New Delhi, Feb 13 () The government will organise an organic food festival for women entrepreneurs from February 21-23 here to promote the segment which is projected to expand nearly three-fold to Rs 75,000 crore in market size in the next five years, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Thursday.The three-day festival will be organised jointly by Food Processing and Women &amp; Child Development ministries at Jawahar Lal Nehru Stadium in the national capital. The theme of this festival is 'Unleasing India's Organic Market Potential'."We are organising an organic food festival in Delhi where more than 150 women entrepreneurs, over 40 self help groups and two co-operatives from all over the country will be participating," Badal told reporters here.The minister said the festival would provide a platform for these women entrepreneurs to exhibit their organic produce as well as for consumers to buy products.The government will be investing around Rs 3 crore to organise this festival, she said, adding that the entry would be free for public. As many as 10 states and industry chambers helped in reaching out to these 150 entrepreneurs.Badal said such festival would be organised regularly across various states. Talking the about potential in this sector, the minister said the organic market is estimated to reach Rs 75,000 crore by 2025 from Rs 27,000 crore currently.Food Processing Secretary Pushpa Subrahmanyam highlighted that India is ranked number one in organic producers and 9th in area under cultivation for organic products.The country produced around 1.7 million tonnes of certified organic products in 2017-18. It exported organic products worth USD 515 million in the same year.To boost organic products and women entrepreneurship, the two ministries had signed an MoU to help them get connected with government's financial schemes.The overall effort is targeted towards strengthening 'organic' branding for India by enhancing direct linkage of local producers with buyers as well as boosting processing potential of organic output. During the festival, training programmes will be organised for women entrepreneurs in the area of packaging, storage, marketing, innovations on renewable energy, food safety regulations and organic certifications. MJH RUJ

Govt to hold 3-day festival to promote organic foods

<table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td colspan="2" style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Punjab winner candidate list </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Constituency </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winner Candidate Name </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Party Name </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#b7b7b7;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Winning Margin </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Amritsar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gurjeet Singh Ajula </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">99626 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Anandpur Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Manish Tewari </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">46884 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bathinda </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Harsimrat Kaur Badal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SAD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">21772 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Faridkot </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Mohammad Sadique </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">83256 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Fatehgarh Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">AMAR SINGH </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">93898 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Firozpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SUKHBIR SINGH BADAL </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SAD </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">198850 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gurdaspur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SUNNY DEOL </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">82459 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Hoshiarpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SOM PARKASH </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BJP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">48530 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jalandhar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Santokh Singh Chaudhary </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">19491 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Khadoor Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">JASBIR SINGH GILL (DIMPA) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">140573 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ludhiana </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">RAVNEET SINGH BITTU </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">76372 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Patiala </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Preneet Kaur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">162718 </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sangrur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">BHAGWANT MANN </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">AAP </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:middle;background-color:#ffffff;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">110211 </td></tr></tbody></table> The Indian National Congress (INC) has won 8 out of the 13 seats. BJP has managed to won 2 seats namely Hoshiarpur and Gurdaspur. Actor turned politician Sunny Deol, who had joined BJP earlier this month, has won the Gurdaspur seat with a margin of more than 80,000 votes. AAP's Bhagwat Mann has managed to win the only seat for Aam Aadmi Party in the 17th Lok Sabha Elections.Shiromani Akali Dal has also won two seats i.e. Bathinda and Firozpur.

Punjab Winner Candidate list for Lok Sabha Election 2019

Chandigarh, Apr 23 () Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Thursday asserted that except a meagre sum of Rs 71 crore, the BJP-led government has not given the state a single penny to fight COVID-19 pandemic.Badal made the assertion, seeking to debunk sought Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's claims of funds given by the Centre to Punjab.Badal, an estranged cousin of Shiromani Akali Dal Chief Sukhbir Singh Badal, asked Harsimrat Kaur not to "play petty politics" over the COVID-19 crisis and dared her to get Punjab's GST arrears worth Rs 4,400 crore released from the Centre.Badal attacked Kaur after she earlier claimed that the government of India had given funds and foodgrain to the Punjab government to combat COVID-19 and asked Chief Minister Amarinder Singh why no relief was being given to the needy people."A sum of Rs 71 crore has been given to Punjab under the National Health Mission to fight coronavirus. It comes even less than Rs three crore per district. Besides that, we have not got a single penny from the government of India in the fight against COVID-19," Badal said in a video message posted on his Facebook."If they are trying to show doing favour with a sum of Rs 71 crore, it is s petty politics and narrow mindset," said Badal, targeting the Union minister who is the wife of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal.He said a sum of Rs 832 crore given by the Centre, as had been claimed by Harsimrat Kaur, was Punjab's right.Badal said this sum was Punjab's share in devolution of central taxes. Taking on Harsimrat for her claims of giving Rs 2,300 crore to Punjab, Manpreet Badal said it was the state's arrears pending for the last three years.Taking a swipe at Harsimrat, the state finance minister told the Union Food Processing Minister Kaur, "If anybody listens to you in the central Cabinet, then you should get Rs 4,400 crore GST compensation arrears released." Punjab has been demanding the release of the Goods and Services Tax arrears amounting to Rs 4,400 crore from the Centre. A few days ago, Union Minister Harsimrat Badal in her tweet had said, "As far as funds received by Punjab after March 20 when #Coronavirus broke out, please note the state received Rs 3,445 cr including Rs 2,366 cr on account of GST compensation &amp; arrears, Rs 638 cr as RDG, Rs 247 cr for Disaster Mgt, Rs 72 cr for MNREGA &amp; Rs 72 cr under NHM". CHS VSD RAXRAX

