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UP: Yogi govt to set up state cooperative college to boost research and training, revive 16 cooperative banks

OpIndia Staff
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UP: Yogi govt to set up state cooperative college to boost research and training, revive 16 cooperative banks

The Uttar Pradesh government is set to establish a State Cooperative College to promote education, training, and research in the cooperative sector.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced the decision on Friday during a review meeting of the Cooperative Department, held in the presence of Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Murlidhar Mohol. The Union Minister welcomed the initiative and assured full support from the Centre.

Reviewing cooperative banking reforms, officials highlighted that since 2017-18, the state has revived 16 defunct district cooperative banks with financial assistance of ₹306.92 crore.

Non-performing assets (NPAs), which stood at ₹800 crore in 2017, have fallen sharply to ₹278 crore by March 2025. With loans worth ₹1,000 crore disbursed, these banks have now turned profitable. CM Yogi stressed that “farmers’ and depositors’ trust is the real capital of cooperatives, and it must be safeguarded at all costs.”

On the food grain storage plan, the FCI has identified 96 sites across 35 districts. Construction of warehouses will begin in January 2026 and finish by April 2026, making it India’s largest grain storage initiative.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPAX). In 2024-25, 266 MPAX were formed, while 457 new ones have already been added this financial year. Formation is underway in 1,088 gram panchayats. MPAX have been given interest-free loans of up to ₹10 lakh for fertilizer distribution, generating a turnover of ₹5,400 crore and margin money of ₹120 crore so far.

To strengthen digital services, 6,101 societies have adopted QR/UPI-based payments, while many MPAX are diversifying into CSC services, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, and Jan Aushadhi Kendras. The CM emphasized that Jan Aushadhi outlets should be located near hospitals and that cooperatives must become gateways for youth employment in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and allied sectors.

The meeting was also attended by Agriculture Minister Surya Prakash Shahi, Animal Husbandry Minister Dharmpal Singh, Fisheries Minister Sanjay Nishad, and Cooperation Minister JPS Rathore.

Sushila Karki sworn in as interim Prime Minister of Nepal, becomes the first leader of a government in the world to be elected on Discord

OpIndia Staff
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Sushila Karki sworn in as interim Prime Minister of Nepal, becomes the first leader of a government in the world to be elected on Discord

Nepal President Ram Chandra Paudel administered the oath of office to former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the head of the interim government on 12th September evening. This came days after the fall of the KP Oli government on Tuesday due to the violent GenZ protests.

Along with Karki, Gen-Z representative Sudan Gurung and advocate Om Prakash Aryal have been inducted as ministers. The appointment of the interim government was made under Article 61 of the Constitution. Several diplomats of various governments attended the ceremony.

After the appointment of the interim government, the president dissolved the parliament. The interim government will now hold parliamentary elections to form an elected government.

Sushila Karki, Nepal’s former Chief Justice and the nation’s first female in that role from 2016 to 2017, has become the first female Prime Minister of Nepal. Notably, she also became the first head of a government to be elected on social media, Discord in this case.

Her selection emerged from Gen Z-led protests, which toppled the government of KP Sharma Oli after weeks of unrest that left dozens dead and prompted a failed social media ban. Despite the ban on Discord along with 25 other social media apps, the GenZ protestors managed to use the app mainly used by gamers, and organised and strategized protests. After KP Oli resigned, several names emerged as potential head of the interim government. Therefore, a vote was conducted on Discord to elect the interim chief among 5 candidates.

Screenshot of the poll on Discord taken by OpIndia

Sushila Karki won the Discord election with 50% votes in her favour. A total of 7713 votes were cast, out of which Karki got 3833 votes. YouTuber Random Nepali came second with 2022 votes.

Indian Air Force submits proposal to acquire 114 Made in India Rafale fighter jets with 60% indigenous content

OpIndia Staff
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Indian Air Force submits proposal to acquire 114 Made in India Rafale fighter jets with 60% indigenous content

The Defence Ministry has received a proposal from the Indian Air Force for acquiring 114 ‘Made in India’ Rafale fighter jets, as per a report by ANI. The proposal to build the planes by Dassault Aviation involving Indian aerospace firms in India is currently being discussed at the ministry.

The project to make 114 Rafale jets in India will be worth over ₹2 lakh crore, and it will have indigenous content of more than 60%. The report stated that the proposal is expected to be taken up for discussion by the Defence Procurement Board headed by the Defence Secretary in the next few weeks.

A defence official said that “The Statement of Case (SoC) or the proposal for the 114 Rafale jets prepared by the Indian Air Force was received by the Defence Ministry a few days ago and is under consideration of the different wings under it, including Defence Finance.” The discussions, the proposal will be forwarded to Defence Procurement Board, and then to the Defence Acquisition Council.

