Latest news with #MahaKumbh
Hindustan Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
BJP appoints six state unit chief; West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh soon
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday appointed chiefs for local units in six states and Union territories, and set the ball rolling for a similar process in two other states such as West Bengal, adding to speculation that the election for the national party chief was on the anvil. BJP appoints six state unit chief; West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh soon As the appointment of new party chiefs has been completed in 22 states, all eyes are now on whether the BJP will appoint new heads in three key states –– Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat –– before it finalises the name for the national president. Under the party constitution, the national president can be elected after elections are held in 50% of the states. India has 28 states and seven Union Territories. On Tuesday, the party announced the appointment of Anil Tiwari as the new BJP state chief in Andaman and Nicobar; Ravindra Chavan in Maharashtra; PVN Madhav in Andhra Pradesh; N Ramchander Rao in Telangana; Mahendra Bhatt in Uttarakhand, and Rajeev Bindal in Himachal Pradesh. In Madhya, Pradesh Hemant Khandelwal filed the nomination for the post of state unit president, which is currently held by VD Sharma. In Bengal, the party announced that the election will be on Thursday. Incumbent Bengal unit chief Sukanta Majumdar is the front runner to retain his post. According to a party functionary, by the end of the week, new state unit heads will be in place in 24 states. 'As on date the requirement of appointing new chiefs in 50% of the total states prior to the election of the national president has been met…the next step is for the election in-charge K Laxman to announce the schedule for the election of the national president,' said a party functionary . Responding to a question on whether the party will pick new presidents for the three big states before it begins the process of selecting incumbent president JP Nadda's successor, the functionary said, 'The process of seeking feedback from the cadre in all the three states is more or less over. There are a few districts where appointments have been stalled, but the delay in announcement is not owing to any major discord.' In Karnataka, there was a division in the party on giving the incumbent BY Vijayendra a second term. A section of leaders wanted the 49-year old Vijayendra to continue while a second group cited the party's stance of not promoting dynastic politics to push for a new name. Vijayendra's father is the former CM, BS Yediyurappa. In Uttar Pradesh, too, the process has been mired in controversy as there are various caste groups pushing for their candidate. 'A section of leaders feel that the representative should be an OBC or SC in keeping with the leadership's push to social engineering and giving the marginalised sections more process was also delayed because of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj,' said a state leader. The incumbent president, Bhupendra Chaudhary, comes from the backward castes. In Gujarat, where Union minister CR Paatil is the state president, the party is divided over whether to pick a Patel or a tribesperson for the top slot. While the Patels are a hefty vote bank that the BJP relies on, the party is equally keen to keep the scheduled tribes close as they make up about 14.8% of the population.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Liquidity driving market; overweight on hotels, real estate & REIT: Venkatesh Balasubramaniam
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads , MD & Head of Research,, says despite real estate stocks trading above NAV, he favours DLF and REITs, attracted by potential interest rate declines boosting REIT yields . He is also overweight on hotels , citing limited investment and strong demand creating a favorable structural play. Leela Hotels and Chalet Hotels are specifically mentioned as preferred stocks. JM Financial is overweight on hotels, real estate, and REITs – all of which are outside the believe this is basically running on liquidity. Domestic flows have been very strong. The monthly SIP numbers are still very strong at almost 267 billion per month. Even though mutual funds have roughly 5% of their holdings in cash, every month when you get these holdings, when you get these flows, you need to deploy it, so that is one thing. Secondly, since March onwards, FII inflows have actually turned positive. So, March, April, May, and in June so far, FII flows have been positive. So, definitely this is running on are not that weak. Fundamentals are okay. The economic outlook is also quite good. But as valuations are not attractive – be it in largecaps, midcaps, or smallcaps – all are trading at one standard deviation or more above the mean. So, it is very tough to make a positive call based on valuations. Fundamentals are okay, outlook is okay, but at this point in time, whatever runup we are seeing is more because of are benchmarked to the Nifty and in the Nifty 50, there is no real estate stock. So, if we like any real estate stock, automatically we go overweight on real estate. Broadly, the real estate sector is not cheap. Most of the stocks are trading almost 15% to 20% above their NAV. Historically, trading bands are 15-20% below NAV. We are very selective when we come to stocks. We like DLF because it is trading on par. We also like the REIT names primarily because as interest rates come down, a lot of these REITs become very attractive. They are all trading at roughly around 7% yield and 10% growth. It is more of an interest rate kind of a play when it comes to estate, we like from an interest rate perspective, but it is not that we are positive on all real estate stocks, because some of them are expensive and we are aware that over the last couple of quarters and the next couple of quarters also are going to be a little bit on the softer to hotels, it has got nothing to do with Maha Kumbh. Over the last four to five years, hardly any investments have been done in the hotel sector. So, there is a lot of demand, but the supply is not adequate. We believe this is likely to continue over the next year, year-and-a-half or so. From that perspective, we like hotels as a structural play. Some of the stocks we like are recently listed Leela Hotels. We also like Chalet Hotels here. These are two names which we like. So, we are overweight on hotels, real estate, and REITs. Incidentally, none of them are a part of the Nifty.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
