Patna, July 26 (IANS) JD-U working president and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Friday said that the Central government has approved the construction of AIIMS Darbhanga at Ekmi-Sobhan Bypass in Bihar and that the construction of the project will start soon.

He said that the Union Health Ministry has written a letter dated July 25 to the Additional Chief Secretary of the Bihar Health Department Pratyaya Amrit regarding this project.

“The technical team of the Central Government, which came to Darbhanga on March 18 and 19, 2024 to survey the land proposed by the state government near the Shobhan-Ekmi by-pass for AIIMS in Darbhanga, has described the said land as suitable for the construction in its report. Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has also approved the construction of AIIMS on the proposed land,” Jha wrote on X.

Jha said that the state government committed to transfer over 150 acres of land to the Centre free of cost, along with arranging electricity and water supply and constructing a four-lane road for smooth connectivity, demonstrating a comprehensive approach to ensuring the successful implementation of AIIMS Darbhanga.

“We believe that if #AIIMS is constructed near Shobhan by-pass located on the city border, then #Darbhanga city will get a new expansion. That area will be developed rapidly. This will create employment opportunities in the region,” Jha said.

He added that the state government is redeveloping the Darbhanga Medical College Hospital (DMCH).

“Work is underway on a plan to build a 2500-bed hospital at a cost of Rs 2742.04 crore. With the construction of both AIIMS Darbhanga and the revamped DMCH, Darbhanga is set to become a significant healthcare hub, benefiting not only North Bihar but also the neighbouring areas, including Nepal,” Jha said.

–IANS

ajk/dan

Guwahati, July 26 (IANS) The ‘Charaideo Maidam’, a 700-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty in eastern Assam, has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list under the ‘cultural property’ category.

The decision was taken during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) held in New Delhi.

The Charaideo Maidam was India’s nomination for UNESCO’s World Heritage Site status in the cultural category for 2023-2024. The burial mounds made pyramid-like structures known as ‘Maidams’, which were used by the erstwhile Tai-Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for around 600 years from 1228.

Out of 52 sites, Assam’s site was selected by the Government of India.

Soon after the announcement by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Delhi, celebrations started in the different parts of Assam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on July 21 announced that the Charaideo Maidam would be India’s 43rd UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the first in the northeast region in the cultural property category.

Expressing his joy, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X: “This is huge. The Maidams make it to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the Cultural Property category — a great win for Assam. Thank You Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, Members of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, and to the people of Assam.”

He added: “The Maidams of Charaideo embody the deep spiritual belief, rich civilisational heritage, and architectural prowess of Assam’s Tai-Ahom community. Apart from the fact that this announcement has been made from the soil of Bharat, its entry also stands out for two more reasons.

“It is the first time a site from the northeast has made it to the UNESCO World Heritage list under the cultural category, and after Kaziranga and Manas National Parks, it is Assam’s third World Heritage Site. I urge all of you to come and experience Awesome Assam.”

On January 16 last year, Chief Minister Sarma wrote to Prime Minister Modi saying that the Assam government has submitted the World Heritage Nomination Dossier for the cultural heritage site of Maidams to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) for onward submission to UNESCO for its evaluation in the current year cycle of 2023.

The letter said, “Out of 386 Maidams explored so far, 90 royal burials at Charaideo are the best preserved, representative, and most complete examples of this tradition.”

The Charaideo Maidams enshrine the mortal remains of the Ahom royalty. Previously, the deceased were buried with their paraphernalia, but after the 18th century, the Ahom rulers adopted the Hindu method of cremation, later entombing the cremated bones and ashes in a Maidam at Charaideo.

“The Maidams are highly venerated. When the nation celebrated the 400th birth anniversary of Lachit Borphukan, you kindly spared some moments and viewed the exhibition set up in Vigyan Bhawan, which included a model of Maidam that showcased the unique burial architecture and tradition of the Tai Ahoms,” the Chief Minister’s letter stated.

–IANS

sc/arm

New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) Kangana Ranaut, the newly-elected Member of Parliament from the Mandi constituency in Himachal Pradesh, delivered her first speech in the Lok Sabha on Friday. In her address, she highlighted the Budget and Central government policies, noting that India’s economy, which was ranked 11th a decade ago, has now advanced to 5th position.

She began her speech by congratulating Narendra Modi on becoming Prime Minister for the third time. “I have been elected as the MP from Himachal’s Mandi seat for the first time. I realise that the 18th Lok Sabha is no ordinary Lok Sabha. Narendra Modi has broken a 60-year record by becoming Prime Minister for the third consecutive time, and I congratulate him,” she said.

“People of India have chosen a stable and smooth government. They are also worthy of congratulations. Ten years ago, India’s economy was at the 11th position, and it has now moved to 5th position. It is rapidly moving towards the 3rd position,” she added.

While discussing the Budget 2024, Kangana expressed her approval, saying: “I welcome this budget. It will empower all sections of society and accelerate our economy. This budget will bring us closer to the vision of a developed India by 2047.”

Kangana also attacked the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh, stating: “Last year, Himachal faced a major natural disaster that caused significant economic losses to the people. The state has not yet recovered from that disaster, primarily due to the corrupt policies of the Congress government. The people have not been able to recover from the impact of the disaster.”

