The parliamentary panel on transport has urged for CAG audits of highway project consultants' work, especially under the Bharatmala Pariyojna, to enhance accountability. It highlighted irregularities in the project reports and contractors' poor performances. The panel recommended stricter financial screening of contractors due to issues of financial capacity leading to stalled infrastructure projects.
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Prime Minister Modi and J&K CM Omar Abdullah praised each other during the opening of the Sonamarg tunnel. Omar acknowledged Modi's commitment to free and fair elections. Modi promised statehood for J&K would be restored at an appropriate time, focusing on development and peace in the region.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman wore a handcrafted Madhubani saree by Padma Shri awardee Dulari Devi on Budget Day. The saree, which took a month to craft, was a gift from Devi during Sitharaman's visit to the Mithila Art Institute. Devi expressed her joy at this honor.
The Allahabad high court has stayed the arrest of SP MP Ziaur Rahman Barq, implicated in the violence during a survey of Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, UP. The court has allowed the investigation to continue and instructed Barq to cooperate with the authorities. The clashes resulted in multiple casualties.
Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma was arrested by the ED in connection with a multi-crore liquor scam. Congress claims the arrest is politically motivated, with Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap accusing former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of masterminding the scheme. Congress supporters staged a protest in Sukma.
Kargil War hero Col Rajesh Adhau narrowly escaped a rocket-propelled grenade attack at his official quarters in Goma, Congo, during a confrontation between M23 rebels and the Congolese military. His wife Dr Deepali confirmed his safety. The Indian tertiary hospital, part of the UN peacekeeping mission, has treated injured personnel from various countries.
Indian diplomatic efforts successfully convinced Indonesia not to club President Prabowo Subianto's Republic Day visit to India with a simultaneous official travel to Pakistan. It remains unclear if his proposed visit to Islamabad will proceed as initial reports suggest he may fly to Malaysia instead.
Terrorists have shifted focus to the Jammu region, escalating jungle warfare due to decreased numbers in Kashmir. The crucial role of the J&K police, supported by the Army and paramilitary forces, is highlighted. Increased infiltration from Pakistan and decreased Army presence in Jammu exacerbate the situation.
The Kerala High Court has suspended the five-year prison sentence of four individuals, including former CPM MLA K V Kunhiraman, convicted for the murder of two Youth Congress workers. The court stated that appeals are unlikely to be heard before the sentences are completed, leading to their temporary release on bail.
A global commission gathered by The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology magazine argues that BMI, the conventional method for assessing obesity, yields inaccurate results. They recommend confirming obesity through additional body measurements like waist circumference or direct body fat measurement and categorizing it into clinical and pre-clinical obesity based on symptoms and functional impairment.
Rahul Gandhi emphasized the urgent need to modernize and secure Indian Railways, highlighting its role in production and the economy. He stressed local manufacturing and the hard work of engineers, while the Congress party criticized the Modi government for unresolved transportation issues.