Work on the strategic Shinkhun La Tunnel, the world’s highest, in Ladakh commenced on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The development work began with the first explosion when PM Modi visited the key site after addressing the 25th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations in Kargil.
The tunnel between Manali and Leh along the Nimu Padam Darcha road will be built by the Border Roads Organisation at a height of 4,800 metre.
It will be the world’s highest tunnel and a major strategic push to the BJP government’s border area development plans in the wake of ongoing tensions with China along the LAC.
The 7.1-km-long tunnel will bypass the area which remains covered under 15-20 feet of ice for around five months hampering connectivity.
The twin tube tunnel with cross passages at every 500 metre will be an all-weather tunnel which will reduce the travel time across the Shinkun area to 30 minutes and will boost social and economic development of Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh
Elderly Sikh harassed by man in park in Canada; ‘disturbing’ viral video with 1.2 million views ignites widespread outrage
— Indian Tech & Infra (@IndianTechGuide) July 23, 2024
Tribune Web Desk Chandigarh, July 24 In a disturbing incident of racial aggression, an elderly Sikh man on a walk was allegedly harassed in a park in Canada.In a viral video–shot by the accused and his face not visable–is heard making annoying voices trying to agitate the elderly.The Sikh man is heard asking to be left alone, but the man continues to disturb and follow him.At one point of time, the Sikh man almost fell trying to walk away from the assaulter. The incident has ignited widespread outrage and condemnation, with calls for justice and increased awareness about the alarming rise of harassment and racial attacks.It also has comments from netizens urging Canadian PM Justin Trudeau to take decisive action against such incidents, also urging collective efforts to address the rising threat of racial attacks, emphasising that what happened to him could potentially happen to others. However, a few questioned if the video was a “prank TikTok”.
US lawmaker proposes Act to treat India on par with other allies for sharing technology; seeks to bar Pakistan from getting US aid if it abets terror
In a departure from the US statements expressing disappointment at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Moscow visit, a US lawmaker has moved an Act in the US Senate seeking that India be treated like allies Japan, South Korea and NATO for sharing technology.
He also sought a ban on Pakistan from getting US aid if it is found to be promoting, aiding and abetting any form of terrorism in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir.
It also sought exemption for New Delhi from sanctions for using Russian military equipment.
Called the US-India Defence Cooperation Act, it aims to expand bilateral cooperation as India faces increased aggression from Beijing. It was introduced by Marco Rubio, Representative from Florida, on Thursday.
The Act proposes that in order to strengthen the partnership, it is essential to enhance the US’s strategic diplomatic, economic and military relationship with New Delhi.
In a direct hint on threats India faces from China, the Act proposes “to support India in its response to growing threats to its internationally recognised land and maritime borders”.
It goes on to say that the US should “provide necessary security assistance to India to deter actions by foreign actors that violate India’s land and maritime borders”.
The Act says there is need to cooperate with India with respect to defence, civil space, technology, medicine and economic investments.
The Act goes on to propose that Pakistan be asked to account for the weapons and equipment supplied by the US, that these are not used to promote terrorism against India. It suggests that the US list “all instances in which Pakistan has used offensive force, including the use of proxies, against India”.
Also, the US should list all instances when Pakistan provided safe haven to terrorist groups and determine and describe assistance Pakistan has provided to militants in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Act seeks exemptions for India against sanctions under the Countering America Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). It proposes to amend CAATSA saying “it shall not apply with respect to currently used military capabilities of India”.
CAATSA is invoked against countries that have dealing with Russia.
Marco Rubio later put out a statement to explain why he moved the Act, saying, “Communist China continues to aggressively expand its domain in the Indo-Pacific region, and all the while it seeks to impede the sovereignty and autonomy of our regional partners.”
The legislation wants to lay down a policy that the US will support India.
It seeks to have expeditious certifications for military articles and military equipment and treat “India as if it were of the same status as US allies such as Japan, Israel, Korea and NATO allies regarding technology transfers”.
Pakistan using ‘terror, proxy war’ to stay relevant, will be given a befitting response, says PM Modi on Kargil Vijay Diwas
The prime minister’s remarks come in the backdrop of a surge in terror incidents in Jammu region
Drass (Kargil), July 26
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that Pakistan has not learnt any lessons from history and has faced defeat whenever it carried out any misadventure.
He was paying tributes to soldiers here on Kargil Vijay Diwas.
Pakistan, he said, is trying to remain relevant through terror and proxy war but it has faced defeat whenever it has carried out any misadventure.
“Today, I am speaking from a place where masters of terror can hear my voice directly. I want to tell patrons of terrorism that their nefarious designs will never succeed,” he said.
“Our bravehearts will crush terrorism and enemy will be given a befitting response,” he asserted.
