Kerala government to give 10 lakhs to kin of Kottayam Medical College building collapse victim
The cabinet has decided to allot the amount from the Chief Minister's disaster relief fund. The cabinet has also instructed the Travancore Devaswom Board to provide a suitable job to the victim's son, Navaneeth.
The tragic death of the Vaikom native happened on July 3, when part of a 68-year old building in the Kottayam Medical College Hospital collapsed. Bindu and her husband Visrytan had come to the hospital for the surgery of their 20-year-old daughter. The incident sparked political outrage, with opposition parties demanding the resignation of Health Minister Veena George.
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Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- Indian Express
In BJP's Punjab push, Haryana CM Saini steals a march over CM Mann on Udham Singh martyrdom day
In a move that created ripples in political circles, Haryana Chief Minister and BJP leader Nayab Singh Saini visited Punjab's Sunam to pay tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh on his 86th martyrdom day on Thursday, hours before Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and the AAP's national convener Arvind Kejriwal reached the legendary freedom fighter's native town in Sangrur district. The Haryana CM's surprise visit to the martyr's memorial not only took place before the Punjab government's function but was also marked with political symbolism. Sporting a saffron turban, Saini paid homage at the Shaheed Udham Singh Memorial, built over nearly 2 acre land in Sunam, and met the martyr's descendants. 'I pay tributes to this son of the soil who couldn't bear the Jallianwala Bagh massacre as a child and avenged it by killing Michael O'Dwyer (Punjab lieutenant governor during the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre) in England. I salute him and his family's sacrifice,' the CM told media persons. In December 2023, the BJP-led Haryana government under then CM Manohar Lal Khattar had declared a state gazetted holiday on Udham Singh's martyrdom anniversary. As Saini replaced Khattar in March next year, July 31, 2024 marked the first time during the former's first term as the CM, when the day was observed as a state holiday. In contrast, for the past several years, Punjab observed only a restricted holiday on July 31. However, the Kamboj community, listed in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, and some government employee associations took up the matter this year with the AAP-led Punjab government, demanding the declaration of a state gazetted holiday on July 31. Udham Singh was from the Kamboj community. Sources said the Mann government was also under pressure to do it after Haryana's move. During his Sunam visit, Saini kept the focus on paying homage to Udham Singh. When reporters asked him about the Rs 113 crore bill sent by the Punjab government to Haryana for the upkeep and maintenance of Bhakra canal, he side-stepped the row, just saying, 'Talks are on with the neighbouring state. Both states will sit together to find a solution.' Saini, who belongs to the OBC, was accompanied by Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma. After leading the BJP to a resounding win in the October 2024 Haryana Assembly polls, Saini, 55, has been going all out to boost his credentials as an OBC leader. Besides engaging with prominent OBC organisations and leaders from across the country, he has also been making frequent visits to Punjab. These moves, BJP sources said, are part of Saini's strategy to emerge as an OBC leader at the national level and expand his party's footprint in Punjab slated for the Assembly polls in early 2027. After the Udham Singh Memorial event, Saini also addressed local residents at a BJP-organised meeting. BJP state secretary Daaman Thind Bajwa said,'Our programme was scheduled early to avoid overlap with the Punjab government's function. CM Saini arrived around 10 am via chopper and left at around 11.30 am for Sirsa by road as weather conditions in Sirsa didn't allow flying,' she said. The Punjab government's event was held later in the day in Sunam's grain market area, which was addressed by CM Mann and Kejriwal after they paid floral tributes at the memorial. Sources said that due to waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall in Sunam, the duo had to ride a chopper to reach the grain market, barely a kilometre away from the memorial, which reflected poor drainage in the town. In April this year, Saini had addressed a gathering in Derabassi in Mohali, where Gurdarsan Singh Saini, son of former Akali stalwart Gurnam Singh Derabassi, joined the BJP. Saini also participated in the Saini community events in other Punjab towns like Ropar and Kharar in March-April and had campaigned in Ludhiana in June for the BJP's Ludhiana West bypoll candidate Jiwan Gupta. During his visits to Punjab, Saini has sought to showcase the 'Haryana model' of governance, highlighting how his government has been providing minimum support price (MSP) on 24 crops. He has made this pitch in his Punjab events, trying to woo farmers and rural voters. With the Saini community having influence in nearly 15 constituencies across Punjab – especially in Ropar, Kharar, Derabassi, Mukerian, Banga, and Hoshiarpur – the Haryana CM's outreach in the state appears calibrated. 