Chidambaram takes swipe at govt over Economic Survey

External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar spoke to Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi on Friday evening about the explosion outside the Israeli Embassy. In a tweet, Jaishankar said, we take this very seriously. He assured his Israeli counterpart of the fullest protection for the Embassy and Israeli diplomats. The External Affairs Minister said the matter is under investigation and no effort will be spared to find the culprits.Sources said, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla spoke to his Israeli counterpart Ambassador Alon Ushpiz. Secretary, Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) Division in the Ministry also spoke to Ambassador of Israel in India.

-The Government of India and the World Bank have signed a 500-million US dollar Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Programme (STARS) to improve the quality and governance of school education in six Indian states. These include Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan. Some 250 million students (between the age of six and 17) in 1.5 million schools and over 10 million teachers will benefit from the programme.The STARS programme builds on the long partnership between India and the World Bank (since 1994), for strengthening public school education and to support the country’s goal of providing Education for All. Prior to STARS, the Bank had provided a total assistance of more than three billion US dollars towards this goal.

-In Gujarat, the Anti-Terrorist Squad of the State Police has arrested a 55-year old Afghan national who had been staying illegally in Ahmedabad for the past 15 years. Accused Sardarkhan Pathan was living in Mirzapur area of Ahmedabad with forged identification documents like Aadhaar card, PAN card, election card, driving licence and ration card. According to the police, Pathan was booked under the Foreigners Act and Passport Act. Police also recovered two Indian passports, the copy of a document with the symbol of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a Pakistani identity card from him. Police said, the accused confessed that he was from Afghanistan and had been staying in Ahmedabad with his son for almost 15 years.

-After above-par procurement of paddy, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to start wheat purchase from April 1.Asking officials to ensure farmers' welfare once again, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday instructed them that farmers should not face any kind of problem at the purchase centres and storage godowns.Adequate arrangements should be made to protect wheat across the state, he said."The minimum support price of wheat has been fixed at Rs 1,975 per quintal, an increase of Rs 50 as compared to the previous year. In every case, farmers should get the benefit of MSP," he said.Reviewing the timetable and proposed purchasing policy related to wheat procurement 2021-22 with departmental officials, the chief minister said, While deciding the new policy, it was kept in mind that the agencies whose records are not good will not be given work. Geo-tagging should be done for all purchase centres including godowns. This will facilitate the farmers.The chief minister also directed the officials to arrange wheat at purchase centres through biometric authentication with the help of e-pop machines as much as possible this year.

-Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday took a swipe at the government, saying the purpose of the Economic Survey is not clear as it aids the self-congratulatory conclusion that the Modi dispensation implemented "far sighted policy response for economic recovery".The former Union finance minister took to Twitter to say that the "best decision" taken by the government is the decision not to print the economic survey."Once upon a time, the Survey was the vehicle to communicate to the people in simple language the state of the economy and the prospects in the coming year.The government did not print the Economic Survey presented in Parliament on Friday and only a digital version was made available.