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Prime Minister Narendra Modi who visited Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday to take part in a women’s empowerment programme transferred Rs 1000 crore to Self Help Groups (SHGs) benefitting around 16 lakh women members in the State.

Modi also transferred the first month’s stipend to Business Correspondent-Sakhis and also money to over one lakh beneficiaries of Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Scheme, a PMO note after the event said. He also laid the foundation stone of over 200 Supplementary Nutrition Manufacturing Units.

Addressing a gathering of women, the Prime Minister praised the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh for ensuring security, dignity, and respect to rural poor and girls in the state.

The National Conference said on Monday it will not be a signatory to the draft report of the Delimitation Commission on Jammu and Kashmir in its present form after the panel proposed six additional assembly seats for the Jammu region and one for Kashmir.

The National Conference also lashed out at Union minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Jitendra Singh for claiming its leaders were “satisfied” by the parameters followed by the Delimitation Commission calling it “malicious”.

“Misrepresenting and distorting the facts with malicious intention! Very misleading statement. We have clearly expressed our resentment over the draft of the Delimitation Commission, the biased process of seat sharing. The party will NOT be a signatory to this report,” the NC said on Twitter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over ₹600 core in Goa, including the renovated Fort Aguada Jail Museum. On the occasion of Goa Liberation Day, PM Modi inaugurated a super speciality block at Goa Medical College, New South Goa District Hospital, aviation skill development centre at Mopa Airport and the gas-insulated substation at Dabolim-Navelim in Margao.

During the event organised at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Modi also felicitated the freedom fighters and veterans of ‘Operation Vijay’ as part of Goa Liberation Day celebrations.

Speaking at the event, the prime minister said the land and sea of Goa have been blessed with nature's boon.

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Special Cell has arrested a DRDO scientist for allegedly orchestrating a blast inside a Rohini district court earlier this month, citing personal rivalry with a lawyer as motive. The low-intensity explosion took place inside courtroom no. 102 on December 9 and injured one person. The explosion took place months after jailed gangster Jitendra Gogi was shot dead by two men, who were dressed as lawyers, inside a different Rohini courtroom on September 24, raising questions over security at sensitive sites.

Sources that the person arrested is a serving scientist at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is charged with researching and developing for the military. Officials said three points of evidence point to the accused in the case.

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus is "spreading rapidly" - there are now more than 100 cases in 11 states in India - the Health Ministry said Friday, warning that 19 districts were at high risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Faced with the threat of a third wave of infections, the ministry underlined the need to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour, including the use of face masks and maintaining social distance. The ministry also urged people to avoid non-essential travel and stay away from large crowds and gatherings.

The ministry then issued a dire threat - that based on the progression of the strain in the UK (which already has over 11,000 Omicron cases), India could see a devastating 14 lakh cases daily.