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As Covid-19 Cases back on the rise, PM Narendra Modi to hold a high level meeting

The India Saga Saga |

In a big move, PM Narendra Modi to hold a high level meeting to review the Covid-19 related situation and preparedness. The meeting is likely to commence today at 4:30 pm in the evening. The crucial high-level meeting comes at a time when the Covid-19 cases are again on a sharp rise in the country. The unseasonal rains in March may have contributed to the rise in flu cases as believed by several medical experts. Not just cases related to H3N2 virus are on a rise, recently, there was a sharp surge in Covid-19 related cases as well. Symptoms of both Covid-19 and H3N2 are similar in many ways and the rise in the cases have prompted the government to take measures and this is what is said to be one of the reasons for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to chair this high-level meeting.

 

According to data put forth by the Union Health Ministry on Wednesday, India recorded 1,134 new coronavirus cases, while the active tally of Covid-19 infections rose to 7,026.

Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot, presented the Budget of 78,800 crores in the Assembly

The India Saga Saga |

On March 22nd, 2023, Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot presented the Budget for the financial year 2023-2024. Tuesday, March 21st, the Delhi government’s budget was to be presented, but was resubmitted  by the finance minister to the Home Affair Ministry for approval amid the fight between the Aam Aadmi Party government  (AAP) and the Centre. The Union Home Ministry eventually approved the Delhi Budget on Tuesday, and today it will be presented in the Assembly by the Finance Minister of Delhi. 

 

This was the first time Kailash Gahlot presented the budget in the Assembly after getting the charge of the department of finance, following the resignation of Manish Sisodia, deputy chief minister, who was arrested in connection with the Delhi excise Policy scam case  by the CBI (the Central Bureau of Information) and ED (Enforcement Directorate). Before Gahlot all eight previous budgets were presented by Sisodia and in the previous year, and the Delhi government’s budget size was Rs 75,800 crore and Rs 69,000 crore for the year of 2022-2023.

 

On Monday, CM and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal claimed that the Centre had placed the budget of the government of Delhi on hold as it was scheduled to be presented. The centre has requested clarification on the AAP  government’s expenditure on advertisements before approving the presentation of the Budget, according to people with knowledge of developments in the Ministry of Home Affairs. “I would have been more happy if this budget was presented by Manish Sisodia who is like my elder brother. The budget is an expression of aspiration and expectation of the people,” Kailash Gahlot said in the budget speech. He further mentioned that this budget is dedicated toward a beautiful, clean, and modern Delhi. The Delhi government announces the Mohalla Bus yojana to strengthen last-mile connectivity. 

 

Just before the presentation of the Budget in the Assembly, the AAP engaged in a postal war and said ‘Modi Hatao, Desh Bachao’. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the centre to work together and tweeted “It is not right to stop every work of Delhi. Now people have started understanding and raising their voices, and stop fighting every day. Serve the people of Delhi and let’s develop Delhi together”. In the last 8 years, 21 new flyovers have been constructed and the middleman concept has been abolished by the Delhi government. The network of the Delhi metro doubled in the year 2015-2023. Today, the number of buses running in Delhi has increased to 7,379, which is the highest as of now.  

 

Siddhant SD and his Pandora’s box

The India Saga Saga |

No one can deny that the unfurling of recent events is a great tragedy, a tragedy even in the ancient Greek sense as it contains a disastrous ending contingent on irresponsibility. However, this time instead of Agamemnon the entirety of humanity is at the receiving end. Does this pandemic signal towards a ‘Pandemonium of provoking procrastination’ where the flow of life is obstructed?

 

I simply disagree, man’s qualities of adaptation can never be questioned. As a society that is of dynamic nature, complex thoughts and theories become comprehensive just like we have moved from Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon to that of Michele Foucault’s. On analyzing the graph of history we will find solace in the fact that even the Fall of the Western Roman Empire was followed by the enlightening Renaissance. Siddhant SD himself exclaimed that ‘I’d like to start by saying hope can never be lost.

