(LiveMint) In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Agra Mayor Naveen Jain has asked the Centre to close the iconic Taj Mahal for the time being, much to the annoyance of the tourism industry here. In a letter to the Union Tourism Minister, Jain said: “If the monuments remained closed, the inflow of tourists to Agra could be checked to prevent people here from falling victim to the virus. From October to March end is the tourist season when lakhs of tourists visit the city. “The people here were scared of all the foreigners and looked at them with suspicion. This situation…
Author: Aruna Sharma
(PTI) In the country’s biggest ever privatisation drive, the government on Saturday invited bids for sale of its entire 52.98 per cent stake in India’s second biggest oil refiner Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL). Expressions of interest for the strategic sale of BPCL have been invited by May 2, as per the bid document by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). “The Government of India is proposing strategic disinvestment of its entire shareholding in BPCL comprising of 114.91 crore equity shares, which constitutes 52.98% of BPCL’s equity share capital along with transfer of management control to a…
(PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday asked people to stay away from rumours regarding coronavirus and emphasised on the need to follow the advice of doctors in this regard. He also asked people to avoid handshakes and start greeting others with ‘namaste’ once again. Modi was interacting with owners of Jan Aushadhi Kendras and beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojna (PMBJP) through video conference.”I appeal to my fellow countrymen to stay away from rumours regarding coronavirus,” Modi said. We need to follow the advice of doctors in this regard, he said. People should avoid handshakes and start greeting…
(ET) Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Bharatiya Janata Party lawmakers to commit themselves to “peace, unity and harmony”, which he emphasised are essential for development, the main plank of the BJP. The comments followed riots in Delhi that, according to its critics, were instigated by statements made by members of the ruling party. The PM also took a swing at the Congress and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, without naming the latter during the weekly parliamentary party meeting held at Parliament House complex on Tuesday, said people who were present.While the BJP draws inspiration and gives priority to the wellbeing…
(DJ) मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ ने होली के मौके पर सुरक्षा व्यवस्था को लेकर कड़े निर्देश दिए हैं। मुख्यमंत्री ने कहा है कि होली के त्योहार पर कहीं शांति-व्यवस्था बिगड़ी तो डीएम व एसपी जिम्मेदार होंगे और उनके खिलाफ कड़ी कार्रवाई की जाएगी। प्रधान के चुनाव से पहले होली पर विशेष सतर्कता बरती जाए। डीएम-एसपी संयुक्त भ्रमण करें और संवेदनशील स्थानों पर अतिरिक्त पुलिस बल की तैनाती भी सुनिश्चित कराएं। नागरिकता संशोधन कानून (सीएए) के विरोध में जिन जिलों में हिंसात्मक प्रदर्शन हुए थे, वहां अतिरिक्त सतर्कता बरतने के निर्देश भी दिए हैं। मुख्यमंत्री योगी आदित्यनाथ ने मंगलवार रात वीडियो कांफ्रेंसिंग के…
(ET) The Parliament proceedings were disrupted for the second consecutive day after opposition parties kept insisting on immediate discussion over Delhi riots. By the evening, it emerged that the government was ready to discuss the matter in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The Lok Sabha witnessed some ugly scenes again on Tuesday, with ruling and opposition MPs pushing and shoving each other. At 2 pm, after Speaker Om Birla said the House could hold a discussion after Holi, protesting MPs stormed into the well. Warning against the behaviour, Birla threatened suspension for such an action. But Congress’ Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury…
(PTI) State-owned SAIL has supplied special grade steel plates produced at its Bhilai unit for the country’s first human space mission programme — Gaganyaan, a company official has said.In addition, SAIL’s Rourkela Steel Plant has also supplied MDN 250 (maraging steel) grade special steel for the ambitious project. Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) has contributed to the Gaganyaan space mission and has successfully produced plates to be used in the satellite launch vehicle (SLV) that would launch the mission, SAIL’s Bhilai Steel Plant (SAIL-BSP) CEO Anirban Dasgupta told PTI.A consignment of 40 tonne of MDN 250 grade slabs rolled…
(PTI) The board of State Bank of India (SBI) is learnt to have approved resolution plan for Reliance Communications through which lenders are expected to recover around Rs 23,000 crore. UV Asset Reconstruction Company is believed to have placed bid of around Rs 14,700 crore, while Reliance Jio has made an offer of Rs 4,700 crore for tower and fibre assets of Reliance Infratel. There will also be a clawback of Rs 4,300 crore of priority payments made to Chinese and Indian creditors. Jio placed bid for tower and fibre assets of Reliance Infratel (RITL) and UVARC for assets of…
(ET) Plans are afoot for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to visit Egypt next week, his first visit to the Arab world in 2020, aiming to expand strategic ties with a partner that has stood by India in times of crisis in recent years. Modi is expected to visit Cairo on March 14-15 following the India-EU Summit in Brussels, ET has learnt. This visit will also mark India’s commitment to Africa ahead of the fourth edition of India-Africa Summit in India later this year. Egypt, a key voice in the Arab world for decades, has de-hyphenated its ties with India and Pakistan.…
(PTI) Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) has got markets regulator Sebi’s approval for its initial public offer (IPO). The IPO comprises fresh issue of 93.8 crore equity shares and an offer for sale of 46.9 crore equity shares by the Government of India. The observation letter was issued on February 25, 2020, according to an update on the regulator’s website. The Securities and Exchange Board of India’s (Sebi) observations are necessary for any company to launch public issue. The net proceeds are proposed to be utilised towards augmenting the company’s equity capital base to meet future capital requirements arising out of growth…