1. President Kovind Bats For People-Govt Partnership to Achieve Goals of ‘New India’
On the eve of 71st Independence Day, newly-elected President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday advocated a strong partnership between citizens and the government in order to create a “New India” by 2022 that is a “compassionate society” and includes the “humanist component integral to the nation’s DNA”. President Kovind also stated New India would comprise of obvious parameters–like a house for every family, power on demand, better roads and telecom, a modern railway network, rapid and sustained growth.
And yet there is more. New India must include that integral humanist component that is in our DNA, and which has defined our country and our civilisation. New India must be a society rushing towards the future, but also a compassionate society.
Source: The Indian Express
2. Gross Callousness in Gorakhpur: NHRC Criticises UP Govt
The NHRC criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for its “gross callousness” and demanded a report on the death of at least 64 children at BRD Medical College, even as five more children died at the state-run facility on Monday.
The deaths have caused nationwide outrage. The opposition is gunning for chief minister Yogi Adityanath, refusing to buy his argument that the children died of encephalitis and not because oxygen supply was cut by a private firm over non-payment of dues.
“This indicates towards gross callousness on part of the hospital administration and the medical education and health departments of the government of Uttar Pradesh,” the National Human Right Commission said.
Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh hinted at corruption in the payment for oxygen cylinders at the health facility.
Source: Hindustan Times
3. Uttarakhand Cloudburst: 6 Soldiers Among 25 Feared Dead
About 25 people were feared dead, including six Army personnel, after a massive landslide hit Malpa village on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route and washed away an Army camp in the nearby Ghatiyabagad area following a cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Dharchula tehsil in Pithoragarh district early on Monday morning.
Five bodies have been recovered so far. Army has launched massive search operations amid bad weather even as the area remains cut off, with the highway and bridges washed away. Among the missing Army personnel were one junior commissioned officer and five jawans, who sources said belonged to Kumaon Scouts. The camp, near Tawaghat on the Mansarovar Yatra route, had around 100 personnel when it was swamped under the waters of a rivulet, Mangti nullah.
Source: The Times of India
4. Gorakhpur Tragedy: CM Adityanath as MP Had Raised Kids’ Death Issue 20 Times in 12 Years
Caught in the crossfire of questions over the deaths of children in the state government-run BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shouldn’t be surprised – or unprepared.
Lok Sabha records scrutinised by The Indian Express show that Yogi Adityanath, in his capacity as local MP, has raised the issue of children dying in Gorakhpur at least 20 times between the years 2003 and 2014. Indeed, some of the issues he raised – via questions or statements – echo the very issues that have come to the fore today after the tragic death of over 60 children.
Source: The Indian Express
5. Amid Terror Alert, Delhi Gets 7-Layer Cover for Independence Day
Security arrangements at the Indira Gandhi International Airport and several other parts of the city have been stepped up following somewhat specific intelligence inputs of a possible terror strike on Independence Day.
Security agencies have reportedly received an alert that there could be an attempt to hijack a small aircraft, or a helicopter, on 15 August. The operatives tasked to execute the hit are reportedly in possession of various kinds of dresses, passes and weapons to override the security arrangements.
Source: The Times of India
6. India Complete Historic Whitewash After Bowlers Demolish Sri Lanka at Pallekele
India registered an emphatic win over clueless Sri Lanka, completing a historic 3-0 clean sweep of an away Test series. Bundled out for 135 in the first innings and made to follow on, Sri Lanka went down without a whimper to be all out for 181 at the Pallekele International Stadium on Monday.
The innings win inside three days meant India have for the first time inflicted a whitewash in a three-Test series away from home.
Virat Kohli and Co won the first Test in Galle by 304 runs and the second by an innings and 53 runs in Colombo. At Pallekele, Sri Lanka never recovered from the stunning assault by Hardik Pandya (108 off 96 balls). And up against India’s total of 487, the home team batsmen fell like nine pins.
Source: Hindustan Times
7. With 23 MLAs, TTV Dhinakaran Shows His Strength, Gets in Way of Merger
In a major setback to the AIADMK’s merger plans and proposed ouster of party chief V K Sasikala, at least 23 of its MLAs and four MPs shared the dais with about 200 party leaders at a rally organised by deputy general secretary T T V Dhinakaran in Melur village, near Madurai, on Monday evening.
According to initial estimates, at least 25,000 people turned up for the rally, ostensibly to mark MGR’s birth anniversary, but essentially Dhinakaran’s show of strength, making it the biggest party rally since late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s poll rallies in 2016.
Source: The Indian Express
8. At Nehru Memorial, Jawaharlal Nehru Will Share Space With All PMs
Firming up plans to build a museum dedicated to all former prime ministers at the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library campus, a proposal to invite global tenders for the “design plans” was mooted at the NMML’s executive council meeting on August 9.
At present, NMML or Teen Murti Bhawan, which was once the residence of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, is associated solely with him.
Source: The Indian Express
9. Centre Mulls Sale of Jaypee Assets to Complete Flats
The Centre may step in to provide relief to thousands of home buyers hit by insolvency proceedings against Jaypee Infratech, including sale of the company’s assets to raise money to complete the project.
On 9 August, the Allahabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) ordered the appointment of an insolvency resolution professional (IRP) after IDBI Bank sought initiation of bankruptcy proceedings against the company following a diktat from the Reserve Bank of India.
Source: The Times of India
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