PM MODI’S PROMISE TO KASHMIR YOUTH: YOU WON'T SUFFER LIKE YOUR PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS DID

Inaugurating a string of projects in Jammu and Kashmir as part of a strong infrastructure push, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday assured the youth of Kashmir Valley that they “will never face the kind of sufferings” their parents and grandparents faced in the past.

The newly launched projects worth Rs 20,000 crore —which PM Modi inaugurated from village Palli in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir — include the Banihal-Qazigund road tunnel that is expected to reduce travel time between Jammu and Srinagar by two hours, and a 500 KV solar power plant at Palli. Foundation stones were laid for the Rattle and Kwar hydel projects on river Chenab, and the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway, among others.

Referring to a change in work culture in the Union Territory, the PM, speaking on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Diwas, said that there was a time when a govt file from Delhi used to take two to three weeks to reach Jammu and Kashmir. “Today, I feel happy that a 500 KV solar power plant gets commissioned within three weeks and also starts generating power,’’ he said, adding that all the houses in Palli village will now get solar power, making it carbon-neutral and self-reliant in energy.

Promising to take J&K to new heights, the PM said, “Mein Jammu Kashmir ke naujawano ko kehna chahta hoon, sathiyon, mere shabdon pe barosa kariye (I want to tell the youth of Jammu & Kashmir, please trust my words).”

This is PM Modi’s first outreach to the people of J&K since August 2019, when J&K was stripped of its special status and made Union Territory.

The day will not be far off, he added, when the Goddess of Kanyakumari and Mata Vaishno Devi will be connected by one road, saying efforts are on to ensure that most parts of J&K stay connected with rest of the country throughout the year.

Ground-breaking ceremonies for projects worth Rs 38,000 crore in the private sector were also held on the occasion.

Saying Jammu and Kashmir “will write a new script” in the next 25 years, the PM referred to his interaction with a delegation from the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai, saying, “They are very enthusiastic about Jammu and Kashmir… After seven decades of Independence, only Rs 17,000 crore of private investment came to Jammu and Kashmir while this figure has reached Rs 38,000 crore in the last two years.’’

UKRAINE FOCUS AS EIGHT LEADERS FROM EUROPE VISIT INDIA

Days after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India at least eight leaders and ministers from Europe are scheduled to be in the country over the next couple of days, including Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission.

Von der Leyen, who was Germany’s defence minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel until 2019, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, where the crisis arising out of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is expected to come up for discussion.

The foreign ministers of Poland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Portugal, the Netherlands, Norway, and Luxembourg are also expected to be in India.

While they are all coming for the Raisina Dialogue, the flagship conference on geo-politics and geo-economics organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Observer Research Foundation on April 25-27, the war in Ukraine is likely to dominate their conversations with Indian interlocutors.

INDIA SUSPENDS TOURIST VISAS OF CHINESE NATIONALS

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has informed its members that India has suspended tourist visas issued to Chinese nationals. Confirming the development, govt top officials, however, said that India was still giving business, employment, diplomatic and official visas to the Chinese.

The decision to keep Chinese tourists out of bound reportedly comes in the wake of Chinese reluctance to allow over 20,000 Indian students to return to China after leaving that country amid Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. India has been raising with China the plight of around 22,000 Indian students enrolled with Chinese universities, who are unable to go back for physical classes. However, China has refused them entry so far.

CONG RUBBISHES RANA KAPOOR'S HUSAIN PAINTING CHARGE AS POLITICAL VENDETTA

The Congress on Sunday termed as "political vendetta" the allegation by Yes Bank co-founder Rana Kapoor who has told the Enforcement Directorate that he was "forced" to buy an M F Husain painting from party leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and questioned his and the ED's credibility.

Kapoor has told the ED that he was "forced" to buy the M F Husain painting from Priyanka Gandhi and the sale proceeds were utilised by the Gandhi family for the medical treatment of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New York, according to the charge sheet filed by the federal anti-money laundering agency in a special court in Mumbai.

