Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 27 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday moved a special calling attention motion during Zero Hour session in the Tamil Nadu assembly in connection with alleged malpractices in the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC).While moving the resolution in the state assembly, AIADMK leader Palaniswami said, "Two days ago, TNPSC released results for Group 4 and Land Survivor exams. Some 700 candidates passed out from a specific training centre which is at Karaikudi. This has raised doubts.""Similarly, around 2000 candidates have passed in Group 4 exam from a specific Training Center at Tenkasi. This result has triggered a controversy on social media," he added.Palaniswami demanded an explanation from the Tamil Nadu government. "It is worrying that many complications are happening in TNPSC exams. The government has to give a proper explanation for this," he said. Meanwhile in his response, Finance and Human Resource Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said that he will give a detailed explanation soon as the HRD department in the State is looking into the allegations. "I will give a detailed explanation regarding TNPSC allegations on some other day. When I got this news of allegations against TNPSC from social media and news outlets, I called the Human Resources Department Secretary and asked him to get clarification from TNPSC Officials," he said. Minister PTR further stated that the State needs upgradation of its practices of conducting exams and consultations with Chief Minister MK Stalin are going on in this regard. "One day I received a document asking for an additional Rs 45 crore more from the budget to conduct Group 4 exams. For 7,000 vacancies, 24 lakh people applied. Around 2400 centres were used and for this 6,000-7000 invigilators were needed. In today's times, this system of conducting examinations is faulty," the minister said."To fill 7000 vacancies, 24 lakh people are writing exams so this is an example of a highly inefficient model. In the age of technology, many forest trees are being uprooted. Rs 45 crore is being spent to conduct an exam in one day. This system needs to be corrected and after a discussion with Chief Minister, we are taking measures. I need everyone's support in this," he added. Over the last couple of days unverified allegations have been circulating on social media that around 2000 candidates from a specific Training Centre at Tenkasi, have cleared the Group 4 exams. Leader of the Opposition Palaniswami raised the issue in the Tamil Nadu assembly during zero hour. (ANI)

Patna (Bihar) [India], March 27 (ANI): On the occasion of the Chaiti Chhath, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reached BJP MLC Sanjay Mayukh's house to eat 'Kharna Prasad'.Along with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar many leaders from Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) and Congress also reached Sanjay Mayukh's house to eat 'Kharna Prasad'.MLC Sanjay Mayukh invited CM Nitish Kumar and many leaders from RJD and Congress parties. Chief Miniter Nitish Kumar reached the house of Sanjay Mayukh in the evening.After Chief Minister Nitish Kumar met the Bhartiya Janta Party leader, a new political discussion started in the state.In the past CM Nitish Kumar has kept silent even on the matter of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and seems to be separating from the whole issue, although CM Nitish Kumar's party leaders are seen standing in support of Rahul Gandhi. (ANI)

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], March 27(ANI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a meeting with the officials and discussed the matter of compensation for the farmers in the wake of crop loss due to bad weather.Heavy damage to crops was reported due to the bad weather in North India. Crops of the farmers from many districts in Punjab were destroyed, after which farmers were demanding compensation. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann personally visited the crop fields to assess the damage to crops along with several officials. After the assessment of crops, he held a meeting with the officials. Taking it to Twitter CM Bhagwant Mann released a video on his personal account and told that, "We have changed the way of compensation of the previous government and now unlike the previous government, we will not only announce compensation but also give it".We will not distribute cheques of Rs 54 or Rs 111, but timely compensation will be given to the farmers in a transparent manner, he added.CM Bhagwant Mann told that earlier Rs 12,000 was given for a 75 per cent to 100 per cent loss, but now Rs 15,000 will be given for a 75 per cent to 100 per cent loss. In the previous government, Rs 5400 was given for 33 per cent to 50 per cent loss, but now Rs 6750 will be given.Taking it to CMO Punjab Twitter he said, "The labourers will get 10 per cent as compensation adding that Rs 95,100 will be paid as compensation to full house damage whereas Rs 5,200 will be given for minor damage to houses. The state government will soon introduce a crop insurance scheme for the farmers".(ANI)

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], March 27 (ANI): Senior IAS and former Principal Secretary to CM Hemant Soren, Rajiv Arun Ekka reached Enforcement Directorate's zonal office in Ranchi to join the probe in a viral video case on Monday, said an official. The development came after BJP leader Babulal Marandi released a video featuring Rajiv Arun Ekka, where he is seen signing a file, allegedly at a private office owned by one Vishal Chaudhary, who is already under the scanner of the agency in connection with the Pooja Singhal money laundering case.After the video surfaced, ED summoned Rajiv Arun and asked him to appear before the agency on March 15. He didn't turn up on March 15, and sought time till the Jharkhand Assembly Budget Session. On the second summon, he appeared on March 27.Ekka, who also held additional charge of the home, prisons and disaster management and information and public relations, besides being principal secretary to the chief minister, was transferred to the Panchayati Raj department within hours after the BJP released the video levelling serious allegations against him.Taking cognisance of the incident, the state government has also constituted the one-member commission of inquiry headed by former high court chief justice Vinod Kumar Gupta, with a mandate of submitting its finding report in six months. In May last year, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Jharkhand mining secretary Pooja Singhal in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged embezzlement of MGNREGA funds and other charges. (ANI)

