BJP kicks off membership drive in Kashmir

"We wanted to start this drive earlier but it got delayed because of the floods and the elections. Our aim is to reach every household in the Valley and connect them with the party," Munish Sharma, BJP state secretary and incharge of the membership drive for Jammu and Kashmir, told reporters here.

Sharma said BJP aimed to add at least three lakh new members in the Valley.

"Ours in the only cadre-based party in the country. We are connected to the people at the grassroot-level," he said. He said the party had added around 65,000 new members in the state without any effort and before a proper membership drive was launched.

The membership drive would continue till March 31, Sharma said.

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PM to review national action plan on climate change

"The agenda of the meeting is to review all existing programmes and missions and see what more steps can be taken for tackling the challenges of climate change," a senior Environment Ministry official said.

The 'Prime Minister's Council on Climate Change', set up by the previous UPA government way back in 2007, was reconstituted by the NDA which dropped well-known environmentalist Sunita Narain and top industry leader Ratan Tata from the body.

The panel is tasked with evolving a coordinated action plan for assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate change at the national level.

Besides Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, the 18- member panel comprises External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, Science and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh and Coal Minister Piyush Goel, among others.

It also includes climate experts like former bureaucrat J M Mouskar as also the cabinet secretary and secretaries of the external affairs and environment ministries. Nripendra Misra, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, is the member- convener of the panel.

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Will fight against Kejriwal, if party wants: BJP leader Kiran Bedi

She rebutted AAP's criticism over changing her stand on not joining politics, saying she was free to make her own choices and her "aversion" was gone due to Modi's leadership.

"The constituency selection is always a decision of party. I will go by their decision. If they want me to fight against him, I will do so. Because they know better than I do. They haven't brought me to lose, they have brought me to win," the former IPS officer said when asked whether she is likely to be pitted against Kejriwal in the upcoming polls.

The AAP had yesterday termed her joining BJP as "shocking".

"It is sad and shocking that Bedi who had been maintaining that she will always remain apolitical and keep raising the issues of people has joined the BJP. Our best wishes are with her," party leader Sanjay Singh had said. AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal had also taken a subtle dig at Bedi saying that he had also tried to convince her to take a plunge into politics.

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Shock defeat of BJP in Cantonment Board polls in Varanasi, Lucknow

In Varanasi, the Lok Sabha seat of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all the seven seats were bagged by Independents.
  
BJP had for the first time fielded or supported candidates in Cantonment Board polls. In Lucknow, the home turf of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP lost on all eight seats to Independents.
  
Asked to comment on the party's poor performance in these elections, BJP state chief Laxmikant Bajpai said most of the candidates lost as they were not given official party symbol.
  
In Varanasi, the seven seats were won by Sangita, Shailendra Singh, Rajkumar Das, Masood Hussain, Chandra Keshav, Shahnawaz Ali and Shailja Srivastava – all Independents.
  
In Lucknow, Jagdish Prasad, Pramod Sharma, Rupa Devi, Swati Yadav, Amit Kumar Shukla, Anjum Aara, Sanjay Kumar Vaish and Reena Singhania -- all Independents -- bagged the eight seats.
  
In Agra too, the performance of BJP was not good as it won just one ward, with Independents romping home at seven seats. BJP had contested these seats on party symbol.
  
Polling was held on Sunday and results of Varanasi and Lucknow were declared on Monday. Commenting on BJP's rout, UP Cabinet Minister and Samajwadi Party leader Ambika Chowdhury said the results had proved BJP's tall claims hollow.

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PM pushes for improvement in efficiency of healthcare

Chairing a meeting on healthcare here, he instructed Health Ministry to establish mechanisms to ensure accountability among doctors and health officials in public sector.
  
He also called for institutionalising a comprehensive database, containing individual health records, which could be eventually linked to the Aadhar system.
  
Modi said that in order to achieve the desired goal of health for all, there is a need to substantially improve the efficiency of existing mechanisms and schemes, a PMO statement said.
  
Giving an example of insurance, he suggested establishing synergy in all schemes for the health sector being run by the central and state governments.
  
Reviewing progress of key health indicators such as under-5 mortality rate and Maternal Mortality Ratio, he asked for specific identification of worst-performing districts, and even within them, particular blocks which required maximum attention.
  
He said these areas should be targeted in a two-pronged approach – prioritised health intervention and appropriate social interventions to dispel local beliefs and customs that may be hindering progress.

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Niti Aayog being decked up to welcome top functionaries

Niti Aayog has replaced the 65-year old Planning Commission, a vestige of the socialist era.

The room of Panagariya, which was earlier occupied by his predecessor Montek Singh Ahluwalia is being refurbished for the new occupant.

The staff has even put the name plate of Panagariya on the door, though he is expected to take charge only in a couple of days.

The landmark sign board in front of Yojana Bhawan has already been repainted as Niti Aayog. The rooms to seat the other full time members of the Aayog is also being prepared before their joining.

The anxious staff of the Yojana Bhawan appeared to be heaving a sign of relief after the government announced formation of the Niti Aayog on January 1.

Government had announced the appointment of Noted economist, Panagariya as Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) and its other members on Monday.

Economist Bibek Debroy and former DRDO chief V K Saraswat were appointed as full-time members by the Prime Minister who is the formal head of the Aayog.

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Indian diaspora a 'great capital', opportunities await you: PM at Pravasi Divas

Reaching out to the expatriates, he recalled how once adversity, courage and urge to explore new avenues for livelihood motivated their ancestors to leave Indian shores but now the country had "risen with great strength" where "great opportunities" awaited them.

