Garhwa: ₹2,460 Cr NH Projects Launched to Boost Connectivity and Development in Jharkhand
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Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Dharmendra to visit CUO
Koraput: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan will visit the Central University of Odisha (CUO), Sunabeda, on Saturday. He will lay the foundation stone for a large-scale infrastructure project in CUO campus and inaugurate several newly-completed facilities, including the academic building, health centre, the official residence of the vice-chancellor, and residential quarters for university officers' and staff. These developments aim to upgrade academic and residential standards at the university, reinforcing its position as a centre of learning and growth, reads a varsity release. According to the release, a major highlight of the occasion will be the signing of an MoU among six premier centrally funded higher education institutions in Odisha CUO, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIM Sambalpur, NIT Rourkela, IISER Berhampur, and the National Sanskrit University, Puri. The pact is designed to foster academic synergy through multidisciplinary research, faculty and student exchange, and joint use of resources and credits, it reads. The collaboration will also focus on community engagement, particularly empowering tribal and underprivileged population, boosting digital and entrepreneurial education, and integrating traditional Indian knowledge systems — all in alignment with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020. The initiative is also expected to contribute toward improving the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education across the region.
The Hindu
5 hours ago
- The Hindu
Kerala raises concerns over proposed trade treaty with U.S.
Kerala Agriculture Minister P. Prasad has written to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, raising concerns over the proposed Indo-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA). As agriculture was a State subject, the Centre should not sign any agreements that hurt farmers, he cautioned. 'The Centre is keeping this treaty as a secret. It should disclose the details and discuss it in Parliament and with States. Even defence deals are publicised, but on this issue that impacts crores of people, there is complete silence,' Mr. Prasad told The Hindu, adding that he would write letters to Agriculture Ministers of all States urging them to raise their voice against relaxing import duties on agricultural and milk products. Mr. Prasad noted that the treaty with United Kingdom was also finalised without discussions with States. He acknowledged the Centre's efforts for tariff exemptions for the country ahead of the July 9 deadline, beyond which the United States may reimpose a 26% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods. 'However, the U.S. demand for sweeping concessions in India's agricultural and dairy sectors is deeply concerning, particularly for agrarian States like Kerala, where agriculture forms the backbone of the rural economy. After thoughtful deliberation on the far-reaching implications of such concessions, we must register our firm and unequivocal opposition to any agreement that endangers the livelihoods of millions and threatens the very foundation of Kerala's — and indeed India's — agricultural economy,' he said. The Minister pointed out that the U.S. treaty could hamper the coconut oil industry as cheap soybean oil could be imported from the U.S. without any restrictions. Any attempt to allow unchecked import of synthetic rubber would also affect Kerala's rubber farmers, he added. 'Kerala's agriculture, centred on cash crops like coconut, rubber, pepper, cardamom, tea, and coffee, supports millions of smallholder farmers. The proposed FTA poses multiple risks,' he said. Farmers organisations such as Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Samyukt Kisan Morcha (non-political) had voiced concerns over the proposed agreement with the U.S. as well. They had held protests across the country against it.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Puducherry opens sea lanes for tourists for the first time
The Union Territory is set to open up its sea lanes to tourists from Friday with the territorial administration giving its approval for a luxury cruise liner with over 1,500 passengers to berth near the coast and making arrangements for travellers to take a quick sight-seeing tour of important destinations in this former French enclave. The 210.8-metre-long M/V Empress, operated by cruise brand Cordelia Cruises, is all to anchor one km away from the Puducherry shoreline at around 6.30 a.m. on Friday with 1,231 passengers and 574 crew members as part of cruise liner's latest itinerary for travel bugs. The cruise liner had made attempts two years ago for a similar anchorage near Puducherry coast during the same time of the year, but permission was not granted due to administrative reasons. 'This time, we have decided to give the nod as the Union government considers cruise tourism an important aspect to boost travel economy. The cruise liner will be also anchoring at our coast on July 11 and 18 as part of another travel itinerary. Cordelia management offers to de-board tourists from the ship after its arrival on our coast and interested travellers will be taken to the shore in their boats,' an official told The Hindu. The boats available in the cruise will be berthed at Puducherry New Port around 10 a.m. The travellers will be taken to the yard inside the port and after security clearance they will be boarded on to the buses arranged by the Pondicherry Tourism Development Corporation. Minister for Tourism K. Lakshminarayanan said luxury buses have been arranged for taking the tourists to Auroville, The Ashram, Manakula Vinayagar Temple, and Paradise Beach. The PTDC would be able to generate revenue on the services provided to the cruise travellers while they were on the shore, he said. 'After providing air connectivity for tourists, the government has opened up the sea lanes for visitors. It will certainly trigger more economic activity and provide job opportunities for the local people as luxury cruise travellers are high-spending tourists. The government has taken all security precautions. Each of the travellers de-boarding the cruise will be well-accounted by the police and the immigration officials,' the Minister said. The arrival of the cruise liner, according to an official would help the Port Department net direct revenue from waterfront charges for berthing tender boats, godown charges and parking dues. As the ship has plenty of onboard entertainment, only a relatively smaller proportion of passengers are expected to register for a shore visit during a cruise schedule. 'We will be happy if more tourists venture out,' officials said. 'We are prepared to handle around 400 passengers from the cruise. Berthing facility has been made available at the Port after moving out some vessels berthed for maintenance works. The operation of the cruise from our coast will certainly bring in more revenue to us. We expect more cruises to make Puducherry a part of their itinerary,' the official said. Mr. Lakshminarayanan said Puducherry would be the seventh cruise destination in the country and the second Union Territory to offer berthing facility for luxury liners as part of tourism promotion. 'Some people have raised concerns about berthing of a luxury liner on the coast. No resident of Puducherry was allowed to board the ship from here. People travelling in the ship are either foreigners or from the rest of the country,' he added.
