New Delhi Feb 20 PTI The Railways caught more than 178 crore ticketless passengers and those with unbooked luggage in the first nine months of 2021-22 a jump of around 79 per cent from the non-Covid-hit fiscal of 2019-2020 according to an RTI responseDuring the coronavirus impacted fiscal of 2020-21 when severe restrictions on traffic movement were in place the number of such passengers stood at 27 lakh The data was made available by the Railway Board in response to the RTI query filed by Madhya Pradesh-based activist Chandra Shekhar GaurThe RTI response also revealed that during April-December 2021 more than 178 crore passengers were detected travelling without ticketwith improper ticket and unbooked luggageAn amount of Rs 101748 crore was realised from them as fine it saidSources indicated that one of the major reasons for such a surge in ticketless travel is the fact that even now when most of the Covid restrictions have been lifted many express and superfast trains have only online booking and limited servicesAs for the 2019-2020 fiscal which was not impacted by the coronavirus pandemic 110 crore people were caught travelling ticketless and a total fine of Rs 56173 crore was recovered from themBetween April 2020 and March 2021 ie 2020-21 fiscal 2757 lakh people were caught travelling ticketless and Rs 14382 crore was levied as fine on themPassengers have also complained that there was a demand-supply mismatch as far as train services are concernedIn fact according to data provided by the Railways over 52 lakh people who were on the waitlist after finalisation of seat reservation charts could not travel by trains in the first six months of the current fiscal indicating a need for more trains on busy routesTill September of the financial year 2021-2022 3250039 PNRs passenger name records against which 5296741 passengers had bookings were auto-cancelled as they were in the waitlist status after the preparation of the charts The problem is that after the severe restrictions on travel over the last two years people are now travelling more and more Some because of emergencies and many more for leisures While the number of travellers has increased the number of trains their frequencies have remained the same We have introduced clone trains and things will get better said an officialAccording to Railways data there has been a significant increase in the number of passengers availing train services from 2019-2020 to 2021-22In October 2019 when regular train services were in operation the number of passengers who travelled by trains was 440 crore In September 2021 with an improvement in the COVID-19 situation the number rose to almost seven croreThe RTI also said that during April 2021 to December 2021 the overall occupancy of reserved accommodation was 9965 per cent PTI ASG TIR TIR

New Delhi Jan 28 PTI CPI MP Binoy Viswam on Friday termed arbitrary and prejudiced an SBI circular on proposed employment guidelines which reportedly stated that a woman candidate who is more than three months pregnant will be considered temporarily unfit and she may be allowed to join within four months of the childs delivery In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday the MP said it was shocking that such guidelines were issued by a public sector bank It completely undermines the rights of women It appears that under the garb of empowering women the new guidelines which consider pregnant women who are three months and above as being temporarily unfit for appointment are in fact arbitrarily discriminating against them he said This policy fails to consider the interests of working women and will cause further discrimination against them in the work space Women are constantly subjected to arbitrary policies that are rooted in patriarchal mindsets Viswam added He further said he found it appalling that a government-run bank is not only reinforcing stereotypes but actively contributing to their creation Any policy that concerns women in the workspace must ensure that it does not become a tool of discrimination and oppression For generations women have struggled to enter the workforce and challenge notions of patriarchy including within the State Bank of India Such guidelines are undemocratic arbitrary and prejudiced the parliamentarian said The All India Democratic Womens Association AIDWA has also condemned the move and said that the circular was coated with discrimination The new years gift to women by the State Bank of India is one coated with discrimination The revised instruction is bringing back the humiliation to force The practice is discriminative against women This amounts to breach of constitutional provision guaranteeing equal opportunity to all The AIDWA demands that the anti-women guidelines be immediately withdrawn by the SBI it said PTI ASG AAR

New Delhi Jan 26 PTI A four-member TMC delegation will visit the Election Commission of India ECI on Thursday to discuss key issues in connection with the upcoming polls in Goa the party said on Wednesday The delegation will comprise Saugata Roy MP Lok Sabha Aparupa Poddar MP Lok Sabha Dr Santanu Sen MP Rajya Sabha Abir Ranjan Biswas MP Rajya Sabha it said Goa will go to the polls on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10 PTI ASG NSD AQS AQS