If finalised, this will be the biggest ever defence deal, and it will take the number of Rafale fighter jet in the fleet of Indian defence forces to 176. Because, the Indian Air Force has already inducted 36 jets, and Indian Navy has placed orders for 26 of the naval version of the jet under government-to-government deals.

As per the report, the IAF decided to acquire more Rafal jets after it performed very well against Pakistan in Operation Sindoor, where it managed to comprehensively beat the Chinese PL-15 air-to-air missiles using its Spectra Electronic warfare suite.

The made in India Rafale is expected to have longer-range air-to-ground missiles than the existing Scalp missiles.

The French side is also planning to set up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul facility in Hyderabad for the M-88 engines, which are used by Rafale jets.

IAF has urgent need to acquire fighter jets, as it has retired MiG 21 jets and other jets like Jaguar, Mirage 2000 and MiG 29 jets are nearing retirement age, and delivery of the LCA Tejas jets have been delayed.

Indian Air Force has already ordered 180 LCA Mark1A jets, and work is on to develop Tejas LCA Mark 2 and fight generation AMCA jets.

Pune: Cybercriminal posing as IIT-Bombay professor dupes a private university of ₹2.46 crores by promising DRDO projects

OpIndia Staff
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Pune: Cybercriminal posing as IIT-Bombay professor dupes a private university of ₹2.46 crores by promising DRDO projects

A private university in Pune got duped of Rs 2.46 crore by a cyber fraudster posing as a professor from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-Bombay). The fraudsters allegedly promised to fund joint research projects for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

In this case, an FIR was lodged on 6th September by the Chief Education Officer of the private university. The scam occurred between 25th July and 26th August this year. It began with the university’s Chief Education Officer receiving a message from the name of a former Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) vice-chancellor. The message mentioned a person as an ‘IIT Mumbai professor’, who claimed to provide details of a Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) project worth ₹28 crore.

The cyber fraudsters manipulated the administration of the private university to make three transactions totalling Rs 2.46 crore. The cyber criminals convinced the university administration that they could access government-aided research grants.  

The fraudster told the CEO that to secure eligibility the said projects, the university needed to transfer 2 percent of the project cost, 56 lakhs, within three hours. On 25th July, the varsity officials made that payment. A few days after, the fraudsters contacted the university officials again. This time, they promoted an ‘AI technology project’ worth Rs 28 crore. This time as well, the varsity officials sent Rs 46 lakh on 30th July to the fraudsters.

On 7th August, the cyber criminals manipulated the university management into funding a ₹72 Crore machine learning project. Unaware of the scam ongoing, the management of the said university in Pune, made an additional payment of ₹1.44 crore. The cybercriminal also sent all the project related information from a fraudulent mail address.

The cybercriminal posing as IIT Bombay professor had assured that on 28th August, there would be a meeting in Pune to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU). However, the meeting did not happen. This raised suspicion and the varsity officials contacted the actual IIT professor who was being impersonated to carry out this fraud. The actual professor denied any involvement in the so-called projects. As the university officials realised that they have been defrauded, they filed a complaint with the Cyber Police, based on which, an FIR has been registered.

 “The fraudsters had given very elaborate details of these so-called projects, making the private university administration believe them. We have launched a probe into the contact details and bank account numbers used by the fraudsters,” a cyber police official said.

Speaking about the fraud, a spokesperson for the university in question said, “Clear SOPs and due diligence processes are maintained for all collaborations. This was a unique case of impersonation in which the documents and communication were made to look authentic. Once the fraud was detected by internal mechanism, the transfers were stopped, and a cybercrime complaint was filed immediately.”

Kerala High Court rebukes Travancore Devaswom Board for removing gold-plated coverings of deities in the Sabarimala temple without following procedure

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala High Court rebukes Travancore Devaswom Board for removing gold-plated coverings of deities in the Sabarimala temple without following procedure

The Kerala High Court pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Friday (12th September) for removing the gold-plated copper coverings of deities in the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. Taking a suo motu cognisance of the matter, a division bench of Justices Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar expressed concern over the removal of the coverings of the “Dwarapalaka Idols” located on either side of the Sreekovil by the TDB without prior intimation to the Special Commissioner.

After considering the report filed by the Sabarimala Special Commissioner, the High Court noted that, though the gold-plating on the coverings was guaranteed for a period of 40 years, it developed defects within 6 years. As a result, the TDB decided to return the coverings for repairs to the person who had sponsored them. However, the TDB did not inform the Sabarimala Special Commissioner before removing the coverings and sending them for repair to Chennai.

Although the TDB tendered an unconditional apology for not following the procedure, the High Court had directed it to immediately halt the repair work and transport the items directly back to the Sannidhanam, in an order dated September 9, 2025. The court also directed that the entire file and records relating to the repairs of gold-plated copper coverings over the “Dwarapalaka Idols” be produced before it.