Asked about the allegations at a press conference, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "This is absolutely astonishing. I don't want to use a strong word, it is absolutely disgusting that a 2010 transaction, a person who is behind bars for years, whose 20-30 bail applications have been rejected, who is called a crook and a fraudster, makes allegations about dead people and the govt is jumping with joy only because it suits their political angle."

The govt wants to keep the pot boiling for 2022, for a transaction in 2010, when neither Murli Deora is here to deny it nor Ahmed Patel is here to deny, Singhvi said.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / April 25

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Sunday 2,541

Active Cases 16,522 (+649)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,22,223 (6)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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EMMANUEL MACRON GETS A SECOND TERM

France President Emmanuel Macron triumphed over Marine Le Pen, his far-right challenger, to win a second term as president, after a campaign where his promise of stability prevailed over the strong temptation of an extremist lurch. Le Pen conceded to Macron not long after the polls closed. Trailing by around 16 percentage points in the second-round runoff according to projections, Le Pen came far closer to power than any far-right leader in France’s postWorld War II history.

“The ideas we represent have reached new heights. . . this result itself represents a brilliant victory,” she told supporters in a defiant statement after the first estimated results were published. Le Pen added that she will “carry on” her political career and “lead the battle” against Macron in June’s parliamentary elections.

Victory for the centrist, pro-EU Macron was hailed by allies as a reprieve for mainstream politics that has been rocked in recent years by Britain’s exit from the EU, the 2016 election of Donald Trump and the rise of a new generation of nationalist leaders.

RUSSIA CONTINUES TO BOMBARD TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN UKRAINE

Rejecting calls from Ukrainians and humanitarian organisations for a ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter holiday, Russian forces continued to bombard towns and villages across Ukraine over the weekend. The heavy fighting has so far resulted in only small gains for Russian forces, but the situation for civilians caught in the crossfire grows more dire by the day. The fighting once again hindered evacuation efforts. There were no humanitarian routes established out of the port city of Mariupol on Sunday, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, said in a statement. With the city in ruins, the estimated 120,000 people are surviving in what witnesses have described as barbaric conditions. At the same time, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday that Russian forces continued to bombard the sprawling steel factory where hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are trapped.

Ukraine also said that it will ask US secretary of state Antony Blinken and defence secretary Lloyd Austin for more powerful weapons during an expected visit by the officials to Kyiv on Sunday, seeking to build the country’s defences against the Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country would overcome “dark times”, in an emotional address at Kyiv’s 1,000-year-old Saint Sophia Cathedral to mark Orthodox Easter as fighting in the east overshadowed the religious celebrations. The trip by Blinken and Austin was announced on Saturday by Zelensky. The White House has not confirmed any visit.

SHANGHAI CONTINUES TO GRAPPLE WITH COVID; BEIJING ALSO SEES FRESH INFECTIONS

Shanghai reported 39 Covid deaths Sunday, its highest daily toll despite weeks of lockdowns, while China’s capital Beijing warned of a“grim” situation with rising infections. The world’s second-largest economy has been struggling to stamp out its worst outbreak in two years with harsh lockdowns and mass testing as it sticks to a strict zero-Covid policy, taking a toll on businesses and public morale.

The financial hub of Shanghai has been almost entirely locked down since the start of the month. The city only announced its first fatalities from the outbreak on April 18, despite reporting thousands of cases each day in recent weeks. It reported 39 more deaths on Sunday, National Health Commission data showed, bringing its total toll to 87, while the country logged nearly 22,000 new local cases.

Shanghai authorities battling an outbreak of Covid have erected fences outside residential buildings, sparking fresh public outcry over a lockdown that has forced much of the city’s 25 million people indoors.

Meanwhile 22 more infections were reported in Beijing on Sunday, with the city locking down one housing compound as officials warned the situation was “grim and complex”.

The largest district in Beijing, Chaoyang, will require everyone living or working in the area to take three Covid tests this week and put more than a dozen buildings under lockdown.

THE REST

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KERALA, DELHI SPAR OVER EDUCATION MODEL

Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty Sunday contradicted AAP legislator Atishi's claims that 'officials from Kerala visited a govt school in Delhi to understand and implement the city's education model', asserting that his state's Department of Education never sent any officials to the national capital.

