Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 11:25AM by PIB Delhi

Secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs Dr. Chandra Shekhar Kumar is currently on a visit to Saudi Arabia to review preparations being made for Haj 2025.

Dr. Kumar expressed satisfaction over the hygienic, stress-free stay facilities being ensured for a smooth pilgrimage experience.

 

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SS/ STK

(Release ID: 2121145) Visitor Counter : 72

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Owing to the thunderstorm warning, the flag-lowering ceremony to be conducted at Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai at 6pm today (April 12) will be cancelled.

     If the thunderstorm warning is cancelled and weather conditions permit by then, the flag-lowering ceremony may be resumed without further notice.

Source: Government of India

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla sets a heartfelt example, fulfils a 6-year-old promise, participates in marriage rituals of Pulwama martyr CRPF Jawan Hemraj Meena’s daughter in Sangod, Kota

Six years after CRPF soldier Hemraj’s martyrdom in Pulwama, his home witnesses joy again during his daughter’s wedding ceremony

Lok Sabha Speaker participates in traditional Bhaat (मायरा/भात) ceremony and fulfils a promise he made to a sister six years ago

Lok Sabha Speaker gets emotional, recalls Hemraj Meena’s supreme sacrifice and steadfast patriotism

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 12:30PM by PIB Delhi

Kota/New Delhi, 12 April 2025: Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla has set a heartfelt example as he fulfilled his promise made years ago and participated in the wedding rituals of Late CRPF jawan Shri Hemraj Meena and Veerangana Madhubala in Sangod/Kota on Friday.

Six years after the martyrdom of Shri Hemraj Meena who made supreme sacrifice for the nation during Pulwama attack, there was an atmosphere of celebration in his courtyard for the first time on Friday as the family and relatives gathered for the wedding of his daughter Reena. It was a moment of sheer joy for the whole family, including Veerangana Madhubala – wife of Late CRPF Jawan Shri Hemraj Meena. Since Shri Meena’s martyrdom in 2019, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla stood tall with the martyr’s family during the tough time as a ‘Rakhi-brother’ of Veerangana Madhubala.

Since then, the “brother” not only supported the family but also kept his promise. yesterday, when the time came for Madhubala’s daughter’s wedding, this “brother” reached his sister’s house with mayra/bhaat (मायरा/भात) and performed this unique ritual. Seeing this emotional connection between ‘sister’ Madhubala and her ‘brother’, everyone present was overwhelmed. After all, it was none other than Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla, who had arrived with मायरा at the wedding of the daughter of Pulwama martyr Hemraj Meena.

The Pulwama attack had left an indelible mark on the family of martyr Hemraj, plunging them into immense grief. However, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s timely support helped alleviate some of their pain. He formed a strong bond with Veerangana Madhubala, promising to stand by the family through life’s joys and sorrows. Over the past six years, on Rakhi and Bhai Dooj, Veerangana Madhubala tied Rakhi to him and did tilak. Lok Sabha Speaker once again stood with the martyr’s family when the occasion of the marriage of martyr Hemraj and Veerangana Madhubala’s daughter came.

BHAI NE UDHAI CHUNRI, BEHAN NE KIYA TILAK (भाई ने ओढ़ाई चुनरी, बहन ने किया तिलक)

Lok Sabha Speaker along with Sangod MLA and Rajasthan Energy Minister Shri Hiralal Nagar paid respect to Veerangana Madhubala at the event. According to the custom, the Speaker put a chunari on Veerangana Madhubala, while the sister did the tilak and aarti of Shri Birla. Shri Birla paid floral tributes at the statue of Shaheed Shri Hemraj Meena.

Emotions ran high as Veerangana Madhubala, Shri Birla and all the family members present there remembered Pulwama martyr Shri Hemraj Meena. Shri Birla said that martyr Shri Meena’s supreme sacrifice and patriotism remains a source of inspiration for entire nation.