Upon examining the records relating to the repair works, the High Court observed several inconsistencies in the decision-making process. The court noted that the Thiruvabharanam Commissioner initially recommended the traditional method for gold coating using 303 grams of gold (costing around ₹31 lakhs), but later reversed his stance after discussions with the sponsor and recommended that the items be sent to Chennai for electroplating. The court pointed out that this violated the TDB Sub Group Manual, which requires such works to be carried out at Sannidhanam itself. “We observe that the entire transaction remains replete with unanswered questions,” the High Court remarked.

The division bench said that the properties of temples, deities and Devaswom Boards should be protected by trustees/ archakas/ shebaits or employees. “The Government, members or trustees of boards/trusts, and devotees should be vigilant to prevent any such usurpation or encroachment. It is also the duty of courts to protect and safeguard the properties of religious and charitable institutions from wrongful claims or misappropriation,” the High Court asserted.

The Court ordered the seizure of all records relating to the gold-plating and cladding of the idols, including details of a former pair of Dwarapalaka idols reportedly kept in the strong room for possible gold extraction. Besides, the court impleaded Mr. Unnikrishnan Potty (the sponsor) and Smart Creations (where the coverings were sent to be repaired) as additional respondents, requiring them to furnish all financial and communication records linked to the repairs and sponsorships.

Days after saying India will say ‘sorry’ to US, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says US will sort out India once New Delhi stops buying Russian oil

Shraddha Pandey
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Days after saying India will say ‘sorry’ to US, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick says US will sort out India once New Delhi stops buying Russian oil

There is a timeless Hindi adage,“Rassi jal gayi, par bal nahi gaya” (The rope may scorch in the flames, but its stubborn twists remain). India has inflicted global embarrassment in US President Donald Trump by refusing to stop buying Russian oil and snubbed his one-sided trade deal. Yet, Trump’s attack dog, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, said that US will ‘sort out’ India once it stops buying Russian oil. Earlier, Lutnick said that India would say ‘sorry’ to US.

Appearing on a CNBC show on Thursday, the US Commerce Secretary said, “We’re going to sort out India. You know, India basically has to open their market, has to stop buying Russian oil. People don’t remember India didn’t buy Russian oil before the war with Russia and Ukraine…1 per cent of their oil was from Russia. And now 40 per cent of their oil is from Russia because we’ve sanctioned it, so they can buy it, you know, $7-10 a barrel cheap. So, they’re buying it, refining it, and then selling it to the rest of the world and making a bundle.”

“So, the president (Trump) called nonsense on that and said you got to stop that stuff. So, I think India, we’ll sort it out once they stop buying Russian oil,” Lutnick added.

Howard Lutnick has a knack for mocking and belittling America’s partners and adversaries alike. Last week, Lutnick claimed that despite India maintaining a firm position on continuing oil trade with Russia, New Delhi would eventually return to the table to strike a deal with Washington in the coming months and say ‘sorry’.

Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Lutnick said, “So I think, yes, in a month or two months, I think India is going to be at the table and they’re going to say they’re sorry and they’re going to try to make a deal with Donald Trump. If India does not support the United States, they will have to pay 50 per cent tariffs on its exports to the US.”

While Donald Trump has softened his tone and gone from calling Indian economy ‘dead’ weeks back to India a ‘great nation’ recently, his officials continue to vilify New Delhi and peddle false narrative about India’s Russian oil purchases.

All these theatrics are nothing but a part of Trump administration’s pressure tactics, not to end Russia-Ukraine war, not to essentially cripple Russian economy but to arm-twist India into opening its agriculture and dairy markets for US companies.

Moreover, the Trump administration sees India, with its huge population a lucrative market and wants New Delhi to cut its Russian oil purchases. While it is widely known that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s refusal to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize and open Indian agricultural and dairy market are the main reasons for India-US relations seeing a sudden bitterness, the US also wants India to buy American crude oil, petroleum products and LNG.

An admission to the Trump administration’s ambition of diverting India’s crude oil and LNG imports from Russia to US, was made by Sergio Gor, Trumps’ nominee to be US Ambassador to India during his nomination hearing on 11th September.

“In the ongoing trade talks, we want the Indian market to open for our crude oil, petroleum products, LNG. India’s Middle Class is larger than the entire US. You’re talking about a population of 1.4 billion individuals there (India). Their middle class by our definition is larger than an entire United States of America and so we have countless possibilities to expand into those markets…” Gor said.

Apparently, the Trump administration’s tariff war against India was not only the expression of Trump’s frustration over not securing credit for his imaginary credit for brokering India-Pakistan ceasefire, Nobel prize nomination or attempt to deter India from ‘fuelling Russian war-machine’.

The US profiteered massively from the Russia-Ukraine war by selling its LNG and petroleum products to Europe on much higher rates and defence equipment to Ukraine. Even in peace talks intended to secure end to Russia-Ukraine war, Trump is eyeing a dollar-minting deal. And now, Trump administration wants India to ditch Russia for American petroleum products.

In war, or in peace, with adversaries or with allies, the US always looks for the goldmine.

