Joining the debate on a 90-hour work week, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Saturday said focus on the quality of work and not on the quantity, as one can change the world in 10 hours, reported news agency PTI. Speaking at the National Youth Festival in the national capital, Mahindra asserted that he is on social media not because he is lonely and quipped, "My wife is wonderful. I love staring at her", reported PTI. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Chairman SN Subrahmanyan has sparked an online outrage with his comments, asking, "How long can you stare at your wife" while advocating a 90-hour work week and suggesting that employees should even give up Sundays. Responding to a query on the 90-hour work week, Mahindra, while reiterating his respect for Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy and others, said, "Let me not get this wrong, of course, but I have to say something. I think this debate is in the wrong direction because this debate is about the quantity of work", reported PTI. "My point is we have to focus on the quality of work, not on the quantity of work. So, it's not about 40 hours, it's not about 70 hours, it's not about 90 hours. What output are you doing? Even if it's 10 hours, you can change the world in 10 hours," he added, reported PTI. Mahindra further said he "always believed that you have to have leaders and people in your company who make wise decisions, wise choices. So, the question is, which kind of mind makes the right choices and right decisions?" He also stressed the need to have a mind that is "exposed to holistic thinking, that is open to inputs from around the world" and also the need for people from different backgrounds like engineers and MBAs to study arts and culture to be able to make better decisions. "...because I think you make better decisions when you have a whole brain, when you are informed about arts, culture, that's when you make a good decision," Mahindra said, reported PTI. Highlighting the need to spend time with family and friends, he said, "If you're not spending time at home, if you're not spending time with friends, if you're not reading, if you don't have time to reflect, how will you bring the right inputs into making a decision?", reported PTI. Taking the example of M&M, which makes automobiles, he said, "We have to decide what a customer wants in a car. If we are only in the office all the time, we are not with our families, we are not with other families. How are we going to understand what people want to buy? What kind of car do they want to sit in?", reported PTI. He further said, "I'm not going to say you need to work so many hours of that. I don't want it to be. Ask me what's the quality of my work. Don't ask me how many hours I work". Referring to his followers on X, who often ask how much time he has and why he spends so much time on social media instead of working, Mahindra said, "I want to tell people I'm on X on social media not because I'm lonely... My wife is wonderful. I love staring at her. I spend more time. I'm not here to make friends. I'm here because people don't understand it is an amazing business tool, how in one platform I get feedback from 11 million people..." Last month, billionaire Gautam Adani also waded into the work-life balance debate when he said the spouse would leave if one was to spend eight hours with the family. He had reportedly stated that work-life balance is a matter of personal choice. "Your idea of work-life balance should not be imposed on me, and my idea shouldn't be imposed on you. Say, someone spends 4 hours with family and finds joy in it, or if someone else spends 8 hours and enjoys it, that is their work-life balance", he added. "Aath ghanta family ke saath bitayega tho biwi bhaag jaayegi (Wife will leave if one spends eight hours with family)," he had said. Last year, Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy stirred up a storm on the internet when he suggested the need for a change in India's work, stating youngsters should be prepared to work for 70 hours a week. Murthy had found support from Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal. (With inputs from PTI)
12 January,2025 09:09 AM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA 10-month-old child has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection, the first such case this season in Assam, officials said on Saturday. The child is undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh and is “stable” now, they said. AMCH Superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said the child was admitted to the state-run hospital with cold-related symptoms four days ago. “The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC,” the hospital superintendent said. Bhuyan said that samples are sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research for tests in influenza and flu-related cases as a routine practice. “It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus and there is nothing to worry about,” he said. ICMR—Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) Senior Scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty said, “Since 2014, we have detected 110 HMPV cases in Dibrugarh district. This is the first case this season. Every year it is detected, and nothing is new. We have got the sample from AMCH and this has been found positive for HMPV”. The virus infection is usually a mild and self-limiting condition and most such patients recover on their own. