Kolkata, July 5 (IANS) A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Friday, directed the CBI to take the help of any specialised agency to recover the data regarding the optical mark recognition (OMR) sheets used in the written examination for the recruitment of primary teachers in state-run schools in West Bengal.

During a hearing on a case related to massive irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of primary teachers in 2014, the single-judge bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha observed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) can consult and take help of experts from anywhere in the world, including private entities with expertise in Information Technology sector to retrieve the related data.

Justice Mantha also directed that the entire cost for bearing the assistance of expert agencies should be borne by the West Bengal Board of Primary Education (WBBPE).

Justice Mantha also observed that recovering the data on the OMR sheets was extremely important considering the roots of the corruption relating to the primary teachers’ recruitment were hidden there.

On July 2, Justice Mantha directed CBI to submit the original hard disc where the digitized copies of the OMR sheets used in the written examinations for primary teachers’ recruitment had been stored.

However, on Friday, the CBI counsel informed the court that their central agency officials were not in a position to submit the same to the court. Thereafter, Justice Mantha directed the agency to take the help of expert agencies.

Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Mantha also said that in case the hard disc had been destroyed that matter should be also brought under the purview of the investigation, while observing that even if the hard disc had been destroyed, then the original data might have remained stored at the server of WBBPE.

–IANS

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Kolkata, July 5 (IANS) Taking a lesson from the Hathras stampede, the entire area in and around the iconic Tarakeswar temple in West Bengal’s Hooghly district will be wrapped under a blanket security cover ahead of the Shravani Mela.

At a meeting chaired by the Tarakeswar Municipality chairman, Uttam Kundu and attended by senior district-level administrative and police officers, it was decided to increase the security within the temple premises and the roads leading to the temple.

A control room will be opened from where CCTV footage will be constantly monitored and corrective measures will be taken as per the situation. An official of Tarakeswar Municipality said that in the meeting it was decided to increase the number of entry gates to the temple premises.

It has also been decided that additional personnel from the police, fire services and disaster management departments will be deployed during the festive days.

According to Kundu, special parking zones will be allotted for the vehicles entering the town carrying pilgrims. “The municipal authorities will make adequate arrangements for water supply as well as to illuminate the roads leading to the temple premises,” he added. At the same time, separate health centres will be set up in adequate numbers to address any emerging emergency.

This year, the Sravani Mela is slated to start on July 21 and will continue till August 19. Going by the experience of the last few years, said the official, the temple authorities are expecting a crowd of over 10 lakh people during the festive days, with the turnout being maximum on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

–IANS

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Jaipur, July 5 (IANS) Days after tendering his resignation from the post of Agriculture Minister in the Rajasthan Cabinet, veteran BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena reached New Delhi on Friday for a meeting with party National President, JP Nadda.

Meena shocked political circles in Rajasthan on Thursday when he revealed that he had quit 30 days ago and given his resignation letter to Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.

When CM Sharma rejected it, Meena mailed the resignation letter to him, which has still not been accepted by the Rajasthan government.

Now, all eyes are set on his meeting with BJP chief JP Nadda.

Meanwhile, sources said that it is difficult for the BJP to accept Meena’s resignation, because it is necessary to keep him as a minister till the bye-elections are over.

Out of the five seats set for bye-elections Chaurasi, Deoli and Dausa are tribal-dominated ones and if Meena steps down, things might get difficult for the party on these three seats.

In the Lok Sabha elections, the party suffered losses on 11 seats on the issue of abolishing reservation.

Hence, Meena’s role in managing this issue is quite significant for the bypolls as he is a firebrand tribal leader.

Meanwhile, BJP state President CP Joshi has said that the Agriculture Minister has been requested to continue giving the benefit of his experience in the government.

CP Joshi said the CM has also been spoken to and the effort is on to retain Meena as minister.

Sources said that in view of the bypolls, the BJP is careful not to displease any community and hence it is difficult for the party to accept Meena’s resignation.

Meanwhile, sources said that Meena is unhappy as he was not made the Deputy CM and was also not able to appoint people of his choice in his department.

Meena’s resignation is the second in six months of the Bhajanlal Government.

At the time of formation of the new government, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Surender Pal Singh TT lost the bypoll in Sriganganagar’s Karanpur constituency, so he had to resign on the same day.

–IANS

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Mysuru (Karnataka), July 5 (IANS) Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Friday that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam was unearthed by those who were eying the Chief Minister’s post.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the famous Chamundeshwari temple in Mysuru city, Kumaraswamy while referring to the sex video scandal, said that the CD factory has been closed and the MUDA factory was open now. “Their own party president (Dy CM Shivakumar) has brought out the MUDA scandal,” he said.

It was alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar was behind the distribution of CDs containing the sex videos involving former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is in jail.

“The land scam, which had not come to light in all these years, has suddenly come out. How? There is a role by those who are eying the CM’s post,” Kumaraswamy said.

“I have all the information regarding the scam. I even know how the wife of CM Siddaramaiah got the land. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is asking for Rs 62 crore compensation, should also raise his voice for the farmers who have lost their lands and now are on the streets,” the Union Minister said.

Kumarswamy will participate in the Janata Darshan in the Mandya Parliamentary constituency and address the grievances of the people.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday voiced the government’s unwavering resolve to develop India as a leading global defence manufacturing hub.

The Union Minister’s statement came as the Ministry of Defence has achieved the highest-ever growth in indigenous defence production in terms of value during Financial Year (FY) 2023-24, on the back of the successful implementation of the policies and initiatives of the Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’.

As per the data received from all Defence Public Sector undertakings (DPSUs), other PSUs manufacturing defence items and private companies, the value of defence production in the country has gone up to a record-high of Rs 1,26,887 crore, reflecting a growth of 16.7 per cent over the defence production of the previous financial year. The value of defence production in FY 2022-23 was Rs 1,08,684 crore.

Acknowledging the achievement through a post on X, Rajnath Singh stated that the ‘Make in India’ programme is crossing new milestones, year after year, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Of the total value of production (VoP) in 2023-24, about 79.2 per cent has been contributed by DPSUs/other PSUs and 20.8 per cent by the private sector. The data shows that in terms of absolute value, both DPSUs/PSUs and the private sector have recorded a steady growth in defence production. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the industry, including DPSUs, other PSUs manufacturing defence items and the private industry for taking the defence production at an all-time high.

“The feat has been achieved due to the policy reforms/initiatives and ease of doing business brought in by the government in the last 10 years with a focus on attaining self-reliance. The indigenisation efforts have been pursued aggressively on a sustained basis, which resulted in the highest-ever VoP. Moreover, the spiralling defence exports have contributed tremendously to the overall growth in the indigenous defence production,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

It may be recalled that defence exports touched a record-high of Rs 21,083 crore in FY 2023-24, reflecting a growth of 32.5 per cent over the last fiscal when the figure was Rs 15,920 crore.

In the last five years, the value of defence production has been increasing steadily, and grown by over 60 per cent from 79071 crore in 2019-20 to 126887 crore in 2023-24.

–IANS

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