INDIA THIS WEEK FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2023 1 A W e e k l y N e w s p a p e r Fe a t u r i n g N e w s & Tr e n d s f r o m t h e I n d i a n S u b - C o n t i n e n t P u b l i s h e d f r o m t h e U S C a p i t a l Website: www.indiathisweek.online Vol. 31 No 17 • WASHINGTON D.C • Phone: 301-445-0200; 301-917-4800 • e-mail: indiathisweekads@gmail.com • Friday • April 28, 2023 Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express, water metro in Kochi among top projects launched Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], April 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation variousdevelopmentprojects worth more than Rs 3,200 crores at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The projects include the dedication of the Kochi Water Metro to the nation, laying the foundation stone of various rail projects and the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram. Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister flagged off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express between PM flags off Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express between Thiruvananthapuram and Kasargod at Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram and Central Station, in Kerala on April 25, 2023. Indian student shot dead while working at fuel station in US Ohio [US], April 21 (ANI): A 24-yearold student from Andhra Pradesh, who was studying for his master’s degree, was shot dead at a fuel station in the US on Thursday (local time), according to the Columbus Division of Police. Saiesh Veera, who was working at a petrol station in Ohio, was shot dead by unknown assailants while on the job, police said. “On April 20, 2023, at 12:50 AM, Columbus Police officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of W Broad St on a reported shooting. Upon arrival, the officers located an adult male victim, identified as SAIESH VEERA, M/ O/24, suffering from a Remember: gunshot wound. Columbus Fire medics arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital. Despite lifesaving measures, the victim was pronounced deceased at 1:27 AM. This incident remains under investigation. Next of kin notification has been made,” read the Columbus Division of Police incident summary. The police also released the picture of the suspect and asked for help in identifying the person. “Homicide detectives are asking for help to identify this person related to a deadly shooting that occurred on April 20, 2023. Saiesh Veera, 24, was shot and killed at a gas station located in the 1000 block of W. Broad St,” it tweeted. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding. ” – Proverbs Kasargod. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister referred to the projects of today, and underlined that various projects related to the development and connectivity of Kerala have been unveiled today including the state’s first Vande Bharat Express, Kochi’s first Water Metro and several Railway developments. Commenting on the education and awareness level of Kerala, the Prime Minister said that the hard work and politeness of the people of Kerala give them a unique identity. He said VANDE BHARAT SEE PAGE 8 ISRO marches on: India to disrupt the space shuttle market soon? New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): In the early hours of April 2nd in Karnataka, an Indian Air Force Chinook helicopter took off on a mission that has never been attempted. The chopper was carrying India’s first RLV, short for Reusable Launch Vehicle to conduct a precise, highspeed unmanned landing. The Chinook flew to an altitude of 4.5 Kilometers, shattering records for carrying a winged body to such a height. By 7:40 AM, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other Indian tech agencies achieved a huge milestone for India’s space sector, when the RLV touched down completing all its parameters. With its low cost, sustainable space exploration will be possible– Space X now has a rival. Rewind back to 2014, when the New York Times was forced to apologize for a racist cartoon it published mocking India’s Mars orbit mission, ‘Mangalyaan’, believing that the space club belonged to an elite group which India still had to work to get into. Fast forward to 20–times have changed and the Western press has been proved wrong–yet again. With the tireless efforts of the ISRO and other Indian agencies that have made a mark, India has finetuned its space missions. The country has enhanced the payload capacity of its rockets and has efficiently developed a space program that has outperformed its rivals in terms of tech and competence and has compelled space players the world over to look to India for assistance. This is yet another example of never underestimating Indian scientists or the new political dispensation at the Centre, which has the resolve and ability to get things done, come what may. The Indian space story began in a littleknown fishing hamlet, Thumba in India’s southern state of Kerala in the 1960s. From space launches and operations to inventing technologies to developing commercial satellite launch facilities, the velocity of the Indian space journey has been exponential and second to none. The Indian Space Program has developed powerful and comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures from launch to landing. India’s space exploration agency SPACE SHUTTLE SEE PAGE 6
