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New Indian Express
5 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Centre grants one-year extension to Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi
CHANDIGARH: The Union Government has given Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, a 1990 batch IAS officer, a one-year extension. Sources said that this decision was conveyed by the Department of Personnel and Training to the Haryana government on Thursday. Rastogi, who retires on June 30, was granted an extension sought by the BJP-led Haryana Government. The extension will be effective from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. It is learnt that with his extension, the hopes of four officers from the 1990 batch, Sudhir Rajpal, Sumita Misra, Anand Mohan Sharan and Raja Shekhar Vundru, and five officers from the 1991 batch, Vineet Garg, Anil Malik, G Anupama, A K Singh and Abhilaksh Likhi, who were in contention for the coveted post, have been dashed. Sources said that as per the gradation list of Haryana IAS officers, Sudhir Rajpal of the 1990 batch is the senior-most as per inter-se seniority, followed by Sumita Misra, Anurag Rastogi, Anand Mohan Sharan and Raja Sekhar Vundru. However, Rastogi got the benefit of a 'seniority-related dispute' among the 1990 batch officers. Earlier, certain 1990 batch officers had moved an application against their fellow batchmates Rajpal and Misra, as they had originally been allocated non-Haryana cadres and later joined the Haryana cadre. However, Rajpal and Misra are still at number one and two in the gradation list, as there has been no decision yet on the petition against them. Rastogi currently holds the third position in the gradation list of Haryana IAS officers.
New Indian Express
11 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
US visit row: CM Siddaramaiah, Priyank Kharge to seek explanation from Centre
BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge have decided to write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, respectively, seeking an explanation as to why the Union Government denied permission to Priyank to travel to the US to attend the Bio International Convention in Boston and the Design Automation Conference in San Francisco. Priyank said that his absence from the platform will have an impact on the state's IT sector. 'If the minister is not seen in the forum, they might think Karnataka is not serious...,' Priyank said. 'We are pioneers in software exports. We are bringing investments to the country. We are contributing to the country's GDP growth, and we are making the PM's slogans into reality. The delegation, which is helping to make these possible, has been rejected with no valid reasons. I have no issues if there are any mistakes on our behalf, we are ready to correct them. But rejecting without valid reasons is not acceptable. Nation-building is not happening only in Delhi, Karnataka is building the nation. We are the most powerful economic engine. We want to know why they were denied with a suitable explanation. Otherwise, we will consider it as politics,'' Priyank said. Further, he said CM Siddaramaiah approved his travel to the US in the first week of May. 'On May 15, we approached MEA along with our minute-to-minute meetings. But on June 4, they rejected it without giving any reasons. If there was an issue with our proposal or format, if they had rejected it, we would have accepted it. But on June 6, we sent the same list of delegations without my name, they approved it by June 11, and on June 12, we sent KIONICS chairman Sharath Bacchegowda, as we wanted decision-makers, which they approved on June 14. It looks like they are indulging in politics. They hate the name Priyank and the Kharge surname,'' Priyank said, adding that his visit to France was on invitation. He said that when US President Trump says iPhone should not be made in India, the Centre keeps quiet. 'This means the government is adhering to what the US President is saying. It looks like India's foreign policy has been outsourced to America, and now it looks like even investment policy is outsourced to America,' he said.
The Hindu
15 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Municipalities upgrade infrastructure in low-income settlements
A major revamp of public utilities across low-income settlements is under way in the town and suburbs as the Oulgaret and Puducherry Municipalities have stepped up investments in various civil works under the Union Government's Cities Investments to Innovate Integrate and Sustain (CITIIS) Challenge programme. Around ₹ 34 crore was being spent by both the municipalities to improve internal road infrastructure, construct LPG crematoriums, renovate dhobikhanas, construct drains, strengthen storm water drains, upgrade cremation and burial grounds, construct community toilets and parks under their limits. While the Pondicherry Municipality has taken up works to the tune of around ₹ 17 crore for various projects including construction of LPG crematoriums at Mudaliarpet, Sanniyasithope and Dhobikhanas, almost same amount had been incurred by Oulgaret in improving roads at Jeevananthapuram, Pavanar Nagar, Nesavalar Nagar, Lambart Saravana Nagar and parks at Reddiyarpalayam areas. The Oulgaret municipality had also constructed LPG crematoriums at Pavazhakaranchavady, Shanmugapuram and upgrade burial ground at Mettupalyam. 'Many of these projects have been completed and others are nearing completion. In a few days, some of these projects will be thrown open to public. Some of the projects like construction of LPG crematorium and renovation of Dhobikhanas have been pending for a long time. Completion of these projects, especially the road infrastructure and construction of park at Pavanar Nagar, will certainly have an impact on the living condition of people in low-income settlements in the town,' a senior official told The Hindu. Many of the new roads are concrete and provided with drains. Storm water drains are also being strengthened which will contribute to preventing floods during rains. The crematoriums and burial grounds are provided with pollution control equipment, compound wall, solar LED lights, water supply facility, pathway and a green cover in the premises, the official said. 'As far the new LPG crematoriums are concerned, they are provided with two chambers. Incineration is through LPG burners placed in primary and secondary chambers. The gases and suspended matters coming from the primary chamber will be re-incinerated in secondary chamber to reduce the suspended matter in the smoke. A self-supporting 30 m high chimney has been provided taking into account the norms prescribed by Pollution Control Board,' he said. CITIIS Challenge was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs as a component of Smart City project in 2018. Puducherry was one among the few regions selected by the Ministry to implement sustainable urban infrastructure projects in low income settlements in the country. ends