However, Sivankutty further questioned, 'We would like to know which 'officials' were welcomed by the AAP MLA.'

Earlier on Saturday, the AAP leader had said that she had hosted the 'officials from Kerala' at one of the schools in Delhi, who she claimed to be regional secretary of CBSE School Management Association and the treasurer of the confederation of Kerala Sahodaya Complexes.

Sivankutty also tweeted: “Dept of Education has not sent anyone to learn about the 'Delhi Model'. At the same time, all assistance was provided to officials who had visited from Delhi to study the 'Kerala Model' last month.”

HANUMAN CHALISA ROW: RANA COUPLE BOOKED FOR SEDITION, SENT TO CUSTODY

Mumbai Police have slapped the sedition charge on the Independent lawmaker couple from east Maharashtra -- MLA Ravi Rana and his MP wife Navneet Rana -- whose earlier call for the chanting of Hanuman Chalisa outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray's private residence had triggered angry protests by Shivsainiks.

On Sunday, a Mumbai court remanded the politician couple in 14-day judicial custody, a day after they were arrested by the Mumbai Police on the charge of 'creating enmity between different groups', rejecting the police's demand for their custody, an official said.

"Charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 124-A (sedition) are made out against them as they had challenged the govt machinery and made remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray," public prosecutor Pradip Gharat said.

The court will hear their bail application on April 29, he added.

ONLY 3.8 LAKH 3RD JABS, HALF OF THEM IN LAST 4 DAYS

Only 3.87 lakh people in the 18-59 age group have taken the “precautionary” third dose of the Covid vaccine since it was rolled out for this category on April 10, according to Union Health Ministry data. But significantly, the data show that over 51 per cent of these doses were administered in the last four days, coinciding with an uptick in cases and re-introduction of mask mandates in key cities such as Delhi.

Apart from Delhi, UP and Haryana re-introduced the mask mandate last week following a slight uptick in cases.

This apart, the Ministry’s data show that over half of the total number of third doses for the 18-59 group were administered in states with large metro areas.

The data also show that the third-dose uptake has dipped for the priority group too, including frontline and healthcare workers, after having started on a high during the Omicron surge in January.

PM MODI RECEICES LATA DEENANATH MANGESHKAR AWARD

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Sunday honoured with the first Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar award at an event in Mumbai where he remembered the iconic singer for her integral part in nation-building and consciousness of patriotism of which, he said, her father Dinanath Mangeshkar was the source.

“Lata Didi, apart from being the queen of melody, was my elder sister. She taught generations the language of love and compassion. I feel fortunate that she loved me like an elder sister. After many decades, this will be the first Rakhi when Didi will not be here,” he said in his award acceptance speech.

Modi is the first recipient of the award intended for individuals achieving excellence in their fields.

FUTURE GROUP SHAREHOLDERS STARE AT POSSIBLE WIPEOUT OF INVESTMENTS

Future group promoter Kishore Biyani's stake fell consistently across group companies since December 2019 after American retail major Amazon infused funds in a Future group promoter entity and the group companies started showing signs of financial distress due to closure of stores due to Covid-19 pandemic.

As lenders take Future group companies to the bankruptcy courts to recover their dues under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, the shareholders of Future group companies are staring at complete wipeout of their investments as secured lenders get top priority in any potential recovery, say lawyers.

"The fate of all Future group shareholders is now sealed with them looking at a complete loss. The company shall be admitted under insolvency and the creditors will not be in a position to recover most of their dues. This position has arisen since the restructuring has failed due to secured creditors voting against the scheme," Aditya Chopra, Managing Partner, of Victoriam Legalis.

OLA TO RECALL 1,441 UNITS OF S1 AFTER GETTING GOVT'S RAP ON KNUCKLES

Ola Electric became the latest among electric scooter (e-scooter) makers to have started the exercise of recalling a specific batch of its model after a rap on the knuckles by the govt. The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday advised electric vehicle (EV) companies to act responsibly by identifying and recalling defective batches without waiting for orders or guidelines from the ministry.