April 28, 2023 INDIA THIS WEEK Friday Over 40 Years Of Experience 5 FAMILY HAIRCUT $ MEN • WOMEN • CHILDREN ROOT TOUCH-UP FOR MEN 20 $ & up SERVICES • BEARD TRIM $500 $ • SHAMPOO 1000 • BLOW DRY $1000 $ 00 • PERM FROM 20 $ 00 • COLOR FROM 20 • HIGHLIGHTS FROM $3500 • SPA PEDICURE FROM $1700 Beauty & Barber Shop 7311 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003 info@csbarbernschool.com India conducts first-ever census of water bodies; Here’s some revelations New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): For the first time in India, the government has conducted the first-ever census of water bodies. The census provided a comprehensive inventory of India’s water resources, including natural and man-made water bodies like ponds, tanks, lakes, and more, and to collect data on the encroachment of water bodies. The census highlighted disparities between rural and urban areas and varying levels of encroachment and revealed crucial insights into the country’s water resources. About 2,424,540 water bodies have been enumerated in the country by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, out of which 97.1 per cent are in rural areas and only 2.9 per cent are in urban areas. The top five states in terms of a number of water bodies are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam — which constitute around 63 per cent of the total water bodies in the country. The top five States in terms of the number of water bodies in urban areas are West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Tripura, whereas in rural areas, top five States are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Assam. 59.5 per cent of water bodies are ponds, followed by tanks (15.7 per cent), reservoirs (12.1 per cent), Water conservation schemes/percolation tanks/ check dams (9.3 per cent), lakes (0.9 per cent) and others (2.5 per cent). It was found that 55.2 per cent of water bodies are owned by private entities whereas 44.8 per cent of water bodies are in the domain of public ownership.(ANI)
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April 28, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Now in Ashburn, VA ❖ Accounting and Bookkeeping Service ❖ Audit, Review, Compilation and Attestation Service ❖ Tax Service ❖ IRS Service ❖ Web Hosting ❖ Business Consultancy ❖ Dedicated Service with Smiling Faces ❖ Experienced and Reliable Staff Year Round ❖ Rely on 24 Years of Experience Tax Season is around the corner, are you ready ? Balagan Business & Tax Services Balagan Arumugaswamy, CPA, LL.M Tel: (301) 931-1040, (301) 931-1042 Main Office: 12100 Franklin Street Beltsville, MD 20705 (301) 595-4331; (703) 723-4488; (703) 723-4458 Fax: (703) 723-1140; (301) 595-4332 Branch Offices: 44335 Premier Plaza Suite#100, Ashburn, VA 20147 E Mail: balagancpa@msn.com Website: www.balaganfinancials.com Special train on Friday from Pune under Dekho Apna Desh initiative; here’s itinerary New Delhi [India], April 23 (ANI): Furthering the concepts of Dekho Apna Desh and Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat as envisioned by the central government, Indian Railways is all set to launch the Puri-Gangasagar Divya Kashi Yatra from Pune on Friday for interested pilgrims. The train is fully booked to capacity. Ministry of Railways has been operating Bharat Gaurav Tourist Trains from different parts of the country to showcase India as a destination in the international as well as domestic arena. These themebased trains have been conceptualized to showcase the rich cultural and religious heritage of Bharat to domestic tourists as well as to international tourists. The 9-night – 10-day tour commencing from Pune will cover the important religious destinations of Puri, Kolkata, Gaya, Varanasi and Prayagraj in which the visitors will get to see the most famous temples and other pilgrimage places such as Jagannath Puri Temple, Konark Temple, Lingraj Temple at Puri, Kali Bari at Kolkata and Ganga Sagar, Vishnu Pad Temple and Bodh Gaya at Gaya, Kashi Vishwanath Temple and Ganga Ghaat at Varanasi and Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj. IRCTC, the professional tourism and hospitality arm of Indian Railways, is offering this all-inclusive tour. The package includes meals, road transfers and sightseeing in buses, accommodation arrangement as per itinerary, service of tour escorts, travel insurance, on-board security and housekeeping besides various on-board entertainment activities planned for the tourists. With a composition of 7 Sleeper Class Coaches, 3 AC-3 Tier and 1 AC- 2 Tier coach, the tour package is offered across 3 categories: Economy, Comfort and Deluxe and provides bookings of 750 passengers with the majority in the economy segment standard category. (ANI)
