Category: Government of India

Source: Government of India (4)

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday congratulated weightlifter Lovepreet Singh and discus thrower Seema Kaliramna for their medal-winning performances at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, saying their achievements had made the nation proud.

Lovepreet won the silver medal in the men’s +110kg weightlifting event after finishing with a combined lift of 388kg, just one kilogram behind New Zealand’s David Liti, who clinched gold with 389kg.

Congratulating the weightlifter, President Murmu said his performance reflected “steadfast determination, remarkable strength and relentless pursuit of excellence.”

“Warm congratulations to Lovepreet Singh on clinching the silver medal in the men’s 110+kg weightlifting event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Your remarkable performance reflects your steadfast determination, remarkable strength and relentless pursuit of excellence. Your achievement has brought immense pride and joy to every Indian. I wish you many more laurels in the years to come,” President Murmu said in a post on X.

The President also hailed Seema Kaliramna after the Indian athlete bagged the bronze medal in the women’s discus throw with a best effort of 58.65m.

Seema managed only two valid throws in six attempts after repeatedly finding the side netting, but her second-round effort of 58.65m proved enough to secure a place on the podium.

Congratulating the discus thrower, President Murmu said her success was a testament to her perseverance and would inspire young women to excel in sport.

“Heartiest congratulations to Seema Kaliramna on winning the bronze medal in the Women’s Discus Throw event at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026. Your achievement is a testament to your perseverance, dedication and hard work. Your success will inspire young women to strive for excellence in sports. May you continue to bring glory to the nation,” President Murmu said.

India has now collected 17 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026—three gold, 11 silver and three bronze—as the campaign enters its final stages.

Source: Government of India (4)

Human-caused climate change made the extreme weather fuelling wildfires in southwestern France twice as likely, and made the conditions driving blazes in central Spain 20 times more likely, scientists said on Friday.

Ongoing wildfires in Spain and France have forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate and scorched huge swathes of land.

The World Weather Attribution group of scientists used historical weather observations to assess how “fire-prone” hot, dry and windy conditions, which indicate how difficult it is to suppress a fire once it starts, have changed over time.

Greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from burning coal, oil and gas, have increased the planet’s average temperature to around 1.4 Celsius above pre-industrial times, according to the World Meteorological Organization.

In today’s climate, extreme fires of this intensity are likely to occur once every 20 years in southwestern France, and once every six years in central Spain, the analysis said.

“We’ve seen repeatedly how climate change increases hot, dry, flammable conditions that are extremely conducive to wildfires,” said Clair Barnes, a research associate ​in extreme weather at Imperial ​College London, who co-authored ⁠the WWA analysis.

“What’s unique about this case is that it’s still early in the season — and with another heatwave looming, these findings are extremely scary,” Barnes added.

An increasingly important driver of Europe’s wildfire risk is the pattern of a wet winter — which supports vegetation growth — followed by a dry spring and summer, which dries out this vegetation, leaving forests stocked with large volumes of highly flammable fuel for fires.

Reducing wildfire risk therefore requires not only an emergency firefighting response, but more work to prevent fires “through risk-sensitive landscape planning and management,” the WWA analysis said. That could include clearing forests of dried-out vegetation ahead of the wildfire season.

Spain had its wettest January for 25 years this year, followed by a summer that the country’s meteorological agency has said is the hottest on record. France, too, is currently suffering its fourth heatwave of the year.

Recent scientific studies have confirmed human-caused climate change has made Europe’s hot and dry conditions in recent months more likely.

-Reuters

Source: Government of India (4)

European soccer’s governing body UEFA and its 55 member associations on Thursday voted to boycott all FIFA competitions if world football’s governing body proceeds with plans to sell ownership stakes in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors, escalating a governance crisis that has drawn opposition from regional confederations and players’ bodies.

The unanimous 55-0 vote at an emergency UEFA meeting marked the strongest resistance yet to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposal, unveiled earlier this week, to create a $20 billion subsidiary to manage the World Cup and other FIFA competitions while offering minority stakes to external investors.

“We unanimously and unequivocally reject FIFA’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors,” UEFA said in a statement.

“No UEFA national teams will participate in any FIFA competition for so long as these proposals remain alive, unless this proposal has been abandoned in its entirety and binding assurances have been given that FIFA will never again open its governance or competitions to private ownership.”

UEFA said the World Cup was “not for sale” and warned that allowing private investors into FIFA competitions would permanently alter the sport by making commercial returns an overriding priority.

The standoff could have significant implications for upcoming FIFA events, including the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2030 Men’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Infantino has proposed distributing $40 million to each of FIFA’s 211 member associations if the plan is approved by September 19, as part of a $10 billion package that would become available from January 2027. FIFA has said the package would fall back to the previously proposed $2.7 billion if the proposal is rejected.

