
LDA to develop housing projects on Agra E-way, Bakshi Ka Talab
Officials presented detailed plans for both projects during a high-level review meeting chaired by housing and urban planning department secretary Balkar Singh here on Friday. Singh directed LDA officials to re-examine the schemes and prepare a detailed action plan within a week so that seed capital could be sanctioned from the Chief Minister Urban Expansion Fund.
Singh said in the meeting that Udyog Nagar will be developed over 5,610 acres along the Agra Expressway. The LDA has identified land in villages, including Bhalia, Adampur Indwara, Bahru, Jaliyamau, Madarpur, Ibrahimganj, Nakataura, Gahalwara, Tejkrishna Kheda, Revari, Sakra, and Dona, falling under Sadar and Sarojini Nagar tehsils.
Similarly, the Naimish Nagar project will come up on 2,504 acres in BKT tehsil along Sitapur-Raitha road. Villages identified for this scheme include Bhauli, Lakshmipur, Purba Gaon, Purva, Sairpur, Farrukhabad, Kodri Bhauli, Kamalabad, Kamalapur, Palhari, Gopramou, Barumou, Dhatingra, and Saidapur.
Singh also reviewed the ongoing development of IT and wellness cities, two other major LDA projects approved under the CM Urban Expansion Scheme. LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar, chief town and village planner Anil Kumar Mishra, Awas Bandhu director Ravi Jain, additional secretary Gyanendra Verma, chief town planner KK Gautam, finance controller Deepak Singh and joint secretary Sushil Pratap Singh were present in the meeting.
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Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at GSV convocation: ‘Logistics management was deciding factor in the success of Operation Sindoor'
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday credited 'efficient handling of resources' for the success of Operation Sindoor. Singh said in times of wars, emergencies or global pandemics, countries with strong logistical chains are the ones that have proven to be 'stable, secure and capable'. While virtually addressing the convocation ceremony of the Vadodara-based Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV), Singh quoted ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu and said, 'The line between disorder and order lies in logistics… the way the world is changing is impressive and shocking. Major transformations in the defence sector are not a secret… The techniques of warfare are also changing. In today's age, wars are not won only with guns and bullets. They are won with time-bound delivery of the weapons… It means that the line between victory and defeat is decided by logistics. 'The entire world has seen the live and burning example of this during Operation Sindoor. The way the logistics management was handled by various agencies – right from mobilisation of forces to transporting equipment and items needed by them at the right time and at the right place, was a deciding factor in the success of Operation Sindoor…' Singh added that logistics should not be seen as only a means to transport goods, but, instead, it should be viewed with the same importance as strategizing. 'Whether we speak about armed forces at war at the border or personnel involved in responding to disasters. In the absence of coordination and distribution of resources, even the strongest intention can weaken. Logistics is the power that converts an attempt to control; it is the discipline that makes a battlefield what it is meant to be. In the absence of logistics, a battlefield will only become a confusion zone… Today, strength is measured not just by weapons but by timely resource management,' the defence minister further said. Speaking about the logistical needs of the defence forces, he said, 'If I speak of our Army, for them logistics are weapons, fuel, rations, medicines and travelling to remote areas without delay. For our Navy, it is important to ensure that necessary spare parts and fuel are available for the ships. For the Air Force, it is necessary that the jets can fly without any interruption. This includes ground support, fuel supply and emergency coordination… It is for you to think that if we have advanced missile systems, but if the necessary electronics needed to launch them do not arrive in time, will that technology be of any use to us?' Describing Vadodara as a 'confluence' city of education, culture and technology, Singh said, 'You can also see that in the context of Vadodara, where Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus have set up a final assembly line complex for the Airbus C295 aircraft… When it is ready, it will provide its seamless services across the world. This is impossible without better logistics management…' Established as a central university under the Ministry of Railways in 2022, GSV is 'dedicated to creating world-class talent in the logistics and transportation sectors.'