 

A person is never hopeless, a situation could be and situations always change!’. In this Greek context we can see a Pandora’s box. No matter how horrible the result is, hope will still lie inside. This was channeled by Siddhant through his creation of Di Mora. He saw this as a figment of his imagination, something he dreamt of doing. To shape Di Mora into a delight for consumers as it’s merely more comprehensive than just a nightclub but is close to an experience. Siddhant never felt like he was performing a tedious task, as the entire ride was smooth driven by his ambition and desire to provide for a never before experience. He himself acknowledges this as he went on to say “I’m lucky enough to do what I love. I would say it’s the best part! I’m never ‘working’ as such, because I enjoy every bit of what I do.” He also is a man who is not fazed by challenges, as he thought of opening the Di Mora during the December of 2021, when the global economy itself had crashed.

 

On the other side of the spectrum, the lockdown was being relaxed and he accurately caught on to this trend. Di Mora provided the consumers with a form of respite and relief from this unforeseen circumstance. A night of vigor and vibrancy is what it served to each and everyone. A night to remember was produced as the club soon became the talk of this town, rising to the top. The acceleration was not only in their status but was also seen in the levels of dopamine throughout the night.

 

No decision yet on nationwide NRC, govt replies in Parliament

The India Saga Saga |

The Union government has informed Parliament that they have not yet made a decision on creating a National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the National level. Additionally, they have delayed the update of NRC and the first phase of the 2021 Census due to the Covid-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, Nityanand Rai, who holds the position of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, provided information in reply to a question by Sushil Kumar Modi, a member of the Rajya Sabha from BJP. The question was related to the NRC, CAA, and NPR.

 

Protests erupted throughout India after the CAA was enacted in December 2019, which aimed to expedite the citizenship process for individuals who are not Muslim and who entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh prior to December 31, 2014. Those who were against the law argued that it was unfair and went against the constitution because it excluded Muslims and associated religion with citizenship in a country that was supposed to be secular. 

 

They were concerned that it could lead to Muslims being removed or imprisoned if they couldn’t provide the required documents, especially if the law was considered in relation to a proposed nationwide NRC. In Assam, a procedure was conducted to identify individuals who were not officially documented, and as a result, approximately two million people were removed from the National Register of Citizens (NCR) in 2018. 

 

The National Population Register (NPR) is a thorough collection of biometric information for all individuals considered ‘regular residents’ in India. This initiative has caused controversy as critics argue that it is related to the National Register of Citizens (NRC). Initially, the government stated that the NPR is the initial stage in implementing a nationwide NRC. However, later on, they denied any association between the two and clarified that there are no plans to implement an all-India NRC in the near future. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) received a seventh extension to establish guidelines for the CAA. After the rule is announced, individuals who qualify will be able to apply for Indian citizenship.

World Happiness Index:- India not that Happy, sits at 126th spot in the World Happiness Report 2023

The India Saga Saga |

Finland, for the 6th consecutive year, was ranked on top, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Israel and the Netherlands in the recently released World Happiness Report 2023.

 

India, a country of about 1.4 billion people, has witnessed a slight increase in its ranking in the World Happiness Report 2023, climbing to 126th spot from 136th. As per the recently-launched 2023 World Happiness Report, Finland has been successful in maintaining its 1st position in the World Happiness Index for the past 6 consecutive years. Unveiled by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the World Happiness Report suggested that Finland outpassed other countries by a significant margin in the report that was released on Monday. Denmark was second, followed by Iceland and India was far behind at the 126th spot with even war-torn Ukraine and economically unstable Sri Lanka maintaining good ranking as compared to India. 

 

The rankings issued in the World Happiness Report 2023 are based on data from the main life evaluation question in the Gallup World Poll, which measures how happy citizens perceive themselves to be. Researchers have gone through several aspects and have looked at six important variables to come to the conclusion where people are happy in the world. These variables include social support, money, health, independence, charity, and lack of corruption. The report discovered that, despite a number of converging crises, overall life satisfaction is on par with levels prior to the epidemic.