The Bengaluru-based start-up is conducting pre-emptive diagnostics and health check on 1,441 scooters, it said in a statement on Sunday. The Bhavish Aggarwal-run firm is recalling the S1 Pro amid multiple issues facing its maiden model, including a fire incident on March 26.

Ola Electric is the third e-scooter manufacturer to recall its model after several fire incidents were reported across the country on lithium-ion-(Li-ion)-powered EVs.

Earlier this month, Gurugram-based Okinawa Autotech and Hyderabased-Power Using Renewable Energy (PURE) EV recalled 3,215 and 2,000 units of their Praise Pro, and ETrance Plus and EPluto 7G, respectively.

WHEN CHIRANJEEVI FELT ‘INSULTED’ AND ‘HUMILIATED’ IN DELHI

Megastar Chiranjeevi revealed a moment of his life when he felt “insulted” and “humiliated.” At Acharya‘s pre-release event, Chiranjeevi narrated an incident, which took place in 1989. The actor recalled he was called to Delhi as his film Rudraveeni was being honoured with Nargis Dutt award. He said that a day before the award ceremony, the govt organised a high tea during which, he was taking a walk against the wall that portrayed history of Indian cinema. He remembered that the wall portrayed icons like Prithviraj Kapoor to Amitabh Bachchan with a brief about them.

“I kept walking in expectation to see something on south films. However, there was only a still of MGR with Jayalalithaa and a photo of Prem Nazir. They titled it as south Films. Just that. They did not recognise stalwarts like Raj Kumar or Vishnuvardhan or NT Ramarao or Nageshwara Rao or Sivaji Ganesan or even the legendary filmmakers of our industries. I felt very humiliated at that moment. It was like an insult. They portrayed Hindi cinema as Indian cinema. While other films were categorised as ‘regional films’ and were not given respect,” Chiranjeevi revealed.

He added that he spoke about it back then but received no response. However, with Baahubali or RRR, he feels proud that now the nation is recognising directors, actors and writers from south India. He said the films have broken the regional barriers and respectfully earned the tag of being pan-Indian films.

He praised Yash’s KGF 2 and Allu Arjun’s Pushpa. He said that with the success of these films, the actors, including Prabhas, have become pan-India actors.

IPL MATCH 37: MI LOSE 8TH IN A ROW

KL Rahul once again proved to be Mumbai Indians' nemesis as his magnificent second hundred set up a comfortable 36-run win for Lucknow Super Giants' and in turn knocked the five-time champions out of this edition of IPL.

Rahul continued his fairy tale run against MI, slamming an unbeaten 103 off 62 balls as LSG posted 168 for 6 after being invited to bat at the Wankhade stadium.

In reply, Rohit Sharma looked good during his 31-ball 39 but MI suffered a collapse once again to slump to 67 for four.

Tilak Varma hit a gritty 27-ball 38 to give MI some hope before Lucknow restricted them to 132/8.

For MI, it was another collective failure as they slumped to their eighth successive loss on the trot, the only team in the history of the tournament to achieve the dubious record as they remain at the bottom.

Tally (Team / Wins / Matches Played)

GT 6/7

SRH 5/7

RR 5/7

LSG 5/8

RCB 5/8

DC 3/7

KKR 3/8

PBKS 3/7

CSK 2/7

MI 0/8

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I owe my success to having listened respectfully and rather bashfully to the very best advice ... and then going away and doing the exact opposite. - G.K. Chesterton

OFF TRACK

Patient: I have fever, headache, cough and cold. I've taken some basic medicines for the same.

Doctor: Which ones?

Patient: Paracetamol, Amoxicillin, Levocetrizine, Theophylline, Montelukast, Bromhexine,Ibuprofen.

Doctor: Someone please give me an Alprazolam!

Patient: Relax doctor. Alprazolam is an anxiolytic. It may not help you right now. You're suffering from an Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). A selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor like Escitalopram will work better.

Doctor: Someone give me passive euthanasia!