
India to become world's 3rd-largest economy by 2029, claims Sonowal
Dibrugarh: Union minister of ports, shipping & waterways
Sarbananda Sonowal
on Saturday said India was firmly in position to become the world's third-largest economy by 2029, attributing the successful trajectory to 11 years of
PM Narendra Modi
's "decisive and corruption-free" governance, reports Rajib Dutta.
Speaking at a press conference in Dibrugarh to commemorate the NDA govt's 11th anniversary, the senior BJP leader said, "In just one decade, over 25 crore Indians have risen above poverty. That's more than the population of most European countries. This is the Modi guarantee — deliver with speed, scale and honesty," Sonowal said.
The Union minister highlighted India's remarkable economic progress, noting that the country's current status as the fourth-largest global economy was just the beginning of its ascent.
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Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
State Gives Compensation to Families of Saptashrungi Building Collapse Victims
Thane: BJP MLA Sulabha Gaikwad, on behalf of the state govt, on Saturday provided Rs 5 lakh as compensation to the families of each of the six people who died after falling from a part of the Saptashrungi building in Kalyan (East) last month. Last month on May 20 , six persons, including four women and a two-year-old child, were killed and four others were injured after a slab of the top floor of a four-storey building in Kalyan collapsed on the lower floors. After the incident, CM Devendra Fadnavis declared compensation of Rs 5 lakh to each family. Subsequently, cheques of compensation were given on Saturday by MLA Sulabha Gaikwad to all six families in her office in Kalyan East.


Time of India
41 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘PMK is in my control. Where's the doubt?'
You have been leading this party since its formation. Where does it stand now in terms of political influence? I founded this party on July 16, 1989. Today, it's strong, spread across Tamil Nadu, and 95% of the cadres stand with me. They see me as one of them — some even as a god. In 36 years, I've seen victories and defeats like any party. I visited 96,000 villages. Just look at my feet — they're proof of my journey. Who holds the party reins now? You promised to step down after the election but within 24 hours changed your stance. Now you say you will remain in charge indefinitely. The party is in my control. Where is the doubt? I made a mistake saying I will hold control over the party only until the 2026 assembly election. Why does PMK shift alliances often? We need ideological alignment and a strong ally. During one election, when AIADMK wasn't at its peak, J Jayalalithaa aligned with us. She came to my office with a bouquet and called me her 'brother' in front of the media. That alliance gave AIADMK a new lease of life. Later, we aligned with DMK, and in the last Lok Sabha polls, we were with BJP. Who is the better ally? AIADMK is a better partner, ideologically and electorally. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Yaşlılar İçin Kurulum Gerektirmeyen Mobil Merdiven Asansörleri (Nasıl Bulunur Rehberi) Knowledge Knower Undo Now, don't ask why DMK is not like that. Have there been differences between you and Anbumani over allies? Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, I wanted to align with AIADMK; Anbumani initially agreed but later shifted to BJP. PMK and AIADMK are natural allies. BJP is still growing, so a win with them isn't easy. In any election, we need ideology and winnability. We must decide based on these factors. Have Narendra Modi or Amit Shah been in touch with you? Neither has contacted me. What is your understanding of Anbumani's motives for aligning with BJP? Yamondrum ariyen paraparame (Oh God! I don't know anything). Have there been feelers from M K Stalin, Edappadi K Palaniswami, or actor Vijay, extending moral support? None of them has contacted me. Anbumani and wife Sowmya are silent over allegations you have levelled against them. Vadivel Ramanan, an SC member from Theni, is our general secretary for four terms. As per PMK bylaws, only an SC member can be general secretary. When he came here a week ago, I asked him to stay with me. By then, Anbumani told him to go to Madurai and promised to put him up in a luxurious hotel. (Ramadoss on Saturday sacked Vadivel Ramanan). The bylaws specify the president's role and election process, suggesting a democratic approach to settle leadership disagreements. Are you talking about the general council? I announced the appointment of Mukundan, my daughter's son, as youth wing president, a position previously held by Anbumani, which angered him. He threw the microphone. Later, when family members gathered for the Pongal festival here, talks turned into angry exchanges. I uttered a few words about Anbumani and left, which I can't reveal now. His mother asked him if he would be happy if his second daughter was given the post instead. Anbumani threw a water bottle at her. Luckily, it only hit the wall. Can you do this to a mother? Mother is a goddess. Similarly, no advice is greater than a father's words. Lord Rama left Ayodhya honouring the word of his father, King Dasaratha. Lyricist Na Muthukumar wrote, 'Deivangal ellam thotre pogum, Thandhai anbin munnae, Thalattu