Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal: A city that became home
The city can surely boast of a safe environment from a public order point of view; It is also being adjudged so, repeatedly, in fact, by National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB) and other independent surveys. Chennaites always are peace-loving and law-abiding people.
The fact that I love Chennai needs no other explanation: Though my origins are not from this State, as I retire this month, we, my family and I, have decided to call Chennai our home and settle here.
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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Atmanirbhar Bharat: Turning crisis into opportunities for growth, security
On Independence Day, from the ramparts of Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi painted a bold vision for India's progress, declaring Atmanirbhar Bharat the foundation of a Viksit Bharat — a developed India built on the twin pillars of self-reliance and strong defence. His message was clear: India's path forward lies in turning challenges into opportunities and securing its place as a global leader. Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his speech at the 79th Independence Day celebration at the Red Fort, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI) During COVID-19, Atmanirbhar Bharat had transformed crisis into opportunity, which led to a surge in economic growth. The Trump tariff threat, too, is bound to turn a crisis into opportunity for greater self-reliance and strength to counter any impending calamity. The 'Sudarshan Chakra' Initiative The ' Sudarshan Chakra', an overarching security architecture, will neutralize any threat and improve India's offensive capabilities. Self-reliance will turn India into a major production hub that will capture world markets. The US tariff threats stem from perceived trade imbalance, India's continued oil purchases from Russia despite US sanctions and frustrations over stalled negotiations. Such tariffs could disrupt India's export-driven growth, affecting sectors like automobiles, IT services, textiles and pharmaceuticals. Managing US tariff pressures with diplomacy The Modi government is ably and patiently navigating the tariff threat through dialogue and diplomacy, and has 'India First' in every policy formulation and strategy. India, today, is one of the fastest-growing economies of the world and, in the words of the IMF, the 'only bright spot in the otherwise dark horizon'. Despite constraints, our monetary and fiscal space has enabled accelerated growth and our external accounts are comfortable. Infrastructure and digital progress Hence, an over 7% sustainable growth rate can be made our baseline, given the robust foundations we have created. We are a $4.187 trillion economy, relentlessly pursuing the vision to be a $ 30-35 trillion economy by 2047. One of our major achievements has been to lift over 250 million people above the poverty line and, at the same time, to have digitized the economy in a big way. From 14 km of road space per day in 2014, we are now at over 34 km per day, which reflects our prowess in infrastructural development. And we have been the 'Vishwamitra' – the pharmacy of the world during Covid 19- which supplied medical equipment, pharma products and vaccines to several countries. This proves our capability and unstinted ability and resolve to weather any storm. The tariff threat, in fact, will give India the opportunity to nudge towards emerging markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Africa offers vast opportunities in infrastructure, agriculture and energy collaboration. Our Act East Policy will help in increasing exports in apparels and electronics. ASEAN nations provide dynamic consumer markets for Indian textiles, pharmaceuticals and machinery. The UK, EU and Australia are new avenues where India is already engaged in talks and we now have an FTA with the UK. By pursuing South-South cooperation, India can position itself as a global supplier beyond the West. Promoting Indian brands, semiconductor manufacturing Indian brands need to be promoted on global marketplaces like Amazon and indigenous platforms should be built to broaden market outreach. The first 'Made in India' chips will be in the market by the year-end. The country is now in mission mode with six semiconductor units in the pipeline and four new ones already approved. Our 'Make in India' punch has already taken off in renewable energy with the 500 GW of clean green energy drive by 2030 and thrust on indigenous defense production, as announced on the 15th of August by the Prime Minister. Initiatives like the International Solar Alliance and Global Bio-fuel Alliance will position India as a leader in renewable energy, potentially opening up the doors to tariff-exempt trade deals. India spends about 0.7% of its GDP in research and development compared to 2 to 3% in advanced nations. This is now increasing. The Startup India Mission with over 1.6 lakh startups needs to be scaled up. The National Quantum Mission, with a $1 billion outlay, will develop indigenous capabilities and reduce import reliance. India is already a global IT services powerhouse and diversification of exports by expanding cloud services, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum computing and fintech will help as these are sectors where tariffs are less likely to apply. By strengthening the intellectual property regime, India will be able to negotiate better terms in trade talks. By becoming a preferred alternative manufacturing hub, India can both absorb supply chains and build resilience against US tariffs. Building supply chain resilience Supply chain diversification is imperative to stymie Trump's policies and India must enhance its Production-Linked Incentive Scheme to lure global firms. Accelerating domestic production is most essential. Investments in infrastructure and reducing logistics costs can make our exports cost-competitive globally. India's logistics costs nearly 14% of the GDP as compared to 8 to 9% in developed countries. So we need to invest in faster cargo and port clearance and efficient warehousing and supply chains. Next-gen GST and tax reforms