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 January,2025 07:58 AM IST | Dibrugarh | AgenciesTwo Kasaragod natives undertook a gruelling 8,000 kilometre and 223-days long journey by foot from north India to the Lord Ayyappa shrine at Sabarimala here with prayers for world peace, a Travancore Devaswom Board said on Saturday. Sanathkumar Nayak and Sampathkumar Shetty, who hail from Ramdas Nagar in Kasaragod district, left for Badrinath from Kerala on May 26, 2024, by train. From there, they filled up their “irumudi kattu” (the traditional bundle a devotee brings to the Lord Ayyappa shrine) and set off on foot for Sabarimala on June 3, TDB said in a release. During their journey, they visited various pilgrimage centres and temples, including four monasteries established by Shankaracharya, and reached Sannidhanam via Ayodhya, Ujjain, Dwarka, Puri, Jagannath, Rameshwaram, Achankovil and Erumeli. They stayed at various temples, ate local fare or cooked their own food as they walked 8,000 kilometres to reach the hill-top shrine. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 January,2025 07:56 AM IST | Pathanamthitta | AgenciesThe CAG has projected a loss of Rs 2,026 crore due to the Delhi government’s excise policy, and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party has not tabled the report in the assembly to hide its misdeeds, the BJP claimed on Saturday. AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar on Saturday accused the BJP of fabricating false allegations against the Delhi government and dismissed the party’s claims about a CAG report as “manufactured and baseless”. Responding to the BJP’s claims about the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, Kakkar alleged during a press conference here that the report presented by the BJP was not authentic and had neither been seen by key stakeholders, including the chief minister and the LG, nor listed on the CAG’s official website. “The report they are showing is fake and manufactured in their office. It holds no credibility. This is the same strategy the BJP uses repeatedly to mislead people with false allegations,” Kakkar said. Referring to previous allegations levelled by the BJP, including those in the liquor policy case, Kakkar claimed even the Supreme Court had dismissed their claims as baseless. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 January,2025 07:55 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesAn under-construction building at the Kannauj railway station collapsed on Saturday afternoon, trapping around two dozen workers under the rubble, officials said. At least 23 people have been injured in the incident. Six of them were pulled out of the debris and rushed to hospital, they said. The North Eastern Railway (NER) said it has constituted a three-member committee to probe the incident. Initial visuals from the site showed scenes of chaos and confusion with crowds, clouds of dust and broken beams as people tried to rescue those who had been trapped. “According to preliminary information, the incident occurred when the under-construction shuttering of the roof collapsed,” said District Magistrate (DM) Shubhrant Kumar Shukl. “Our first priority is to rescue the workers who are trapped. We are using all resources at our disposal for the rescue efforts,” Shukl, who had rushed to the spot along with other senior officials to supervise the rescue operation, added. Roof shuttering is a temporary structure that supports concrete while it sets. Minister of State (Independent Charge), Social Welfare, Asim Arun also reached the spot. “So far, 23 people have been injured in the accident. While 20 of them suffered minor injuries, three of them sustained grievous injuries. The rescue operation is underway and will take a few more hours,” the minister told reporters. Construction was going on for the new terminal of the Kannauj railway station under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Arun said. “Once the rescue operation is completed, a thorough probe will be launched into the incident,” he said. The NER division of the Indian Railways said in a statement that it has formed a high-level three-member committee to investigate the incident. “The investigation team will include the chief engineer, planning and design; the additional divisional railway manager, Izzatnagar; and the chief security commissioner of the Railway Protection Force,” the statement quoted chief public relations officer of NER Pankaj Kumar Singh as saying. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