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AM

(Release ID: 2121155) Visitor Counter : 12

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Following is the speech by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, at the Symposium of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) Talent Development Showcase in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today (April 12):

Datuk Ng (President of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, Mr Ng Yih-pyng), Datuk Yap (Vice President of the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia, Mr Yap Heng-or), Professor Dr Andriyana (Director of International Relations Centre of Universiti Malaya, Professor Dr Andri Andriyana), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good morning to you all, 早晨 (good morning in Cantonese), 早上好 (good morning in Mandarin). I am really pleased to join you today at this Symposium as we celebrate our enduring friendship between Hong Kong and Malaysia. Clearly this is a relationship built on family ties, cultural bonds, and I am sure, a shared prosperity. And by shared prosperity, I am coming today not just with my own Government team, I am also coming together with hosts of companies, many of them are household names. 

     Let me just cite some of them, including the HSBC, Bank of China, Huawei, China Lights and Power, Manulife, MTR, PCCW, the Sino Group, the Sun Hung Kai Properties, the Chow Tai Fook Life, and also together with me the accompanies of Governemnt officials from Guangdong and Macao. We are coming here together as a big team to Malyasia.

     Clearly, as I can experience in the past two days, when I am in this great city, our special bond is all around us, be it through cultural language, as I keep on hearing Cantonese, Mandarin, English and other languages that I could not comprehend but I know is very prevalent here in Malaysia. Everyday, your professionalism across all sectors helped build to what you are today. 

     Let me give you a few figures of the very close ties between Hong Kong and Malaysia. In 2024, Malaysia was Hong Kong’s eighth largest trading partner, and ranked third in terms of trade in goods with Hong Kong among the ten ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Member States.
     
     Clearly, this synergy between us extends further through broader co-operation, and that co-operation is between our mother country China, and Malaysia. The trade linked between China and Malyasia totals US$200 billion. This is a hugely successful trade partnership that brings both benefits to China and Malaysia. And of course, Malaysia is a very important key supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative, demonstrating clearly the lasting friendship, the support and also the vote of confidence Malaysia has given us over the Belt and Road. 

     Together, we are building stronger co-operation that transforms businesses, industries, and lives of people. Through the Belt and Road Initiative as well as China-ASEAN co-operation, we have created thousands of jobs, pioneered groundbreaking technologies, and delivered transformative infrastructure projects like the 665-kilometre East Coast Rail Link uniting the Peninsular Malaysia, and the future-facing Malacca Gateway Port set to become Asia’s next great maritime hub.

     The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), as the world’s largest trade bloc, provides new platforms for Malaysian entrepreneurs and Chinese innovators to grow together. Now we stand at the dawn of an exciting new chapter, as we just saw from the video, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, well-known in abbreviation, the GBA.

     The GBA has a population of nearly 90 million. Hong Kong is uniquely situated and positioned in this exciting area to serve dual roles. First of all, as China’s gateway to Southeast Asia, and also as Malaysia’s springboard to the vast opportunities within China’s domestic markets.

     As a “super connector” between Mainland China and Malaysia, Hong Kong leverages its unique geographic position, institutional strengths, and cultural advantages.

     Like Malaysia, Hong Kong is multilingual, fluent in Cantonese, English and Mandarin, this ensures a very smooth integration of Malaysian talent coming to Hong Kong. With world-class universities in both Hong Kong and Malaysia, we are intensifying our joint research efforts in transformative fields like AI (artificial intelligence) and biotechnology.

     To further strengthen this ecosystem, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government has recently established a high level Committee, which is chaired by the Chief Secretary for Administration, the Committee on Education, Technology and Talents last year. I am the one providing full support to the Chief Secretary. 

     The Committee’s aim is to align with Hong Kong’s strategic positioning in “eight centres” developments. We are accelerating our transformation into a global innovation and technology hub while reinforcing our well-established pillars in finance, shipping and trade.

     The vision of the Committee is clear: to build Hong Kong into an international hub for high-calibre talent, while supporting the Greater Bay Area’s high-quality development.

     In the following session, our partners will showcase how businesses and professionals can succeed throughout Hong Kong and the entire GBA cities.