Punjab got a meagre Rs 71 cr from Centre to fight COVID-19: Badal

New Delhi, Apr 23 () The Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology (IIFPT) is making nutrient-rich foods for patients affected by COVID-19 and also those who have recovered from the disease, the food processing ministry said on Thursday. IIFPT, which is a national-level academic and research institution under the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, is making products like bread, rusks and cookies and millet pops, which are enriched with spices and other natural immunity-booster ingredients. The institute, which has its main campus at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, and liaison offices at Bathinda, Punjab, and Guwahati, Assam, offers various services in areas of food processing, value addition, food quality and safety, and business incubation. In an official statement, the ministry said IIFPT is supporting India's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal "appreciated the initiative taken by IIFPT to manufacture nutrient rich foods for COVID-19 patients at a time when the need for healthy and immunity boosting foods is indispensable", as per the statement The institute has been making such nutrient-rich foods for COVID-19 patients under medical examination and those who recently recovered from the pandemic after treatment at Thanjavur Medical College, Tamil Nadu, the statement said. IIFPT has been supporting the efforts of the district administration, Thanjavur and Thanjavur Medical College (TMC) in combating COVID-19. Its Director C Anandharamakrishnan said scientists from IIFPT have come up with novel food product formulations that have been packed with a range of indigenous foods. "Breads, cookies, rusks and millet pops are being prepared on a daily basis at IIFPT's HACCP and ISO Certified Food Processing Business Incubation Center (FPBIC) and are being supplied to the Medical College and Hospital," the statement said. The initiative kicked off on April 21 in the presence of the district collector and the Dean, TMC. "Bread loaves are being enriched with dried moringa leaves, groundnut powder and whey protein to make up to around 9.8 per cent protein and 8.1 per cent fibre, apart from natural immunity-boosters like garlic, turmeric, ginger, pepper, and other spices," it said. Cookies have around 14.16 per cent protein and 8.71 per cent fibre, apart from the benefits of spice extracts. With around 12.85 per cent protein and 10.61 per cent fibre, the rusks were equally good in terms of organoleptic attributes. In addition, IIFPT also houses a FSSAI referral laboratory and the Department of Food Safety and Quality Testing is preparing hand sanitisers for the District Police Department and other officers who are involved in various duties. MJH HRS

