Latest news with #Sharma
United News of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
All J&K Panchayat Conference delegation meets Rajnath, submits memo for compensation of land
Jammu, June 19 (UNI) A delegation of the All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference on Thursday met the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and submitted a memorandum, seeking his intervention to resolve the long-standing issues of villagers who donated their ancestral land decades ago for near defence establishments in Jindrah and Nagrota areas of Jammu district. The delegation was led by its president Anil Sharma. During the meeting, as per the handout issued here, Sharma said the local populace had selflessly parted with their agricultural land for the establishment of defence facilities such as FAD 15 at Jindrah and 4 ASD at Ban Nagrota, with the assurance that local youth would be given preference in employment in the Indian Army, MES, FAD and related services. 'Initially, the practice of recruiting local youth was followed, and several young men were inducted into the Army and related defence services. However, for the past 15 to 18 years, this has been discontinued without any formal communication,' Sharma informed the Defence Minister. He said that despite the villagers' unwavering support and pride in contributing to national security, their expectations for employment and recognition have remained unfulfilled. 'Many educated and deserving youth residing within a 20 to 25 km radius of these ammunition depots in Jindrah and Nagrota are willing to serve with dedication. We request that the earlier practice of offering them preference in recruitment be revived,' he said. The AJKPC leader also raised concerns over the meagre and irregular rent being paid to the landowners for the land acquired for defence purposes and requested the Defence Ministry to consider a one-time compensation or settlement for the families, citing the emotional and economic value attached to the ancestral land. The AJKPC delegation also lauded the Indian Army's Operation Sindoor, saying that it has further deepened the bond between civilians and the armed forces. 'The people of Jammu and Kashmir have always stood with the Army and take great pride in the sacrifices made by our soldiers,' he said in the memorandum. The AJKPC leader also expressed full faith in the leadership of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and hoped the Ministry would act with compassion to redress the grievances of the local population that has historically supported the Army's presence in the region. Rakesh Sharma, AJKPC Secretary, said local youth of Nagrota constituency were concerned over lack of preference in job opportunities in Indian army, MES and FAD despite the fact that their families have donated their precious ancestral lands for army establishments. 'Our AJKPC president has taken up the matter with the Defence Minister and we are hopeful of early resolution to all pending issues,' he added. UNI VBH SS
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Light at the end? Dwarka tunnel eases traffic, not in rush hours
Gurgaon: The newly opened tunnel on the Delhi side of the Dwarka Expressway is providing much-needed relief to the congested Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, with nearly 60,000 vehicles using it daily. The 3.6km six-lane tunnel, which connects Shiv Murti on NH8 to Dwarka Sector 21, was made operational for a trial run on May 29 — initially open for three hours between 12pm and 3pm. But from Monday, it has opened round the clock, allowing unrestricted movement through both the main tunnel and the 1.5km two-lane connector that links Dwarka Expressway to NH8 towards Gurgaon. While NH8 still handles over 3 lakh passenger car units (PCUs) at Sirhaul toll plaza every day, the opening of the tunnel is helping redistribute traffic and easing pressure at some of its worst choke points — Mahipalpur, Rangpuri and Rajokri — offering relief, albeit limited, for commuters during non-peak hours, according to National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The rerouting of 60,000 vehicles daily — primarily local and airport-bound traffic — is already shifting traffic flows, reducing the load on Gurgaon-Delhi Expressway at choke points where multiple streams used to converge. According to NHAI, Dwarka Expressway corridor now handles over 1 lakh PCUs daily. The Haryana section of the road, operational since last year, connects to Kherki Daula, making it a viable alternative for residents of sectors 81–115 and adjoining areas. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Guayaquil: Ecuatorianos: generen un segundo ingreso con Amazon CFD. InvestIQ Registrarse Undo NHAI said the 60,000 daily PCU count includes only tunnel traffic. Many heavy vehicles and those using surface roads and service lanes are yet to be accounted for. Before the tunnel opened, vehicles from Gurgaon via Dwarka Expressway, Kapashera and Dwarka inflow all converged at Shiv Murti, creating a bottleneck. Additionally, traffic moving in the Gurgaon-Delhi direction on NH8 also merged at Rangpuri. This caused a funnel effect, backing up traffic well into Gurgaon during peak hours. With the tunnel operational, these streams are being gradually separated, offering a smoother flow, especially outside the office rush. With the new tunnel open, many commuters are bypassing Mahipalpur and Rangpuri altogether, especially those travelling to or from the airport and west Delhi. An NHAI official said on Tuesday, "Traffic headed to the airport or west Delhi is gradually shifting away from NH8. This has started easing pressure on Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway, especially in non-peak hours. We are conducting a traffic pattern study. It will take two more weeks to get a full picture. " Though the opening of the tunnel has helped commuters partially, the rush-hour traffic is still a Sharma, one of the commuters, said, "It was raining on Tuesday evening when I left Udyog Vihar around 6.30pm for Terminal 1. During non-peak hours, it is just 20-minute drive but today it took me two hours. Vehicles were crawling till Mahipalpur flyover and the rain just made things worse." Shubham Choudhary, an accounts executive who drives from Palam to Udyog Vihar, said, "Earlier, I would lose 30-45 minutes just navigating Mahipalpur and Rangpuri. Now, it moves, even if slowly. On most days, I save about 15-20 minutes."