padum thayin anbum, Thanthai anbin pinnae (Gods face defeat before the love of father; Love of a mother who sings lullabies comes after the love of a father)'. I loved Anbumani like that. I did everything for him. I hugged him and shed tears of joy upon his election as party president. Also, I declared that women from my family should not take responsibilities in the party. The current situation appears to contradict that. Anbumani has denied behaving badly with his mother. My daughter Srikanthi is a witness. There seems a lack of support from the family, particularly your wife, relating to efforts to remove Anbumani? I recently decided to visit Dharmapuri and Salem, districts I love, to meet with cadres. He told friends there were conditions for my visit, which included a ban on using microphones, a limit of 200 participants, and meeting with partymen only at the hotel. How can he do this when I am the founder? Who enjoys more support of office bearers and vanniyar community? Go to four villages and ask this. Did Anbumani propose a compromise when he met you last week? He visited, but there have been no talks of compromise. The solution to the current crisis is appointing him as a working president as he must go to every town, engage with the youth, and help the party grow before the election. He should affirm his commitment to follow my guidance and express his willingness to work as a cadre, without holding the position of working president. Chief minister M K Stalin is an example. My friend Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi) remained active in a wheelchair till 94. During an allies' meeting, I suggested he delegate responsibilities to Stalin. Within a week, Stalin was made deputy chief minister and today, leads the state. You called on Stalin in 2023. That was to request a caste census for 10.5% internal reservation for vanniyars. Anbumani publicly offered support to DMK if vanniyars are granted a 15% internal quota. I am ready to align with DMK if it offers a 15% quota for vanniyars. What prompted you to announce Mukundan's appointment as PMK youth wing president at a party meeting? After Anbumani's promotion, a vacancy opened up, and film producer G K M Tamil Kumaran was offered the post. When Kumaran informed Anbumani, he told him to resign immediately and tear up the appointment order. I advised him not to. Later, while Kumaran and his family were in Puducherry for a general council meeting, Anbumani called me and insisted Kumaran shouldn't attend. Kumaran eventually stayed away. Two months later, I told him to tear up the appointment order. I then appointed Mukundan, knowing he would support both of us. When a council meeting was held in Chennai, Mukundan asked if he could attend. I said yes. Later, Anbumani asked him if he was my political advisor. Any plans for a general council? It will be decided after consultation with district secretaries. In that case, aren't Anbumani's district-wise scheduled general council meetings forbidden? I feel the same. Cadres are upset by the fall-out as it comes barely a year ahead of the election. They are more than cadres. They are my life and will stand behind me until my last breath. Why are these issues taken to the media instead of being discussed privately? I have been holding press conferences on Thursdays for a long time. I will continue to respond to queries from the media. Email your feedback to


The Hindu
41 minutes ago
- The Hindu
India needs a sincere aircraft accident investigation
In a country where every life lost in an aircraft accident should result in justice, transparency, and reform, we find ourselves, instead, battling a system that is seemingly designed to obscure the truth. On paper, India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is a statutory and autonomous investigative body. In reality, it is anything but independent. It functions as an office of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the very same authority that oversees airlines, regulates aviation through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and, crucially, appoints the leadership of the AAIB and the DGCA. This structure presents an apparent conflict of interest. In railway accidents, investigations are typically carried out by the Commissioner of Railway Safety or, occasionally, a judicial authority, and not by the Ministry of Railways. Although, technically, under the MoCA, the Commissioner is functionally independent of railway operators, this ensures that those running trains are not the ones investigating the derailments. But in aviation, the MoCA controls airline operations and accident investigations. Stop the firefighting The accident on June 12, 2025, at Ahmedabad was not just an operational occurrence. It was a full-fledged aircraft accident that should serve as a wake-up call. Is India's aviation safety framework keeping pace with its exponential growth? There have been a number of helicopter crashes, accidents involving flying schools, there was a weather-related incident in May 2025 that affected a Delhi-Srinagar IndiGo flight, and, in addition, troubling ground handling lapses, that include the cancellation of ground handler Çelebi Aviation's permit over security concerns. These are not isolated incidents but point to something more profound. Are we identifying and fixing risks before they become