"My conviction is that Indian diaspora is a great capital for us in the global context. The more we nurture it, the more strong will be our presence globally," Modi said after formally inaugurating the 13th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas at Mahatma Mandir which marked the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's return to the country from South Africa.

"After taking up my new responsibility, I have had the opportunity to meet the Heads of State of over 50 countries. We spoke with an open heart. I feel the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich nations are looking up to India. Such occasions are rare.

"A measure of love the world has for India was reflected when the United Nations accepted my proposal to observe the World Yoga Day. 177 of the 193-member UN co-sponsored that resolution, over 40 of them Islamic nations, and it was passed in just 100 days, a record of sorts when such resolutions normally take two years to pass," Modi said.

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NITI Aayog replaces Planning Commission; PM Modi to head new body

The inclusion of Chief Ministers and Lt. Governors in the Governing Council is a break with the past in the structuring of NITI Aayog, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi, described as a landmark change that will foster spirit of cooperative federalism.

The body will have a Vice Chairperson and a CEO in addition to five full-time members and two part-time members, while four union ministers would serve as ex-officio members.


The erstwhile command economy era body set up nearly 65 years ago by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had a Deputy Chairman and full-time members with a member secretary, an official, as a convener.

A PMO statement said the Centre-to-state one-way flow of policy, that was the hallmark of the Planning Commission era, is now sought to be replaced by a genuine and continuing partnership of states. It will put an end to "slow and tardy implementation of policy", it said.

Noted economist Arvind Panagariya is tipped to be the first Vice-Chairman of Niti Aayog.

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PM Modi hails Charan Singh on his birth anniversary

"A tall mass leader who dedicated his life to the welfare of farmers and the poor, I salute Chaudhary Charan Singhji on his birth anniversary," Modi said in a tweet.

Charan Singh, born in 1902 in Noorpur village of UP's Hapur District, was prime minister of the country from July 28, 1979 to January 14, 1980. He also served as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

The Uttar Pradesh government had few days ago declared December 23 as public holiday in the state to mark former prime minister Chowdhury Charan Singh's birth anniversary.

The ruling BJP at the Centre also decided to hold a week-long celebration marking the birthdays of late Charan Singh and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that fall on December 23 and 25, respectively.

Recently, the Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD) led by Ajit Singh, son of Charan Singh, has demanded Bharat Ratna for the former prime minister Charan Singh.

Ajit Singh had also demanded from Centre to convert the Tughlaq Road bungalow, formerly occupied by the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) chief, in a memorial. 

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PM Modi wishes Sonia Gandhi on 68th birthday

"Best wishes to Congress president Smt. Sonia Gandhi on her birthday. May Almighty bless her with a long&healthy life," Modi tweeted.

Sonia, who turned 68 today, has decided not to celebrate her birthday in view of terror and Naxal attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh respectively.

"In solidarity with the martyred Army and police personnel there, Gandhi has asked Congresspersons not to celebrate her birthday," the party had said in a statement.

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PM Modi wins TIME readers' poll for 'Person of the Year' title

Modi has been named winner of this year's readers' poll for TIME 'Person of the Year', securing more than 16 percent of the almost five million votes cast.

Protesters in Ferguson, who were demonstrating against a grand jury's decision not to indict white police officer Darren Wilson who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in August ranked second with 9 percent of the votes.

TIME said "a strong showing of readers from India" helped drive Modi's first-place finish.

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Invoking Vajpayee, PM Modi promises development in Jammu and Kashmir

"What have you seen in Kashmir in the last 30 years? Either it was Congress government or father-son (National Conference) government or father-daughter (PDP) government. You have seen all three types of government.

"For themselves, they got everything but did nothing for you. Get rid of all three of them for once and give me one chance to serve you. I will make your dreams my own. I will put my entire government at your service," the Prime Minister said.

He said corruption had destroyed Jammu and Kashmir.

"Enough is enough corruption has destroyed Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorism has ended but corruption has not. The biggest challenge we face is to end corruption. Unless corruption ends, the common man in Kashmir cannot progress," he said.

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Kathak legend Sitara Devi passes away

The characters around her came live in her dance. "By training, I am just a 'kathakar' of Krishna-leela (tales of Krishna)," the danseuse used to say.

Kathak, which literally means 'katha', is a narrative drama which evolved out of the Krishna temples of hinterland to scale the pinnacle of glory in the Muslim courts.

Sitara Devi's roots were inextricably woven to the tradition of 'kathakars', the early Kathak dancers.

She was born as Dhannolakshmi to a family of Brahmin 'kathakar' Sukhdev Maharaj and chose school and dance over an early wedding, as was the norm of the 1920s.

Her father, a Vaishnavite Brahmin scholar and Kathak exponent, sent her to a local school where she impressed her teachers and the local media with her performance in a dance drama, "Savitri Satyavan".

When her father learnt of it, he re-christened her as Sitara or the star and placed her under the care of her older sister for kathak training.

By the time Sitara Devi turned 11, the family moved to Mumbai, where she impressed Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore with a three-hour solo recital. Tagore offered her a shawl and Rs 50 which Sitara Devi refused and sought his blessings instead to become a great dancer.

Over the next six decades, she became a Kathak legend and was a pioneering force in bringing the genre to Bollywood.

Sitara Devi married director K Asif of Mughal-e-Azam fame and then Pratap Barot. She was a vital force who stood for zest and vigour in Indian dance. She was honoured with the Legends of India Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 for her contribution to the classical dance genre for over six decades.

In his condolence message, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled her rich contribution to Kathak.

Modi condoles Sitara Devi's death

Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the death of eminent Kathak danseuse Sitara Devi. "PM has condoled the passing away of noted Kathak dancer Sitara Devi. PM also recalled her rich contribution to Kathak," the Prime Minister's Office said in a tweet.

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