Mumbai: It was in 2006 that a young Dinesh Karthik won 'Player of the Match' award for his cheeky 30-odd in India's first ever T20 International.Sixteen years hence, Karthik, nearing 37, with 330 shortest format matches under his belt, is showing signs of being another eternal comeback man of Indian cricket, trying to do justice to the phenomenal talent that he is blessed with."I made a conscious effort to do justice to myself. Felt I could have done better in the last few years," Karthik, whose 44 off 23 balls, took RCB to victory over Rajasthan Royals in an IPL game on Tuesday.Karthik, who has always been in demand during every edition of IPL, hasn't been selected for India after their heartbreaking semi-final loss against New Zealand in the 2019 ODI World Cup.His form for KKR nose-dived a bit in the past two years and 18 years after his India debut, Karthik knows very well that a 8-ball-29 in a Nidahas Trophy can't be his singular legacy when he calls it quits.So how has it been different and the Tamil Nadu stumper, who literally dashed Ravichandran Ashwin's dreams of T20I comeback, hammering him into submission, said that he has changed his training methods."The way I have trained has been different. I was telling myself I am not done yet. I have a goal and I want to achieve something," said Karthik at the post-match presentation ceremony.When he came in, RCB needed 12 runs per over and Karthik launched into his statemate Ashwin with one boundary behind square, followed by six over long-on and a rocket-like-shot over mid-off and finally added insult to injury with a reverse sweep."We needed 12 runs an over, so you need to figure out what to do. Stay calm, know your game and who you can take on."A career strikerate of 134 and average of 27.58 doesn't do justice to the kind of ability he has had.He knows that there aren't too many years of cricket left in him and he is trying to maximise his utility. He doesn't play red ball cricket anymore and knows it's T20 which will remain his calling during the business end of his career.Legendary Sunil Gavaskar during commentary said that Karthik had explained his mindset and visualization of various T20 strokes during one of their quarantine periods in Belgrade before they went for their commentary stint at the World Test Championship last year.In Karthik's own words, he tries simulating the situations."I have made an effort to play white-ball cricket, practice matches and scenarios. Those are the hours you put in when no one sees. The real work is done in the lead-up, which is what I'll give credit to."His penchant for finding the right gaps at the right time makes him a dangerous operator in this format. He shuffles and creates angles while forcing the bowler to err in his line and length."You have to premeditate in T20, but if it's not there, you have to have the ability to change the shot.—IANS

It was in 2006 that a young Dinesh Karthik won 'Player of the Match' award for his cheeky 30-odd in India's first ever T20 International.

I Have Made Conscious Effort To Do Justice To Myself: Karthik

Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has appointed an advisory committee comprising eminent economic and fiscal experts to provide guidance on addressing the current debt crisis and engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lenders as the country struggles to combat the unprecedented shortage of foreign reserves.The Presidential Advisory Group on Multilateral Engagement and Debt Sustainability includes Indrajit Coomaraswamy, former governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and former director of the Economic Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, according to a statement issued by the President Media Division on Wednesday.The other members are Shanta Devarajan, Professor of the Practice of Development, Georgetown University and former chief economist of World Bank; and Sharmini Coorey, former director of the Institute of Capacity Development of the IMF Institute, and former deputy director of the Africa Department, IMF. 'Among the responsibilities that the Presidential Advisory Group will undertake are to engage in discussions with relevant Sri Lankan institutions and officials engaging with the IMF, and to provide guidance that will address the present debt crisis and lead towards sustainable and inclusive recovery for Sri Lanka,' the statement said.Rajapaksa is yet to appoint a new minister of finance.The country's Finance Minister Ali Sabry on Tuesday resigned, a day after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed him after sacking his brother Basil Rajapaksa amidst the island nation's worst economic crisis.Basil Rajapaksa was fired as he was planning to visit Washington to hold negotiations with the IMF. A government parliamentary group met with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday to discuss urgent steps that must be taken to improve the situation so that citizens would no longer need to stand in long queues for fuel, gas and essentials, Shehan Semasinghe, a state minister, said.He asserted that the government has not lost its parliamentary majority despite 42 of its members saying they would remain independent of the ruling SLPP coalition in parliament. "Our majority is solid," Semasinghe said.Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, chief government whip Johnston Fernando said the government will face this problem and there is no reason for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to resign as he was elected to office."As a responsible government, we state that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will not resign from his post under any circumstances," Fernando said. Sri Lankans have protested for weeks over lengthy power cuts and shortages of gas, food and other basic goods.The public anger has prompted nearly all cabinet ministers to quit, and scores of lawmakers to leave Rajapaksa's government.Meanwhile, police said they are planning to deploy a special security arrangement for key locations such as the President's House, Presidential Secretariat, Prime minister's residence-cum-office and Parliament in view of the growing public protests over the country's worst economic crisis.Sri Lanka is facing its worst economic crisis since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1948.An Indian credit line in a special economic relief package has only provided a temporary solution. India had recently announced to extend a $1 billion line of credit to Sri Lanka as part of its financial assistance to the country to deal with the economic crisis following a previous $500 billion line of credit in February to help it purchase petroleum products.The Indian High Commission on Wednesday announced the arrival of two more shipments of fuel to Colombo under the Indian credit line.'Total supply of various types of fuel under Indian assistance now stands at more than 270,000 MT,' it said. —PTI

 The Sri Lankan government has appointed an advisory committee comprising eminent economic and fiscal experts to provide guidance on addressing the current debt crisis and engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other lenders as the country struggles to combat the unprecedented shortage of foreign reserves.

