Latest news with #Jaintia
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Delhi Assembly Speaker calls PAC and CAG 'watchdogs of democracy'
New Delhi: Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta has highlighted the critical role of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in maintaining transparency and accountability in governance. He described both institutions as essential tools that function like warning systems for the government, urging them to act and stay accountable. Gupta made these remarks during an interaction with members of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly's Public Accounts Committee, who visited the Delhi Assembly as part of a study tour from July 12 to 14, 2025, which also included stops in Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam. Welcoming the delegation at the Assembly premises, Gupta commended the visiting legislators for their commitment to inter-legislative dialogue and knowledge-sharing. The Meghalaya delegation included PAC chairperson Charles Pyngrope, along with members Lahkmen Rymbui, Gavin Miguel Mylliem, Rupert Momin, Rupa M. Marak, Sengchim N. Sangma, Jimmy D. Sangma, Ian Botham K. Sangma, and Balajied Kupar Synrem. Their visit aimed to exchange ideas and learn from best practices in other state legislatures. During the meeting, Gupta inquired about Meghalaya's demographic profile and the structure of its Public Accounts Committee. Pyngrope explained that Meghalaya was a matrilineal state, primarily inhabited by the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo tribes. He also shared that the state was governed in part by autonomous district councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which are designed to protect tribal interests. The PAC in Meghalaya consists of 10 members, including a chairperson who is typically chosen from the Opposition to ensure a balanced oversight mechanism. Gupta also introduced the delegation to Delhi Assembly's Audit Para Monitoring System, a digital tool designed to enhance financial accountability by systematically tracking audit observations. The Meghalaya legislators appreciated the system and shared insights into their own procedures for financial oversight. They also discussed potential strategies for making legislative committees more effective and responsive. Vice Chairperson of the Delhi Assembly Mohan Singh Bisht and PAC chairperson Ajay Mahawar were also present during the session, which concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen legislative scrutiny and promote better governance through informed collaboration between state assemblies.
Time of India
5 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Behdienkhlam fest: 4-day celebration of joy & religious fervour in Jowai
Shillong: The colourful and vibrant festival of Behdienkhlam, celebrated by the Pnar (Jaintia) community, culminated in Jowai on Monday amid joy and religious fervour. It is the most important indigenous religious festival of the Jaintias and is celebrated mid-July every year after the sowing is over. 'Khlam' means 'plague or pestilence' and 'beh dien' means to drive away with sticks. The four-day celebration, which culminated on Monday, saw thousands of followers of the indigenous Niamtre faith converge at Wah Aitnar (a muddy pool), dancing to the tunes of the traditional pipes and drums, while 'Khnong', a wooden post and 'rots', tall-decorated structures of various shapes and sizes, which are the main attractions of the festival, were carried amid chants and cheers. "During the three-day rites, Dolois (village chieftains) perform a number of religious rites to chase away the evil spirits such as plague, epidemic, etc. Young men, in a symbolic gesture of driving away the evil spirits, beat the roofs of every house with bamboo poles," a resident of Jowai said. The youth of each locality display their artistic skills by erecting coloured 'rots' — 30 to 40ft tall structures built of bamboo, coloured paper and tinsel. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cách giao dịch ETH/USD mà không cần nắm giữ Ether IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Competition flares as each group tries to outdo the other in making the tallest and most artistic 'rot', which displays relevant social issues. The climax of the celebrations is the tussle, as seen in a tug of war, for the 'Khnong' by two groups of people opposed to each other. The trunk along with the colourful 'rots' is then immersed in the muddy waters of the Aitnar pool. Meghalaya governor CH Vijayashankar and chief minister Conrad K Sangma greeted the people of the state, particularly the Jaintia Community, on the occasion of Behdienkhlam.