The prime minister’s remarks come in the backdrop of a surge in terror incidents in Jammu region.
Modi said, “In Kargil, we not only won the war, we gave a wonderful example of truth, restraint and strength.”
On July 26, 1999, the Indian Army announced the successful culmination of Operation Vijay, declaring victory after a nearly three-month-long battle on the icy heights of Kargil in Ladakh.
The day is observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas to commemorate India’s victory over Pakistan in the war.
The prime minister said India would defeat every obstacle in the development of Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Half a dozen mentions of Bihar in Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s record seventh Union Budget on Tuesday riled the opposition members with many making it a point to register their protest every time the FM cited Bihar in her near 105 minute presentation.
NDA ruled Bihar where the BJP is in alliance with the JDU, which is also its partner at the centre walked away with the cake today though it was denied the special category status which the JDU had sought.
Apart from the JDU, another BJP ally at the centre the TDP also managed a face saver in the Budget with the FM announcing Rs 15,000 crore support to the state to build its capital Amravati.
“Recognising the need for a capital we will facilitate special financial support of Rs 15,000 crore to Andhra Pradesh through multi-lateral development agencies this year and additional amounts in future.
Both allies of the BJP appeared satisfied with the announcements with no immediate anxieties being shown.
The entire anxiety stemmed from the opposition benches with leaders from South Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu objecting to the neglect of their states.
“What about us,” they said every time Sitharaman mentioned Bihar and other states.
The FM announced financial assistance for Bihar under various heads, including a new Purvodaya scheme to unleash all round development of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh; Amritsar-Kolkata industrial corridor with catalyst segment in Bihar’s Gaya; highway projects worth Rs 26,000 crore and power project worth Rs 21,000 crore; Rs 11,500 crore for flood control and tourism projects for development of Mahabodhi temple, Vishwapad temple, Nalanda and Rajgir.
FM also promised help to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Silkim and Assam, which have been ravaged by floods and rains, but there was no mention of Punjab in her speech.
— Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (@RajaBrar_INC) July 23, 2024
The only Punjab reference was the Amritsar-Kolkata industrial corridor which primarily seeks to help the development in eastern states.Bihar walked away with majority shops today with around Rs 70,000 worth of projects with the FM not making any tempting offers for any of the poll bound states or Jharkhand, Maharashtra or Haryana
Union budget 2024 will go down as a “Sarkar Bachao” budget which was tailor made for two NDA allies in Bihar & Andhra Pradesh even as farmers, poor and youth across the country were ignored. There is nothing for Punjab in the sixth continuous budget since Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) exited the NDA alliance & govt. Those who joined the BJP to further their own interests in the name of “solving Punjab’s issues” must now answer why the State is facing consistent discrimination at the hands of the Centre,” said Harsimrat Kaur Badal.
Budget 2024: Gold, silver, imported mobile phones, cancer drugs to become cheaper; imported garden umbrella, solar glass dearer
Customs duty on 25 critical minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements, which are critical for sectors like nuclear energy, renewable energy, space, defence and telecommunications, either got fully exempted or reduced
Gold, silver and other precious metals along with imported mobile phones, certain cancer drugs and medical devices are set to become cheaper with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing cuts in customs duty in the Union Budget 2024-25.
However, certain items such as imported garden umbrellas and laboratory chemicals are set to become costlier due to an increase in basic customs duty.
Sitharaman in her Budget speech on Tuesday proposed reducing “customs duties on gold and silver to 6 per cent and that on platinum to 6.4 per cent” to enhance domestic value addition for jewellery in the country.
Moreover, to provide relief to cancer patients, the finance minister proposed to fully exempt three more medicines from customs duties — Trastuzumab Deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab.
She also proposed “changes in the BCD (Basic Customs Duty) on X-ray tubes and flat panel detectors for use in medical X-ray machines under the Phased Manufacturing Programme, so as to synchronise them with domestic capacity addition”.
Earlier X-ray tubes used in manufacturing of X-ray machines for medical, surgical, dental or veterinary use attracted 15 per cent BCD, which has been proposed to reduce to 5 per cent.
The government also proposed slashing import duty on mobile phones, chargers and some components that are used for manufacturing of handsets.
Sitharaman said with a three-fold increase in domestic production and almost 100-fold jump in exports of mobile phones over the last six years, the Indian mobile phone industry has matured.
“In the interest of consumers, I now propose to reduce BCD on mobile phone, mobile PCBA and mobile charger to 15 per cent,” Sitharaman said.
Earlier BCD on mobile phones, chargers and motherboard was 20 per cent.
The government has proposed to exempt specified goods for use in manufacturing of connectors in mobile phones and oxygen-free copper for use in manufacturing of resistors (an electronic component) from BCD levy.
