Argus News - News Headlines, April 14

Odia New Year
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan extended warm greetings on the occasion of Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti, which marks the Odia New Year. Maha Bishuba Pana Sankranti is celebrated across Odisha with traditional rituals.

BJP Takes Charge
In a major political shift in Bihar, Samrat Chaudhary is set to take oath as the state’s new Chief Minister on Wednesday, following the resignation of Nitish Kumar. Chaudhary, unanimously elected as the BJP’s legislative party leader, will become the first-ever BJP Chief Minister in Bihar.

LS Expansion Proposed
In a landmark move, the government has proposed expanding the Lok Sabha’s strength from 543 to 850 seats, setting the stage for the rollout of the 33% women’s reservation law. A draft bill has been shared with MPs ahead of a special three-day Parliament session to amend the Constitution and carry out delimitation based on the 2011 Census. The changes, if passed, will come into effect from the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

Prez To Visit Rourkela
President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit Rourkela on April 21. During the visit, the President will take part in the inauguration of four major projects. These include an Integrated Command and Control Centre, a Tribal Museum, riverside park, and a Science Park with a Planetarium.

Expressway Inaugurated
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway. The 210-km highway, built for Rs 11,868 crore, is expected to cut down travel time to 2.5 hours. The highway distance between the two cities, which was 235 kms, will now be reduced to 210 kms, and the travel time will be reduced from 6.5 hours to 2.5 hours once operational.

Weather Forecast Day
temperatures across Odisha are expected to rise further, with a likely increase of 4 to 6 degrees Celsius over the next few days. For the next 24 hours, a yellow warning has been issued for hot and humid conditions in 11 coastal districts — Ganjam, Gajapati, Nayagarh, Khordha, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Puri, Cuttack, Jajpur, Bhadrak and Balasore.

Wages Hiked
In the wake of recent labour unrest, the Uttar Pradesh government announced a hike in minimum wages across worker categories, with revised rates coming into effect retrospectively from April 1. Officials said the revision was finalised after consultations with employers’ bodies and labour organisations.

Tribute Paid
President Droupadi Murmu paid floral tributes to the portrait of Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar on his birth anniversary at Lok Bhavan, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, Union Ministers and Members of Parliament also paid tributes.

US Naval Blockade
Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani, has strongly condemned the United States over its reported naval blockade of Iranian ports. Calling for urgent action, Iravani urged the United Nations Security Council to condemn the blockade and take steps to prevent further escalation.

Developmental Projects
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated and laid foundation stones for 78 development projects worth Rs 375 crore in Kuchinda, Bamra and Jamankira areas of Sambalpur district. The Union Minister also laid the foundation stone for a 100-bed Sub-Divisional Hospital in Kuchinda along with several road development projects.