Nuns' arrest: Shah to meet Kerala MPs today
Shah's assurance came after MPs from Kerala sought an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah demanding an early release of the nuns, who were arrested on charges of 'forced conversion and human trafficking' at the Durg railway station last week.
On Wednesday, UDF MPs NK Premachandran, Benny Behanan and Francis George met Shah and urged the immediate intervention of the Central government to secure the release of the nuns. Speaking to this newspaper, the MPs said that Shah assured them that the Centre will extend all possible help to secure the bail of the two catholic nuns.
The three MPs were part of the delegation, which visited the nuns in Durg jail. The arrest has snowballed into a major political firestorm with several MPs raising the issue in Parliament as well. Disposing of the bail, the sessions court in Durg said that it does nothave the jurisdiction to hear cases under human trafficking and the nuns may have to go to an NIA court for further legal action.
Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour, MPs K C Venugopal and K. Suresh termed the incident as 'deeply disturbing and shocking'
Demanding the immediate release of the nuns, Venugopal said that the nuns, Preethi Mary and Vandana Francis, Venugopal alleged that the nuns were 'falsely accused' of conversion and trafficking. 'These two nuns have been in jail for the last five days without any reason. What cruelty is this? If the government does not act now, the situation will spiral out of control,' he said. Earlier, Kerala MPs including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took out a protest march outside Parliament seeking the release of the nuns.
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Hindustan Times
21 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Utilise Chenab river water, shelve SYL canal issue: Punjab CM to Centre
Chandigarh, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday urged the Centre to utilise the waters of the Chenab River to resolve the water-sharing dispute between his state and Haryana and sought the scrapping of the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal project. Utilise Chenab river water, shelve SYL canal issue: Punjab CM to Centre Mann participated in a meeting called by Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Patil in Delhi over the SYL canal issue, in which Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini was also present. The Punjab chief minister said in the last meeting held on July 9, the Union government informed that the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan has been suspended and it opens up an opportunity for India to utilise water from the Chenab River, one of the western rivers earlier given to Pakistan under the treaty. An official statement quoting Mann said the Centre should now divert Chenab's waters to Indian dams like Ranjit Sagar, Pong, or Bhakra, adding that to carry this extra water, new canals and infrastructure would be required, which would be built in Punjab. Mann said these canals and infrastructure can be first used to meet the needs of the state, and after Punjab's requirements are met, the water can be supplied to Haryana and Rajasthan through the same canal system. He said using Chenab water will reduce Punjab's dependence on groundwater, revive surface irrigation and support the farming community, which is the backbone of the state's economy, besides saving groundwater of the state for future generations. Punjab, which is currently facing groundwater depletion, must be prioritised in any future strategies for the usage, diversion, or allocation of these river waters, he said. Mann also said the waters of the western rivers should be allocated to Punjab on a priority basis, adding that new storage dams upstream of existing Bhakra and Pong in Himachal Pradesh should be constructed, which will significantly enhance the storage and regulation of western river waters. Seeking the shelving of the SYL project, Mann unequivocally said that the Sharda-Yamuna Link for transfer of surplus Sharda River water to the Yamuna River and diversion of Chenab water to Beas River through the Rohtang tunnel should be done to eliminate the need for the SYL canal. He said the long-conceived project of Sharda-Yamuna Link should be taken up on priority and surplus water be transferred to the Yamuna River at a suitable location. Mann said the additional water available could offset the balance water requirement of Haryana from the Ravi-Beas system, apart from addressing the ever-growing drinking water requirement of Delhi and the availability of the Yamuna water to Rajasthan. Batting for the Yamuna-Sutlej Link canal, he said that the memorandum of understanding of May 12, 1994, of allocation of Yamuna waters between Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan is to be reviewed after 2025. Therefore, Punjab should be included as a partner state in the allocation of Yamuna waters, and 60 per cent of the surplus water of the Yamuna River should be considered for the state, he said. Haryana has enough scope to get additional water from other sources, which also needs to be accounted for, said Mann. He said that Haryana is also receiving 2.703 million acre-feet of water from the Ghaggar River, Tangri Nadi, Markanda River, Saraswati Nadi, Chautang-Rakshi, Nai Nalah, Sahibi Nadi, Krishna Dhuan, and Landoha Nalah, which has not been