United News of India
6 hours ago
- Health
- United News of India
Himachal HC quashes NOC rejection, allows doctor to join Super Specialty Course
Shimla, June 19 (UNI) In a significant judgment benefiting medical professionals, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has quashed the state government's decision to deny a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to Dr. Pankaj Sharma, a Senior Resident at Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru Government Medical College (PJLNGMC), Chamba, for pursuing a super specialty course in Medical Oncology. Justice Sandeep Sharma, in an order passed on June 17, directed the state authorities to issue the NOC and release Dr. Sharma's original MBBS degree by 12 noon on June 18, 2025. The court further allowed the petitioner to join the course at Paras Hospital, Punjab, on the condition that he deposits Rs 40 lakh as bond money within a week and furnishes a written undertaking. Dr. Sharma, currently serving as a Tutor Specialist/Senior Resident in Chamba, had applied for an NOC to join the Diplomate of National Board Super Specialty (DNB SS) course after clearing the national entrance examination. However, his request was denied by the Director of Health Services on the ground that he had not completed the mandatory one-year field posting after his postgraduate studies. The court held that Dr. Sharma had already served more than one year and nine months across different postings, including Chamba and Nahan. It observed that under the amended PG policy, the field posting requirement is waived for doctors serving in new government medical colleges. The judge added that denying the NOC on the basis of doctor shortage could not override the petitioner's right to career advancement. Citing earlier verdicts, including Ajay Kumar Chauhan v. State of HP and Lovdeep Singh case, the court reiterated that unwilling employees cannot be forced to serve, and bond terms must allow for either service or financial compensation. The court clarified that if Dr. Sharma fails to rejoin government service after the course or defaults on his bond terms, the deposited amount would be forfeited without interest, and legal action may follow. This order is expected to guide similar cases pending before the High Court and marks a balancing act between individual aspirations and state service obligations. UNI ML RN
![British envoy calls for deeper UK-Malaysia cooperation [WATCH]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fassets%2FNST-Logo%402x.png%3Fid%3Db37a17055cb1ffea01f5&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
New Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
British envoy calls for deeper UK-Malaysia cooperation [WATCH]
KUALA LUMPUR: The United Kingdom (UK) and Malaysia should continue working to deliver tangible benefits for both nations and must not take their long-standing relationship for granted. Speaking at a reception celebrating the 77th birthday of King Charles III, British High Commissioner Ajay Sharma said the UK was committed to strengthening cooperation with Malaysia across various sectors, building on centuries of shared history and values. "Our two Prime Ministers share an ambitious vision and have agreed to elevate the relationship between the UK and Malaysia to a strategic partnership, in particular in the areas of education, energy, defence and trade." "The list of our bilateral co-operation is endless. And most importantly, we shouldn't take the relationship between our two countries for granted. We need to keep working at delivering for our people through this relationship," he said. Sharma also expressed his hope for more shared success in the UK-Malaysia relations. In attendance on behalf of the government of Malaysia was Plantation and Commodities Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani. This year's celebrations carried the theme Great British Fantasia, inspired by King Charles' interest in literature. Sharma said that the monarch had once written a children's book titled The Old Man of Lochnagar, which focused on the environment and the beauty of nature. He said the theme also drew from iconic British literary works such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Alice in Wonderland, and The Chronicles of Narnia — many of which feature kings and queens. "In the UK, royalty is not just the stuff of fiction but an essential part of our national identity. The same is true in Malaysia. This royal link is something we have shared for centuries. It binds our countries and peoples in a unique way," he said. Sharma also said education remains a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship, with over 150,000 Malaysians having studied in the UK in the last 20 years and five British university campuses operating in Malaysia. He also pointed to significant joint efforts in climate action and environmental protection, a cause close to the heart of King Charles, saying the two countries were driving global action to preserve forests and biodiversity while promoting sustainable trade. "Just like kings and queens live outside of books in the real world, we too live in a magical world of nature and biodiversity. We must do everything we can to preserve this for the sake of the planet and future generations," he said.
New Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
'Rakshas Raj in Bihar': Tejashwi Yadav slams NDA government after gunfire outside his Patna residence
PATNA: Two motorcycle-borne criminals opened fire at a youth near the high-security Polo Road, adjacent to the official residence of Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in the state capital on Thursday. The victim, Rahul Kumar, fortunately escaped unhurt as the bullets missed their target. However, the miscreants managed to snatch Rs 450 from his pocket. Polo Road is a high-security zone that houses the residences of ministers, MLAs and senior bureaucrats. The Raj Bhawan and the chief minister's residence are also a stone's throw away from the site of the incident. The daylight firing has raised serious concerns over the law and order situation in Patna. The incident occurred just hours before young IPS officer Kartikey Sharma took charge as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Patna. Sharma replaced Avakash Kumar, who was removed from the post allegedly for his failure to control crime in the capital. Prior to this posting, Sharma was the SP of Purnea. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav seized the opportunity to launch a scathing attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the NDA government. Recalling the incident, Tejashwi said, 'There is complete lawlessness. It's a reign of criminals. There is no sign of governance left, and the Chief Minister has lost all authority.'
