Indian Sub-continent

Jaipur, Mar 26 (PTI) Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday promised a "surgical strike" on poverty and said his party had been working on how to eradicate it for the last six months.

Addressing a rally in Suratgarh a day after declaring his party would roll out a minimum income guarantee scheme for the poorest 20 per cent households if voted to power, Gandhi said only the rich could dream under the Narendra Modi rule.

KANPUR: To cope with the possible water crisis during four hot months, the Jal Kal department had been working on a plan of laying a 1.5 Km direct water pipeline with 1800 mm width at a cost of Rs 10.29 Crore from the Ganga Barrage water storage to Bhairav Ghat pumping station. This pipeline will be directly linked with the pumping station. It has been considered to maintain normal water supply to the city residents.

New Delhi, Mar 25 : In a big poll promise that he described as a "groundbreaking" measure to end poverty, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday said 20 per cent families in poorest of the poor category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as a minimum income.

Making the announcement at a press conference here, Gandhi said, "The time for change has come". Five crore families and 25 crore people will directly benefit from the scheme, he claimed, terming it is a "final assault" to eradicate poverty in the country.

Islamabad, Mar 25 (PTI) Pakistan on Monday received USD 2.1 billion from its all-weather ally China to help it in making international payments mainly on import and debt repayment counters.

Finance Ministry Spokesperson Khaqan Hassan Najeeb said the funds deposited in the State Bank of Pakistan would strengthen the stability of the country.

"Deposit of RMB 15Bn equivalent to USD 2.1Bn received in State Bank of Pakistan account on March 25th 2019 from China," Najeeb tweeted.

New Delhi, Mar 26 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a defence agent from Delhi in the Rs 3,600-crore VVIP choppers deal case, officials said Tuesday.

They said Sushen Mohan Gupta was arrested late Monday by agency sleuths under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Gupta, they said, has allegedly dealt in defence deals, including the AgustaWestland helicopters deal.

He will be produced before a special PMLA court here Tuesday.

Muzaffarnagar (UP), Mar 25 (PTI) A man was booked for allegedly thrashing his brother who succumbed to injuries three days later in Lilon village in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, police said Monday.

The brother, Amit, died in a hospital Sunday evening, they said.

According to Circle Officer Ashok Kumar, Amit was beaten up by his younger brother Rahul on Holi, which was celebrated on March 21.

Mumbai, Mar 25 (PTI) Jet Airways Founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and his wife Anita Goyal will resign from the board of the crisis-hit airline, according to a regulatory filing.

The decision was taken at the airline's board meeting held here Monday.

In a filing to the stock exchanges, Jet Airways said Naresh Goyal, Anita Goyal and one nominee of Etihad Airways PJSC would step down from the board.

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) The Supreme Court Monday favoured increasing the random physical verification of VVPAT slips in the upcoming Lok Sabha and assembly polls and told the EC that "no institution should insulate itself from improvement, including the judiciary".

It was not the question of "casting aspersions", rather a matter of "satisfaction" of the electorate, the top court said.

It asked the EC to file response as to whether it can increase the number of sample surveys of VVPAT slips from one in each assembly segment for the upcoming general and assembly elections.

New Delhi, Mar 24 : The CPI Sunday announced the candidature of former JNU students' union leader Kanhaiya Kumar from Begusarai Lok Sabha seat in Bihar, days after the party was left out of the RJD-led opposition alliance in the state.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), which was expecting to get the seat for Kumar as part of the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), has now decided to go alone.

"Kanhaiya Kumar will be our candidate from Begusarai seat. CPI(ML) has pledged their support to us too," senior CPI leader D Raja said.

New Delhi, Mar 25 (PTI) A boarding pass issued by Air India with pictures of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has come under criticism, days after the PM's photo on railway tickets created a furore.

The airline said the passes featuring the photographs, which were third-party advertisements, would be withdrawn if they are found to be in violation of the Model Code of Conduct.