Lanka Crisis: Gotabaya Forms Panel To Manage Finances

New Dehli (The Hawk): At the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly took a historic decision in 2014 to declare 21st June as the International Day of Yoga (IDY). The worldwide acceptance of Yoga is a matter of pride for India, as Yoga is an integral part of our cultural and spiritual heritage. Every year, the IDY observation begins with a Mass Yoga Demonstration in the morning, which is led by the Prime Minister himself, followed by other Yoga related activities.With just #67DaysToGo for International Yoga Day, 2022, the Ministry of Coal organized Yogotsav countdown programmehere today at Shastri Bhwan.The programme was inaugurated by Dr. Anil Kumar Jain, Secretary, Ministry of Coal. The countdown celebration was attended by senior officials and other staff of the Ministry. More than 100 persons participated in Yoga organized in Shastri Bhawan premisesand guided by experts from Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga - Sh. Satyendra Kumar Singh, Yoga Therapist, Ms. Neetu Sharma and Ms Harpreet Kaur.&nbsp; <img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image002Q194.jpg"><img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image003N95T.jpg">&nbsp;Y-Break protocol effective for office was also demonstrated in detail. All the PSUs which were connected through virtual mode, also had very useful interactions with the Yoga experts and everybody felt that Yoga is&nbsp;very useful and needs to be practiced regularly.&nbsp;<img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image0046IV0.jpg"><img src="https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/image/image005T1GW.jpg">

At the initiative of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the United Nations General Assembly took a historic decision in 2014 to declare 21st June as the International Day of Yoga (IDY)

Coal Secretary Leads Ministry’s Yogotsav Countdown Programme	

Chennai: The Olympiad for People with Disabilities will not be held in India as originally announced, said a senior official of International Chess Federation, commonly known as FIDE."The Olympiad for People with Disabilities is basically an additional event that comes at a high cost. Because FIDE's goal is not just to hold it, but to hold it at the highest level," David Llada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, FIDE, told IANS."But, given the unusual circumstances, it was already difficult enough to find funding for the main event. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) already has a titanic challenge ahead of them. Any other hosting country has several years to prepare - Chennai only has months," Llada added.According to him, holding the Olympiad for People with Disabilities elsewhere helps to alleviate the financial and organisational pressure on AICF.FIDE had allotted India the main Olympiad, the 44th Chess Olympiad and the Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities.Owing to Russia's military operation in Ukraine, FIDE had shifted the Olympiad out of Moscow in February 2022. Sensing an opportunity, the AICF quickly acted and submitted its bid backed by the Tamil Nadu government and FIDE awarded the Olympiad to India in March.The AICF Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan had told IANS that every country used to get four years' time to organise the Olympiad but India got just about four months.The Chess Olympiad will be held in the Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort &amp; Convention Centre near here. "I have written to the FIDE Commission for Disabled enquiring whether the Olympiad for People with Disabilities will be held in India in 2022? If no, then when and where it is slated. If the event is not to be held, whether FIDE would allow three international teams -- blind, deaf and dumb and physically handicapped -- to participate in the main Olympiad to be held in Chennai as in the past," Charudatta Jadhav, President, International Braille Chess Association (IBCA) and All India Chess Federation for the Blind (AICFB) told IANS Jadhav said the Olympiad for People with Disabilities was started by FIDE recently. As a result, three international teams of blind/deaf and dumb/physically disabled chess players were not allowed to participate in the main Olympiad.—IANS

 The Olympiad for People with Disabilities will not be held in India as originally announced, said a senior official of International Chess Federation, commonly known as FIDE. "The Olympiad for People with Disabilities is basically an additional event that comes at a high cost. Because FIDE's goal is not just to hold it, but to hold it at the highest level," David Llada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, FIDE, told IANS.

Chess Olympiad For Disabled Will Not Be Held In India: FIDE

 The Olympiad for People with Disabilities will not be held in India as originally announced, said a senior official of International Chess Federation, commonly known as FIDE.
"The Olympiad for People with Disabilities is basically an additional event that comes at a high cost. Because FIDE's goal is not just to hold it, but to hold it at the highest level," David Llada, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, FIDE, told IANS.





Los Angeles:&nbsp;The first US private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is set to undock from the ISS on Saturday and return to Earth on Sunday, according to NASA.The mission, codenamed Ax-1, was launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 8, Xinhua news agency reported.The four-person multinational crew is composed of Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, Mission Specialist Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mission Specialist Mark Pathy of Canada.The crew will undock from the ISS at 8:35 p.m. Saturday Eastern Time, for a splashdown off the coast of Florida about 1:46 p.m. Sunday, according to NASA.Teams will continue to monitor the weather at the splashdown sites prior to undocking to ensure conditions are acceptable for a safe recovery of the Ax-1 astronauts and Dragon spacecraft, said NASA.

The first US private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is set to undock from the ISS on Saturday and return to Earth on Sunday, according to NASA.