From abuses to deepfakes: Congress targets PM Modi’s mother with an AI video, sparks outrage ahead of Bihar polls

Aditi
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From abuses to deepfakes: Congress targets PM Modi’s mother with an AI video, sparks outrage ahead of Bihar polls

As the assembly elections are approaching in Bihar, the Congress Party has resorted to launching personal attacks on PM Modi. After PM Modi and his late mother were abused during Congress-RJD’s ‘Vote Adhikar Yatra’ last month, now the Bihar Congress has targeted him and his mother, Heeraben, by posting an AI video on social media.

In a below-the-belt move, the Bihar Congress shared a 36-second AI video on X on Friday (12th September), showing characters resembling PM Modi and his late mother. The video, captioned “Maa appears in Sahab’s dreams”, depicts PM Modi going to bed saying, “I’m done with today’s ‘vote chori’, let’s get a good night’s sleep now.” Further, the video shows him falling asleep and seeing his late mother, who appears angry, in his dream. She accuses PM Modi of using her name for politics.

The distasteful video stirred a political storm as the BJP demanded an apology, describing the video as disgusting and an insult to all mothers and sisters. The party demanded action against those responsible for posting the AI video.

Congress has become ‘Gaaliwadi’ instead of ‘Gandhiwadi’: BJP

Accusing the Congress Party of mudslinging, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said, “RJD and Congress have shown the depths to which politics can sink. To engage in mudslinging and insult someone’s mother — especially one who has passed away — is shameful. People of Bihar are well aware that those who stoop to such acts are aligned with the state opposition and Congress. When individuals from this land abuse the mother of PM Modi, it reflects poorly on their political ethics”.

Expressing contempt, BJP MP Radha Mohan Das Agrawal said that he would approach the Election Commission regarding the video. “Prime Minister Modi has always kept politics separate from family life. It is painful that the Congress first abused the prime minister’s mother and is now using deepfake technology to mislead the country and insult all mothers,” said Agrawal.

Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla termed the video as shameful and added that the party had become Gaalwadi (abusive) instead of Gandhiwadi. “Far from remorse for abusing PM’s mother, Congress justified and defended the accused with lies. This party has become ‘Gaaliwadi’ instead of Gandhiwadi,” Poonawalla said.

Nothing disrespectful in the video: Congress

Following a massive backlash over the video on social media, the Bihar Congress had to launch a so-called inquiry into the matter, while senior Congress leader Pawan Khera defended the offensive video. Supporting the video, Khera said that it did not disrespect PM Modi’s late mother. “Where is the disrespect shown to his late mother? Show me one word, one gesture, anywhere that you see disrespect. It is the duty of a parent to educate their child. She is only educating her child, and if the child thinks that it is disrespectful towards him, it is his headache, not mine, not yours,” said Khera.

Khera went on to preach to PM Modi, saying that, being in politics, PM Modi should accept everything. “Mr Modi cannot do ‘touch-me-not’ politics. He is in politics, and he needs to take everything, even the sense of humour of the opposition, properly. In fact, there is no humour in it, there is naseehat (advice) in this,” Khera added.

This comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother were abused with slurs such as ‘Maderch*od’ during a Congress-RJD rally in Darbhanga, Bihar, on August 27, 2025.

PM Modi to visit Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar from 13 to 15 September, states to get projects worth over ₹71,850 crore

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi to visit Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar from 13 to 15 September, states to get projects worth over ₹71,850 crore

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal and Bihar from 13th to 15th September, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release on 12th September.

He will reach Mizoram on 13th September, and then proceed to Manipur in the afternoon. PM Modi will then travel to Assam on the same day evening. After spending two days in Assam attending various programs, he will move to West Bengal on 15th September. He will travel to Bihar on the same day, from where he will return to New Delhi.

On 13th September, the Prime Minister will visit Mizoram and lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over ₹9000 crore at Aizawl, at around 10 AM. He will also address a public function.

Thereafter, he will visit Manipur and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over ₹7,300 crore at Churachandpur at around 12:30 PM. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. Further, he will inaugurate various projects worth over ₹1,200 crore at Imphal, at around 2:30 PM and address a public function.

Prime Minister Modi will thereafter visit Assam and participate in the celebrations of the 100th birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in Guwahati, at around 5 PM. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.

On 14th September, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of major infrastructure and industrial development projects worth over ₹18,530 crore in Assam. He will lay the foundation stone of various projects in Darrang district at around 11 AM and address a public function. Thereafter, he will inaugurate Assam Bio-ethanol Private Limited, Numaligarh Refinery Plant in Golaghat district, at around 1:45 PM. He will also lay the foundation stone of Polypropylene Plant there.

On 15th September, Prime Minister will visit West Bengal and inaugurate the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference-2025 in Kolkata, at around 9:30 AM.