New Delhi Nov 25 PTI Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday emphasised the need for reforms in the UN Security Council and other key international organisations so as to make them reflective of contemporary realities and capable of dealing with challenges Addressing the first plenary session of the 13th ASEM Summit virtually he said the world is witnessing and grappling with rapid economic technological and security challenges and the current multilateral system has fallen short in providing an effective response to these challenges He also underlined that reformed multilateralism is the driving principle that India has pursued for a purposeful reform of existing global institutional structures The two-day summit is being hosted by Cambodia in the virtual format and is themed Strengthening Multilateralism for Shared Growth The Indian delegation at ASEM-13 was led by the vice president who will also be addressing the retreat session of the summit on Friday Observing that without peace development suffers Naidu highlighted that lack of development and stifled economic progress create fertile ground for violence and instability Therefore he called for efforts towards promoting economic activity and enhancing the livelihood security and suggested that it will go a long way in the recovery of nations adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic Stressing the need to mitigate the causes of persistent insecurity at a global level the vice president highlighted the need for reforms in the international structure responsible for maintaining global peace and security Opining that the multitude of challenges of todays dynamic and interdependent world cannot be addressed with outdated systems Naidu expressed an urgent need to re-imagine international cooperation and expand its ambition further It is the lack of a coordinated global response that has exposed the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the multilateral system as it stands today he said The vice president also said the pandemic has exposed the fault lines from unreliable global supply chains to inequitable vaccine distribution further underlining the need for global solidarity and strengthened multilateralism Noting that the re-imagined post pandemic world will make profoundly different demands from the multilateral system he highlighted four important areas for international economic cooperation namely resilient and reliable supply chains health security digital for development and green and sustainable recovery PTI ASG SRY

New Delhi Nov 19 PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modis announcement on Friday to repeal the three contentious farm laws is expected to end the year-long confrontation between the government and the farmers during which according to leaders more than 700 people diedThe laws raised concerns about the abolishment of the minimum support price MSP guaranteed by the government on select crops and leave farmers at the mercy of big corporatesSince these laws were promulgated thousands of farmers gathered at Delhis borders demanding their repeal pushing the SAD to quit the NDA government at the Centre The protests which have generated huge public sentiment also evoked responses from teen environmentalist Greta Thunberg singer-activist Rihanna and lawyer-author Meena Harris niece of US Vice President Kamala Harris Heres a timeline of events since the laws were introduced June 5 2020 The government promulgates three ordinancesSeptember 14 2020 Three farm bills brought to ParliamentSeptember 15 17 2020 The bills are passed in Lok SabhaSeptember 20 22 2020 The bills are passed in Rajya Sabha by voice voteSeptember 24 2020 Farmers in Punjab announce a three-day rail rokoSeptember 25 2020 Farmers across India come out in protest in response to a call by the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination CommitteeSeptember 26 2020 The Shiromani Akali Dal quits the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance over the farm billsSeptember 27 2020 Farm bills notified in the Gazette of India and become farm laws after the presidents assentNovember 25 2020 Farmers unions in Punjab and Haryana give the call for a Delhi Chalo movement denied permission by Delhi Police due to Covid protocolsNovember 26 2020 Farmers marching towards Delhi face water cannons tear gas as police tried to disperse them at Haryanas Ambala districtNovember 28 2020 Union Home Minister Amit Shah offers talks with farmers as soon as they vacate Delhis borders and move to the designated protest site in Burari However farmers rejected his offerDecember 3 2020 Government holds first round of talks with representatives of farmers but the meeting remains inconclusiveDecember 5 2020 Second round of talks between farmers and the Centre also remains inconclusiveDecember 8 2020 Farmers call for Bharat Bandh Farmers from other states also gave their support to the callDecember 9 2020 Farmer leaders reject the Union governments proposal to amend the three lawsDecember 11 2020 Bharatiya Kisan Union BKU moves the Supreme Court against the agri lawsDecember 13 2020 Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad allege hanlawwsd of tukde tukde gang in the farmers protestsDecember 30 2020 Sixth round of talks between government and farmer leaders see some headwayJanuary 4 2021 Seventh round of talks between government and farmer leaders also remain inconclusive with the Centre not agreeing to repeal the farm lawsJanuary 7 2021 The SC agrees to hear petitions challenging the new laws and those against the protests on January 11January 11 2021 The SC raps the Centre for its handling of the farmers protestJanuary 12 2021 The SC stays implementation of the farm laws sets up a four-member committee to make recommendations on the lawsJanuary 26 2021 On Republic Day thousands of protestors clash with police during the tractor parade called by farmer unions At Red Fort property is damaged A protester dies in the chaosJanuary 29 2021 Government proposes to suspend the farm laws for one-and-half years and sets up a joint committee to discuss the legislation The farmers reject the proposalFebruary 5 2021 The Delhi Polices cybercrime cell registers an FIR against creators of a toolkit on farmer protests which was shared by teen environmentalist Greta ThunbergFebruary 6 2021 Protesting farmers hold a nationwide Chakka Jam or road blockade for three hours from 12 noon to 3 pmMarch 6 2021 Farmers complete 100 days at Delhis bordersMarch 8 2021 Gunshots are fired near the Singhu border protest site No one is injuredApril 15 2021 Haryana Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala writes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to resume talks with farmersMay 27 2021 Farmers observe a black day to mark six months of the agitation and burn effigies of the governmentJune 5 2021 Protesting farmers observe Sampoorn Krantikari Diwas total revolution day to mark the first year of the promulgation of the farm lawsJune 26 2021 Farmers march to Delhi to mark seven months of protest against the farm lawsJuly 22 2021 About 200 protesting farmers start a parallel Monsoon Session Kisan Sansad near the Parliament HouseAugust 7 2021 Leaders of 14 opposition parties meet at Parliament House and decide to visit Kisan Sansad at Delhis Jantar MantarSeptember 5 2021 Months to go for the Uttar Pradesh election challenging the BJP-led NDA farmer leaders stage a major show of strength in MuzaffarnagarOctober 22 2021 The SC observes it was not against peoples right to protest even on matters that are sub-judice but makes it clear that such protesters cannot block public roads indefinitelyOctober 29 2021 The Delhi Police starts removing barricades from Ghazipur border where farmers have been protestingNovember 19 2021 PM Narendra Modi announces the repeal of the farm lawsNovember 19 2021 Farmer leaders say struggle not over will push for law to guarantee MSP wait for repeal of laws in Parliament PTI ASG NSD