First US private astronaut mission to space station to return April 24 

Chandigarh (The Hawk): Enactus team of Panjab University, a Non-Profit International Organisation along with Versatile Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana under its CSR project Amodini, organised Mytharche- Transfusing NexGen Perspective”, first workshop in series on “Menstrual Health &amp; Hygiene Management” during Cyanide 2022, the annual fest of Dr. SSBUICET, Panjab University, conveyed Prof. Seema Kapoor, Faculty advisor, Enactus team. Dean of University Instruction, Prof. Renu Vig honoured the event as the Chief Guest.The Guest of Honour for the event included Prof. Jagtar Singh, Dean Student Welfare, Dr.Neelam Sodhi MD (OBS &amp; Gynaecology), Dr. Satish Sharma, former Syndicate member of PU and Ms. Mamta Dutta, Ex Chaiperson, Punjab Khadi Board. Other dignitaries present included Dr. Rupinder Kaur (CMO, PU), Dr. Ekta Bajaj (Dietician), Dr. Monica Munjial and Dr. Anu H. Gupta.The workshop began with a welcome speech by Prof. Amrit Pal Toor, Chairperson SSBUICET who extended a heartfelt welcome to all the dignitaries present. Prof. Renu Vig, chief guest of the event highlighted the prominent role played by Enactus in progress of marginalised communities. She acknowledged the efforts and zeal of the students in organising the workshop to make people cognizant of the significance of menstrual hygiene and the detrimental effects of conventional plastic based sanitary napkins. Prof. Jagtar Singh appreciated the team to have come up with the workshop and extended their assistance in initiating more such events, focused on raising issues of societal importance.A virtual address was given by Smt. Sarabjit Kaur, Mayor of Chandigarh in which she illuminated the endeavours of Team Enactus to ameliorate the living conditions of underprivileged women and extended her assistance in carrying out collaborative projects between Enactus and Chandigarh Administration, told Akshit Kalra, President Enactus team.Dr. Neelam Sodhi gave an interactive speech on the importance of good menstrual health. She not only stressed on the importance of eradicating stigmas surrounding menstrual hygiene and health but also conveyed that standard sanitary napkin are detrimental to both environment and female hygiene, so cloth-based napkins are a viable alternative.Drama club of Panjab University headed by Hargobind Randhawa gave a theatrical performance on menstrual health, as part of the event. It was received with great vigour from the audience and evoked minds regarding the sensitive issue of menstruation. The workshop witnessed singing and dance performance,which brightened the mood and produced jolly vibes among the audience.Dr. Asha Katoch, CEO, DIR-India talked about the perception of women in slum areas and how menstrual hygiene is not considered to be of significance."Mytharche" proceeded with a monologue competition, based on the theme of the workshop wherein 10 students participated. 2 community ladies under the sanitary napkins project gave the case studies and made everybody aware of effectiveness of cloth-based sanitary napkins. The competition was judged by eminent Prof. Ramanjit Kaur Johal (Former Dean Research), Dr. Rajni Lamba (CEO, The Reeds) andDr. Renuka Salwan (Former Director of Public Relations, P.U.).Dr. Rajni Lamba, CEO, of The Reeds, addressed the audience accentuating that menstrual hygiene is of paramount importance and shared the feedback of girls/ladies who were given these cloth-based sanitary napkins. She also emphasised that conversation around menstruation shouldn’t be suppressed.Ms. Ibadat Jishtu, India Program Manager &amp; Consultant, Enactus Global congratulated the Enactus team for being in the top 12 in the 1R4O competition worldwide.Shri. Vipan Seth, Director, Versatile Group,also an alumnus of Department of chemical engineering highlighted that woman shouldn’t be excluded when on menstruation. He stressed that project Amodini since its inception has touched the lives of 8000 girls and has worked on this reusable sanitary pads with a vision of Swachh Bharat. He also announced the results of the poster making and monologue competition. The prizes of each competition were Rs. 1000, 800, 600 and 2 consolation prizes. All the participants of the workshop were given certificates of participation to boost their morale.&nbsp;The workshop helped in breaking the taboo around the topic and made the audience of more than 200 including 175 students from various departments, and faculty aware of the benefits of using cloth-based sanitary napkins over plastic-based sanitary pads, conveyed Ms.Geetanjali Seth, CSR coordinator Versatile group.In the end, the dignitaries were felicitated with eco-friendly ceramic pots, organic tea bags and face masks. The workshop was completely sponsored by the Versatile Group, for which the Enactus team was very grateful to Shri. Arun Seth, Managing Director, Versatile group.The vote of thanks was given by Prof Seema Kapoor followed by refreshments and a visit to the cloth-based sanitary napkin stall that was put up under in collaborative venture of DIR, Enactus and Versatile groupinthe department premises.Akshit Kalra, President &amp; Dea Batra, Content Head of Team Enactus along with Harsh Sharma, Technical Head handled the responsibility of stage and accentuated the significance of initiating conversations regarding menstruation, that matter.

Enactus team of Panjab University, a Non-Profit International Organisation along with Versatile Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana under its CSR project Amodini, organised Mytharche- Transfusing NexGen Perspective”, first workshop in series on “Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management” during Cyanide 2022, the annual fest of Dr. SSBUICET, Panjab University, conveyed Prof. Seema Kapoor, Faculty advisor, Enactus team. Dean of University Instruction, Prof. Renu Vig honoured the event as the Chief Guest.

Enactus Team Of PU & Versatile Group Unfolds Mytharche, Highlighting The Importance Of Menstrual Health & Hygiene

Enactus team of Panjab University, a Non-Profit International Organisation along with Versatile Enterprises Pvt. Ltd., Ludhiana under its CSR project Amodini, organised Mytharche- Transfusing NexGen Perspective”, first workshop in series on “Menstrual Health & Hygiene Management” during Cyanide 2022, the annual fest of Dr. SSBUICET, Panjab University, conveyed Prof. Seema Kapoor, Faculty advisor, Enactus team. Dean of University Instruction, Prof. Renu Vig honoured the event as the Chief Guest.