Thereafter, Prime Minister will visit Bihar and inaugurate the new terminal building of Purnea airport at around 2:45 PM. Further, he will also lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around ₹36,000 crore at Purnea and address the gathering on the occasion. He will also launch the National Makhana Board in Bihar.

PM Modi in Mizoram

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth over ₹9000 crore at Aizawl. These projects will cater to multiple sectors including Railways, Roadways, Energy, Sports among others.

In line with his commitment to world-class infrastructure and last mile connectivity, Prime Minister will inaugurate the Bairabi-Sairang New Rail line, worth over ₹8,070 crore, connecting the capital of Mizoram to the Indian Railways network for the first time. The Rail line Project, built in a challenging hilly area, has 45 tunnels constructed under complex geological conditions. Additionally, it also includes 55 major bridges and 88 minor bridges. The direct rail connectivity between Mizoram and the rest of the country will offer the people of the region safe, efficient, and cost-effective travel options. It will also ensure the timely and reliable supply of food grains, fertilizers, and other essential commodities, thereby enhancing overall logistical efficiency and regional accessibility.

Prime Minister Modi will also flag off three new express trains, Sairang (Aizawl)-Delhi (Anand Vihar Terminal) Rajdhani express, Sairang-Guwahati Express and Sairang-Kolkata Express on this occasion. Aizawl will now be directly connected with Delhi through a Rajdhani Express. The Sairang-Guwahati Express will facilitate movement between Mizoram and Assam. Sairang-Kolkata Express will directly connect Mizoram to Kolkata. This enhanced connectivity will improve access to hospitals, universities, and markets, thereby strengthening educational, cultural, and economic ties across the region. It will also generate employment opportunities, and significantly boost tourism in the region.

In a major boost to road infrastructure, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple road projects. It includes Aizawl Bypass Road, Thenzawl–Sialsuk Road and Khankawn–Rongura Road.

The 45 km Aizawl Bypass Road, worth over ₹500 crore, under Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) scheme will aim to decongest Aizawl city, improve connectivity to Lunglei, Siaha, Lawngtlai, Lengpui Airport, and Sairang Railway Station among others. It will reduce the travel time from southern districts to Aizawl by around 1.5 hours significantly benefitting the people in the region. The Thenzawl–Sialsuk Road under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme NESIDS (Roads), will benefit many horticulture farmers, dragon fruit growers, paddy cultivators, and ginger processors, while strengthening connectivity with the Aizawl–Thenzawl–Lunglei Highway. The Khankawn–Rongura Road under NESIDS (Roads) in Serchhip District will provide better access to markets and benefit various horticulture farmers and other people in the region, while supporting the planned Ginger Processing Plant.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of Chhimtuipui River Bridge on the Lawngtlai–Siaha Road. It will provide all-weather connectivity and reduce travel time by two hours. The bridge will also support cross-border commerce under the Kaladan Multimodal Transit framework.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Khelo India Multipurpose Indoor Hall for Sports Development. The hall at Tuikual will provide modern sports facilities including a multipurpose indoor arena benefitting and nurturing Mizoram’s youth for national and international competitions.

Strengthening the energy infrastructure in the region, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 30 TMTPA (thousand metric tons per annum) LPG Bottling Plant at Mualkhang in Aizawl. It will aim at ensuring a steady and reliable supply of LPG in Mizoram and neighbouring states providing easier access to clean cooking fuel. It will also create local employment opportunities.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate Residential School at Kawrthah under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) scheme. The school in Mamit aspirational district will provide modern classrooms, hostels, and sports facilities including an artificial football turf. It will benefit over 10,000 children and youth, laying the foundation for long-term social and educational progress.

Furthering his vision of quality education for all, Prime Minister will also inaugurate Eklavya Model Residential School at Tlangnuam. The school will improve enrollment, reduce dropout rates, and provide holistic education opportunities for tribal youth.

PM Modi in Manipur

In line with his commitment to inclusive, sustainable and holistic development of Manipur, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over ₹7,300 crore at Churachandpur. The projects include Manipur Urban Roads, drainage and asset management improvement project worth over ₹3,600 crore; 5 National Highway projects worth more than ₹2,500 crore; Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project, Working Women Hostels at 9 locations, among others.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate multiple development projects worth more than ₹1,200 crore at Imphal. They include the Civil Secretariat at Mantripukhri; IT SEZ Building and New Police Headquarters at Mantripukhri; Manipur Bhawans at Delhi and Kolkata; and Ima Markets, unique all women’s market, in 4 districts.

PM Modi in Assam

On 13th September, Prime Minister will participate in celebrations to commemorate the 100th Birth Anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika in Guwahati. The celebration will honour the life and legacy of Dr. Hazarika, whose contributions to Assamese music, literature and culture remain unparalleled.

On 14th September, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of major infrastructure and industrial development projects worth over ₹18,530 crore in Assam.

