sea owing to the heavy rainfall caused due to a trough of easterlies in the southwest Bay of Bengal. Low-lying areas remained waterlogged. Standing crop was affected in several parts of the union territory, sources said.
Mamata congratulates Hasina on winning elections in Bangladesh
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after her party, the Awami League, won the general elections to form the government for the fifth consecutive time. "Victory is victory. So, I would like to congratulate Hasina Ji, her family, and the Awami League. I pray to the Almighty for their betterment and wish her good health," Banerjee said . The Awami League won almost 75 percent of the seats in the just concluded general election there. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) boycotted the polls.
WB police filed Sandeshkhali attack FIR under bailable sections, state PDS scam of enormous magnitude: ED
The row over the attacks on ED teams in West Bengal escalated with the agency on Monday saying that the state police registered an FIR only under bailable and non-scheduled offences in the incident in Sandeshkhali and has not provided a copy of the complaint to it. It said a "similar incident" again happened with its team on January 5 as the crowd attacked its officials during the arrest of TMC leader Shankar Adhya in Simultala Bongaon of North 24 Paraganas district despite local police being informed of the ED action. An FIR has been filed in this incident too but a copy is awaited, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement. The Sandeshkhali attack took place when agency officials were trying to search the premises of Sahajahan Shekh, convenor of the local unit of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, on January 5. The probe pertains to an alleged PDS scam in West Bengal.
Former Odisha minister Balabhadra Majhi resigns from BJD
Five-time BJD MLA and former Odisha minister Balabhadra Majhi resigned from the party on Monday barely a few months before the simultaneous Lok Sabha and state elections, party sources said. Majhi sent his resignation to party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik but did not give the reason for the step he took, they said. The sources said alleged neglect by the party is the reason for his resignation. Majhi was first elected to the Odisha Assembly from Narla in 1990 on the Janata Dal ticket. He was reelected to Narla in 1995 and later from Lanjigarh seat in 2000, 2004, and 2014. In 2009, he lost to Shibaji Majhi of Congress. He was denied the BJD ticket in 2019 and the party nominated Pradeep Kumar Disari in Lanjigarh. Majhi served as SC, ST development minister in Naveen Patnaik's cabinet twice between 2002 and 2006.
18-year-old woman pushed off roof during rape attempt in UP, hospitalised
An 18-year-old woman suffered severe injuries after she was allegedly pushed off the roof of a house here during a rape attempt, police said on Monday. Superintendent of Police Keshav Chandra Goswami said the incident occurred in the Harpalpur area on Saturday and accused Vishal was booked on charges of kidnapping and attempt to rape. Goswami also said that according to the woman's brother, Vishal tried to rape her but she jumped to save herself and suffered serious injuries, but the victim told police that she was abducted and pushed off the roof. The woman is hospitalised and an investigation into the matter is underway, the official added.
MP Farooq Abdullah Reveals Story On Bringing Up Of Article 370
Addressing a press conference National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah says, "We didn't bring Article 370. This was introduced and implemented by Maharaja Hari Singh in 1947. It was only out of fear, that the people of Punjab would come here after partition and settle down and poor people of our state would sell their land at lesser rates. Jobs were reserved only for locals. This was Article 370
Sixty Year Old Women Dies Of Suicide After Jumping From 9th Floor Of Tower
Mumbai Police: A 60-year-old woman namely Mangala Praveen Rathod dies by suicide by jumping from the 9th floor of a Tower located in the Kandivali area of Mumbai, today. Samta Nagar police took the body in custody and sent it for post-mortem. The deceased woman lived with her husband, three children and daughter-in-law. A case has been registered under ADR and further investigation underway
Bangladesh’s Five Time PM Sheikh Hasina Calls India ‘Next-Door Neighbour’
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says, "India is a great friend of Bangladesh. They have supported us in 1971 and 1975. We consider India as our next-door neighbour. I really appreciate that we have a wonderful relationship with India. In the next 5 years, our main focus will be on economic progress and to fulfil all the work that we have started. We have already declared our manifesto and we follow our election manifesto whenever we prepare our budget and try to fulfil our promises. Development of the people and our country is our main aim."
Minority Affairs Minister Signs Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 With Minister Of Haj And Umrah, Saudi Arabia
Minority Affairs minister Smriti Irani accompanied by MoS MEA V Muraleedharan has signed the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 with Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A total quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India has been finalised for Haj 2024.