700 cops, drones & CCTVs to ensure safe kanwar yatra
1 2 Prayagraj: To ensure a secure kanwar yatra, top officials have implemented a multi-layered security plan to maintain strict surveillance along the route between Prayagraj and Varanasi ahead of the yatra's start from July 11. This comprehensive setup includes extensive CCTV surveillance, drone monitoring, barricading at Ganga ghats and key routes, one-way traffic for kanwariyas and mobile police pickets. Around 700 cops will also be assigned duties at the static points, and a separate traffic and diversion plan, will be enforced. As thousands of kanwariyas are expected to converge on Varanasi's Kashi Vishwanath corridor to offer jalabhishek with holy Ganga water, police are finalising detailed security and traffic arrangements. The devotees will collect water from Sangam, Dashaswamedh, and other ghats in Prayagraj, prompting authorities to prepare for a massive influx of pilgrims. Remarkably, the Prayagraj-Varanasi route will be one way to offer adequate space for devotees of Lord Shiva for their free-flow movements towards Varanasi from Prayagraj. As roads from Sangam nose to Shastri bridge and adjoining areas have already been widened during the Maha Kumbh, this will help traffic police authorities regulate flow during kawar yatra. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 岐阜市で見つけた美しい空き家、驚きの価格 価値の高い空き家 | 検索広告 続きを読む Undo DCP (Ganga Nagar) Kuldeep Singh told TOI, "Senior cops have drafted an elaborate security plan for kanwar yatra and a specific traffic plan will be introduced." Moreover, cops will use drones and CCTV networks for the safety of kanwariyas, who will be embarking on a journey from Sangam and Daraganj ghat to Varanasi to offer jalabhishek to Lord Shiva in Kashi during the auspicious month of Shravan. Apart from roping in drones and additional police pickets, police will also set up barricades and keep ambulances on standby to help kanwariyas. The department has also drafted an elaborate traffic plan for devotees, which will be effective from July 10 onwards. Besides, special police teams will be deployed at the static points, and Prayagraj police will be coordinating with their Bhadohi and Varanasi counterparts to ensure the safety and security of kanwariyas. The kanwariyas are expected to pass through Daraganj and Jhunsi before arriving at the Prayagraj-Varanasi highway. Cops will be deployed at strategic points like Shastri bridge, Andhawa turn, and Sarayinayat, through which a large number of these kanwariyas are expected to pass. The devotees will assemble at Sangam and Daraganj ghat to take water from the Sangam and cover the hundreds of km distance to different temples of Lord Shiva, including the Padila Mahadeo temple in Tharwai (Prayagraj) and the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Stampedes, plane crash, war, natural disasters: India's turbulent 2025 so far
As the halfway mark of 2025 passes, India finds itself grappling with one of the most tumultuous six-month periods in recent memory. A grim combination of deadly stampedes, a catastrophic plane crash, border tensions escalating to war-like situation, and a slew of natural disasters have tested the resilience of the world's most populous have claimed dozens of lives at sites of faith and celebration. A major plane crash stunned the aviation world. Floods ravaged the northeast, while border tensions briefly escalated into open packed pilgrimage sites and jubilant stadiums to the flood-stricken northeast and a volatile border with Pakistan, the nation has been rocked by tragedy, disruption, and uncertainty. With lives lost and infrastructure stretched thin, India now enters the second half of 2025 grappling with grief, questions of preparedness, and a cautious hope that calmer days lie KILLED IN STAMPEDES The year opened under a dark cloud. A stampede broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on January 29, killing 30 people and leaving 60 others injured. The incident took place at around 2 am when tightly-packed crowds were gathering at the Sangam - the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. According to police, barricades placed at the ghats broke, which led to people inadvertently stepping on devotees sleeping on the a month later, chaos erupted at New Delhi Railway Station on February 15, where a stampede on platforms 12, 13, and 14 killed 18 people and injured 15 others. The victims were mostly pilgrims headed to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. According to Delhi Police, the panic stemmed from delays and confusion between the Prayagraj Express and Prayagraj Special, exacerbated by overcrowded June 4, jubilation turned into horror in Bengaluru when a massive crowd gathered near Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first IPL title. A stampede broke out, killing 11 people and injuring 33. The tragedy unfolded as lakhs of fans flooded the streets in celebration. Crowd outside Bengaluru stadium on stampede day Barely three weeks later, tragedy struck again. On June 29, during the Rath Yatra procession in Puri, Odisha, a stampede