The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Government rejects Congress' allegations about a ₹2.1 lakh crore organic cotton scam in Madhya Pradesh
The Government on Sunday (July 27, 2025) termed the allegations by the Indian National Congress that normal cotton was being sold as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh as being 'unfounded, unsubstantiated and misleading', saying that the Agriculture & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) takes concrete steps whenever wilful violations of organic cotton standards are found. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday (July 26, 2025) called for a court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into an alleged ₹2.1 lakh crore scam in the sale of normal cotton as organic cotton in Madhya Pradesh. 'It may be mentioned that in a press briefing by an opposition leader yesterday, unfounded, unsubstantiated and misleading aspersions are being cast against the Organic Certification programme, the National Programme of Organic Production (NPOP),' the Ministry of Commerce and Industry said in its statement. 'Generalised allegations against a robust regulatory system of the country for a particular crop/region/group of operators only serve to undermine the credibility of legitimate regulatory institutions and the broader organic movement in India,' it added. Mr. Singh said that the objective of NPOP, launched in 2001 by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and implemented by APEDA, was to certify and regulate the export of organic products. Under this framework, he explained, the NPOP accredits certification bodies, which in turn verify internal control systems. However, he alleged that most farmers who are shown as registered under the internal control systems (ICS) do not grow organic cotton. He added that the government provides these farmer groups with ₹50,000 per hectare for three years to promote organic cotton. 'In short, ICS groups have deliberately committed fraud by adding farmers' names to obtain transaction certificates,' Mr. Singh alleged. The government, however, has categorically refuted this. 'It is clarified that APEDA or the Department of Commerce does not extend any subsidy to farmers taking up organic cultivation under the NPOP,' the statement said. 'The figure of ₹50,000 per hectare and the further wrongly imputed calculations have no basis.' While the government did admit that, despite its checks and balances, 'there have been reported incidences of malpractices and misuse of grower group certification', APEDA has taken strict and concrete action against violators. 'Stringent action has been taken against the cases of wilful violation and severe non-conformities of Certification Bodies with the NPOP standards,' the statement said. 'The NPOP regulations have been revised, bringing in stricter norms in terms of legal entity of grower groups, close monitoring through ICS offices in the vicinity of the grower group, and inspection of grower groups through a mobile app is going to be started shortly.' Further, it said that new procedures have been devised for additional checks for certification of organic cotton production, including a manifold increase in the number of unannounced inspections. 'Wherever credible evidence of non-compliances/wilful violation of organic standards has been brought to light, APEDA has undertaken extensive investigation and taken concrete measures,' the government clarified. 'All such matters are subjected to structured investigation following principles of natural justice. Any Certification Body or operator found violating norms is penalised as per NPOP regulation.'


India Today
4 hours ago
- India Today
26 years of Kargil War: Veterans recall valour as India powers up its defences
As India commemorates 26 years of victory in the Kargil War, stories of bravery and sacrifice from 1999 continue to inspire a nation that has since transformed its military might and strategic infrastructure. The memory of battlefield valour is more than just history—it is the foundation of a rapidly evolving and increasingly self-reliant defence daring combat aviation missions in enemy fire zones to the groundbreaking infrastructure now transforming high-altitude warfare, the legacy of Operation Vijay lives on not only in memory, but in IN THE SKIES Major General Satinder Singh speaks to India Today Major General Satinder Singh Sena, an infantry officer from the Garhwal Rifles who served as an army aviator during the Kargil conflict, recounted harrowing moments from the war. In 1999, he was part of the two independent US flight based at Sharifabad, one of the first aviation units inducted for combat operations in Kargil. Armed with a modified Cheetah helicopter rigged with an MMG—a configuration called an Armed HEPTA—Major General Singh undertook high-risk aerial reconnaissance and offensive missions in hostile territory. During an operation in the Jubbar sector, his team was tasked with stabilising a rapidly developing situation. They flew across the Dras and Kargil sectors, tracing snow tracks from enemy troop concentrations back to their points of infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC).On May 12, Singh flew over the Tololing ridge, where, from his aerial vantage point, he spotted enemy tents cleverly concealed within ice walls. Despite the threat of retaliation, he opened fire from the air, inflicting damage on the Pakistani positions before taking hits from anti-aircraft weapons. His helicopter was badly damaged, but he managed to return safely to another significant moment, on May 27, Singh served as a fighter air controller during the first air force strike over the Jubbar sector. In coordination with the Indian Air Force, he designated enemy targets and directed fighter bombers onto their marks—a task that required precise timing, calm under fire, and seamless joint operations. Over the course of the conflict, he flew over 100 sorties, contributing