Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 21: Former DDC Suchetgarh, Taranjit Singh Tony launched a sharp attack on the administration over the reported restriction on entry of former DDCs and ex-corporators into the Jammu Civil Secretariat, calling it a “direct assault on democratic representation.”
In a strongly worded statement, Tony said the move has effectively shut the doors of governance on grassroots representatives who were elected by the people. “If former DDCs and corporators are stopped at the gates, it clearly shows that this Government does not want to hear the voice of the common people,” he said.
He questioned how public grievances would reach the authorities if those who represent people at the grassroots are denied access. “These representatives are the first point of contact for the public. If they cannot approach the Secretariat, then how will issues related to development, welfare, and basic services ever reach the corridors of power?” Tony asked.
He directly questioned Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, asking him to clarify the Government’s stand. “The Chief Minister must answer why those who raise people’s issues are being deliberately blocked,” he said and also urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take immediate cognisance of the issue.
Govt silencing grassroots voice: Tony
Shivraj Singh Chouhan calls for overhaul of rural credit system, citing \”ordeal\” for farmers
NEW DELHI, Apr 21 : Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday called for overhauling the rural credit system, saying that despite the Kisan Credit Card scheme, obtaining a bank loan remains an ordeal for farmers who must navigate layers of paperwork, patwaris, and tehsil offices for getting a loan sanctioned.
Speaking at a panel on agriculture during Civil Services Day, Chouhan said the current system fails the very people it is meant to serve.
“The farmer is not a beggar — he comes to the system with his rights, needs, and respect,” he said, cautioning that officials in positions of power often lose sight of this.
Sharing a familiar picture of rural banking distress, the minister said farmers walk 8 to 10 kilometres to a branch, only to return home with work undone, defeated by long queues and understaffed counters.
With direct benefit transfers — from MNREGA wages to PM Kisan instalments — flooding rural accounts, the pressure on limited bank staff has become untenable, he said, calling for a serious reassessment of rural banking manpower.
Chouhan also flagged the uneven promise of technology. During wheat procurement, satellite-based verification created fresh hurdles for farmers rather than easing them — a reminder, he said, that digitalisation must account for ground realities, an official statement said.
On integrated farming, the minister argued that a small or marginal farmer with one to two-and-a-half acres simply cannot survive on grain alone. Diversifying into horticulture, animal husbandry, fish farming, or beekeeping requires capital — capital that most lack and that subsidies alone cannot provide.
He also backed warehouse receipt loans as a tool to protect farmers from distress selling, but said the scheme needs to be made genuinely accessible. Citing the case of a farmer whose Rs 18 lakh loan ballooned to Rs 40 lakh, he urged banks to explore one-time settlements as a practical fix.
Addressing civil servants, Chouhan called for introspection and out-of-the-box thinking — and asked them to look beyond NPA statistics toward the human cost behind the numbers. )PTI)
India’s economy projected to grow at 6.4 per cent this year: UN
UNITED NATIONS, Apr 21: India’s economy is projected to grow at 6.4 per cent this year and 6.6 per cent in 2027, according to a report by the United Nations.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) said in the report released Monday that economies in South and South-West Asia grew by 5.4% in 2025, compared to 5.2% in 2024, driven largely by strong growth in India.
India’s growth edged up to 7.4% in 2025, “supported by robust consumption, especially from the rural economy along with goods and services tax rate cuts, and export frontloading ahead of the United States’ tariffs,” the report, titled Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2026, said.
It said in India, economic activities moderated in the second half of 2025 as exports to the United States declined by 25 per cent following the introduction of 50 per cent tariffs in August 2025. The services sector remained a key growth driver.
The report projected India to register a 6.4 per cent growth rate in 2026 and 6.6 per cent next year. Inflation for the country is projected to be 4.4 per cent this year and 4.3 per cent in 2027.