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April 28, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Dr. Shashi Tharoor to Open 3rd Annual DC South Asian Literary Festival May 05-14, 2023 3rd Annual Hybrid DC South Asian Literary Festival (DCSALF) from May 05-14, 2023 The DC South Asian Arts Council Inc (DCSAACI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to hosting, producing, and promoting South Asian arts and culture programming. We are pleased to announce the 3rd Annual Hybrid DC South Asian Literary Festival (DCSALF) from May 05-14, 2023. In Person from May 05 to 07th, 2023, and Virtual from May 0814, 2023. DCSALF is a neutral and inspirational platform for artists and writers to voice their stories. South Asian fiction and non-fiction authors, poets, screenwriters, and biographers from all over the world are invited to participate and enrich our community. We envision DCSALF to be a forum that stimulates important discussions about inequality, divide, immigration, LGBTQ challenges, social justice, and other South Asian Diaspora issues and challenges. Authors will have an opportunity to promote and read from their books and engage with the audience in conversations, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions. The Annual DC South Asian Literary Festival started in 2021 with Opening Discussion with Honorable Javed Akhtar and in 2022 with Honorable Gulzar and Late Dr. Gopi Chand Narang. The DC South Asian Literary Festival will open on May 5th with In-Person Discussion with Honorable Dr. Shashi Tharoor, a brilliant orator, litterateur, and author of 24 books. Recipient of the Sahitya Academi Award. This year’s literary festival features well-known authors Chitra Banerjee Divakurni, Rakhshanda Jalil, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Dr. Meenakshi Mohan, Dr. From The Poet’s Pen INDIA THIS WEEK- April 28, 2023 THE TRAITOR By Morton Dauwen Zabel Anita Nahal, Dr. Ali Madeed Hashmi, Raza Mir, Naheed Phiroze Patel, Sara Chansarkar, Dr. Harish Naval, Sunanda Mehta, Narendra Chauhan, Sunayana Kachroo Bhide, Surinder Deol, Soma Bose, Lopa Banerjee, Gopal Lahiri Basudhara Roy, and Seema Sirohi. Dr. Hashmi is from Lahore Pakistan (grandson of Faiz, he will talk about his book Faiz Ahmed Faiz). Arundhathi Subramaniam, a Sahitya Academi Award recipient, Gopal Lahiri, and Soma Bose are arriving from India. The schedule is available on the website https://www.dcsaaci.org. The nine-day festival has many In Conversation and panel discussions. The In- Person May 5th discussion is at the Jewish Community Center in Rockville, MD and May 6th and 7th at the Writers Center in Bethesda, MD. DCSAACI is grateful to all the journalists, TV, Radio, Newspapers, and media channels for covering our story since we started this journey in 2012, inaugurated film festival with Renowned Director Shyam Benegal. INDIA THIS WEEK Address: P.O. Box 352, Bryans Road, MD 20616 Phone: 301-445-0200; 301-917-4800 www.indiathisweek.online India This Week is published every Friday by ADV Solutions Inc, Views expressed in this paper are those of the individual writers and not necessarily of India This Week. India This Week accepts no liability for the errors in advertisements or in any of its reports. For remedial actions any errors should be brought to the attention of the editor by the information provided below. Publisher: Chief Editor: Contributing Editors: Dr. Babu Stephen Rajan George Saju Mathew Isaac George Asst. Editors: Manu Jacob Sherena Panjikkaran Special Business Correspondent Elisha B. Pulivarti Business Coordinators Rajan C. George Jithu Johny Panjikkaran Dr. Renuka Misra, Special Correspondent: Geeta Goindi Community Coordinator: Prof. Vinod Goel India Office Manesh Krishna Columnists: Anadi Naik World Religions Dr. Sam Prasad Jillella Photo Journalist: Mathew Karmel, System Admn. & Maintenance: Rajan C. George Layout & Graphics: Prinston Samuel, Business Affairs: Mrs. Molly George CALL US • 301-445-0200 • 301-917-4800 e-Mails: Advertisements: indiathisweekads@gmail.com Press Releases: indiathisweekpress@yahoo.com Web: www.indiathisweek.online ISRO marches on: India to disrupt the space shuttle market soon? SPACE SHUTTLE FROM PAGE 1 ISRO, which dominates the Indian space industry, has led successful milestones for the country and other countries by launching its satellites. Recently, ISRO’s Launch Vehicle Mark III successfully placed 36 satellites of OneWeb, an Indian-owned UK-based company, completing the first generation Low Earth Orbit constellation. S. Somanath, the Chief of the Indian Space Research Organisation said on the launch of PSLV C55 “Today, after this launch, we are preparing to commence the launch campaign of PSLV-C55. This launch is for NSIL & to be launched most probably by the end of March. So the launch campaign will commence today by placing the rocket at the launch pedestal in a new facility”. More recently, ISRO’s Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) successfully landed, bringing India closer to the dream of its own space plane and sustainable space exploration. The technique adopted to launch the vehicle was “first in the world”. a winged body was carried by helicopter to an altitude of 4.5 km and released for an autonomous landing on the runway. ISRO successfully demonstrated its innovative and cost-effective technologies which have made it part of an elite space club. India, with the support of ISRO, has emerged as a leader in third-party launch services. India has earned a massive revenue of USD 279 million till now by launching satellites for 34 countries by the ISRO. India’s space industry’s role has been instrumental in developing several application areas including weather forecasting, navigation, oceanographic studies, disaster management and Remember: agriculture. Experts say that this Indian step will soon prove to be a game changer. The opening of the space economy to private participation in all phases of activities has ushered in an era of growth, innovation and accelerated investment in the sector. With this reform, the government has enabled Non-Government Entities (NGEs) to run independent space activities, opened up ISRO’s infrastructure and facilities for private companies and inspired young talent to come up with innovations. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi during one of his conferences with ISRO officials said that “Our reform approaches are based on four pillars. First, the private sector should have the freedom to innovate, second, is the role as an enabler, third preparing youth for the future, fourth is treating space as a resource for progress”. In line with India’s self-reliant initiative, India will be soon launching its first ever Aatmanirbhar human flight “Gaganyaan”. The objective of the project is to take a three-man crew into orbit for 5 to 7 days and bring them back to Earth safely. India allocated $137Bn to the Department of Space from 2022 to 2023 for the smooth running of all its missions. As per a report by the Indian Space Association (ISA) and Ernst & Young(EY), the satellite manufacturing sector is expected to grow from $2.1 billion in 2020 to $3.2 billion in 2025, while launch services will grow from $567.4 million in 2020 to $1 billion in 2025. For the broader interest of people all over the world, India has forged space project collaborations with the United Nations, and BRICS nations as well as with Israel, NASA and the European Space. “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. ” JESUS CHRIST
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April 28, 2023 Friday INDIA THIS WEEK Kerala’s first Vande Bharat Express, water metro in Kochi among top projects launched VANDE BHARAT FROM PAGE 1 the people of Kerala are capable of understanding the global scenario and they can appreciate how India is being considered a vibrant spot of development amidst difficult times and the promise of India’s development is being acknowledged globally. The Prime Minister credited the trust shown by the world towards India to a decisive government at the center that takes quick and firm decisions for the welfare of the country, the unprecedented investment made in strengthening and modernizing the infrastructure of India, investments made towards enhancing the skill set of the youth and finally the commitment of the central government towards Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business. He further added that the government focuses on cooperative federalism and considers the development of states as the development of the country. “We are working with a service-oriented approach. The nation can progress at a faster rate only if Kerala progresses”, the Prime Minister remarked. The Prime Minister said one of the reasons for the growing stature of the country is due to the outreach efforts of the central government which has benefited the Keralites who live abroad. India’s growing might is helping the Indian Diaspora greatly, he said. The Prime Minister said that in the last 9 years, work on connectivity infrastructure has been undertaken at an unprecedented speed and scale. He informed that in this year’s budget also, it is proposed to spend more than 10 lakh crore on infrastructure. “The public transport and logistics sector is being completely transformed in the country. We are moving towards the golden age of Indian railways”, he said and remarked that the average rail budget before 2014 has increased fivefold now. Throwing light on the developments in railways carried out in Kerala in the last 9 years, the Prime Minister mentioned the work done with respect to gauge conversion, doubling, and electrification of railway tracks. He mentioned that work for the redevelopment of three major railway stations in Kerala has been initiated today with a vision to make it a multimodal transport hub. “Vande Bharat Express is the identity of aspirational India”, the Prime Minister said as he highlighted the transforming rail network in India which makes it possible to run such semihigh speed trains with ease. The Prime Minister said that all the Vande Bharat trains, so far. are connecting places of cultural, spiritual and tourism importance. “Kerala’s first Vande Bharat train will link North Kerala with South Kerala. The train will ease travel to places of pilgrimage like Kollam, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur and Kannur”, he said. He also talked about the environmental benefits of the modern train. The Prime Minister informed that work has been initiated today to prepare the ThiruvananthapuramShoranur section for semihigh speed trains. Upon completion, the Prime Minister continued, it will become possible to run semi-high speed trains from Thiruvananthapuram to Mangluru. The Prime Minister elaborated that the effort is to provide Made in India solutions as per local needs with regard to infrastructure. He listed solutions like a semi-hybrid train, Regional Rapid Transport System, RoRo ferry, and ropeway to illustrate situation-specific solutions for connectivity. He also underscored the indigenous origins of Made in India Vande Bharat and Metro coaches. He also mentioned projects like Metro-Lite and urban ropeways in smaller cities. The Prime Minister underlined that the Kochi Water Metro