IIFPT making nutrient-rich foods for COVID-19 patients

<keyword id="7662002" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="punjab-lok-sabha-election-result">Punjab Lok Sabha Election Result</keyword> 2019 = INC =8, AAP = 1, BJP=2, SAD= 2 <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Punjab </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-right:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #cccccc 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Constituency </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Current MP 2014 </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">INC Candidate Names </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">AAP Candidate Names </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">SAD + BJP Candidate Names </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gurdaspur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sunil Jakhar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sunil Jakhar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Peter Masi Chira </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sunny Deol (Winner) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Amritsar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gurjeet Singh Aujla </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gurjeet Singh Aujla( (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Hardeep Singh Puri </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Khadoor Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jasbir Singh Gill (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Manjinder Singh Sidhu </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bibi jagir Kaur </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jalandhar </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ranjit Singh Brahmpura </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Santokh Singh Chaudhary (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Jora Singh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Charanjit Singh Atwal </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Hoshiarpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Santokh Singh Chaudhary </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Dr. Rajkumar Chabbewal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Dr Ravjot Singh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Som Prakash (Winner) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Anandpur Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Vijay Sampla </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Manish Tiwari (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Narinder Singh Shergill </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Prem Singh Chandumajra </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ludhiana </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Prem Singh Chandumajra </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ravneet Singh Bittu (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Tejpal Singh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Fatehgarh Sahib </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Ravneet Singh Bittu </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Dr. Amar Singh (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Baljinder Singh Chonda </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Darbara Singh Guru </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Faridkot </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Harinder Singh Khalsa </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Mohd Sadique (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sadhu Singh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Gulzar Singh Ranike </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Firozpur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sadhu Singh </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sher Singh Ghubaya </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Harjinder Singh Kaka </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sukhbir Singh Badal(Winner) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bathinda </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sher Singh Ghubaya </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Amarinder Singh Raja Warring </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Baljinder Kaur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Winner) </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Sangrur </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Harsimrat Kaur Badal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Kewal Singh Dhillon </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bhagwat Mann (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Parminder Singh Dhindsa </td></tr><tr><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Patiala </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Bhagwant Mann </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Smt. Preneet Kaur (Winner) </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Nina Mittal </td><td style="border-left:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-right:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-bottom:solid #000000 0.75pt;border-top:solid #000000 0.75pt;vertical-align:bottom;padding:0pt 2pt 0pt 2pt;">Surjit Singh Rakhra </td></tr></tbody></table> Data from Election Commission The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) might have had a fighting chance in 2014, but C-Voter's exit polls for this year’s Lok Sabha Election were proven correct with the party only winning one seat in Sangrur and the majority leaning towards the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA). On 13 seats in Punjab, INC won eight seats, BJP won four seats and Aam Aadmi Party has the one seat to its name. The former actor, Sunny Deol, who joined BJP earlier this month, brought home Gurdaspur for the saffron party. They've also won in Bathinda, Hoshiarpur, and Firozpur. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shriromani Akali Dali (SDA) was counting on the anti-incumbency wave against the state’s Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, to win over Punjab. They even brought in Sunny Deol to keep the Gurdaspur constituency from falling into Congress’ hands. Their efforts weren’t nearly enough. Even in 2014, the NDA only led by a very thin margin of five seats — four seats went to AAP and three to the UPA. Punjab has 13 Lok Sabha seats in total. For 2019 Lok Sabha elections, all the seats went for polling together during the seventh and the last phase of elections in the country on May 19, 2019. Over the past few general elections, the BJP has been performing poorly in this state either with no seats or with very few seats to take for the parliament. In 2014 elections, the party did not secure even a single seat from here. In 2009 general elections, the party got just one constituency and in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, BJP got just 3 places from Punjab. In the Amritsar constituency, Hardeep Puri of Congress is fighting the Lok Sabha elections 2019 with AAP’s Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal and Hardeep Singh Puri of BJP. From Jalandhar seat, Santokh Singh Chaudhary of Congress has locked horns with AAP's is Jora Singh and SAD’s Charanjit Singh Atwal. SAD is an ally of the BJP. In the Patiala constituency, Preneet Kaur of Congress has contested with Nina Mittal of AAP and Surjit Singh Rakhra of SAD. The choice of candidates by the Congress party in the key constituencies can pose a bigger challenge for AAP and BJP in Punjab.

Punjab Lok Sabha Election Result 2019: Congress wins maximum seats as Sunny Deol champions for BJP

Massive plumes of smoke from the historic wildfires currently raging along the US West Coast were being seen thousands of kilometres away in Europe, as far away as the <keyword id="44173" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netherlands">Netherlands</keyword> and Germany, according to scientists. "The fact that these fires are emitting so much pollution into the atmosphere that we can still see thick smoke over 8,000 km away reflects just how devastating they have been in their magnitude and duration," Xinhua news agency reported on Friday citing scientist Mark Parrington as saying in a statement. Parrington, a senior scientist at the European Union's Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), was tracking atmospheric currents and getting the tailwind of smoky skies generated by the devastating wildfires. Moreover, according to CAMS' forecasts, smoke from the fires scorching California and <keyword id="9656605" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-pacific-northwest">the Pacific Northwest</keyword> "is starting to cross the Atlantic again and will reach northern Europe later this week, as it did at the end of last week". "From north to south, America's West Coast is on fire. The present fires all over the west are the worst with highest temperatures and the worst air quality in history," Californian businessman from the environment industry Glenn Nemhauser told Xinhua on Thursday, referring to America's almost 3,000-km-long Pacific coast. "This is clearly global climate change caused by man-made air pollution from coal and oil combustion," he added. In the last one month, the wildfires, further fuelled by drought and high temperature conditions, have scorched some 3 million acres in California and another 1.6 million acres in Oregon and Washington states, leveling several small towns, destroying thousands of homes, and claiming at least 34 lives, according to media reports. On Wednesday, Oregon Governor Kate Brown made a federal disaster declaration, allowing $1.2 billion of relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Oregon has seen a million acres of land burnt since the beginning of this year, "nearly double the 10-year average of approximately 557,811 acres", the state's Department of Forestry said on Thursday, noting that some 6,500 firefighters were battling the blazes. In the worst-hit state of California, authorities said 17,000 firefighters were battling 25 major fires, with 25 killed, while hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated, and almost 8,000 homes and structures incinerated. Nearly 4,000 evacuees remained displaced, according to the <keyword id="105724" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="American-Red-Cross">American Red Cross</keyword>. California also recorded the hottest August in the state's history, according to the National Weather Service. Former Governor Jerry Brown and incumbent Gavin Newsom "have stated these fires are proof of global warming, and that this is now the new normal". In <keyword id="6359726" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="colorado">Colorado</keyword>, Pine Gulch Fire, the biggest <keyword id="41285" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wildfire">wildfire</keyword> in the state's history, was 95 per cent contained Thursday with 139,007 acres burned. Last week's rain in the Rocky Mountains states gave firefighters a breather, but the downpour did little to slow Cameron Peak Fire, which was only 8 per cent contained on Thursday with 102,596 acres scorched another possible record-breaking blaze. Just 10 days ago, another big blaze, Middle Fork Fire, erupted in western Colorado near ski resorts at Steamboat Springs, which was at 5,445 acres with zero containment, according to the InciWeb, a national incident information system run by the government. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/banks/news/us-based-law-firm-files-class-action-suit-against-hdfc-bank/articleshow/78179661.cms">US-based law firm files class action suit against HDFC Bank</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/president-kovind-accepts-harsimrat-kaur-badals-resignation/articleshow/78179496.cms">President Kovind accepts Harsimrat Kaur Badal's resignation</a>