The proposal has also faced resistance outside Europe.

CONCACAF, which represents North America, Central America and the Caribbean, said its 41 member associations had rejected the proposal after expressing “deep concerns” over what it described as a lack of due process, an accelerated timeline and the absence of review by FIFA’s governance bodies.

“The discussion reinforced the need for greater transparency and proper governance,” CONCACAF said in a statement.

However, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) later clarified that it had not taken a final position. It said FIFA had informed it of the proposal on July 28 and would provide additional information through a series of round-table discussions before member associations decide their stance.

“The FMF will complete this process of study and analysis in order to take the decision that best serves the development of Mexican football,” it said.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) also criticised FIFA’s handling of the proposal. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said the confederation had not been consulted before the announcement and described the lack of governance, financial and legal analysis as “totally unacceptable.”

“FIFA’s unilateral actions appear to undermine the very foundations of continental football, which are based on solidarity, cooperation and transparency,” he said, adding that the initiative would not succeed without the backing of all six continental confederations.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is expected to discuss the proposal next week, while the Oceania Football Confederation will take it up at a meeting next month. South American governing body CONMEBOL has not yet commented publicly.

The proposal has also drawn criticism from player representatives. FIFPRO, the global players’ union, warned that introducing private ownership into FIFA competitions would fundamentally change the incentives governing tournaments in which players build their careers.

Britain’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy also weighed in, saying: “Football belongs to the fans, not billionaire investors. Enough is enough. It’s time to take a stand to protect our game.”

UEFA and FIFA have long competed for influence over football’s increasingly lucrative commercial landscape. UEFA’s elite club competitions alone generated €4.4 billion ($5 billion) in revenue during the 2024-25 season.

Infantino, who is seeking re-election as FIFA president next year, has defended the proposal as a way to democratise football’s finances by expanding the distribution of revenue among member associations.

(Reuters)

Source: Government of India (4)

The water level of the Alaknanda River at Rudraprayag headquarters has crossed the warning mark following continuous rainfall, prompting the district administration to remain on high alert and urge residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.

According to the Rudraprayag Municipal Council, persistent rainfall across the region has led to a steady rise in the water levels of rivers, streams and drains. Public announcements are being made across the municipal area, advising residents, particularly those living along riverbanks, to remain vigilant and relocate as a precaution.

Municipal Council Chairperson Santosh Rawat said continuous heavy rainfall had caused rivers, drains and streams to swell, leading to a sustained increase in water levels.

“We are advising residents in affected areas, including the entire municipal zone, to move to safer locations. Those living along riverbanks are urged to vacate their homes and relocate to safer areas,” she said.

Rawat added that municipal teams are making regular public announcements and are being deployed wherever required to provide relief and assistance.

The rising river has also disrupted access to houses located along the riverbank. The Rudraprayag Sangam and adjoining ghats have been completely submerged due to the swollen Alaknanda.

Officials are closely monitoring the situation as water levels remain high and have appealed to residents in vulnerable areas to follow official advisories and exercise caution.

Meanwhile, the Kedarnath Yatra remains suspended after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall blocked the trekking route near Gaurikund on Thursday.

The landslide occurred around 200 metres ahead of the Gaurikund Gate, where a large volume of debris and boulders fell onto the trekking route, completely blocking access to the pilgrimage path.

Following the incident, the administration suspended the pilgrimage as a precaution and shifted stranded pilgrims to safer locations.

Teams from the police, district administration, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and other agencies have been deployed to clear debris, assess the damage and restore connectivity.

-ANI

Source: Government of India (4)

Indian benchmark equity indices extended their gains for a third consecutive session on Friday, supported by buying in auto and financial services stocks, even as information technology shares witnessed profit booking after a recent rally.

The Sensex climbed 166.49 points, or 0.21 per cent, to settle at 78,094.64, while the Nifty advanced 66.45 points, or 0.27 per cent, to close at 24,383.60.

“On the downside, the 24,300 level now acts as immediate support, followed by the 24,200 zone. Holding above these levels will be important to preserve the ongoing recovery structure, while a close below 24,200 could trigger fresh profit booking toward lower support levels,” an analyst stated.

Among the top performers on the Nifty were Bajaj Finance, Bajaj Finserv and Jio Financial Services, which led the gains amid sustained buying interest in financial stocks.

The broader market also ended on a positive note, with the Nifty MidCap and Nifty SmallCap indices each rising 0.44 per cent.

On the sectoral front, auto stocks outperformed the broader market, lending significant support to the headline indices.

FMCG stocks also remained among the stronger performers during the session. In contrast, the Nifty IT index underperformed and snapped its five-session winning streak as investors booked profits despite continued strength in global chip stocks.