is a Made in India project and congratulated the Kochi Shipyard for the development of ports for the same. He stated that the Kochi Water Metro will make modern and cheap means of transport accessible for the people living in the nearing islets of Kochi while also providing intermodal connectivity between the bus terminal and the metro network. The Prime Minister further added that it will benefit backwater tourism in the state apart from easing the traffic congestion in the city. He expressed confidence that the Kochi Water Metro will become a model for the other states in the country. Modi reiterated that along with physical connectivity, digital connectivity too is the country’s priority. He said projects like Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram will give a fillip to Digital India. He highlighted global appreciation for India’s digitalsystem.“Indigenously developed 5G will create new opportunities in the sector”, he said. The Prime Minister pointed out that the investments made towards connectivity not only expand the scope of services but also reduce the distance and connect various cultures without discriminating between caste and creed and the rich and poor. He emphasized that this is the correct model of development which can be witnessed all over India and it strengthens the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’.The Prime Minister emphasized that Kerala has a lot to offer to the country and the world. “Kerala has culture, cuisine and climate which has the source of prosperity inherent in them”, the Prime Minister pointed out. Referring to the recent G20 meet in Kumarakom, the Prime Minister said that such events give Kerala more global exposure. The Prime Minister mentioned famous Shri Annas (millets) from Kerala such as Ragi Pattu. Shri Modi exhorted everyone to be vocal about the local produce and products. “When our products reach global markets, the path of Viksit Bharat will get stronger”, he said. Speaking about citizens’ achievements in the Mann Ki Baat Programme, the Prime Minister stated that he frequently mentions the products created by selfhelp groups of Kerala with the objective of promoting ‘Vocal for Local’. He informed that ‘Mann Ki Baat’is completing a century of episodes this Sunday and it is dedicated to all the citizens who have made their contributions towards nation development as well as the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’. Governor of Kerala, Arif Mohammed Khan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Minister for Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State, V Muraleedharan, Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram,Shashi Tharoor and Ministers from Government of Kerala were present on the occasion among others. The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone and dedicated various projects to the nation worth more than Rs. 3200 crores today. The Prime Minister dedicated the Kochi water metro to the nation. This oneof-its-kind project connects 10 islands around Kochi through battery-operated electric hybrid boats for seamless connectivity with Kochi city. Apart from Kochi Water Metro, rail electrification of the Dindigul-Palani-Palakkad section was also dedicated by the Prime Minister. During the event, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of various rail projects including the redevelopment of Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Varkala Sivagiri railway stations; the comprehensive development of Thiruvananthapuram area including Nemon and Kochuveli and increasing of sectional speed of ThiruvananthapuramShoranur section. Apart from this, the Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the Digital Science Park in Thiruvananthapuram. Digital Science Park is envisaged as a key research facility to develop digital products and services by industry and business units in collaboration with academia. As a third generation Science Park, the Digital Science Park will house common facilities to support the development of products in the area of Industry 4.0 Technologies like AI, Data Analytics, Cyber Security, Smart Materials etc. The state-of-theart basic infrastructure will support high-end applied research by industries and the co-development of products in association with the Universities. The initial investment for Phase-1 of the project is around Rs 200 crore while the total project outlay has been estimated at around Rs 1,515 crore. New Delhi [India], April 24 (ANI): India, China during the 18th round of Corps Commander Level Meeting, agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector of the LAC. The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest. The 18th round of India– ChinaCorps Commander Level Meeting was held at the ChushulMoldo border meeting point on the Chinese side on Sunday. “A frank and in-depth discussion was held between the two sides on the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector so as to restore peace and tranquillity in the border areas, which will enable progress in bilateral relations,” official release said. activities along the border areas to strengthen their respective positions. The Indian side has been raising the issue of the Depsang plains, Demchok and disengagement by both sides repeatedly. The corps commander-level talks started to resolve the matters between