The report said that FDI inflows to developing Asian and Pacific economies declined amid trade tensions and geopolitical uncertainty. After an increase of 0.6% in 2024, FDI to the region declined by 2% in 2025, even as global flows increased by 14%.
“Within the Asia-Pacific region, the countries that attracted the largest share of greenfield FDI in the first three quarters were India, Australia, the Republic of Korea and Kazakhstan with USD 50 billion, USD 30 billion, USD 25 billion and USD 21 billion in announced investments, respectively,” it said.
It further said that personal remittances, sent by Asian and Pacific workers employed outside of their home countries, continued to rise, cushioning the impact of vulnerable domestic employment conditions.
Remittances have helped sustain the consumption of many households, but are facing headwinds.
In India and the Philippines, about 40 per cent of the transfers are used for essential spending, including medical expenses, of recipient households.
“However, as the world’s largest remittance recipient of USD 137 billion in 2024, India could face a sizeable loss as the United States has levied a 1% tax on all remittances since January 2026,” it said.
The report also cited estimates by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) that suggested that there were around 16.6 million green jobs globally, with annual job creation of around 0.8 million between 2012 and 2024, 7% annual growth.
Out of these 16.6 million jobs, 7.3 million were in China, 1.3 million in India and 2.5 million in the rest of Asia – 44%, 8% and 15% of the global total, respectively.
“Governments can leverage the energy transition to an environmentally sustainable economy to foster new domestic industries and build supportive constituencies,” it said.
It noted that public investment and targeted industrial policies can accelerate the emergence of beneficiaries such as renewable manufacturers, grid developers, storage providers and green industrial clusters.
The report cited India’s production-linked incentive scheme, saying it illustrates how macroeconomic policy can foster green industrial development through incentives for domestic manufacturing of solar photovoltaic, batteries and green hydrogen, reducing import dependence while creating new industrial beneficiaries with a vested interest in sustaining the transition.
“Across developing economies in Asia and the Pacific, targeted industrial policies are being used to scale clean technology manufacturing and accelerate the energy transition. Initiatives include India’s Production Linked Incentive scheme for high-efficiency solar modules, China’s strategic subsidies for electric vehicle battery manufacturing,” it said. (PTI)
Abhishek smashes classy ton as SRH crush DC by 47 runs
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 242 for 2 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 135 not out, Heinrich Klaasen 37 not out, Travis Head 37; Axar Patel 1/23)
Delhi Capitals: 195 for 9 in 20 overs (Nitish Rana 57, Sameer Rizvi 41; Eshan Malinga 4/32 ).
Kerala: 13 dead, several injured in fireworks unit explosion ahead of Thrissur Pooram
THRISSUR (Kerala), Apr 21: At least 13 people were killed and several others injured in a blast at a fireworks manufacturing unit at Mundathicode in central Kerala’s Thrissur district on Tuesday, officials said.
Thirteen injured persons, three of them women, are undergoing treatment.
Five of them are in critical condition with over 70 per cent burn injuries, authorities at Government Medical College, Thrissur, said.
Around 40 people were suspected to have been present in the sheds at the time of the explosion, which occurred at a fireworks unit preparing crackers on behalf of a temple devaswom ahead of the upcoming Thrissur Pooram on April 26.
Hospital authorities said 13 bodies were received, including dismembered remains, which are being counted as individual fatalities.
A control room was also opened at the state-run medical college.
Television visuals showed residents assisting in rescue efforts, shifting the injured and recovering remains from the blast site.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan directed that all necessary medical assistance be provided and asked officials to ensure coordinated rescue and relief operations.
He also instructed that, if required, expert doctors from outside the state be brought in to treat those with severe burn injuries, according to a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office.
All departments, including police, fire and rescue services, health, revenue, and disaster management, have been mobilised, and a special mechanism has been set up to monitor the situation, it said.
State Health Minister Veena George directed officials to ensure specialised treatment for the injured and to make necessary arrangements at Government Medical College, Thrissur, and Thrissur General Hospital.
