New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) In her address to the nation ahead of the 79th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday showcased one of the government’s flagship schemes Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), highlighting that access to basic facilities is the right of citizens.Referring to the change brought about in the lives of millions of people under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), a major initiative to improve the quality of life in cities.Launched on June 25, …

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court in Mumbai has convicted three accused and sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment (RI) in the 2020 Sahar fake currency case involving smuggling of high-quality counterfeit notes from Malaysia into India.Danish Haji Mohammed Petiwala and Sarasvati Dattaram alias Muskan have been sentenced to five years, six months and two days of RI and a fine of Rs 6,000 each.J Kaleel Rahman will undergo RI of five years, five months and …

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet before the NIA Special Court, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, against accused Jasim Shahnawaz Ansari in RC-01/2025/NIA/AMD, a case relating to acts of cyber terrorism through Denial of Service (DoS) attacks on websites of critical government infrastructure. The case was initially registered by the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Gujarat, after uncovering a conspiracy between a Juvenile in Conflict with Law (JCL) and the ac…

Kolkata, Aug 14 (IANS) Ikshak, third in a series of Survey Vessels Large (SVLs) being built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd was handed over to the Navy on Thursday, an official said. The delivery that came just a day before the country celebrates its 79th Independence Day, will add more muscle to the Navy, officials say. Ikshak – the name stands for ‘Guide’ – was delivered 10 months after INS Nirdeshak – the second warship of the series – was delivered on Octobe…

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) In a stirring address to the nation on the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day, President Droupadi Murmu reflected on the country’s developmental strides, its resolute response to terrorism, and the imperative of environmental stewardship. Her speech blended pride in national achievements with solemn recognition of recent challenges, notably the Pahalgam terror attack. “This year, we had to face the scourge of terrorism,” President Murmu said, referring to the b…

Patna, Aug 14 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate of Patna Zonal Office conducted search operations at seven locations in Gurugram, Ranchi, Naharlagun, Namsai, and Muzaffarpur in connection with a case of illegal liquor supply in Bihar. According to an official statement, the raids led to the seizure of Rs 75.6 lakh in cash, along with several incriminating documents, materials, and digital devices.The ED initiated its probe based on multiple FIRs and charge sheets filed by the Bihar Police under…

Shimla, Aug 14 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Thursday inaugurated the 76th state-level Van-Mahotsav in the Kanlog area of Shimla by planting a deodar sapling. The plantation drive has a budgetary provision of Rs 100 crore with a target to cover 9,000 hectares in forests. The Chief Minister also launched the Rajiv Gandhi Van Samvardhan Yojna across all Assembly constituencies and virtually interacted with ministers and legislators and discussed forest conservation and…

Bathinda (Punjab), Aug 14 (IANS) Ahead of the Independence Day, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, on Thursday, visited the Chetak Corps headquarters at the Bathinda Military Station in Punjab and the iconic Nagi War Memorial in Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar.During his visit, he was briefed by the Chetak Corps commander on the operational readiness of units and formations deployed in the sector, the prevailing security situation, training activities, and operational logistics. In Sriganganagar, Gen…

Chandigarh, Aug 14 (IANS) Commuters across Punjab faced inconvenience as contractual employees of the state-owned Punjab Roadways, Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC), and Punbus went on an indefinite strike on Thursday against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP government, demanding the regularisation of contractual employees and addressing their long-standing issues. Protestors did not allow buses of Punjab Roadways and Punbus to ply in several towns and cities. The worst affected places were Ludhia…

Guwahati, Aug 14 (IANS) With the deployment of additional forces and intensified vigil, security has been further strengthened across the Northeastern region on Thursday ahead of the 79th Independence Day celebration on Friday, officials said. In Manipur, security measures have been further beefed up in both the Imphal valley and hilly regions, including the state capital Imphal, for smooth conduct of Friday’s Independence Day celebrations, officials in Imphal said on Thursday. Under close sup…