12 January,2025 07:53 AM IST | Uttar Pradesh | AgenciesThe decision by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) to contest the upcoming civic polls in Maharashtra independently is a result of the party’s realisation that parting ways with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and aligning with the Congress in 2019 was a mistake, state minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said on Saturday. Amid a blame game over the Maha Vikas Aghadi's defeat in the state assembly elections, key constituent Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) announced earlier in the day that it would fight the local elections solo. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut highlighted the lack of opportunities for workers within alliances and the need for organisational growth as key reasons for contesting independently, news agency PTI reported. "The Shiv Sena (UBT) has realised its blunder of choosing the Congress over BJP and Devendra Fadnavis in 2019. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has realised that the Congress' ideology cannot take it forward," Bawankule said. Thackeray had ended the decades-long alliance with BJP after the 2019 assembly polls, accusing the latter of breaking a promise to share the chief ministerial post. He subsequently formed an alliance with the Congress and then undivided Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and served as chief minister from 2019 to 2022. The state BJP chief also mentioned that the Mahayuti will endeavour to encourage workers to contest the local body elections unitedly, PTI reported. "If one party, or an alliance with a shared ideology, is in power from the Centre down to the panchayat level, then every paisa earmarked for development reaches the grassroots from Delhi," Bawankule added. The BJP, the largest party in the Mahayuti, which also includes the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP, will not be arrogant and will seek to accommodate allies in the local polls, he stated. Polls in several urban areas, including Mumbai, Thane, and Nagpur, have been pending since early 2022. Regarding the state BJP's day-long convention on Sunday, Bawankule said that 15,000 delegates would attend, including 50 from each assembly constituency, PTI reported. "The convention is being held to prepare the cadre so that the welfare schemes of the Union and state governments reach beneficiaries at the grassroots level. The convention will be historic," he said. (With PTI inputs)
11 January,2025 09:46 PM IST | Shirdi | mid-day online correspondentGujarat has confirmed its fourth case of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) after a nine-month-old tested positive in Ahmedabad, officials reported on Saturday. All the cases have emerged within a week, reported news agency PTI. The baby boy was admitted to a private hospital in the city on Monday after developing symptoms such as cold, cough, and difficulty breathing. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation noted that he had no history of foreign travel or other travel. On Friday, an eight-year-old boy from Sabarkantha district was identified as the third case patient of HMPV. Just two days prior, an 80-year-old man in Ahmedabad, who has asthma, also tested positive for the virus and is currently receiving treatment at a private hospital. The first case in Gujarat was recorded on Monday, January 6, when a two-month-old boy from Rajasthan was diagnosed with the viral disease, which presents symptoms such as fever, nasal congestion, runny nose, and cough. He was later discharged after treatment. With the recent infant's infection, the state has now documented four cases of HMPV since Monday. HMPV, which was discovered in 2001, is part of the Paramyxoviridae family and is closely related to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus. It spreads through respiratory droplets released during coughing or sneezing and can also be contracted by touching contaminated surfaces or having direct contact with infected individuals. HMPV scare: No cause for concern, says Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar Amid concerns surrounding the Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) virus, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Wednesday reassured the public that the state health department is working efficiently in this matter and no one has to worry about it, reported news agency ANI. He reiterated that this variant of HMPV is not that strong and the nation has already dealt with problematic viruses like coronavirus. Speaking to reporters, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar said, "We have mentioned this earlier too that this variant is not strong. We have dealt with problematic viruses like coronavirus. Our health department is working efficiently in this matter. No one has to worry..." Earlier on January 8, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official, Margaret Harris said that the rise observed in the number of common respiratory infections, is 'common' during winter and spring, reported ANI. (With agency inputs)