Chennai (The Hawk):&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iitm.ac.in/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">Indian Institute of Technology Madras</a>&nbsp;partnered with International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Chennai, and Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), Chennai Chapter, to organize the National Conference on Energy Technologies (NCET-2022) on 29th and 30th April 2022.The Conference brought together leading academic scientists, researchers, scholars and industry experts to exchange experiences and research results on all aspects of energy storage systems and technologies including battery, fuel cells, supercapacitors, solar and wind energy.Delivering the Special Remarks virtually, Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India, spoke about the way forward for energy transition of India from fossil fuels to net-zero. He stressed the role of hydrogen energy and the need for the direct splitting of water into hydrogen through grid-independent systems. He also emphasized the need for ‘made in India’ solutions to overcome the net-zero target.The Key Objectives of the National Conference include:&nbsp;Ø&nbsp;&nbsp;Providing a common platform to share and exchange ideasØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Deliberate on emerging national interest and global research trendsØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Evolve mechanisms for research/industry collaborationsAddressing the Conference, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, highlighted&nbsp;the need for Grid Security and Data Protection. He stressed the need for energy auditing to save power. He also mentioned the interesting solutions provided by the start-ups and their need in realising the net-zero&nbsp;Atmanirbhar Bharath.Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Ashok Jhunjunwala, President, IIT Madras Incubation Cell (IITMIC) and IIT Madras Research Park (IITMRP),&nbsp;presented his analysis on ‘How Soon can India get to Net-Zero.’ He pointed out that the developed countries contribute most to global warming, while India was placed at 103rd&nbsp;in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG). The need for strategies in green technologies with commercial viability supported by exclusive policy intervention was strongly proposed in his talk.Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala highlighted the challenges in energy storage even during the availability of abundant solar energy. He gave an overview of calculating the cost per kWh taking into consideration the depreciation and the interest involved.The topics that were discussed during the two-day National conference includeØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Energy Storage Technologies for EVs, stationary applications and strategic sectorsØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Hydrogen and Fuel Cell technologiesØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Material selection and design for Energy Storage and ConversionØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Process technologies for Recycling and Waste managementØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Energy Demand Analysis in Smart Grids and other sectorsØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Data Analytics for Renewable Energy IntegrationØ&nbsp;&nbsp;Artificial Intelligence Applications to Energy storage devicesProf. Indranil Manna, President, Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), in his speech, emphasized reaching the net-zero energy infrastructure without jeopardizing nature. Prof. Sundararajan, former director of International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), stressed the need for topic-specific meetings within India to quickly achieve disruptive technologies. Prof. Narayanan, INAE President-Chennai Chapter, briefed about the various activities happening at INAE Madras Section which are of national interest. He emphasized the importance of micro-scale energy harvesting such as through vibrations.Dr. R. Gopalan, Regional Director of ARCI, Chennai Centre, and Prof. R. Sarathi Department of Electrical Engineering made the welcoming remarks, highlighting the focus of the conference. They emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary research in realizing green technologies.As many as 14 eminent scientists/academics/industry experts delivered lectures during the conference covering the spectrum of energy technologies along with 36 oral presentations by researchers. Four best oral presenters were awarded certificates and prizes.The Two days event ended with a vote of thanks by Prof. Nandita Das Gupta, Secretary INAE Chennai Chapter.&nbsp;She concluded the event by stating that it was brainstorming with young minds and researchers working on energy technologies and would form a pathway to achieving Net-Zero.

Indian Institute of Technology Madras partnered with International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy and New Materials (ARCI), Chennai, and Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), Chennai Chapter, to organize the National Conference on Energy Technologies (NCET-2022) on 29th and 30th April 2022.

IIT Madras, ARCI & INAE Organize National Conference on Energy Technologies

New Delhi (The Hawk) : As a countdown to the International Yoga Day on June 21, a programme of common yoga protocol was organised today by the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas &amp; Housing and Urban Affairs. Events were held at 75 places by the two ministries, including certain locations abroad of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry. Secretaries and others officers from both the ministries and other offices associated with the ministries participated in the yoga sessions. The session was attended virtually by the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas &amp; Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri from New Delhi while the Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Shri Rameswar Teli joined from Asia's first and world's oldest refinery- Digboi Refinery.The Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Shri Manoj Joshi led the Yoga training-cum-demonstration session at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi.Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Shri Pankaj Jain and officers of the ministry and oil marketing companies participated in the main yoga session at New Delhi.In his message telecast during the event, Shri Puri appreciated the initiative of the AYUSH&nbsp;Ministry for organizing the countdown to the International Yoga Day in which the two ministries today took part whole-heartedly at places spread all over the country, including overseas locations. He said that Yoga is a form of Body-mind fitness that involves combination of muscular activity and is also internally directed towards mindful focus on the Self, the Breath and the Energy.Describing Yoga as the three thousand old tradition, the Minister said that even the western world now recognizes it as a Holistic approach. Yoga is now uniformly and universally recognized and documented as an alternative system of medicine, he added.The International Day of Yoga (IDY) is celebrated every year on June 21st. Ministry of AYUSH is the nodal Ministry of IDY celebrations. On this day, a mass Yoga demonstration program is held in the morning under the guidance of Yoga experts, followed by other Yoga related activities.This year, as the nation celebrates Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to mark 75th year of Independence, Ministry of AYUSH has initiated a 100-day countdown program starting from 13.03.2022 with participation of 100 different organizations. In this regard, the Ministry of AYUSH has also allotted specific dates to each of the Ministry for observing the Countdown to International Day of Yoga pre-celebrations by practicing Yoga exercises based on Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) and organize other related activities.

As a countdown to the International Yoga Day on June 21, a programme of common yoga protocol was organised today by the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Housing and Urban Affairs. Events were held at 75 places by the two ministries, including certain locations abroad of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry. 

Yoga training-cum-demonstration sessions organized as a countdown to 8th Int'l Day of Yoga

Jammu : The Border Security Force on Thursday said it has detected a cross-border tunnel along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district and claimed to have foiled the plans of Pakistan-based terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.An alert has been sounded in the Jammu region.The 150-metres-long tunnel was detected in an area under the Chak Faquira border outpost in Samba on Wednesday evening, BSF officials said."With the detection of this tunnel, BSF-Jammu has foiled the nefarious designs of Pakistan-based terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath yatra," BSF DIG S P S Sandhu said.The tunnel was freshly dug and originated from the Pakistan side. Its opening was about 2 feet and so far 21 sandbags, used to strengthen the exit of the tunnel, have been recovered, he said.An official, on condition of anonymity, said, "A newly dug tunnel at a distance of 150 metres from the International Border and 50 metres from the border fence was detected opposite Pakistani post Chaman Khurd (Fiaz) which is 900 metres from the Indian side."He said the opening of the tunnel was about 300 metres from the border outpost Chak Faquira and 700 metres from the last Indian village.The detection of the tunnel comes nearly a fortnight after security forces gunned down two suicide bombers after they attacked a CISF bus and killed an assistant sub-inspector in the Sunjwan area of Jammu on April 22.Inspector General of BSF Jammu Frontier, D K Boora lauded the devotion and dedication of the troops in detecting the tunnel and said this was the fifth one detected in less than one-and-half years."This shows the evil strategy of Pakistan establishment to create trouble in India," Boora told reporters here.The BSF has launched a massive drive to detect any tunnel along the International Border following the April 22 encounter in the Sunjwan area of Jammu—PTI

The Border Security Force on Thursday said it has detected a cross-border tunnel along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district and claimed to have foiled the plans of Pakistan-based terrorists to disrupt the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.