     As a last remark, as the rules-based global trade order we have known and taken for granted for decades, is being shattered by the global force of the tariff war that is still unfolding before our eyes. It seems that the only certainty of the future is uncertainty. At this moment of great turmoil and uncertainties, I think it’s all the more important for us to rely more on the trust and friendship between good friends, and this is what Hong Kong and Malaysia are. I am certain if we hold and join hands together, we are going to weather the storm, grow and strive together, in that process we will create wealth and forge new ground, this is certain. 

     With all these remarks, I wish the Symposium a great success, and I hope for all the young people here, if you are looking for development opportunities in Hong Kong and the GBA, there is nothing more important than going to the Career Fair concurrently held at the showcase, where there are hundreds of jobs awaiting you.

     Thank you very much.

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 3:39PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today condoled the passing of Kumudini Lakhia. He hailed her as an outstanding cultural icon, whose passion towards Kathak and Indian classical dances was reflected in her remarkable work.

He wrote in a post on X:

“Deeply saddened by the passing of Kumudini Lakhia ji, who made a mark as an outstanding cultural icon. Her passion towards Kathak and Indian classical dances was reflected in her remarkable work over the years. A true pioneer, she also nurtured generations of dancers. Her contributions will continue to be cherished. Condolences to her family, students and admirers. Om Shanti.”

 

 

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MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2121203) Visitor Counter : 123

Source: Government of India

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 1:09PM by PIB Delhi

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today condoled the passing of Shri Daripalli Ramaiah. He hailed him as a champion of sustainability, who devoted his life to planting and protecting lakhs of trees.

He wrote in a post on X:

“Daripalli Ramaiah Garu will be remembered as a champion of sustainability. He devoted his life to planting and protecting lakhs of trees. His tireless efforts reflected a deep love for nature and care for future generations. His work will keep motivating our youth in their quest to build a greener planet. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti.”

 

 

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MJPS/SR

(Release ID: 2121169) Visitor Counter : 62

Source: Government of India

Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya to Lead ‘Jai Bhim Padyatra’ in Patna, Bihar Tomorrow

Similar Padyatras Honouring Dr. Ambedkar’s Legacy to Take Place Simultaneously Across All Major State Capitals in India on 13th April

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 3:56PM by PIB Delhi

To commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya will lead ‘Jai Bhim Padyatra’ in Patna, Bihar on 13^th April 2025 where over 10,000 MY Bharat volunteers are expected to participate.

Similar padyatras will take place simultaneously across all major state capitals in India. This marks the first time a nationwide padyatra is being conducted across state capitals, uniting thousands of youth in a collective tribute to Babasaheb’s vision of equality, justice, and fraternity.

The padyatra in Patna will begin from the iconic Gandhi Maidan, proceeding along a vibrant, culturally rich route that will feature Tribute Corners with Ambedkar’s quotes, live art and street performances on social reform, pledge points for youth, and musical-theatrical acts inspired by his legacy.

The key highlights of the ‘Jai Bhim Padyatra’ include a nationwide Preamble reading by MY Bharat volunteers and statue cleaning drives at Ambedkar memorials across all districts, symbolizing a united commitment to constitutional values and civic responsibility.

Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs & Sports, Smt. Raksha Khadse will lead the padyatra in Mumbai, Maharashtra, with thousands of MY Bharat volunteers and citizens participating.

To amplify youth participation and foster civic awareness, pre-padyatra activities are underway in every district of India, including statue cleaning and floral tributes, along with essay writing, debate, painting, and slogan competitions in schools and colleges.

The ‘Jai Bhim Padyatra’ is the ninth in a series of 24 padyatras to be organized as part of the celebration of 75 years of the Indian Constitution. Each padyatra under this campaign is a symbolic journey, connecting today’s youth to the values of justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity.

The Ministry invites all youth across India to be part of this transformative movement by registering on the MY Bharat Portal (www.mybharat.gov.in) and participating in this proud march for democracy, dignity, and unity.

