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CISF has expanded its role, met new challenges: MoS Home Reddy

New Delhi (NVI): Central Industrial Security Force has expanded its role and met challenges successfully by displaying commitment and dedication towards the country, Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy said today said.

The MoS Home was addressing CISF personnel at a passing out parade of 11th batch of Assistant Sub Inspector at the regional training centre at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.

“CISF have been guarding, not merely airports and critical and very sensitive establishments of the country/but the very key-nerves of the nation,” the minister said.

Reddy also appreciated that CISF has to remain vigilant and deal with the enemies within the country who may be hidden, at times.

“A soldier has to face occasional battles but for CISF personnel every minute is a battle. A soldier very often knows his enemy but CISF personnel would not know from where the enemy comes,” he said.

Industry, trade ready to tackle coronavirus impact: ASSOCHAM

New Delhi (NVI): Amid the global health emergency due to coronavirus outbreak, ASSOCHAM today said that there is no need to panic on coronavirus impact, as the Indian industry and trade, including the pharmaceuticals, are readying to manage the evolving situation without causing any major impact on the supply chain.

While addressing at an event here, ASSOCHAM Secretary General Deepak Sood said, “Yes, in a highly integrated economy, global supply chain is a reality but there are adequate cushions available to deal with temporary disruptions. Both the Indian government and the industry have been reacting in a pro-active manner, in close coordination with each other, to face any economic, technical or even contractual impact of the Coronavirus on the world economy.”

“Thankfully, so far, there has not been any major disruption in supply chain on Indian industry and no major challenge is foreseen in the near term,” he added.

He said while it is true that India imports substantial amount of API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients) to the extent of 60-70 per cent from China, there are several domestic and global firms which have set up API units in India as well.

Depending upon the evolving situation, they may be encouraged to ramp up their production in India, Sood said. The NITI Aayog’s engagement with the pharma industry is directed at achieving the same objective, he added.

For the long run, it is both an opportunity and a wakeup call for boosting domestic production of essential generic drugs along with APIs for the Indian and global market, the ASSOCHAM Secretary Gen said.

He said that when it comes to other industries like electronics, there are no immediate threats. However, alternative supply source like Taiwan can be explored, he added.

“Again there has been an increased focus on domestic production of IT hardware and electronics and the initiative like ‘Assemble in India’ can be ramped up,” Sood said.

“The ASSOCHAM is in constant touch with its members, keeping a close watch on the situation,” he added.

“We should not get very negative on sporadic headlines reporting disruptions. Such events have to be tackled pragmatically,” he said.

He added that it is commendable for the Government to have clarified that in such events, the companies can invoke clauses like Force Majeure and protect themselves against any contractual lapses if any, should a situation so demand.

Outcomes of FATF meeting held in Paris

New Delhi (NVI): Following is the outcome of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Plenary held in Paris from February 19 to 21, 2020 on Pakistan:

Since June 2018, when Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG (Asia Pacific Group) to strengthen its AML/CFT (Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism) regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies, Pakistan’s political commitment has led to progress in a number of areas in its action plan, including risk-based supervision and pursuing domestic and international cooperation to identify cash couriers.

Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by:

(1) demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, relating to TF (terror financing) risk management and TFS obligations;

(2) demonstrating that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS);

(3) demonstrating the implementation of cross-border currency and BNI controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions;

(4) demonstrating that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities, and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities;

(5) demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions

(6) demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services;

(7) demonstrating enforcement against TFS violations including administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases;

(8) demonstrating that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated person are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.

All deadlines in the action plan have expired. While noting recent and notable improvements, the FATF again expresses concerns given Pakistan’s failure to complete its action plan in line with the agreed timelines and in light of the TF risks emanating from the jurisdiction.

To date, Pakistan has largely addressed 14 of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action plan.

The FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020. Otherwise, should significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising TF not be made by the next Plenary, the FATF will take action, which could include the FATF calling on its members and urging all jurisdiction to advise their FIs (Foreign Institutions) to give special attention to business relations and transactions with Pakistan.

Coronavirus: Indians advised to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore

File photo of Changi Airport in Singapore

New Delhi (NVI): Indian citizens have been advised by the government to avoid non-essential travel to Singapore in the wake of coronavirus outbreak that has killed 2,345 people so far.

“In furtherance to the travel advisory issued earlier, citizens are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Singapore,” the Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a statement.

The travel advisory came up during a high-level meeting here today, chaired by Cabinet Secretary to review the status, actions taken and preparedness of States/UTs regarding the management of Novel Coronavirus (COVID19).

Secretaries of Health and Family Welfare, Civil Aviation, Defence, Information & Broadcasting, DG AFMS and representatives from External Affairs, Home Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, ITBP and Army were also present.

Universal screening at airports is now being planned for flights from Kathmandu, Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said in a statement.

This will be in addition to the universal screening as per earlier advisories.

As on date, 21,805 passengers have been brought under community surveillance, the ministry said. In addition, 3,97,152 flight passengers and 9,695 travellers at sea ports have been screened, it added.

Technology will help deliver speedy justice: PM

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that technology will prove to a revolutionary tool in delivering speedy justice in the country, highlighting the government’s efforts to connect every court in the country to the e-court Integrated Mission Mode Project.

While addressing the International Judicial Conference here, PM Modi said the establishment of National Judicial Data Grid will also make court procedures easier.

“The synergy of artificial intelligence and human conscience will also give further impetus to judicial processes in India,” he said.

Distinguished judges of the Supreme Court, as well as various High Courts, eminent lawyers and delegates from overseas, also took part in the conference.

The Prime Minister also pointed out that the Judicial Conference is taking place at the beginning of the 3rd decade of the 21st Century.