Alert in Jammu after cross-border 'terror tunnel' detected

New Delhi : Aromatic and diverse cuisine from Andhra Pradesh will take centre stage at Seasonal Tastes, the award-winning international cuisine all-day diner at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, from May 4-14, 2022. Guests are invited to be immersed in a culinary adventure of authentic Andhra cuisine at the 10-day long festival “Aromas of Andhra” which promises to bring alive the complexity of flavours inspired by the land of Kohinoor.Savour an array of exquisite flavours expertly created by the team of culinarians at the hotel along with guest chef Raghavender Sirisala, who has flown in from Andhra Pradesh, for the festival. Rich in diverse gastronomic history, Andhra cuisine is as diverse as its people, spread in varied topological regions; known for tangy, hot flavours with a spicy edge. The food is known for the use of strong spices like Guntur, which is a fiery red chilli used in most preparations of this cuisine.Chef Anurudh Khanna, Multi-Property Executive Chef for The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, and The Westin Sohna Resort and Spa, said, “Every cuisine has something unique to offer, and when it comes to carving out the culinary heritage of Andhra cuisine, it is no less than a treasure trove of an amazing amalgamation of simple spices, rice, jaggery and herbs.”The traditional non-vegetarian signature dishes at the festival will include Gongura Mamsam (Gongura Mutton), Kodi Vepudu (Chicken Fry), and Royyala Vepudu (Prawn Fry), Nelloru Chapala Pulusu (Tangy Fish Curry) and much more. Vegetarians can feast on delicacies such as Mokkajonna Gaarelu (Corn Fritters), Guttu Vankaya (Stuffed Brinjal), Berakaya Jedi Pappu Kura (Ridgegourd and Cashewnut Curry) accompanied by Bangala Dumpa Vepudu (Potato Stir fry), Tamata Pappu (Tomato Dal) and Nimmakaya Annam (Lemon Rice). End the meal on a sweet note with traditional desserts like Boorelu (Lentil Jaggery Stuffed Dumplings) and Semiya Payasam (Vermicelli Kheer)The Andhra food festival offerings can be enjoyed as part of the buffet at Seasonal Tastes daily for lunch from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and dinner from 7 to 11:30 p.m—IANS

Aromatic and diverse cuisine from Andhra Pradesh will take centre stage at Seasonal Tastes, the award-winning international cuisine all-day diner at The Westin Gurgaon, New Delhi, from May 4-14, 2022. Guests are invited to be immersed in a culinary adventure of authentic Andhra cuisine at the 10-day long festival “Aromas of Andhra” which promises to bring alive the complexity of flavours inspired by the land of Kohinoor.

Aromas of Andhra

Hyderabad: Hyderabad, the city of pearls, has always been a favoured destination for healthcare seekers from Middle East, Africa, and South Asian nations.Though the number of patients coming to the city from these countries fell drastically in the past two years due to Covid-19 pandemic, these numbers have started rising at a rapid pace since early 2022.According to the information sourced from various healthcare institutions in the city, more than 2,000 international patients visited Hyderabad and sought medical and surgical help at hospitals here.With international flights getting cancelled and due to stringent lockdowns imposed across many nations, this number fell to below 500 in 2020. Though there was a slight increase in 2021, it is only this year healthcare providers in Hyderabad started receiving queries and patients to match pre-pandemic levels."Hyderabad is among the most favoured destinations for patients from Africa and other neighbouring nations. I personally had operated on more than 100 patients from various countries. Though the number of international patients seeking medical care in India slumped since the start of 2020, we are receiving queries from patients across many African nations, Bangladesh, etc. since the first quarter of this year," said Dr. Kishore B Reddy, Managing Director, Amor Hospitals.He expects this number to rise further with normalcy returning into peoples' lives. Amor Hospitals is at the forefront of providing world-class treatment to patients seeking advanced orthopedic surgeries, neuro surgeries, and many other complex procedures."Hyderabad hospitals are home to world-class medical infrastructure, and we maintained our supremacy through the pandemic phase. The city receives many patients from Bangladesh, Sudan, Iraq, Nigeria etc., and our hospital has been offering best treatments especially to patients with orthopedic related complications. With Government of India giving green signal to international flights, we are expecting patients from many countries would take advantage of the facilities available in Hyderabad," added D V S Soma Raju, Executive Director, SLG Hospitals.Dr Satwinder Singh Sabharwal, COO, Aware Gleneagles Global Hospital, pointed out that Hyderabad is well connected by air from Middle East, North Africa, South Asian countries, and the city is not expensive when it comes to treatment and hospitality. Weather here suits people from these countries, and food to a great extent matches their nutrition habits. aceWith treatments costing nearly 20 per cent lower at Hyderabad, this city is economical when compared to other Megapolis cities in India like New Delhi, Mumbai, and even Bangalore," he said."Government of Telangana has a favourable policy towards encouraging healthcare infrastructure in Hyderabad, and across the State. Many international healthcare investment funds have invested in the city and have enabled hospitals here to acquire best equipment from around the World. Most of the superspecialists working in hospitals here have international exposure, and do understand the mindset of international patients," concluded Dr Hemanth Kaukuntla, CEO, Century Hospital. —IANS

 Hyderabad, the city of pearls, has always been a favoured destination for healthcare seekers from Middle East, Africa, and South Asian nations.

After Two Years, International Patients Flock To Hyderabad

New Delhi: On the International Nurses Day on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said nurses play a vital role in keeping our planet healthy and their dedication and compassion is exemplary.International Nurses Day is a day to reiterate our appreciation to all nursing staff for their exceptional work even in the most challenging of situations, he said."International Nurses Day is an opportunity to express our gratitude to nursing fraternity, which is recognised for its selfless service to humanity. Their deep commitment to protecting lives and public health is commendable," he said.—PTI

On the International Nurses Day on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said nurses play a vital role in keeping our planet healthy and their dedication and compassion is exemplary.