In Darrang district’s Mangaldoi, Prime Minister Modi will lay the foundation stone of multiple projects. The projects include Darrang Medical College & Hospital and GNM School and B.Sc. Nursing College, strengthening medical education and healthcare delivery in the region; Guwahati Ring Road Project that will enhance urban mobility, decongest traffic, and improve connectivity in and around the capital city; and Kuruwa–Narengi Bridge over River Brahmaputra improving connectivity and promoting socio-economic development in the region.

At Numaligarh in Golaghat, Prime Minister will inaugurate the Assam Bioethanol Plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) aimed at promoting clean energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

He will also lay the foundation stone of the Polypropylene Plant at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) adding significant value to Assam’s petrochemical sector. It will also generate employment opportunities and lead to overall socio economic development of the region.

PM Modi in West Bengal

In line with his commitment to a strong, secure and self-reliant India, Prime Minister will inaugurate and address the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference-2025 in Kolkata on 15th September. It is the apex-level brainstorming forum of the Armed Forces, that brings together the nation’s top civilian and military leadership to exchange views and lay the groundwork for the future development of India’s military preparedness.

Held once in two years, the 16th Combined Commanders’ Conference would be held in Kolkata from 15th – 17th September. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Year of Reforms – Transforming for the Future’.

PM Modi in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the National Makhana Board in Bihar. The Board will promote production and new technology development, strengthen post-harvest management, promote value addition and processing and facilitate market, export and brand development in Makhana, thereby benefiting the Makhana farmers of Bihar and the country.

Bihar accounts for approximately 90% of the country’s total Makhana production. Key districts like Madhubani, Darbhanga, Sitamarhi, Saharsa, Katihar, Purnea, Supaul, Kishanganj and Araria serve as the primary hubs since they have favourable climatic conditions and fertile soil that contribute to the superior quality of makhana. The establishment of the Makhana Board in Bihar will give a major boost to the Makhana production in the State and the country and strengthen the presence of Bihar on the global map in this sector.

Prime Minister will inaugurate the Interim Terminal Building at New Civil Enclave of Purnea Airport which will enhance passenger handling capacity in the region.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects worth around ₹36,000 crore at Purnea.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of 3×800 MW thermal power project at Pirpainti, Bhagalpur. It will be Bihar’s largest private sector investment worth ₹25,000 crore. It is designed on ultra-super critical, low-emission technology. The project will provide dedicated power and strengthen Bihar’s energy security.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Phase 1 of Kosi-Mechi Intra-State River Link Project worth over ₹2680 crore. It will focus on upgrading the canal including desilting, reconstruction of damaged structures, and renovation of the settling basin, while also enhancing its discharge capacity from 15,000 to 20,000 cusecs. It will benefit multiple districts in northeastern Bihar with irrigation expansion, flood control, and agricultural resilience.

In line with his commitment to improve rail connectivity, Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of rail projects and flag off multiple trains in Bihar.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of Rail Line between Bikramshila – Katareah worth over ₹2,170 crore, providing direct rail link across the river Ganga. It will provide a direct rail link across the Ganga significantly benefitting people in the region.

Prime Minister will inaugurate the new Rail Line between Arariya – Galgalia (Thakurganj) worth over ₹4,410 crore.

Prime Minister will flag off train in Araria – Galgalia (Thakurganj) Section which establishes direct rail connectivity between Araria and Kishanganj districts, significantly improving access across Northeastern Bihar. He will also flag off Vande Bharat Express Train between Jogbani and Danapur, directly benefitting districts such as Araria, Purnea, Madhepura, Saharsa, Khagaria, Begusarai, Samastipur, Muzaffarpur, Vaishali, and Patna. He will also flag off Amrit Bharat Express Trains between Saharsa and Chheharta (Amritsar) and Jogbani and Erode. These trains will provide modern interiors, improved facilities, and faster travel capabilities, while enhancing economic, cultural, and social integration across regions.

Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Sex Sorted Semen Facility at Purnea. It is a state-of-the-art semen station under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, capable of producing 5 lakh sex-sorted semen doses annually. The facility, first of its kind in eastern and north-eastern India, uses indigenously developed technology launched in October 2024, aligning with the vision of Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. By enabling higher chances of female calf births, the technology will help small, marginal farmers and landless labourers secure more replacement heifers, reduce economic stress, and raise incomes through improved dairy productivity.

Prime Minister will also participate in Griha Pravesh ceremonies being held for 35,000 rural beneficiaries under PMAY (R) and 5,920 urban beneficiaries under PMAY (U) and hand over keys to a few beneficiaries.

Prime Minister will also distribute Community Investment Funds of around ₹500 crore to Cluster Level Federations under DAY-NRLM in Bihar and hand over cheques to a few CLF Presidents.

Is The Bengal Files really a flop movie?

સૌરભ શાહ
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Is The Bengal Files really a flop movie?