Nearby hospitals have also been put on alert.
According to residents, the explosion occurred at around 3.30 pm, and intermittent blasts continued in the area, hampering rescue efforts. Firecrackers were being manufactured in multiple temporary sheds located in an isolated area amid paddy fields.
A government official who reached the spot said food had reportedly been arranged for around 40 workers, indicating that at least that many people may have been present when the accident occurred. Some workers escaped with minor injuries.
Fire and rescue personnel, along with police, led the rescue operations, though continuing explosions posed serious challenges.
Wadakanchery Municipal Chairman P N Surendran, who visited the site, said blasts were still occurring, preventing people from approaching the area.
“There is still no clarity on how many workers were present or how many were injured. Extreme heat is suspected to be one of the reasons for the mishap,” he told reporters.
He added that the sound of the explosion was heard several kilometres away and that houses in nearby areas suffered damage.
Eyewitnesses said multiple sheds spread across several acres were present at the site, of which at least five were destroyed in the fire.
Most of those affected were reported to be residents of Mundathikkode and the nearby Kundannur areas.
Wilson, one of the surviving workers, recalled the terrifying moment.
“There was a sudden flash beside me and then fire. After that, I don’t remember anything,” he said. He maintained that all workers at the unit were Malayalees and that no migrant labourers were employed.
The Thrissur district collector has ordered a magisterial-level inquiry into the incident, assigning the sub-collector to conduct a detailed probe into the cause of the blast and its aftermath, according to a statement.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 50 lakh for rescue and related operations.
The rescue mission and efforts to locate and defuse live crackers are continuing, sources said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives in the blast and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Congress MP from Wayanad Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, also expressed grief over the loss of lives.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, in a statement, expressed condolences over the deaths, while his party colleague and CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan termed the incident “extremely shocking.”
Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi, in a Facebook post, expressed shock and sadness over the incident, saying it was inconceivable that such a tragedy had befallen ordinary people working for a living.
BJP Kerala chief Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan also expressed grief over the incident. (PTI)
Defence Chief General Anil Chauhan holds high-level talks on evolving nature of conflict in UK
LONDON, Apr 21: The Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, has held a wide range of high-level discussions with military counterparts and ministers on the evolving nature of conflict and countering emerging challenges in the Indo-Pacific in London this week.
General Chauhan called on Luke Pollard, UK Minister of State (MoS) for Defence Readiness & Industry, and Seema Malhotra, MoS for Indo-Pacific, as part of what has been described as a “landmark” visit.
The Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) said the meetings were aimed at taking forward the India-UK partnership, with a focus on the bilateral Defence Industrial Roadmap and technology and security initiatives.
“Discussions centred on evolving nature of conflict and deepening military-to-military cooperation,” the HQ IDS stated. “Both sides emphasised enhancing cooperation in Cyber, Intelligence and Space domains, including information resilience and specialised exchanges. The exchange reaffirmed a shared commitment to resilient, future-ready forces and a strengthened India-UK strategic partnership,” it said.
General Chauhan was accorded a Ceremonial Step Line when he was received by Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Knighton in London on Monday.
Their discussions revolved around an expanding cooperation in cyber, intelligence, industrial collaboration and joint exercises to reinforce global security, stability and resilience.
“Great to discuss UK-India defence and security cooperation with India’s Chief of Defence Staff General Chauhan today. The UK and India are working together to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, as set out by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi last year,” Sir Richard said in a social media statement.
During a packed schedule, the Defence Chief also engaged with sector experts, officials and academics on a roundtable entitled ‘Indian military transformation challenges and opportunity’ at King’s College London, focused on the evolving strategic landscape and imperatives of modern military transformation.
“Discussions underscored the centrality of advanced technologies in defence, enhancement of operational capabilities and closer synergy across industrial, intelligence and cyber domains, alongside strategic communication and joint engagements to further strengthen a robust, future-oriented India-UK defence partnership,” the Defence HQ noted.