Nurses play vital role in keeping planet healthy: PM

Delhi: Cranes lifting heavy material, dusty roads leading up to the site, people in safety jackets and helmets doing their work amid heaps of sand and cement lying scattered all over the place.There are ample signs that the construction of the country's largest hockey stadium is in full swing.Come January next year, the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Odisha's tribal-dominated Sundargarh district will be packed to the rafters during the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup.As many as 20,000 supporters will be rooting for the Indian hockey team, which is riding high on the Tokyo Olympics success and will seek to not only better the quarterfinal finish in the 2018 edition in Bhubaneswar, but also win the showpiece event.The work at the stadium on the outskirts of Rourkela city started in June last year and it is going on round the clock as officials battle to complete it within the deadline.Normally, it takes around 18-24 months to build a stadium of this size."But, we designed and planned it in such a way so that we can save time in engineering and the conventional construction part," Sports Department infrastructure consultant Swagat Singh said.The executing agency of the 200-crore stadium is the Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation of Odisha and it has sublet the work to the Larsen and Toubro.<img src="https://im.rediff.com/sports/2022/may/12hockey-stadium2.jpg?w=670&amp;h=900">The 80-crore accommodation near the practice pitch is being done by another contractor and its deadline is October, the official said.The 35-acre site includes the stadium and accommodation inside the 120-acre campus of the Biju Patnaik University of Technology."It's India's largest hockey stadium. We're also assuming it to be the world's biggest, but yet to get that confirmation from the FIH," he told a group of journalists at the site, 293 km northwest of capital Bhubaneswar.Singh exuded confidence of finishing the work in time by August."Almost 50-60 per cent of the work has been completed," he said.The workforce size is around 400. The casting is done at night and preparatory work in the morning due to the searing heat for the past few weeks.By the end of this month, the complete shell will be done. Once the skeleton structure is completed, the workers will start giving the finishing touch.There are many USPs of this project, one of which is that it is a disabled-friendly stadium."In other stadiums, there are multiple floodlights, but we are integrating it within the building itself so that it won hamper the aesthetics," Singh said.The colosseum-like structure is continuous, making it more functional in terms of viewing .Singh highlighted that one will get a clear picture without any vision block no matter at what gallery or at which angle a spectator sits.The field of play has a more run off area, the official said, expressing hope that it would host many World Cup matches, scheduling of which is yet to be done.There will be some light projection and the facade has been designed in such a way that cultural aspects of the region can be integrated.“Wall arts and murals will also be there. It will be an amalgamation of culture and heritage,” Singh said.Just like the Hollywood Sign on Mount Lee in Los Angeles, the administration had planned to write Rourkela on the lush green and scenic Durgapur Hills, which overlooks and runs across one side of the stadium."But there are some technical and stability issues," Additional District Magistrate Subhankar Mohapatra said. "We're still trying tough."Before the World Cup, the Fédération Internationale de Hockey (FIH) will certify whether it has complied to all the standards.He informed that they are planning to hold for a Pro League in October-end that will act as a test event.Post the World Cup, the government is mulling to convert the entire complex as an academy so that it remains a benchmark.Sundargarh is regarded as the cradle of Indian hockey that has churned out that likes of Dilip Tirkey, Amit Rohidas and Birendra Lakra. From kids to the elderly, there's a lot of craze of the sport in the region.That's why the state government wanted to have a footprint in the district because they wished to give it as a gift to the local population, Singh pointed out. "Many kids here prefer to hold a hockey stick instead of a cricket bat."—PTI

Cranes lifting heavy material, dusty roads leading up to the site, people in safety jackets and helmets doing their work amid heaps of sand and cement lying scattered all over the place.

PIX: India's largest hockey stadium

Chennai (The Hawk):&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iitm.ac.in/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">Indian Institute of Technology Madras</a>&nbsp;Researchers collaborated with International Researchers to find possible solutions to the productivity and pollution problems of manufacturing firms in India. They studied the manufacturing sector of the Indian economy using data from the ‘Prowess IQ’ database of the Centre for Monitoring the Indian Economy from 2001 to 2015.Based on the econometric analysis, this research suggests a green domestic policy mapped with FDI and trade to increase productivity and energy efficiency for the manufacturing sector in India.Other Key Findings include:Ø&nbsp;&nbsp;One-to-one correspondence and linkages between tax and energy intensity will promote renewable energy.Ø&nbsp;&nbsp;Firms that are improving energy efficiency can be either given tax credit or tax exemption as rewards.Ø&nbsp;&nbsp;There is an urgent need to replace vintage capital and adopt new technology.The study also has important policy implications with regard to global climate change regulations&nbsp;as an increasing number of cap-and-trade emission trading systems are also being implemented around the globe (Ex: in California in the U.S. and China).As pollution-intensive industries and firms are more likely to be attracted by lax environmental policy, ‘Performance, Achievement and Trade’ policies need to focus on these firms. Additionally, as firms in pollution-intensive industries seem to prefer to relocate to pollution havens rather than innovate, assisting these firms in improving their energy efficiency and reducing their pollution can help them gain legitimacy and maintain their business.The researchers further conclude that the positive spillovers from export participation and foreign direct investments could help the Indian economy and increase energy efficiency in the manufacturing sector.&nbsp;A sustainable energy policy targeting the manufacturing industry is essential for the Indian economy to contribute to green and sustainable development.This research was led by&nbsp;<a href="https://sites.google.com/view/sksahuiitm/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">Dr. Santosh Kumar Sahu</a>, Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, and included Mr. Prantik Bagchi, Research Scholar, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, Chennai. The International research partners include Prof. Ajay Kumar from EMLYON Business School, Ecully, France, and Prof. Kim Hua Tan from Nottingham University Business School, U.K.The findings of this study were published in the reputed, peer-reviewed journal&nbsp;<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10479-021-04295-7#citeas" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">Annals of Operations Research</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-04295-7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-04295-7</a>)Explaining the key findings of this research, Dr Santosh Kumar Sahu, Assistant Professor of Economics, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras, said,&nbsp;“Economic profit maximization is one of the main objectives of any industry or firm. But with global climate change, does a firm look towards reducing carbon emissions and pollution at the cost of lower productivity? Is it right to levy more taxes on firms to reduce greenhouse emissions? Does one target economic development or become more eco-friendly? These are questions we set out to find answers to.”Highlighting the key applications of this research, Dr Santosh Kumar Sahu said,&nbsp;“In this research, we focused on linking existing energy policies with productivity and energy intensity. This research can be used as the basis for redesigning future PAT schemes and energy policies for pollution-intensive firms to achieve energy efficiency. We are also now working on estimating carbon productivity for the firms in India's manufacturing sector to link innovation, R&amp;D, energy efficiency and carbon productivity. These results will be beneficial for better energy and climate policy for India.&nbsp;”The researchers feel that more recent data, including information on the stages of research and development, patents, and environmental expenses at the firm level for manufacturing industries, would be highly beneficial to explain India’s energy consumption and emission structure.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Two factors were considered in this study: energy intensity and energy efficiency. Energy intensity can be used as a proxy for energy efficiency. Their data analysis from 2001 to 2015 concluded a decreasing trend for energy intensity, implying energy efficiency has increased. An increase in energy efficiency for the firms in the manufacturing sector indicates technological advancement at the firm level.Price instruments and technology are instrumental in increasing energy efficiency. There is ample evidence suggesting that technology plays a significant role in reducing energy intensity, which is in line with this study.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Indian Institute of Technology Madras Researchers collaborated with International Researchers to find possible solutions to the productivity and pollution problems of manufacturing firms in India.