BCD on specified goods for use in manufacturing of connectors was in the range of 5 to 7.5 per cent and oxygen-free copper for use in manufacturing of resistors attracted 5 per cent BCD.
Similarly, customs duty on 25 critical minerals such as lithium, copper, cobalt and rare earth elements, which are critical for sectors like nuclear energy, renewable energy, space, defence, telecommunications, and high-tech electronics either got fully exempted or reduced.
“This will provide a major fillip to the processing and refining of such minerals and help secure their availability for these strategic and important sectors,” she said.
The finance minister also proposed removing BCD on specified capital goods for use in manufacturing of solar cells or solar modules and said this will “support energy transition”.
However, she withdrew customs duty exemption on import of solar glass and tinned copper interconnect “in view of sufficient domestic manufacturing capacity”.
Similarly, Sitharaman also proposed reducing BCD on certain broodstock, polychaete worms, shrimp and fish feed to 5 per cent to promote India’s seafood exports, which has touched an all-time high of more than Rs 60,000 crore in the last financial year.
For leather and textile sectors, she proposed to remove duty on import of wet white, crust and finished leather for manufacturing of textile or leather garments, footwear or other leather products for export.
“…to enhance the competitiveness of exports, I propose to reduce BCD on real down filling material from duck or goose. I am also making additions to the list of exempted goods for manufacture of leather and textile garments, footwear and other leather articles for export,” she added.
Sitharam proposed to increase BCD on garden umbrella to 20 per cent or Rs 60 per piece, whichever is higher.
Moreover, to support existing and new capacities in the pipeline, she also proposed to increase BCD on ammonium nitrate from 7.5 to 10 per cent.
Besides, she raised BCD on poly vinyl chloride (PVC) flex films, which is also known as PVC flex banners or PVC flex sheets, from existing 10 per cent to 25 per cent as they are non-biodegradable and hazardous for environment and health.
Moreover, to incentivise domestic manufacturing, the finance minister proposed to increase BCD from 10 to 15 per cent on PCBA of specified telecom equipment from 10 to 15 per cent.
Claims budget a ‘copy and paste’ job of Congress manifesto for 2024 polls and previous budgets
New Delhi, July 23
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday dubbed the Union Budget a “kursi bachao budget” and claimed it makes “hollow promises” to BJP allies at the cost of other states.
The former Congress chief also claimed that the budget was “copy and paste” job of the Congress manifesto for 2024 polls and previous budgets.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the budget for 2024-25, her seventh straight presentation, surpassing the record of former prime minister Morarji Desai. This is the first budget in Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s third term in office.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, “’Kursi Bachao’ Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets.”
The Congress also slammed the Union Budget as being “more focused on posturing than action” and claimed that the “copy-paste government” has borrowed heavily from the party’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls.
The opposition party in its post claimed that the government had “tacitly” admitted that “mass unemployment is a national crisis”, and said the budget has “political compulsions written all over it”
‘Mithai bant dijiye’: Social media abuzz with Budget 2024 memes as Andhra Pradesh, Bihar get major allocations
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her 7th Union Budget on Tuesday in Lok Sabha.
Social media platforms were abuzz with a flood of memes on Budget 2024. The primary focus of these memes revolved around a series of measures for development of Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.
Take a look at the memes on Budget 2024:
State Stalwarts
CHIEF PATRON ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
LT GEN JASBIR SINGH DHALIWAL, DOGRA
PATRON ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
MAJOR GEN HARVIJAY SINGH, SENA MEDAL ,corps of signals
+919589143386
sanjhamorcha303@gmail.com
PRESIDENT HARYANA STATE UNIT SANJHA MORCHA
BRIG HPS BEDI , VSM ,JAK Rif
PRESIDENT PANCHKULA HARYANA UNIT SANJHA MORCHA
BRIG DALJIT THUKRAL (Retd) BENGAL SAPPERS
SECY (HONY) NRI’s ESMs , ALL INDIA SANJHA MORCHA
SUB AVTAR SINGH
+1(647)501-8112
AFFILIATED TO SANJHA MORCHA
INDO-CANADIAN VETERANS GROUP
FOUNDER CHAIRMAN SANJHA MORCHA
MAJOR SANTOKH SINGH DHILLON,SIGNALS
FOUNDER PRESIDENT SANJHA MORCHA
COL RANJIT SINGH BOPARAI ,ASC
INDIAN DEFENCE FORCES
DEFENCE FORCES INTEGRATED LOGO
FORCES FLAGS
15 Th PRESIDENT OF INDIA SUPREME COMMANDER ARMED FORCES
Droupadi Murmu
DEFENCE MINISTER
Minister Rajnath Singh
CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF (2nd)
General Anil Chauhan PVSM UYSM AVSM SM VSM
INDIAN FORCES CHIEFS
CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF(29th)
General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM (30 Jun 2024 to Till Date)