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
DMK protests Keeladi report release delay, warns Centre of Parliament disruption
Escalating its demand for the immediate release and recognition of the Keeladi excavation report, the DMK Students Wing held a protest in Madurai on Thursday, warning the Union Government of disrupting Parliament proceedings if the findings are not to DMK, the Keeladi excavation, carried out over a decade, unearthed 17,914 artefacts believed to offer critical insights into ancient Tamil civilisation. These findings were carbon-dated in various institutions across India and the United States. However, the report on the excavation has not yet been officially accepted or released by the Union the protest in Madurai, the district where the Keeladi site is located, leaders alleged that the delay was ideologically motivated. DMK MP Trichy Siva said, 'Keeladi civilization predates the Harappan civilisation by 600 years. But while the Centre allocated Rs 2,000 crore for the Indus Valley Civilisation, which they are attempting to rename Saraswati civilisation project, which has little evidence, it continues to ignore Keezhadi.'Siva also criticised attempts to rename the Indus Valley civilisation as the Saraswati civilisation, which is linked to a river mentioned only in religious texts and not backed by scientific evidence. 'When the North presents belief-based evidence, it is accepted. But when Tamils show scientific evidence, it is dismissed. This is a cultural and ideological war,' he also alleged political interference in the excavation process. Archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the Keeladi dig for three years and submitted a detailed report, was abruptly transferred to Delhi. His replacement, Sriram, reportedly conducted minimal work before declaring no substantial findings, Siva the Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department continued the excavation, eventually uncovering brick structures, wells, ornaments, children's clay toys, and evidence suggesting that the ancient Tamil civilisation harnessed iron without passing through the Bronze Age, he added.'This time when Parliament begins, Keeladi will be our first issue. Until the Union Government recognises the report, we will not allow Parliament to function,' Siva comes after Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, during a visit to Chennai earlier, said that more scientific proof was required to validate the comment drew sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, who accused the BJP-led Centre of deliberately stalling the report. 'We fought for centuries to unearth our history. They fight every day to erase it. The world is watching. So is time,' Stalin said. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Hans India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
DMK Rallies Against Keeladi Report Delay, Threatens Parliament Disruption
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) intensified its demand for the release of the Keeladi excavation report, with its Students Wing organizing a protest in Madurai. The demonstrators called on the Union Government to publish the findings, warning that Parliament proceedings would be disrupted if their demand was ignored. DMK leaders allege that the delay in releasing the report is ideologically motivated and part of a broader effort to suppress Tamil heritage. According to the DMK, the Keeladi excavation, which spanned over a decade, uncovered nearly 18,000 artefacts believed to provide crucial insights into ancient Tamil civilization. These artefacts were carbon-dated at institutions in India and the United States. Despite this, the Union Government has yet to officially accept or release the report. At the protest, DMK MP Trichy Siva argued that the Keeladi civilization predates the Harappan civilization by 600 years. He criticized the Centre for allocating significant funds to the Indus Valley (Saraswati) project, which he claims lacks scientific evidence, while neglecting the scientifically supported Keeladi findings. Siva also condemned the transfer of archaeologist Amarnath Ramakrishna, who led the excavation, and accused his successor of downplaying the discoveries. Chief Minister MK Stalin accused the BJP-led Centre of deliberately stalling the report to erase Tamil history. He asserted that the Tamil community has long struggled to establish its historical significance through scientific means, only to face continued resistance from the Centre. Stalin called for a change in mindset rather than a revision of reports. The Tamil Nadu State Archaeology Department continued the excavation after the Centre's withdrawal, unearthing evidence of advanced urban planning, iron usage without a Bronze Age, and various artefacts such as brick structures, wells, ornaments, and children's toys. The DMK has vowed to make the Keeladi report a central issue in the upcoming Parliament session, threatening to halt proceedings until the Union Government recognizes the findings. Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat recently stated that more scientific proof was needed to validate the Keeladi findings, a comment that drew sharp criticism from DMK leaders