Massive smoke from wildfire in the US can be seen in Europe

New Delhi, Feb 21 () Following are the top business stories at 1852 hours: DEL17 BIZ-RBI-GSEC-GLOBALRBI in discussion with institutions; efforts on to include G-Secs in global indices soon: DasNew Delhi: Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das has said the central bank has already initiated discussions with some institutions and efforts are on for inclusion of government bonds in global indices as quickly as possible.DEL12 AVI-AIRINDIA-PWP&amp;W partners AIESL for maintenance of all types of engines Mumbai: Aircraft engine maker Pratt &amp; Whitney has partnered with Air India Engineering Services Ltd for maintenance of all types of engines, including those powering A320 neos, according to a source. DCM9 BIZ-RETIREMENT FUND-AUMRetirement funds AUM jumps 24.5 pc to Rs 10,425 cr in Apr-JanMumbai: More and more retail investors are parking their funds in retirement solution-oriented mutual funds, taking the category AUM to Rs 10,425.3 crore as of end January -- a 24.5 per cent growth over Rs 8,376.2 crore in April 2019.DCM8 BIZ-ORGANIC FOOD-BADALIndia's organic food mkt growing at 17 pc annually: Harsimrat Kaur BadalNew Delhi: India's organic food market is growing at 17 per cent annually and has the potential to grow at a faster pace on rising demand for health and wellness food products across the world, Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Friday. DCM16 BIZ-TRAI-MERGERTrai moots reforms in merger norms for tel licences spanning marketshare math, approval modalitiesNew Delhi: In a bid to reform norms for transfer and merger of telecom licences, Trai on Friday suggested that while both subscriber base and revenue are considered in determining marketshare for mobile and internet service providers, only revenue should be taken into account in marketshare calculation for other services like national and international long distance telephony. DCM11 BIZ-NCEAR GROWTHNCAER pegs GDP growth at 4.9pc in 2019-20New Delhi: Think tank National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) on Friday pegged the economic growth for the current fiscal at 4.9 per cent, a tad down from 5 per cent estimated by the National Statistical Office (NSO).DCM5 BIZ-RELIANCE-MEDIAReliance rejig of media business makes Sony deal less likely: ExpertsNew Delhi: Reliance Industries' move to consolidate its media and distribution businesses under one entity Network18 Media &amp; Investments will create a cleaner structure and make the merger of entertainment channels with Sony less likely, experts said. SHWSHW

Business highlights

<h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:18pt;margin-bottom:6pt;"> </h2>Narendra Modi, who led the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to a spectacular victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, on Thursday took oath as the Prime Minister. President Ram Nath Kovind administered the oath of office and secrecy in Hindi to Modi at a ceremony attended by thousands of people at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan Sushma Swaraj, Suresh Prabhu, V.K. Singh, Mahesh Sharma, Jayant Sinha and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore were among the Union Ministers missing from the dais for ministers to be inducted in the new Modi government. Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his 57-member council of ministers were sworn in by President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday, Here are the portfolio for Cabinet Minister is: <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6em; box-shadow: none; width: 1023.33px; font-family: Merriweather; padding-bottom: 10px !important; background-image: inherit !important; background-position: inherit !important; background-size: inherit !important; background-repeat: inherit !important; background-attachment: inherit !important; background-origin: inherit !important; background-clip: inherit !important;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-width: 1px 0.742187pt 0.742187pt; border-style: solid; border-color: rgb(221, 221, 221) rgb(197, 197, 197) rgb(197, 197, 197); padding: 4pt 6pt; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: top;">Modi Cabinet 2.0: List of new Council of Ministers 2019</td></tr></tbody></table> <table style="border-width: initial; border-style: none;"></colgroup><tbody><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"></td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Portfolio </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Cabinet Ministers </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Home Affairs </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Amit Shah </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Defence </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Rajnath Singh </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Ministry of Road Transport and Highways </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Nitin Gadkari </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Finance and Minister of Corporate Affairs </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Nirmala Sitharaman </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Women and Child Development and Minister of Textile </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Smriti Irani </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of External Affairs </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">S Jaishankar </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Law and Justice, Minister of Communications and Minister of Electronics and Information Technology </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Ravi Shankar Prasad </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Chemical and Fertilizers </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">D.V. Sadananda Gowda </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Food Processing Industries </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Harsimrat Kaur Badal </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Skill development and Entrepreneurship </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Mahendra Nath Pandey </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Arvind Sawant </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minister of Coal and Minister ofMines </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Prahlad Joshi </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Railways and Minister of Commerce and Industry </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Piyush Goyal </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Minister of Information and Broadcasting </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Prakash Javadekar </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Minority Affairs </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Ram Vilas Paswan </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Thawar Chand Gehlot </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Giriraj Singh </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Gajendra Singh Shekhawat </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare , Minister of Rural Development and Minister of Panchayati Raj </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Narendra Singh Tomar </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Arjun Munda </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Dr Harshavardhan </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Dharmendra Pradhan </td></tr><tr><td style="border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;"> </td><td style="border-left:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-right:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-bottom:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;border-top:solid #c5c5c5 0.7421872500000001pt;vertical-align:top;padding:4pt 6pt 4pt 6pt;">Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank </td></tr></tbody></table>

