Guwahati, Aug 6 (IANS) In a significant move aimed at safeguarding indigenous communities in sensitive and remote regions, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday announced the launch of a dedicated portal to apply for arms licenses.The new initiative, he said, is a “special scheme” targeted at ensuring the safety of original inhabitants and indigenous Indian citizens of Assam who perceive a genuine threat to their lives.”The Assam government are committed to the safety of indigeno…

Kolkata, Aug 6 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari has named 41 people, including a high-profile member of the state cabinet, in his complaint on the attack on his convoy at Cooch Behar town in North Bengal.The member of the cabinet named in the complaint by Adhikari’s counsel filed at the office of Cooch Behar District Police Superintendent Dyutiman Bhattacharya, is the Minister of State in charge of the North Bengal Development department, Udayan Guha.Meanwhi…

Kalaburagi (Karnataka), Aug 6 (IANS) The case of a missing B.Sc student in Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, has taken a new turn, with a Hindu organisation and the girl’s parents on Wednesday alleging it to be a case of ‘love jihad’.A case has been registered at the Gulbarga University Police Station, and the matter is currently under investigation.According to the police, the young woman, who hails from the Jain community and is pursuing a B.Sc degree at a private college, went missing on June 3…

Rae Bareli, Aug 6 (IANS) Swami Prasad Maurya, the national president of Apni Janata Party (AJP), was attacked by an unidentified person on Wednesday, who slapped the leader from behind after garlanding him. The assailant was subsequently caught and thrashed by Maurya’s supporters.The incident happened during Maurya’s visit to Raebareli.While the five-time legislator and former minister in the Yogi Adityanath government was meeting and greeting his supporters and well-wishers, who assembled to we…

Kolkata, Aug 6 (IANS) Starting from this weekend and continuing till the next, West Bengal is all set to be rocked again over protest movements by various groups on the first anniversary of the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor of R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in Kolkata in August last year.The body of the victim was recovered from a seminar hall within the hospital premises on the morning of August 9.While the sole convict in the case, civic volunteer Sanjay Roy had already bee…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) For the next leg of growth in India, it is time to look beyond monetary and fiscal support, and focus on structural reforms, in order to reach “aspirational” levels of growth, an HSBC Global Investment Research report said on Wednesday.On that front, some trade reforms were already underway – slashing tariffs on intermediate inputs, signing more trade pacts, welcoming FDI, and improving the business environment across states.”But for impact, these must run deep,” said the…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded Union Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, for highlighting the remarkable growth of India’s handloom sector. The Prime Minister’s Office, in a post on social media platform X, shared Margherita’s article on how India is weaving together heritage, innovation, and collective effort to inspire the world.“Union Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, writes about the growth of the textile sec…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said the Special Intensive Review (SIR) of electoral rolls being conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) cannot be discussed in Parliament as the matter is sub-judice and goes against the rules of procedural conduct of business in the House.Since the commencement of the Monsoon Session in Parliament, the Opposition MPs have been disrupting both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, demanding a discussion on t…

Patna, Aug 6 (IANS) The flood situation in Muzaffarpur and Saran districts of Bihar has worsened significantly, with rivers breaching embankments, submerging villages, and cutting off vital road links, plunging thousands of people into crisis.In Muzaffarpur’s Aurai block, the water level of the Bagmati River has risen by over three feet, causing widespread panic.On Tuesday, the Chachari bridge in Babhangama East Tola was completely washed away under pressure from the surging river. This bridge…

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) More than 7 lakh persons have been rehabilitated from drug de-addiction centres in the year 2024-25, said Dr. Virendra Kumar, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment, in the Parliament on Wednesday.Replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, Kumar shared that the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) has formulated and enacted National Action Plan for Drug Demand for Reduction (2018-2025), which supports rehabilitation and drug-deaddiction centres.“Ove…