News18
6 days ago
- Business
- News18
Bank Holiday In July 2025: Banks To Remain Closed For 5 Days This Week Starting Today
Last Updated: Bank Holidays Next Week: Banks will remain closed in many states between 14th and 20th July 2025 due to local festivals and events. Bank Holiday In July 2025: Banks are set to close for five days this week across the country due to several public holidays. The closure of banking services won't be consecutive in one state or region, but in different parts of the country on different days. This also includes one nationwide public holiday on Sunday (July 20). It's better to know beforehand so you can avoid the difficulty while using the banking service offline there. Banks Are Closed Today In Meghalaya Banking services will remain off today in Meghalaya due to a state festival Beh Deinkhlam. Apart from the state, there's no banking holiday in the country. Beh Deinkhlam is a traditional and vibrant festival celebrated by the Pnar (Jaintia) tribe in the Jaintia Hills district of Meghalaya, India. The term 'Beh Deinkhlam" roughly translates to 'chasing away the plague/disease." It is a religious harvest festival primarily celebrated to drive away diseases, evil spirits, and to pray for a good agricultural season. It also symbolizes community bonding and spiritual cleansing. Banking services will remain closed in these states from 13 to 20 July 14 July, (Monday): Banks will remain closed in Meghalaya due to Beh Dinkhlam festival. This is a traditional festival of the Jaintia tribe. 16 July (Wednesday): Banks will not open in Uttarakhand due to Harela festival. It is especially celebrated in Kumaon and some parts of Himachal. 17 July (Thursday): There will be another holiday in Meghalaya. This day is celebrated as the death anniversary of U Tirot Singh, who was a freedom fighter. 19 July (Saturday): Banks will remain closed in Tripura due to Ker Puda. This puja is dedicated to the traditional deity Ker there. 20 July (Sunday): This day will be a weekly holiday everywhere; that is, all banks will remain closed. Rest of the holidays in July 2025 26 July: Banks will remain closed across the country due to the fourth Saturday of the month. 27 July: Banks will remain closed across the country on Sunday. 28 July: Banks will remain closed in Sikkim on the occasion of Drukpa Tshe-ji. Online services will continue Many times important work gets stuck due to bank holidays. But now there is no problem as banks have made most of their services online. The special thing is that online services of banks remain operational on holidays. Therefore, you can do many things including transferring money from one bank account to another through net banking, mobile banking or UPI. About the Author First Published: July 14, 2025, 09:02 IST
Mint
6 days ago
- Business
- Mint
Bank holiday today: Are banks closed today, on July 14, on account of Beh Deinkhlam festival celebrations?
Bank holiday today, July 14 (Monday): Beh Deinkhlam is a festival celebrated by the Jaintia tribe in Meghalaya, and has been declared as a bank holiday in the state, by the Reserve Bank of India. Thus, all public and private banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), will be closed in Meghalaya and its capital Shillong, today. Besides today, there are a number of other bank holidays this week, including Harela celebrations, the death anniversary of U Tirot Singh, Ker Puja, and weekly offs. Notably, the second and fourth Saturdays and all Sundays are weekly holidays for all banks; and there are a total of seven listed bank holidays in July this year. The RBI and state governments create a list of holidays for banks, taking into account national and local occasions, operational requirements, religious celebrations and other cultural observances. The central bank makes the announcement through its official website and notifications to banks and other financial institutions. July 3 (Thursday) — Kharchi Puja — Banks will be closed in Agartala to celebrate Kharchi Puja, a Hindu festival in Tripura dedicated to fourteen deities called Chaturdasha Devata. July 5 (Saturday) — Guru Hargobind's Birthday — Banks will be closed in Jammu and Srinagar to mark Guru Hargobind's Birthday, the sixth of the ten Sikh Gurus. July 6 (Sunday) — Banks closed pan-India. July 12 (Saturday) — Banks closed pan-India for second Saturday. July 13 (Sunday) — Banks closed pan-India. July 14 (Monday) — Beh Deinkhlam — Banks will be closed in Shillong for Beh Deinkhlam, a festival celebrated by the Jaintia tribe in Meghalaya. July 16 (Wednesday) — Harela — Banks in Dehradun will be closed for Harela, a festival celebrated in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand and some parts of Himachal Pradesh. July 17 (Thursday) — Death Anniversary