Incessant rainfall in Uttar Pradesh has caused floods in 13 districts, with major rivers like Ganga and Yamuna exceeding danger levels. Varanasi, Prayagraj, and other cities are severely affected, leading to displacement and disruption of daily life.
'Tiger reserves were created to protect areas from developmental activities.' 'If we go ahead with these projects, then it is a complete mockery of our institutions and our laws, it is against everything we have stood for, our Forest Conservation Act, our Wildlife Biodiversity Act.'
'It is also being done in violation of our Forest Tribal Act because it will involve the eviction of the tribals living in these forests.'
Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Monday dismissed concerns over alleged slow progress in the Centre's Namami Gange programme saying that the NDA government has resolved to make the river as "one of the cleanest" in the world by October 2018.
The frigate will be made operational by April, said a Navy spokesperson.
100 square kilometre of Panna Tiger Reserve could go under water, writes Nitin Sethi.
The undocking was preceded by a minor incident, involving the ship's listing by around 8 degrees, during flooding of the dry dock,
'Whether I turn 75 or 85, I will remain active in politics and contest the next election. I like politics very much'
The mast of the ship hit the dockyard ground.
"You are supposed to maintain it. Something must have gone wrong in that," Parrikar said.
Orchha is a medieval architectural marvel that puts modern towns to shame. We explore a chunk of India's forgotten history through this erstwhile royal capital.
Rediff readers share their best travel photographs.
Rediff readers share their best travel photographs of India.
Twenty people were killed on Saturday in rain-related incidents in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan even as rivers continued to be in spate in Bihar.
Every river is a living person, argues Gopal Krishna on the basis of the recent Uttarakhand HC verdict.
Shahjahanpur bore the maximum brunt of the weather's onslaught on Saturday, as six people were killed in incidents of lightning strike, while seven were injured.
Modi's critics will say that he has put up cement and steel structures, but weakened the institutions of governance whereas Nehru strengthened them, observes T N Ninan.
Only 40 of the 160 projects under the Namami Gange Mission -- a Rs 20,000 crore project for cleaning the river -- have been completed.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is determined to implement the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project despite the Centre's indifference.
While she primed up spending on infrastructure to create jobs and boost economic activity, Sitharaman did not tinker with income tax slabs or tax rates. Her Budget for the fiscal year beginning April 2022 proposed a massive 35 per cent jump in capital expenditure to Rs 7.5 lakh crore, coupled with rationalisation of customs duty, an extension of time for setting up new manufacturing companies and plans for starting a digital currency and tax crypto assets.
Explaining his vision for the region, Modi cited the example of Kutch district of Gujarat.
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com tracks Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's project-launching spree with just about three months to go for the assembly election in India's most populous state.
Rediff readers shared these beautiful images of India from their travels
President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said the country's farm production and procurement increased during 2020-21 crop year despite the pandemic and agricultural exports reached a record level of Rs 3 lakh crore during the same period. In his address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament at the start of the Budget session, Kovind said the government is focusing on making the country self-sufficient in edible oils besides making special efforts to promote organic farming, natural farming and crop diversification. "My government is working continuously to empower the farmers and the rural economy of the country... I would like to give maximum credit to the small farmers of the country for this consistent success and strengthening of the agriculture sector," he said.
To believe that the key job of his senior ministers is to ensure that his image be kept intact whatever be the outcome of his policies is to expect too much even of someone as ambitious as Narendra Modi, asserts Rashme Sehgal.
Water is going to be a central part of the government's 2024 election campaign. And Gajendra Singh Shekhawat's work will be crucial for it.
On International Tiger Day, India is still a long way from making sure that the future of our national animal is safe.
Time to pack your bags and pamper the wanderlust in you.
The ravines, which are sharp, steep mud hillocks, stretch over three states - Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, once home to several dreaded dacoits have long been the subject of several projects and government schemes to make them agriculturally viable.
Around six lakh people have been housed in over 2000 relief camps in the two states.
Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharati recently reiterated her commitment towards making the Yamuna Shuddikaran Abhiyan a success but said little else. It is obvious that in comparison to the Ganga about which she waxes eloquent at the drop of a hat, her treatment towards Yamuna can at best be described as step-motherly. Rashme Sehgal reports on efforts to save the river.
Here's the full text of President's Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on the first of Budget Session 2022.
'We are rushing to 'develop' without carefully valuing natural areas.' 'With careful land use planning and scientific zonation at least 5 to 10 per cent of the country's land can be secured for tigers and other such species, and another 5 to 15 per cent kept under low-impact uses to support biodiversity that can coexist with human uses.'
Orchha in Madhya Pradesh is among the many, many places in India where history comes alive. Lakshmi Sharath recollects her recent visit to the former princely state in Bundelkhand.