IIT Madras, International Researchers, propose solutions to Productivity & Pollution problems of Indian manufacturing firms

Rishikesh (The Hawk): Nnternational Nurses Day was celebrated at College of nursing, AIIMS, Rishikesh on 12th May, 2022 through online mode via Google Meet.&nbsp;Prof. (Dr.) Arvind Rajwanshi, Director &amp; CEO, AIIMS, Rishikesh congratulated nurses for their immense contribution in the health sector not only in India but also abroad. He paid his gratitude for the selfless care rendered by the nurses and requested them to keep up the good work for their countrymen. This was followed by the humble appreciation for nurses’ role during corona pandemic by Prof.(Dr.) Manoj Gupta, Dean (Academics). He urged all to follow the example of Florence Nightingale and serve humanity.Prof. (Dr.) Smriti Arora, Principal, College of Nursing, delivered the welcome address, she emphasised that the contribution of the frontline warriors (nurses) was immeasurable despite limited resources like shortage of staff and supplies.The Theme- ‘Nurses A Voice to Lead: Invest in Nursing and Respect Rights to Secure Global Health’, was unfolded by Dr. Leila Varkey, Lead Midwifery, Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), New Delhi. She focussed on following ethics and also told nurses to take care of themselves and avoid burnout. Dr. Manju C Pallam, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social care, Manchester, UK, emphasized on investing in Nursing Research. The programme was attended by around 300 student nurses, Faculty members (Ms. Xavier Belsiyal, Ms. Malar Kodi, Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Ms Rupinder Deol, Dr. Rakesh Sharma, Ms Prasuna Jelly, Ms. Rakhi Mishra, Ms Rajarajeswari, Ms. Ruchika Rani) and Tutors. The faculty (Prof. Craig Nuttall and Prof. Ryan) and students of Brigham Young University, USA also participated in the program. Student nurses also participated in Stone Painting &amp; Essay Writing Competition, the prize winners were felicitated. Vote of Thanks was deliberated by Mrs. Malarkodi (Assistant Professor).

Nnternational Nurses Day was celebrated at College of nursing, AIIMS, Rishikesh on 12th May, 2022 through online mode via Google Meet. 

International Nurses Day Celebrated At College Of Nursing, AIIMS, Rishikesh

New Delhi: The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has hiked the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR, with effect from Sunday at 6 am.With the latest hike, CNG is now priced at Rs 73.61 per kg in Delhi, Rs 76.17 per kg in Noida, and Rs 81.94 in Gurugram. Meanwhile, IGL has also increased gas prices in other parts of the country.In Rewari, CNG is retailing at Rs 84.07 per kg; Rs 82.27 per kg in Karnal and Kaithal; Rs 85.40 in Kanpur, Hamirpur and Fatehpur and Rs 83.88 in Ajmer, Pali and Rajsamand after the increase. The city gas distributors have been periodically raising prices since October last year when domestic as well as international gas prices started to climb.—ANI

The Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) has hiked the price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR, with effect from Sunday at 6 am.