Narendra Modi announces Union Cabinet portfolio

<ul><li>Over two dozen farmer organisations have announced support for the 'Bandh call' on Friday to protest against the Farm Bills</li><li>The Congress, which is protesting against the Farm Bills passed by the Parliament, has chalked out a detailed programme of agitation. </li><li>The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of the BJP-led NDA government, announced a statewide 'chakka jam' to mark their protest.</li></ul>The three farmer' bill and labour reform bill will not be implemented in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Panwar on September 25 said This comes as hundreds of farmers across the country began their <keyword id="187037" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nationwide-strike">nationwide strike</keyword> against the Modi government’s three farm bills passed during <keyword id="2901275" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-monsoon-session">the Monsoon session</keyword>. Over two dozen farmer organisations have announced support for the 'Bandh call' on Friday to protest against the Farm Bills passed by Parliament amid protests by 18 political parties. The 31 farmer organisations in Punjab and Haryana are already protesting. Delhi Police are on high alert and have made preparations to seal the border with Haryana. The Congress, which is also protesting against the Farm Bills passed by the Parliament, has chalked out a detailed programme of agitation, which will begin on September 26 with an online "Speak up for Farmers" campaign. The Congress has decided to take out marches in every state, after which memorandums will be submitted to the respective governors on September 28 against these farm bills. Punjab and Haryana at the centre of farmer’s protest As many as 31 farmer organisations have joined hands for the 'Punjab Bandh'. Several organisations in Haryana, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU), said they had extended support to the nationwide strike called by some farmers' bodies against the bills. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana will go on a strike today in protest against the contentious farm bills that were passed in the Parliament. Heavy police force has been deployed in both states to deal with any untoward situation. Even shopkeepers in most of the major towns in both the states shut their shops, expressing solidarity with the farmers. In Punjab, several trains have been suspended since September 24 as farmers began a three-day 'rail roko' campaign against the Bills. On September 24, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said he is ready to lead the political fight against the three anti-farmer bills passed in Parliament. The chief minister urged all political parties to rise above petty considerations and come on one platform to unitedly fight against the bills, which he said will destroy farmers. His remarks come a day ahead of the Punjab bandh announced by several farmer groups against the bills. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), an ally of the BJP-led NDA government, announced a statewide 'chakka jam' to mark their protest. The SAD has been a longstanding ally of the ruling BJP. SAD's Lok Sabha MP and Sukhbir Badal's wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, had resigned from the Union Cabinet on September 17, citing her party's opposition to the three Bills. In Tamil Nadu, members of some farmer organisations protested in Trichy and Tambaram on Friday morning. Led by Tamil Nadu Farmers' Association President P Ayyakannu, half-clad farmers held their protest outside the Collectorate in Trichy while carrying human skulls in their hands. They demanded that the Bills should not be made into law. Whereas, in Karnataka, members of the Karnataka State Farmers' Association on Friday held protests at various places against the three farm Bills passed in Parliament, which however has elicited a lukewarm response so far. Although the farmers begun a blockade since morning to register their protests at highways entry points in Bengaluru, it received a lukewarm response as vehicular movement in CBD areas was not affected much. Parliament has passed three farm reform bills -- the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Bill, Farmer's Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill -- in the Monsoon Session. (with inputs from IANS) <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/accentures-q4-earnings-miss-estimate-with-low-growth-likely-to-continue-for-two-more-quarters/articleshow/78307937.cms">Accenture's Q4 earnings miss estimate with low growth likely to continue for two more quarters</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/elections/news/bihar-election-2020-ec-to-announce-bihar-assembly-poll-dates-today/articleshow/78308174.cms">Bihar Election 2020: EC to announce Bihar assembly poll dates today</a>

