Ahmedabad, July 31 (IANS) The Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee claimed on Wednesday that a massive cyber attack has paralysed digital operations in the state’s cooperative banking sector, affecting transactions worth over Rs 5,000 crore.

Party spokesperson Hemang Raval claimed that the digital services in the Gujarat State Cooperative Bank, 13 district banks, and approximately 150 urban banks have been disrupted for the past three days.

Raval highlighted that all digital transactions, including NEFT, RTGS, UPI, PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm, have been “non-functional for the last 72 hours due to the cyber attack”. He criticized the bank authorities for not explaining and leaving customers in the dark about the extent of the breach and the measures being taken.

Despite the substantial investment in cyber security systems and servers, which was reported to be three times the usual cost, the Congress spokesperson raised concerns about the “subcontracted software company’s ties to relatives of influential figures associated with the banks”. Raval urged the “authorities to investigate this connection and hold the responsible parties accountable to restore customer trust”.

He called on the “Gujarat government to assure account holders that their funds are secure and to take swift action to restore normalcy.” Given the severity of the situation, Raval also emphasized the need for immediate intervention by the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.

Customers have reportedly lodged numerous complaints but have not received satisfactory responses from the banks. Raval stressed that the “government and relevant financial authorities must resolve the crisis and ensure the safety and security of the affected account holders’ funds”.

–IANS

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Jaipur, July 31 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Wednesday directed officials to take strict action against coaching institutes operating in the state without safety equipment.

Chief Minister Sharma on his official X account said, “The news of the death of candidates preparing for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in the basement of a coaching institute in Delhi in an unfortunate accident is extremely distressing.”

“With the aim of preventing recurrence of such incidents, our government has instructed the authorities, trusts, municipal corporations, councils and municipalities to take strict action to ensure public safety in urban areas.”

“If violation of rules is found, strict action will be ensured against the concerned persons and institutions,” the Chief Minister added.

Jaipur Municipal Corporation Greater Mayor, Somya Gurjar, on Tuesday directed to seal two coaching centres due to non-receipt of a fire no-objection certificate.

There were 800 children sitting in the hall of Kalam Coaching in Jaipur with just one gate to enter and exit the hall.

Action has also been taken against coaching institute in Kota as more than 22 libraries have been sealed as they were operating in the basement without due permission from the government.

Kota’s chief fire officer Rakesh Vyas said: “Intensive checking drive started on Tuesday in Jawahar Nagar, Dadabari, Landmark Area and Coral Park of the city. Library was being operated in the basement without permission. No guidelines were being followed here. As many as 22 such libraries running in the basement have been sealed.”

Gautam Lal, chief fire officer of Kota Municipal Corporation, said: “Kota Municipal Corporation has also formed a special committee regarding safety norms in the coaching institutes. This committee will inspect the coaching centres and take action.”

–IANS

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Chennai, July 31 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian said on Wednesday that the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) will commence counselling for admission to medical and dental colleges in the state from August 21.

In a statement, the minister said that DME has started issuing applications for MBBS and BDS for the academic year 2024-25.

The last date to submit filled-in forms online is 5 p.m. on August 8. He said that the candidates can visit the website www.tnmedicalselection.org.

The National Medical Commission announced that the counselling for All India Quota would begin on August 14.

All State governments surrender 15 per cent of the total seats available in their medical colleges to the Directorate General of Health Services which conducts counselling for the surrendered seats besides seats in Central government institutions and deemed universities across the country.

The minister said the TN Medical Selection Committee will release the merit list on August 19.

On August 21, counselling will commence for the general category.

The statement also said that for students admitted through special reservations such as persons with disabilities, wards of ex-servicemen, sportspersons and for students admitted under the preferential reservation of 7.5 per cent for government school students, admission would be conducted in the physical mode on August 22 and 23.

–IANS

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Amaravati, July 31 (IANS) YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) President and former Chief Minister, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy interacted with party leaders, workers and people at the camp office in Tadepalli on Wednesday.

The former Chief Minister personally greeted each individual by name and took the time to enquire about their well-being and understand their concerns.

