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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Political updates: PM wraps up Iran visit, Jayalalithaa shuts 500 liquor stores in TN
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Political updates: PM wraps up Iran visit, Jayalalithaa shuts 500 liquor stores in TN

In other news, Sarbananda Sonowal to be sworn in as Assam CM today; Govt aims to make bankruptcy law operational by end of FY17

Narendra Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran during which the two countries signed 12 agreements, including a ‘milestone’ pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism. Photo: ReutersPremium
Narendra Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran during which the two countries signed 12 agreements, including a ‘milestone’ pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism. Photo: Reuters

Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) victory in Assam will become more concrete on Tuesday as Sarbananda Sonowal, who was made the party’s state unit president in 2012, will be sworn in as the party’s first chief minister in the state. It was five years ago that 53-year-old Sonowal had switched to the BJP from the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and since then there has been no looking back. Here’s more about the stunning rise of Sonowal. Read more.

Sonowal’s swearing-in follows a similarly spectacular history made in Tamil Nadu by All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J. Jayalalithaa who took oath as the state’s chief minister on Monday. It was for the first time in three decades that the state voted the incumbent government back to power.

The developments come at a time when a report by think tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) revealed that regional parties across India spent more than the total funds collected by them in 71 assembly and three Lok Sabha elections over the past 11 years.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran, the first bilateral visit by an Indian prime minister in 15 years.

Back home, confusion continued over the fate of the ordinance that aims to defer the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) by a year even as Union health minister J.P. Nadda met President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to address the queries raised by the President. While discussions are on regarding the fate of NEET, the human resources development (HRD) ministry is mulling a plan to set up a central board for Vedic and Sanskrit education which would be the first of its kind in the country.

After swearing-in as CM, Jayalalithaa shuts 500 liquor stores in Tamil Nadu

AIADMK chief J. Jayalalithaa was sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the second consecutive term on Monday and started off with measures to curb the consumption of liquor in the state. Immediately after taking oath on Monday, Amma, as she is popularly known, signed off on a few key populist measures. For instance, she ordered the closure of 500 state-run liquor outlets and cut the working hours of existing outlets by two hours. The remaining state-run liquor shops will now open at noon, versus 10am before. She also waived crop loans of small farmers and ordered 100 units of free power for all households. She also signed off on eight grams of gold for women from poor families who are about to be married and said primary school children will now get free breakfast along with the existing noon meal scheme. Read more

Five tasks that await the new LDF government in Kerala

A new government will assume office in Kerala on Wednesday under Communist Party of India (Marxist), CPM, leader Pinarayi Vijayan, who is 72 years old. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) led by the CPM won a decisive mandate in the assembly elections with 91 out of the 140 seats. Read the five biggest tasks that confront the new government here.

Regional parties spend more than they collect

Regional parties across India spent more than the total funds collected by them in 71 assembly and three Lok Sabha elections over the past 11 years, according to a report released on Monday by think-tank Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). While Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) spent 24.79 crore despite a collection of 8.86 crore, K. Karunanidhi-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) spent 15.17 crore on a collection of only 5.97 crore in the state assembly elections. Read more to find out the funds and expenditure of different regional parties.

PM Narendra Modi wraps up two-day visit to Iran

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday wrapped up his two-day visit to Iran during which the two countries signed 12 agreements, including a “milestone" pact on developing the strategic Chabahar port and pledged to combat terrorism and radicalism. “Khuda Hafez Tehran! A busy day of diplomacy ends as PM @narendramodi emplanes for Delhi," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted. Read more

Confusion continues over NEET ordinance

Union health minister J.P. Nadda met President Pranab Mukherjee on Monday to address the queries raised by the President regarding the NEET ordinance which would partly set aside the Supreme Court order that called for holding the national-level entrance test for all medical courses from this year itself. “The health minister answered queries of the president," said a ministry spokesperson, refusing to disclose anything about the president’s concerns and the expected course of action. “We now are waiting for the President to act," the spokesperson added. Read more

Govt aims to make bankruptcy law operational by end of FY17

The government is aiming to make the new bankruptcy law operational by the end of 2016-17 as India moves to set up the infrastructure necessary to implement its new insolvency framework. To this effect, the government will focus on making the national company law tribunal operational and also act as the regulator till it sets up the Insolvency Board, said Jayant Sinha, minister of state for finance, in an interview. Read more

HRD ministry planning Vedic and Sanskrit education board

The human resources development (HRD) ministry is considering to set up a central board for Vedic and Sanskrit education which would be first of its kind in the country. To find out what the a government-appointed panel headed by former chief election commissioner N. Gopalaswami has to say in its report regarding the issue, read here.

I have not dug up issues with environment clearances by UPA: Javadekar

After the 2014 election which brought the BJP to power with a thumping majority, environment minister Prakash Javadekar promised to find cases of “extraneous influence" involved in green clearances given during the UPA-II’s tenure. Two years on, Javadekar says the government has decided against such a move but promised to act if someone comes up with concrete information. Here are excerpts from an interview.

What’s next for Isro’s space shuttle

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) on Monday successfully carried out a technology demonstration of its reusable space launch vehicle, which will help the space agency cut costs for future space missions. Monday’s test is one of the many tests that Isro will carry out towards the making of the vehicle, which is at least a decade away. Countries such as the US, Russia and Japan have developed their own reusable rocket technology. Read more about what’s next here.

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Published: 24 May 2016, 08:37 AM IST
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