Gorakhpur zone tops action by ‘Anti Romeo Squad’

Gorakhpur zone, which also comprises the home district of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, accounts for the maximum 64 percent of police cases filed by the ‘Anti Romeo Squad’ in the state.

The Yogi government had constituted the squad under UP Police to spearhead the state-wide drive against eve teasing in public places, such as parks and educational institutions.

So far, the squad had lodged 538 First Information Report (FIR) in the state, of which Gorakhpur zone alone accounts for 341 cases or almost 64 percent. At the same, the zone comprised 816 of the total 1,264 accused booked by the squad between March 22 and May 28, 2017 by cops.

Gorakhpur zone comprises 3 police ranges viz. Devipatan, Basti and Gorakhpur; and 11 districts, including Bahraich, Balrampur, Gonda, Sravasti, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Siddarth Nagar, Deoria, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj and Kushi Nagar.

Meerut zone topped among the 8 zones in UP for the total number of checks and swoop downs conducted by the squad during the period with 18 percent.

According to the consolidated figures, the Anti Romeo Squad had so far issued warning to nearly 3,39,000 persons under the state-wide drive after checking over 20,000 places and spots, including parks, schools, stands, railway stations, shopping malls and other public places.

FIIs invested Rs 50,000 crore in India this year

Foreign institutional investors (FII) have been bullish on India and have collectively invested nearly Rs 50,000 crore during the first five months (Jan-May) in the current 2017 calendar year.

This has been attributed to improved business sentiments and equity markets hitting record highs over the past few weeks.

Besides, the domestic retail investors have been investing Rs 4,000 crore a month in mutual funds instruments.

“The equity sentiments have been positive in India and retail investors have been bullish in their investment decisions, especially systematic investment plan (SIPs),” Principal PNB Asset Management Company chief investment officer Rajat Jain said here.

The tier II and III towns are showing promise and emerging as good equity and investment hubs.

The domestic funds industry had clocked cumulative growth of nearly 50 percent over the last two years and total asset under management (AUM) of mutual fund industry had touched the level of Rs 18,00,000 crore.

Principal PNB is a joint venture between US-based Principal Group and public sector Punjab National Bank, which is a minority share holder in the joint venture company. At present, it has AUM of nearly Rs 6,000 crore with about 4,00,000 customers pan India.

India scores diplomatic victory against Pakistan

In a major diplomatic and judicial victory for India at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), an 11-judge ICJ Bench today put on abeyance the execution order of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav until further notice.

Jadhav, an Indian national, had been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court, after a brief and surreptitious trial, wherein he was not allowed consular access nor to meet his family. Pakistan claimed Jadhav was an Indian spy and tasked with causing subversive activities.

 In its verdict, the ICJ Bench held prima facie the Vienna Convention applied to the Kulbhushan Jadhav case. The case has become a major sticking point between the two nuclear powers of India and Pakistan.

“The decision to stay Jadhav’s execution pending ICS hearing is unanimous,” ICJ President Ronny Abraham observed. The Bench observed the 150-day clemency given by Pakistan, which ends in August suggests execution could occur imminently thereafter.

 The court pronounced its verdict on India’s plea to restrain Jadhav’s execution by Pakistan. On Monday, India had moved ICJ seeking immediate intervention by the Court to expunge the death verdict.

India has always maintained Jadhav was a former Indian Navy officer and now a businessman with trade interests in Iran and other countries. According to the Indian position, Jadhav was kidnapped by the Taliban from Iran and then handed over to Pakistan authorities.

UP to be ‘open defecation free’ by Oct 2018

 The Yogi Adityanath government is aiming to achieve open defecation free (ODF) status for Uttar Pradesh by October 2018.

To achieve this target, the government would construct about 15.5 million toilets across 75 districts in the state. The government would on-board 1,50,000 masons, who would be imparted two months’ technical training in this regard.

Under Swachh Bharat Mission, UP is working towards making all its 59,000 gram panchayats ODF by October 2018, which would correspond to the incumbent Yogi regime completing one-and-half years in office.

While, 30 districts are being targetted to be ODF by December 2017, the remaining districts would come on board by October 2018, UP additional chief secretary (panchayati raj) Chanchal Kumar Tiwari said.

One of the flagship projects of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Swachh Bharat Mission is estimated to cost nearly Rs 62,000 crore, of which the private sector has been envisaged to contribute nearly 70 percent or a little over Rs 42,500 crore. Of the public sector expenditure, the Centre is mandated to provide about Rs 14,600 crore, while the state/union territories (UT) would contribute about Rs 4,900 crore.

The Mission, which was launched by Modi on October 2, 2014, is being implemented in all the 4,041 statutory towns and cities across India. It aims at eliminating open defecation and manual scavenging, besides promoting modern and scientific municipal solid waste management.

Yogi targets Rs 41,610 crore in fresh crop loan advances

In the backdrop of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet announcing crop loan waiver of over Rs 36,000 crore, the Uttar Pradesh cabinet has now set a target of disbursing Rs 41,610 crore as fresh crop loans to farmers in the 2017 kharif season.

The government would also disburse 4.7 million Kisan Credit Cards to help farmers avail loans for input procurement. UP is targetting to double farmers’ income over the next five years.

On April 4, the Yogi cabinet had announced crop loan wavier of Rs 30,729 crore. An additional Rs 5,630 crore was announced to be written off in non-performing assets (NPA) accumulated by banks in the agricultural sector. Thus, the total relief amounted to Rs 36,359 crore, benefitting 8.6 million farmers in the state.

There are about 23 million farmers in UP, of which about 92.5 per cent, or roughly 21.5 million belong to the small and marginal segments.

Meanwhile, the state government has set a target of 9.16 million hectares of acreage in the current 2017 kharif cropping season. Likewise, it is targetting about 5 per cent increase in the kharif production from 18.51 million tonnes in 2016 to 19.46 million tonnes this year.

Of the kharif crop, the paddy crop is estimated to clock 5.6 per cent higher production in 2017 to 15.13 million tonnes from 14,39 million tonnes in 2016, although paddy acreage is not likely to rise, thus indicating better yield.

What makes ‘Bhabhiji ghar par hain’ click!

Every night, an ordinary Indian household, especially in the Hindi belt of the North, the entire family sits close and tune in to the laugh riot of ‘Bhabhiji ghar par hain’ being dished out on the idiot box.

The popular sitcom has completed three years on TV and continues its strong run, although a female lead was replaced last year owing to differences with the producer. Even her departure was soon forgotten and the viewers lapped up the new female lead in the serial, which shows its strong brand equity.

Not only women and children, but the sitcom has been mesmerising even the male audiences with its rather simple story narrations and plots.

But, what really clicks with its aficionados and kept its popularity soaring high? Its main actors have become popular with the general audience cutting across socioeconomic barriers and their screen names are more in currency than their real ones.

I thin, the main reason for its popularity lies in the clean entertainment and comedy relief that the people get at the day’s end, while the sitcom also narrates stories of everyday life. Even the lingo is colloquial which ignites a known and homely feeling with the serial. Its next door characters and settings are other bonuses.

The peeping toms of Vibhuti Narain and Tiwari ji in search of a glimpse of their neighbourhood bhabhis keep the viewers in split. The antics of the two bhabhis has endeared them to the scores of women and of course men, the young and old alike in equal measure.

Then there are the sidekicks of Happu Singh, a bribe taking yet harmless and potbellied cop, who is seen chewing pan and mouthing hilarious one liners. The local ruffians of Tika and Malkhan along with a near lunatic Saxena ji, dishy Gulfan Kali, lecherous Prem et al complete the picture, leaving the audiences asking for more.