11 January,2025 07:16 PM IST | Ahmedabad | mid-day online correspondentAn eight-year-old boy from Gujarat’s Sabarkantha district has contracted human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection, taking the number of cases in the state to three, an official said on Friday. The boy, who belongs to a family of farm labourers from Prantij taluka, was found positive for HMPV in a test run by a private laboratory but health authorities had sent his blood samples to a government lab for confirmation, he said. The child, who is currently admitted to a private hospital in Himmatnagar town, had been considered a suspected HMPV case until now. Doctors at the hospital said that the boy was on a ventilator. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
11 January,2025 06:31 PM IST | Himatnagar | AgenciesRailway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Saturday that the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) will remain in its current location and will not be relocated for the forthcoming Pune-Nashik railway project, reported news agency PTI. He emphasised that the only viable solution is to alter the alignment of the railway project. The GMRT is situated in Khodad village near Narayangaon, approximately 60 km from Pune, off the Pune-Nashik Highway. Researchers have voiced concerns about potential disruptions to the facility's operations following the Centre's in-principle approval of the Pune-Nashik semi-high-speed rail project. In response to these concerns, NCP (SP) MP Amol Kolhe recently suggested relocating the GMRT to facilitate the railway project. "GMRT, located between Nashik and Pune, was a challenge for the project. It's not the telescope for India, but it also belongs to 23 countries. We will have to make all these countries agree to shift telescopes. Shifting means weakening the most powerful facility of scientific research in India. That is why we decided not to shift GMRT from its current location," Vaishnaw stated at a press conference at C-DAC, Pune. He further mentioned that the only remaining option is to adjust the alignment of the proposed railway route. "If we see the area and go towards the Arabian Sea in the west, we have ghats. If we move there, the project will get difficult. The other side is between the Manmad-Ahilyanagar route. The Manmad, Ahilyanagar -Daund route is already there. There is an option of a parallel alignment along this route," he explained. Vaishnaw also pointed out the second option, which involves the Nashik-Shirdi-Ahilyanagar-Pune high-speed route, stating, "On these two options, the team is working and we will have results soon." He reassured that the GMRT will remain undisturbed, highlighting its significance as a great heritage for the nation, while also ensuring the Pune-Nashik railway project will proceed. Samruddhi Highway's 76 km stretch to open by February, connecting Mumbai to Nagpur Good news for motorists heading towards Nasik and Nagpur from Mumbai and Thane: The final 76-kilometre stretch of the Samruddhi Highway, connecting Igatpuri to Amane near Bhiwandi, is expected to be opened to traffic by the end of February. Amane village, where the Samruddhi Highway will begin, is located 53 kilometres from Mumbai. An MSRDC official stated, "The work on the 76-kilometre stretch, which will link Igatpuri to Amane, is 99 per cent complete. The final stretch had to be constructed through challenging terrain, and it includes 16 bridges and five tunnels. By the end of February, we will apply the final touches, allowing motorists to travel non-stop from Amane in Bhiwandi to Nagpur." (With inputs from PTI)
11 January,2025 05:23 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentMinority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju embarked on a five-day visit to Saudi Arabia on Saturday to sign a bilateral agreement for the Hajj 2025 pilgrimage, during which India is seeking an additional quota of 10,000 pilgrims, news agency PTI reported. Rijiju is scheduled to meet Saudi Arabian Minister Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah on Monday, and the two leaders are expected to sign the bilateral agreement. "I look forward to visiting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to sign the bilateral agreement on Hajj 2025 and strengthen the people-to-people ties between our two great nations," Rijiju said in a post on X. Rijiju will also meet Saleh Al Jasser, the Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistic Services, to discuss the Hajj 2025 flight operations and pilgrimage-related bus and train services, PTI reported. The minister will visit the Jeddah Hajj Terminal, used by Indian pilgrims, where the government has set up dedicated office space for facilitation. Some Indian pilgrims also transit through Jeddah Airport Terminal One, which is connected to a high-speed rail service. India’s Hajj 2025 quota has been fixed by Saudi Arabia at 1,75,025 pilgrims, with the Indian government seeking an additional 10,000 quota for this year’s pilgrimage, PTI reported. Rijiju will also travel to Madina, where he will visit the Quba and Qublatain mosques. During his visit, the