Latest news with #182
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
State govt revives plan to eliminate child labour by '30
1 2 Ranchi: The state department of labour, employment, training, and skill development and the child protection society, with the technical support of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Bal Kalyan Sangh, on Thursday revived a draft state Action Plan for Elimination of Child Labour by 2030. The draft, which integrates learnings from the 2012–16 plan and responds to the present legal and socio-economic contexts, aims to serve as a roadmap for the next five years. The plan is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8.7, which targets to end child labour in all its forms by 2030. Department secretary Jitendra Kumar Singh said, "The state saw a 78% decline in child labour between 2001 and 2011, surpassing national average. Our task now is to build a coordinated, multi-stakeholder response. The draft will undergo consultations before submission to the state cabinet for approval. The labour department will be the nodal agency for its implementation." The national project coordinator with the ILO, Narasimhan Gadiraju, said, "While the framework remains similar to earlier plans, this draft reflects upon legal advancements, including the ratification of ILO Conventions 138 and 182, post 2016. It provides a clearer definition of a child and places the responsibility squarely on the state govt for execution and periodic review. Jharkhand had over 91,000 child labourers as per the 2011 Census." The chief technical advisor with the ILO, Giovanni Soledad, said, "The reduction in child labour from 160 million in 2020 to 138 million in 2024 in Asia and the Pacific region is a positive trend. There is, however, a need to accelerate efforts with greater investment in education and social protection to meet the target by 2030." Joint labour commissioner Pradip Lakra said, "The labour department cannot shoulder this responsibility alone. We are now strengthening our presence at the block level and increasing the number of field staff to boost identification, rescue, and rehabilitation mechanisms."
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Kanishka reminder of commitment to fighting extremism: Canada PM
Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Monday that his new government unequivocally stands against terrorism, as hundreds gathered at memorials across Canada dedicated to the victims of the bombing of Air India flight 182, the Kanishka, by Khalistani extremists. On Monday, MPs and local representatives were among those who attended the memorial service in Toronto. (HT Photo) In a message released by the Prime Minister's office, Carney said, 'Canada will continue to work with our allies and partners, at home and around the world, to better detect, prevent, and respond to the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. It is a sombre reminder of our commitment to fight violent extremism and keep Canadians safe.' The bombing on June 23, 1985 had left all 329 people on board dead. Mourners joined family members of the victims on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy. They gathered at the memorials in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver on what is marked as the National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism in Canada. Describing the Khalistani terror attack as 'the deadliest attack in our country's history – one we must never forget', the PM added, 'Canada's new government unequivocally stands against terrorism, and we will deliver on our mandate of change to keep communities safe.' In Ottawa, India's Acting High Commissioner Chinmoy Naik told the gathering the tragedy was a reminder of the 'continuing threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism', and cited the 'barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam' on April 22, in this context and called for 'the need for zero tolerance against terrorism'. Among those present at the Ottawa memorial were MPs from the ruling party, as well as the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Daniel Rogers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police Commissioner Mike Duheme. A day earlier on Sunday, three Conservative Party MPs attended a vigil for the victims at the Toronto memorial. Opposition party's deputy leader Melissa Lanstman said, 'Until there is justice, until there is no more denial of justice, until there is an eradication of terror, not only beyond our borders but right here in Canada, justice could never be served.' She said there was 'no question' there was an 'uptick' in Canada of 'unchecked terror', which targeted Hindu temples and synagogues. She blasted 'elements of Khalistani terror who terrorise communities and people in their neighbourhoods in this country'. On Monday, MPs and local representatives were among those who attended the memorial service in Toronto. Secretary of State for Labour John Zerucelli read out a message from the PM and acknowledged justice had not been done to the victims and their families and that needed to change. The Canadian National Council of Hindus has started a petition calling upon the Federal government to establish a permanent national memorial for them. A Liberal Party MP and four MLAs joined the service at the Stanley Park memorial in Vancouver as did representatives from the historic Ross Street gurdwara, among others.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
New paradigm in India-Canada ties
Jun 24, 2025 08:47 PM IST The commemoration of the bombing of Air India flight 182 jointly by India, Canada and Ireland for the first time on the 40th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 329 lives is an important moment in recognising the international character of terrorism, and the need for a global response to the problem. It is significant that India sent a delegation to the event in Ireland led by Union minister Hardeep Puri, who emphasised the need for deeper cooperation with Canada to counter extremism and terrorism. While India and Canada must surely focus on trade and investment to give a boost to bilateral relations there must be a substantive dialogue on security issues of concern to both sides, including the threat posed by cross-border, ideology-driven terrorism. (AP) Over the past four decades, Canada largely treated what was the worst act of aviation terrorism till the 9/11 attacks in the US as an incident to be mourned by India, though a majority of the fliers were Canadian citizens of Indian-origin. Most of those involved in the carnage got away because of a botched investigation by Canadian authorities. The recent past has made Canada reckon with the downing of Air India flight 182 as a tragic moment and a violent act against its own citizens, and thereby, its sovereignty. That is a powerful foundation that can be used by Ottawa during its ongoing reset of its relations with New Delhi, with a beginning having been made through the recent meeting of prime ministers of the two countries. While India and Canada must surely focus on trade, investment, supply chains and technology to give a boost to bilateral relations taken to a low point by the row over the killing of a Khalistani activist, there must be a substantive dialogue on security issues of concern to both sides, including the threat posed by cross-border, ideology-driven terrorism.