Kaziranga (Assam) [India], March 27 (ANI): Ahead of President Droupadi Murmu's visit to Assam's Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, poachers killed a one-horned rhinoceros in the national park and took away its horn.This is the first rhino poaching incident in Kaziranga Park this year. The last poaching incident took place in the national park in December 2021.According to the park authorities, the forest staff of the park found a dehorned rhino carcass inside the park area near Kathpara forest camp under the Bagori range office on Sunday evening.Jatindra Sarma, Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, said that the incident took place in an area that is remote. The forest staff of the park found the dehorned carcass in an area near Kathpara forest camp inside the park, he said."We suspect that the rhino was killed by poachers a few days back. One live cartridge was found near the spot," Jatindra Sarma said.He said that it is an unfortunate incident and we didn't expect this. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): Bhartiya Janta Party MLA Ajay Mahawar raised the issue of stray dogs in the Delhi assembly."Stray dogs killed two brothers in three days in Vasant Kunj. Over 100 people are attacked by dogs every day in Delhi", he said."A house committee was also formed under the chairmanship of the house member, Somnath Bharti, which gave its report in December 2019, this report should be implemented. And also a place should be marked where all the stray dogs are kept", said MLA Ajay Mahawar.Taking suo moto cognizance of the media reports of two minor brothers who were mauled to death allegedly by stray dogs in a forest area in southwest Delhi's Vasant Kunj, the National Commision for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued a summon on March 13 to Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner to appear before it on March 17. The child rights body said that the children (aged seven and five) were attacked two days apart and scummed to their injuries in separate incidents.Two brothers, aged seven and five years, were allegedly killed by stray dogs in two incidents in Delhi's Vasant Kunj area within two days. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday tagged Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha's plea saying as per norms a woman cannot be summoned for questioning before ED in office and her questioning should take place at her residence with other similar petition and listed the matter after three weeks.A bench of justices Ajay Rastogi and Bela M Trivedi tagged the matter along with a similar petition by Nalini Chidambaram. The court listed the matter after three weeks and asked the parties concerned to file a note on the issue.Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLC K Kavitha, who is the daughter of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, in her plea challenging the summons issued by ED against her, said as per norms a woman cannot be summoned for questioning before ED in office and her questioning should take place at her residence.Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Kavitha, said that whether she needs to be interrogated at home or in Delhi, Court is seized of and has issued a notice in similar petitions of Nalini Chidambaram and Abhishek BanerjeeAdditional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for ED said that Section 160 CrPC will not apply in PMLA cases as per the Supreme Court judgement in the Vijay Madanlal Choudhary matterSenior Advocate Sibal said that this issue was not before Vijay Madanlal Choudhary of the PMLA case. He submitted that there is no procedure under PMLA for summons.He said that the summons issued to Kavitha is for investigation and the PMLA says if there is no procedure then Code will apply.Kavitha is being quizzed by ED in connection with a money laundering case related to Delhi excise policy irregularities matter.In a petition filed through advocate Vandana Sehgal, Kavitha has urged the top court to quash the ED summons dated March 7 and 11 stating that asking her to appear before the agency office instead of her residence is contrary to the settled tenets of criminal jurisprudence and thus, wholly unsustainable in law being violative of the Proviso to Section 160 of Cr.P.C.She has also sought that all procedures carried out by ED, including those in relation to the recording of statements be audio or videographed in the presence of her lawyer at a visible distance inter-alia by way of installation of appropriate CCTV cameras.She has also sought to set aside impounding order dated March 11 2023 and declare the seizure made thereunder null and void.In the petition, she said, "Despite the petitioner, Kavitha not being named in the FIR, certain members of the incumbent ruling political party at the Center made scandalous statements linking the Petitioner to the Delhi Excise Policy and the said FIR.""The political conspiracy against the petitioner (K Kavitha) unfortunately did not end with judicial intervention by way of the Suit. The Enforcement Directorate filed a remand application qua one of the accused on November 30, 2022, before the concerned Court. This remand application contained the personal contact details of the petitioner. There was no rhyme or reason to include the personal contact details of the petitioner in a remand application which did not even concern the petitioner. The act is all the more egregious considering the Petitioner is a lady," BRS leader said."The subsequent events are extremely shameful and in the belief of the Petitioner, were orchestrated by the Enforcement Directorate at the behest of the members of the incumbent ruling party at the Center, as part of a larger conspiracy against the Petitioner," she said.K Kavitha further added that the said remand application containing the contact details of the Petitioner were leaked to the media and the public."The remand application was shared extensively over social media. Such an act is petty, illegal, and an unfortunate reflection upon the malicious conduct of the Enforcement Directorate in consonance with the political party in power at Center," Kavitha said.Kavitha said that ED has also denied her request seeking to be examined at her residence, and the probe agency made a categorical statement that "there is no provision under the PMLA for the recording of statements at any persons' residence"."That immediately thereafter on March 8, 2023, at 11:03 pm, the Petitioner sent an email asserting her rights to be examined at her residence. However, the Petitioner after reserving her rights intimated to the Respondent that she will appear before them on March 11, 2023," Kavitha added. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 27, (ANI): Delhi's Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena on Monday approved the proposal made by the Training Department of Union Territory Civil Services (UTCS) for the training of Delhi Civil Servants at the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), informed the government through a release.In the training program middle and senior level officers (DANICS & IAS) of GNCTD, will go for residential training at IIMs-Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Kolkata for training as a part of "Vision@2047" and "Mission2023". The training programs will be in addition to those under the "Karmyogi Bharat" and envisage to train decision-makers in the contemporarily relevant spheres like Public Private Partnership, Change Management, Leadership and Decision Science.Earlier, UTCS had moved this proposal of collaboration with the IIMs after suggestions for comprehensive training were made by the Lt. Governor himself only. As of now under the "Karmyogi Bharat" program, training programs on different topics are available on iGOT (Integrated Government Online Training) platform and it offers courses like Dakshta and Karmyogi Prarambh which educate IAS about leave rules, noting and drafting, office procedure, Code of Conduct for Government employees, stress management, effective communication, MS-word, MS-excel etc. It may be noted that the last such program for 24 DANICS officers on "Management Development" at IIM-Ahmedabad was conducted in 2011-12 and thereafter for 30 officers in 2012-13. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], March 27 (ANI): Within minutes of the commencement of proceedings, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day today and the House will resume on Tuesday.The loggerhead between the treasury bench and opposition parliamentarians continued as the latter continued to register their protest. Principal opposition party Congress shouted slogans over the Adani-Hindenburg issue and Rahul Gandhi's disqualification from the parliament.The opposition MPs were seen donning black clothes today and they marched towards the Vijay Chowk.On Friday, Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as a member of the Lok Sabha, a day after a Surat court sentenced him to two years imprisonment in a defamation case filed against him over his 'Modi surname' remark.In April 2019, he made the remark "how come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname" at a Lok Sabha election rally at Kolar in Karnataka. The court approved Rahul Gandhi's bail on a surety and stayed the sentence for 30 days to allow him to approach the higher courts.The Congress has since the start of the Budget session of Parliament been registering their protest over the Adani-Hindbenburg issue and questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's relation with the Adani Group. Congress had been demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee-led probe into the Adani issue and staged protests in the Parliament.The ongoing second part of the Budget Session began was scheduled for March 13-April 6. (ANI)