accounted for so far when deciding the water allocations between the states. Mann reiterated that the SYL canal is an "emotive issue" for Punjab and its construction could trigger "serious" law and order challenges in the state and escalate into a national crisis, with neighbouring Haryana and Rajasthan also feeling the impact. The total water requirement of Punjab is 52 MAF, and water available with the state of Punjab is only 26.75 MAF , said Mann. Talking to reporters in the national capital after the meeting, Saini said a significant step forward was made on the ongoing dialogue over water-sharing between Haryana and Punjab. The talks were held in a cordial and cooperative atmosphere. The issue has been under discussion for a long time, and earlier deliberations held on July 9 had already indicated a positive shift, he said. This time, we have moved a step further. The discussions were held in an even more constructive environment, Saini added. Saini asserted that Haryana will present its case in a "positive and solution-oriented" manner before the Supreme Court on August 13 and expressed confidence that a fair and favourable resolution will be achieved. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Over 1.22cr farmers received skill training imparted by central govt in 3 years: Union minister Ramnath Thakur
Bathinda: The central govt has imparted skill training to over 1.22 crore farmers under skill development programmes across the country in the last three years for capacity-building on modern agro-technologies, agro-processing, and agri-export promotion, Union minister of state for agriculture Ramnath Thakur said in response to a question by Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu. Sandhu had sought details regarding the skill development programmes run to enhance the capacity of farmers in modern techniques, agro-processing, or agri-exports and the number of farmers trained under such schemes during the last three years. The MoS, in a written reply, stated: "The Union govt trained 1,15,76,893 farmers under Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms, popularly known as the ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) Scheme, implemented in all 740 districts of 28 states and five UTs in the country in the last three years." "More than 5,96,000 farmers at Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and as many as 45,565 farmers were trained under the Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY) programme during the same period, taking the total number of farmers trained under these three programmes to 1.22 crore in the last three years," the MoS added. Thakur further said while 99,162 farmers were trained under the KVK programme in Punjab in the last three years, as many as 2,547 farmers were skilled under the STRY scheme during the same period. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo A total of 8,455 farmers were trained in Pathankot district, 6,485 in Bathinda, and 6,181 in Tarn Taran, making them the top three districts in Punjab with the highest number of trained farmers in the state, he informed. The minister also stated the short-duration skill-based training programmes were organised by the State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institutes through different training partners, including the KVK.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Fair compensation act restricts multi-crop land acquisition: Minister
Bathinda: Union minister of state for agriculture Ramnath Thakur has made it clear that land can be acquired for public purposes under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, but its Section 10 restricts the acquisition of multi-crop irrigated land, unless in exceptional cases where no alternative land is available. The Act came into force on Jan 1, 2014. The statement was made in a written reply to a question from Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday. The response comes amid a controversy in Punjab, where the state govt's land pooling policy aiming to acquire nearly 65,000 acres of fertile land, is facing opposition from farmers. The minister said that data on conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes is maintained at the state level, as land is a state subject. However, the RFCTLARR Act strongly discourages such conversions. To mitigate the impact on farmers, the Act provides for compensatory mechanisms, including monetary compensation, rehabilitation and resettlement benefits, and in some cases, land-for-land compensation, according to the minister. Despite a marginal decline in cultivable land, Thakur provided a positive outlook on the agriculture sector's performance. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Tiny Hearing Aid is Transforming Lives Across The UK Hear True Learn More Undo Citing the "Land Use Statistics-at a Glance 2023-24" report, he stated that the net sown area has remained relatively stable. Further, the gross cropped area has expanded significantly, rising from 201.3 million hectares in 2013-14 to 217.8 million hectares in 2023-24. Implementation of various govt initiatives and technological advancements have contributed to a continuous rise in cropping intensity. Harsimrat's question sought details on whether the govt acknowledged the decline in agricultural land, the factors contributing to it, and the specific steps taken to prevent the diversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes.