The Modi government has announced the 'Next Generation GST reforms' which would substantially reduce the tax burden across the country. The GST Council will also consider proposals for further ease of compliance using technology and faster refunds to exporters. Moving to a two-rate GST structure will catapult India at par with advanced economies. Compliances for MSMEs, which form the backbone of India's exports, are also being simplified and will strengthen the nation's manufacturing capabilities and make us more self-reliant. Easing regulations would attract companies relocating from China. Tourism, being tariff proof, must be propelled and, considering India's several beautiful locations, this is the right time. Other structural reforms, eliminating redtapism and enforcing strategic disinvestment and asset monetization to execute the Modi government's policy of 'Minimum government Maximum Governance' will help the endeavor for free enterprise. As mentioned above, India today is one of the world's fastest growing economies with a 6.3% growth and pacing to be a $5.5 trillion economy by 2028. There has been a great leap in economic reforms, healthcare, ease of doing business, infrastructural growth, enforcing a tech-driven digital India, serving the poor with several schemes and with the largest food security programme in the world and Nari Shakti. 80% of stand up India loans and 68% of Mudra loans have gone to women entrepreneurs. We are aiming at one nation, one tax and one market; we are a global e-payment leader and economic growth engine and have ensured a faceless tax system for a more accountable economy. India today is a new India — strong, secure and invincible, as ably proved after we have pulverized Pakistan. All this is due to our policy of 'Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka vishwas and sabka prayas. And it is this 'Nation First' commitment of a determined government, which is dedicated to the welfare of its countrymen, which will make us succeed- always and every time. The author is a former chairman, Haryana Public Service Commission and chairman, Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission. Views expressed are personal
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Yogi Adityanath Government's 'School Pairing' Policy Sparks Political Row In Uttar Pradesh
What began as an administrative exercise to merge under-enrolled schools in Uttar Pradesh has snowballed into a veritable political flashpoint, sparking protests, poster wars, FIRs and heated exchanges in the state's Assembly. The "school pairing" policy announced in June by the Adityanath government, seeks to merge more than 10,000 primary and upper primary schools with fewer than 50 students into nearby institutions, usually within the one-kilometre radius. Officials say the move will strengthen infrastructure, ensure adequate teacher strength and provide larger peer groups for students, but the Opposition brands it "a disguised closure" of government schools that will push marginalised and rural children out of the education system. Over the past six weeks, the issue has refused to fade, surviving courtroom scrutiny, a government clarification blitz, multiple street protests, FIRs against political workers and poster wars. The issue flagged by opposition in the recently concluded session of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly also led to heated discussions, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath stoutly defending the decision. The policy followed a sharp decline in government school enrolments after the COVID pandemic. In 2022-23, enrolments stood at 1.92 crore, but have since dropped to just more than one crore in the current academic session. Additional Chief Secretary (Basic Education) Deepak Kumar said the move follows models in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat and is in line with the National Education Policy 2020. The policy also faced legal challenges but the Allahabad High Court dismissed the pleas, ruling that the Act allows flexibility and has no evidence of rights violations. While the government won in court, it continues to battle political barbs. Opposition campaign against the move spearheaded by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav has found support from nearly all opposition, including Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Yadav has branded the move a "deep-rooted conspiracy" to deprive PDA (Backward classes, Dalits, and minorities) of education and, by extension, their political voice. "What kind of Ram Rajya is this? Close the schools, open the liquor shops," read an SP poster in Lucknow. In rural areas, SP workers have launched "PDA Pathshalas" -- informal teaching centres for children whose schools have been merged. Some of these centres featured "politicised alphabets" such as "A for Akhilesh" and "M for Mulayam Singh Yadav," prompting the government to accuse the party of misusing children for propaganda. FIRs have been filed against SP leaders in Saharanpur, Varanasi, Mau, Prayagraj, and Lucknow for running these "unauthorised" classes. The SP calls this harassment, while the government insists it is necessary to protect children's education from politicisation. The AAP too has joined the fray, with Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh launching a "school bachao" campaign under the slogan "Madhushala nahi, pathshala chahiye (Not liquor shops, we want schools)." "We are holding protest rallies in several districts against the move. Locals who have been affected are also joining us and we will continue to raise the issue in coming days to ensure these people get justice," Singh told PTI adding that the party will make it an issue in upcoming Panchayat polls. The BJP countered the allegations by putting up posters in Lucknow on the first day of the Assembly session, targeting SP's "PDA Pathshala" campaign. Sponsored by BJP MLC and state general secretary Subhash Yaduvansh, the posters claimed to expose the "dark truth" of the initiative, alleging that SP's PDA Pathshalas were teaching "A for Akhilesh and D for Dimple." The BJP has sought an apology from the SP chief, asking which parent in the state would want their child to be taught such a curriculum. Under growing pressure, the state's Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh and other BJP leaders rolled out pressers and clarifications, insisting that no school is being permanently shut and that mergers only apply to institutions with less than 50 students. "If a merger creates commuting difficulties, it can be reversed. Vacated buildings will be converted into Bal Vatikas (pre-primary schools) by August 15. No teacher posts will be abolished; new appointments will be made if needed to maintain the pupil-teacher ratio," Singh clarified in a press conference. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also waded into the debate in the Assembly, dismissing the "closure" charge and framing the policy as part of a broader education modernisation drive. "Before 2017, government schools lacked basic infrastructure, and dropout rates were among the highest in the country," he said. "Today, we are integrating campuses to maintain a 22:1 student-teacher ratio and provide better facilities. This is strengthening education, not weakening it," he asserted. The chief minister further announced the rollout of LKG, UKG, and nursery classes in government schools, alongside a Rs 100 crore nutrition mission for malnourished children. The policy dominated proceedings in the Monsoon Session, with SP legislators accusing the government of reducing educational access instead of expanding it. Leader of Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey alleged that 29,000 schools had been merged and 10,000 closed, claiming this was a deliberate attempt to deprive the poor of education. SP MLAs also linked the issue to broader accusations that the BJP is neglecting job creation and rural development, with Adityanath countering it by accusing the SP of running a "copying mafia" during its tenure and ignoring infrastructure needs. Mixed reactions are seen in villages with some parents seeing the potential benefits of better facilities and larger peer groups while others worry about safety and dropout risks when children have to travel two or three kilometres to school. Teachers, especially in villages, warn that the distance will weaken their ability to encourage attendance through personal outreach. "Once schools are far away, that connection is lost," a teacher from teacher told PTI, saying that he fears that many children will simply drop out. Education access remains a politically potent theme, particularly among rural and marginalised voters. For the Samajwadi Party, framing the policy as an attack on PDA communities ties directly into its core electoral pitch. The pairing exercise is happening simultaneously in thousands of villages, creating repeated local flashpoints. With panchayat and Assembly elections still ahead, the Opposition appears determined to keep the issue simmering. The SP's PDA Pathshala campaign continues despite police action, while the BJP is using the Assembly and government briefings to project the move as progressive and in line with national education reforms. The government plans to complete the pairing process within weeks and whether that will quiet the political noise, however, remains uncertain.
NDTV
6 hours ago
- NDTV
Chennai Animal Lovers Protest In Rain For Street Dogs Amid Top Court's Order
Chennai: Braving showers, more than a thousand animal lovers took to the streets of Chennai today, demanding justice for community dogs. The protest comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's recent order directing the Delhi administration to move street dogs to shelters, citing a spike in dog bite cases, rabies and human fatalities. Protesters warned that the order, if implemented, would lead to large-scale deaths of dogs, given the absence of infrastructure or funds to care for lakhs of animals. "Shelters will turn into concentration camps. Dogs will fight, kill each other, and perish. This is inhuman," said a participant. #WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Dog/animal lovers, animal rights activists staged a protest in Chennai against the Supreme Court order to send all stray dogs in Delhi-NCR to shelters within 8 weeks. — ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2025 Instead of implementation of the top court's order, they demanded that governments focus on mass sterilisation and vaccination programmes-the only proven scientific solution to curb the street dog population and rabies. Many pointed out that sterilisation efforts suffered during the Covid pandemic, leading to the surge in dog numbers. "If we can hold elections across India, we can certainly sterilise dogs too," argued another animal rights activist. Chennai's marchers also stressed that dogs should not be penalised for the failures of municipalities. "It's human mistakes-poor waste management, lack of sterilisation-that cause dog bites. Why should dogs suffer?" asked Chaya, urging the Supreme Court to reconsider its order. Several speakers reminded that community dogs are part of the urban ecosystem and provide natural security. "Dogs are loyal citizens of this country. Why should they be thrown out?" said another protester, adding that co-existence, empathy and effective municipal action were the way forward. Protesters held placards declaring, "Every animal has a right to live," and "Stop calling them strays." They stood in solidarity with dog lovers in Delhi, warning of a "vacuum effect" if lakhs of dogs were suddenly removed from the streets. With allegations of misused funds under the Animal Birth Control programme and lack of accountability among civic bodies, protesters demanded stricter oversight and investment in scientific sterilisation. "During Covid, we didn't kill human beings who tested positive. Why are we targeting dogs?" one your student activist asked. Antony another activist said "Do we ban vehicles because people die in road accidents ?" asked Antony Rubin, an animal rights activist. A woman activist compared this to HIV spike. She added "India did not ban sex but promoted safe sex. We need to find solutions". As the Supreme Court continues hearing appeals, animal lovers across India hope their voices will push for a humane, workable solution-sterilisation and vaccination, not mass confinement.