She thanked Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for announcing a relief package for Himachal Pradesh, and remarked: “The work done in Himachal in the last 10 years is more than what was accomplished in the 60 years of India’s independence. During former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure, rural roads were constructed under the Prime Minister’s Rural Roads Scheme. PM Modi-led government has provided our region with global institutions like AIIMS, IIIT, and IIM. The region now has the Vande Bharat train.”

Kangana Ranaut continued: “The Central government has provided Himachal Pradesh with a highway costing over Rs 3,300 crore, including more than 5 tunnels and over 37 bridges. The state has received world-class infrastructure. The Atal Tunnel, at 9 km, is the world’s longest tunnel. Himachal has been allocated Rs 11,000 crore for hydel projects, and schemes like free rations, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, and Ayushman Bharat are directly benefiting millions.”

At the end of her 6-minute, 44-second speech, Kangana also touched upon the Women’s Reservation Act.

She said: “When I came into the Lok Sabha, the Women’s Reservation Bill was passed, which will empower women by providing them with 33 per cent reservation. I also requested the central government to establish an international airport in the Mandi region of Himachal. An airport would benefit Himachal from a tourism perspective.”

–IANS

brt/pgh

Chandigarh, July 26 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party leader and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday started the Parivartan Jan Samvad Rally from Barwala and Dabwali towns in Haryana, which is set to go to the Assembly polls likely in October.

The Aam Aadmi Party will hold 45 rallies in Haryana in the next 15 days.

“Your coming out in such large numbers is an indication that you want to write a new story in Haryana,” the Chief Minister said while addressing the Parivartan Jansamvad rally.

He said that the people in Haryana have voted for various parties in the past but all of them “broke their hearts” and “looted” Haryana.

“If the disease is not cured by any doctor then the doctor should be changed. Therefore, this time the people of Haryana should vote for change,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that the people in Haryana and Punjab are hard-working people. “We have everything but did not get leaders with good and true intentions. All the leaders who came did the work of filling their own houses. No one took care of the general public.”

The Chief Minister said that time has for the people to see a change.

“I am standing in front of you after providing 43,000 jobs in Punjab in just two and a half years. AAP did not take bribes, not even a single rupee from anyone. Children from ordinary homes are becoming officers. There are no paper leaks in Punjab like in Haryana,” the Chief Minister said.

He said that the hearts of the youths have been broken due to the paper leak.

He said Punjab and Haryana are younger and elder brothers. “When we were giving guarantees of free electricity in Punjab, the opposition used to say that it is not possible, where will the money come from. But we knew that the money would come from their own pockets.”

He said that so, as soon as the AAP government was formed in March in Punjab, we made 600 units of electricity free for two months in July. Today, 90 per cent of the houses have zero electricity bill.

He said Arvind Kejriwal was the Commissioner of Income Tax. “AAP knows where to spend the tax money. Arvind Kejriwal built government schools in Delhi that even poor children are passing NEET and JEE papers and are becoming doctors and engineers.”

He said that in Delhi, sons of rich and poor study sitting on the same bench. “Aam Aadmi Party started the same work in Punjab also. There are two daughters in a house in Punjab and both of them became judges,” the Chief Minister said.

He said it has been 10 years since the BJP government in Haryana has neither given jobs nor built roads while the sewerage has come to a standstill.

“We closed 17 toll plazas in Punjab. Due to this step, Punjabis are saving Rs 60 lakh every day. Those toll plazas were being run in collaboration with the Congress, the BJP and the Akali Dal,” the Chief Minister claimed.

He said that to stop the farmers from going to Delhi, the BJP closed borders and put nails in their paths.

“If the farmer does not go to Delhi, will the go to Lahore? 750 farmers were martyred but they are not worried,” the Chief Minister said.

–IANS

vg/dan

New Delhi, July 26 (IANS) As many as 6,511 new general coaches have been added to the Indian Railways fleet over the past five years from 2019-20 to 2023-24 to make travel easier for the common man, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw stated in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The existing policy regarding the composition of Mail/Express trains, provides for 12 General class & Sleeper class non-AC coaches and 8 AC-Coaches, in a train of 22 coaches, thereby providing for greater accommodation for the passengers using General and non-AC Sleeper Coaches, the minister said.

Of the total number of coaches being presently utilised for running train services, two-thirds are non-AC, and one-third are AC variants. Keeping in view increased demand, Indian Railways has planned to manufacture 10,000 non-AC coaches including General Class and Sleeper Class Coaches, he explained.

The minister stated that Amrit Bharat services, which have state-of-the-art technology are equipped with advanced features like semi-permanent couplers for jerk-free travel, horizontal sliding windows, foldable snack tables and bottle holders, mobile holders etc., have been introduced by Indian Railways (IR).

At present, 4 Amrit Bharat Express services viz. 15557/58 Darbhanga–Anand Vihar Express and 13433/13434 Malda Town – SMVT Bengaluru Express, are being operated over the Indian Railways network. Besides, the introduction of train services, including Amrit Bharat services, is an ongoing process on IR subject to traffic justification, operational feasibility and availability of resources, the minister added.

–IANS

sps/dan