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Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2121208) Visitor Counter : 61

Source: Government of India

Union Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary hands over Rs. 515.31 crore to Asset Disposal Committee Chairman Justice D.K. Seth (Retd.) for restitution of properties to legitimate investors in Rose Valley Ponzi scam

Restitution of Rs. 515.31 crore to approximately 7.5 lakh victims out of total claims of 31 lakh registered with Asset Disposal Committee; Rs. 22 crore has already been restored to 32,319 lawful investors by the ADC

Rs. 515.31 crore was attached by ED in the years 2015-17 by investigating money trail and tracing 2,987 different bank accounts

Posted On: 12 APR 2025 1:20PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State for Finance Shri Pankaj Chaudhary handed over a Demand Draft of Rs. 515.31 crore today to Justice D.K. Seth (Retd.), Chairman of the Asset Disposal Committee formed for the purpose of restitution of properties to legitimate investors in Rose Valley Ponzi scam.

Shri Rahul Navin, Director, ED and other senior officials of the government were also present on the occasion.

 

It is estimated that this amount will be used to restitute money to approximately 7.5 lakh victims out of the total claims of 31 lakh lodged so far with Asset Disposal Committee. Earlier, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) had handed over an amount of Rs. 22 crore to the ADC which was used to restitute money to 32,319 lawful investors.

The amount of Rs. 515.31 crore was attached by ED in the years 2015-17 by investigating money trail and tracing 2,987 different bank accounts where the money collected from innocent victims had traversed. The said bank accounts were then seized/ attached following due process of law and converted into more than 700 Fixed Deposits (FDs) after confirmation of attachment by the Adjudicating Authority. It may be mentioned that ED has also attached other movable and immovable assets of Rs. 1,172 crore (present market value of the assets is estimated to be more than Rs. 2,000 crore), which is also in process of liquidation and refund to the victims.

ED is investigating five (5) Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases against the Rose Valley Group in the states of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Tripura. ED has filed prosecution complaints in all these cases before the Special Courts under PMLA.

Investigation under PMLA revealed that Rose Valley Group companies, had collected funds of Rs. 17,520 crore by luring people mostly from the lowest strata of society with promises of providing land parcels or time sharing in hotels and in the event of inability to deliver the land/time sharing, refund with high rate of interest was promised on maturity of investments. Investigation has revealed that out of the above, an amount of Rs. 6,666 crore, which constitutes the proceeds of crime, remained unpaid to the investors.

This is one of the single largest investigation of this type undertaken by the ED, and an order passed by the Special court (PMLA) at Khurda, Bhubaneswar, on 29.03.2025 has paved the way for the return of investors’ money all over the country through the Asset Disposal Committee (ADC).

It is pertinent to mention that on the direction of the Hon’ble High Court of Calcutta, an Asset Disposal Committee (ADC) was constituted under the Chairmanship of Justice Dillip Kr. Seth (Retd.), High Court of Calcutta with ED and others as members for restitution of properties to the lawful investors of Rose Valley Group Ponzi Scam.

 

ED has played a crucial role in attachment, possession and disbursement of assets of the Rose Valley Group thereby smoothening and expediting the restitution of properties to the lakhs of victims of the States of West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura etc. Till now, around 31 Lakh investors of Rose Valley Group have registered their claim on the website www.rosevalleyadc.com. ED is also providing assistance to the ADC in conducting survey and valuation of confirmed attached properties and facilitating expeditious monetisation of the assets for timely disbursal of the same to the investors/victims of Rose Valley Group of Companies.

Further, the restitution process is expected to continue in full swing over the coming months as more claims are being scrutinised and validated by the ADC.

The instant restitution is in line with the commitment of the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, to return the money looted from poor people. The Prime Minister of India has consistently emphasised the urgent need to recover and return funds misappropriated from the poor and innocent citizens of the country, and has repeatedly stressed that money siphoned off through fraudulent means must be rightfully restored to those who have been cheated in Ponzi schemes.

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs has also reiterated that the Government’s commitment for restitution of assets attached by ED to the victims/ rightful owners and made a statement in Parliament to this effect.

The ED is actively pursuing investigations in cases of financial fraud, with a firm commitment to ensure that the proceeds of crime are not only traced and confiscated but also put immediately to productive use for the economy by being restored to the victims who have suffered financial loss. The ED continues to act decisively in such matters, reinforcing public trust and contributing to the larger goal of a corruption-free and transparent financial system.

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NB/KMN

(Release ID: 2121170) Visitor Counter : 77