He stressed that this is the decade of rapid changes not only in India but also the World.

“The changes are taking place in social, economic and technological fields and that they should be based on logic, equitable justice,” he said.

“Hence the topic of this conference, “Judiciary and The Changing World” is apt and significant”, he said.

“The Conference is also happening at the same time when the country is celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi”, he added.

Over 8 crore farmer families benefitted under PM-KISAN scheme

Representational Image

New Delhi (NVI): Under the Central Government’s flagship scheme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, popularly known as PM-KISAN, 8.46 crores farmer families have been given the benefits, the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said today.

As the scheme completes one year on February 24, the Government in a statement said that it has disbursed Rs 50,850 crore to farmers so far under the scheme.

Launched in February 2019, the cash transfer scheme basically seeks to raise farmer incomes. It was launched amid a widespread and prolonged period of agrarian distress.

The scheme was aimed at addressing the liquidity problems of farmers for meeting their expenses for acquisition of agricultural inputs and services.

PM-KISAN was formally launched on February 24 last year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a grand function in Gorakhpur. The implemented scheme provides each eligible farmer’s family Rs 6,000 per annum in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each.

Initially, farmers with less than two hectares of land were eligible; subsequently, the benefit was extended to all farmers (about 140 million farmers) from June last year onwards. The amount is transferred directly to the beneficiary’s bank account to check leakages.

The entire responsibility of identification of beneficiaries rests with the state/UT governments. An exclusive web-portal www.pmkisan.gov.in has also been launched for the scheme.

The scheme is effective from December 1, 2018. The cut-off date for identification of beneficiaries with regard to their eligibility is February 1, 2019.

Local militant arrested in Baramulla: Police

Mubashir Bukhari

Baramulla (NVI): A local militant identified as Junaid Farooq Pandith, belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit was arrested in Baramulla today.

According to police, an input from a source regarding the movement of Junaid Farooq Pandith, who is an active militant of HM, was received.

“On receipt of this information, Baramulla police along with 29RR and 176 CRPF established a joint naka at Tapper crossing. During the naka checking, a person was coming from Kreeri road, the said person tried to flee from the scene while seeing the naka.On this, the joint parties chased him and finally arrested the said person,” police said in an official statement.

According to police, arrested militant joined the militant ranks in June 2019 and his gun-wielding photograph went viral on June 10, 2019, on social media.

“One Chinese Pistol, two magazines, 30 live rounds, and other ammunition were recovered from his possession”, police said.

Night temperatures to fall in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, UP

(Pic courtesy: SkymetWeather)

New Delhi (NVI): The night temperatures are expected to fall in Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh as the last rainy spell of the season has come to a halt.

The second active Western Disturbance of February has now moved away after giving fairly widespread rain and thundershower activities over northwest plains, according to a SkymetWeather report.

Due to these rains, the maximum temperatures of Northern Plains dropped by four to five degrees leading to Winter chill during daytime as well.

Partly cloudy sky are expected to persist at some parts of Northern Plains today, particularly West Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana including Delhi NCR.

At present, there is no city in the plains where the minimum temperature is below 5 degrees.

Narnaul in Haryana is the coldest city in the plains where the minimum temperature was recorded at 7.5 degrees  Celsius, according to Skymet Weather.

Amritsar in Punjab and Sikar in Rajasthan both recorded minimum temperature at 9.0 degrees Celsius.

Rajasthan’s Pilani and Bikaner recorded minimum temperature at 9.9 and 10.5 degrees Celsius respectively.

Patiala in Punjab and Rangia in Assam both recorded a minimum temperature at 11 degrees Celsius.

Apart from this, Hisar in Haryana, Chandigarh and Churn in Rajasthan recorded a minimum temperature at 11.3, 11.4 and 11.5 degree Celsius respectively.

Delhi and NCR region also saw a slight decrease in minimum temperature to 13 degrees Celsius from 15.8 degrees Celsius recorded yesterday.

The maximum temperature today is expected to be around 24 degrees Celsius, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

The overall air quality in the national capital today is in “satisfactory” category.

According to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR), the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the national capital stood at 66 which falls in the “satisfactory” category.

The IMD said that there will be a gradual fall in minimum temperature by 2 to 3 degree Celsius over west India during next three days.

“No significant change temperature is expected in rest of the country,” it added.

 

J&K: Two LeT militants killed in Anantnag gunfight

Mubashir Bukhari

Anantnag (NVI): Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants have been killed in a gunfight with security forces at Sangam area of Anantnag on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday.

According to police, the exchange of fire started when Army’s 3 RR, SOG and CRPF laid siege in Naina Sangam following information about the presence of militants in the area.

As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the militants. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing gunfight, two militants were killed.

“2 LeT militants have been killed in this operation by Police, CRPF & Army. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered. Details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

The slain militants have been identified as Naveed Bhat alias Furqan and Aaqib Bhat, both residents of Qaimoh is south Kashmir.

IRCTC’s Ask Disha chatbot now in Hindi

New Delhi (NVI): Artificial Intelligence based chatbot – Ask Disha- initially launched in English by the Indian Railways to resolve queries of passengers is now available in Hindi.

A chatbot is a special computer programme designed to simulate conversation with users, especially over the internet.

Railways had introduced the services of ASKDISHA chatbot in October 2018 for the benefit of the users of the ticketing website www.irctc.co.in and tourism website www.irctctourism.com of its PSU, Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC).

The Chatbot was initially launched in English language but in order to further enhance the customer services rendered and to further strengthen the services of the chatbot, IRCTC has now powered voice enabled ASKDISHA to converse with customers in Hindi language also in the e-ticketing site www.irctc.co.in.

The customers can now ask queries to ASKDISHA in Hindi language by voice as well as text.

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