The High Commission of India in London added that the Defence Chief’s talks ranged from defence transformation, emerging tech, and multi-domain integration to strengthen the bilateral defence cooperation.
This week marks the first official visit by an Indian Chief of Defence Staff to the UK and follows a series of senior India-UK military engagements in recent months. It follows India and the UK launching a 10-year Defence Industrial Roadmap under the Vision 2035 agreement to support growth, strengthen security and contribute to international stability. (PTI)
MoD signs contracts for procurement of critical equipment for T-72, T-90 tanks
NEW DELHI, Apr 21 : The defence ministry on Tuesday signed contracts worth nearly Rs 975 crore for the procurement of critical equipment for T-72 and T-90 tanks of the Army which will enhance the minefield breaching capability of the force.
The contracts were inked in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in Delhi.
The ministry, in a statement, said it has signed contracts with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Electro Pneumatics and Hydraulics (India) Private Limited for the “procurement of TRAWL Assembly for T-72/T-90 tanks, at an approximate cost of Rs 975 crore”.
The ‘TRAWL Assembly’ for T-72/T-90 tanks is a critical equipment developed by the DRDO that will enhance the minefield breaching capability of the Indian Army.
“It would generate additional capability of creating vehicle safe lanes through minefields with anti-tank mines with proximity magnetic fuses, thus enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Indian Army,” the statement said.
Being a ‘Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured)’ case, the procurement marks a pivotal step towards modernising India’s defence infrastructure and empowering indigenous industries, which will be a proud flag-bearer of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, it said.
This project has immense potential of direct and indirect employment generation by encouraging the MSME sector through components’ manufacturing, the ministry said. (PTI)
Parag’s poor form, middle-order woes worry RR as they aim to halt slide vs struggling LSG
LSG: Rishabh Pant (c), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan.
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma.
Match starts: 7.30 pm. (PTI)
President Murmu condoles loss of lives in Kerala fireworks unit blast
NEW DELHI, Apr 21: President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday condoled the loss of lives due to an explosion at a fireworks unit in Kerala and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
At least 13 people died, and many others suffered burn injuries following a blast at the fireworks manufacturing unit in Mundathicode in Thrissur district of Kerala on Tuesday, officials said.
“Saddened to learn about the loss of lives due to an explosion at a fireworks unit in Thrissur, Kerala. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Murmu said in a post on X. (PTI)
India’s strategic autonomy offers value, predictability for partner countries: Indian envoy
BEIJING, Apr 21 : India’s strategic autonomy doctrine offers value and predictability for partner countries, Consul General of India to Shanghai Pratik Mathur said on Tuesday.
Mathur was speaking at the Economist Enterprise Corporate Network (EECN) Shanghai’s Regional Strategic Forecast.
He “reaffirmed India’s doctrine of strategic autonomy and said that India’s value as a partner lies precisely in its predictability and refusal to be instrumentalised in others’ rivalries,” a press release from the Consulate said.
One of the most common misconceptions about India is the assumption that it operates as a single, uniform market, he said.
Mathur emphasised that India’s diversity across states, regulations, and cultures is a structural feature of a diverse democracy that businesses must incorporate into their strategies rather than attempt to simplify.
The event brought together over fifty executives, senior business leaders, and diplomats for a discussion on global and regional growth scenarios, geopolitical risk, and China’s policy outlook through 2027, the press release said.
On India’s economic trajectory, Mathur highlighted the success of Production Linked Incentive schemes across 14 sectors, noting that Apple now manufactures over 14 per cent of its iPhones in India, alongside India’s unparalleled digital public infrastructure comprising UPI, Aadhaar, and the Open Network for Digital Commerce.
He also pointed to transformative progress under the PM Gati Shakti masterplan, with logistics costs being brought down from around 14 per cent of Gross Domestic Product toward a target of 8 per cent and industrial corridors such as Delhi-Mumbai and Chennai-Bengaluru coming online, it said. (PTI)