Chennai, Aug 7 (IANS) The extensive renovation and modernisation of the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP) Canal, a lifeline for farmers in Erode, Tiruppur, and Karur districts, has been fully completed, according to senior Water Resources Department (WRD) officials.The 200-km-long canal, which irrigates over 2,07,000 acres of agricultural land, underwent a comprehensive overhaul aimed at strengthening its structure and improving water-carrying efficiency.The works, which began in 2021, covered both th…

Srinagar, Aug 7 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir government has declared 25 books as ‘forfeited’ under the law for contributing to radicalisation of youth, glorification of terrorists, vilification of security forces and promotion of alienation among the people. Among them is a book by author Arundhati Roy. The J&K Home Department issued an order to this effect late on Wednesday night.The order reads, “The identified 25 books have been found to excite secessionism and endangering sovereign…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his pioneering ‘lab-to-land’ approach aimed at empowering farmers across the country and also eradicating hunger.”Every word of the Prime Minister is like a mantra to us. A year ago, when the Prime Minister came to this Pusa Complex, he told us to join lab-to-land. Until we get science and farmers together, agriculture will not move in the right direct…

Patna, Aug 7 (IANS) In response to widespread complaints regarding recent transfers of teachers in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has directed the Education Department on Thursday to accommodate those seeking postings closer to home.Addressing the issue, CM Nitish uploaded a post on the social media platform X, saying, “We have received many suggestions and grievances regarding the recent inter-district transfers of government school teachers. I have instructed the Education Department to al…

Kochi, Aug 7 (IANS) With coconut and coconut oil prices touching record highs in Kerala ahead of Onam, a reported coconut oil theft from a grocery shop near Kochi has drawn public attention. A shop in Aluva, about 30 km from Kochi, is the target of a theft where an unidentified accused made off with 30 bottles of coconut oil and other provisions after an initial failed attempt to break in by drilling through the shop’s floor, according to a local media report on Thursday.The price of one kilog…

New Delhi, Aug 7 ( IANS) At least 50 civilians, eight jawans and a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) are still missing after a cloudburst triggered flash flood and landslides in Dharali in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district early this week. After the cloudburst in the Dharali region near Harsil on August 5, the area remains largely inaccessible, with key road links at Bartwari, Linchigad, Gangrani, Harsil, and Dharali severely damaged.Besides, around 180–200 tourists were stranded in Gangotri.T…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) India is celebrating the 11th National Handloom Day on Thursday, recognising the country’s rich weaving traditions and the skilled artisans who keep them alive. The celebration honours the historic ‘Swadeshi Movement’ launched on August 7, 1905, which promoted indigenous industries, especially handlooms, as a form of resistance to British rule. In commemoration of the ‘Swadeshi Movement’, the Government of India declared August 7 as National Handloom Day in 2015.The eve…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea filed by Justice Yashwant Varma – who faces an impeachment threat following the cash-discovery episode – challenging the findings of the three-member in-house inquiry committee that recommended his removal under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.In his writ petition, Justice Varma, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, had sought to quash the communication forwarded by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna t…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The Election Commission (EC) on Thursday said that all political parties taken together including the Opposition – RJD and Congress, have filed zero ‘claims and objections’ for inclusion or exclusion in the electoral draft rolls, a week after its publication. However, 5,015 people have directly submitted objections with the poll panel.‘No objection’ to the draft rolls by parties assumes importance as a week has already passed after the August 1 publication for r…

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) The sixth round of India-US negotiations to reach an interim trade deal, currently slated for August 25, will be important as US President Donald Trump announced an additional 25 per cent tariffs on India, raising the total tariffs to 50 per cent effective from August 27, a Morgan Stanley report said on Thursday.The report stated that it will “closely monitor export growth and domestic demand data for spillover impact, along with any incremental policy response”.In FY…