 

However, as soon as the report was published, Indians were all active on Social Media, raising questions about India’s ranking. What was surprising was that despite India emerging as a major economy, Indians were not happy as compared to other countries, particularly Nomadic countries. What raised eyebrows was the fact that war-torn Ukraine and economically bankrupt Sri Lanka fared well as compared to India with Ukraine sitting at 92nd and Sri Lanka at 112th spot respectively. What was also a matter of concern for Indians was the fact that most of the neighbouring countries of India fared well. Sri Lanka at 112, Pakistan at 108 and Nepal at 78 were way ahead than India. However, Afghanistan, a close ally of India was at the very bottom of the list with occupying the 137th spot. The World Happiness Report also highlighted African countries like Lebanon, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo were among the unhappiest countries, largely due to factors such as high levels of corruption and low life expectancy.

 

Continue Reading on The India Saga.

 

9,000 more employees will be let go by Amazon by the end of April

The India Saga Saga |

On March 20th, 2023, Monday, Amazon confirmed its second round of mass layoff across the departments by the end of April, and this time the firings will affect over 9,000 more employees. They said that the employees belonging to the departments including AWS, PXT, Advertising, and Twitch will get affected by this decision. The global e-commerce giant has already laid off 18,000 employees in January this year as a part of cost-cutting and its annual planning process at top tech companies worldwide.

 

The new layoffs, which amount to less than 3 percent of its corporate workforce, will target several workers in some of Amazon’s most profitable divisions, which had previously been spared, including Amazon’s Cloud computing business as well as advertising operations. According to the financial analysts and filings, the two segments of the business are way higher-margin operations than Amazon’s core retail business. 

 

CEO of Amazon, Andy Jassy said that the second phase of the company’s annual planning process has been completed this month which led to additional job cuts. He further added that Amazon will still hire employees in some strategic areas. He wrote, “The overriding tenet of our yearly planning this year was to be leaner while doing so in a way that allows us to still invest robustly in the key long-term customer experiences that we believe can meaningfully improve customer’s lives and Amazon as a whole.”

 

For more than a year, Andy Jassy has been pursuing cost-cutting at Amazon. During the pandemic, the company rapidly added employees and put priority on some projects that lacked obvious ways to become profitable. He has also pulled back on the expansion of the company’s warehouse operations and paused work on the biggest phase of Amazon’s planned second headquarters near Washington, D.C. According to a person familiar with its workforce, Amazon had about 380,000 corporate employees at the end of 2022. Most of Amazon’s warehouse operations have roughly 1.5 million employees, who are basically hourly workers.  

 

The company froze hiring last fall and by November had plans to lay off about 10,000 more employees and a target to expand it to 18,000 employees in January last year. At Amazon, the initial layoffs affected the employees who were working on the Alexa voice assistant and devices, then they spread to other divisions, including the working of teams on plans for automated stores, drones as well as the company’s broader consumer retail business. The one who was the most affected were the human resources employees-recruiters in particular. Amazon reported nearly with no profit, driven in part by unexpected weakness in its cloud computing business. 

Clothes by Divena World will make you feel stylish and give unmatched comfort

The India Saga Saga |

Be it a girl’s day out or your best friend’s wedding, finding the perfect outfit is always a task. The worst is when the fit you imagined in your head does not look same in the real life. However, all these problems would be resolved if one had that perfect brand which offered every style of clothing. Catering to this need and understanding that fashion is one of the most beautiful ways through which any individual can express themselves, Divena World has emerged as one of the top choices among consumers. 

 

Incepted in the year 2015 in Jaipur Rajasthan, Divena World is a brand that offers unique designs and their exclusive creations offer unmatched comfort. Each of the products offered by the brand has an excellent fit and is designed keeping the latest trends in mind. Over the years, Divena World has gained a well-reputed name in the industry when it comes to all types of pure cotton and viscose rayon kurti and kurta sets, gowns, nightwear, suit set, sharara sets and much more. The brand is inspired by Rajasthani culture and this is even reflected in its pieces. Thus, from contemporary to traditional, one will get it all. In addition to this, the brand is a size-inclusive one and has sizes up to 7XL. 

 

Divena World works with the aim to create an environment in which traditional manufacturers have a reputed place and are valued in the market. Now, the brand works towards building a symbiotic relationship between the market and the design product and between skill and tradition. The products offered by them are loved by fashionistas all around as the clothes can be styled in many different ways. Using present-day printing strategies Divina World’s products reflect modern-contemporary works. For a lot of years, the team has worked towards developing products in specialised areas such as printed, embroidery, zari work and gota patti and this has assisted them in establishing a strong foothold in the industry now. 

 

While talking about the brand, the Founder says, “The aim we had in our mind was to become a one-stop shop for all your fashion needs. Therefore, our team has done extensive research and brought prints and clothing pieces that just set the bar high. We ensure that each of our products is made with the highest quality and for that, they also undergo multiple checks. Be it fit for a party or a fit for an engagement, we can assure you that you will find the best of what the market has to offer. At present, we are present in India and a few other countries and we aim to expand our horizons even further.“

 

Indian and ethnic in style, Divena offers a wide and vibrant range of goods. All of the clothes are finished, checked, and packaged at the Divena World showroom in an effort to uphold the highest standards of quality required by its global clients. With more than 200 sewing machines, as well as checking and packaging units, Divena boasts a cutting-edge work area. The business works with more than 10 distinct printing units, most of which employ hereditary craftspeople. The company is renowned as one of the premier suppliers and exporters of pure cotton and rayon in Jaipur. Now, they are working towards their promise to deliver premium apparel to every customer’s door. One can easily shop their clothes at Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, Ajio and many other famous E-commerce stores. 

 

Frontier Raas, Redefining Traditional Fashion With Modern Aesthetic

The India Saga Saga |

There is something exceptional about wearing ethnic clothing. The rich textures, intricate designs, and vibrant colours all come together to create a sense of elegance and luxury that is unmatched by any other type of clothing. Whether it’s a flowing saree, a regal lehenga, or a traditional salwar kameez, ethnic clothing has the ability to make you feel magnificent. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, they are also incredibly comfortable to wear, allowing you to move freely and gracefully. They truly embody the essence of elegance and sophistication. One such Brand is Frontier Raas which brings traditional Indian clothing combined with contemporary designs together to create unique and aesthetic dresses for everyone. 

 

Frontier Raas is a leading ethnic clothing brand that has established itself as a prominent player in the fashion industry. With a focus on providing traditional clothing with modern designs, the brand has won the hearts of fashion enthusiasts across the globe. From its first flagship store in the south extension, New Delhi in 2009, Frontier Raas has further expanded its operations. The brand today has an impressive retail presence with five stores in prime locations in Delhi and one in Chandigarh. Also, the brand launched its first international flagship store in London and then expanded its horizons to Dubai.

 

One of the reasons why Frontier Raas has gained such popularity is its attention to detail. Their outfits are not just beautifully handcrafted, but they also pay attention to the finer details such as the embroidery, and embellishments. The brand uses top-quality fabrics, and its designers work tirelessly to create unique designs that are both contemporary and traditional. The brand’s collection offers a wide range of clothing varieties, including luxury bridal lehengas, designer gowns, embroidered sarees for the bride, and designer sherwanis.

 

The clothing brand, Frontier Raas has also gained popularity among celebrities. Many popular celebrities, including Gauhar Khan, Nushrratt Bharuchha, Sonam Bajwa, and Kangana Ranaut, have been spotted wearing the brand’s stunning outfits at various events. Their handcrafted ethnic premium clothing styles have made them a favourite among fashion-forward celebrities. The reason is they use luxurious fabrics such as silk, velvet, and organza, which not only look beautiful but also feel comfortable to wear. Due to their unique designs and handpicked fabric materials, they ensure that their outfits are not only aesthetically pleasing but also long-lasting.