New Delhi Oct 23 PTI Indian Council for Cultural Relations ICCR has postponed a solo exhibition by Bangladeshi artist Rokeya Sultana at the Lalit Kala Akademi days before it was to begin the academys chief said on Saturday The exhibition organised by the Bengal Foundation and the ICCR was postponed at the behest of the latter Lalit Kala Akademi Chairman Uttam Pacharne said We were informed by ICCR that the exhibition has been postponed It has not been cancelled These things happen and soon we will have a new date he said The move comes amid a spate of violence against the minority community in the neighboring country No one from the ICCR was available for comment on the issue The exhibition at the Lalit Kala Akademi - featuring over 100 artworks 35-40 photographs animation videos film and sculptures - was in the final stages of being ready for display on Saturday The original plan of the exhibition also included a commemoration of 50 years of India-Bangladesh friendship and was scheduled to travel to different cities before concluding on November 21 PTI ASG ZMN ZMN

New Delhi Oct 19 PTI Former BJP leader Babul Supriyo formally resigned as an MP on Tuesday a month after he quit the party to join the Mamata Banerjee-led TMCSupriyo thanked the BJP leadership for the confidence they had shown in himMy heart is heavy as I had began my political career with the BJP I thank the PM party chief and Amit Shah They showed confidence in me I had left politics wholeheartedly I thought that if I am not a part of the party I should not keep any seat for myself he said after meeting Lok Sabha Speaker Om BirlaThe development comes after the two-term MP from West Bengals Asansol had on September 20 -- two days after joining the states ruling Trinamool Congress party -- written to Birla seeking a brief appointment with him to formally resign as a member of the HouseThe singer-turned-politician has repeatedly stressed that he did not want to continue as an MP since he was no longer a member of the party for which he won the seat PTI ASG IJT