News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan

  • Rajasthan BJP MLA remanded in judicial custody in fake marksheet case

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR:  The BJP’s troubles over fake degrees and marksheets got a new twist in Rajasthan on Tuesday when BJP MLA Amrit Lal Meena was sent to jail for allegedly forging his wife’s marksheet to make her eligible to contest the Sarpanch election in 2015. 

    Amrit Lal MeenaMeena, an MLA from Salumbar in Rajasthan, has been remanded to judicial custody till July 23 after he surrendered before a lower court in Udaipur district. Meena had allegedly signed the fake documents as a guardian of his wife Shanta Devi for contesting the election in the Semari gram panchayat. A forged marksheet of Class 5 was presented, following which, a chargesheet was filed against Shanta Devi, who is currently out on bail.

    MLA Meena was denied interim bail from the high court after which he moved a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which directed him to surrender before the court in Sarada town within three weeks and stayed his arrest. The legislator surrendered before a court in Sarada but as his interim bail was rejected by the court, the MLA was sent to jail till July 23

    Shanta Devi had contested the election of Semari Sarpanch in which she had won. But the defeated candidate Saguna Devi had filed a complaint claiming Shanta’s Class 5 marksheet was fake. In the police probe, the marksheet submitted by the MLA’s wife was found to be fake. The investigation by CB-CID, found that Shanta Devi had not passed Class 5.

  • UN’s World Food Programme partners with Rajasthan govt to improve Targeted Public Distribution System

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in India and the Rajasthan government have joined hands to improve the Targeted Public Distribution System (TDPS) in the state.

    An agreement was signed in this regard on Monday.

    The partnership entails, among other things, the use of digitisation, data aggregation, performance dashboards for monitoring of the TDPS, thus providing a real-time and long-term solution to improve the food and nutritional security for millions, the WFP said in a statement.

    “This is a strategic partnership for creating impact at scale by taking advantage of the end-to-end computerisation of the food safety net that works through the Targeted Public Distribution System. Together with the government, we will use the data and insights to facilitate operational and policy decision making,” said Bishow Parajuli, WFP India representative and country director.

    This partnership between the WFP and the Department of Food and Civil Supplies of the Rajasthan government is part of a wider strategic Memorandum of Understanding signed late last year.

    Rajasthan covers nearly 45 million beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act, served through a network of 26,657 fair price shops, the statement said.

    Some of the highlights of this partnership include improved targeting of beneficiaries to ensure that those in need are not excluded and those at risk are included, support in making the supply chain efficient like transport optimisation and introduction of digital applications, and enhancement of capacity to enable data-based decision making to make continuous assessments and improvements.

  • Rahul Gandhi condoles loss of lives in lightning strikes in UP, Rajasthan

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Monday expressed condolences over the loss of lives in lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, and appealed to the two state governments to extend all possible help to the affected families.

    “Thirty-eight people lost their lives in the last 24 hours due to lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. In this hour of grief, my condolences to their loved ones. I appeal to the state governments to extend all possible help to the families of the deceased,” he said on Twitter in Hindi around 1 PM.

    At least 12 people were killed in separate incidents of lightning in Fatehpur, Kaushambi and Firozabad districts of Uttar Pradesh since Sunday, officials said on Monday.

    Meanwhile, officials in Rajasthan said 23 people, including 12 in Jaipur, were killed and 27 injured in incidents of lightning strikes the state.

    According to the Disaster Management and Relief Department, the deaths were also reported from six other districts — Kota, Jhalawar, Baran, Dholpur, Sawai Madhopur and Tonk.

  • Monsoon wreaks havoc in Rajasthan as heavy lightning at Amber Fort leaves 11 dead, 35 injured

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: Eleven persons died and 35 suffered injuries when lightning struck them on the watchtower of the famous Amber Fort, Jaipur police commissioner Anand Srivastava said. Many others fell down from the hill into the bushes amid heavy rains lashing the city. 

    After the weather turned pleasant on Sunday evening, people in large numbers came out to take a walk around the hills of Amber. They were caught unawares when the lightning stuck them. Two youngsters who survived the incident rushed down the hills and informed the police. 

    Eyewitnesses said that the lightning caused an uproar and those injured were screaming for help.

    The watchtower of Amber Fort

    The locals in the area swung into action and brought down the injured.

    The police reached the spot and with the help of the locals, teams of civil defence and SDRF brought down the injured and the deceased, 

    Many of the victims also fell in between the foothills from the watchtower, making it difficult for the rescuers to find them in the night. 

    “No other state in India has seen such an accident. Rs 4 lakh financial assistance will be given to the families of the deceased,” said  Disaster Management Department’s chief secretary Anand Kumar.

    The death toll due to lightning in Rajasthan has climbed upto 22. This includes 11 in Amber Palace, four in Kota, and three children in Bari.

    State chief minister Ashok Gehlot has sanctioned Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to the family of the deceased. Gehlot has called for a meeting with the Disaster Management Department from 12 noon on Monday.

  • Electricity to farmers for irrigation in daytime by 2023: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said electricity would be made available to the farmers for irrigation purposes during the daytime in all districts by 2023.

    At present, the electricity is provided to farmers in 15 districts of the state.

    Addressing an online function to mark the inauguration and foundation of several projects in Jodhpur, the Gehlot said the state government was working with commitment towards making the state self-reliant in the sectors of water and energy.

    “It is our endeavor that quality electricity and drinking water should be available to every village and Dhani of the state,” he said Stressing that Rajasthan has become a leading state in energy generation, the CM said that farmers in all the districts will get electricity in daytime for irrigation by the year 2023.