CNG price hiked by Rs 2 per kg in Delhi-NCR

New Delhi (The Hawk): On the occasion of the International Museum Day&nbsp;2022,&nbsp;the&nbsp;National&nbsp;Museum&nbsp;is&nbsp;offering&nbsp;a&nbsp;mixed&nbsp;bag&nbsp;of&nbsp;online&nbsp;and offline activities&nbsp;and&nbsp;events,&nbsp;designed for&nbsp;both&nbsp;young&nbsp;and&nbsp;adults,&nbsp;during&nbsp;the&nbsp;five&nbsp;days.The exciting line-up&nbsp;of&nbsp;activities include Teachers’ Training Workshop&nbsp;in&nbsp;collaboration&nbsp;with&nbsp;CCRT,&nbsp;Dwarka;&nbsp;Mata&nbsp;Sundari&nbsp;College, Delhi&nbsp;and Indian Culture&nbsp;portal. This would be followed by a one-day Museum Educators’ meet which would see the participation of various&nbsp;central and state government museums across Delhi. The Museum is collaborating with the Heritage Lab, Flow&nbsp;India, Access for All and ‘Heritage for the Educators’ meet. The Educators’ Meet is NM’s pilot initiative, which&nbsp;has been conceptualized with an attempt at bringing government museum educators together on one platform to&nbsp;share&nbsp;and&nbsp;discuss&nbsp;about opportunities,&nbsp;challenges&nbsp;and&nbsp;their&nbsp;achievable solutions.The National Museum will be open for extended opening hours on May 18, 19 and 20th&nbsp;i.e. from 10: am to 9:00&nbsp;pm. And keeping this in consideration, the museum has designed gallery walks lead by curators, consultants and&nbsp;senior NM walk leaders, hands-on activities for children and activity counters for walk-in&nbsp;visitors, a special&nbsp;session with NM conservators etc.&nbsp;The museum is also organizing dedicated walks and activities for children&nbsp;representing&nbsp;different&nbsp;NGOs.Every evening there will be special live performances in the National Museum Auditorium. All performances will&nbsp;start&nbsp;at&nbsp;7:00&nbsp;pm&nbsp;each&nbsp;day.&nbsp;The&nbsp;SADHO&nbsp;Band&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;performing&nbsp;Sufi&nbsp;Music&nbsp;on&nbsp;May&nbsp;18th,&nbsp;Sudha&nbsp;Jagannath&nbsp;and&nbsp;her&nbsp;ofBrihanayika&nbsp;Natryasurabhe&nbsp;will&nbsp;be&nbsp;performing&nbsp;Bharatnatyam&nbsp;on&nbsp;May&nbsp;19th,&nbsp;while&nbsp;Shagun&nbsp;Butani&nbsp;and her group&nbsp;from&nbsp;Sudhayaa&nbsp;Dance&nbsp;Foundation&nbsp;would&nbsp;present&nbsp;ABHISAAR,&nbsp;an&nbsp;Odissi&nbsp;performance&nbsp;compositions from the traditional repertoire of Odissi that find an echo in some of the artefacts at display in the&nbsp;National&nbsp;Museum.The National Museum offers a unique rendezvous with ideas and experiences for visitors of all age groups,&nbsp;backgrounds and interests, and NM has been working towards creating interest and awareness towards history, and&nbsp;arts&nbsp;among&nbsp;different&nbsp;audiences. International Museum Day is celebrated by museums across the globe on May 18th,&nbsp;with the aim to generate&nbsp;awareness about the significant role of museums in community building, national and international cooperation as&nbsp;well&nbsp;as&nbsp;cultural&nbsp;exchange.

On the occasion of the International Museum Day 2022, the National Museum is offering a mixed bag of online and offline activities and events, designed for both young and adults, during the five days.

National Museum to celebrate International Museum Day 2022

Seuol: South Korean airlines are set to impose record fuel surcharges on international routes in June in the wake of soaring jet fuel prices, industry sources said Monday. Starting June 1, the surcharge for one-way tickets on international routes will range from 37,700 won ($29.4) to 293,800 won, depending on the routes, Yonhap News Agency quoted an official from Korean Air Lines as saying.The planned increase will raise the surcharges to the highest Level 19 from the current Level 17. In April 2021, rising jet fuel prices forced local carriers to begin imposing fuel surcharges after a one-year hiatus. Fuel surcharges on international routes had stayed at zero since April 2020 due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. If the average jet fuel price on the Singapore spot market rises over $1.50 per gallon during the past month, South Korean airlines are allowed to impose fuel surcharges starting one month later. If jet fuel prices drop below the threshold, no surcharge is collected. Jet fuel prices averaged $3.36 per gallon on the Singaporean market for the one month from April 16 to May 15. Meanwhile, fuel surcharges on domestic routes will rise to 17,600 won in the coming month from 14,300 won in May.—IANS

South Korean airlines are set to impose record fuel surcharges on international routes in June in the wake of soaring jet fuel prices, industry sources said Monday.

S.Korean airlines to impose record fuel surcharges on int’l routes

 Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi paid an official visit to Lumbini, Nepal on May 16, 2022, coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Vaishakha Buddha Purnima, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Nepal Shri Sher Bahadur Deuba. As Prime Minister, this was Shri Narendra Modi’s fifth visit to Nepal and first to Lumbini.

PM Modi Leads The Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Celebrations

New Delhi: Cooking gas LPG price was on Thursday hiked by Rs 3.50 per cylinder, the second increase in rate this month following the firming of international energy rates. Non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 1,003 per 14.2-kg cylinder in the national capital, up from Rs 999.50 previously, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. This is the second increase in LPG rate this month and the third in less than two months. The price was hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder on March 22 and again by the same quantum on May 7. Since April 2021, prices have risen by Rs 193.5 per cylinder. Petrol and diesel prices however continue to be on freeze for the 43rd day in a row. The pause followed rates being hiked by a record Rs 10 per litre in a matter of 16 days beginning March 22.Non-subsidised cooking gas is the one that consumers buy after exhausting their quota of 12 cylinders at subsidised or below-market rates. However, the government pays no subsidy on LPG in most cities and the price of the refill that consumers, including the poor women who got free connection under the much-talked Ujjwala scheme, is the same as that for non-subsidised or market price LPG. Non-subsidised LPG costs Rs 1,002.50 per 14.2-kg cylinder in Mumbai while it is priced at Rs 1,018.50 a bottle in Chennai and Rs 1,029 in Kolkata. Rates differ from state to state depending on the incidence of local taxes such as VAT. Prices are higher in states with higher taxes. Alongside, oil firms also hiked the price of commercial LPG cylinders - the ones used by establishments like hotels and restaurants - by Rs 8 per cylinder to Rs 2,354 per 19-kg bottle. On May 1, the price of a commercial LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 102.50 to Rs 2,355.50 but on May 7 it was reduced to Rs 2,346. International oil prices have been on the rise this year. They jumped to a 13-year high of USD 140 per barrel in March before shedding some of the gains. Brent was trading at USD 110.13 per barrel on Thursday. To compound things, the Indian rupee tumbled to Rs 77.74 to a dollar, making imports costlier. India relies on overseas purchases to meet about 85 per cent of its oil requirement, making it one of the most vulnerable in Asia to higher oil prices. While India has surplus oil refining capacity, it does not manufacture enough LPG to meet domestic demand and imports significant quantities from nations such as Saudi Arabia.On Wednesday, an oil ministry official stated that the Saudi LPG prices have gone up by 33 per cent while domestic rates have increased by only 11 per cent.—PTI

Cooking gas LPG price was on Thursday hiked by Rs 3.50 per cylinder, the second increase in rate this month following the firming of international energy rates.

The Hawk

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I Have Made Conscious Effort To Do Justice To Myself: Karthik

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Tag : International

I Have Made Conscious Effort To Do Justice To Myself: Karthik

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