The Maharashtra government has approved over Rs 7,000 crore to complete the drinking water projects in scarcity-hit areas, state minister Babanrao Lonikar said.

The government is committed to providing water to all villages that are perennially dry, the water supply and sanitation minister said in a release issued last night. Under the National Rural Drinking Water Scheme, the government has approved a proposal of Rs 7,952 crore for completing 6,624 water projects in 10,583 villages, he said.

The jumbo proposal is aimed at the completion of works in Konkan, Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nagpur and Pune divisions. Nearly 6,500 projects have already been completed in the last four years by spending Rs 5,500 crore, Lonikar said.

During the last four years, the main emphasis was to complete the pending projects, he said. The water supply department ensured that funds were properly utilized and action was taken against district bodies misusing the money, he added.

Notably, the Marathwada region of Maharashtra is a perennially drought-hit area. The region received only 86 percent of its average rainfall last year, a senior revenue official had earlier said.

DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Wednesday said he was shocked to learn about the reported death of 21 party cadres in shock and grief following the hospitalization of party leader M. Karunanidhi.

In a statement, Stalin urged the party members not to resort to activities that will lead to their death.

Karunanidhi’s son expressed his condolences to the families of the dead DMK members.

Citing the statement of Kauvery Hospital where the 94-year old veteran politician is admitted, Stalin said their leader’s health was normalizing.

On July 31, the hospital said Karunanidhi will have to be remain warded for an extended period owing to age-related health issues including altered liver function.

Karunanidhi, who was Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister for five times and who has never lost an election in the 13 times he has contested, was admitted to the Kauvery Hospital on July 28 following a drop in blood pressure.

“He was resuscitated and stabilized in the ICU (intensive care unit) and managed by a team of doctors and nurses,” the statement said.

“There was a setback on his clinical condition on July 29 due to difficulty in breathing. He responded well to medical management and his vital signs are gradually normalized,” it said.

According to the hospital, Karunanidhi continues to maintain his vital signs with active medical support.

CCTVs will expose human trafficking in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday, alleging “a complete breakdown of law and order” in the capital.

In a series of tweets, the Aam Aadmi Party leader targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Lt Governor Anil Baijal and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

His comments came after the Delhi Commission for Women rescued 74 girls who were victims of human trafficking and were kept at various locations in Delhi.

“Complete breakdown of law and order in Delhi. Is it possible at such a large scale without collusion at the top? BJP, LG and Rajnathji ought to respond. People of Delhi feeling unsafe,” Kejriwal said.

“CCTV cameras will expose such crimes, the people behind it and make police accountable. If police were to give license for CCTV, will police ever give license to install CCTV cameras at such places? Never,” he added.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the first complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) that was published on the day, is not the final list and urged the opposition not to politicise it.

“Whatever work is going on in the NRC, is happening under the supervision of the Supreme Court. To say that the government has done it, and it is inhuman and brutal…such allegations are baseless.

“It is not the right thing to say,” Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.

The first draft comprising the names of 2,89,83,677 people of Assam was published online by the Registrar General of India.

The Minister said: “There is no question of any coercive action against anyone. The NRC process is being carried out with complete fairness and transparency.”

Urging not to create panic, Singh also said that if anyone was not satisfied with the first draft of the NRC, that person would get an opportunity to file claims and objections as per provisions in the law and later also approach the Foreigner’s Tribunal.

“Some people are unnecessarily trying to create an atmosphere of fear. I want to assure all that there is no need for any apprehension or fear. Some misinformation is also being spread.

“The NRC process has been done impartially. Some people may not have been able to submit the necessary documents. They will get the full opportunity through Claims and Objections process.

“Definitely, they will get justice. There is no need to create panic unnecessarily,” Rajnath Singh said.

The senior BJP leader said: “Today NRC draft list has been published in Assam. I want to emphatically say that this is only a draft and not the final NRC.

“I want to clarify that even after the final NRC, every person will get an opportunity to approach the Foreigners Tribunal.”

Around 40 lakh people have been left out of the list. The first list of the NRC process was released in December 31 last year, in which around 1.9 crore people out of the total applications of 3.29 crore people were included.