Business Recorder
11-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
NA erupts as PTI dismisses federal budget
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly went into one of its wildest frenzy on Tuesday, as opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers unleashed a barrage of criticism, out-rightly dismissing the finance bill for the forthcoming year of fiscal prudence. As the government tried to roll out its financial blueprint, the PTI launched a loud protest, blasting the proposed budget before the finance minister could even catch his breath. Opposition Leader in National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, Shahid Khattak, Zartaj Gul Wazir, Iqbal Afridi, Sanaullah Mastikhel and Jamshed Dasti led the protest. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Ali Muhammad Khan, Sheryar Afridi, and a handful of others; however, were completely missing in action. The protesting PTI legislators pounded their desks and raised loud slogans. They surged forward, practically overrunning the NA Speaker's dais mid-speech by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, turning the House into a fish market. At this, the government ministers had to rush in, forming a human shield around Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's chair, just to keep the PTI hotheads at bay. Later, talking to reporters, PTI leaders blasted the government, terming the federal budget as a 'disgusting' giveaway to the rich backed by the 'installed regime'. The opposition leader labelled the budget 'anti-poor,' 'pro-elite,' and a puppet show dictated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The budget, he declared, was the 'worst in the country's history.' Earlier in the day, during a meeting of the party's parliamentary committee, the PTI leaders were particularly incensed by the National Assembly speaker's pay hike, which they slammed as 'shameful.' The speaker's salary jumped from Rs250,000 to a 'whopping' Rs1.3 million, a move PTI called 'disgusting'. They accused the Sharif administration of leaving the 'poverty-stricken masses' at the mercy of God, while showering everything on the rich. However, in a message on X, PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram laid out the numbers, pointing to ballooning interest payments as proof of economic mismanagement. 'The difference in the government's interest payments from Rs3,182 billion to Rs8,633 billion, i.e., an additional burden of Rs5,500 billion, came from the PTI to the PDM government,' he wrote. 'They are absolutely right in saying that these are experimental people, not in work, but in fraud and deceit…!' Speaking to reporters, PTI leaders rejected the budget and accused the Sharif administration of 'completely ruining the economy' and piling on debt. They blamed a 'brain drain,' flawed economic policies, and political instability for wrecking the country. The PTI vowed to resist the budget 'tooth and nail,' promising a fight to the finish against what they see as a blatant power grab by the ruling elite. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Canada: Historic gurdwara calls for new Kanishka memorial in British Columbia
Toronto: A historic gurdwara in Vancouver had joined in calling upon the government of the province of British Columbia (BC) to establish a permanent memorial and learning to remember the victims of the terrorist attack on Air India flight 182, the Kanishka. In a letter sent to the province's Premier David Eby, the Khalsa Diwan Society (KDS), which manages the historic Ross Street Gurdwara, said the family members of the victims 'deserve more than silence' and 'deserve a place of honor, reflection and remembrance'. KDS was formed in 1906 and remains a landmark in the history of Sikhs and Indo-Canadians in the country. 'We respectfully ask you to act now – to build the Kanishka Memorial and Learning Center – as a heartfelt and lasting tribute to those we lost, ensuring their stories and memories live on in the hearts and minds of Canadians forever,' KDS' general secretary Kashmir Singh Dhaliwal stated in the letter to Eby. KDS joined a coalition of Indo-Canadian organisations that have called upon the BC government to establish the centre. While a memorial to the victims of the bombing of the Kanishka by pro-Khalistan terrorists on June 23, 1985, was established in 2007 at Stanley Park in Vancouver, the Indo-Canadian groups want a learning centre 'to teach future generations about the real cost of extremism'. In a letter to Eby, sent earlier, five Indo-Canadian grassroots groups said the centre was envisioned as 'not merely a site of memory but a living testament to the resilience of our communities and a powerful statement of our collective values'. 'Premier Eby, building this centre is not only a moral imperative – it is a profound act of reconciliation and compassion. It represents our shared commitment to justice, our determination to confront hate, and our duty to nurture a safer, more cohesive society for future generations,' the letter noted. Among the principal proponents of the centre is Vancouver-based Sanjeev Kaul, who said the centre could serve as a year-long venue for commemorative events while offering a safe space to family members of victim for reflection. The first memorial dedicated to the tragedy was established in Ahakista in Ireland in 1986. The bomb planted by the pro-Khalistsan separatists exploded while the Kanishka was flying close to Ireland and debris washed up on and near its shores. Memorials also exist in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal in recognition of what remains the worst incident of terrorism in Canadian history,and the worst instance of aviation-related terrorism till 9/11. A total of 331 persons died in the bombs targeting the Air India flights, with 329 of them aboard the Kanishka. Two Japanese baggage handlers who were killed when a second bomb placed within luggage on another Air India plane exploded at Narita airport. The victims included 268 Canadian citizens and 82 children. A website seeking the centre has also been established ahead of the 40th anniversary of the terror attack. It states, 'This was not a plane crash. It was a preventable act of terrorism, rooted in extremism and worsened by failures in Canada's intelligence, security, and justice systems.'