Farm bills won't be implemented in Maharashtra, says Ajit Pawar

Here are India’s cabinet ministers who were appointed in 2014

Following calls from global <keyword id="588964" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Retail-giants">retail giants</keyword> such as <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/walmart-to-open-50-new-stores-in-india-focuses-on-uttar-pradesh-and-uttarakhand/articleshow/57853273.cms">Wal-Mart Stores Inc.</a> and Tesco Plc, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/topic/Narendra-Modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</a> is set to decide by November whether India is prepared to ease rules on food retailers, a minister said on Tuesday. 
 India allows 100 percent investment by <keyword id="4358523" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="foreign-wholesalers">foreign wholesalers</keyword>, but if they want to access the burgeoning retail market, they can only have a 100 percent holding to sell food items. This forces them to overhaul their businesses instead of replicating models that have worked abroad, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, minister for food processing industries, said in an interview at her official residence in New Delhi. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/dont-mind-selling-only-made-in-india-products-says-walmart-india-ceo/articleshow/57912219.cms">Don’t mind selling only Made-in-India products, says Walmart India CEO</a> 
 
"Wal-Mart, Tesco, etc. have said that they should be allowed non-food items and that's a decision the government has to take now," she told <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-29/india-may-ease-rules-for-foreign-food-retailers-before-november">Bloomberg</a>. "The government's decision will come before the World Food India event being organized for November." 
 
The government is looking at allowing global companies with a permit to sell local food items to market made-in-India non-food products such as toothpaste and towels worth about 25 percent of total sales, an official with the knowledge of the matter had said earlier this month. One of the reasons for current restrictions is that small traders have traditionally formed the backbone of Modi's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/bjp-credits-modi-for-up-victory/articleshow/57588795.cms">Bharatiya Janata Party</a>, though that could change following his landslide victory in state elections this month. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/foreign-investment-promotion-board-might-be-scrapped-fdi-to-be-free-of-all-govt-controls/articleshow/57731636.cms">Foreign Investment Promotion Board might be scrapped! FDI to be free of all govt controls</a> 
 
The proposals can also help Modi's flagship <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/major-boost-to-make-in-india-gionee-set-to-manufatcure-all-its-phones-here/articleshow/57771111.cms">Make in India campaign</a> to boost local manufacturing. While India attracted $324 billion foreign direct investment from 2000 through the end of 2016, the biggest share of $58 billion has gone to services and only about $14 billion has come into trading. Since coming to power in 2014, Modi has allowed more foreign direct investment and the government on Wednesday took another step toward meeting its July 1 deadline to create a common market under a single national sales tax. 
 Nearly 45 percent of the average Indian household's consumption is on food, according to <keyword id="6354424" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Bank">World Bank</keyword> data. Food accounts for about 70 percent of India's $600 billion retail market, and the government is looking at tripling this over the next five years, Badal said. 
 
Also read: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/fdi-policies-might-see-some-relaxation-in-coming-months/articleshow/57429503.cms">FDI policies might see some relaxation in coming months</a> 
 
Global companies "are willing to adapt to Indian ways to tap the Indian market," she said. If allowed to sell non-food items too, they will foster competition and so "companies which will have the edge are the few who will adapt to what we are allowing and come and capture the market." 
 
(Image source: SixInSeoul)

Rules for foreign food retail might be liberalised before November

While on one hand ministers of Congress-led UPA are refusing to come down to Delhi, the Modi government is enjoying continuous support from the <a href="Hi!%20Kareena%20Kapoor%20Will%20Be%20Seen%20Alongside%20Ranveer%20Singh%20In%20‘Sadma’%20Remake%20Hrithik%20Roshan%20To%20Have%20A%20Baahubali%20Style%20Bull%20Fight%20Scene%20In%20Mohenjo%20Daro">Non-BJP ministers</a>. 
 
ET revealed some cabinet records and came up with the result that the non-BJP ministers are actively involved in decision-making processes of the government and regularly attend Cabinet meetings. 
 
For example, Civil aviation minister and AG Raju (from Telugu Desam Party) has attended the most number of meetings (80 out of 84), starting from May 2014 till February 2016. This is more than the number of meetings attended by BJP ministers TC Gehlot (minister of Social justice, who attended 78) and DV Sadananda Gowda (Law minister, who attended 76). 
 
Under the RTI act, ET accessed Cabinet meeting records from May 2014 till February 2016, where it found that three of the four ministers hailing from BJP's regional allies figure in the top 10 when it comes to their attendance. 
 
Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan (belonging to Lok Janshakti Party) is at number eight, Harsimrat Kaur Badal (Shiromani Akali Dal) is at number nine and heavy industries minister Anant Geete (<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Shiv-Sena-Presses-For-Another-Berth-In-Modi-Cabinet/articleshow/45066564.cms">Shiv Sena</a>) is at number 11. 
 
Talking of the worst attendees, we have Health Minister JP Nadda, Defence Minister <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/PM-Modis-Cabinet-Manohar-Parikkar-New-Defence-Minister-Suresh-Prabhu-Gets-Railways/articleshow/45094385.cms">Manohar Parrikar</a> and Rural Development Minister Birender Singh. 
 As far as <keyword id="2760168" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="women-ministers">women ministers</keyword> are concerned, the first seven months of the government saw women ministers outdoing their male counterparts. Apparently, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Budget-2015-report-card-Heres-how-Smriti-Irani-led-HRD-Ministry-fared/articleshow/51021165.cms">HRD minister Smriti Irani</a> and Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati did not miss a single Cabinet meeting. 
 