'The Saini community has always existed in Punjab, but ever since Nayab Singh Saini became CM, he has actively started connecting with them. It's good that the CM is introducing Punjab voters to the BJP's Haryana model,' said a state BJP leader, adding that Saini's Thursday visit also sought to send a political message. The BJP has been struggling to improve its standing in Punjab, with its erstwhile ally, Sukhbir Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), with whom it broke up in 2020, also reeling from poll debacles and factional feuds. – With inputs from Varinder Bhatia in Chandigarh
India Today
10 minutes ago
- India Today
Nitish Kumar announces double pay for government school staff ahead of polls
The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has announced a two-fold increase in the honorarium for cooks, night guards, and physical education and health instructors posted in schools across the state ahead of the assembly to social media platform X, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, "Since the formation of the government in November 2005, we have been consistently working to improve the education system. In 2005, the total education budget was Rs 4,366 crore, which has now increased to Rs 77,690 crore. A significant improvement has been made in the education system through the appointment of a large number of teachers, the construction of new school buildings, and the development of basic infrastructure."advertisementRecognising the contribution of support staff in the education ecosystem, Kumar added, "Cooks, night guards, and physical education and health instructors have played an important role in strengthening the education system. Keeping this in mind, we have decided to double their honorarium as a mark of respect." According to the announcement, the monthly honorarium of cooks working under the mid-day meal scheme will be increased from Rs 1,650 to Rs 3,300. Night guards employed in secondary and higher secondary schools will now receive Rs 10,000 per month, up from the previous Rs 5,000. Similarly, the honorarium of physical education and health instructors has been doubled from Rs 8,000 to Rs 16,000 per addition to the revised payments, their annual salary increment has also been raised from Rs 200 to Rs 400.'This will boost the morale of the working personnel, and they will perform their duties with more enthusiasm and dedication,' the Chief Minister as part of his poll sops, Nitish Kumar had announced 125 units of free electricity for all households from August 1. He had also declared 35 percent reservation in government jobs for women who are permanent residents of Bihar.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Nitish Kumar#Bihar Assembly Elections
New Indian Express
10 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
TN 'honour killing' case: VCK demands probe by special team, Rs 1 crore solatium
TIRUNELVELI/THOOTHUKUDI: Viduthalai Chiruthaigai Katchi (VCK) chief Thol Thirumavalavan on Thursday said attacks on Dalit people are increasing in Tamil Nadu, and urged the state government to enact a legislation against honour killings. Speaking at a protest organised in Tirunelveli by the VCK to condemn the suspected honour killing of Kavin Selvaganesh, Thirumavalavan demanded a high court-monitored special investigation team to probe the murder, solatium of Rs 1 crore and police protection to Kavin's family. Earlier, speaking to reporters after visiting Kavin's parents, the VCK chief expressed doubts if more than one person was involved in the murder. 'There are suspicions about the role of some police personnel and involvement of henchmen. The crime happened in a particular police limit where the accused had support. The murder might not have been committed by a single person,' he said, adding the CB-CID should investigate the role of police personnel in the area also as they are known to the prime accused Surjith. Further, Thirumavalavan questioned why police was reluctant to arrest the suspect's mother when both the parents were named in the FIR. About the video released by Subhashini, Thirumavalavan said 'She has been educated to speak in such a way to protect her parents. She is not speaking independently.' Human rights activist and People's Watch executive director Henri Tiphagne said, 'Only a detailed investigation can reveal if she (the mother) is guilty or not. Refraining from arresting her shows police is not independent.'
