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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
NCBC submits pending annual reports for 2022–24 to President
The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has submitted its Annual Reports for 2022–23 and 2023–24 to President Droupadi Murmu, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said in a statement on Friday (May 30, 2025) The reports were presented to the President on Thursday (May 29, 2025) by NCBC Chairperson Hansraj Gangaram Ahir and Commission Member Bhuvan Bhushan Kamal. As per its constitutional mandate, the NCBC is required to submit these reports annually, reviewing the implementation of safeguards for communities classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Commission is also empowered to recommend measures that the Union and State governments ought to take for the 'protection, welfare, and socio-economic development' of these communities. While the submission to the President is part of the regular process, the reports are made public only after they are laid in Parliament, accompanied by Action-Taken Reports (ATRs). The last NCBC report that was laid in Parliament was its consolidated tenure report for the period 2019–2022. The latest submissions follow a considerable delay. Officials familiar with the process explained that the compilation of such reports involves collecting data from various State governments, which often leads to delays. Furthermore, tabling the reports in Parliament is contingent on the preparation of ATRs by different governments, adding to the time taken. As The Hindu reported earlier this year, the National Commissions for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) and Scheduled Tribes (NCST) had also not submitted their Annual Reports for 2023–24 and 2024–25 as of last month. The NCSC's 2022–23 report, though submitted to the President in February 2024, is still awaiting tabling in Parliament. In the case of the NCST, five reports covering the years 2018–19 to 2022–23 have been submitted to the President but are yet to be laid in the House.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Kailashahar Airbase revival: Why a forgotten 1971 war airstrip might be key to India's NE strategy
Kailashahar airport in Tripura, which has remained non-operational since the 1971 Indo-Pak war, is set to be revived in the near future. This will become the second airport for the state, complementing Agartala's Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport, and is expected to greatly enhance connectivity for Tripura's residents and businesses. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has initiated steps to revive the defunct Kailashahar airport in Unakoti district. Following a request from the Tripura state government, AAI Northeast Regional Executive Director M Raju Krishore, accompanied by Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport Director K C Meena, visited the site on May 26 to assess infrastructure, land availability, and visibility conditions. Meena told PTI that the AAI is exploring options to acquire either 75 or 205 acres of land to develop the facility and prepare a revival plan accordingly. Currently, the Kailashahar airport has a runway length of about 1,000 meters, which is insufficient for operating larger aircraft such as ATRs. The availability and safety of smaller planes that carry 16 to 19 passengers remain a concern, according to officials. The airport that sent alarm bells ringing The urgency to restart the airport comes amid reports that Bangladesh is receiving assistance from China to renovate Lalmonirhat Airport, a World War II-era airstrip situated approximately 132 kilometres from India's strategically critical Chicken's Neck corridor and just 15 to 20 kilometres from the Indian border. The airport is spread over 1,166 acres and it has a four-kilometre runway and large tarmac. Live Events The Chicken's Neck corridor is only 22km wide, it connects Northeast India to the rest of India and is considered vital for national security. 'There is a fear that this airport will be developed for dual use—civilian and military purposes. It could help China keep a tab on Indian activities whether civilian or military or help them gather intelligence near the Siliguri corridor,' said Sriparna Pathak, China Studies professor at O.P. Jindal University, as quoted by TOI. The importance of Kailashahar airport The airport, strategically located in Unakoti district, has been inactive for over 30 years. The airport is only a few kilometres from the Bangladesh border. It played a key role during the 1971 India-Pakistan war when the Indian Air Force conducted missions and surveillance from the site. Ironically, the Kilo Flight which became the first Bangladesh Airforce unit, commenced its operations from this very airport. They carried out missions using one Chetak, one Armed Otter and one Dakota against the Pakistani forces in erstwhile East Pakistan, according to a PIB press release. The airport is also meant to act as a deterrent to both Bangladesh and China, making it clear that India will respond decisively to any action that threatens its territorial integrity. While the revival of this airport is being portrayed as a measure to improve air connectivity, and promote economic development, it is also being viewed as an important measure to strengthen India's strategic preparedness in the sensitive 'Chicken's neck' border area. Officials have indicated that revitalizing Kailashahar Airport will facilitate faster movement of goods and personnel and contribute to strengthening infrastructure near the sensitive border areas. The development also reflects India's efforts to maintain and enhance its strategic posture in the northeast, particularly as neighboring countries develop their own border infrastructure with international partnerships. While the revival of Kailashahar Airport is currently in preliminary stages, authorities emphasize that it will primarily serve civilian purposes alongside supporting regional security needs.
New Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Chief Minister Office to handle complaints directly
NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that her office will now directly handle public grievances, aiming to improve governance in the national capital. Complaint boxes will be installed at the offices of Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), District Magistrates (DMs), and Sub-Registrars across the city. After a meeting with senior officials, Gupta called for an upgrade of Delhi's public grievance redressal system to make it more effective. On Wednesday, the Chief Minister chaired a review meeting with the Heads of Departments (HODs) at the Delhi Secretariat. The meeting focused on reviewing unresolved complaints on the Public Grievances Management System (PGMS) portal and ensuring their timely resolution. Departments were directed to take prompt action on pending complaints and prepare Action Taken Reports (ATRs) without delay. The meeting was attended by the Chief Secretary and HODs from key departments, including Revenue, DUSIB, Delhi Police, DDA, Education, PWD, Social Welfare, Technical Education, Environment and Forests, MCD, DJB, Labour, Irrigation and Flood Control, Health, and Transport. Gupta criticised past governments for neglecting public complaints, stating, 'Earlier, complaints either never reached officials or were ignored. But our government is fully committed to resolving public issues.'
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
FLY91 buys two aircraft, fleet to grow to four as airline looks to ramp up weekly flights
Panaji: Goa-based airline FLY91, which currently operates around 100 flights per week, wants to scale up its operations to 150 weekly flights to cater to the busy rush during the summer. The airline, which operates out of the Manohar International Airport (MIA), purchased two ATR 72-600 aircraft, with one already joining operations, taking the fleet strength to three aircraft. The regional airline completed its first year of operations in March and operated over 3,500 flights, carrying close to 1.7 lakh passengers. 'The induction of our third ATR marks a significant milestone in our journey. More importantly, the decision to purchase two aircraft together is a deliberate move towards sustainable, dependable, and measured growth. As we expand, our focus remains on building an efficient and reliable network,' said Manoj Chacko, managing director and chief executive officer of FLY91. The new aircraft will operate beyond the current UDAN 5.0 routes that connect Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, and Agatti with key hubs such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, and Goa. Chacko said that the fleet expansion reinforces the airline's strategy to focus on tier-2 and tier-3 city connectivity . While the airline's first two ATRs were leased from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise, the new twin acquisition signals a strategic shift towards ownership and long-term fleet expansion. The airline's long-term plan is to induct 30 aircraft into its fleet, which will be based at multiple hubs across the country. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo The aim is to connect over 50 cities over the next five years, but not all routes have proved successful. The airline stopped operating on the Goa-Bengaluru sector as the demand was not sufficient. Surprisingly, the airline found the Jalgaon sector to be the most profitable. This landmark twin purchase marks a significant milestone in India's regional aviation sector and signifies FLY91's commitment to measured growth and the potential of regional aviation in the country. The ATR 72-600 is a 72-seater aircraft known for its fuel efficiency and suitability for short runways that are found in tier-2 and tier-3 city airports, which is why FLY91 opted for this specific aircraft for its fleet.