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 27 (ANI): Sarus crane, whose 'friendship' with Arif Khan Gurjar from Mandka village in the State has warmed many hearts has been relocated to Kanpur from Rae Bareli on Sunday by the forest department officials.The bird is quarantined for 15 days in Kanpur zoo. Forest department officials on Tuesday took the bird away from Arif stating that the bird needs to live in its natural environment."It was brought yesterday and has been put under quarantine for 15 days. A veterinarian was also present. All protocols are being followed. We have kept it away from the general public and monitoring it 24 hrs", said Naved Ikram, Regional forest officer, Kanpur zoo.Videos of the crane following Arif everywhere and flying alongside his motorcycle had been widely shared on social media and the bond between man and bird had become a head turner with passersby clicking videos and photos of the duo.Arif had saved the injured bird's life and nursed it to recovery at his home. The bird formed a bond with the man and used to follow it everywhere.Earlier on Thursday, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Sarus crane is now "missing" from the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareilly where it had been released by forest officials.He said that "bird lovers from around the world will agitate" if the state government is unable to find the 'Sarus'.The SP leader took to Twitter to post, "The famous Sarus, which was forcibly taken away from Amethi by the UP Forest Department and released in the Samaspur Bird Sanctuary in Rae Bareilly, is now missing. Such government negligence towards the state bird of UP is a serious matter. The BJP government should immediately find the Sarus, otherwise, the bird lovers of the whole world will agitate. Shameful".Akhilesh Yadav further stated that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath can even christen the bird as he wishes but he should save the bird's life.Earlier Akhilesh Yadav had met Arif, who was keeping this bird inside the house in Amethi district's Mandkha village. Akhilesh Yadav on Twitter wrote that UP forest department action shows that BJP finds happiness by giving sorrow to others. "The BJP people do not love the environment of love, whether it is love between man and man or between man and bird. Those who find their happiness by giving sorrow to others can never be happy," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted.Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday also said that UP Government took this action because he had gone to meet with Arif.Addressing a press conference, the SP leader said, "It is because I went to meet that person the bird was snatched from him. Is this democracy? Government should also take away peacocks from those who were feeding grains to the bird".It has to be noted that the Sarus crane is the state bird of Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)