Experts said that positive momentum continued, although some profit booking emerged at higher levels as caution persisted amid elevated yields and potential rate-hike concerns.

“The sustainability of the recovery will depend largely on the ongoing earnings season, which is currently outperforming forecasts, and on a reduction in global risks,” an analyst stated.

“As the earnings season gathers pace, markets will seek confirmation that the recent improvement in earnings is broad-based rather than concentrated in a few sectors,” a market expert mentioned.

(IANS Inputs)

Source: Government of India (4)

Indian Railways on Friday launched an online facility that allows passengers to book and pay for excess luggage while reserving their train tickets, streamlining the travel process and reducing the need for separate visits to railway parcel offices.

The new service integrates excess luggage booking with the online ticket reservation system, enabling eligible passengers to complete the process digitally at the time of booking.

Earlier, passengers carrying baggage beyond the prescribed free allowance were required to visit railway parcel counters to book excess luggage separately, a process that often involved additional paperwork and waiting in queues.

The online facility is available only to passengers holding confirmed tickets and applies to travel classes in which carrying baggage beyond the free allowance is permitted on payment of applicable charges.

Passengers travelling in AC First Class, AC 2-Tier, First Class, Sleeper Class and Second Class are eligible to avail of the service. However, the facility is not available for passengers travelling in AC 3-Tier and AC Chair Car, as the maximum permissible baggage limit in these classes is the same as the free luggage allowance.

Under the existing baggage rules, AC First Class passengers can carry up to 70 kg free of charge and a maximum of 150 kg after paying excess luggage charges. Passengers travelling in AC 2-Tier and First Class are entitled to a free allowance of 50 kg, with a maximum permissible limit of 100 kg.

Sleeper Class passengers may carry up to 40 kg free and a maximum of 80 kg after paying the prescribed charges, while Second Class passengers are allowed 35 kg free and up to 70 kg in total. In AC 3-Tier and AC Chair Car, passengers are permitted to carry up to 40 kg, which also constitutes the maximum allowable limit.

Indian Railways said passengers carrying baggage beyond the free allowance but within the prescribed maximum limit will be required to pay the applicable excess luggage charges.

The Railways also continues to enforce size restrictions on luggage carried inside passenger coaches. Trunks, suitcases and boxes measuring up to 100 cm × 60 cm × 25 cm are generally permitted in compartments. For passengers travelling in AC 3-Tier and AC Chair Car coaches, the maximum permissible luggage dimensions are 55 cm × 45 cm × 22.5 cm.

The online booking facility is expected to simplify baggage management for passengers and improve the overall travel experience.

(With inputs from IANS)

Source: Government of India (4)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to celebrated Hindi-Urdu writer Munshi Premchand on his birth anniversary, saying his timeless literary works, rooted in realism and social equality, will continue to inspire generations.

In a post on X, the Prime Minister described Premchand as one of India’s greatest storytellers whose writings continue to resonate with readers.

“Through his timeless works, he gave powerful expression to human emotions, an expression that remains relevant to this day. He also made an invaluable contribution to bringing global recognition to the literary heritage of Kashi, the land of his birth and his life’s work. His immortal literature, rooted in realism and social equality, will forever remain a source of inspiration for the people of the country,” the Prime Minister said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also paid homage to Premchand, describing him as the “Katha Samrat” (Emperor of Storytelling). He said the celebrated author vividly portrayed social inequalities, exploitation and human suffering through his writings while also capturing the emotions and sensibilities of children with remarkable simplicity.

Shah said Premchand’s literature continues to serve as a source of inspiration and guidance for meaningful and socially conscious writing.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also remembered the literary icon, saying Premchand’s works reflected the realities, struggles and aspirations of Indian society and remain a powerful record of the country’s social and cultural life.

He said the author’s writings continue to inspire people with the values of equality, social justice and humanity.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also paid tribute, describing Premchand as a visionary writer who gave voice to the struggles and dignity of people on the margins of society.

She said his literary works would continue to inspire social awareness, compassion and patriotism.

Born in 1880, Munshi Premchand is regarded as one of the foremost writers of modern Indian literature. Writing in both Hindi and Urdu, he introduced realism and social consciousness into Indian fiction through novels, short stories and essays.

His literary oeuvre includes over 300 short stories, 14 novels and numerous essays, many of which portray the lives of peasants, labourers, women and marginalised communities against the backdrop of early twentieth-century India. His enduring works continue to occupy a central place in Indian literature and remain widely read across generations.

 

-ANI

Source: Government of India (4)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated weightlifter Lovepreet Singh and discus thrower Seema Kaliramna on their medal-winning performances at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, praising their achievements and wishing them success in the future.