Mint
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Mint
2020 Delhi riots: Kapil Mishra given time to reply to Delhi Police's investigation revisions
The Rouse Avenue court on Monday granted respondents time to file a reply on the revisions filed by Delhi Police and Delhi Law Minister Kapil Mishra. The court is dealing with two revisions challenging the order for further investigation on the role of Kapil Mishra in the North East Delhi riots of 2020. Special judge Kaveri Baweja granted time to respondents Mohd Iliyas, Kapil Mishra, and others to file a reply on the petitions. The court has also directed Delhi police to supply a copy of the charge sheet filed in the Delhi Riots larger conspiracy to the respondents. The court has listed the matter on May 7 for arguments, and the interim stay is to continue till the next date. On April 9, the court issued notice on the revision petitions moved by Kapil Mishra. He has challenged the order passed by the magistrate court directing further investigation into the North Delhi riots of 2020. The court had stayed the operation of the order passed by the trial court till the next date of hearing. The court had also called the trial court records. Meanwhile, the sessions court has stayed the observation made by the Judicial Magistrate (First Class) in relation to the investigation of the Delhi police in the larger Conspiracy case. During the hearing, Advocate Amit Prasad appeared for the Delhi police, Senior advocate Pavan Narang, along with Advocates Neeraj and Himanshu Sethi, appeared for MLA Mohan Singh Bisht, and Advocate Manya Hashija appeared for Kapil Mishra. The magistrate court had passed an order for further investigation on the basis of material placed by the Delhi police and the application of one Mohd. Illiyas. Applicant Mohd Illiyas had sought a direction for registration of an FIR against Kapil Mishra and others. Senior advocate Pramod Dubey appeared for Kapil Mishra. He argued, "Can a further investigation without having an FIR? Where is the FIR? And there is no identification of the area of the police station." "In the absence of a FIR direction, an FIR can not be given," Senior advocate Dubey argued. Dubey also submitted that further investigation can be ordered during the pendency of the Final Report. "There was no Charge sheet before the MP MLA Court. There should be pendency of charge sheet. For registration of an FIR, a complaint has to be filed before the police first, only after that, an application for registration of an FIR can be filed in the court. One ATR was filed when the matter was pending in the KKD court. Three ATRs were filed by the police. My client was interrogated by Delhi Police," it stated. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad appeared for the Delhi police and raised the question of jurisdiction of the magistrate court, which passed the order under challenge. He submitted that even this court could not pass this court as it does not have the jurisdiction to deal with an FIR which is already under consideration of a special court, and a charge sheet has been filed. This application for registration of FIR was filed through Advocate Mehmood Pracha, who was part of the propaganda building team in 2020, and the SPP submitted it before the court. This complaint was given to all officers and even the prime minister. Emails were sent to the prime minister, the home minister, the DCP, and the Commissioner of police. It was not emailed to SHO. This email cannot be treated as the compliance with necessary requirements for registration of FIR, Prasad added. "A Status report narrating the five incidents was filed by the police," the SPP for Delhi police said. It was also argued that there was improvisation of the statement of the complainant. First, he said that the vehicles of Muslims and Dalits were stopped, and later on were allowed to go. Later, the statement was changed to reflect that there was a Road block, damage to the cart of Muslims and Dalits at Kardam Puri road, SPP added. There was no allegation of violation; the court below embellished the Complaint, the SPP submitted. He further submitted that we informed the court that we have investigated the role of Kapil Mishra. Advocate Pracha was asked to argue, but he didn't; meanwhile, the roster was changed. We were again summoned and asked to place on record the material. "We were directed to further investigate on the basis of material we provided in a matter which is before the special court," SPP submitted. The court asked, "Had you ever investigated the allegations in the complaint before filing the charge sheet in the larger Conspiracy. "Are there any other complaints alleging the road block by Kapil Mishra?" the judge questioned. SPP submitted that there are multiple such complaints, but nothing incriminating was found. He was asked during the recording of that statement whether he had ever visited the place of the incident. He replied that he lives in Yamuna Vihar, and a petrol pump was burnt near his colony, SPP said. There are 751 FIRs, no FIR talks about damage of vehicles on the same date and time between 3 pm to 6 pm, it added. It was further submitted by the SPP that he was called to assist the court in the matter of application under section 156(3) and was given direction under section 173( 8) for further investigation, it was not expected. "I am going to face music every day due to this order," SPP added. All these cases are tried in KKD, you do not get the power to give observation on the police investigation in a case that is before the special court, he added. He prayed that the observation of the trial court should be stayed. First Published: 21 Apr 2025, 12:12 PM IST