minister is scheduled to meet Prince Khalid Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Advisor to King Salman, Governor of Makkah Region, and Chairman of the Central Hajj Committee, as well as Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz al Saud, the Governor of Madina. Of the total Hajj pilgrims' quota allocated to India, 70 per cent will be managed by the Hajj Committee of India, with the remaining 30 per cent going to private Hajj group organisers, according to the government’s Hajj Policy for 2025. In 2024, the Hajj Committee of India was allotted 80 per cent, while private organisers received 20 per cent of the quota. In the 2024 Hajj policy, priority was given to applicants aged 70 and above, followed by women travelling without mehrams, and then the general category. The new policy prioritises 65 plus applicants, followed by women without mehrams and then the general category. (With PTI inputs)
11 January,2025 04:10 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentA Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Delhi government's excise policy has revealed a revenue loss of Rs 2,026 crore to the state exchequer, news agency ANI reported. The report highlighted several issues, including deviations from the objectives of the Delhi Excise Policy, a lack of transparency in pricing, and violations in issuing licences, which were not penalised. Of the Rs 2,026-crore loss to the state exchequer, Rs 890 crore resulted from the government's failure to re-tender surrendered licences before the conclusion of the policy period, according to the report. Additionally, exemptions granted to zonal licences led to a loss of Rs 941 crore, ANI reported. "The Department was issuing licences without checking various requirements relating to Excise Rules and Terms and Conditions for the issue of different types of licences. It was observed that licences were issued without ensuring solvency, submission of audited financial statements, submission of data regarding sales and wholesale price declared in other states and across the year, verification of criminal antecedents from the competent authority etc.," the executive summary of the CAG report read. The report stated that the loss to the exchequer was primarily owing to sub-optimal implementation, which resulted in a failure to achieve the objectives of the Delhi Excise Policy, ANI reported. The report also alleges that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders benefited from kickbacks. Key findings in the report highlight the revenue loss in crores and the ignoring of expert panel recommendations by the Group of Ministers (GoMs). It also noted that, despite complaints, all entities were allowed to bid and licences were issued without proper scrutiny. Furthermore, violations in the issuance of licences were not penalised. Delhi Excise Policy case: Cabinet, LG not consulted over important approvals "Further, selective adherence of various Rules and Regulations while issuing Licences is non-compliance of procedures and responsibility should be fixed for violations of the same," the report read. The report's findings also allege that the cabinet and the Lieutenant Governor (LG) were not consulted over important approvals and changes. In what the report claims to be a breach of procedural norms, excise rules were not presented before the legislative assembly for ratification. The report also emphasised the lack of transparency in the pricing of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), observing that the discretion granted to the L1 licensee (Manufacturer and Wholesaler) allowed them to manipulate liquor prices to their own advantage by increasing the Ex-Distillery Price (EDP). "Pricing of liquor was important to ensure optimal excise revenue collection. Excise Department allowed discretion to L1 licensee (Manufacturer and Wholesaler) to declare its Ex-Distillery Price (EDP), for liquor priced above a certain level. All the price components after manufacture, including profit of manufacturer, were added thereafter. Audit observed varying EDP in various States for liquor supplied by same manufacturer unit. Further, this discretion allowed L1 licensee to manipulate prices of liquor to its own advantage, through increase in EDP," the report read. "Analysis of pricing and sale of a few brands revealed that discretionary EDP led to a decline in sales and consequent loss in excise revenue. As the costing details were not sought to ascertain the reasonability of EDP, there was a risk of L1 licensee getting compensated by the profits hidden in increased EDP," it added. The report further noted that a waiver of Rs 144 crore was granted to zonal licences based on COVID-19 restrictions, leading to additional revenue loss. This occurred despite the tender document stating that any commercial risk would lie with the licencees, with no provision for "force majeure." An additional Rs 27 crore was lost due to incorrect collection of security deposits. (With ANI inputs)
11 January,2025 03:44 PM IST | Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