left three dead and more than 50 injured. With the memory of the Bengaluru disaster still raw, the incident has reignited debates around event safety and public infrastructure ESCALATIONSTensions with Pakistan reached a boiling point in May following a devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. In response, India launched a series of precision airstrikes on May 7, targeting nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. According to government sources, over 100 militants were killed in the retaliated by launching drone and missile strikes on border cities in Punjab and Rajasthan, triggering a four-day conflict that brought the two nuclear-armed neighbors to the brink of war. Both sides suffered casualties, and infrastructure damage was decided to escalate and launched drones and missiles targetting border cities in India. India responded to the attack with equal aggression and the two countries witnessed a war-like situation for four days before finally agreeing to a ceasefire.A ceasefire was brokered on May 11, but relations remain INDIA CRASHOn March 22, India witnessed its worst aviation tragedy in over ten years. Air India flight AI 171 — a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed just five minutes after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The aircraft, carrying 242 passengers and crew, went down in a residential area, hitting two buildings. Air India plane crashed into a building near Ahmedabad airport advertisementNATURE'S WRATHEven as political and man-made crises unfolded, nature added to the nation's June began, northeastern India bore the brunt of unrelenting monsoon rains. Torrents that began in late May continued into June, causing widespread flooding and landslides across multiple states. According to Sphere India, at least 47 people were killed in weather-related incidents — 17 in Assam (including five in landslides in Guwahati), 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six each in Meghalaya and Mizoram, three in Sikkim, two in Tripura, and one in Nagaland. Rescue personnel assist locals in moving to a safer place through a rescue boat at a flood-affected area amid rainfall, on the outskirts of Agartala The flooding affected more than four lakh people across 15 districts in Assam, according to the state's disaster management authority. In neighbouring Manipur, overflowing rivers and breached embankments triggered flash floods, displacing over 56,000 from June 22–29, heavy rainfall unleashed flash floods across Himachal Pradesh, resulting in 17 fatalities and massive infrastructural damage. Roads and bridges were swept away, and early estimates by the state's Public Works Department place the damage at Rs 300 floods still continue and north Indian states, including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand continue to suffer. As India stands at the midpoint of a challenging year, it remains to be seen whether the months ahead will bring relief or further strain. With the monsoon season still unfolding and geopolitical tensions far from resolved, the country faces a period of uncertainty. For now, the nation watches — hopeful, but cautious — as 2025 continues to unfold.- Ends
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
New water treatment plants to quench Prayagraj's thirst
1 2 3 Prayagraj: A new raw water treatment plant is being built in Prayagraj's Naini area, promising to end the long-standing drinking water shortage for over 38,000 households. Officials estimate the plant will be functional in around two years. Additionally, a comprehensive water supply plan is being implemented for the extended city limits of Prayagraj, covering areas like Jhunsi, Phaphamau, and Jhalwa. To guarantee potable water supply, treatment plants will be established in Naini, Jhunsi, and Jhalwa as part of the initiative. The jalkal (water) department has initiated the construction of the Naini plant and associated pipeline laying work. The Jahangirabad Naini water treatment plant project, worth Rs 421.23 crore, includes pipeline laying and construction of nine overhead tanks. Although the tender process was completed last year, construction work was delayed due to the Maha Kumbh, but now the work has commenced. According to the executive engineer of the Jal Sansthan, boundary walls and foundation work have started, with machinery installation and electrical work set to begin soon. For the extended municipal areas, a detailed water supply plan has been drawn up with a total investment of Rs 957.47 crore. Apart from Naini, raw water treatment plants will also be set up in Jhunsi and Jhalwa. Water supply in Phaphamau and Mahewa will be augmented through the use of multiple tube wells. The construction process for the raw water treatment plant in Jhunsi has also started. In Jhunsi area, an intake well with a water capacity of 8.10 crore litres is being developed. The project includes the construction of a 34km main pipeline and a 541-kilometre distribution pipeline. Additionally, nine overhead tanks will be built, and the project is expected to provide water connections to approximately 38,065 households. Another major development is taking place in Phaphamau, where an intake well with a capacity of 6.70 crore litres is under construction. The water will be distributed through a 40-kilometre main pipeline and a 490-kilometre distribution network. This project also includes 14 overhead tanks and will serve around 32,729 connections. Likewise, in Jhalwa, the water supply system is being improved through the installation of nine tube wells. This project involves the construction of a 2.5-kilometre main pipeline and a 171km distribution pipeline. Mahewa is also witnessing major water infrastructure work, with an intake well of 2.60 crore litres capacity being installed. This will be supported by a 15-kilometre main pipeline and a 266km distribution pipeline.