“People whose names do not figure, they will get the opportunity for claims and objections after August 28.

“They can file it for two-three months based on the deadline which will be fixed. After that its disposal will begin. The Supreme Court will take a decision on it. We cannot do anything about it,” said Rajnath Singh.

“The disposal of claims and objections will take place at the higher administrative level,” he added.

Appealing to the House, the Minister said: “This is a very sensitive issue. Everyone should lend their support. I want to make it clear…you can express your anger…but let me tell you that government is not doing anything…everything is being done under the supervision of Supreme Court.”

“If you are saying so…, then I want to urge the House that the opposition should decide what is government’s role.

Don’t level baseless allegations. Such sensitive issues should not be unnecessarily politicised,” he added.

Former Telecom Minister Dayanidhi Maran is to face trial in the illegal telephone exchange case. The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed his plea challenging a Madras High Court order directing the trial court to frame charges against him.

Dismissing the petition by Maran against the High Court order, Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice R. Banumathi and Justice Naveen Sinha said: “The allegation is that you were using all this (telephone exchange) for your brother’s business.

Dismissing the plea against the High Court order by Maran and three other BSNL officials, Justice Gogoi said in the order: “We are not inclined to interfere with the High Court order. Since the recording of our views may affect the trial, we refrain to do so.

As one of the officials accused in the matter sought to address the court, the bench said: “Go with your minister. There are serious charges against you.”

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday searched the house of Asiya Andrabi, chief of the women’s separatist group ‘Dukhtaran-e-Milat’ (Daughters of Faith), here.

Police sources said an NIA team assisted by Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out the searches in Buchpora locality.

Andrabi and two of her associates, Fahmeeda Sofi and Nahida Nasreen, were arrested by the NIA and shifted to Delhi on July 6.

The Rajya Sabha on Monday saw repeated disruptions over the Assam NRC issue and was adjourned for the day amid a ruckus in the post-lunch sitting.

Soon after the House met in the post-lunch sitting, the opposition members again raised the issue of NRC. Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House for 10 minutes to meet at 2.11 p.m.

But, as soon as the House was reconvened, the opposition MPs were again on their feet. Naidu then adjourned the House for the day amid the noise.

The Upper House earlier saw two adjournments in the morning over the Assam National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue whose final draft was released on Monday and which excludes more than 40 lakh persons.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with the Presidents of Argentina and Angola on the sidelines of the 2018 BRICS Summit here, the External Affairs Ministry said on Friday.

“Discussed enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture and food processing and pharma,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted following the meeting that ended late on Thursday night.

Argentina will host the annual G20 Summit later in 2018.

In the meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the two sides discussed intensifying relations in trade and investment, agriculture and food processing, pharmaceuticals, oil and natural gas, Kumar said in a separate tweet.

On Thursday, following the 10th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Summit here, a Johannesburg Declaration was issued calling for sustainable growth of global trade and expressing determination to work together to strengthen multilateralism.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday directed his Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot to visit the people affected by the flood waters of the Yamuna river and ensure arrangements for the displaced people. The authorities, meanwhile, continued evacuating the affected people to safer places.

“Directed Kailash Gehlotji, Minister-in-charge, to visit the area along with all officers and ensure proper arrangements,” Kejriwal tweeted, attaching a news report about people complaining of “no arrangements from the Delhi government”.

Gehlot responded to Kejriwal’s tweet with: “Will visit this area around 9.30 a.m. along with Divisional Commissioner and other officers to ensure that all arrangements are in place,” Gehlot tweeted.

According to the Delhi government, over 1,000 families had been evacuated till Sunday morning.

The river’s water level rose to 205.66 meters on Monday morning due to water discharge from Haryana’s Hathnikund Barrage amid continuous rain in the catchment areas. It is expected to rise to 206.60 meters on July 31, a flood department official said.

Haryana had released 6,00,000 cusecs of water at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

The water released at Hathnikund barrage, which provides drinking water to New Delhi, normally takes 72 hours to reach the city.