    “At the time of independence, where a total of 13 MW power was available in Rajasthan, today 21,000 MW power is being generated (now).

    The state government is focusing on alternative energy sources and the target is to generate about 30,000 MW of solar power by the year 2024,” he said.

    For this, the CM added, major companies are making investments in the state.

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  • Rajasthan CM Gehlot flays BJP spokesperson for remarks against ex-Union minister, seeks apology

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday criticised BJP’s national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia for his alleged indecent remarks against the late former Union minister Sis Ram Ola and demanded an apology from the party.

    Sis Ram Ola, a prominent Jat leader from Rajasthan, had died in 2013.

    Referring to the Congress leader in a TV debate over the cabinet reshuffle at the Centre and a similar exercise by the UPA government under PM Manmohan Singh, the BJP spokesperson had said, “Jinka hill raha tha purja, unmein Manmohanji dhoond rahe the urja.”

    Commenting on it, Gehlot tweeted, “I condemn the remarks made by BJP’s national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Ola. This has created a lot of resentment among the people of the state. BJP National President @JPNadda should immediately apologise to the people of Rajasthan.”

    Gehlot said Ola protected interests of farmers in the social and political field for more than 60 years.

    “He was a cabinet minister several times in both the central and state governments. In 1968, he received the Padma Shri for social service,” he said.

  • All Rajasthan districts to have medical colleges: CM Ashok Gehlot

    Ashok Gehlot claimed that Rajasthan is emerging as a pioneer in the field of health services with the continuous efforts of the state government.

  • Run special registration campaign for construction labourers: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot to officials

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday directed officials to run a special registration campaign from July 15 to August 15 for construction labourers so that they can avail benefits of various welfare schemes of the Centre and the state.

    Gehlot was addressing a special meeting organised to discuss the draft labour codes proposed by the Centre through video conference from the chief minister’s residence.

    He directed a Labour Department official to do an on-spot registration of workers by visiting construction sites so that more and more construction workers will be able to take advantage of the schemes run under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (BOCW).

    The chief minister stressed on early disposal of pending applications related to various schemes with BOCW on behalf of the families of construction workers.

    He said that for the operation of these schemes, the work of cess collection should be speeded up from the builders across the state.

    Gehlot also directed to conduct a special campaign for recovery of one per cent cess of the cost of construction work from big building and other structure builders under the provisions of BOCW, get GIS mapping of construction works and to prepare amnesty plan at the department level.

    He directed the Labour Department to examine the proposal to set up separate boards on the lines of BOCW for workers in the unorganised sector like plumbers, electricians, mechanics, street vendors, horsemen, street vendors, rickshaw pullers.

    Minister of State for Labour, Tikaram Juli, said that it is necessary that the Labour Department should complete the GIS mapping work of building constructions in coordination with the Urban Development Department and Local Self Government Department for collection of cess for BOCW.

    He said that after the formation of the board of workers of the unorganised sector, the state government can also make welfare schemes for these people.

  • Discussions underway for Rajasthan Cabinet expansion: Ajay Maken

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: AICC general secretary incharge for Rajasthan Ajay Maken on Tuesday said discussions are underway for the cabinet expansion and other political appointments in the state.

    The demands for political appointments and cabinet rejig gained momentum after reports of resentment in the camp led by former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who along with 18 MLAs had rebelled against the leadership of CM Ashok Gehlot last year.

    When asked about the cabinet reshuffle and other political appointments in the state, Maken said, “The work is in progress. It means that discussions with all are being held.”

    “It is true that ministerial slots in the cabinet are empty and political appointments are to be made. District and block-level appointments in the party organisations would also take place. It is our endeavour to hold discussion with all,” he said after a meeting with party office-bearers here.

    Maken said discussions with the chief minister will also be held.

    Asked about the internal issues between the party leaders, Maken said that differences of opinion and thoughts remain in every party and not alone in the Congress.

    “Only the Congress is visible to you, you don’t see the BJP. At any point of time, in every state and in every party, leaders with different thoughts remain. Is it possible for any party not to have different thoughts? Are there no differences in the BJP?” he asked.

    “It is our endeavour to take decisions with the consent of all,” he said.

    Maken also praised the Ashok Gehlot-led government, saying the state government “presented an example during the coronavirus pandemic”.

    During the party meeting, Maken also reviewed the preparations for a campaign against inflation and the Union government starting Wednesday.

    He said Congress workers and members of all frontal organisations will take part in various activities under the campaign.

    Maken said pamphlets will be distributed by the Congress workers across the state to highlight “discrimination of the Centre against the state government over Covid vaccination” besides telling achievements of the state government.

  • Demand for plumbers, electricians in rural areas to go up in near future: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the demand for plumbers, electricians and fitters will increase at the village level in the coming years.

    In such a situation, many rural youth should be trained in courses like plumbing, electrical work and fitter roles through the Rajasthan Skill and Livelihood Development Corporation (RSLDC), he said at a review meeting of the state-run body.

    He said coordination should be established with various departments by setting targets to provide employment to more youth through skill development.

    Gehlot also directed for timely implementation of budget announcements and effective monitoring.

    The CM said it should be ensured that the training partner firms selected by the corporation provide placement to the prescribed number of trained youth as per the terms of the MoU.

    RSLDC Chairman Neeraj K Pawan said 100 beggars have been trained in the scheme to link beggars with employment, out of whom 40 have got work in Akshaya Patra, a non-profit organisation.

    Pawan said 39,193 youth have been given 4-month-long training in plumbing, fitting and electrician under Jal Jeevan Mission.