President nominated six members to Rajya Sabha

The President of India today nominated Shri Swapan Das Gupta, Shri Navjot Singh Sidhu, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Shri Narendra Jadhav, Sh. Suresh Gopi and Ms. Mary Kom to the Rajya Sabha.

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Three-day International Yoga Festival concludes on an enthusiastic note

Yoga has universal appeal and cuts across all religions : Shri Rajnath Singh

Reaching out to the Youth is the focus of this year’s International Day of Yoga Celebrations: Shri Shripad Yesso Naik

The three day International Yoga Fest ended on an enthusiastic note in New Delhi today. The Yoga Festival was a Curtain Raiser for this year’s International Day of Yoga-2016 celebrations. The Union Home Minister, Sh Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest at the valedictory function today.

Addressing the gathering, the Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh said that the Yoga has universal appeal. Shri Rajnath Singh said that more than 170 countries had sponsored the resolution on the International Yoga Day in the United Nations General Assembly. He said this was the first time in the history of the United Nations that a resolution received such widespread support.

Shri Rajnath Singh said the declaration of International Yoga Day is a huge success of India’s diplomacy and cultural outreach. This success we owe to the vision of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he added. The Union Home Minister said Yoga is an invaluable cultural heritage of India and is now being practiced in all continents. Yoga cuts across all religions, and helps in achieving coordination, balance and unity between the body, mind, intellect and soul, he added. Shri Rajnath Singh said that this leads to a balanced human being which forms the basis of a balanced society, leading eventually to a balance in the natural world and oneness with its creator.

Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent charge) and Health & Family Welfare, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik said that the last three days have witnessed an unprecedented amalgamation of thoughts and ideas on various aspects of Yoga expressed by Yoga Gurus and eminent Yoga experts from across the country and few from abroad.

The Minister explained that during this year, we are emphasizing on participation of youth in celebration of International Yoga Day in a big way to create a generation of young Indians equipped to take on future challenges and achieve their full potential. It is necessary that the youth are in good physical, mental and spiritual health and make healthy and balanced lifestyle choices. Youth specific health issues must be addressed through targeted programmes, he added.

Shri Naik said that Yoga being a science of holistic health, is the best guarantee for the health problems of the people. Not only Yoga takes care of the health, it gives a new dimension to the overall personality of a person.

The Minister of AYUSH said that International Day of Yoga should be celebrated as country’s pride and we should try to encourage youth to inculcate Yoga practices and principles in their daily life.

Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Dr Ishwar V Basavaraddi in his introductory speech, gave a roundup of the activities at the three day festival which included workshops by 14 Yoga Institutions, Yoga demonstrations by 80 Yoga experts and practitioners, and participation by heads of 15 premier Yoga Institutions at the inaugural function along with the release of a DVD on Common Yoga Protocol.

The International Yoga Fest witnessed the presence and discourses by eminent yoga Gurus like Swami Baba Ramdev, Dr. H.R. Nagendra, Sh. O.P. Tiwari, Sh. Prashant Iyenger, Smt. Hansaji Jayadev, Sister Shivani, Dr. M.V. Bhole, Swami Bharat Bhushan, Smt. Kamlesh Barwal, Swami Ullasa, Shri Rajiv Chanchani, Sadvi Bhagavati Saraswati, Swami Shantatmananda and many more from the yoga fraternity.

The three day International Yoga Fest comprised of the following important events:

1) Parallel workshops by eminent Yoga Masters

2) Lecture/special Yoga techniques/Yoga Demo by yoga masters

3) Satsang/Isha music/discourses /Cultural programme by eminent Yoga Gurus

4) Yoga Demo by differently abled/blind children/Yoga professionals

5) A day seminar life sketch and contributions of Padma Vibhushan Dr B K S Iyengar

A day seminar on life sketch and contributions of Padam Vibhushan Dr. BKS Iyenger for the promotion and development of yoga was also conducted on 21 April, 2016

The International Yoga Festival aimed to create awareness among the members of the public about the promotion and development of Yoga and was also a curtain raiser for International Day of Yoga 2016 events.

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Govt. issues Notification and SoP regarding Good Samaritans

The Supreme Court has passed a judgment dated 30-03-2016 regarding Good Samaritans, i.e. bystanders and passers-by who render help to the victims of road accidents. The Court has ruled that the affidavit of Good Samaritan, if filed, shall be treated as complete statement by the Police official while conducting the investigation. In case statement is to be recorded, complete statement shall be recorded in a single examination. Besides, the trial court shall not normally insist on appearance of Good Samaritans.

In this regard, Notification dated 12-05-2015 for protection of Good Samaritan issued by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) is available at Link http://www.morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=1709 and Standard Operating Procedure for the examination of Good Samaritans by the Police or during trial dated 21-01-2016 issued by MoRTH is available at Link http://www.morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=2002 .

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Union Home Minister chairs High Level Committee meeting for Central assistance to Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh affected by drought and floods

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, chaired a meeting of the High Level Committee (HLC) here today for Central Assistance to Karnataka, Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh affected by drought and floods.

The Union Minister for Finance, Corporate Affairs and Information and Broadcasting Shri Arun Jaitley, Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Shri Radha Mohan Singh, Union Home Secretary Shri Rajiv Mehrishi and senior officers of the Ministries of Home, Finance and Agriculture attended the meeting.

The Committee examined the proposals based on the report of the Central Team which visited Karnataka, affected by drought, and Puducherry and Arunachal Pradesh, affected by floods. The HLC approved the assistance in respect of Karnataka to the tune of Rs 723.23 crore, Rs 35.14 crore for Puducherry and Rs 84.33 crore for Arunachal Pradesh. The Central Assistance of Rs 84.33 crore to Arunachal Pradesh includes Rs.18.00 crore under National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP).