Devotees gather for the last Shahi Snan of Kumbh 2021 on the day of Purnima, or full moon, in Haridwar (Photo: PTI)

The Uttar Pradesh government has signed an agreement with a private firm for arranging around 5,000 special accommodations during the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in 2025, officials said on Saturday.
The accommodations would include homestays, bed and breakfast establishments, and paying guest units across major towns and prominent locations throughout the state, they said.
The Directorate of Tourism entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Luzern Ventures Private Limited (OGA) on Friday, they said.
"This MoU is a significant step towards realising our commitment to enhancing the tourism landscape of Uttar Pradesh. By combining our expertise with OGA, we are sure to create a diverse range of accommodation options that reflect the cultural vibrancy of our state," said Tourism Director Prakhar Mishra.
Another tourism department official said the MoU, spanning five years, solidifies their collaborative efforts to establish and manage a diverse range of ...

Suresh Kumar Khanna

The Uttar Pradesh government in its budget presented on Wednesday allocated Rs 2,500 crore for the preparations of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 against Rs 621.55 crore for the financial year 2022-23.
The religious fair is held after every 12 years.
A state government official said the work on widening and beautifying three access roads in Ayodhya will be finished within the next two years.
"In anticipation of a potential increase in tourism brought on by the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in the district of Ayodhya, it is planned that work on widening and beautifying three access roads will be finished within the next two years," Finance Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said while presenting the budget.
"An arrangement of Rs 50 crore as a grant for developing basic infrastructure facilities in religious and historically significant urban bodies of the state. A provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been proposed for the development of roads related to religious relevance," he said.


The government spokesman said that by March next year, as many as 800 ordinary buses will be added to the existing fleet of 11,500 buses plying in the state

Kumbh

The Maha Kumbh in 2025 will be unparalleled in grandeur and will also showcase a 'New Uttar Pradesh' of 'New India'

Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday kick-started preparations for the Mahakumbh in 2025 said its management should meet the expectations of India and the world.
Stating that the 2025 edition of the Mahakumbh must represent the 'new Uttar Pradesh' of 'new India', Aityanath said it should showcase the state's administrative capacity, rich culture and tourism possibilities.
Adityanath on Thursday chalked out an outline for the Mahakumbh at the first, high-level meeting in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a press statement.
The opportunity is for all the 24 crore citizens of Uttar Pradesh to present the state's potential before the world. In the next two years, teamwork and project management should be done through effective implementation and execution of projects, he said.
The chief minister also warned of strict action against officers showing laxity. He issued directions for the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of the divisional ..

To chalk out the outline of the Maha Kumbh 2025, a high-level meeting will be held in Prayagraj on Thursday

Devotees offer prayer and take holy dip on the occasion of 'Maha Shivaratri' festival during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, in Prayagraj

In the backdrop of allegations over irregularities in Covid-19 testing in Uttrakhand during the recently-concluded Kumbh, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday issued notices to three firms

Haridwar

At least 30 sadhus have tested positive for the coronavirus disease and one has died during the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Uttarakhand's Haridwar. Listen to the podcast for more

Sushil Chandra, chief election commissioner

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi comes in support of students to cancel the CBSE board exam 2021. Stay tuned for Latest LIVE news

Events versus processes

Individual efforts can produce spectacular results, but if not institutionalised these cannot be replicated in future

Overseas institutions are also a better bet for Adani. Tapping Indian banks, especially state-run lenders, would be a tad cheaper, but might invite greater political scrutiny ahead of general election

Adani, Adani Group

Adani Group on Thursday bagged two contracts worth Rs 13,888 crore from a state-owned discom to install smart meters.
A total of six tenders were awarded by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) to install smart meters, of which two have been bagged by the Adani Group, according to an official communiqu from the discom seen by PTI.
The diversified group, which has a sizeable presence in the power sector and had recently won a Rs 1,000 crore contract to install smart meters in the area serviced by BEST Undertaking in Mumbai, will act as an advanced metering infrastructure service provider for smart prepaid metering in MSEDCL, it said.
The two zones awarded to Adani include Bhandup, Kalyan and Konkan having 63.44 lakh meters, and Baramati and Pune having 52.45 lakh meters, it said.
Letter of Awards have been issued to the successful firms, as per the communiqu.
Officials from Adani Group were not immediately available for comment.
The group's transmiss

Closing Bell on Thursday, September 21: The broad-based selling was led by public sector banks with the Nifty PSU Bank index sliding 2.3 per cent

bear market, sensex, nifty, loss, growth, investment

Tensions have been high since Canadian PM Trudeau on Monday alleged that the Indian government was behind the fatal shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar

visa, Canada

Stocks held by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), which is among the biggest FPIs investing in the domestic market, have come under pressure since developments on the India-Canada tensions

India-Canada tensions: Multi-billion economic deals at risk if rift widens

India-Canada

Nijjar, who was wanted in India, was gunned down outside a gurdwara, in a parking area in Canada's Surrey, BC on June 18

Justin Trudeau

Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Monday with China's vice president on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly as the Biden administration and Beijing step up high-level contacts ahead of what could be a leader-level summit this fall.
Blinken and Vice President Han Zheng held talks Monday at the Chinese mission to the United Nations. Their discussion came as China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi was in Moscow meeting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after wrapping up two days of talks with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan in Malta.
The quick succession of US-China contacts is fueling speculation that President Joe Biden may meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in November at an Asia-Pacific Economic conference in San Francisco.
"I think it's a good thing that we have this opportunity to build on the recent high-level engagements that our countries have had to make sure that we're maintaining open communications and demonstrate that we are responsibly managing the

Blinken, Antony Blinken

Iran's president on Monday denied his country had sent drones to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine, even as the United States accuses Iran of not only providing the weapons but helping Russia build a plant to manufacture them.
"We are against the war in Ukraine," President Ebrahim Raisi said as he met with media executives on the sidelines of the world's premier global conference, the high-level leaders' meeting at the UN General Assembly.
The Iranian leader spoke just hours after five Americans who had been held in Iranian custody arrived in Qatar, freed in a deal that saw President Joe Biden agree to unlock nearly USD 6 billion in frozen Iranian assets.
Known as a hard-liner, Raisi seemingly sought to strike a diplomatic tone. He reiterated offers to mediate the Russia-Ukraine war despite being one of the Kremlin's strongest backers. And he suggested that the just-concluded deal with the United States that led to the prisoner exchange and assets release could "help build trust"

Iran’s flag at the IAEA headquarters. Iran is now enriching small amounts of uranium to its closest-ever levels to weapons-grade purity as its stockpile continues to grow

Iran Flag

Isro also informed that it marked the fifth consecutive time that the Isro had successfully transferred an object on a trajectory toward another celestial body or location in space

Aditya-L1, L1 point

Former President Donald Trump will travel to the battleground state of Michigan next week to meet with striking autoworkers instead of participating in the second Republican presidential debate, a person familiar with his plans said Monday.
Trump, who also skipped the first debate last month, has signaled that he is already focused on the 2024 election against President Joe Biden as he maintains a wide lead against his GOP rivals in primary polls. In recent days, he has been leaning hard into the strike, painting himself as sympathetic to the workers and accusing Biden of trying to destroy the car industry by expanding electric cars and other green energy policies.
The September 27 trip, first reported by The New York Times, will also include a primetime speech, according to the person familiar with the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity before they were made public.
That's the date others in the GOP field will gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential 

Donald Trump

The fiscal burden of states will increase over time

pensions, funds, retirement, investments, investors, savings

Former RBI Governor Bimal Jalan said it is better if the person's expertise is considered than whether he/she is a bureaucrat or a private sector executive

TRAI

The government introduced the Women's Reservation Bill in the Parliament almost three decades after it was first drafted

Parliament

Canada identifies expelled Indian diplomat as RAW station chief in Ottawa, sources say Canadian diplomat expelled from Delhi is intelligence officer

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

MEA's statement comes after Canada expelled an Indian diplomat on Monday as it investigates credible allegations that India's government may have had links to the assassination in Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives for his daily press conference on COVID-19, in front of his residence at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa. Photo: PTI

Here is the best of Business Standard's opinion pieces for today

MSMEs

India attended a two-day meeting convened by a neutral expert in Vienna that was part of proceedings aimed at resolution of a dispute between New Delhi and Islamabad on the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Senior Advocate Harish Salve was present in the capacity of India's lead counsel in the matter, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
"A delegation from India, led by Secretary, Department of Water Resources, attended a meeting of the neutral expert proceedings in the Kishenganga and Ratle matter at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Vienna on September 20 and 21," it said.
The MEA said the meeting was convened by the neutral expert appointed on India's request under the aegis of the Indus Waters Treaty and was attended by representatives of India and Pakistan.
"India's participation in this meeting is in line with India's consistent, principled stand that as per the graded mechanism provided for in the Indus Waters Treaty, 

india-pakistan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded the parliamentary's approval to the women's reservation bill as a defining moment in the nation's democratic journey.
Parliament approved the bill for reserving one-third of seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies for women with the Rajya Sabha unanimously clearing it on Thursday. All 214 MPs present in the Upper House voted in favour of it.
"This is not merely a legislation; it is a tribute to the countless women who have made our nation. India has been enriched by their resilience and contributions," Modi posted on X as the Rajya Sabha unanimously passed the bill a day after its approval by the Lok Sabha.
"A defining moment in our nation's democratic journey! Congratulations to 140 crore Indians. I thank all the Rajya Sabha MPs who voted for the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam. Such unanimous support is indeed gladdening," Modi said.
With the passage of the 'Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam' in Parliament, an era of stronger ...

PM Modi

More than 10 people were injured when Manipur security forces fired tear gas shells on protesters for trying to storm police stations and court arrest demanding the unconditional release of the five arrested youths on Thursday.
As a precautionary measure, the state government cancelled curfew relaxations in the twin districts of Imphal from 5pm, officials said.
Responding to a call by six local clubs and Meira Paibis demanding the release of the five village volunteers, hundreds of protesters holding placards and shouting slogans tried to enter the Porompat police station in Imphal East and Singjamei police station and Kwakeithel police outpost in Imphal West district.
However, police and RAF personnel deployed at strategic positions fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
A protester, identified as Th Bimola at Porompat said, "We were left with no option but to court arrest as the government failed to release the five village volunteers. If such village ...

Manipur

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Thursday advised TV news channels to refrain from giving platform to those belonging to proscribed organisations or facing charges of terrorism and serious crimes.
In an advisory to all private satellite TV channels, the ministry said it has come to its notice that "a person" in a foreign country who faces serious cases of crime including terrorism was invited for a discussion on a television channel.
During the discussion, the person made several remarks detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of India, its security and friendly relations with a foreign state, the ministry said, without naming the person or the news channel.
The remarks of the person also had the potential of disturbing public order in the country, the ministry added.
While the government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, the content telecast by the TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks ...

TRP, tv news channels, viewership, media, entertainment, OTT

Heatmap

Maha Kumbh Mela

UP govt inks MoU for 5,000 special accommodations at Maha Kumbh 2025

UP govt allocates Rs 2,500 cr for preparations of Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

UP govt planning to buy 6,000 buses for Rs 200 crore before Maha Kumbh 2025

Maha Kumbh in 2025 will showcase 'New Uttar Pradesh', 'New India'

Mahakumbh 2025 in UP should meet expectations of India, world: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh govt begins preparing for 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj

Uttarakhand SIT notice to 3 firms in alleged Covid testing scam in Kumbh

Coronavirus shadow on Kumbh, Markaz & Haj pilgrimage: All you should know

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Events versus processes