headlines? Or are we merely reacting? We cannot keep firefighting. We need a system that prevents failures, and not just manages the damage. The high-level committee appointed to investigate the Air India AI171 crash must go beyond reviewing a single event. It must recognise that India's aviation ecosystem has outgrown the current National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP). In a complete revamp of the NCAP, 'safety' should be deeply woven into every regulation, operation and decision. That is how we prepare for the responsibilities that come with being one of the largest aviation markets in the world. A report that told inconvenient truths The Air Marshal J.K. Seth Committee Report in 1997 was India's most honest and far-reaching review of aviation safety. But it was quietly buried because it told the truth. It highlighted key systemic flaws: fragmented oversight; lack of independence; inadequate training and resources, and regulatory capture. These issues remain largely unresolved. Any new committee must reckon with these truths and not repeat the pattern of superficial reviews and buried reports. Too many accident reports have internal contradictions. In an accident in 2001, that claimed the life of a former Union Minister, 'entry into the cloud' was cited as the cause, while the meteorology section confirmed that there were no clouds around. Was it a mistake or does it point to something else? Overloading was evident in the Indian Airlines crash (IC491) in Aurangabad in 1993. Yet, the final report did not spell it out so clearly. This writer has pursued data for years in another case of suspected overloading on an Air India Express flight (IX611), in October 2018, from Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu to Dubai, only to be denied access. What is being protected? The Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 make one point clear — that the purpose of an investigation is to prevent future accidents, and not to assign blame. Yet, law enforcement and courts routinely misuse the AAIB's findings. The police, lacking the expertise and jurisdiction in aviation matters, rely almost entirely on the AAIB's reports, treating them as conclusive. The AAIB's findings are meant for safety learning, and not legal prosecution. When these reports are interpreted outside their technical scope, truth becomes a casualty. Investigating officers unfamiliar with aviation treat the AAIB's 'probable cause' as a legal verdict. The judiciary focuses on what is immediately visible, while the AAIB is meant to dig deeper. But both often end up blaming the pilot, the case is closed and the truth is left behind. Why is pilot error so often the conclusion? Because it is convenient. Legally, it simplifies matters. From an insurance standpoint, a conclusion of pilot error helps expedite payouts. It closes the loop quickly, shielding other accountable entities — airlines, maintenance providers, and air traffic control, from scrutiny. The pilot becomes the system's scapegoat, even in death. A front to protect people Too often, accident investigations in India are reshaped to protect institutions, and not the people they serve. The MoCA holds all the levers, policy, regulation, appointments and investigations. With that much control, real accountability becomes a myth. Each time a family receives a hollow, contradictory report instead of honest answers, the system not only fails but also breaks faith. At times, the structure is so well-insulated from responsibility that it has perfected the art of getting away with murder — through delay, dilution and the quiet deletion of truth. The International Civil Aviation Organization's State Safety Briefing (2022) says that India has had zero fatal accidents recently. But 21 lives were lost in the Kozhikode air crash in August 2020. The recommendations in the investigation and those of the committee to review the accident report have not been implemented duly. There is no accountability. No systemic change. Just silence. India cannot claim global leadership in aviation while hiding behind data. Absolute safety comes from integrity. These are the steps needed. First, move the AAIB and DGCA to an independent statutory body that reports to Parliament. Second, stop having parallel committees that bypass or undermine established investigative bodies. Third, take legal steps to prevent the AAIB's findings from being used in criminal trials unless independently validated. Fourth, amend Rule 19(3) of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, which holds the powers to penalise a pilot for any mistake. There is a need to protect a pilot with a genuine no-blame culture, unless gross negligence is proven. Fifth, appoint an independent ombudsman to review how accident reports have been handled and mishandled. It is not that India lacks the talent or the tools to investigate accidents. What it lacks is the institutional courage to tell the truth. Therefore, this writer's plea. Have an honest, sincere aircraft accident investigation; one that shows that India values truth and precious lives over image. Let that be India's legacy for those lives lost, not only in the skies but also in the silence. Captain Amit Singh is an aviation safety expert, author, and Royal Aeronautical Society Fellow, pioneering human factors and cultural integration in aviation