the two sides in the eastern Ladakh area after the Chinese side tried to alter the status quo on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) by aggressively moving forward with heavy weaponry and a large number of troops in 2020 during the initial period of the Covid pandemic. The Chinese side does not seem to be in a hurry to resolve the issues and is not allowing any forward movement to take place on the legacy issues like the Depsang plains. India, China agree to maintain security, stability along western sector of LAC in military talks From the Indian side, the meeting was led by Fire and Fury Corps Commander Lt Gen Rashim Bali and an equivalent rank officer from the Chinese side, defence sources told ANI. The meeting took place after a gap of five months. The last meeting between the two sides at the Corps Commander level was held in December last year. The meeting came as the two sides are engaged in rapid construction
FRIDAY APRIL 28, 2023 9 Sale Ends 5/31/2023 MP: PM Modi lays foundation stones for renovation of Gwalior railway station, electrification of Birlanagar-Udimod railway line Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], April 25 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually laid the foundation stones for two railway projects for Gwalior district, which include renovation of Gwalior railway station and rail electrification of Birlanagar-Udimod railway line. Both projects will be implemented at a cost of Rs 534 crores, of which Rs 462 crores will be spent on the renovation work. PM Modi virtually joined the programme organised by the North Central Railway at the LNIPE Institute in Gwalior. The 145-year-old Gwalior railway station will get a state-of-the-art makeover as part of the project. Speaking on the occasion, state Energy Minister Pradhuman Singh Tomar, said, “I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for upgrading the Gwalior railway station at a cost of Rs 462 crores. I also express my gratitude to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Gwalior MP Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar.” Gwalior Member of Parliament (MP) Vivek Narayan Shejwalkar said, “Such development works should not be linked with elections, they represent a continuous process of development.Therenovation plan was prepared about four years ago when I was freshly elected an MP. It gives me great work that the work started today and will be completed by December 2024.” “I have made another request to the Railways that the trains which go to the north-east side through Jhansi, should pass through Gwalior via Etawah to Prayagraj. If the idea is implemented, it will come as a big present for the people of Gwalior. There are many other issues about which I will talk to Prime Minister Modi,” he added. The general manager of Jhansi Railway Division, Satish Kumar, said, “I was posted in Gwalior in 1991. Now this station will become a grand one and the makeover will be completed by December 2024. It will be a great achievement. We inspected this area some time back and an announcement has been made to connect Etawah and Gwalior. Permission has been received from the Railway Board and construction work is ongoing. A passenger train will be started from Gwalior to Etawah in Uttar Pradesh within 15 days and it will have stops at all stations on the route.” The Gwalior railway station was established in the year 1878 by the Scindia dynasty. After this, the Scindia royal family renovated the railway station, giving it a heritage look in 1940. About 40,000 passengers arrive and depart from Gwalior railway station in 24 hours. Currently, about 170 trains stop at Gwalior railway station. In the coming days, it is expected to cater to 1.4 lakh passengers everyday. ‘Modi’ surname case: Patna HC stays trial court order against Rahul Gandhi Patna (Bihar) [India], April 25 (ANI): The Patna High Court on Monday granted relief to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the ‘Modi surname’case, putting a stay on the order of the trial court. Advocate Ansul, who appeared for Rahul Gandhi, argued that once the petitioner has been tried and convicted by the lower court below in Surat (Gujarat) for the same offence — for his public statement on the surname ‘Modi’ — the present prosecution in this state for the same offence cannot proceed any further. The advocate submitted further that the judgment of the Jharkhand High Court was passed much before the conviction of the petitioner by the Surat court and therefore, the question that the prosecution of the petitioner is barred under Section 300 of the Cr.P.C. was not been considered. Noting the submissions, Justice Sandeep Kumar on Monday listed the case on 15.05.2023 for further hearing. Till the next date of hearing, further proceedings of the lower court in connection with the case shall remain stayed. Earlier, Patna’s lower court had asked the Congress leader to appear and present his case in connection with a petition filed against him by former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi in 2019 for the former’s alleged objectionable remark on the ‘Modi’ surname. This is another case in connection with the same remark that Rahul made in 2019, while campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections in Kolar, Karnataka.
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