I watched Vivek Agnihotri’s The Bengal Files on the evening of its release last Friday. It was a private screening organized by a celebrity eye surgeon in Mumbai for 300 friends and family members. Naturally, the theater was housefull.

I watched it again two days later, on Sunday afternoon, at a public show, not a sponsored or private one. The theater was housefull again, and I made a reel of it that went viral on social media.

I watched it a third time yesterday, Thursday, at a late evening show. The audience was about 50%, with half of them evidently affluent and cultured citizens, going by their appearance even from a distance. The rest half were mostly smart Mumbaikars in their 20s and 30s.

Even after watching it thrice, the reaction was one of shock, stunned silence, and awe. The words “Wow, Vivek!” escape you, and you’re left wondering why, in nearly eight decades of independence, no filmmaker had made a film like this before.

When Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Tashkent Files’ was released, opponents didn’t launch any pre-release propaganda against it. With ‘The Kashmir Files’, there was significant opposition after its release, but not before. However, with ‘The Bengal Files’ opposition began even before the trailer was released. After the trailer, opponents created an atmosphere suggesting the film’s release would spark Hindu-Muslim riots across the country. Actually they feared it might become a superhit like ‘The Kashmir Files’ which grossed ₹350 crore against a ₹15 crore budget.

After ‘The Bengal Files’ released, anti-national elements in the media and social media unleashed a barrage of negative reviews. On Twitter and Facebook, some people started criticizing the film without even watching it. Never before has a Hindi film faced such widespread and intense negative propaganda.

Box office figures don’t prove a film’s impact, greatness, quality, or even popularity. A prime Hollywood example is The ‘Shawshank Redemption’ based on a short story by Stephen King, who is often praised as the modern Charles Dickens. This prison drama was declared a flop upon release in the 1990s. Yet, today, it consistently ranks second in Hollywood’s top ten films, often just behind ‘The Godfather’ based on Mario Puzo’s best selling novel. 

Hindi cinema has countless similar examples. Guru Dutt’s ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’ and Raj Kapoor’s ‘Mera Naam Joker’ were box office failures that bankrupted their makers. Today, they’re cult classics, counted among the finest Hindi films. Everyone says they were ahead of their time, and audiences weren’t ready. Yash Chopra’s multi-starrer ‘Silsila’ despite superhit songs, was a flop but is now a cult classic. There are many such cases.

‘The Bengal Files’ is estimated to have been made on a ₹35–40 crore budget. Industry sources say its first week’s box office collection hasn’t reached ₹15 crore. In India, it has earned around ₹11–12 crore so far, with overseas collections around ₹2.5 crore.

While these figures are certainly disappointing, many recent hit films, like ‘Jawan’ have inflated box office numbers to mislead audiences. Vivek Agnihotri’s films don’t practice such manipulation.

If a film made for ₹35 crore earns ₹35 crore, it doesn’t mean it breaks even. From the collection, entertainment tax goes to the government first, then theater owners take their share. After other expenses, the distributor gets a cut. Only then do producers get what’s left, from which production costs are deducted to calculate profit, which is then taxed. 

Generally, a ₹35 crore film needs to collect around ₹70 crore to break even. Only after that the producers start seeing profits.

The OTT rights for ‘The Bengal Files’ have likely been sold, but the amount isn’t public yet. Even with that, it seems unlikely the producers will recover their investment. Producers Abhishek Agarwal and the Agnihotri couple will likely have to share the losses. Let us pray that doesn’t happen.

Vivek Agnihotri has said in interviews that ‘The Bengal Files’ was funded by profits from ‘The Kashmir Files’. If the money invested in ‘The Bengal Files’ doesn’t return, let alone profit, can Vivek continue making films? He may have immense courage, but will others financially back his projects? Vivek Agnihotri must not be discouraged. His team and supporters shouldn’t abandon him. Ups and downs are part of the journey.

A film flopping at the box office doesn’t make its creator a failure. If Vivek Agnihotri only cared about money, he could’ve made films like Karan Johar or Priyadarshan make, and bought villas in Dubai or Switzerland. He has the talent, skill, and acumen for it. But he aims to awaken the viewer through cinema. Films like ‘The Kashmir Files’, ‘The Vaccine War’ and ‘The Tashkent Files’ have sparked awareness among audiences. After watching ‘The Bengal Files’ for the third time, I overheard college students in the theater foyer. One asked, “Really? Did ‘they’ get Shastriji killed?” Vivek’s films are opening India’s eyes, prompting questions.

Few knew about Direct Action Day or the Noakhali Hindu massacre, as those pages were erased from school and college curricula. Such films bring these truths to light. Before ‘The Kashmir Files’, only a handful knew how Kashmiri Hindus were displaced and how Kashmir was deliberately distanced from India. Through the film this knowledge reached crores. 