Congratulating Seema on winning the bronze medal in the women’s discus throw, the Prime Minister said her performance had made the country proud and inspired young Indians.

“Congratulations to Seema for securing a Bronze in the Women’s Discus Throw event with a best throw of 58.65m. Her efforts have made India proud and motivated the youth of our nation. Wishing her the very best for the endeavours ahead,” PM Modi said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister also lauded Lovepreet Singh, who won silver in the men’s +110kg weightlifting event after lifting a total of 388kg. Lovepreet had earlier set a new Commonwealth Games record in the snatch with a lift of 176kg before narrowly missing out on the gold medal by one kilogram.

“Exceptional performance by Lovepreet Singh for winning a Silver in the Men’s +110kg event. His outstanding effort in the snatch set a new Commonwealth Games record too. His dedication and determination are truly admirable. My best wishes to him for the endeavours ahead,” PM Modi said.

Lovepreet’s silver took India’s weightlifting tally at the Glasgow Games to eight medals, while Seema’s bronze added to India’s overall medal haul at the Commonwealth Games 2026.

Source: Government of India (4)

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday paid tribute to his former teachers, Dr Nandita Bhattacharya Goswami and Dr Pannalal Goswami, for dedicating their lifetime savings to establishing an educational institution, describing their contribution as a lasting legacy that will benefit future generations.

In a post on X, Sarma said the academic couple had devoted the earnings of an entire lifetime to creating an institution that would inspire and educate generations of students.

“We often speak of legacy. Few embody it as meaningfully as this,” the Chief Minister wrote.

“My revered teachers, Dr. Nandita Bhattacharya Goswami and Dr. Pannalal Goswami, have devoted the earnings of a lifetime to building an institution that will inspire and educate generations to come,” he said.

Recalling his association with the two eminent academicians, Sarma said he felt privileged to have been their student.

“As their student, I am profoundly humbled. They have shown that there is no greater inheritance than knowledge,” he added.

The Chief Minister also shared a video featuring the two educationists, highlighting their vision of creating an institution dedicated to nurturing future generations through education. The video underscores their belief that education is the most enduring legacy one can leave behind.

Sarma’s remarks drew attention to the educators’ decision to invest their lifetime earnings in an institution aimed at promoting learning, a move that has been widely appreciated as an example of service beyond the classroom.

The tribute comes amid the Assam government’s continued focus on strengthening the state’s education sector through institutional development and academic excellence. The Chief Minister’s acknowledgement also reflects the state’s recognition of educators who have made lasting contributions to society through knowledge and public service.

(With inputs from IANS)

Source: Government of India (4)

Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district is using theatre and folk art as tools for rehabilitation and cultural preservation through the Narayanpur Institute of Tribal and Rural Art (NITARA), an initiative of the district administration that brings together surrendered Naxals and local youth.

The initiative aims to promote Bastar’s rich tribal heritage while supporting the reintegration of former Naxals into mainstream society. Abujhmad, once known for Left Wing Extremism, is now witnessing efforts focused on peace, cultural revival and social transformation.

As part of the programme, 18 surrendered Naxals, along with local youth, underwent a 30-day training programme in acting, theatre and folk art conducted by experts from the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi.

The participants later developed a theatrical production titled ‘Chanda Aur Chakor’, which is now being performed in villages to spread awareness about social change, education, development and Bastar’s cultural traditions.

Narayanpur Collector Namrata Jain said NITARA was launched to give national recognition to the region’s unique folk art, music and traditions while creating opportunities for surrendered Naxals and local artists.

She said the month-long training covered acting, dialogue delivery, stage management, expression and performance techniques under the guidance of NSD experts.

According to Jain, the initiative seeks to provide a national platform for Narayanpur’s cultural heritage. She added that the theatre troupe is travelling across villages to promote peace, development and the cultural identity of Bastar.

Officials said ‘Chanda Aur Chakor’ serves as both a cultural performance and a medium for social awareness. The play portrays Bastar’s traditional customs, folk music and marriage rituals while highlighting the importance of education, government welfare schemes and participation in Gram Sabhas.

Sharing his experience, surrendered Naxal Lalu Venjam said he had once been associated with the Maoist movement but had now joined the mainstream.

“I never thought I would become part of a cultural troupe. Today, our plays spread messages of development, education and awareness in villages,” he said.

Another participant, Kesari Gawde, who left the Maoist organisation in 2025 after joining it in 2002, said NITARA had given him an opportunity to learn acting. He added that the troupe had also staged ‘Chanda Aur Chakor’ before the Chief Minister.

Setupadda, another surrendered Naxal associated with the initiative, said theatre had given him a new purpose. Having earlier performed for the Maoist cultural wing, he now uses art to raise awareness about government schemes and social development.

-ANI