of U Tirot Singh — Banks will remain shut in Shillong, marking the death anniversary of U Tirot Singh, one of the chiefs of the Khasi people. July 19 (Saturday) — Ker Puja — Banks in Agartala will be closed for Ker Puja, a festival celebrated in Tripura. It is dedicated to Ker, the region's guardian deity, who protects from calamities and external threats. July 20 (Sunday) — Banks closed pan-India. July 26 (Saturday) — Banks closed pan-India for fourth Saturday. July 27 (Sunday) — Banks closed pan-India. July 28 (Monday) — Drukpa Tshe-zi — Banks in Gangtok will be closed for Drukpa Tshe-zi, a Buddhist festival that falls on the fourth day of the sixth month in the Tibetan lunar calendar. This day marks Lord Buddha's first sermon. You can continue to use online or mobile banking services even on national holidays — unless notified to users for technical or other reasons. For cash emergencies, ATMs are open for withdrawals, app and UPI function as usual. All of the bank's annual holiday calendar is declared by the RBI under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays. You should note that holidays may differ across states in India due to regional and local requirments. It is thus best to check with your local bank branch for their holiday schedule or list ahead of time to be properly informed and make preparations in case of emergencies or long weekends.
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Sitharaman backs Meghalaya's efforts to get UNESCO recognition for living root bridges
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has expressed strong support for Meghalaya's efforts to secure UNESCO World Heritage status for the iconic living root bridges in East Khasi Hills district of the state. Sitharaman on Saturday praised the recent grassroots momentum to revive the nomination and strengthen the proposal through community engagement and international partnerships. She emphasised that global recognition would not only honour traditional knowledge but also inspire others to adopt sustainable practices rooted in local wisdom. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo "Recognition is not for showing off, but for showing the world that you did it first," she said, during her visit to the living root bridge in Siej village on Saturday. "Your practices are not only effective they are replicable," she said. Live Events These natural, bioengineered structures handcrafted over generations by indigenous Khasi and Jaintia communities represent a rare harmony between nature and human innovation. The bridges are mostly found in the southern slopes of Meghalaya towards Bangladesh border. Meghalaya first submitted a proposal to UNESCO in 2018, nominating the living root bridges for inclusion in the World Heritage list under the category of "cultural landscapes". The proposal, backed by the state government and conservation experts, highlighted the ecological, cultural, and architectural significance of these living structures. However, the nomination faced delays due to procedural requirements, lack of comprehensive documentation, and the need for greater community-led participation in the heritage mapping process. The Union Finance minister on Saturday also interacted with village elders, local leaders, and beneficiaries of the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programme, an initiative supported by the World Bank , KFW, and ADB, to understand how traditional ecological knowledge continues to be preserved and innovated by indigenous communities. She also visited Sohbar, a border village in East Khasi Hills district, the first Union minister to do so and highlighted the importance of such villages. "Border villages like Sohbar are not the end of India, but it is the beginning," she said. Sohbar is one of the 92 villages in Meghalaya selected under the second phase of the Vibrant Villages Programme (VVP). The Union Finance minister outlined focus areas for development in Sohbar - road infrastructure, telecom and digital connectivity, television coverage, and electricity access. She assured the residents that within a 5-kilometre radius, they would have access to banking facility, ATM, or financial institution for inclusive growth and rural entrepreneurship. The Finance Minister will conclude her four-day visit to Meghalaya with a stop at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram School in Sohra on Sunday. The Ramakrishna Mission has played a pivotal role in education, healthcare, and rural upliftment in Sohra and adjoining regions for decades. Through its schools, vocational training, and community outreach programmes, the RKM has empowered generations of youth in the Khasi Hills, with a strong focus on value-based education, self-reliance, and social service.