 

Talking about fashion the founder Mr Anil Kumar Batra says, “I believe that the true essence of fashion lies in the ability to blend traditional designs with modern sensibilities. At Frontier Raas, we strive to create outfits that not only celebrate our cultural heritage but also cater to the fashion needs of the modern woman.” He further said, “We believe that every person has their own sense of style that’s why we have the customization options for our customers. Through this, they can create an outfit that truly reflects their personality and style.” 

 

Frontier Raas is a brand that has successfully carved a niche for itself in the highly competitive fashion industry. One of the best qualities of the brand is that they provide on-time delivery of their products as they understand the importance of timeliness. Moreover, the brand also provides safe payment modes for their customers which makes Frontier Raas extensively recognised in the fashion industry. If you are looking for luxurious and stylish ethnic wear then Frontier Raas should definitely be on your radar.

Kejriwal writes letter to PM Modi asking him to not stop Delhi Budget

The India Saga Saga |

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) head and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday requesting him to “not stop Delhi’s Budget”, amid an ongoing tussle between the Union and the AAP government. The Delhi budget presentation for the financial year 2023-24 was to be led down on the table by minister Kailash Gehlot on Tuesday. However, the Centre didn’t give a green signal to the presentation of the budget, due to trading charges over allocation under various sectors. 

 

“This is the first time in the last 75 years’ history, a state’s budget session has been stopped,” he wrote, asking the PM if he hated the residents of Delhi. The letter comes a day after the Central government looked for clarification from the National Capital government on why expenditure on advertisement is more than that on the infrastructure sector before the presentation of the Delhi Budget. 

 

During a news channel program on Monday, Kejriwal accused the Centre of engaging in “gundagardi” and stated that this was the first time in India’s history that a government’s budget has been put on hold. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tweeted a video clip of his speech. In addition, the Chief Minister posted on Twitter a news report about the rise in per capita income in Delhi and remarked that despite the daily obstacles being created, Delhi is performing exceptionally well in major fields. Kejriwal further stated that if all governments worked together for the benefit of the people and no obstacles were created, Delhi would grow several times faster. 

 

The Chief Minister criticised the Centre, while insiders from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) revealed that they have requested clarification from the AAP government regarding their budget proposal. The proposal was criticised for allocating a significant amount of funds towards advertisement infrastructure and comparatively less funding towards the infrastructure and other development projects.

 

Cops including Punjab DGP to face action over PM security breach

The India Saga Saga |

On March 21, 2023, Tuesday, the Punjab government finally decided to initiate the ‘disciplinary proceedings for a major penalty’ against the former Director General of Police (DGP) Sidharth Chattopadhyaya as well as two other officers over the security breach during the Prime Minister’s visit to the state in January last year. PM Modi’s convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by the protestors in Firozabad after which he returned from Punjab without attending any event, including a rally. 

 

In a major security lapse, the Prime Minister’s motorcade had remained stuck on a flyover on the Moga-Ferozepur highway for more than 20 minutes as the farmers were protesting against his visit. The disciplinary proceedings for major penalty will be commenced against Inderbir Singh, the then Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Police of Ferozepur range, and Harmandeep Singh Hans, the then Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Ferozepur, apart from Chattopadhyaya who has since retired. Official resources say that these officers would be asked to submit their responses.

 

Bhagwat Singh Mann also stated that the explanation regarding this whole matter has to be submitted by, G Nageshwara Rao, the ADGP Cyber Crime , Mukhvinder Singh Chinna, the IGP Patiala Range, Naresh Arora, the ADGP (Law and Order), Surjeet Singh, the DIG Faridkot and Charanjit Singh, the SSP Moga. The retired Supreme Court Judge Indu Malhotra recommended the Supreme Court-constituted inquiry committee report mentioning why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against them.

 

 The move came after the Supreme Court-appointed committee, which probed the security breach during Prime Minister Modi’s visit in Punjab in January 2022, had indicted several state officers for lapses. The committee on August 25th, 2022, submitted its report to the Supreme Court, indicting nine officers for the ‘colossal failure in planning  and coordination.’ The state government has decided to issue him a show-cause notice seeking an explanation since the committee has also raised questions about the role of chief secretary Anirudh Tewari.