Similarly, ‘The Vaccine War’ revealed how India stood firm against the greed of multinational pharma companies like Pfizer during COVID, saving economic losses and lives that would have been lost because of a compromised vaccine that was outright wrong for the India’s climate. You might find this in obscure reports or books, but as an average citizen, you wouldn’t read it. Now you have a crystal clear picture in a 2.5 hour film.

The same applies to Lal Bahadur Shastri’s suspicious death in Tashkent. Official records were tampered with, and later the controversy was buried. Without Vivek’s film, most Indians would remain unaware. Only when filmmakers like him make movies about the deaths of scientists like Vikram Sarabhai or Homi Bhabha will we get closer to the truth. 

Vivek Agnihotri made a low-budget film, ‘Buddha in a Traffic Jam’ over a decade ago, addressing urban Naxals, the educated city elites masquerading as philanthropists while fueling Maoist and Naxal violence in India’s hinterlands.

Borrowing a famous Hindi cinema dialogue, we can say: ‘The Bengal Files’ hasn’t flopped; films like ‘The Bengal Files’ do not flop.

Making such films require courage to risk not just reputation but one’s life itself. It involves staking crores, not lakhs, and enduring losses while knowing surely that your opponents will attack you- in success or failure. It demands faith in the philosophy of Karmanye Vadhikaraste (do your duty, don’t worry about results).

Films like ‘The Bengal Files’ must be made. Fear of box office failure shouldn’t bury such subjects in obscurity. If a leftist or secular film flopped, would they focus on its collections or praise the director’s creativity and courage?

Had ‘The Bengal Files’ earned as much as ‘The Kashmir Files’ it would’ve inspired other filmmakers and financiers. The massive success of ‘The Kashmir Files’ led to many more such films- Ekta Kapoor produced The ‘Sabarmati Report’ and Vipul Amrutlal Shah produced ‘The Kerala Story’. Dozens of smaller films emerged due to the environment created by ‘The Kashmir Files’.

There’s a difference between good, truthful films and commercially successful ones. Not all good films make money, and not all profitable films are worth watching. Yes, it hurts when good filmmakers suffer losses, not just financial loss, but also the non-acknowledgement of their creativity.

Yet, this pain must be borne by the creator, their team, and millions of fans like us. We must console ourselves that, like ‘Kaagaz Ke Phool’, ‘Mera Naam Joker’, ‘Silsila’ or ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, ‘The Bengal Files’ is going to be celebrated as a cult classic for much longer than its theatrical release. And we’ll take pride in saying: ‘We watched it once (or even three times) when it was released’.

The above article was originally published in OpIndia Gujarati. Click here to read the Gujarati version.

Yogi Adityanath government to develop Ayodhya, once ruled by Lord Ram’s Suryavansh dynasty, into a model ‘Solar City’: Here are the highlights of the project

OpIndia Staff
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Yogi Adityanath government to develop Ayodhya, once ruled by Lord Ram’s Suryavansh dynasty, into a model ‘Solar City’: Here are the highlights of the project

The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh is working to transform the city of Ayodhya, once the capital of the Suryavansh to which Lord Ram belonged, into a ‘Solar City’. The step aims to link the city’s glorious past with a modern future. Ayodhya has an ancient connection with the Sun as it was ruled by Lord Ram’s lineage, which was linked to the Sun God.

The Yogi Adityanath government’s solar energy project in Ayodhya is set to be a significant step in the direction of fulfilling the country’s clean energy goals. The Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Department Agency (UPNEDA) is leading the plan to develop Ayodhya as a ‘Solar City’. The city will act as a model for the implementation of the project in other proposed cities.

The Ayodhya Solar City project involves the installation of solar panels on the rooftops of 117 government buildings, totalling 2.5 MW. This includes a 250 kW solar panel installed at RML Awadh University, a 155 kW panel at Agriculture University, a 100 kW capacity panel at the district court, a 58 kW panel at Ram Katha Museum, and 50 kW panels at different government secondary schools.

The initiative also includes setting up a 40 MW solar park along the Saryu River, operating solar-powered boats and installing solar streetlights. In addition to that, the government plans to make use of solar energy in the city’s infrastructure by installing solar-powered charging points, drinking kiosks and solar trees. The government is also promoting the use of electric vehicles. To encourage residents to install rooftop solar panels, the government is providing incentives like solar subsidies.

A key ingredient of the solar city initiative is the 40 MW solar power plant located at Rampur Halwara in the Manjha area of the district. The plant is capable of fulfilling 40 per cent of the electricity requirement of Ayodhya.

The Ayodhya Solar City project is a 5-year project, which commenced in 2023 and is expected to be completed by 2028. The project, which is being implemented in a phased manner, is part of the state’s Solar Energy Policy 2022. The policy aims to develop 16 municipal corporations and Noida as solar cities, and establish Uttar Pradesh as a leader in the field of renewable energy in the country. It has an ambitious goal to achieve 22,000 MW of solar capacity by 2026-27, with 14,000 MW from solar parks and 8,000 MW from rooftop installations.

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