However, now that the government has been in power for 20 months, the women ministers have relaxed, and Irani has slipped down to the fourth position. 
 
<a href="https://sankarshanthakur.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/narendra_modi_hand_paintitng_photo_303904507.jpg">Image source </a>

Non-BJP ministers attend more Cabinet meetings than BJP members

<ul><li>Singer Babul Supriyo, the BJP MP from Asansol in West Bengal swears into Modi’s cabinet. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti from Fatehpur in Uttar Pradesh was also sworn in as a Minister of State.</li><li>Former Power and Railways Minister Dr Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South who defeated Milind Deora of Congress too has taken oath. </li><li>Among those who have taken oath include Thawar Chand Gehlot, S Jaishankar (former Foreign Secretary), Ramesh Pokhriyal, Arjun Munda, Dr Harsh Vardhan (former Science Ministry), Prakash Javadekar (former HRD minister), and Piyush Goel (former coal minister).</li><li>Narendra Modi has taken charge as the Prime Minister of the country for the second time in a swearing in ceremony that just concluded.</li></ul> Update at 09:05 pm Debut MP Debasree Chaudhuri of Raiganj in West Bengal takes oath as Minister of State in Modi’s cabinet. Sanjeev Balyan, Dhotre Sanjay Shamrao, Anurag Singh Thakur from Hamirpur, Suresh Angadi, Nityanand Rai, Rattan Lal Kataria, V Muraleedharan, Renuka Singh Saruta, Som Prakash, Rameshwar Teli, Pratap Sarangi, Kailash Chaudhari, Debasree Chaudhuri were also sworn in as Ministers of State. Update at 08:30 pm Ramdas Athawale from Maharashtra’s Sangli district was sworn in as Minister of State, along with Parshottam Rupala. Update at 08:25 pm Secunderabad BJP MP Kishan Reddy takes oath. Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gen V K Singh, Krishan Pal Gurjar from Faridabad, and Raosaheb Danve too were sworn in. Update at 08:10 pm Prahlad Patel, Raj Kumar Singh from Arrah constituency, Hardeep Singh Puri, Mansukh Mandavia, Faggan Singh Kulaste also take oath. Update at 08:02 pm Shripad Yesso Naik from North Goa is inducted into Modi’s cabinet. Dr Jitendra Singh, the current MP of Haridwar is also sworn in. Update at 08:00 pm Rao Inderjit Singh BJP’s MP from Gurugram, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Santosh Kumar Gangwar from Bareily in Uttar Pradesh were sworn in. Update at 07:55 pm Giriraj Singh from Bihar’s Begusarai who defeated Kanhaiya Kumar, the former student leader and a candidate of Communist Party of India (CPI) was also sworn in. Update at 07:50 pm Former Power and Railways Minister Dr Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena MP from Mumbai South who defeated Milind Deora of Congress too has taken oath. Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, former Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (former Minority Affairs Minister), Pralhad Joshi, too have taken oath. Update at 07:40 pm Piyush Goel and Prakash Javadekar take the oath. Update at 07:35 pm Smriti Irani who won at Amethi against Congress Party leader Rahul Gandhi as its MP, also took oath to cheering public. She was the textiles minister in the earlier cabinet. Update at 07:25 pm Narendra Singh Tomar (formerly Rural Development Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad (former Telecom and Law Minister); Harsimrat Kaur Badal (former food processing minister) too have taken oath. Update at 07:19 pm Ram Vilas Paswan also takes the oath of office and secrecy. Update at 07:16 pm Incumbent Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also takes the oath. Update at 07:12 pm Shri Rajnath Singh follows Modi to take oath. He was home affairs minister in the last cabinet. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah has also taken oath. He did not hold a portfolio in the last cabinet Update at 07:07 pm Narendra Modi takes charge as India’s PM for the second time Update at 07:00 pm <keyword id="6354814" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-narendra-modi">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> has also arrived at the event. As many as 50 ministers of the cabinet will take oath after the PM today. The ceremony will start at 7 PM. Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut have already arrived at the event at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid along with his first lady too arrived at the event. Update at 06:30 pm Dignitaries and top industrialists like Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani; along with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah have already arrived at the venue, to view Narendra Modi take the oath as the Prime Minister for the second time. It’s a big day for India and Narendra Modi who will once again take oath as India’s Prime Minister for a second consecutive term. The master communicator, who has stormed back to power with yet another thumping majority, will once again use the moment and the stage as effectively as it can be. The oath taking ceremony will be held at 7 pm on Thursday (May 30), ensuring that all the attention of prime time television viewers are solely on him. He gave <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/full-text-of-modi-speech-lok-sabha-election-2019/articleshow/69467611.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">over an hour long victory speech</a>, again on prime time, after the election results were declared on May 23. Run up to the event Modi has kickstarted his oath-taking day, early this morning by saluting his heroes. He paid a tribute at the National War Memorial in the morning. The PM from Guajrat won a second consecutive term with a thumping majority, also paid tribute to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s prominent former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. This charismatic former Prime Minister was instrumental in creating the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in 1998. Modi who hails from Gandhinagar which was also home to father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi, also visited Rajghat today to pay homage. The newly elected PM’s oath taking ceremony promises to be interesting as <a data-type="tilCustomLink">8,000 guests</a> from within and outside the country are expected to pour in for the event. It is being touted as the biggest ever event that takes place at Rashtrapathi Bhavan. The event also promises to be star-studded as many Bollywood celebrities including Vivek Oberoi who played the role of Modi, in a now-released movie ‘Modi’, are expected to attend the event. Invites have also gone in for <a data-type="tilCustomLink">BIMSTEC leaders</a>—which includes Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan. However, it is now known that leaders from Kyrgyzstan and Mauritius will be attending the event. The swearing in ceremony is striving to make Modi’s guests from his constituency in Varanasi feel special. A special gallery called ‘Kashi Sankul’ is being set-up to accommodate 250 special guests from Uttar Pradesh. The event however is not without its controversies. The winning party BJP invited the families of those killed in the West Bengal political violence which erupted just before the last phase of polling. This move angered Mamata Banerjee the chief minister of the state and the head of Trinamool Congress, who declined an invitation to the attend the ceremony. BJP’s ally in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena slammed Banerjee for this move, in an editorial published in its mouthpiece Saamna. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/modis-swearing-in-ceremony-is-set-to-be-the-biggest-event-ever-with-8000-guests/articleshow/69571352.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Modi's swearing in ceremony is set to be the biggest event ever, with 8,000 guests</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/full-text-of-modi-speech-lok-sabha-election-2019/articleshow/69467611.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Full text of Modi’s first speech after historic election victory</a>