Jagan Mohan Reddy told party leaders and workers not to lose heart and assured them that the party stands firmly by their side. He emphasised the need for moving forward together.

YSRCP workers and people were seen standing in a queue to meet the leader. Some of them took selfies with him.

This was the first such interaction with party workers and people by Jagan Mohan Reddy since losing power to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led National Democratic Alliance.

In the May 13 elections, the YSRCP won only 11 seats in the 175-member Assembly.

The party also won four out of 25 Lok Sabha seats.

The TDP-JSP-BJP alliance won 164 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday issued notices to the State Legislative Assembly Speaker and the Legislature Secretary on Jagan Mohan Reddy’s petition seeking orders to give him Leader of Opposition (LoP) status.

Justice Cheemalapati Ravi directed the respondents to file counters with full details related to the LoP status and adjourned the hearing for three weeks.

The petitioner argued that he should be given the LoP status as per the rules.

Jagan made Minister for Legislative Affairs Payyavula Keshav and Speaker Ayyanna Patrudu as respondents in individual capacity.

As the Speaker is the authority to decide on LoP status, the court issued a notice to him.

In a letter to the Speaker on June 25, Jagan Mohan Reddy requested him to recognise YSRCP as the principal Opposition party and him as the LoP.

“There is already a discussion in the public domain to the effect that I would not be entitled to the position of LoP on the ground that YSRCP does not have 10 per cent of the strength of the august House.

“It is to be noted that the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly notified under Article 208 of the Constitution of India do not prescribe any such mandatory percentage of seats to be secured by a political party for recognising its leader as LoP.

“Nor has there been any convention of insistence of 10 per cent strength on the floor of the august House for the Opposition party, in the unified state of Andhra Pradesh to grant such recognition as LoP,” wrote Jagan Mohan Reddy.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) The Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi will visit Wayanad on Thursday, to take first-hand account of the devastation caused by landslides in many regions of the district.

During their visit, the duo will meet some displaced families, taking refuge in relief camps in Meppadi after the catastrophic landslides turned the region into ruins.

The death toll due to the deadly landslides in Wayanad has touched the 200 mark and is likely to increase further as many are still feared trapped in the debris of the catastrophic landslides and 200 people are reported missing.

As per the itinerary, MP Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi will visit three relief camps operating at Government Higher Secondary School, St Joseph’s UP School, Dr Moopen’s Medical College in Wayanad’s Meppadi on Thursday.

During the meet, they are expected to express solidarity with affected families and also give assurances to them on all possible assistance.

As the devastating landslides hit Wayanad on July 30, MP Rahul Gandhi exhorted the United Democratic Front (UDF) workers to extend all possible assistance to the people, affected or trapped by it.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi also took to X and said, “Our hearts are with you at this tragic hour and we are praying for you all.”

MP Rahul Gandhi, having represented Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency in the 17th Lok Sabha, said that he has spoken to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Wayanad District Collector, who in turn assured him of all possible assistance to the victims.

Notably, the two senior Congress leaders were scheduled to visit Wayanad on Wednesday morning but their schedule was changed because of adverse weather conditions and incessant rains.

LoP Rahul Gandhi also raised the issue of Wayanad landslides in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and demanded enhanced compensation from the Centre for the victims.

He called for treating the restoration of communication lines and transport connectivity as of utmost importance and called for fast relief and rehabilitation of the displaced population.

Rahul Gandhi also raised the pressing issue of mapping the landslide-prone areas to prepare a bulwark against such calamities.

“The country has witnessed an alarming rise in landslides in the last few years. There is an urgent need for the mapping of landslide-prone areas and to take up mitigation measures and an action plan to address the growing frequency of natural calamities in the ecologically fragile regions,” LoP Rahul Gandhi said.

The worst affected areas in the Wayanad landslides include Churalpara, Velarimala, Mundakayil and Pothukalu.

Rahul Gandhi served the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency as its MP in the previous term. This time, he was re-elected from the constituency but he chose Rae Bareli over Wayanad.

Priyanka Gandhi is slated to contest polls from the constituency, whenever elections happen.

–IANS

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