to tasks that included troop induction, casualty evacuation, logistics support, and directing artillery fire under enemy reflected on the annual return to Kargil for Vijay Diwas as a personal pilgrimage—a time to honour not only the sacrifice of the fallen, but also the collaboration between various arms and services that secured India's AS A STRATEGIC WEAPON Brigadier Rahul Oberoi speaks to India Today In the years since Kargil, the terrain where Indian soldiers once fought hand-to-hand battles has seen a major transformation. Brigadier Rahul Oberoi, Chief Engineer of Operation Vijay, now leads a different kind of mission—ensuring India's strategic readiness through high-altitude infrastructure. Operating under the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Brigadier Oberoi and his team have been instrumental in reshaping Ladakh's harsh landscape into a logistical the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, the Indian government significantly ramped up funding and support for border infrastructure. The BRO's budget more than doubled from around Rs 8,000–9,000 crore five years ago to Rs 16,600 crore in the last financial year. This infusion has translated into faster road construction, better technology adoption, and greater capability in reaching the country's most remote forward of the most notable achievements has been the reduction in winter closure of the Zojila Pass. Previously inaccessible for nearly five months due to 40–45 feet of snow, the pass was cleared and reopened in just 31 days this year, thanks to state-of-the-art snow cutters and new construction materials such as concrete block surfacing—far more resilient than traditional bitumen in sub-zero modular bridges have also become a cornerstone of BRO operations. Once a time-consuming task requiring on-site assembly, these bridges can now be erected within 10 to 14 days once base structures are ready, significantly enhancing troop mobility and supply chain response BRO is fast-tracking the construction of the world's highest tunnel at Shinkun La on the Neemu-Padam-Darcha (NPD) axis—India's third strategic route into Ladakh, alongside the Zojila (Srinagar) and Rohtang (Manali) accesses. The tunnel is expected to be a game-changer, providing all-weather, round-the-year connectivity to this vital region, a critical element for both military and civilian Oberoi highlighted that BRO has also embraced eco-friendly technologies, using admixtures that reduce bitumen heating needs, thus lowering carbon emissions while increasing construction efficiency in freezing conditions. The use of precast culverts, lime drains, and retaining walls allows work to continue even during harsh winters—once an impossibility in such high-altitude ARSENAL, ENDURING SPIRIT Kargil sector is now equipped with modern arms and vehicles. The Indian Army today stands markedly more equipped and technologically advanced than it was in 1999. Its infantry now fields cutting-edge firearms such as the Israeli Negev LMGs, indigenously manufactured AK-203 rifles, and US-made SIG rifles. All-terrain vehicles like the Polaris and the indigenous Kapit Dhwaj enhance mobility across glacial and mountainous modernisation is also in full swing, with the indigenously developed Dhanush guns supplementing the iconic Bofors, and the next-generation Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) currently under development. Surveillance and precision strike capability have been revolutionised by Indian-made drones such as Trinetra and FPV drones, alongside Asteria AT-15 systems—giving the Army an intelligence edge that was missing during new technologies are not just showcased but actively tested at the Kargil Battle School, where soldiers undergo high-altitude warfare and tactical training, reinforcing readiness with real-world PRESENCE AT SANDO TOP, TIGER HILL Sando Top The Indian Army continues to maintain a strong presence at Sando Top, one of the most forward positions in the Kargil sector, located just 1 to 8 kilometers from the Line of Control (LoC). The area holds significant strategic and historical importance, lying in proximity to the iconic Tiger Hill — a key position recaptured by Indian forces during the 1999 Kargil Hill, rising to heights between 14,000 and 18,000 feet, was initially captured by Pakistani intruders and later reclaimed by Indian troops after intense combat during the conflict. The rugged terrain and extreme weather conditions, including winter temperatures dropping to minus 40 degrees Celsius, made it one of the most difficult battlefields in the infrastructure has improved since the war — including better road access and upgraded living facilities for soldiers — the challenging topography and proximity to enemy positions, such as Point 5353, continue to pose operational challenges. Enemy surveillance remains active in the these conditions, the Indian Army remains fully deployed and alert, with modern equipment and winter gear enhancing operational readiness. Bunkers now face the enemy ridge lines, reinforcing India's defensive sight of the national flag flying at such heights continues to serve as a symbol of the Indian Army's bravery and the sacrifices made during the Kargil War, which lasted over two months and resulted in the loss of more than 500 Indian once began as a desperate push to reclaim Indian territory in 1999 has evolved into a comprehensive transformation of India's border defence posture. The grit and sacrifice of Kargil's heroes laid the foundation for a military force that is now agile, better connected, and more technologically Major General Satinder Singh put it, the Kargil Vijay Diwas is sort of a pilgrimage, which is not just about remembrance—it is a reaffirmation of the spirit that continues to drive India's Armed Forces. And with the BRO building the roads to the future and the Army writing a new chapter in self-reliance and preparedness, the legacy of Kargil has never been more alive.- EndsTune InMust Watch