Narendra Modi Oath Taking Ceremony Live Updates:  Amit Shah enters Narendra Modi’s cabinet; Smriti Irani welcomed with loud cheers

Nestle’s famed instant noodles Maggi needs no introduction. It has been the apple of the eyes for the insomniac souls that get hungry in the middle of the night. As claimed by the company, a platter of steaming and sizzling noodles would be ready in 2 minutes. School kids, working mothers and whoever found Maggi to be the most delicious mid meal snack were quietly depressed after the ban on Maggi was activated across the country for its alleged over-content of lead. 
 
Now there’s a sigh of relief. The Bombay High Court has struck down the ban on Maggi noodles. However, Nestle wouldn’t be fully happy with the court’s decision as Maggi can’t be back to the market right away. The court’s verdict includes a series of tests for the next 6 weeks after which the court will study the test reports and take the final call. 
 
 
A division bench of the Bombay High Court comprising Justices VM Kanade and BP Colabawalla ruled that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) hadn't given the company enough opportunity to present its stand, which was a violation of natural justice. The food regulator is considering an appeal against the ruling in the Supreme Court, according to sources. 
 
"The writ petition has been allowed and both ban orders (by the FSSAI and the Maharashtra state regulator) have been set aside," the company told the stock exchanges soon after the court order. "Manufacture and sale of Maggi noodle is subject to certain conditions which will be informed after the judgement is received," it said. 
 
 
Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who was worried about India’s image among international corporate after Maggi row, has and said this would shed much-needed clarity on an issue that had hurt India's image internationally, particularly after several countries that have much more stringent norms found the Nestle product safe. 
 
The court said any nationwide ban by FSSAI needed to be justified by the regulator. The division bench also showed that no show-cause notice was issued before the ban and neither were samples tested at accredited laboratories, raising doubts over the results. 
 
"We are very concerned with the public health and safety and hence those three laboratories will check, whether the lead content is within the permissible limits and will give its report to FSSAI within six weeks," the bench said. "If the lead content is within the permissible limit of 2.5 ppm (parts per million), only then the company will be allowed to sell the product in the market." 
 
FSSAI's primary argument had been that out of 72 samples collected, 30 contained lead above permissible limits and it therefore banned the product on June 5. It also said the company had misled consumers on monosodium glutamate content by printing 'No added MSG' on the pack. Nestle India had approached the Bombay High Court on June 12. It told the court the ban was "illegal, arbitrary and unconstitutional" and in violation of the principles of natural justice, since it had not been given a proper hearing. 
 
The ruling won't stop the consumer affairs ministry from pursuing its case against Nestle in the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), seeking damages of Rs 639.95 crore from the Swiss giant for selling a "defective and hazardous" product. 
 
 
The Bombay High Court order has "struck a fine balance in giving due importance to consumer interest, health concerns and public interest at large", said Advait Sethna, one of the counsel for the Union government in the case. "The company can manufacture and sell the products only after the satisfactory test results. The court has ensured that the health concerns of the consumer remains the prime consideration and can't be compromised at all." Pallave Shroff of Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas (SAM) and litigation partner Ameya Gokhale, representing Nestle India in the matter refused to comment citing client confidentiality.

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